WHATAWHATA. (From our peripatetic correspondent.)

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1178, 15 January 1880, Page 3

WHATAWHATA. (From our peripatetic correspondent.)

This settlement lies about due west of Hamilton, and due south of Ngaruawahia, the distance from each by the present roads being aboat ten or a dozen miles. The direct line of road between Hamilton and Whatawhata is only six or seten miles, but is noc.at present passable, owing to its never having been made, and to a large swamp on the line. Money having been voted for it, this road will piobably be opened before winter to connect with the Waipa proposed bridge and the Raglan road. Whatawhata lies withiu the Ngaruawahia Highway District, but owing to that body never having kept the road in repair, basiness relations and all traffic are more likely to be with Hamilton than with Ngaruawahia, more especially when the new road is opened. At present the steamer trades with Whatawhata, passing about once a week, though not regularly. There is also mail communication with Hamilton four times, and with Raglan twice a week. A great advance has taken place since a year ago, when the settlers used to take turn abent in fetching the mails from Ngaruawahia and Hamilton. On reaching: Whatawhata by the road from Hamilton the farm of Mr Rothwell is tfre first passed. It shows a great deal of improvemeut for the few years the present owner and his two sons have been at work. For a fa r m of 200 acres it seems to be as compact an estato as could be desired, possessing- sufficient bu.H aid a stream running through it. As we passed, Mr Rothwell was busy cutting his oats, which seemed to be a good crop. Time did not admit of our halting to interview this settler. Proceeding onward about half a mile, from the top of a small hill, a fine view is obtained of the farms of owners Dawson Hi u die and Mainwaring, which lie on the banks of the Waipa River. These farms are partly freehold and partly leasehold, and had every appearance of being the abodes of peace and plenty. To the left, in the distance, lie the farms of Messrs. Fox, Day, Breithwaite, McGutcheon, and Foxall, and in that direction will be the new direct road to Hamilton, before referred to be opened out. A steep gully has now to be crossed before reaching Whatawhata township. Through the blundering of the Board or their Engineer, the bridge has not been sufficintly made, and a serious accident ocourred a few weeks ago, to the damage of the horse and the jeapordy of the rider The Ngarnawahia Highway Board is urgently called on to see to the repair of this (the Mangapakiaka) bridge without delay, as that august *-^body owe a good deal to the Whatawhata end of their district. The fact seems to be that a good many roadworks about Whatawhata have been begun and left unfinished. The graveyard contains many bodies of soldiers who fell for their country near this sixteen years ago. The thistle vegetation here would seem w to indicate that the bulk of gallant heroes buried here are Scotchmen, but their profusenesa hindered us from acertaining whether they were Macs or Lowlanders. It is sufficient, however, for the British hero that be rests in pwtfj though in a name-

less grave. The School-house and commodious residence adjacent are ornamental and conspicuous objects. The late tenant would seem not to be an agriculturist, bat indoors the school-honse 13 a model of completeness and order. Well would it be, tending greatly to discipline, were every school-house as handsomely finished and as well equipped for tho important work of tuition as that at Whatavhata. It is to be hoped the Board of Education will deal as liberally with every district. It shows that Whatawhata has after much solicitation obtained a suitable provision for the schooling of its rising generation. Being the holidays, no ohildren were to be seen at school buildings. A hotel, kept by Mr Kellow, and two general stores, by Mr Bailey and Mr Iverson respectively, minister to the wants of sur- ! rounding settlers. At Whatawhata t Hotel the provision for the inner man is very good, and the proximity to the invigorating mountain air from the west gives the traveller an enhanced appetite, which is amply satiated by the viands set before him. Mr Kellow, indeed, seems to be not only the "publican" bat the public man of the place, and from his conversation he showed a laudable spirit of interest in the progress of the settlement. I told him if he wanted anything from Government that he must not be wearied of delays, but ** keep at them," till they did their duty. I, being a stranger passing though the place, may have " put my foot it it," and shonid any caviller arise at my remarks I must request Mr Kellow to defend the interests of Whatawhata in my absence. The Public Works Department are now " called to time" here, and j not a day of summer should be lost j in commencing the two works of the Wai pa bridge and the Hamilton road. £4,000 have been voted for a bridge over the Waipa at Whatawhata, and it is fully expected that the work will soon be undertaken. Indeed, we learn that F. A. Whitaker Esq., the local M.H.R., and (James Stewart, Esq., the District Engineer are daily expected here to fix the site and make ar. rangements for the speedy commencement of the works. £1,500, I also, have been voted for the .Raglan and Hamilton roads. It is under- i stood that the enterprising Mr C. G. Quick contemplates putting on a coach very soon, to run between Raglan and Hamilton via Whatawhata. Already, numerous buggies have gone over the new Raglan road, and, very lately, a four wheeler has traversed the mountain to that amenable watering place. The time, indeed, 'may not be far distant that Raglan will be the seaport and sea- j side retreat of the extensive Waikato country, for it may safely be affirmed that Raglan has already lain long enough high and dry on its own sea beach, and tnat shortly, intercourse, with civilization will bless the settlers who lived at Raglau when the Waikato plains were in possession of barbarians, and under the rule of King Peatan, I, who then held his court, and weeded his his potatoes at Ngaruawahia. The present stir in the kauri gum market has a considerable eflfeot on the trade of Whatawhatis, and Maori population, men, women, and children, are all busy fishing out gum from the swamps in the neighbourhood of Rotokauri, a small lake which we passed on the road, and whose name indicates that kauri trees have growu there in former ages. In my next I shall refer somewhat fnlly to the history of the Waipa-Raglan road.