THE WAK WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 146, 15 April 1873, Page 2

THE WAX WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Tit,: X Z. Herald alludes a* follows to the progress of the Waikato Railway. We trust that the moral it deducts concerning lazy farmers will have the desired effect : — The progress of construction u\ the Waikato railway is satisfactory as a whole. The sectjcjn? near Auckland, including the tunnel, are most d^Hcult, and have l>een retained, "with the exception of some reclamation world, in the hands of the contractors, Messrs I^rogdeu &. Co. The remaining portions of the line have been .sub-l^t- Of thc;so sub-coutvaota, although not the longest, the tnqat difficult of construction is the section in thu hands of Messrs ON'eil and Thomas. It extends fiom beyond the Maungatawhin to a point in the West Pukekoho, near the tlnrty-tirst mile peg. A recent visit to this district, and a walk over the line from Point Russell to the flax-mill at the intersection to the Tuakau cross-road, satisfied us of the dospatoh and care with which the work is being executed. There are heavy cuttings and embankments ou the line ; and swamps, creeks, and rivulets have to be drained, diverted, or bridged — the number of culverts being considerable. Mr Stewart, C.E.,the resident engineer for tho Government, expressed himself satisfied with what had been done ; and no doubt this section of the line will bo ready for ballasting and tho permanent May within contr.ict time. We cannot say nearly so much for tho character of the work near the Point Russell terminus, which is another subcontract. It is not in so forward a state, nor does tho work look at all neat or finished. Doubtless these faults of construction will bo"ranedied before the. Rub-couctcct is completed. Meanwhile, passers-by form {heir own opinion from what they see. Instead of the tunnel through tho bluff, at the old landing place, the contractor is making an open cutting, tho stuff bein<; required for the, swamp embankment. Messrs Ware and Jones have tho remaining section of the line which has fceen sub-let ; and thoir section joins tho contract of Messrs O'Ncd and Thomas. We had no opportunity during our visit to walk over any portion of their work, but we have been told thsvt it 13 going on satisfactorily. Tlicro is no difUcultv. however, iv the construction, and bo\ond tho general observation we have made no other remark is necessary. It will likewise bo finished within contract time. A glance at the diatricb through which this lino passes will satisfy any ono that it is capable of great improvement. As yet, littlo in the way of cultivation has been done, but the construction of the railway must accelerate improvement works. Indeed, it will not pay to keep ground lying idle along the railway line, inasmuch as the land is liable to a special rate tomak'o good any deficiency in traffic receipt* Occasionally one sees a green paddock in tho vicinity of the line through th'q Tunkau district, but the quantity of cultivated land is insignificant compared with whit it tjhouM he Tho coil is excellent. The line (the very best eh.it could bo chosen), runs through a ft rtilo country, and we hope to learn that, the landowners have set about cultivating m-teidof holding their properties for speculation, When we find cabbage carted for domestic u«e to the neighbourhood of Pokeiio from Auckland, one must conclude that the settlers arc not quite sn industrious or thritty as they should be Hoi^e feed ia nl->o sent fioui Auckland jo the Waikato, and as a ma'tur of eouive it is imported into Auckland from abroad, or from the Tile freight, land enrr me. commission, and other ehprnps and profits, more than double the original cost before it readies its destination, yet tho cet tiers do not (ulti'ntp and supply the demand became " f.mninsr doe- not pny." They want " Protection to native industry," which means taxing the industrious to find money for those who won't worL "Noy-, aU this ni^b bo changed if this province is to grow in wealth and' population. It is gratifying to find, however, amidst the Aery unpromising state of agriculture referred to, that {.he ninimf.icture of phormium into a conimcn nil aiticle is on the uiore.i^e. A vprv large amount ol Ha*, coul, and timber will p.vs out the Waikato railway when it is opei'ud.

fywTitly thoiy djed ij{ the \ illiiu'<" ol JWpluehen, uoar Hathpate, a Waterloo veteran named JamiM Bruce, at the n«o of 83. lie was a pri\ j s tc <sf the S v 'ots Hivj*, P,nl i« suppled to have b<vn the latest sunning member of thnt regiment who fought at Waterloo.' \\o was a tall, pouerfulh built in.m, and enjou'd exccllont Lrnltli Ji]l wiMun a foA- months bi'forc his decease. He w'a-. born at Torphichen, and at the* ngeof2l he cnli-icd in Ilie Groyi.'and rumainod fjr about iour years in tlio regiment. At A*'aterloo,'when retunnng from the grand cnargi 1 , lim hoive wtuuk last m a l)0j, and he was surrounded bj a jiarty of French Lnriwrs unti unhorsed. Jiis left unn wn3 neurn rut through, and a musket ball entcit'd his right arm at tlu- wri*!, and lodged in liis elbow joint, and could nc\cr !><• cxtrneted.. 'Ho nho received upVnrds of fil'li'i'ii und ianee woundts. Ua was' left for dead on tlie iit'lil.'untt nf^l" »•»> »'»« was remo\ed to Bni^ols, where) lie laj Utr a consider .ible jwnod before he reeo\eied, und Miv able to b^ m-iU Jioinc , an 1 of .'i(i vomuled •jjUluth who entered the hoh]>ihil alont; " ill) Imp, onh two besides hnnself reco\errd. The 1 it'e Juuies Ann6ur, o! Linhtligow, was 1 the rough rider who trained. Uruco, n»d tKosu two Veterans were inseparable, for man % \ nnd lept up friendly relations till the (tenth of the to- mer, AJiu-h happened iv 1872. tie> ( ra\ of ilie Senta Vj ro\ h \ i>n ed \\\\v l^cl> , and at hipht oftliuu tear.iell lioin hnoe^and ho expressed a ith.it a i\-w of the niembeis of t! - '-.•pinient would attend ll» ■ineral IFia wish whs tjinphi ii \Mlli. A \Ve-tmi «diti.r t-a.'MJ ther- )■> just enjugh sic*n-»3 »» tjwn lo " luttke lh^])lniA(.\iiiii liu»i)j."