NOTES BY A TRAVELLER

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1265, 7 August 1880, Page 2

NOTES BY A TRAVELLER

Faikics in the Waikato ! I 3 it true ? Yes, for a man told mo that a man told him that he h.vd iieaid another aay that a certain mcdic.il gentleman had imported them from Europe a few years ago. And what locality is now rendered Aveird and haunted by this strange importation ? Loth though I am to name the place, ths Tanuihcre bridge, on the Cambridge road, is pointed out as the scene of their future residence In the estimation cf the importer, no fitter locality could be found, and there he has planted them. Siifc Li.d'jf ! Traveller, halt on the bridge and gl-mco around. You tread on haunted ground ; guard you well, lest it become to you a "bridge of sighs." Methiuks I miibtnot p?ss thac way in future at weird hours. Why coloni-e a new country wich the fairies of the old 'i Unkind the act, and unwelcome tho^e new chum-) ! Bat harder things I muat not say, lest I miy pay the penalty. So much, however, 1 have deemed well to record touching the rumored existence of fairies transplanted in our midst. Let the public judge for themselves. Recently many people have I remarked that a certain ominous creaking takes place when they ride or drive over the bridge in question; and of' a night peculiar lights, which they deny to be phosphoric, appear at intervals along the walls of the cutting leading from the Hamilton side to the bridge. Perhaps the Road Board had better see le>t the fairies be preparing a trap to "run in" Carter's coach with a goodly number of passengers for the ferryman of Styx. And maybe the strange lights ought not to be tiusted! Shall I say a word about wire fencing ? The importance of the subject is sufficient excuse for the few reuiaiks I purpose to make. This kiud of fence is almost the only one to be found on large e&t ites ; and small settlers too, more especially within a recent period, seem to be adopting it in preference to all others. Some wire fences are very durable, and some come to grief in a few year.^. The latter is their fate when the material, o^ workmanship, or both together, may be classed as indifferent, as sometimes happens. As is quite apparent in many fences, not eveiy man who tries his hand and earns wages has sufficient skill for his work ; and not every post that costs money is fit tq be erected. Therefore, the guttler should guauj well again -t imposit on in both oases.. Yet in many in.stances imposition ooos actually take place, to the jtcvV amioy.inco and detri111 jiil of the f.uinor. Tlu> quality of po^ in ij» a nnttor yf WUWs

consideration, but the straining posts ia pntieular slioukl be well examined. Ifi straining yo*ti fail, the fence be/iomes a ruin, requiring innnecli.ito attejitijbn. The finest, ami surely the best, strathing po^ts I have ever soeu are those on the Gorton estate, a few milos above Cambridge. It is not too much to say that they do credit to the t-kill and energy of Mr Fergusson. The piles along the Queen-street Wharf are hardly one-third .their iulk. _ They, measure seveeai-feet in circumference, are driven deep in the ground, stand ag high as orditt&y $osts, and aie of excellent material. ' Afc the gates there is ajiujjlioate^ofjthemj^goe, for £h(f »"ifce*s"ahc[ oue forliue wires. They are f-imply whole trees sawn to the required length, and appear giants in their way. Oue could daucg a hornpipe or table his dinner comfortably on top of any of them. I had the curiosity $o* mount on one, and turn and caper about, admiring tho solidity and stateline.^s of my pedestal, but not admiring my own wisdom, when an equestrian, coming suddenly round the corner, had a laugh and a joke at my expense. How' many years will those giants do duty as unrivalled posts ? I know not, but they are models for strength, etateliness, and durability. Settlers who could afford like straining-posts should erect them, aixd people who have not yet seen the giants in question have lost a tre^it. The beauty of tlje^ scenery too at Gorton and higher up the road' to Matamata is very striking — nay, even admirable in many uf its features. Who has seen and not admired the picturesque slopes of Maungatautari where it faces Gorton and the A Noith-eastern sun, the winding river too at its broad base, and the many other striking objects in that delightful panorama.