The Wairoa Bell, AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9th.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 175, 9 December 1892, Page 5

The Wairoa Bell, AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9th.

Gumdiggers of a lawless nature often cause settlers considerable annoyance and loss of time. In the Aratapu police Court report it will be seen that Mr Spun- of Tatarariki has had to bring 1 some offenders to Court. We are informed that some diggers went to his house one night with their hands and faces blackened and threatened him with violence. We also heard of a settler having been placed head down in a deep pot hole by some diggers These and similar acts will cause justices to be more severe on trespassers. A fine of Is was imposed on the first occasion but on Friday the fine was 10s, in addition to which there were heavy lawyer’s expenses to meet. Next time the Bench will possibly take into account the probable quantity of gum removed as well as the trespass. We are sorry to learn that a subscription list was lying at one of the stores on the field to defray the expenses of the trespassers on Spurr’s land, This appears to us as very obi'ectionable, and as about equivalent to an attempt to defeat the ends of justice, A subscription list to raise a fund for the protection of settlers against lawless trespassers would be a far worthier object. On our last visit to the Tatarariki district we were informed by a settler that he found it necessary to shoulder a spade occasionally and stroll over his section in order to keep diggers off. If he did not adopt the guise of a digger he would be unable to get near trespassers as they made oil’ at his approach.