WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 52, 20 January 1872, Page 15

WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

The withdrawal of the advertisement calling for tenders for the erection of the Tauherenikau Bridge has caused much disappointment up here. Of course it is understood that the delay in its erection is only temporary. But has it not occurred to the provincial authorities that the reason they have assigned for taking this step is a very poor, and at the same time a very impolitic, one? If such a small affair as a strike amongst the Wellington carpenters will prevent so small a work being commenced, what prospect is there for the early commencement of the railway ? If a four thousand pound job cannot be undertaken owing to so trifling and so probable a difficulty, is there any likelihood of a work which will demand twenty or. thirty times more labor for its construction being undertaken at all? Tt was not politic to make such an excuse, even for the temporary abandonment of the project; and the act itself is, if possible as impolitic as the excuse made for it. The early prosecution of the provincial works would have attracted labor to the province, and thus have enabled contractors to execute them at a lower rate than they can do under existing circumstances. The greater their magnitude the greater their attractions in the estimation of contractors and employees. Had the strike of the carpenters been more successful than it proved, it would, in the long run, be more beneficial to their employers than to themselves. If they are able to command undue or unusual advantages there will be lots of other carpenters elsewhere who will be anxious to participate in them, even if they should have to come to Wellington for the purpose. The immediate erection both of the Government buildings and of the Tauherenikau bridge would have proved in other respects most opportune. They could be undertaken more cheaply now'than when the railroad isunder-way, and by creatingan additional demand for skilled and unskilled labor they would have secured a larger supply of both than can bo obtained under existing circumstances. It does not do for Governments or contractors to delay the construction of much-needed works on the ground that they have not an adequate supply of labor; their better course is to create so large a demand for labor as will have the effect of making the supply super abundant. Contractors know thgt it is better to advertise for 5000 men when they do not

want 500, than to advertise for 500 when they want 5000, and the calling for tenders for large works has much the same effect. One of the best means of facilit-atingthe construction of the railway through the Hutt would be the bridging of the Tauherenikau river, not merely because it would afford facilities for the transport of timber required in that work, but because it would first employ and then liberate a large number of skilled and unskilled laborors who would not otherwise be so readily obtainable when wanted. It is quite possible that people living in the country are not so well informed upon engineering or upon other matters as those living in town, but still their ideas at times are deserving of some consideration. There exists in this district an idea that the railway to the Wairarapa should commence not from Pipitea but from Petoni ; first, because if it did it would sooner reach this district; second, because there is already good water communication between Pipitea and Petoni if the Wellington people would only make use of it; third, because the money expended on building a sea-wall, when it is not wanted, could be better laid out in tunnelling the Rimutaka; and fourth, because a simple railway to the Hutt, where there is already a good and level macadamised road, would prove of but little advantage to Wellington, and none whatever to this district. Numerously signed memorials in favor of the adoption of a more central route through the Wairarapa for the railway to Masterton than that laid off by Mr Rochford, will be presented by a deputation of Wairarapa settlers to the Minister of Public Works on his return from Auckland to Wellington. A meeting of the Committee of the Wairarapa Institute was held at the Reading Room, Greytown, on Saturday last; when a list of books for the library, and of newspapers and periodicals for the reading room w’as made out, which will be transmitted by next mail to Dr Featlierston. It was unanimously concluded that he would be the best person to whom it would be possible to entrust the' execution of the order. A Cornishman here, who has read your statement about Mr C. R. Carters visit to Cornwall, says he is not surprised at its non-success, as his countrymen would ask if New Zealand was such a fine place to go to, and live in, how it was that Mr Carter himself came to leave it. On the 6th instant the adjourned annual meeting of ratepayers of the Featherston school district was held, when the following were elected members of the School Committee :—Messrs Carkeek, Cadenhead, Cox, Pharazyn, Cundy, and Potts. Mr Wallace was appointed Collector ; who was instructed to levy a half-year’s rate only, ending 30th June next. It appeared from the Treasurer’s report that there are now only fifteen children on the roll, and that a sum of £l3 9s was due for school fees, and £6 12s lOd due to Mr Montalk, the teacher. On the other hand a sum of £lO os has been received by the Treasurer towards the enlargement of the school-house. On the whole, however, the report does not show a very satisfactory state of things, and it is questionable whether such a state is possible until the support of schools and school attendance are both made compulsory. The grain harvest has now commenced in this district, and I regret to report that the crop will be much below the average. The quantity of rain which fell in the early part of the season, followed as it has been by very hot and dry weather, has had the effect of baking the ground and prematurely ripening the grain ; neither oats nor wheat having properly filled out. It is also feared, owing to the same cause, that the late potato crop will turn out a complete failure. Mr Bannister, of Masterton, has two hundred acres under oats and wheat, and several other farmers have crops of the same grain varying from fifty to seventy acres. Mr Cockburn has both a reaping machine and a steam threshing machine, and there are, I believe, several others in the vicinity of Masterton, which are at present more than sufficient to supply the requirements of the district. Bush fires have been very prevalent throughout the valley during the past fortnight; but they have not at present

caused so much damage as was at the time anticipated! Two thousand acres of open land in the Wharekaka plains were on fire the other day and threatened the destruction of a flock of 9000 sheep. They, however, were fortunately extricated after some difficulty.