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Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 4 July 1907, Page 3

I In; homing instincts of birds received further illustration by a statement made at a meeting of tile Dunedin Acclimatisation Society that one bird of a batch of Canadian wild geese, despatched recently to the Waipara , district, promptly returned to its temporary abode at the society's gallons. Speaking 011 the number of "'swaggers" who peregrinate along the east coast, the Wairarupa Times says a remedy bus been suggested which is said to have proved eiFectivc in one case. It is to erect a notice reading thus: "iMcn wanted for digging." The number of "sundowners' 1 has decreased since this notice was displayed in the case mentioned. All unfortunate Christcliurch hawker, whose little business is much handicapped by failing eyesight, was pleasantly surprised on reaching his home one day last week to find a new handcart standing at his door, with a note Attached to it stating that it was left as a present to him. The grateful recipient lias made every effort to find his benefactor, but so far without success. In May last year Frank Morriss, a farmer of I'tikn, was reported to lie missing. The police at once niiide inquiries. It was ascertained tiiat a 111 :i 11 answering to tile description had slopped at a boarding-house at West Wai11111a, and had proceeded to Fcilding. The police at the latter place could find no information about him. On Monday last .Mr Albert Alibis, of S.inJoll lllock, found in a gorge 011 his farm a coat, hat, waistcoat, watch and chain, and a cheque-book, Inquiries at the Hank of .New Zealand showed that the chcqulr book had been issued to Frank .Morris, the missing settler, it is surmised that Morris left Fcilding for Ohingaiti, and afterwards crossed the Otira gridge above that township in order to visit an acquaintance at l'akihikura, that he lost his way, and perished in the gorge where Mr Abbis found the articles. When Morris left his farm there were forty head of cattle and three horses on the property. These were looked for by the neighbors, a'ld ultimately, together with the farm, taken possession of by the Public Trustee. Morris is a native of Brittany, France, and has no relatives in the colony. Father Lacroix has communicated with the mail's friends in France. The properly is said to be worth about £ISOO. .Morris, some IS months ago, was engaged to be married to a young lady from TVanganui, who, after visiting his farm and learning lie was not of sober hajiits, refused to marry lii'.n. Constable Cray is organising a search party to find the body. The country is somewhat rough, and there are wild pigs in the district.—Fcilding Star. A writer in the Auckland Herald gives Some interesting particulars concerning the life and experiences of that 'blood-thirsty war chief, Tc Kaupara/ta. lie says that "one of liauparaha's most successful raids was directed against the Island of Kapiti, which he took, slaughtering or capturing all the inhabitants. lie is said to have confined his prisoners in pells." Another writer ill the Herald .olivets this, and says: "When i;au|>nralia and his Jollowers migrated to Kapiti the only inhabitant* on the island were a few whalers, with whom he made friends, so there was neither slaughtering nor capturing, liauparalia took possession of the island without any opposition and made ]it his headquarters. Then, from the prisoners confined in pens, the writer says that a young woman aud her child were selected as best fitted for the next day's meal, but escaped file ovens of Rauparaha by performing a wonderful feat, in swimming." This, the second writer continues, is untrue. Such a feat was performed., but not. for the reason given above. Tin' young woman was a niece of lim)|>:irnli», and was Escaping from a war parly of Waikato ' and other tribes who were seeking revenge for Hie death of their chiefs wllr were killed in tile battle known as \'t . Motnnui. .This war party of about :>l . war canoes was seen early one eveninj [ paddling across to Kapiti. and tin

alarm w given. Tlhk young woman and lior child were oil the isl.inil iinil won l the only survivor, of the man who was supposed to have killed '!■ { lliakai and Mama in the battle u Motunui, and she knowing tile Jlaori l.tw and eiistinn of warfare, know also lliat tin y would liot'li lie doomed if lli.-y were caught. so without anv hesitation -lie tied her eliild on her back. leapt, into 1 lie sea, and swam across to the mainland ne.ir Waikanac, within a short distance of Aft W. .lenkins' home. She walked In liU house with her eliild on her hack and stayed there until Iht husliand (wiio was a European) arrived from Cloudy Riy. The distance of that swim was eight miles, and the swiimner was the writer's mother."