WAIRARAPA.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 64, 30 May 1877, Page 3

WAIRARAPA.

(From oiir own Oorrespondent.) - The progress of the Wairarapa, taken as a whole, during the last two years has 1 been something wonderful. Though ! the Waiohine River has been a constant bugbear to the inhabitants of Grey town, it'hasnbtdimiTiished the: value of land m that township, and buildings. are still constantly goin g up, and rents for hou ses are Tery high, m factit. is almost impos-. sible to* get a house, for love or money. I see "that the River Board of Con ser- : viators have given- notice that' it is 'theii' intention to borrow £100Q to keep the river m bounds. The River Board have already caused to be dug a large ditch pr drain about a mile and a; half :inlength, and abput 20 or 25 feet wide, as a.channel for the riveiy so\ as, to keep it : from encroaching on the township: . There only remains about a quarter of a mile of the channelto finish, and I daresay it will be completed at the .end .of next month. ' The township, or rather. I should say, the city of Mastertoni has : 'gone up like enchantment, and now numbers over 2.500 inhabitants. It has some really. splendid buildings. : m; it^ notably , Vftie Club Hotel, Bank of New Zealand, Sellar and Hales' store, and some other large hotels'.. It is .growing -very fast, and happening the; other day to; be m Mastertbn, I noticed no less than half-a" dpzenjuew; building going up.: Masterr ton lost. pneof its^lbest buildings by fire ; on the J3tli; inst.,namely, Messrs, Caself berg and! Co's store. ' 'I daresay you Lave heard, all particulars • "by telegram-' \)j .-this-, time, but -as -'some of your readers .may- not have .done so, and as I S| fill out my allowed space, I shall a few particulars aboiitit; The' toot place on Sunday the 13th instant,, at about 2 a.m.; Iso person was m the -,stpre s - at tlie time, and m fact, , sferange to say, no one slept m it at any tinie.-. The back buildings were ; saved : by-means of tanks and a force pump that Mr? Caselberg had only just erected, but •nothing could be dobe to save s.the store. The building was ; insured for £2jOoo, andthe] stock for £7,000, . but Mr Caselberg values his stock- and'bmiding at between £13,000 and r £l4^ooQrmaking his lois : betyreen £5,000 £6,000. Mr Caselberg is not cast doWn about his loss,; for he has ; Already Secured three, iiouses Sts temporary, premises, and another temporary one m course of Erection. /1 .-also understand that plans of a (Brick building nearly as ■'"large again as the one ddstroyed have been prepared and /will soon' be-, put into execu-, -.titffl*'/'.";' ;. ; .;, ■..,'".."■. ? ■-■ '■" -..■'' i .' :.::/'/: Greytowri for the last week or so has been thrown into a great state of excitement, by the news that Mr P. Whybrpw (carperiter), .had gone out^duck shooting and had not been seen^ alive again. Mi* Tpiybrow had only a day or two previously declared his inability to meet . his liabilities, and Had gone -to stay on a visit;feir a^few'.days at a friends; house at a ;plg,ce' named Eautara. He there wentput : duck -shopt^g) 1 and was not found till he had been out ten ; -, day sj though .search parties had « been out daily. A party went out on; Sunday, the 20th instant, to search-again for him,' tand they were accompanied by^ a dog who immediately found hiinV fee Was found dead, and m a horrible state, rats arid. other vermin haying got to him. He, was removed to' Greytown, where .he was interred on -Mpridayvlast. He leaves a widow and one child, and it is gratifying: to learn, that his life was insured for £200, so that his family wiil not be Heft destitiitei An inquest /was

held on Monday last, at which a verdict of " accidental death " was returned. Great talk has been going on m Greytpwh about the Railway route, some want it to go by the Rochfort line, and some want a new line to bo surveyed to bring it nearer to Greytown. They have held a public meeting about it and petitioned the Minister of Public Works to alter liis decision, but I believe I am stating the feeling of the Featherston, Carterton, and Masterton public when I say that I think they are only wasting time and money, for if the Government intended to alter their decision thry would never have authorised Mr Rochfort to lay off the line where he did. ' I notice that tenders are being called for the erection of a Club house m Greytown. r It will consist of a billiard room and reading room, and will be quite an acquisition to Greytown. ' I shalj now conclude with saying that the Queen's Birthday was kept as a close holiday all through tKe Wairarapa, though the only amusement advertised ,was the prize firing' for , the Carterton Rifle Club and a pigeon shooting match. Mat, 26th,. 1877J > { - '•