[OWN CORRESPONDENT..]

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1202, 11 March 1880, Page 3

[OWN CORRESPONDENT..]

The settlers of Whatawhata liave Ijeen rather surprised to learn that Messrs Salmon aucl Morris have lately paid a visit of inspection over the new line of road laid off between Whatawhata and the Hamilton railway station. It appears that Mr Stewart, C.E., on his recent visit to Whatawhata, passed somewhere near this line, and has expressed his opinion that the line would cost £3000, instead of £1500 ; and the inspection by the abovenamed settlers has apparently been made for the purpose of supporting Mr Stewart in his opinion that the line is impracticable. But this is not what we want ; it is not the passing opinion of Messrs Stewart, >Sahnon, or anyone else that the settlers of Whatawhata and the surrounding districts are desirous of obtaining, but to see the road taken in hand and pushed on, as we have been led to believe all along it would be. It will be remembered that the road in question has, as part of the Ilaglan and Hamilton line, not only been sanctioned by the former Government, but was surveyed and pegged off by Mr Patuier, then in their employ ; the cost, as estimated by that engineer, was £1500, and with that sum Palmer was prepared to see the road carried through. It is probable that with the change of (rovernment this gentleman has gone out of office ; but surely his plans, &c, have not gone out also. It would appear as if the Government wished to shelve this road altogether; however, the Waipa and Raglan settlers— for it affects the latter district quite as much as it does Whatawhata—will look to Mr F. A. Whitaker to see that good faith is kept with them in this matter ; and, under any circumstances, the settlers of both districts cannot but feel obliged to Messrs Salmon and others for taking such a sudden interest in a road, the opening of which, to the ordinary mind, would seem so diametrically opposed to their own interests.

Thb loss of weight of merino fleeces sheared in the dirt, after being cleansed, is found to be from two-thirds to thrpei ourths. hat ia to say, if a fleece weighs 30 pounds in the dirt, after being thoroughly cleansed and dried to be manufactured into cloth, it weighs only 7^ to 10 pounds.