Harbor Block Chips

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 19, 22 October 1891, Page 2

Harbor Block Chips

[from our own correspondent. | I suppose jour readers think that yonr correspondent is either dead,* or done the Pacific slope, or that the excitement and dissipations incident to country life haye interfered with the otherwise peaceful routine of his e very-day existence, depriv*.. ing him of those quiet leisure moments, 'moments,- when alone he may -venture to * . unbosom himself to a syninatbisiagpubliCi In these degenerate days it is worse than > useless to excuse oneself with the usual plea of a bad cold — everybody. has" that. - The same with all other ailments that ■ afflict poor humanity who haven't got 'em, , and yet the affairs of this great world goon as if everybody was-well and happy. - __ , Great dissatisfaction is expressed here with the manner in which the work on ' the Taonui xoad has been carried" out. The settlers say, and justly too, that money is not so* plentiful in the coffers of ehe, Kiwitea Boad Board- that" they can^, afford to play ducks and drakes with jj^f and such appears to have been donerw- - this instance. In the first place the fcwv illation is utterly, useless as it stands at ,v prosent, as, when Mr Bellve, whose land . abntts the road, fences, it will be impos- > sible to gain acces9.to it owing to the quantity of timber on the road connecting it with the old formation. In -the next place it is alleged that the work was let. at an exorbitant price— sufficient to havo - y cleared the logs; and made a passable road : the whole of the way to the Oroua river. For my part I do not think the Engineer takes sufficient care in estimating these small contracts, which, if let to certain contractors, renders him liable to be ad- , versely commented on by ill-natured in* dividuals. Some of the orchards here are looking remarkably well, notably those of "Mr 8. Bellve, and Mr'Finnis. Very little blight has made an appearance yet,' and except' ing gales, a yery good crop is expected; ' The yield of lambs is very, good on 'the whole, ranging from ninety ,to a hundred and ten per cent. A considerable number of apparently healthy sheep have died here recently from some cause unknown. They are found coiled up and appear 4o - have died without a struggle. The suggestion made by yonr correspondent ~"{W.G.," re the appointment, of -. J J.P.s, is regarded here with considerable favor, and hope is expressed that means will be found to carry it into effect. I have it on good authority that the Begistrar of Dogs is about to pay an another visit to the unsuspecting' settlers of the Kiwitea District to collect*" the Dog i Tax on those pnppiea that attained their majority during .the interim which- has ..elapsed since his former visit. Ifsuchbo , the. case I,' as ,the owner of a puppy, strongly protest against such- a levy— not , for the value of the half' crown, but one does not care to-be imposed upon. I , place it thus.: If the- collector gathers tax on these dogs, say in November, the col- v '' lan are only good until the end of the ' year. After that time you' are liable to pay tax for the ensuing year, or at latest the tax will be- called in by the following September— the owner thus having to pay, twice 'within' ten months, and this notwithstanding the six months' exemp- . tion. Would such a levy be legal ?