WAITOTARA.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 496, 31 January 1880, Page 2

WAITOTARA.

(fkom a correspondent.) January 29. For some weeks past tins township lias been inundated with a small army of men, drawn thither by Wilkie’s Waverley contract. Work on this section is now in full progress, and has absorbed all but the hangors-on or loafers. Harvesting operations are in full swing, and crops promise well. The weather dining the past few dajs has ripened a largo area very rapidly. On some farms, stacking has already begun. Mr J. C. Thomson is the successful tenderer for tlio police building here, the amount being £525. Some of the timber is already on the ground, and operations commenced. Unfortunately for our cricketers, the site is nearly in the centre of our only practising ground ; i.e., the lately sold Government township on the river bank, above the present town. Apropos of cricket, we received a severe dressing down at the hands of our visitors from Carlyle, on Saturday, 24th, being put through in one innings,' with twelve runs to spare. I feel, however, compelled to take exception to a statement in your report of the match in yesterday’s issue—viz., that the Patea Club had u a far inferior team” on this occasion than when we played them on December 20th. The difference lay in Messrs Jacomb, Cowern. Drake, and Turner, being replaced by .Messrs Arundell, Heenan, Fraser, and Nicholson. A claues at the scores ’vill show that the

aggregate of the first four named amounted to 19 runs on the 20th Dec., while that of the four who replaced them on the 24th instant, totalled 33. Keenan’s wicketkeeping was considered quite equal to Jacomb’s, which is saying a good deal, and the team was further strengthened by Fraser’s bowling. This will, I think, be sufficient to show that the word ‘‘superior” might very fairly have replaced the Word used. It might also have been mentioned that the Waitotaras were under the disadvantage of having lost their two best all round players, viz., Pearson and Koss. All onr best batsmen were unfortunate, while the “ greenhorns,” as you were pleased to call them on a former occasion, did all tins scoring. Winning or losing, however, the Carlyle men are right good fellows to play with, and we are looking forward with both interest and pleasure to trying final conclusions with them era the season ends.

For a change of subject, 1 may mention that the telegraph wires have within the past few days been brought through the township. A strong construction party, under the supervision of Mr J. Orchiston, Sub-Inspector, (formerly in charge of iiawera Station), has been rapidly pushing forward a new line, following the course of the main road from Wanganui, and which will be continued to liawera. This will give greater facilities to linemen when out in search of faults, and greatly lessen delay in case of breaks. A third wire is being run at the same time, which, when completed to Hawcra, will relieve ihe present wiies from any unusual pressure of work arising from native matters. The work has now been carried some distance towards Waverley, but will be slopped for some little time, as the party, which is under the immediate charge of Mr F. Russell (late lineman at liawera), has been ordered to erect ihe line from where the new Cook’s otraits cable will land to Wanganui. Tlio said cable is expected to bo hud in the course of a few days.

The election of a School Committee hero lapsed for want of a meeting, everyone being too busy, or ioo indifferent, to attend. The old Committee declines to act, and probably a Commissioner will be appointed. A step in the right direction has been taken by the Comity Council in laying a drain into the river. It has, however, stopped too short ; as now left, it drains from the front •of Mr fisher’s store. To drain the lowest part of the street, it should have proceeded thirty yards further. When wet weather returns, the greater portion of the town will bo in the same plight as heretofore, while the money spent on the tile drain is practically thrown a wav. I observe that the Wanganui County is taking advantage of the continued diy weather to clear out the water tables just across the bridge, while those on this side are rattier neglected. Perhaps these things will be bettor managed when we have a Town Board to look after them.