MAURICEVILLE NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3914, 16 September 1891, Page 2

MAURICEVILLE NOTES.

fßr Rustic]

For a .further term of three years Mauriceville is condemned to lie in a state of sobriety, the local option poll having resulted in a win for prohibition. The circumstances under which this happy state of affairs baa been brought about, hbwev^adVxnot—7ery creditable to the victors, as it was due to a large extent to certain influence which was brought to bear on thore foreigners who are but im« perfeotly acquainted with the English language, and who, as a matter of course are, on that account easily gulled by misrepresentation and narrow-minded sophistry. If those very mischievous persons who are responsible for this really had the interests of the settlement at heart they would endeavour to place it on the ««me footing as other townships in the bush districts, which, with far less natural advantages and leu population than Mauriceville, are yet head and shoulders above it in all kinds of industry and commerce* Strangers visiting Mauriceville wander about searching in vain for some place to put their heads in, and are often reduced to the painful necessity of baring a tew biscuits and mouthing them on the road side. They'have but one thonght, and that is'fogJCt away from a place wlierT" l flll»~iii"""~ literally n-i shelter for them. They speak of the place with disgust until the name of| Mauriceville isja reproach to civilization, and that is the con* dition of things that the aforesaid persons aim at securing. They are afraid that intercourse with strangers . would have a bad effect on the moral welfare of the unsophisti* cated Scandy, that it would in fact cause them, the interested few. to lose their authority, and be rated at their true value by those they are trying to bind in the shades of bigotry and intolerance. However, the deed is done, and I am afraid it cannot be reversed, so that wemustaooept it with the best graoe we have. The weather for the past few weeks has been really splendid. The season -v . is fully a month in advance of previous years. It in wondeiful the rapidity with which the face of nature changes its aspect. The hill sides, which a few weeks back were bare and hungry looking, are now clothed with a mantle of verdure, the sight of which makes glad the soul of the festive cockatoo, I mean sheepfarmer. The lambing season has commenced, and in this district promises well indeed. The members of the Farmers Aaso« ciation from Canterbury, which * wise • and tenoficent Government htfJqfis.ted on the best land on the have taken Of _ homes, aad ate calling bushfalling. The survey of the block is being completed by Mr Frith, of the Survey Department, so that we 1 may look forward to the remaining portion of the block being placed in the market in the near future. The residents of Mangamahoo were | thrown into a state of wild excitement on Wednesday last, when it became known that Mr Gordon Cumming, | nephew ot Sir Wm. Gordon Cumming, of Baccarat fame, had followed the example of his illustrious kinsman by taking unto himself a wife. Mr Cumming came to this district some two years ago, and took up a section of 640 acres of land on the Fung* Stream, some two and a-half miles from the Mangamahoo railway station, where he has since re« 4 sided. The Squire of Punga CisHkj_-._ under which" title he is best known, - has given solid proof th*t a gentleman of bluest blood 1 with limited mean pan adapt himself to the exigencies of . pioneer settlement and ' carve a hope / out of the wilderness. JME'r Cumming / has already felled, grassed, and fenced/ , a considerable portion of his estaty i and has erected a commodion* rejr J deaceiihereon. ,-> {a erecting his rlf M

; - dence Mr Camming has been his own > architect, and a single glance at the edifice in question reveals the fact that it is the work of no ordinary man. The marriage took place privately in the Anglican church, Masterton, the being the daughter of opulent settler on the Opaki. The happy pair Btarted at once for the residence of the bridegroom to spend their honeymoon, it is gratifying to think that Mr C. has been able to select from the maidens of the Wairarapa one worthy of bis companion for life. It is a significant fact that since his marriage land in the vicinity of the Punga Creek estate has risen in value. The prospect of visits from successive Governors to the palatian residence of Gumming has enhanced the value of adjoining properties. A concert and dance will be held in Mauriceville West on Friday, 17th Ait., in the schoolroom, in aid of the projected library for the young people. A very good programme will be gone through, which should secure a good house, and as the cause is a good one a large measure of success is anticipated. The fact that Mr Gundersen is interesting himself in the matter is in itself a guarantee that such will be the case. More of this anon!