OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4425, 26 May 1875, Page 3

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

(from our own correspondent.)

Greytown, May 22.

Political feeling has been very forcibly stirred into a little activity here by two events: one general, attracting eager attention among politicians, and the other local. Sir Donald McLean has all along in the Wairarapa, a 3 perhaps elsewhere, been looked upon as rather belonging to the Government and the State than to a Ministry and a party. It has always been wished—and who will not satisfy such a wish —that, whatever changes there might be, Sir •Donald McLean would be Native Miuister. Bearing this in mind, the Ministry was Mr. Vogel, and Mr. Vogel was the Ministry. Yet, having fully appreciated this fact, and clearly apprehended the immense breach in the Ministerial fortress caused by Mr. Vogel's absence, you are snapped at for frankly and promptly acknowledging it. When you as frankly and promptly, and with the most liberal respect and courtesy, welcomed to the active sphere of public life Sir George Grey, your action was warmly commended, not only by the Press but by the country; now the Press, but not the country, censures your frank avowal that "Hamlet, without Hamlet, is no play." It is curious that the same idea should present itself to two minds at the same time. A little consideration of the position of parties showed me that Mr. Stafford not only could most fitly Supply Mr. "Vogel's place, but that the Government of the next session ought to be a Stafford Government. This was also, apparently, the opinion of the editor of the Grahamstown Advertiser. Let me assure you, however, that there is here a deep, strong feeling of respect for Sir George Grey—though Mr. Stafford, it must be said, is also deeply esteemed —and that there is a most earnest desire that the distinguished ex-Governor, the able statesman, the "friend of New Zealand," should administer the government of the country. Mr. Vogel might, with Mr. Stafford; have withstood Sir George Grey's party, for the country would not have had much choice ; as it is, however, the country will choose Sir George Grey, driving back somewhat decidedly, however compact and powerful, any party that should oppose him. In the Wairarapa this opinion is unanimous, as the Wairarapa ha 3 a very high regard for Mr. Bunny. Further, what changes floes Sir George Grey propose ? If it were not for Mr.. Bunny's energetic and skilful administration, the demand here for a county or similar council would be stronf.

The Greytown Local Board have been de leated, and a few (I think, and at any rate hope, that it is only a few), are right glad. There is, however, very little sympathy felt for the Board, though all but a few regret that Greytown should have lost one year's Government grant-in-aid. The Board held rather too tightly to its position ; though at the time it would have perhaps been elected in a body, if it had resigned on the ground of public convenience. It is to be hoped that a new Board will be immediately elected, so that the present members may be relieved from their embarrassment. Perhaps not more than half will be re-elected. The feeling on the question is, that all ratepayers ought to be made to pay or none. Owing to this feeling, though a large majority are in favor of local government, yet a majority declined to pay till the -Board's legal status had been assured. Knowing this feeling, why did not the Board at once test the legality of its own election ? Opposition has always been made to _ the imposition of a new tax—and this opposition has not always been wholly, or even principally, factious, but based upon a sincere belief in the Heedlessness or unfairness of the new tax. The Standard, in its issue of the 22nd, keeps wisely before the public the question of the best railway route through the Wairarapa. It say 3 the decision of the people of the Wairarapa " Has been given in the most unanimous and emphatic manner against the line under the'hius, and in favor of one more central and nearer the principal centres of population." In the following sentence it brings the questao'n~f6 "a" clear issueT':—"TSTo other (line), indeed, would ever have been thought about had not the line under the hills been a little shorter." The question then is whether the convenience of three large townships is to be sacrificed and its property vastly depreciated, to save the cost of two or three miles of railTile most prominent social this week has been a very successful fete, dinner, and ball at the hospitable township of Carterton on Tuesday last. The dinner had been provided, ready cooked, by some of the principal settlers, and a very large number sat down to it. It may be remarked parenthetically that Carterton is noted for its dinners and rifle shootin". The Town Hall not being half large enough to hold the numerous company that gathered for the ball, part took possession of the new school-building, which is roomy and very comfortable. Dancing, however, if one is to judge by the large number that sat down at times/ is not very generally cultivated in Carterton, though there is no reason to suppose an absence of inclination. This township has been fortunate in the person of Mr. Fairbrother, who, with Beveral colleagues, take 3 great interest in the social condition of the community, and has done much to improve it and keep pace with the general progress of the Valley. The proceeds of the day's entertainments altogether amounted to over £6O, and are to go toward erecting a SundayBchooL the timber for which has been most generously provided by the Messrs. Booth, saw-mill proprietors. -. t 4.1, One cannot help looking with regret at tne sites chosen for the townships of Greytown and Masterton, and at the horrible irregularity of Carterton. Just on the southern boundaries of Masterton and Carterton are high banks, clear of the floods of two small rivers that run by the northern ends of both townships. Carterton, on "the other hand, is the most straggling place imaginable, with many petty shops, and-but few large ones, in its whole length of some three or four miles. If there had been a well laid out township with strict and narrow limits at first, it would have been as compact and as large as either Masterton or Greytown. • The telegraph and post office—a novelty in architecture—is just completed. With this, a police station, and schoolhouse—both new, large, and good—a town hall, and church, _it has all those public buildings that are essential in a town. ■ . The triennial assessment has just been completed for the Featherston Highway District. Since the first assessment, Greytown, with suburbs, has been cut out of the old district. To compensate in a great measure for this, however there have been considerable additions. In 1871-2, the assesement (including Greytown), amounted to £lOlO. /Hiis year (exeluding Greytown), it amounts to £1485- Vue allowance being made for the loss of Greytown rates and the credit additions, it seems that on the whole the valuation is 40 per cent, higher than it was three years ago. In one good sample o£ the average the rate was certainly about 40 per cent, higher. During all this time, however, property generally has been much improved, and the actual increase on the old assessment is perhaps not more than 20 or 25 per cent. This is still very, very much below its real value, and the expectation formed that the next assessment would be made more nearly on its true value has not been realised. Ib rnany cases an offer of double the valuation would be laughed at by the owner. . , A new Presbyterian Church was opened at Burnside, Lower Valley, on Sunday, May 16, by the Eev. J. McKee, who it is expected will remain in the Wairarapa. The Masterton Highway Board held a meeting on Saturday, May 15, when Mr Beetham was chosen chairman, Mr. Vallance, treasurer, Mr King, engineer, and Mr. Wilson, secretary and collector. A considerable amount of business was done, and' £444 10s. 40. was paid away. This board is a newly electedone, the result of a re-division of the old district. The new Bank of New Zealand, Greytown, tenders for which were to be sent m to-day, promises to be by far the costliest and most imposing looking structure in the township. The front elevation is thirty-six feet high.