PIAKO DISTRICT. (By our Travelling Reporter.)

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 400, 5 December 1874, Page 2

PIAKO DISTRICT. (By our Travelling Reporter.)

It will be remembered that in a report of the progress of the above district which appeared in your columns some time since, it was stated that a road from Hamilton to the head of the Piako navigation would be formed almost immediately. A meeting was held, and a committee appointed for the purpose of carrying out this object. A large amount of subscriptions had been promised, and the Provincial Government had offered to give £2 for every , £A subscribed by the settlers. The committee have now commenced operations in good earnest. They have started from the Piako end of the road, and already two good bridges have been completed. Contracts have also been let for the construction of five more bridges immediately, and the swamp bottoms of the diffei-ent gullies will be fascined without delay. A great saving will be effected by thus rendering these swamps passable, as several miles of distance will bo saved. The funds available for load-making will amount to about £500, which will go far towards making the route passable in all weathers. It is to be hoped that the committee "will continue to display the energy -with which they have commenced their duties, and that every advantage will be taken of the fine weather, which will probably prevail during the ensuing summer. As I'egards the district itself, the work of settlement is being rapidly proceeded with, and improvements of all kinds are being made by the various settlers. I have it on good authority that over 2000 acres will be laid down next autumn ; the labour requisite for such an undertaking as this will necessitate the employment of a large number of men, which must shortly cause a township to spring up in the neighbourhood of the head of the navigation. I have often wondered why some enterprising storekeeper has not long befoi'e this started business in the district. There seems to be a very fair prospoct of a good businessbeing done. The large influx of population conse-quent on the prosecution of the different works in progress in the district itself, would form the nucleus of a good trade. In addition to this the boundary of the Swamp Company's land comes within four or five miles of the head of the navigation, and the men employed in' draining his portion of the swamp would of course prefer to draw their stores from a depot situated at this short distance to transporting it from Hamilton, twenty miles distant. The co&t of carriage up the Piako river will soon no doubt be considerably reduced, and even now is not so great as te preclude a storekeeper from making a very fair profit. I should imagine there would be no difficulty in obtaining a bush license for a decent establishment, which would be certain to be well patronised during the summer months by visitor's to the district. As a speculation a public house and store in this locality should I most certainly pay handsomely. The little difnculI ties with respect to the obstruction of the navigation of the river by the natives seem to have altogether passed away. There seems a good understanding now existing between the Maories and Europeans, and none seems to fear any further tiouble. Altogether very few districts so recently settled as this can shew so rapid and marked an improvement. It is very little over two years since the land was taken up by Europeans, and already many hunch eds of acres have been brought under cultivation and many hundred head of stock are running over it. The right sort of men have taken the place in hand, and the un-remitting perseverance with which they have pursued the work of reclamation promises soon to bring forth its fruit. Another two or three yeai\s and the aspect of the country will be entirely altered. In place of wastes of fern and ti-tree, we shall see smiling green fields and acres of waving corn, and produce of all kinds will be poui'ing from the country into the different markets of the colony.