OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4454, 29 June 1875, Page 3

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

(from oub own cobbespondent.) Gbeytown, June 26. The opposition .in the Local Board dispute ha-rfe been extremely active during the last few days. Their meetings have been chronic, and they seem to have been almost continually engaged in writing to the Provincial Government, and when the latter did not respond promptly, bringing the telegraph to bear upon it in an almost cruel manner. ' I will first of all, however, briefly explain the action of the Provincial Government in this matter ah initio. When the memorable election took place, the Provincial Secretary was at Greytown. It was evident then that things were not as they should be, and he was generally consulted on the subject. In consequence of the. advice given by him; the Commissioners who were declared elected entered on that sea of troubles in which they have since been involved. With a perfect knowledge of every circumstance of the election, the Provincial Government gazetted them. Then when the Court of Appeal decided against them, the Government requested the returning officer, Mr. Tully, to certify that the election had tsdcen place, so that he might exercise his power of appointing a board. Mr. Tully, I understand, at thedesire of the Board, of which he is chairman, offered to do this if the Government would hold itself responsible for the expenses the .Board had incurred, but no ! the Government held itself responsible for nothing, and so the matter hangs between the Government and returning officer. The opposition got up a public meeting, which came off on Friday last. At first it was intimated that the object of it was to be a conciliatory and reconciliatory one, and if so, the sympathies of the moderate or non-partizan settlers would have been entirely gained, but before the meeting came off it was stated that councils of an amicable kind were Ja a minority amoDg the opposition, and that for the sake of unity all had agreed to a sort of belligerent course. The members of the late Local Board held aloof from the meeting altogether, and the opposition had everything their own way ; one injudicious friend to the other side, who ventured to express his opinions, beingtold to "put his head in a bag." Messrs. A. McMasters, W. Anderson, T. Walker, J. Baillie, and W. TJdy were nominated by the meeting as a new board, and their names will be submitted for appointment to the Superintendent. The five may be said to represent a party in Greytown, certainly not Greytown itself. The manner in which the meeting was got up prevented any more satisfactory result being arrived at. I hear that the Rimutaka tunnel is now proceeding in a much more satisfactory manner. Softer rock has been entered, and progress 13 more rapid. Seven chains are excavated to date. The whole will, I understand, have to be bricked. The first few chains were not excavated to the full size of tho tunnel, but now, in the softer rock, the contractor is excavating it to the full size. Carriers complain-bitterly of the state of the roads—not of the rats in them, but of the metal on them. Why the Provincial Government should select winter time for metalling is a mystery. But then, road making and

road board making are things which the Government do not understand. For road making and mending the Government has an universal remedy, which, like Holloway s Pills or Wolfe's Schnapps, cure* all complaints. So many yards of metal are heaped on to it, and the heavy waggons have to B™* wearily through it. On the Rimutaka the difficulties of transit from this cause are almost insufferable, and if all the profane language uttered on that hill is debited by the Recording Ansel to the Provincial Government it will have reason to dread an hereafter Instead of clearing a road and patching it at a light expense the Government in wet weather put a heavy coating of metal on it which changes into mud almost instantaneously. A railway meeting has been talked of here, but this is not tho time of year to get up a successful Wairarapa meeting on any sub ect A week ago a thinly attended but very interesting meeting was held a Featherston on the question of large and small road boards. The general opinion expressed was that the present Act is unsatisfactory, but that it is better for the present to wait and see how the wind blows ! Small boards are universally popular among small holders. Large boards are necessarv for through lines. Ultimately, we must have both. A country settler knows how to make a road, and when he sees an engineer under a large board bungling one he gets mad, and finding that he has no voice or control in the expenditure of the money which comes out of his own pocket, he longs for the small boards of the past, when almost every ratepayer, could be a warden if he liked. T . The timber mills continue busy. Local ordere take the bulk of what is cut, but still a. good deal goes over the hill. Messrs. Booth and Co, I hear, send 50,000 ft. a month to Wellington. The Greytown winter readings continue popular, and are invariably well attended. Last Thursday Mr. Clapcott lent his assistance to them, and the entertainment on that occasion was necessarily a success. On Tuesday next the Foresters of the township open a fine, new hall which they have built, with a procession, supper, and ball. On Thursday next a ball is to be given by the Odd Fellows of the district, whose head-quarters are at Featherston. The ball of the latter will be given at Shirley's Hotel, which, taken as a whole, may be said to be ths largest and most comfortable country hotel in the province. It has already attracted many Wellington visitors. A. short time ago the family of the Hon. John Johnston spent several weeks there. It is one of the few country hotels where families from town can stay without discomfort and annoyance, and, at the same time, have every attention and convenience.

The Greytown Rifle Association is about being wound up, the General Government having called in the rifles. The association has been very successful in producing considerable practice among a good number of the old volunteer companies. Through the active and disinterested spirit of Mr. St. George, secretary, funds were raised for excellent prizes, among them a silver challenge cup, and a warm interest has been shown in the practices of the members. Three additional competitions were made this year for the cup, and Mr. K. A. Wakelin is the happy winner of an elegant ornament for his sideboard, and trophy of his successful skill. A canvass is being made for members to form a volunteer corps, to be supplied with Snider rifles. It was found impossible to drive the piles for the Abbott Creek bridge, and they have, therefore, to be imbedded in concrete. Kapid progress is being-made now, and half the piers of piles are in.