OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 17.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 84, 6 March 1884, Page 2

OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 17.

A TRIP UP THE COAST. [by OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.] TOLOGA AS IT IS. In sketch No. 16 1 painted a fanciful picture of what the township of Tologa Bay is destined to become some years after all questions of Native lands disputeshave been set at rest. I must now discard the imaginary and deal with the reality—with Tologa as a promising little township/ a place of peculiar interest, but which has not hitherto made the progress it ought. The reason of this is apparent. Titles to Native lands have been insecure, boundaries undefined, and, therefore, few persons would risk the outlay of erecting buildings and effecting improvements subject, by the Land Court decisions/ to fall into the hands of others. Happily for the district there is now a prospect of these difficulties being for ever set at rest, and then the port of Tologa will make some strides towards becoming a town of importance on the East Coast. Its position is a good one, and it should rise in importance as an agricultural town, the centre of an immence farming and pastoral district. We may speak about the rapid development of gold mining townships, and when gold is plentiful chant pieans of the almost magical rise and progress by which they become busy commercial marts, when a few brief months previously there may not have been seen where the towns now stand a solitary cottage, or to be heard the sound of a human voice. These places often recede into obscurity as quickly as they are developed. Such is not the history of towns and cities that have slowly but surely arose in agricultural centres. Their progress at first may be slow, but it is sure. The cultivation of the land, its adaptation to pastoral purposes where the soil is unsuited for the production of grain, and where its hills are too broken to be tempered by the plough, is at all times a sure sign that a central township like the one in Tologa Bay must eventually assume a very different position to what it does at the present time, retarded as it has been by the insecurity of titles to the land held by nearly every settler, and the absence of good inland roads between the various producing districts. The denizens of such centres must learn to labor and to wait, although to the individual of active temperament the waiting time is the longest time of all. It nevertheless does not do to sit idle, and possess one’s soul in patience to an unlimited extent. The Tologans are not of that stamp. They have many times striven manfully to obtain those facilities for their district at the hands of the Government of the Colony and the County Council without which, in this go-ahead age, it is impossible to successfully carry on the business of the world, but their requirements have been ignored. They have paid heavy sums of money in rates to the County Council, but the district is without even a good road. The settlers are shut in from the outer world, and have only once a week the means of communicating with the commercial centres of the Colony by means of the mail service. To establish essential and rapid means of communication, they have prayed the Government to give them the benefit of either the telegraphic or telephonic service, and guaranteed the necessary sum of money to ensure such facilities, but Government have turned a deaf ear to their entreaties and still left them to continue in their isolated condition, whiie other places, even without settlers and residents, but yhere Ministerial influence has been gained, have had tele-

graphic communication opened and gangs of Government men set on in the work of road-making. All this points to the necessity of the East Coast Electoral District being represented in Parliament by a gentleman whose utterances, when he speaks, will be respected, and whose general acquaintance with the requirements of the district such as will induce him to demand and obtain that assistance and consideration the settlers and the district is entitled to. There is no gainsaying the fact that such a representative will be found in Mr. Samuel Locke if the electors are wise enough to return him when the next opportunity offers. Enough on generalization. Let us take a peep at the township. The township is situated on a flat, close to the sea, though which traverses the river. There are a number of small houses erected along this flat, but these are principally inhabited by Natives, whose town residences would be taken for the dwelling-places of Europeans. There are, however, but few of the latter inhabiting the place. There are two hotels in the township and three stores. the sea view hotel is a commodious building, and has been enlarged to nearly double its former size since it has been in the hands of the present proprietor, Mr. R. Finlay. The hotel contains fifteen bedrooms, but on an [emergency as

many as thirty visitors could be comfortably berthed. The dining-room is comfortable, and well appointed. There are several private sitting-rooms up and down-stairs. From the former access is gained to a good balcony, from which a good view of the sea can be commanded. Adjoining the bar is a spacious billiard-room, in which stands a good table. The game of billiards is a favorite pastime with the residents, settlers, and travellers who frequent or call at the Sea View. In close proximity to the hotel stands a large shed, used as a receiving-house for merchandise imported and produce for exportation. Four hundred bales of wool left that store this season. Alongside it is the building used by the Bench as a Court-house, but it is sadly in need of repairs. This Mr. Finlay is cognisant of, and with that intention had ordered timber, <fcc., to put it in proper repair, with the view of inducing the Lands Court Judge to hold li’s sittings of the Native Lands Court there. A little pique is felt in consequence of arrangements having been made to hold the Court on the opposite side of the ferry, which is said to be out of the township, and an injustice to the residents, traders, and Natives, whose accommo-dation-houses are situate in the township. A petition protesting against this airangemant has been forwarded, signed by Natives and residents, to the Chief Judge. There is some good paddocking contiguous to the hotel. Mr. Finlay runs a stores, whioh is well stocked. Mr. M. Mullooly previously owned this hotel. Parallel with the sea view stands MR. W. W. brown’s STORE and residence. These are very pretty little buildings. This store is also the district post-office. Mr. Brown is a brother to Mr. E. K. Brown, the late Mayor of Gisborne, and is extremely popular, not only in Tologa but everywhere along the Coast. He does a good business. The store is compact, and stocked with everything from “ a needle to an anchor.” The proprietor has traded there for a period of six years. In a line with the police-station, but opposite Mr. Brown’s store, stands THE TOLOGA BAY HOTEL. This is a house containing fifteen bedrooms, but has sleeping accommodation for twenty persons. There is a bagatelle-table in a room leading from the bar-parlour, and a snug little sitting-room to the right of the bar, where will be found a good piano. The present proprietor is Mr. Franklyn Hodges, who conducts the house very creditably, and, by way of making two ends meet—for trade is not generally extraordinarily brisk in Tologa—runs a store and and also carries on a butchering business. This hotel was built by Mr. John Trimmer, and has in turn been run by Mr. Cannon, now of the Royal, Gisborne, and Mr. Allanach, more recently of the firm of Messrs. Allanach and Hansen, of Gisborne, and a member of Cook County Council. Mr. Hodges has been in possession nearly a year, during which period he has effected several improvements previously much needed. He keeps a good table, and every attention is paid to those who favor him with thenpatronage. A short distance beyond, on the opposite side of the road, and erected on a slight eminence, facing the sea, stands THE MAORI CHURCH, a decent-sized structure, but much in need of a coat of paint. Sometimes, it is utilised by Europeans, when the spirit moves them, and they fall into a worshipping frame of mind, which, from the information tendered me, is not quite once a week. Indeed, there seems to be little provision existing at Tologa for religious exercises in the form of public worship. Sometimes ministers from Gisborne, generally the Rev. J. McAra, and the Ven. Archdeacon Williams, put in an appearance, but the rough state of the roads and the fatigue in travelling from one centre to another limits the occasions of their itinerancy to the level of “ angels’ visits.” There arc two large RUNUNGA HOUSES in the township, the one known as “ Tekani a Takirau” being situated near the Maori Church, and the other not far from the Police Station. They abound with carvings, some of them so indelicate that I must refrain from offending the sensibilities of my English readers by venturing upon a description of them.

THE POLICE STATION, where Mr. Martin Stagpoole resides in charge, is by no means a very terrible place to look upon, but my advice is, unless you are there as the friend and guest of the superintendent, keep as clear of chances of being accommodated there as possible. It is a Government building and therefore nicely kept. But banish hope all ye who enter there until you have appeared before the beak, and paid the penalty of your misdemeanor. Adjoining this structure there is a good allotment of land fenced in. On this site is to be erected the new Court-house and Government offices. Perhaps when these are completed Government will then establish duly-appointed Postal and Telegraph offices. THE NATIVE SCHOOL HOUSE. is presided over by Miss Gilman, a half-caste, a young lady of very good educational attainments. There is a roll attendance of fortyfive children, fifteen of whom are the children of English parentage. But the average attendance at the school is small, sometimes not more than eight being present. The best paying and always kept going. LOCAL INDUSTRY is Mr. E. Kirk’s shoemaking and repairing establishment, carried on in a small workshop which also serves the purpose of the ferry look-out. In this little shop Mr. Kirk and his men are always kept going. The proprietor is credited with being the only resident of the township who is making money. Possibly, in his opinion there is nothing like leather, although as he told me in putting me across the ferry he found the ready-money earned as lessee of the right to carry pessengers, horses, vehicles and stock across the river very useful, and the exercise obtained when working that department of his calling was exceedingly beneficial to his health. I must give Mr. Kirk credit for the way in which he has put the punt-gear in working-order, and also for the excellent job he has completed in making the approaches to the ferry on both sides the water. Being duly landed on the opposite shore from the township, I was coidially welcomed as a Gisborne man, and invited to choose from the resources of his well-stocked bar by the new proprietor of THE FERRY HOTEL, Mr. Moss DeCosta. Here were seen workmen moving about and we heard the sound of the hammer. Since his advent in Tologa Bay Mr. DeCosta has been setting his hotel in order, and making active preparations for the forthcoming sittings of the Native Lands Court which, according to pro-arrangement, are to be held that side the river. In the hotel there are twelve very good bed-rooms, the linen and appointments all scrupulously clean. Sleeping accommodation, however, can be afforded to about thirty persons. The dining-room is spacious, and the sittingroom comfortably furnished. Within a few paces of the hotel a new cottage has been erected. It is quite a snuggery, and intended as the Judge’s quarters during the sitting of the Court. The interior is tastefully furnished. Here Judge Brookfield will be enabled to enjoy the rest and quiet repose essential to him after the tedium and fatigues of the day. The building to be utilised as the Court-house has been partially lined, and made as suitable as circumstances will permit. Mr. DeCosta is to be commended for the spirit of enterprise he has evinced in the outlay he has made with the object of meeting what was, by those in whose hands the regulation of these Native Court matters rest, regarded as a want in the neighborhood. Of course, as I said before, there is a feeling on the township side of the river that the hotelkeepers there have been unfairly treated in the matter of the Native Lands Court arrangements. Of the merits of the question I know nothing. Mr. DeCosta’s enterprise is worthy of reward in enjoying a good run of business. My opinion is that all the hotelkeepers will find their houses and their hands full for some time hence, and that the ferryman will ply a stroke of business such as he has never done before. In the welfare of the district I hope Judge Brookfield will prove as successful in Tologa Bay as he was in Gisborne in clearing the way for a proper occupancy and development of the lands. I must now quit Tologa—my imaginary great city—and pay a visit to Mr. S. R. ►Stewart, at the Delta" Station. (To be continued.)