RAGLAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1747, 15 September 1883, Page 2

RAG LAN.

It is now some time since I sent to your paper any news from this district, nor have I much of importance to communicate now. But stay, this assertion is premature, for I have just thought of the rumour that is afloat, that there is a possibility of seeing, at no distant date, a railway reaching the district. It has as yet only been whispered, as if people were afraid of raising their friends expectations to such a height as might ensure destruction to their senses, in their as yet too probable downfall. The idea is, however, daily gaining ground, that before many more years have passed the iron horse will disturb with his welcome snort the sublimity and peace of our arcadian existence. Let us trust that this may provo a true prediction. But I get prolix ; let me state what has given rise to these rumours. It has been asserted that Messrs Russell and Studholme, the owners of the well-known Te Akau run, have, with the object of trying to enhance the value of their property, been using their influence with the Government to persuade them to lend them some assistance towards the foundation of a railway line from Churchhill to the Te Akau run, touching it near the head of the Raglan harbour, and from thence on through a large block of waste land, which it is intended to have opened for selection under the deferred payment system, to Waitetuna, from which it might ultimately be continued to Te Mata, Aotea and Kawhia. It is now alleged that they are sanguine of being successful in their exertions, and if so, what a future may still bein prospect for our fair, but hitherto much neglected, district. Let the rumour be true or false, the proposition spoken of can be shown to be far from unreasonable. In some parts of America the principle is pursued of putting roads or railways through the waste lands before they are thrown open for selection, and the course has proved in most cases to have been eminently successful. This railway would traverse thousands of acres of land, and I have been told that it is good land, lying at the present time in a waste and unoccupied state, and it cannot be said that I am going beyond the bounds of reason when I affirm that the American system might be applied with success in this instance. Then, again, we have the fact so plainly lndicated, that the Waikato must ultimately require a large import of timber, and from no place could this article be more readily supplied than from the forest ranges between Raglan and Waipa, where an almost unlimited quantity might be procured. In time to come there can be little doubt but that the port of Kawhia will be connected by railway with Auckland, and this would be but a commencement of the line. I might also instance this idea, that large supplies of lime and building stone, as well as coal could thus be sent over the province. I think it may now be admitted that, After all, the proposition of forming a railway line to Raglan cannot be termed Utopian, and that there is more reason in it than at first sight than would appear to be. But enough for the present, hoping that out of this current report there may hereafter spring something of a more tangible nature. TELEGRAPH LINE. It has been a source of gratification to all residents here to notice that Government has been so mindful of us this session, as to recognise the want of telegraph communication to this district, and I have every reason for stating authoritatively that before long the wire will be erected. We will thus be brought in closer contact with the outer world, and such an event should mark the commencement of another epoch in the progress of the Raglan County. RAGLAN AND KAWHIA ROAD All our fond hopes regarding the early completion of this road have been again doomed to disappointment, the work of formation, as well as the survey, having been stopped by the Government. That the work will be started once more at an early date there can be no doubt. But why should it have received even a temporary check? This is a question which I feel some difficulty in answering. Native obstruction cannot be the cause All the annoyances offend to Mr Burd, the surveyor, have been of the most petty character, and were successfully tided over. The awe with which Mr Bryce is regarded by the natives serves to put an effectual hindrance to their recurrence. In your leader of the 4th inst. you speak of the pakeha Maoris and tho present Opposition as having hod something to do with the obstructions which have been offered to the surveyors at Wanganui and Maungatautari. Such conduct would be most injurious to their reputation, and could only take its rise from sheer vindictiveness. Every action of the political agitators of this colony Is known by the Maoris almost as jv)'vi a,i it ii by theii Hiuopoan neighbour. Of tliii I am 'coiifidont, as they n.it only seune infoimation theieon thioujrh the columns of tho Kmimako, but also fiom tliose of t'lo TSfew Zealand tlciald and Wiukat) Tune-., which aie lent to them by setlleis, and road and explained to them by tho,-.c v. ho are English scholrrs. This 1 have of ttn son myself, and hi ye at times adnmed the intelligent criticism which \\a 3 bestowed by them upon the arguments tlnii luit befoie them. The general opinion here is that this Opposition me paitly responsible for the changes of policy in refeience to the constitution of this load. Looking cuisoiily at the action of the Government, it cm b'3 termed anything but economical. Dining all the late severe Avinter, when it was next to impossible for any man to do justice to his employer at such work as load formation or suivcy, the work was kept going, and as soon as the fine weathei w,x'i likely to set in, when matters could have been pushed on with far le,^s pecuniary 1 isk, tho whole affair is brought to a standstill. Afteralaige expenditine of money bnt a very .small portion can as yet bo deemed fit for tiaflic. Howevoi, tho authorities at "Wellington may have just reason for sach action. Wo may neveitheless indulge a, hope that they will soon consider it arh is.ible to leave the road no longer in its piescnt luifhuShecl and useless state. A'JIUCULTUH VL riIOSPECTS. Potato planting is being now busily ]iiocscd'^l A.ith. But a yoiy s:nall aiea of giound has been sown in cereals this season. The ravages which were committed by the small bird pest last year has so discouraged the farmers that they have no heait to lepeit their exertions of f miner seasons. In Kawhia and Aotea the natives have, however, sown a good deal of wheat and oats. The »how of fruit blossom tin ougl.out the whole district is splendid, and if we do not have much hail during the current month, we may look forward to seeing a heavy ciop of fruit. SPEKJt WH VI.E. A large sperm whale, measuring fiftythree feet in length, has been washed ashoie at the mouth of the Toreparu creek on the Ruapuke beach. It is genoially supposed that he has been attacked by a swordfish, and thus met his death, as he bears morks which would indicate an encounter with such an animal. The native's have been actively employed during the past few days in extracting the oil from him, and ha\ c secured a great quantity. TKOUT OY.\. A lot of trout ova has been again sent by the Acclimatisation Society to hatch and hboiatc in the sti earns hcie. Mr T. B. Hill hab been indefatigable in his endeavours to introduce trout into our streams, aud it is to be hoped that in this instance he will meet with moie success than hitherto. Expcits affirm that our creeks are well suited for the purpose, and in this case, if the hatching is successful, Mr Hill and his coadjutors will be in a position to liberate trout in most of them. — (Own Correspondent).