NAPIER.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 120, 10 January 1874, Page 2

NAPIER.

[from our own correspondent.] January 3. The Christmas and New Year’s Holidays are over, and everybody has dropped down to the dull routine of business. During the time that has elapsed since I last wrote, nothing has occurred of the slightest interest to anyone outside the province, and nothing in which the public here is concerned has happened, unless it be the drying up of all the tanks, and the consequent want of water that is experienced by all who cannot afford to pay 5s 6d a barrel for it. The “ people on the hill ;” if 1 may be allowed to so designate the aristocracy of Napier, have to pay half-a-guinea per barrel of water, and the carriers do not care even at that price to drag their heavily laden carts up the steep roads leading to the abodes of the wealthy. Of course, at some of the houses, there are to be found spacious tanks under ground, where water tolerably pure and cold, can always be had, but the majority of the whole of the inhabitants have eit her to pay the sums demanded, or take rank with the great unwashed. On Christmas week a party of cricketers belonging to the town and country clubs, went to Wairoa and played a match with the Armed Constabulary, fortunately for the reputation of our men they returned to Napier, to the surprise of everybody, victors. It was not much of a victory, but still our side won bv six runs. Since then an eleven have been chosen to go to Wellington, and several attempts have been made to get up practice meetings, but apparently they have failed. The fact is the weather is too hot, and the cricketers evidently take so little pains to hide their disinclination to play amongst themselves, that thev are simply courting an ignominious defeat by proceeding to Wellington. In the meantime they have given out more than bints that the public should subscribe to pay their expenses in the capital city. The public have not altogether jumped at the idea. The Harmonic Society gave a Concert on Wednesday night, which was tolerably well attended for a Society's Concert, but the performance was very far from being equal to former ones. The leading violinist was absent, the programme was not a very good one, and some of the pieces had not been sufficiently practised. The District Judge holds his first Court on Monday, and, fortunately, I think there is one case set down to be tried. The sittings of the Court that have been appointed to be held at the various places within the district, will leave His Honor very little time on his own hands, but, of course, that is a deprivation to which be knew he would have to submit. It is not so well known, however, with what feelings he regards his non-appointment to the Resident Magistracy of Napier. There is no prospect of Mr. Sealy resigning that post, although the House of Representatives, according to Hansard, only voted the salary for the District Judge on the understanding that that, officer should hold also the appointment of Resident Magistrate. This is a question, however, for the Ministry and the House to decide, and while it is still unanswered, the publie are wondering why the revenue should be frittered awav upon official appointments that, say on a pinch, could be dispensed with. A couple of engines, behind each other; a mile or two of a paltry looking embankment, on which are placed a single set of rails ; a break of a few yards, and then another stretch of embankment, and then another break ; an unfinished bridge or two, and heaps of iron and stacks of wood, and we have before us the Napier and Paki Paki railway. The permanent rails are only laid for a short distance between Port Ahuriri and the proposed site of the Napier station, and the engines that have been put together, stand helplessly looking on, as if they were creatures far in advance of their time. The public works are not impressive objects ; there is no bustle; and in walking along the future railroad, one cannot help asking, “ when were these mounds thrown up and by whom ?” It was fondly hoped, when the railroad was first talked about, that, in the progress of the works, hundreds of men would be employed, and the streets would be crowded at night with the laborers and their families. But there is not much difference either in town or country in consequence of the public works, and the manner in which they are being proceeded with puts one very much in mind of the Maori method of planting potatoes. It is a matter of no importance certainly, whether the railway, as far as the Paki Paki, is finished a day before the rest of the contracts for the construction of the line to Waipukura. but it appears a dreary sort of way of going about a railway, to commence at the wrong end first, and having found out the mistake,' to dawdle over it till the right end is completed.