THE SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS AT HOKIANGA.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 April 1887, Page 4

THE SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS AT HOKIANGA.

A gentleman who has watched the formation of the special settlements in the Hokianga district with much interest, and who has had every opportunity of judging of the likelihood .of their proving a success, gives us the following information : — All the settlements along the Hokianga harbour will be in the main successful if the Government help the settlers to tide over the first twelve months. The settlers with very few exceptions are energetic men of the right stamp of character to make hardworking and successful colonists. They are pleased with their prospects, and, although times are very hard with them at present, do not grumble to any extent. Our informant was at Waimamuku when the last batch of settlers arrived on Thursday last. There were 17 men,4 women and soveral children, mostly from the Papakura swamp, where Mr Lundon delivered some of his special settlement addresses not long since. The same mistake that we called attention to when the Herekino settlers went on to their land, and which has chilled the energy of those persons taking up sections in all these settlements, was again apparent at 'Waimamuku. The sections were not)

marked out, there was no work for the settlers to go to .'it once, and no one to direct them as to what to get about first. That someone acquainted with the district should be appointed to meet the settlers and aid them with reliable counsel, and with food wheie necessity arises, will not be disputed, we believe. As it has turned out, most of the new settlers have turned to upon a gumfield close at hand to gain a livelihood, hoping for the promised Government work by -arid -by. Mr Howe, the one storekeeper (at the Heads) in the vicinity, was good enough, although he has had no guarantee irom the Government, to supply goodh to these hungry ones. 7 1 hose who took up land in the first of the .settlements are getting on well, and if they can stand the coining winter, a successful ending may be hoped for.

The poisoner, Thomas Hall, at rived by the s.s. Hinemoa at the Manukau this morning in charge of two waidois The convict wore prison gaib, and was con 1 ! oyedat once to Mount Erlcn (*aol, where it is expected he n'ill SBne his life-long bon'tencc. it will he rememboied that some months ago our Christchurch correspondent telegraphed that the convict was to he sent to Auckland, and though it was contradicted at the tune, events -jhoN tli.it our coriesj)ondcnt was conect. (jj eat secrecy must havo l)eon maintained by the Southern gaol ofhciah, .-is noil" ot t hi* Chi i-.{.churchi -.{.church or Wellington papoi^ had any inkling ofthe conU-inplated removal of thia notorious prisoner.