PIAKO.

Waikato Times, Issue 613, 25 April 1876, Page 3

PIAKO.

' April 24, 187 G. r "Tni: Waitoa Highway District Board met the other day, when several letters and telegi arms were road, the most important -of which contained the pleasing intelligence that the 'Government are prepared to hand over to tlis Board at once pound for 'pound 'on the amount raised'by j rates and subscriptions. The rates for the year are .£582 Os 6d, and ike sub scriptions ,£90 f . making a total of ,£672 Oa v 6d. The Board were sorry they could v not report much progress in regard to 'bridges on account of the difficulty of getting timber drawn, a job which re- !• quires .bullocks, and nearly the ■ only persons here who have such are -members of the Board, who are prevented from «^iag interested -in any contract. They aye given one or more days' work of their j buHocki, for nothing, but, of course, they * cannot be expected to leave putting in w their giass seed to attend to this work, however important. The Collector of Pvates for the Board ■was informed by two settlers who had 'been in 'Hamilton that they had Been Major Hay, and 'that he was awfully indignant at the collector, for being the means, as he :gaid, of suing him for his rates. One of -'the informants said the Major threatened to hang the collector ; but whether or not the worthy Major himself aßpired to the office of hangman on the occasion the collector could not find out. Both informants said the Major was of-opinion the .collector ought to bave paid the rate himself in return for some-fiurroying the Major -did for him ; wishing it to be inferred, ' I presume, that the Major surveyed land for the collector for nothing. The collector begs to inform Major Hay that 'he paid him for the surveying he did for him ; but as the particulars of fho affair may have -his memory, he may take the trouble to state the following facts : — Some years ago, the collector having engaged a kxnan to plough a piece >of ground at so .much per acre, asked the Major to measure it. which he kindly promised to do. Some <okie after the ground was ploughed the iman wished to get paid for his "work. Thp ..collector told him Major Hay had prounised to survey it, but he had not <heaid he had done so or not. The man, who lived .near the ground in questiGD,

said he had seen no one surveying it, but lie thought it had been done os he had foeo. several pegs on the ground. The man said he thought there would be about 25 acres in the piece, a*d if the collector liked to pay him for that they could rectify any difference either way on finding the actual measurement. On the 11th January, 1875, the collector on passing the National Hotel at Cambridge had an acooaut handed to him by one of Major Hays men, of which the following is an abstract :- « Survey of Mr '* laud *■*> P^rcm, three days, at 21s . day f3s " The Major, on being asked, could not tell how much land there was m the piece, neither could Captain Lloyd, who was said to have done the survey. However, they promised to refer to fhe field book, and send the measurement The .collector, in conclusion, reminds Major Hay that the result of said survey lias never been furnished, "but tlie three guineas was paid, and the collector holds the Major's receipt for the same, so he sees -no reason wby he should pay his rates to save him -from being summoned.— Ookkesponbenj:.