OPANAKE.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 198, 19 May 1893, Page 2

OPANAKE.

[From our own Correspondent..] Things generally ar'e rather quiet in and around our settlement since the festivities attendant upon the opening' or the now ball and church, consequently there is nothing very important to report. The weather during the last day or two has been very boisterous and cold, leading us to think the winter is upon us. Ic is much to be regretted that the Bailway Commissioners do not give us some accommodation in the way of station and goods’ shed ; they are really badly wanted. We were in hopes that when the line was handed over to them this small matter would be promptly attended to, but here we are with the" wii.ter upon us and they have not yet moved m this direction, it is to be hoped that ibis matter will be brought befote our member when he cones this way, and a promise obtained from him that he will endeavour to procure for us the accommodation so urgently needed. The road from the settlement to the Bluff is now in fairly good order, and with the ex penditure of a few pounds during the winter months it may he kept in that condition. I sincerely trust our County Council will not neglect" this important piece of ro id this vear, for, like all bush roads, when once allowed to get thoroughly out of repair, it invariably costs a very large sum to make it passable again. During the past week a gang of men have been at work cn the road leading through the bush from the Maung-a-nui Bluff on to the Kawerua line. It was time something was. done to that road as it is the Main road from the Wairoa to Holsianga, and that it is now greatly used wo can tell by the number who come through that way into Opanake. There is now at Opanake in the possession of Mr Bussell Bates a fac simile copy of the Treaty of Waitangi ; it is indeed a curious looking' document, many of the signatures upon it being imitations of portions of tatPP narks. I should advise any of your

readers who may boat Opanake any time to call upon Mr Bates and have a h.ok at the Treaty. I can assure them it is well worth inspect ing. I was glad to sec ti; dvi rl isiwumf • 1 Bull announcing Mr 11 ■ or,! on’imeulioii i - address the. electors ; it certainly has taken that gentleman a. long time to make up his mind, but it would perhaps bo hardly fair to condemn him off-hand for what at present would appear to be studied neglect of this portion of the constituency, therefore I, for one, will wait and see what Mr Houston has to say for himself. The men engaged on the railway line are constantly at work patching up. Patching it is, and patching it is likely to be unless the authorities remove the decayed sleepers and replace them with sound ones. As things are at peesent it is certainly somewhat to the credit of the men that they keep the line in as good a state as it at present is.