RAGLAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1551, 13 June 1882, Page 2

RAGLAN.

It must be a source of gratification to all the well-wishers of this district to know that proceedings are being taken to make available for settlement "some portion of the Crown Lands which lie adjacent to its boundary. Mr P, Edgecumbe, surveyor, is now busily engaged surveying into sections a large block of land lying between here and Huntly. I have never seen the land in question, and , consequently will not hazard an "opinion as to its features or quality. Should an opportunity offer, Twill, however, take advantage of it, and pay "that \ part/ of the country a visit, after which I will be in a position to write more definitely in reference tyjt. Report says that it is perfectly good: Should ' such' prdve> to be the catee, the public r may expect to see it quickly takeii'up,' considering; that' it is to be disposed of under 5 the^def erred payment system.' Mr Edgecumbe Has- also received instructions to -Jay off :the proposed'line of' road;< > which, "having its starting point at Huntley, passed through the block of land spoken of, "and ■tennii nates ; near Mr J.- r Moon's resi'detice at j Waitetuna, where it joins,the Baglan and ; Waipa road, .that; it is the intention oiine Groviranfesf|fo^nave this ] toadfovmedJ^^h^ws^sooTi tasithe land 'near'at is^hjroj^foVenif^lelectwn,. Such in disposal and i'nuiyj to the pros-

Mr Bimiand, of the Public Works Department, has just returned to Auckland, after having inspected the work required to be done before the portion of the Raglan-Kawhia road, for which the £500 was granted last session, can have been deemed complete. The work on this road is already in a comparatively forward state, and Mr Burnand is of opinion that the giant now available for it should finish the work upon it. At an early date we may therefore expect to sec its expenditure being proceeded with, and the road made fit tor traffic. While on the subject of roads, I must not omit to record the improvement which has been made to the Raglan-Rua-puke road, near Mr William Duncans residence. With commendable promptitude, the settlers of Ruapuke, knowing that the funds of the local road board were at a very low ebb, and seeing that the portion of the road spoken of was becoming dangerous to travellers for want of attention being given to it, agreed to meet together and go and repair it. Two days were spent woiking upon it, by a number of persons, and what but a few days since might have been called the most perilous part of the road between Raglan and Ruapuke, is now made as safe as any other part of it. Such action on the part of the Ruapukians is worthy of much commendation. A 6 the meeting oi the Raglan Licensing Commissioners held in the Courthouse, Baglan, on the Oth inst., a considerable amount of surprise was manifested by those persons applying for publicans' licenses when informed by the bench that they had not the power to lower the amount of the license fee. That the expense of the license is altogether too high for such a place as this is beyond doubt perfectly true. However, under existing circumstances, the commissioners arc powerless in tlie matter. The scarcity of population and other things connected with the district renders it almost imperative that something should bo done to give the commissioners power to grant publicans' licenses at a lower rats than that presciibed by the Licensing Act, ISSI. With this object in view, the commissioners decided upon making application to the Government to have the boundaries of the present licensing district re-defined, so as to include the town of Raglan, Karioi and Whaingaroa highway districts, and to have the same proclaimed a special licensing district under part 1, clause 6, of the Licensing Act, 1881. The holders of licensed houses here are now quite sanguine that owing to the action taken by the commissioners, they will not much longer be victims of the severity of the Act in the respect already iudicated. The Raglan Harbor Board, I have been given to understand, aie about to effect some extensive improvements to the Raglan whai f. From appearances I should judge that some impro\ ements are requiied. The ti attic on this wharf since its first erection has been much mci eased, and when the work proposed to be done has been executed, it will render much easier the carriage of goods to and from steamers landing cargo at this port. I trust before many years we shall hear that the Harbor Board have found it necessary to increase the size of the wharf as well as improve it. At a meeting of the Raglan Rifle Club, to be held shortly, a petition is to be drawn out praying the Government to supply them with new rifles. The majority of those they use at present are very inferior, and the club aie of opinion that in consideration of the frontier character of the district, the recommendation about to be made by them to the Government should meet with prompt and favorable recognition. The weather here lately has been of the most unfavorable and boisterous description, and the roads all over the district are in ii horrible state with mud. I should advise all those who meditate paying us a visit to postpone their journey until a more propitious season. — [Own Correspondent, June Bth.]