MERCER.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1692, 21 July 1875, Page 4

MERCER.

(FROM OUR OWN' CORRESPONDENT.) Tuesday. IMPROVED APPEARANCE OP THE VILLAGE. — RAILWAY MISMANAGEMENT AND OVER- . CHARGES.

Since the railway has been opened Mercer presents a different aspect to that which it did previously. Then it was quite a tumbledown sort of out-of-the-way village, possessing two pubs, two stores, a police .station, and a respectable Resident Magistrate's Court, with the necessary convenience for all those unfortunates who are entrapped by the glitter of Mr John Barleycorn. Mr Ridler, the spirited proprietor of an hotel here, is making large improvements by adding a commodious wing to his establishment, which was absolutely necessary in order to keep pace with the advancing times. Mr Diviani has built a large store and is doing a fair trade. Nothing is now required for those gentlemen to do in order to reach the climax of their ambition in trade, but to let their customers and the public generally know what they have done by advertising in the Evening- Star. <*s

The railway station and station-master's house assist to improve the appearance. But, by the way, whiJst writing of the stationmaster's house, I bear the railway management actually charged and compelled the station-master to pay 7s per week for four weeks' rent for this pretty little house before it was built. _So doubt the station-master can well affordjthis arbitrary arrangement, as he is so largely remunerated for his exertions by the munificent sum of 7s per diem. Passengers up country are complaining from want of river accommodation, which no doubt will be supplied in a short time. The W.S JN. Co's p.s. Waikato is expected to take .up the trade iv about a week, and very shortly the Rangiriri will be running again. I hear tie management have decided to raise her on pil s with screws, and that the contract for getting the piles is let. The way goods are being carried over the railway, and the charges made, is causing general dissafitkfaction in the Waikato. I'll give you a couple of examples: — A Mr. Goodfellow carried a package and small case of trees, which actually measured 28 feet 11 inches, for which he had to pay 66 feet, beine; the enormous excess of about 128 per cent. Mr. Hunt also carried a couple of packages actually^ measuring 13 feet 7 inches. The railwajrauthorities were kind to him, he being the manager of the W.S.N. Co., and only charged him 56 feet, or a little over 300 per cent, excess of actual measurement. Everybody complains of similar treatment. Besides thij& storekeepers complain they have perishable goods, fruit, &c, in the railway waggons at Mercer which have been there over a week, and the management will not supply suffi cient hands to deliver them. The W.S.N. Co.'s "steamer Bluenose left Mercer to-day for up-country with about 52 tons of gene.al cargo, whilst there is about 100 tons in railway carriages which should have gone in her. Bow long will the 5000 Waikato settlers submit to this kind of treatment is a question I leave for a more able pen than mine to answer.