RAGLAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1750, 22 September 1883, Page 2

RAGLAN.

Raolvn and Waipa Eo\t>. My attention lias lately been attracted to some con ehpondenco in the New Zealand Herald having relation to the state of the above nud, and tlie manner in which Mr Johnson ondncts our nuiil son ice. It was cwnuviucjd l>y some R.\gl vn c< respondent afliimtug that the load was in a better state than geneially lepiesented, and the spirit of his lomaiks implied that our mail service was being conducted in anything but a satisf actoi y way. I am pleaded to notice tli.it those statements have already been contiadicted by more than one conespondeut. Neither of them are in accordance with facts, and th'j person who made them must have either been labouring under borne delusion, or, tlnough hearsay, have had the state of things misrepresented to him. The load has been ho bad during the past winter as to be almost imp liable for hoisoniou, and the general opinion is that our nuul .service has bajn canied out as well ;i..> might have bien expected under thechcum-'tances since taken in hand by the pietxjnt contractoi. Kffoitd are now being used by the county council and local boaicW to induce the (-Joveinnient to iep.lll the 1 oad on the Tolcihoho ( Hakai imata) 1 an«je, and it is to be lcgi etted that <uichan ideaas i have tried to refute should have be ju circulated, as it will probably affect the issue of their exertions, and defeat the object v> hicli they have in common. n vßniTrf. Inspector Lewis, who arrived here in the s.s. Hinemoa, has, accompanied by Sub-In-.spoctor Oldham, bjen making a tour through the distiict with the object of satisfying himself as to the advisability of suspending the operations of the Rabbit Act-ttithiii its boundaiie.s. I have heard that the decision arrived at is that bunny is to be left alone for the the piesent. There aie now veiy fe-.N heie, but, of coarae, wo run the risk of their becoming dangerously numerous at some futuie time. It is, however, generally supposed that the soil not being as a mle well suited for labbitburrowing, it will bo a long time bjforc we ariive at such an unpleasant result. SMALL BI1U) PEST. The rabbit evil to my mind bears no companion in lcgardtoiti bad effects to the small biid evil, which at this season of the year exercises biich a pernicious influence upon our agricultural piospects. Can it be possible that the introducers of their progenitors ever anticipated the rapidity with which they increase, owing to the climatic advantages which they hcie enjoy ? Weie they cognisant of the fact that their natural enemies had no existence in the colony ; that there were were no sparrowhawks, weasels, fenets, or foves ? If such was the case, it appears strange that more judiciousness was not manifested by our Acclimatisation Societies 111 their ornithological selections. I will admit that to the cloud there may be a silvei lining. It is pleasing to hear at intervals, in our forest primeval, the sweet notes reminding us of the marry twittering denizens of our Old Country woods. It would bo rash to deny that they do not destroy a large quantity of insect life. "But gold may be bought too dear," and it is becoming a generally recognised opinion that the birds are by far the gi eater evil. Handicapped as we aie by climatic advantages, and the want of their natural enemies, it will be found no light task to overcome them. A deal of poisoned grain is being sown here this season, and a large number of birds are being killed, but unless a similar course is being pursued in other districts, our exertions will piove futile. Anything that ietard.s our agricultural prosperity, must also hinder the advancement of our colony, and in this way the small biid pest becomes a national, not an individual evil, and it would be well if a plentiful sowing of poisoned grain was at this season of the year 1 esorted too. The daily increasing extent of this evil should be attended to, otheiwi.se posterity may find proper reason to repeat with a sigh the words of Scotland's poet : Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn. BEACONS. We have now had beacons erected in our harbour by Cant. Faircliild on his last visit to our port, which will supply a want long felt, and no doubt our bay will be oftener made a place of refuge by vessels in stormy weather. FLAX INDUSTRY. Large quantities of flax still continues to be exported from here, and I am happy to state that it still continues to maintain its prestige for excellence, which it has hitheito held in the Auckland market. Mr John Moore is having a new mill built by Mr Liddell, and Mr Leathern is also having material prepared to oitjct another. Both mills will be in the centre of a good flax growing district, and their turn out will add materially to the bulk of that article which is now being exported. Mr Wallis, of Okete, has effected some extensive improvements to his mill near the Okete falls. Mr Kendall, of Ruapuke, is sending tons of the prepared article away just now, and so is Mr Cogswell, of Waitetuna. RAGLAN JOCKEY CLUB. A meeting of the above club is to be called at an early date, with the object of ascertaining its financial position, and drawing out a programme for its next race meeting. It is to be hoped "that members will promptly pay their subscriptions. The racing under the sujjervision of this club has as yet been a success, and the members I am confident .have too much judgment to allow any private feeling or indifference of opinion to prevent them from working, unitedly for the welfare of their .club. There is at present sqm,e divei-sity of beliefas fy} $P JflQS 6 Wop® l " sitejoi'fft racecourses I'expect that a decision will soon be .corner to, when things will probably work 'more smoothly jthun th©v h*ye done; during the last; few jnoiftfcs',— £Qwn. ' $qr£©spo,n4eialiii