PAHIATUA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3176, 10 April 1889, Page 2

PAHIATUA.

(From our own Correspondent,) On Monday last, the opening of another link of railway brought this district twelve miles nearer to yours and the Empire City. Up to the present, our district has been dependent upon Napier and Palmerston principally for its supplies; but now I should think the Wairarapa and Wellington via Eketahuna should be able to supply us at a cheaper rate, provided the tolls are kept on tho road.

I understand that considerable areas of Bush are to be felled during the coming season. Here already, Mr Bridge, of ifawkes Bay has called tendors for felling 900 acres of bush in the Mangaone, and othor holders in the Makuri are likely to have very largo areas felled, iu extent from 100 acres to 1000 aores. The very dry summer experienced almost annually.in the Hawkes Bay district oaiises property and flock' owners to look longingly to this district of fresh green pasture. There are numberless enquirers for the twenty or thirty thousand acres of land the Government intend shortly to put in the market here.

The Palmerston people appear anxious to get communication with this district direct by tbe road just recently laid out by the Government, aud have passed a resolution at a meeting recently held there asking their two members, Messrs Wilson and MoArthur, to urge the Government to push on the road. No doubt the members on this side, Messrs Smith, Beetham, aud Buchanan, will assist them if tbe matter is brought before the House of Representatives. That it is a work of considerable importance to this district, as well as the Palmerston district, oannot be denied, and it is to he hoped that something will be done noxt session at the latest with it, The Road Board here will soon be a thing of the past. A petition has been signed by a sufficient number of ratepayers, and presented to the County Council, asking that the Road district bo merged. In compliance with the request asked for by the petitioners, the Council have adopted a special order, which will be confirmed at its next meeting, merging the district with the County, to take effect on tbe first day of May. The County Council will then have the eutiro control of all roads and reserves within the County, and let us hope they will manage them fairly well. That the Road Board has done good work there can bo no doubt'. At the present time I should suppose it has a larger expenditure of monies than most other districts in Now Zealand. At its last meeting it showed a credit balance of about £I7OO, nearly £9OO of which was paid away at that meeting, or authorised to bo paid; so it is evidentthere is a considerable amount of road work going on—yet how much more is required. There is some talk of opposition coaching now the lino to Eketahuna is opened; and no doubt if the traffic is anything like considerable, one or more will start, The distance is so short between the trains now that nearly anyone who has the inclination may start. We are getting fine weather now; in fact, more like summer weathor than anything we have had this season yet,

Settlers are just now busy putting in their gra»3 seed, Large numbers of both sheep and cattle havo been brought into the distriof this season to feed on new pastures, so that shortly we should hove something to export in the shapo of fat stook, wool, &c. At present our exports are confined chiefly to butter and fungus, although I know of one farmer here who has about 80 fat bullocks to dispose of.