OPOTIKI.

Tauranga Argus and Opotiki Reporter, Volume 1, Issue 3, 8 December 1866, Page 3

OPOTIKI.

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November 26, 1866. At ari early Irour tliis ruorijing the Sturt, Captain Faircliilcl, steamed up to the wharf. She bronght a number ot the men beionging to the left wing of the lst Waikato Regiment, wlio'nre to be located here. Severa officers liad also taken a trip in the steamer for the pnrpose, it is suppose ! of spying the richness of the land in thistquarter. The men on Janding reeeived a Ixarty welcome from their brethren in arms -who, have been stationed at Opotiki for go m e months past. Durin.g the time the several detachments of the lst Kegiuient have been dyting duty on the Thames and -Waikato, a considerable number of the men, -struck with the eharms of aet-ler's daughters, and eke widows, have enteied into the holy estate of liiatrimony ; in the eoilrse of time a /oodiy erop of young militiamen may reasonably be expected to appear on -the settlemeht, and, "»if iheytake after their papas," the colony wili never Jack defenders.

November 27. Last evening a meeting was held for the puripose o' detirmining what steps ought to be taken to settle t.be great land question, •••which question, if aot speedily seltled, will heoome a deeided bore. Tliose who have read the lengthy debates in the House of Commons on the " Tenants Rights Bill," or, whose patience has been tried by being subjected to listen to Mr* Dufiy's orations about the " Land Aet for Victoria," will heartily wish the Military Settlers were placed comfortably on fheir •allotments. It is somewhat remarkable that any question. no matter how t'rivial, con necfed with land is certain to cause a eon' founded (I must not use a stronger term liubbub and all the " sound ar.d fury " is? in many instances, about nothing. But the lst Waikato's have a real grievauce. They were led to believe that their officers, from the eolonel downwards, would all put their liands in the " lucky bag " and take their chanee of drawing agood patch of ground— nay, they poi ti t to clause number seven of. fheir contract with the Government and say, ;i! according to this clause the officerS have not the right of seleetion." They have regolved to take the opinion of counsei. 1 have no doubt were the clause snbmitted to half-a-dozen solicitors, out of the six thrce could produce very good r^asons for putting an interpretation upon it f'avorable to the privates, whilst the other three would £nd equally good reasons for placing a construction upon it favorable to the officers. The men composing,the lst Waikato Regi- | ment have fairly earned all that the Government of 1363 promised them and, it mnst ; he a matter of deep regret to everyone | interested in the prosperitj of the Military Settlements tha^ anything should occur likely to cause a feeling of dlseontent amongst those who, in the hour of danger, rendered good service to the colony, and who have

resolved upon establishing a permanent home in this coontry. How the matter will be settled remains to be seen, but, it is to be hoped, that the Defence Minister jvill give the claims of the Militia his most careful consideration. Having fulfilled their part of the contract the men# naturaily expect the Government will act honorably by them, they do not sue for favors, they * simply demand that which they conceive to be their right, Major St. John attende^— tiie meeting, and his presence cannot fail to impress the men under his command with a seri e of the warm interest' he feels 'in their welfare. His interests as well as tliose of the other officers are, no doilbt, at varjance with the interests of the privatqs, but, the gallant major very good humouredly expressed a hope that the men might gain the point for which they are now striving- The reception given to the officers who attended showed in an unmistakable manner the liigh esteem in which they are held by those whom tboy command. Almost ivery week signs of improvement on tlie settlement present themselves. Whares, huts, and bou§es of a substantial character now dot the fiat. Patches of ground, some of considerable extenfc, arq fenced in, and the present appeardnce of the gardens promise a fair return to their owners. When will a library and reauing room be opened in the township. Beer may be quofed at sixpenee per pint ; books, and newspapers are at a discouut, Macaulay's History of England has been offered for two quarts, buyeis being. shy a 6tot" was accepted. November 28. By the arpival of the Sturt those resident in this district were put in possession of the telegrams bi'ought by ihe English Mail There is an old proverb to the, effect that self praise is no praise at all, but, as your corresporident I may perhaps be permitted to say I feel some.wtiat elated (•' elated " is a mild word) that the Tauranga argbs was the first paper which reached this settlemeht containing the English and European news Up to October fo ur.