RAGLAN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ) The Hikurangi Meeting.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1373, 21 April 1881, Page 2

RAGLAN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ) The Hikurangi Meeting.

The forthcoming native meeting at Hiknrangi does not promise to be a great success. While a few of the Maoris about Raglan have given proofs of their loyalty to Tawhiao by sending supplies of food, the majority speak of the affair with contempt. "Too much gammon" said a native to me last week in reply to my question whether he was going to Hikurangi. "Tawhiao sends to tell us to go to his meeting, but we say no, we have work to do and cannot leave it," Maori statesmen, like some who are not Maori, are distinguished by two things, vi/., eaiocthis loqtutuli and imoithei cdendi. It is somewhat refreshing therefore, to find th.it some Maous have at last grown weary of the endlesi talk and feasting which characterise their meetings. Sorue of u« who read the pages of Ibnnard can sympathise very deep'y with them, when they wish that more were done and less said. One cause of illfeeling towards the king party is that our R iglau natives h.ivp been grossly iusulted by Tawhi.ioN Prime Minister, Te Ngakau. Not \cry long since, the king gave them a piece of land near Aotea, which they have cultivated. While they were gathering the crops a few weeks •j-ince, the king natives held a meeting at which Te Ngakau was present. He, in characteiistie terms, informed the harvpsters that the king had not given them tho land unconditionally, but that ho g.ive it that they might giow food for himself and his people. This, of course, gave great offence, and, perhaps, to this partly is owing the determination not to visit Hikurangi. And so the Board of Education has determined that we shall not have a schoolhouse in the township. Hitherto the school h'ib been carried on in the Wealeyan Church ; which has been granted freely. But it is not convenient to have a day .school in a Church. In the first place, the building cannot be kept so dean as the congregation desire, to say nothing of the damage done to the seats by hoavy boards being screwed upon them to answer the purpose of desks, and to th© floor by ink being spilt upon it. In the second place, it does not accord with the feelings of the present committee to have the school in a Church. As we cannot have a proper school-house the committee have obtained the use of the County Council office. By the papers just to hand, I see the Board of Education has decided to use that building and to supply the necessary furniture. While we would like to see a good school-house erected, in these days of economy and retienchment, we must be thankful for small mercies. Those interested in the flax trade are anxiously looking for a few day's rain, several mills having long been idle, the water in the creeks being insufficient to work them. This branch of trade is receiving more attention now than for some time. Mcsers Ormsby and Phillips have erected a first-class flax mill, not far from Aotea, on the coast. They have plenty both of flax and water ; but they are expected to have some difficulty in conveying the flax to market. Their mill is about 20 miles from Raglan, to which part the Lalla Rookh trades, and the road is very hilly. Aotea hrbour, which is, comparatively, close at hand, is closed by order of King Tawhiao. There has been some talk of getting a surf boat, by means of which the flax could be taken to any vessel that should call. But this, to say the least of it, would be a very precarious means of conveying the flax to mirket. In winter vessels would have few chances of anchoring where there is no shelter, and the surf would not often allow a boat to reach a vessel thus anchored. Great care would be necessary to prevent the flax from getting wet, as it is spoilt by contact with salt water. Messrs Ormsby and Phillips, however, have surmonted many difficulties already, and I doubt not but that their energy and skill will enable them to surmount this also. We hope their motto is nil desperandum. We had a visit from Mr Bartlett, tho Auckland photographer, who cams* to obtain views of choice bits of scenery. The ■ weather was all that could be desired. He took views of the Okete Falls, and lof Karioi. The latter, especially, ought I to make a good picture, if taken with theharbour bar, and the white breakers around its base. We were favored on Sunday evening \ with a steady downpour of rain, which ha 3 revived drooping nature, and given everything a refreshed and refreshing ap. paarance, but like Oliver, we ask "for more."