FEILDING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5179, 27 October 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

FEILDING.

(molt OBR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ' The frontage to the Makino-road of each of the forty-acre sections of rural land leased from tho ITeilding Corporation, on the terms stated iu my last letter, is ten chains to the road. I referred in a previous letter to the difficulties experienced by the settlers at Kiwitea iu consequence of want of roads by which to bring their supplies and to comply with the terms of settlement imposed on them in falling 20 per cent, of their bash sections the first year. The laud is all bush at Kiwitea. If it had not been that a few miles of tho road leading from Keilding had been made since the Manchester Block has been in the occupation of the Corporation, tho Kiwitoa and the coun, try beyond it would have been more difficult of access than it is now, and it was to meet such cases as this that the Bill, lately rejected by the House, for making advances would have bebn advantageous. Tho difficulties which the settlers at Kiwitea have to contend with merit more than passing notice. Such a block of land brought into the market without any provision for making a road to it can only fall into the bauds of speculators, who will invest their money at interest until bona fide settlers bring a road within reach of the land; and as far as tho Kiwitea settlers are concerned, they are looking to the Government for assistance to enable" them to erect homes on the block, iu addition to the falling of the bush. X stated in my last that it takes the Reilding butchers two days to go and come with supplies to tho new settlers. I have asked why they do not kill cattle and sheep on tho block, and I am informed that they cannot send live stock to tho settlers to be killed there for want of roads over which to drive the animals. The amount of road rates that can bo collected from a new settlement like this will not for a long time do much to open it up, unless it is supplemented in somo way by an advance from the Government, or a special loan is obtained for the purpose.

Tho Manchester Highways Board lately supplemented the sum given by the Government to afford access to the Kiwitea, as the original amount was not sufficient to open the road to the C'linmeneement of tho settlement. Packers and settlers of the Kiwitea are finding the newly formed road by Mackay’s line of great advantage to them ; but although the Manchester Highway Bmrd has lately finished that line of road so as to give access to the block, beyond it the block itself is within the jurisdiction of another road district, viz., tne Manawatu, and it is the latter district that draws the road rates from Kiwitea, as it did from Feildiug before separation was granted to he Manchester District. There are many signs of increased activity to he noticed this year near Bunuythorpe in failing bush for settlement. A good-sized clearing has been made lately. It is situated in the middle of the bush to the north of Bunnythorpc, and some progress has been made in opening out the road in this direction. This will, be good news for the Wellington owners of town sections in Bunuythorpe. The rural land in the locality is also getting settled. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court held here on Friday last, a case of vagrancy was disposed of, which may be noticed as showing what may happen to a man in New Zealand, where, in tho midst of plenty, there is occasionally want. It appeared that District Constable Price having occasion on the 16th iust. to go to Awahuri on duty, was informed by some Maoris that a pakeha was lying ill ou the banks of the river. On going to the place pointed out to him, he found a .European with only a few sticks to shelter him from the weather, without food or bed clothing, and suffering from low fever and starvation. When some tea was 'brought to him by the hotelkeeper be was too ill to take it. The unfortunate man was conveyed tn Feildiug, and placed under the care of Dr. Johnston until he was brought before the Court on a charge of vagrancy, when he was very properly ordered to be sent to tho Wanganui Hospital for medical treatment, instead of being sent to prison. ’ This unfortunate man was in the prime of life—about 34 years old—and on being taken ill he laid himself down to die, without making his case known, and but for his having been noticed by the Maoris passing by be would by this time in all probability have been past all help. Sheep are generally noted for their great love of their young lambs ; but the sight of a ewe rearing young pigs is a novelty. Such a spectacle, however, may he observed in a paddock on the Kimbol ton-road, and the mother of these pigs is said to have eaten this same ewe’s lamb. The weather has been very unsettled here of late, and it was blowing quite a gale on Sunday forenoon, followed by a little rain, which has cooled the late close and _ sultry atmosphere. The gardens about Feilding are showing well for this early period of the season. Every working-man’s house has its plot of ground attached to it, and in most cases the house and ground are his own, therefore every inducement is held out to the occupier to make the most of his little property, as he will reap all the benefit of whatever improvements he may make on the laud, which might not he the case if he were only the tenant. A committee has been farmed here to obtain contributions for the Indian Famine Belief Fund, and a concert will be given by a number of ladies and gentlemen at the Immigrants Barracks, ou the 26th inst,, in aid of the object in view. The whole of the proceeds of the entertainment will be forwarded to Wellington in aid of this laudable object.