NOKOMAI

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 192, 12 October 1871, Page 7

NOKOMAI

(From an Occasional Correspondent.)

This place is not at all replete with news of any sort ; incidents do not accumulate with us very quickly, although the news that has some what startled us lately, and has been a most acrimonous pill for us to swallow, is that 400 more of those never-ending Celestials are about arriving here, and are further bent on swallowing up all our vacant auriferous ground, and to all intents aud purposes to starve out our European miners. What has become of the Anti-Chinese league, which was to have expunged these wandering hordes ? It is very quiet just now. I would wish to impress upon it, that if it does not hasten to our rescue very quickly we shall be completely over-run with these " Heathens." We have arrived at this pass now — six Chinamen to one European. " John " is decidedly getting a nuisance, and .of a very severe sort. Our little community viowj with alarm the fresh arrivals that are constantly coming in, and all feel highly indignant, that the G-overn-ment do not put a stop to their further influx. Ido not wish to critisise our legtslatros' conduct, but I must say they are acting a most blamable part in not forwarding the views of the mining population in this respect. We do not hear many encomiums in tlit'ir favour here, at all u vents, and not many, I should conjecture, in the the Lake District either.

Some of our neighbours propose to give their services for a concert and reading in the school house next month. Thanks to the energy of our schoolmaster, these- pleasures are becoming more plentiful, and break that monotony which has been badly felt here for a long tima. One great"everit wo are looking forward to with pleasure, and which will augment our delight, is that, Mrs. Warden Wood intends stopping here for a week or two this summer, and will no doubt be persuaded to give one of her delightful evenings with the authors. We shall be most proud indeed to see our old resideuts again after a lapse of 4 years.. The presumption is that we are getting a little wiser and better in our old age ; at least twenty-nine of our most influential inhabitants have signed and forwarded a letter to M.v. Hanson, a gentleman who is an old identity and quite an aquisition in this place, asking him to perform the Church of England service every Sunday., They could not have chosen a more appropr.%. ate readerthan Mr. Hanson, on account of his having taken his digree at Cambridge, so will feel perfectly at home at this good work. I would other districts were as luckly •aa we are. Our naighbour Switzors is utterly devoid of such a thing as the Church of England service ; in fact has not seen the countenance of an English Church Clergyman for ages past. It is a wonder that the Rev. Mr. Beaumont of Tuapeka does not visit his flcok occasionally, thoy must be much iv need of him, for report says, there are quantities of children that require chrstemng.

We are obtaining our, fair quantity of gold which materially increases S withers escort. Things are pro tempore against us as regards keeping cattle. It is a great draw back fco this locality the way in. which the Bquatter residing on this statiou uses his abitrary power in this matter, inasmuch- as ho charges so enormously for our cattle. We could put up with that, but now he has extended it to our horses also, which ou^Kt to be exempt.

It would delight some of your Tuapeka people to see our blooming gardens. All are kept with -moat scrupulous care, and without any

exception the Nokomities are indeed moat energetic and successful in this kind of occupation. The strawberry crop I fancy will be most prolific this season . If it comes to the worst, with us we must let our gardens out during that season, for the benefit of the Chinese at Is per head. • Tenvpora Mufantur.