Waiorongomai.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2092, 7 April 1898, Page 2

Waiorongomai.

(From our own Correspondent.)

On Wednesday last Inspector Dickenson paid his annua! visit of inspection to the local school, and expressed himself satisfied with the work being done. The official report has not yet been received by the School Committee but it may be expected in a few days. The School Committee, which has held its meetings on the first Friday in each month held its final meeting on Friday evening. The election of a new School Committee will take place this month, and it is hoped there will be a large attendance of householders at the annual meeting. The school will close on Thursday for the Easter Holidays, which include Good Friday, and the following week. During -the last two summer sea’wms Te Aroha and the surrounding schools have not availed themselves of the opportunity of running a school excursion, Most of the Waikato schools have had a trip within the last two months and a trip for our schools is well worthy of consideration.

There has been some talk of this being a close season for pigeon shooting, but we are pleased to learn from reliable authority that according to the amended Act the season for shooting pigeons is only closed once every five years. The season, however, does not open till May 2nd, when no doubt good sport will be obtained. To Waiorongomai appears to be the favourite drive for visitors to Te Aroha, and during the present summer season numbers of visitors have taken advantage of Smardon’a regular service of busses. CA trip, to the big tunnel, a walk around the old battery, or a ramble up the creek fern-hunting is the way in which the time is generally spent, y Mining here as in mauy other goldmining districts js very dull. The air compressor is now connected with the water-race by means of large iron pipes, and the air-pipes are being laid into the tunnel, which has now been driven a distance of about 1200 feet. The driving of this tunnel has been very slow and expensive work, but once the rock drills are set to work more rapid progress will be made The work of driving the Colonist tunnel, which was being done by contract, was stopped last week, and consequently half a dozen men are out of employment. The old water race leading to the Company’s, battery is at present out of repair and before the battery can be used a considerable sum of money wil. j be required to be spent on this race. The only work being doing by the Aroha Company at the present time is j the driving of the big tuunel, which, when in far enough, will prove whether gold is to be found in the low levels or not.

It is rumored that the Great Western is for the use of the Aroha Company’s ten head stamper battery for the treatment of SOQ tons of ore, and,the latest rumour is that the same company intend erecting a battery on the Loyalty-Palace machine site. The Loyalty-Palace have 100 tons or more of payable dirt ready for crushing, hut are unable to do so for want of a suitable plant.