WAITOA AND PIAKO.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 698, 5 December 1876, Page 3

WAITOA AND PIAKO.

Dec, 4. The genial weather we have been ex- , periencing for the Jait two months has exercised a very beneficial effect upon the appearance of this part of the country. The grass and clover is showing well on moat of the holdings, although in several places the land appears to me to be congk.erably overstocked. The settlers are anxiously looking for ward to the completion of the road between their dhtrict and Obinemun. It ib confidently expected that the work will be finished »od direct couimunicition opened by the end of the year. All native obstruction has been overcome, and only about 20 chains of the road nooss the swamp remains to be formed. Of course the formution is of the roughest nature, (he limited ftate of the funda at the disposal of the Wiiitoa Highway Board, precluding the construction of anything Tory finished. I may mention that a large proportion of the ne<e«sary fund* have been provided by private subsr-np-lioD j all tne settlers, witti the exception of one or two who ought to have known better, having come forward most liberally. 1 tbink the formation and maintenance of this road is of the greatest, importance to the Waikato people, as ir, will give them a clear drive lor cattle direct to the Oiunenuiri market, and would suggest tliut when the County system has bet<>me well established, the Piuko and Waikato Counties should amalgamate to raise u spicial loan io be devoted to the purpose of forming a really good me>uit ul ronimunicitioi, (rom Waikato through Pialco and Waitoa to the head of tl.e Waihou navigation. k me< ting of the rafepiycs of the Waitoa High wmy District was held atCiawtord's Piako Hotel, on Saturday last, to consider t lie advisability of bringing the district within the provisions of the Counties Act. About 12 ratepayers were present, Mujor George occupied the chair. The chahmtn read the circular which has been issued by Mr Under-Secretary Cooper for the instruction of .Road Boards in reference to their new duties. (The circular has been printed in the columns of the Waikvto Times.) He commented lucidly upon the vaiious rkusps referred to therein, liepoiut-d out tin the firsf thing to be done was lo up< < me valuators under ti.e Katmg Act. It they did not do it, he said, the authorities would do it for them. A good deal of disunion ensued upon the general working of the Act. Mr Murray, M H R, made a statement respecting tUe present boundaries of tho Piako County. He said he had tried hard to keep intact the first limits assigned to it, viz, frmi the ocean on the North. Thin had boii prevented mainly by a teltgrnm r. civcd by Sir George they from the irh.urm n < f 'hut Board, stating that the rati^ c - \\> ie desirous of being annexed to Hi. fhaiues County. The result of the s'ru tr c had been the drawing an imaginary l ne from a | oint on the confiscated line due west of the Aroha to ihe summit of the mountain as the northern limit. The Chairman explained that the telegram sent hid expressly stated (hat the Piako people wished the district to be formed into a County by itself, as in the original schedule to the Counties Act, but if that' were impossible they would prefer being annexed to the Thames County. Mr Murray said the telegram was read as ■ nplying an absolute wish to join the Thames County. He asked Sir George Grey to allow him to see the telegram, but be was refused. He had no idea that the telegram ran as now stated by the meeting. Several ratepayers present corroborated the statement of the chairman as to the real contents of the meeting. Mr Murray said Sir George Gny, as member for the Thames, had used one portion of the telegram freely to get Piako annexed to the Municipality of Grahamstown. It was ultimately decided that the Counties Act should be allowed to come into full operation. In the u.eantime a valuator of the lands of the district is to appointed. — Uorbispondknt.