KING COUNTRY.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 263, 24 March 1898, Page 4

KING COUNTRY.

The New Telegraph Line to the South.—The Cabinet has voted the money for this most important work and it ia to be gone on with a; once, but the cartnge of the posts at this time of the year will be a very expensive matter, as the road in parts" is very rotten and will not in an ordinary season carry wheeled traffic after this month. Even last week a five-horse team got stuck, the wheels going down to the axles on the road over which the material will have to go, and there is little doubt that the cartage would have been done for considerably less than half if tenders had been called for tarly in the summer.

Potato CRors.— These are very uneven this year. At Oparurc, on the Awakino Road, the crops are exceedingly Rood. Mr Pascoe, of Pnketiti, estimates one patch he saw being taken up at 15 tons to the acre ; this, without manure, speaks volumes for the quality of the laud, but in other settlements they are in places almost a complete failure from want of rain and the effects of the late frost, and the great bulk of the natives expect to be very hard up for food the coming year. I notice however, that the late sown patches arc rccoveriug from the effects of the frost, and now show a most vigorous growth, and if they do not get caught by another there should be a very fair crop, but the early sown ones seem to be quite ruined. Surveys.—Mr Allom, surveyor, is at present engaged cutting up one of the small Ororohanga blocks, and Mr Hallet has just finished the subdivisions of the Pukeroa-Hangatiki block. Mr W. Cusaen has secured some large surveys in the south of this district, but otherwise survey work is and has been very slack for many months. Land Court.--Judge Gudgeon is still hard at work, having given judgment in the great Rungitoto case that has been hanging Sre for so many years. The Court i 3 now giving its attention to many minor matters that had to be left over while the " big " case was on. Although Judge Gudgeon is very good, and has taken numberless small cases after Court hours to enable those interested to return to their homes instead of waiting weeks for a break in the case before the C.mrt, the Government are getting large blocks awarded them, and I will later on give your readers some particulars re the Crown laud in this district what should be of considerable interest.

Limestone Country.—On Friday last the Crown was awarded over 100,000 of the Kinohaku country. A large proportion of this is limestone countiv, and generally of good quality. Other blocks are to be dealt with io the same district in a few days. The Government are evi dently going to try and make a big show of *' completed purchases " for the present financial year, and if the same policy is being followed in other districts there should be a very much smaller area of " uncomplete purchases" in their next return.

Trout. —Mr Bull and two flien's arrived here last week to try their luck in the Waipa. I have not heard how they have got od, but Mr John Hetit, who has just started this season to fish with a rod, etc., has been fairly successful. Fish seem plentiful, and we hope the visitors will have some good sport. Waipa County Boundaries. —I notice the Council are still trying to rob us of some ot our territory. How they must regret that they are unable to keep their scheme of spoliation of their neighbour country altogether secret. Having failed to pass their bill through Parliament, they are now, it is said, tryiog to move "The Governor-in-Council " to carry out their evil designs.—(Own Correspcndent).