MOKARETA, MATAURA.

Southland Times, 24 April 1868, Page 2

MOKARETA, MATAURA.

(From the Correspondent of the "Bruce Herald") The annual meeting for the election of Wardens of the Hundred for the current year was held here, at the house of Mr Angus M'Kay, on Saturday, 28th March. There were present — Allan Gait, Esq (chairman) ; Hon. J. A. E. Nenzies, M. D. Alfred Douglas, and H. M'Leod (the late Wardens) ; and Messrs. M'Kay, Mabin, Dodd, Squires, Beange, and Stirling, licenseholders. Before the commencement of the voting, the Hon. J. A. E. Menzies briefly addressed the meeting, in referance to the action of the Wardens in various matters during the past year. The Wardens elected for the year commencing 28th March, 1868, were — The Hon, J. A. B. Menzies, Alfred Douglas, Kobert Dodd. After . passing two resolutions, referring to the neglected state of the district, the meeting chose two delegates — the Hon J, A. E. Menzies and Mr. B. Dodd — to co-operate with delegates similarly chosen in the adjoining Hundreds of Tutarau and Toetoes, who should take measures to secure a grant of mony from Government, to open up the main road from the Tutarau Ferry to the Toetoes. . The few patches of crop laised by the settlers in this and the Tutarau districts are looking very well. It is believed that wheat of better quality could be grown here than could be produced anywhere between the Matarua and Invercargill. In the present state of roads and markets, the Mataura settlers content themselves with growing sufficient crop simply for their own requirements, and turn their attention chiefly to cattle. Several considerable mobs have been brought down here laterly, and both the Tutarau and Mokareta Hundreds will soon be stocked up. As in other parts of the Province, losses from tutu have been very numerous this season. The want of a central post office is beginning to be felt here. A postman authorised to deliver or receive along the line of route, from the Tutarau Perry to the Toetoes, and subdizedby Government would suit our requirements even better than a central post office. At present, all letters hence addressed to any place in Otago have to be posted at the Tutarau Ferry, in Southland, and hence are subject to the inter-provincial postage fee. Letters addressed to the Mokareta district, unless the postmaster at Tutarau has special instructions to retain them, are forwarded to Edendale Station, six miles on the south side of the Mataura. I should mention by this chance that the floods and storms so disastrous in the northern parts of the Province, were not felt here The continuous cold rain, however, has told sererely upon both crops and stock in the Southland district Bituate between the Mataura and Invercargill. Most of the wheat is worthless, and potatoes promise to be at famine priceß.