THE TE AUTE COLLEGE ESTATE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5377, 21 June 1878, Page 6

THE TE AUTE COLLEGE ESTATE.

I paid a visit to Te Aute College yesterday, and through the courtesy of the Rev. S. Williams was shown over the establishment and the grounds connected therewith, and I must express myself highly gratified with everything I saw, all tending to show the watchfulness and care of the head of the institution. The children are all making rapid progress in the various departments of education, which not only reflects the highest credit upon Mr. Williams, but upon the new master, Mr. Thornton, who appears to be a thoroughly painstaking teacher, and particularly well fitted for the position he holds, and from what I saw is highly esteemed by the pupils under his charge. There aro only 29 pupils at the College, while at the last breaking-up there were 36. Mr. Williams anticipates that this last number will be far exceeded in a short time both by European and Maori scholars. I may say that the children attending the school are the picture of good health, and are all contented and happy, which speaks volumes for the head of the establishment. As to thq grounds belonging to the above, about which your contemporary has been so persistently and conspicuously blatant, I may say that a very small percentage is suitable for agricultural pursuits, and, if broken up into small holdings, I fear tho purchasers would become possessed of a “ white elephant,” and would not know what to do with it, inasmuch as the ground is interwoven with matai roots, which no plough can rend asunder. Mr. Williams has tried to plough portions of the estate, and was forced to desist in consequence of the number and density of the said roots. But probably the Herald might devise some means of getting rid of the roots and levelling the hills, which form by far the greater portion of the estate. It does seem singular that persons living iu the immediate vicinity of Te Aute and tho College do not take the slightest interest in the bursting up of this estate, and they look upon it as a dodge of the Napier landsharks, who (are eagerly looking round seeking what they may devour. But be that as it may, I have come to the conclusion that should it be cut up it will be no possible benefit to men of small means, and that some bloated capitalist will put his clutch upon it, and leave it in a worse state than it is at present.—(From the correspondent of the Napier Teleyraph.)