ALEXANDRA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1150, 8 November 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

ALEXANDRA.

November 4 Business hns been fairly remunerative to our tradesfolks here this this lasfc week. Tawhiao has returned from Kawhia to and is getting more land cleared for cultivation. Large quantities of *bod are daily goiug up there. About Kopua and its vicinity, the sparrow pest is causing complete destruction to the maize crops. The natives say the pheasants are eomparitively harmless to the armies of small depredators. One induslrions hap u this side of Kopua, who planted some fifteen acres m maize, notwithstanding having scarecrows stuck over it m all directions, and their children beating kerosine tins from daylight till dark, have had it all destroyed as fast as it appears above giound. Now they are endeavoring to circa mvonb the featheied theives by sticking fern sticks, like bird, cages round every hillock of seed, which of course entails great labor, and m spite of it still, a great per centnge of loss. They tell me they have tried the tar steeping dodge, and that ifc is a failure, as the sparrows destroy the com when it begins shooting, all the same. Winiata's father and family were down here yesterday for supplies The murderer himself was seen at Kaipiha, where he accompanied them so far m the canoe. This i«, so far as I have heard, hid nearest approach to any settlement since his eluding capture. A preliminary meeting for the purpose of getting up our usual annual races whs held on Saturday last, and subscription lists drawn out