WAINGARO.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 260, 17 March 1898, Page 2

WAINGARO.

Bush Clearings.—These have now been hirued off, and exceptionally good burns have resulted. The dry weather has been taken advantage of to burn off old clearings, over which the stock will now be able to range freely. Stumps and logs have disappeared and left heaps of ashes, forming a splendid bed for the: grass seed now being sown, and the number of sheep kept will be increased. Canoe For Ngarcawahia Regatta.— The Maoris of Waingaro and Ohautirm finished their canoe some time ago, and! the Northern Steamship Company were asked to take it to Onehnnga ; but the price asked l.y them (£10) for doing so (consequent, I presume, on the awards made by the Conciliation (misnomer) and Arbitration Boards) was considered much too high a figure to pay, and last week the canoe was taken over the Hakaiamata Range and placed in the Waipa at Tuhikaramea for £4 4s. The; canoe is 57ft. 9in. long, and is expected to give a good account of herself." at Ngaruawahia. An exodus of residents here, botk white and Maori, if the' weather is fine, to Ngaruiwahia for the animal regatta is certain, the young folks being especially eager. Koad Works —Road improvements are being carried on by the Raglan County Council, but there has as yet been no Government expenditure on our read to Ngaruawahia this year, so that when the wet season comes again wc shall be shut in by seas of mud, and this notwithstanding the fact that the Government are in receipt of a considerable annual rental paid with a regularity equalled by few districts and excelled by none. The district deserves better treatment at the hands of a Government who* have made such a loud parade of their efforts to place people on the land. Drought.—The ground is powder dry for some depth, but the almost weeklyrecurrence of rain has kept the grassgreen and the turnips sown are looking: well, but a few inches of rain is wantcdl to reach the dry subsoil. The rivers have never in the Maoris' recollection been so* low as the.y now are. Sympathy.—Permit me to express my sincere sympathy with Mr Gwynne (of your staff) in his sore bereavement. Valuation Rolls.—ln demonstrating the position taken up by the Govern.ment official under our present soeial'fotia; regime, valuation forms were, neeeivetl by property-owners on Friday, the lltk iust., demanding that objections reach. Wellington ou Monday, the 14th insfi.,, the day on which the mail takes its departure from the Waingaro Post-offica", This ia a serious matter, and if permitted to go on the political position of the New Zcalander outside officialdom will be even worse than the Russian serf. Iruly "The price of liberty iseternal vigi'ance," and the encroachments of the Government on the liberties of the people should be sternly and vigorously resisted. —(Own Correspondent).