LOCAL NEWS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 28, 15 July 1867, Page 3

LOCAL NEWS.

Featherston Farmer’s Club.—A meeting of this Club was held at the Court-house, Featherston, on Saturday, evening, when there was a good attendance. The members of the club take a deep interest in the proceedings, and our only regret is that similar Clubs are net established in each of the townships—the benefits ■of which seem to he so well appreciated by our Featherston farmers. Greytown Volunteers.—At parade on Saturday the Rifle Volunteers elected Mr W Udy as Lieutenant, and Serjeant Saywell as Ensign. The Cavalry Corps refused to elect officers, and were immediately dismissed. Tenders. —Wc direct attention to two advertisements issued by the Provincial Government. —one for the formation of 24 chains of road on the Masterton to Castle Point line, near the Tiiuii river ; the other tender required is on the same line of road, near Watson’s Taueru. We are informed by a gentleman, lately travelling on the Taueru road, that he had literally to wade through it. Coach Accident. —An accident happened to Cobb’s coach at the Hutt on its way to the Wairarapa on Thursday morning which unfortunately was not followed by any serious consequences. As the coach came up to Cudby’s Bridge a timber dray met it from the opposite side and from the noise made by the dray and the horses in passing over the bridge the leader in the coach took fright and as quick as thought rushed to the back of the coach. By tne skill and strength of the coachman the other two horses were forcibly prevented from following their leaders example. They plunged and kicked in the most violent manner during which operation the passengers made their safe exit from the Coach, hut the pole and other parts of the vehicle sustained so much damage as to necessitate another being sent for from Wellington. The passsagers were delayed at the Ilutt two hours, but the mails were immediately transmitted to their respective destinations on horseback. Not the slightest blame can he justly attached to Cobb’s coachman, but we cannot say the same for the driver of the dray, and had he had a less civil or more powerful antagonist he would not have escaped quite so harmless as he was permitted to do. Drivers of drays require to be reminded that Her Majesty s mails are.not to be delayed, nor the lives of Her Majesty’s lieges endangered, by their culpable obstinacy. Had the driver in the present instances only stopped his team for a single minute the inconvenience which did ensue, and the mischief which might have been occasioned would have been obviated,

Bad Times. —The complaint is pretty general, but they are much more seriously so in Auckland, Canterbury and Otago than in the province of Wellington. There is however much good attached to bad times, for they lead to economy, thought, and ncwjdevelopments of industry and so to a prosperous period The talk would lead a person almost to believe that bad times only came about, in ISTew Zealand, and that they were in consequence of superabundance of capital and people, whilst the fact is that there is room for millions of people with the application of millions of capital to numerous untouched resources and industries not or barely commenced. The fact is our people cannot be considered active, zealous, persevering and go a head folks. Suggestiveness is a rare quality with us and so is that boldness which leads to numerous attempts, some of which are sure to prove successful and profitable. When the various articles are considered, found amongst importations w'hich could be produced without that great evil, protection, both with advantage to the producer and economy to the colony, it is evident there are sources of abundant employment as yet little turned to account. Surely it is discreditable that this province should import bacon, pork, hops and beer and even wine and spirits—and that it does not largely export butter, cheese, bacon, hams and fish. It is evident that with serious consideration and work given to such productions the Wairarapa might soon be covered with very profitable farms and excellent homes. With the prices to which hams, bacon and butter have advanced in Ireland there is little prospect of such articles being sent to Australia hereafter at rates with which ]S T ew Zealand should not be able readily to compete with at great advantage. The abundant resources of this colony prove that a most comfortable home could be maintained with haring to send to market a very small amount of produce annually. Compare our winter with that of Canada, where farming is so general and successful and it must be admitted we therein alone have a most enormous advantage. In Canada and and many other places all the stock has to be stall fed for nearly half the year, whilst here grass from European seed hardly ceases to grow' all the year round, and throw as much labour as needed for collecting firewood alone as many we fear in this colony expend in the whole year upon production.