WHAT A TRAVELLER THINKS.

Patea Mail, 9 August 1882, Page 4

WHAT A TRAVELLER THINKS.

Mr J. W. Ellis, who recently made the overland trip from Auckland to Wellington, writes in the Auckland Herald as follows : AIANAIA AND HAWEKA. Manaia lias a very new and half-finished look about it. Still the inhabitants are perfectly satisfied with its prospects, judging by the substantial buildings they are erecting.- The rivalry between the townships Hawera, Normanby, and Manaia as to which shall claim the proud title of the City of the Plains, takes somewhat the form of a triangular duel of short-sighted asperity. THE TRADE OF AUCKLAND AND THE WEST COAST. From Hawera to Patea, 20mi!es distant, the road is hilly, passing through country very different from the Plains. Before leaving Auckland I was told that her merchants wore allowing the trade of the Plains to go to the South ; but I was not prepared to find so much merchandise coming by way of Patea from the South. I met nearly, if not quite, a score of waggons and draj's, drawn by three, four, and five horses, besides several bullock teams, all heavily laden, and I am told those are regularly employed on this road. There must be something radically wrong somewhere when Auckland merchants cannot compete with higher freights, higher rates of insurance, the transhipment of all goods from farther South to Patea, and last, not least, cartage over 20 miles of a rough road that will alone cost more than the total cost of carriage of goods from Auckland right through to Hawera. As must be patent to everyone, this trade is now in its infancy. In about twelve months there will be a through line of railway connecting Hawera with the ports of Patea, Wanganui, and Foxton, and if Auckland can scarcely hold her own now, how will she fare when the cartage handicap is taken off ? I’ATEA. Patea being older than the would-be cities to the north of it, has a less fresh, but 'more substantial appearance than they. It is the centre of a considerable trade, carried on almost entirely with Wellington, the principal business men importing direct and transhipping thence. The town being built almost on the sandhills, is naturally clean, and its main street has a thriving look. Some of the hotels and stores arc fine buildings. Its present site is very superior to the old one at the mouth of the river, on which river considerable expenditure has been made to improve its entrance, with so little success that the work has to bo extended to secure the desired good and safe entrance.

[Note. —This traveller might have learnt, by inquiry, that the jirst effect of the harbor works at Patca lias been to sot up a direct steam trade with Wellington, reducing freights from £*2 10s to £1 a ton, and to 15s for quantities ; and that the second effect has been to double the size of the town within three years.]