GREYTOWN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5426, 17 August 1878, Page 3

GREYTOWN.

(vncni 008 OWN COIiUF.sroNDENT.) August 15. You will have scon that the question of celebrating the opening of the main hnc of railway to Featherston in a fitting manner is being taken up with much spirit by the settlers of the Waivarapa Valley. At a public meeting hold at Fcatlierston on Monday an extensive committee, formed of all the leading public men and other influential residents, -was appointed to take the necessary steps for holding a great public demonstration on this auspicious occasion. The successful issue of an undertaking so pregnant with vast results to the future well-beixg o! Welington, as well as of the country districts, deserves the greatest prominence ; neither should be forgotten, in the midst our rejoicings, the man to whose bold conception and untiring efforts we owe this work. I refer to Sir Julius Vogel, who by the introduction of his farseeing and wise policy of public works lifted, not this province only, but the whole colony, from a state of utter depression and despondency to one of astounding commercial prosperity, rapidly increasing wealth, and a position distinguished amongst British colonies. The conflicting accounts lately published with reference to the alleged advance of £SOO granted by the Minister for Public Works to the Waiohine River Conservators, at the solicitation of a deputation from that body, were much talked of, and drew some rather severe comments from the Standard in its leading columns. In to-day’s issue of that journal there is a long and characteristic letter from Mr. Caselbcrg, the chairman of the iliver Board, in which, whilst defending his own conduct, ho accuses the editor by name with harboring a feeling of personal animus against him, and charges the Standard with generally neglecting matters of great importance to the welfare of this place. Mr. ikvselberg would And that many people would agree with him as respects the latter imputation ; it is a general complaint. Tim volunteer movement is spreading in the Valley. At Carterton steps are being taken to organise a rifle corps, towards which twenty-live members have already been enrolled. A local tradesman lately took out a distress warrant against Manihera, the well-known chief, armed with which lie placed a bailiff in possession of the rangatira’s dwellii g,—a handsome one, by the way. Mauihera was in the Empire City at the time, studying politics, but on being sent for immediately returned, whereupon—moved by the truism that an Englishman's, if not a Maori’s, house is his castle—he chucked the innocent bailiff out neck and crop, to the latter’s no little discomfiture and bodily harm. Manihera’s pecuniary troubles, it is said, date from the visit of Sir George Grey and the Native Minister to the natives at Papawai some months back, to prepare for which the Maoris went to rare trouble and expense. Manihera furnished his house thoroughly and in approved European style, under the belief that the distinguished visitor would remain with him some days. At the same time, with other leading Maoris, he was entertaining a large number of his native friends who had gathered here for the occasion. In consequence of all this display they have placed themselves in great difficulties, and I can't help feeling that such loyal and generous hospitality has been ill-requited, particularly as, after ail, Sir George Grey limited his stay here to a couple of hours. The school committee met last Tuesday, when the ordinary business was suspended to enable them to at once consider certain complaints and charges made by the head master against the assistant teacher. There has long been an entire absence of concord between the two. The,lnspector, with a view to patching up this want of agreement, allowed to each of the teachers independence of action, making them responsible for each other’s classes, not to the head master, but direct to the Board, which is about the most extraordinary way to maintain discipline I have yet come across. A sub committee was appointed to investigate the charges preferred by the principal. This sub-committee held a pa ient enquiry on Wednesday morning at the school, and will submit their report to the full committee on Tuesday next.