A RETROSPECT. A RETROSPECT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 59, 23 July 1879, Page 3

A RETROSPECT. A RETROSPECT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sik, — As I had occasion to travel through this district some three years ago ; then the axes were going with spirit ia, every part, and everything seemed prospering. But now 1 find that things have quite a different aspect, so I naturally inquired' the reason the improvements were not going on so rapidly as before, for. you might read despair m every settler* face, the cause of which I now find is after paying for their land they find that the four surviving sons of the late. Lord Provincial still have a claim to it. Instead of being taxed as they formally were, they have to pay' a yearly rental of four shillings m the _3-tyt ajll their.improvements. Lord Provincial was. satisfied with a., penny, m the £, and then the road works went on very well ; hut now- the poor old Lord is dead, and left all power m the hands of his four sons, namely, Lord County, Lord Borough^ Lord Highways and Lord Wellington. Lord Highways seems to be the best of 1 the. fojxr, and also seems to.have th© interest of the district most at- heart, as he makes the most improvements and gives, the most satisfaction. I am noft pcr sfpn ally acquainted with my Lord Borough, but he was pointed out to, n^near the Square; the other day, and a fin.c. jolllooking fellow he appeared to he. He also makes a little improvements. Lord County lives somewhere abroad, but occasionally puts m an appearance for his rents, and that is about all that is known of him. lam sorry to hear from his physician that he has been dangerously ill. Tothe best of nay knowledge it is the qompl^iftt he is.

roubled with, and it is feared that he cannot last much, longer. However, I hear that he has declined a public funeral, therefore I would not advise drapers to lay m a large stock of crape on his account, for it is not likely to rise m the market. Lord Wellington has just come of age, and as therefore wishes to be as light as possible on the settlers he is satisfied with a half -penny m the pound, but has contrived to put on as many half penniei as make the shillings, so that h» receives the same rent as his brothers. He does not come to look after the rents himself but sends two sons of Johnadab, who, after receiving a liberal income for the Lord, very considerately added a little more to it. The settlers inform me they have drawn their last drop of blood with hi3e and tallow, so that there is nothing but the horns loft, which they had better fetch away before they rob,-*«I am, &c, T&AVELIjEH. [We give the above puhlioation with pleasure, although we confess we are unable to master the metaphor. With regard to the despair so generally apparent m the visages of the settlers, we confess our experience has been quite the contrary. It is just possible our correspondent is afflicted with hypochondria, ahd peeped into his mirror while.inditing his letter— Ed. M. T.]