WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 27, 29 July 1871, Page 15

WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

THE WE4THER,

> Since the beginning of March, up to the present time, we have had real Auckland Island weather in this district. There, it is said, it rains five days in every seven ; and if we have not had the same proportion of wet days here, what has been lost in one way, has been made up in another. His Excellency, the late Governor in those latitudes, was indignant at the statement which had been unblushingly put forth by Mr Commissioner Dundas, M.P., who arrived in those parts for the purpose of relieving the said Lieut.-Governor of his onerous duties, and winding up the affairs of the South Sea Whale Fishery Company. The statement was to the effect that there was only one fine day in every six. His Excellency assured me that there was no truth in the statement, as he had kept a registry of the weather, and that on the average there were two fine days in every week. I am the more disposed to believe His Excellency’s state ment, as he had better means of knowing the true state of the case ; but at the time I heard it, some nineteen years ago, I did not expect to experience similar weather in New Zealand, and that, too, during the months which have usually been the finest in the year. I have not had a barometer to refer to, but certain rheumatic twinges, which I have occasionally experienced during the whole period, have afforded me as good means of judging of the state of the atmosphere, as any instrument could have done, though hung in Mr Carkeek’s observatory, or daily examined through the scientific spectacles of the philosopher of Woodside. Last week, as I took the trouble to inform you, it was worse than ever, and more especially during Tuesday night, when those living near the bush expected to witness a similar miracle to that tfhich met the astonished eyes of Macbeth, by the bodily migration of a whole forest ; while the denizens in dwellings on the open plains seriously discussed the question whether it would be safer to remain inside and chance the house tumbling over their heads, or to go outside with the moral certainty that, if such a catastrophe happened, the fragments would be blown about their ears. For it blew on that occasion, as well as rained, and in so fierce a manner, that a garden gate was tom from its hinges and driven against the walls of a bed-room, at no inconsiderable distance, and with such violence as indicated a disposition to make a forcible entrance into their private apartment, on such an unpleasant evening, and at such an untimely hour. There are some who maintain that the wind was nothing to the rain, while others assert that the thunder was worse, and the lightning “ worser,” and yet, after all, very little damage was done. A large number of trees were blown up by the roots, and some fencing was levelled with the grouud ; but, with the exception of a house in the course of being erected, no buildings sustained any injury, and what is still more remarkable, the roads were left open, and the telegraph wires escaped without damage. I have been assured that more rain has fallen in the district during the first six months of the present year than has ever fallen during the whole of any preceding year. For a fortnight before the storm, the air was remarkably warm and close, no birds sang in the bush, and even the “ morepork” was solemnly silent. The weather has had such a bad effect on the roads, that many of them are worse than knee deep in mud, while some of them are altogether impassable. The grass crops have been abundant, but of course the weather has been very unfavorable to all farming operations. It has now cleared up, with every prospect of fine weather. THE NATIVES. Medicine has been described as the means which doctors employ to amuse the patient while nature cures the disease; and I have been wondering whether the traditional “ flour and sugar” administered to the Maori may not effect the same object by a more pleasant process. This is certain, that however it may fare with the native difficulty, the natives themselves are fast disappearing, by some natural or Darwinian dispensation only known to the initiated. After the settlement of the valley, and when, con-

sequently, it became safe for the natives, who had abandoned the district for shelter at Poverty Bay, to return to their deserted pahs, the Maoris constituted the bulk of the population. There were then native pahs in all directions ; but there are very few now in the district, and with the exception of two or threa they are not of much account. Whatever advantages material wealth may confer on the civilised man it has had a beneficial effect on the savage, by rendering physical exertion unnecessary. Notwithstanding all the hardships Xenophon’s ten thousand Greeks experienced in their famous retreat, not one of them suffered; from sickness, and not one died from disease. The absence of haidships, and the facilities which have existed for acquiring food, drink, and raiment, instead of proving beneficial have been highly injurious to the native race. The flour and sugar, while amusing the patient, has allowed nature to take a course which will soon leave no such patients .to be cured. A Native Lands Court will be opened at Greytown on the 3rd August; and in consequence of the large number of claims that will have to be investigated, it is probable that the sittings will extend to the end of the month. On the 31st August the Court is to be opened at Masterton, where there are also a large number of bairns to be investigated. A considerable number of Europeans, as well as Maoris, are much interested in the decisions of the Court.

DIRECT TAXES. _ _ The discussion on this subject still continues, and those persons that are reputed the most wealthy are most opposed to the rating clauses in the new Highways Act. They submit to an in come tax of 3s in the £ in the shape of interest to the mortgagees, commission charges, loss on station supplies L interest on cash advances, and extra cost of carriage, and they think a tax of Id in the £ on the actual value of their real estate, will be their ruin; though the money is expended in making that estate more valuable, and in opening for them a profitable home market for their produce. Certainly if the tax could be levied on the mortgagee, instead of the mortgagors, as was actually proposed by the late Victorian Ministry, it would be felt less burdensome on the willing horse, who is overweighted already. It is worth noticing also that those who last year stood stoutly up in favor of a valuation instead of an acreage rating, have now turned round, and as vigorously oppose what they formerly vigorously supported. I still think that in a newly-settled and sparsely populated country an acreage rating, as under the old act, would prove the most fair and politic; but Ido not forget that in openly supporting these views last year I was condemned by those who are this year ably advocating the identical views which they then denounced. The great merit, after all, in direct taxes is that it makes the most selfish man take an interest in public questions, by which only good government can be insured. MEAT PRESERVING COMPANY. The shareholders, and others interested in the establishment of the Wairarapa Meat Preserving Company, will hold a meeting at the Rising Sun, Greytown, on Mondav next, the 31st inst, when all those who possibly can are invited to attend. Much valuable information will be afforded on the occasion, ai d it is to be hoped that those who favor the Hutt project, as well as those who think the site for the works should be fixed in this district, will attend the meeting. Every grazier in the valley is pecuniarily interested in the success of the Company. Beef, which might fall to 10s per cwt, will rise to 20s per cwt as soon as the works have been fairly started. Tom King. —The “ Argus” of tlxe 10th instant, says that the thoroughbred entire horse 'Tom King, lately purchased by Mr Hunter, of Woodstock, arrived from New Zealand on Saturday last. He has taken up his quarters at Kirk’s Bazar, where he will remain for a few days before pi’oceeding to Woodstock. Yesterday the horse had not sufficiently recovered from the effects of the sea voyage to be shown, but by to day he will doubtless be fit to be seen. This horse was imported when a yearling to Canterbury, N. Z., and has since grown into a magn'ficient specimen of the English thoroughbred horse, standing fully sixteen and a half hands high, with substance enough to carry fifteen stone to hounds j color, a rich dark chesnut. Tom King is by King Tom, out of Deceopeia by Defence, and has in his pedigree some of the best and stoutest blood in the Studbook.