WHATAWHATA.

Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1126, 17 December 1901, Page 2

WHATAWHATA.

The recent change from summer drought to cooler weather, with ample rain, has come in time to save the situation, for our dairymen will again have full quantities of milk to deliver. During the past few days heavy westerly winds with cutting showers have made matters rather unpleasant for man and beast, but the importance of having sufficient moisture for pastures and crops atythis juncture, more than compensates for any temporary in onvenienee. Lute sown grain erops will benefit by the change, though some of these are coming into raand cannot yield very heavily. Some good cropsof dun and early sow n Spai rowbill oats are to he seen about, and these will be fit for harhesting in a bw weeks. Meadow hay is being cut, crops generally being I gilt. Mr Gaskill lias lately cut a very heavy crop of grass and clover on one of his low river flits, where the soil seems to obtain moisture, even in the dry weather. Potatoes arc looking particularly well since the rain, and will yield better than at one time expected. With the fine' weather the various road works in the district are being pushed on, but much remains to be done before our main thoroughfares can lie considered fit for tracfli in all seasons. The Waipa County Council are showing very little 'Consideration for those who have to travel ftotn this township which includes the Raglan and West Coast traffic—to Tnhikarame • and Ohaupo. A portion of the township flat from the creamery to the Koromatua bad y needs forming, it being one of the roughest pieces of road in Waikato to drive over ; and from the Koromatua bridge to the Tuhikaramca boundary very little has been done to improve the road for sane years. In several places the roadway lies low, and the pipes—put in many years ago—have become choked up, with the side drains also filled in, so that there is no escape for the surface water. To add to the trouble, high ti-tree is being allowed to close in on iothsidrs, thus excluding the sun and wind. Occasionally a few shillings are spent on this piece of road, extending about three miles, just sufficient to say that something has been done, but not amounting altogether to the rates of even one property abutting on it. We hear a good deal at times about the necessity for settlement and opening up of the King Country lands, but there is ample scope, even in this neighbourhood, for a good many new sett ers on the unimproved lands, but few are likely to come to a district where the main roads aie so much neglected. Satisfaction is expressed that Mr Atkinson is about to commence the drainage of his valuable block of swamp and bush land, the reclamation of which will arid considerably to the productive power of the district.-(Own Correspondent).