WAITOA.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1258, 22 July 1880, Page 2

WAITOA.

The road between Hamilton and Waitoa is now in good order, and considering the season of the year is keeping wonderfully well, with the exception of the piece afterwards referred to. The various plantations, along the road are looking extremely well, and in the course of two or three years, this will be one of the prettiest drives in the Province. The plantation on the property of the .Swamp Company and on the estates of Messrs. Morrin, Larkworthy, Murray, and Campbell, axe specially noticeable. As will be seen by the annexed memorandum, an association is being formed amongst the Waitoa settlers to prospect the Aroha,. Mountain. A number of gentlemen (chiefly land owners) have already signed the memorandum, and it is expected the difficnlty will be rather to limit the number to that specified in the agreement than to obtain the necessary number of signatures. We have ourselves seen specimens from the Aroha Mountain, which is a mass of quartz reefs and leaders, which specimens would compare .favorably with anything that has been obtained from the Lower Thames. The following is the memorandum : — We the undersigned, agree to form an associ- I ation for the purpose of prospecting the j Aroha ranges, on the following conditions: — (1) To advance the sum of £o each, to be called up in sums not exceedins £1, at intervals of not less than one month. (2) To obtaiu the services of two experienced miners to prospect thoroughly the ground mentioned. (3) Such prospectors to be paid 30s a week each for such time as the committee appointed by the parties hereto may desire. (4) In the event of the piospectors finding payable gold, a company to be formed consisting of those signing j the memorandum, holding equal shares along with the prospectors, i.e., each ! contributor to have an equal interest in the company, and a prospector to have a similar interest to a contributor. (5) [ The number of shareholders to be limited i to 20 in the Prospecting Association. I The residents here are much disappointed that the School Committee for the Piako District have refused to carry out the duties attached to their position. The Central Board has no power to accept their resignation, and their disinclination to act is causing much inconvenience to the teacher of the Waitoa school and to the residents of the district. As it is, one or two gentlemen have had to pay out of their own pockets expenses incurred in cleaning out the school-room, and other incidental expenses which would be paid out of the Government funds, if the local Board would only make the necessary application. Several new settlers have arrived in the district, and it is with much gratification we observe that those who have taken up land on deferred payment seem to be throwing themselves heartily into the necessarily preliminary work. The following deferred payment men have alread erected houses on their sections : —Messrs Taxter, O'Donoghue, MoLarin, and Woodhead. Contracts have been let for other two houses, and a third is in process of erection. We would direct the attention of the new Board to the road between the Waitoa and Waihou River, which is much in need of repair. On this road there is a very large amount of traffic, much greater than on any other road in the district, and as it is now in a very bad condition it is to be hoped immediate attention will be paid to putting this, our main outlet to the district, into a passable condition. — [Communicated-]