Waituna West Notes.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 132, 4 December 1893, Page 2

Waituna West Notes.

[fbosi ova, own cobbbspondbnt.] The excitement of the election is now pretty well over. The supporters of the Government candidate are well pleased with the result, while those who advocated the cause of Mr Lethbridge, though not on the winning side, have not lost one atom of the respect for him in which he is held here. I may say he is universally liked. When he stands again, as I am glad to hear he will, he will have better fortune. The small number of votes recorded here is accounted for by the fact that a good many residents took a holiday and recorded .their votes out of the locality where they reside. A movement is on foot to prevent the establishment of a public house at West Waitapu, and a petition to that effect has already been largely signed. Some folks think a hotel will be neccessary now that Gorton and Son's saleyards are nearly finished, but I " faucy they will have to do without one for some time. The temperance people have discovered their strength, and they intend to use it. A hotel in a small country village like ours, is too expensive a luxury for struggling settlers to indulge in. Messrs Ranson and Son are adding a bakery to their establishment, and I hear that a second blacksmith is coming to start business in the village (township I should say). These and the erection of the projected schoolhouse, will be causes to move the place ahead legitimately. With reference to a somewhat misleading letter signed by "Farmer" which appeared in the Star a few days ago, I may say that I have not heard of any small farms being bought up by large landowners here ; all that I have heard is that one property owner has endeavoured to buy part of a small farm so as to giveiiim a better road into his land. Of course there are farms here which exceed the 640 acres limit. Shearing is in full swing when the weather permits. Grass is abundant, but very little has been shut off for the seed as the prices last season were not payable.