HANGATIKI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 70, 21 February 1908, Page 3

HANGATIKI.

In a previous report it was stated that mosquitoes were our great plague. These have left, and fire and smoke have taken their place. The whole country-side is on fire, but as there are yet not many improvements (the land' being all Native-owned) little damage has been done. Out towards Waitomo much ruin has been caused. Several settlers have lost more or less valuable buildings and, if report speaks true, one settler lost his residence with his grass seed and provisions for the coming year. These losses often blind us to the good the fires are doing. Many acres of land which have been covered with rubbish of all kinds will, next spring, be in rich grass. If the losses are severe the gain will be great when rain comes. and stays further havoc. All the tanks are empty, and water from springs and creeks is being utilised.

Grass is very scarce, and stock are often hard up for food. Many settlers have turned their animals in the bush. Let us sincerely hope no further losses will occur, and that we will sooff'have some of our winter weather again.

We complain of the rain in winter and of the drought in summer. What we want is the happy medium, far, as the Irishman said, when his wife made him a pie with cloves, " Too much of a good thing is no good at all."