A JOURNEY TO RAGLAN AND WERAROA.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 761, 3 May 1877, Page 2

A JOURNEY TO RAGLAN AND WERAROA.

THE BISHOPS VISIT. (Communicated.) On Monday last, April 23rd, Bishop Cowie and myself started from Whatawhata, for Eaglan and Weraroa. The Bishop had been accomodated on Sunday night by the kindness of Mr Day, and another kind friend having found a bed for me. Having crossed the Waipa at 8 a.m. we proceeded at a fair pace up the. bank of the river till we reached the junction of the road from Alexandra to Harapipi, where we expected to meet the Rev. 0 L.Brady, from T-e Awamutu, We had not gone far along the road before we came to two creeks where the bridges had been washed away by the floods of 1875, and, which m their present state are almost impassable. As there had been no rain for some days we expected to find the rb,ad pretty dry, which it proved to he, except m the dense bush where a years perpetual sunshine would scarcely dry it. Indeed, it was^ necessary to lead our horses inostv^r the way, and to pick our way on foot, sometimes stumbling- m the mud under their feet. At the top of the range we met Mr Brady, who had left Alexandra at five o'clock m the morning to meet us, and be our guide- After descending the range we crossed several more streams where the bridges are broken, which would be positively dangerous after rain, The largest body of water we crossed is the Waitetiina Biver, where a new and very sustantial bridge has been ereoted. After one. o'clock we reached the hospitable house of Mr Moon, where we and our horses rested and had refreshment, and after a further ride of nine miles, over a very fair road, we reached the Eaglan township, on the eastern bank of the Whaingaroa Harbour, near the mouth, and became the guests of Dr and Mrs Harsant, the oldest residents of the Sistrict, Dr Harsant having been m medical charge of the European troops quartered there, and subsequently Resident Magisttate. Tuesday was spent by the Bishop m visiting the people, and inspecting the various sites proposed for the church. In the evening at six, service was held m the temporary church, (one of the Immigrant Cottages, built by the Government, at a very great cost to the colony, and never occupied). After service a church meeting was held, at which various matters relating to the church were discussed. A general desire was expressed that the lay service, hitherto held Ifortnightly, should be held every Sunday, iv the township. Mr C E Savage, the lay reader, stated that if he had a horse, he should be able to read the service once a. fortnight at Waitetuna m the morning, and every Sunday afternoon m Eaglan. Mr McLeod, forthwith, proposed that a subscrip. tion list be opened to purchase a

horse for<the:>layireaderyiand headed the list withthe handsome donation • 7 of%&° A'lift waVbpin&d at'b'nje,; and tlie XO.ips.subscrib^d^by' 'thpse'prefaept.v n ":'.a,^:'>:la .i.'h.vj . On>WednesdayntnoiJting we left: Dr- Harsantfs -atfa 'q'narter.td-seven,; and crowed the harbour m a smallj boat to Mr McLeod's station^ the r maha'geV df the 1 - ruiHpfj Messrs 3^us,sell and S.tudholme,\ex J •*tendnig> {e6Sf i m4&iV^WMMo\ Heads, a distance ,. PS .4:0 miles,, Ati eight o'clock we began our ride along; the coast toiWerar6a. accompanied! by a Maori guide- The day being] ;yery fine^wexhad^i igrand; view of! j ,the cpasj^ Mqunfe jEgmont being ,yisi-| tile to" t% souji., f ;;! TJb,e t tj-ack took { usover a succession of hills, and ocjcasipnally- along Astaetehes ?p£i hard sand! With" " the srinf Mof f 'the I ocerui breaking under;pur fyorses feet. f ,The country is' very* Di'dken; ; the'; land) ti^e.fernViin'd flax,; \jrith; occasional plujripj^efybush,. .backed^a few t miles inland by, a con- ;, tjJnupps.and de,nse[ forest. v> The -7.10"5.fc-i ?fivei'miles of our 'dnward'- journey; swas 1 " thrdugh- "sf f ' pXtt H '.|jbjM |bis^ thick bush almost'^'inipas-' sable from intersecting roots and deep m^^^njreiaeßing Wera-i ' f .w^re .r,§^Ke^bj the, Maories, /yi| n; the^ttsaal sWolilafof 'welcome,' ' H^e^ei mai! Tauj;imai!" r After a, general ahakin| ?t b^ h'ands^'the'Churc'li-bell! was rung^ijb-bejng and> * TBishop twq'^ays ago,^y,a,B cr.owded : with ' Maories.^] I *$$&] Juildingjand ; fa?niture'wohtd'jbe a credit to' any: coja^tny ;the floor and seats, m fact, everything vv/as scrniiurdiislyScleani J'WiMLi the; Commnnion-'rftilA\TWe'Ae numerous; illuminated Maori -texts, and^ai t .beftutifaildcarleli '«altaJ-oloth';i wof&d| 1 with a monogram, jon the Holy Table. Everything is, m perfect order^^lfc wasj.qujtej \, marvel to mej to v^nd this delightful little Church .m audh i ratfS'diit^bf-^hV-wa^ -pl|g- ■• Prayers were read by Josnua,; idUikict.t- j^Th^.fflesson'- ,was ri read ! by : Hori, a native 1l( 3fay'-reh l aer, and the! R 3fefeP.p^ben^pjceafched,n whilst 'I iti. ] terpreted sentencetby^ sentence to thej -congregation. ;^berc^|T^^yjeGts-^ mx menrand women.. Confirmed. was <iarK oy tlie.Ltime service was! over, AtfdionJeavingithe^hurchywe! vwere- shows our*qu«?W r %r ij tife! night, ln r & WfaTOn|fafe^a^Qusei o£ >a ,.chiefia^\d^fimpson w /;Th^ T koufle wa^ .of L; th.ree;oropms, butuwith : >"no. jdoorSjUand th*"op©ning?fpr the j J chimney ttncltfse'di."' 1 RbaarpptaWs ; and pork, }>F^ad , and f^ea^ were set \ before ;i us j'rlpjiJfle.last we substituted jpijr own. cocoa.-.. After~a-' slight rer ; past, and a little conversation with ; ,^qsjLU% ( a^dJ^9rij,weiurned.m Aipon our feeds of fern and blanketsj arranged, onef ihieacK little room. The night , was bjUerly cold, but there' was, for^unateiy,' no wind, so we got through the night somehow. On Thursday morning, we started on Qur.>iret'wn ;i «jo'arney at 'shc^ and arrived at I)r Harsant's at half past twelve. x After resting an hour, and taking jefresbmenti w.ajbid adieu to our kind host and hostess, and set out for Oketiy w'he^e service was held at half-p^st t^ivee, .^The.cpngrer gatidn qriite c ' fiiled I "the Church \ several, indeed/ had to* rerilain outside. Here, also, the Bishop held a confirmation, ~and~ after service, a Church meeting. vras f . held, 2^,^ which a Churcli "Committee iwas appointed, - consisting* xrf Messra 'Piltfaß,' Oifeberr and Jj^T^obe.,., t : . ; > ti ..,,,-. ,-..<; '.'.,' Mr jO. Ravage- was requested by tbeißishop tochnduotthe'service •■ fortnightly; "tfomnienclrfg pn ; the 'first; v i J9. n . J^F^y* L' m -P3fn.Mig ~ we ., smarted honiewarli.' - A heavy fog hung over the and weexpected fain. . HoWevbr^ we pushed aldrig river,' the abominable road, leading or driving our horses before us. . r Mr. Brady's chtffge'if daughC'liis ' fpbt-linVV'root, and threw;.bimself>dpwp, K ,and..cut his leg to the bone,. Fortunately, it was near no ,sinews, ; and ; a, -ppekethtfndk'erchief .tied rpojad ? the leg stopped th^ n bjeedipg, 'and ;^e T e , n l oh. 'Arriving :a^Kgaliinepouri, we swam our houses at Mr Tickers' farm, arriving at Te Awamutu. about half-past six. In spite of all accii dents, -stoppages and delays; we were able to fulfil all our engagements with the Bishop's proverbial panctu? al fe/i/.,^i;L-..A- w >••■'■ •— :, t have a few more words to say about the road to Eaglan. The district is languishing for want of a 1 good -road to "Wai^ato. l'/A. more abominable one,- I^do not, think there iVin the colony, over which H.M. Mail passes.* •■ The immigrant , cottages> at Baglan, cost the Government ; think"! "heard) £1600, This.sum.of, moneys expended on a road, would have been v boon to Waikato, as well as Kaglan. These cottages have never bad one immigrantJUying m them, .^nd all the " immigrants .for whom the Raglan .people conld find' work, might be accommodated m one of the vacant cottages there, of "which .there are several. The Raglan people want q, road. to connect-them with Upper Waikato. There is some talk about a road coming out near the Coal Mines. This would be of .HUle-rse to them. i A suitable route might be found (I should think) crossing the Waipa, about Ngahiaepouvi or Kaniwhanawha. If a road from Waikato to Raglan was made, so that a buggy could be driven all the way, the latter place would become the sanatorium ' of the former. Plenty of fresh fish, saTe: spa-bath-ipg, beautiful scenery, and delig.htn), rides along the sea-shore,' boating and sailing, would be the programme

; to induce y^aika^^pettj^rs to take an airing, with their families, atthis I pojpnjal, Brighton. : „. ,, t , ' J I hear that' but few of the Ragl^ij people subscribe for the WAikiTO: Times. I told some of them that, : \ 'l^^Be %"AifcATb TiMßa would ! a^i-| I ta^e for a good and proper road for! ! thsm^ they ought, one and all, toj subscribe to the paper,, and pa^i tlfeir'sub^crip tions regularly; lam • afraijc} ;/L;have trespassed a great j deal upon your space, bufc, perhaps,! i this (acGou.ut jmay; .not? be uninterest- ■ inor to general readers. C. J. A. f