HANGATIKI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 64, 10 January 1908, Page 3

HANGATIKI.

A correspondent wrote in a recent issue of the metbftstraighteningof the river as tHfJpTremedy for getting clear of thewtowevil, and the bad effects arising from floods. No doubt this would be a certain way of getting over the flood difficulty, but to carry it out as a scheme would be very expensive, as most of the banks consist of a very stiff clay, which is very hard to shift and not likely to scour. But the idea could be carried out with very profitable results in a number of places where there are long bends in the river. For instance right at the Hangatiki railway station there is a bend in the Mangaokewa river about a mile and a-half long, and only about seven chains across, where it could be straightened, and a portion of that seven chains is an old water course. In this instance a great fall wonld be gained in the flow of the water, and the expense of barking, poisoning, and snagging one and a-half miles of river full of willow avoided, while the new outlet would prevent the flooding of half-a-mile of the Caves road, which at present cannot be metalled because the floods will scour the metal away. Attention has been drawn to this particular bend on the Mangaokewa to the Government Departments interested, but they will not move in the matter until the Hangatiki station becomes a morass, and floods do damage and cause inconvenience that it would be impossible to place an estimate upon. There has been an influx of motor cars here during the holidays, thus showing that our roads are not so hopeless. Most of the Chaffeurs took the Waitomo Valley and Haurua roads on account of the good bridge across the Waipa on the west side of Otorohanga. Although the old mill bridge can be crossed by a motor, it is not suited for that class of conveyance. However, it will interest settlers to know that a new and splendid bridge site has been acquired by the Department of Roads, and steps will soon be taken to construct a creditable bridge on the new site, which is situated to the west of the railway line about ten chains down stream from the railway bridge. The line will be crossed at the present crossing below Mr Burnand's house. We could forgive a young paper like the Chronicle for being ridiculous at this mirthful season of the year, but what about an old paper like one of our Auckland dailies, which has breasted so many gales, and survived so many triumphs, sending a "special commissioner" round to wail over the King Country. Amongst other questions he did not grasp, the "special" said " you could buy land near the line at from £i to £2 per acre, or lease on long terms for as many shillings." He should take that land himself. (there is more money in it than a special commissionership), just as a speculation. He did not know that the Natives asked £SO per acre for the Hangatiki school site, acquired ostensibly to further the education of the Native children, and the Court awarded £ls per acre. The Minister for Railways wrote and asked a Native owner what he would sell eight acres, containing the furze hill at the railway station, for. The chief replied £BOO. The Natives have refused 4s per acre rent for unimproved land at Hangatiki, and a chief, called Hauparoa, was offered £6 per acre for his farm on the Caves road, but his price was £8 an acre. The day has gone by when cheap land could have been acquired in this locality, yet it may be comparatively cheap even at present prices, as we cannot guage the future. We regret to hear of the death of Mrs Le Gallias, mother of our much respected schoolmaster. Mr Le Gallias has the greatest sympathy from his numerous friends in his very sad bereavement.