EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3139, 26 February 1889, Page 3

EKETAHUNA.

(From Our Own.Correspondent.)

A man by the name of, Hugh Gallager was taken from here to Masterton on Monday 18tli by Constable Roche on a charge of insanity. Eight'showers fell on Wednesday and partly put out the bush fires. It cleared up again on Thursday when we had strong northerly winds that blew up the fires again, so that we are still surrounded with smoke and 'fire.

I hear that another week will about finish the metalling of the railroad to Eketahuna. There is a large amount of wool awaiting transit from here so soon as it can be taken by rail, The public hall being built by Messrs Bredup and Aulin, is approaching completion. I will give you a description of it wlion it is finished. At present I can only say it is 35x20 inside, quite a large hall for this place. You see that we are improving, buildings are going up in all directions,

- I hear that the loan we applied for for road formation has been granted, Ihope it is true. The greatest drawback to Eketa- ' kuiia, indeed to the whole district, is the want of a Magistrate's Court. I"can't see why the Government cannot appoint a Magistrate to visit us, say, once a month, Yon would hardly credit the amount of money that has been lost here by people leaving without settling their accounts, There is no remedy for it. For instance suppose a debtor leaves here for Mauriceville, the creditor to record the amount must first swear an affidavit before a Justice of Peace, then get the plaint sent to Masterton, from there the summons is forwarded to WooJville for service. All that's nothing but a flea bite to what follows. The creditor at the time stated will have to appear at the Court at Masterton before he can ascertain whether the amount has been paid or not. Now look at at the expense. The fare by coach ito Mangamahoo is five shillings, return fare the same, train fair to Masterton two and elevenpence, that makes for train and coach to Master'ton and back fourteen shillings ' and tenpence. Now as the Court is open at 11 a.m., and the team , does not leave Mangamahoe until two p.m., the creditor must be compelled to leave here the day before the hearing, and as the case would not be over before the up train left he would have to stop in Masterton another day. You see thus three days would be lost, besides the expense. You can understand by the above that unless the amount was pretty considerable it would never pay to sue. The floating population are quite aware of that, so when you ask for the amount that is owing, perhaps one or two pounds, you ' simply get laughed at. 1 hope someone will take the matter up and ti'y and remedy it. •Byotbe-bye, I want to know how is it that the settlers here are not getting up a banquet or something of the sort to Lord John before he . leaves the district ? Strauge I