WHATAWHATA.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 135, 18 May 1897, Page 3

WHATAWHATA.

ACTEK a lengthy spell of fine weather the rainy season seems to have set in, and as usual the weak points of our soft country roads are vciy soon in evidence, liiud promptly taking the place of dust. Fortunately the continuous traffic ofmi'k carts to the creamery has ceased for the season, and as little hauling is done on the roads as possible so that we manage to rub along, but the want of some durable road-making materal wliiih would enable our main thoroughfares to stand a fair amount of tratlio in wet weather is grcat'y against the progress of the W.iipa district, the bulk of the heavy freights having to go by river. In this connection some anxiety has been felt at the temporary diversion of the funds set apart in the Public Woiks estimates for the improvement of the Swamp Road to Hamilton, for it is practically certain that unless something like a comprehensive scheme of drainage is undertaken so as to relieve tlrs road from the water which—after every slight rainfall —•(lows across it, the line will become closed during the winter months. Up to the present Messrs Sutton Bros.' mail coach has continued runirng between Raglan and Hamilton, and, between flooded creeks and landslips, some unpleasant journeys must have been made recently, but the coich nil have to be laid aside in favour ot the time-honoured pack-horse if the rains continue much longer. The contractor for the Koromatua bridge (Mr Doyle) has made good progress with the job, «Inch will be out of hands in the course of a few days. In this connection much satisfaction is expre sed at the action of the bridge Inspector, Mr J. L. Mandeno, in taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the length of the piles, to raise the bridge several feet. All who know the plate will realize the benefit of this, the cuttings on each side being very steep and the; extra cost will be almost whol'y confined to filling in about oO yards of clay on the approaches. Potato lifting is now in full swing on most farms, and where the crop was planted late, that is, in the latter part of November or the beginning of December, no second growth is found, and the yield is quite up to the average, or from five to seven tons per acre. On the Peninsula—nearly opposite the township—the natives have, altogether, about 40 acres of potatoes, made up, of course, with a number of large and small plots, the varieties being kidney and Ilobart. As the natives have more than they can use .they are selling freely at us per bag. Maize is a small etop with them this season; in fact, much less seems to be grown than was the case a few years ago, when the maize in cob was tho main stand-by of the natives for the winter.

With the colder weather our bacon curers are busy, milk suppliers having from live to a dozen s<ood baeoners at the end of the season ; but of these a large proportion are sent direct to Adams ami Co., of Auckland, the returns from whom are both prompt and satisfactory. The popularity ami convenience ot sidling pigs this way was recently illustrated by Messrs 'Johnstone iSros., of Raglan, who drove over about twenty fat pigs to W'hatawhata, where they were killed and forwarded next morning by train to town. The Messrs Johnstone find, like many others, that the prompt cheque from the firm that makes a business of bacon-curing is better than the labour and delay attach d to making it themselves, particularly with the uncertainty of the results at the end. Now that the Cambridge Dairy Association are advertising for fat pigs, no doubt many of our gruntors will find their way to that centre, and many settlers can deliver straight to the factory, all freight charges will be saved ; but the management might notify the prices given.— (Own Correspondent).