KIHIKIHI NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1851, 17 May 1884, Page 2

KIHIKIHI NEWS.

ROMAN* CATHOLIC CJ'I'KCJ*. It lias long been the opinion ot the meml)ois of tin- Roman Catholic Church in this district that, owing to the rapidly increasing numbeis of the congregation and glowing 1 equipments of the church, oae of the WaiUato priests should be permanently stationed here. The result was that a meeting of the congregation was held last Sunday after vespers, at which no less a sum than £71 5s was collected towaids a fund for building a residence for the clergyman, and so heaitily has the matter been taken up, that at this moment a considerable amount of timber leqnired is on the ground. The site for the house is in the paddock close to the church. The visiting clergyman — Father Luck — who for a long time has conducted service here, has so endeared himself to his congregation, that it is their expressed wish he should reside among them. Owing to his ha\ ing been stationed in Hamilton he could not attend to this end ot his parish as much as he could wish. It is therefoic considered expedient in the interests of the church tlint he should be stationed at this end of the distiict, and that a residence should be built for him. As this is a lapidly lising town, and the population increasing so much of late, theie will be no difficulty in raising funds to build a house worthy of the place. A few energetic gentlemen have taken the affair in hand, so that in a very bhort time we may hope to sec the house linished.

kmvi's nou.^E. In your issue of the 15th inst. "A Coricspondcnt" inveighs against Rewi's house being let to a publican Now, in the name of common sense, what business is it of his what Rewi chooses to do with his house ? lie has a Crown giant, and the property is his own. If he sold it there might be some reasonable excuse for "A Correspondent" giving vent to his virtuous indignation. As icgards his bathos about tears of thankfulness ami the tiiumphal entry business, it only selves to make his absurd letter moie ridiculous. I can give a most unqualified contradiction to his statement—or lather insinuation —about the unclcanliness of the natives. I went through the house immediately after the natives left it, and was agreeably surprised to see how well it had been taken care of by them ; indeed, there aic many Euiopean houses that would suffer by companion with it in the matter of cleanliness. The statement that the house and suiTonndings have fallen into a state of disicpair is not correct. There may not be the same appearance of neatness about the premises that one would expect in a house owned by a pakeha, but w hen we take into consideration the fact that on many occasions numbeis of natives lived theie, the wonder is not that it should look so neat, but that it should look neat at all. At the present time hotel accommodation is not easily procurable, so that it is a good thing to have a good house for \isitors. I know nothing about the income the " publican" deiives from his speculation ; that is his business, I presume, and can concern no one else. From the concluding portion oJ his effusion, 1 should say " A Correspondent" is rather disappointed at not having rented it himself for a board-ing-house for "Maori rangitiras and nathe agents."

THE CAVALRY. We hart a visit from the Te Awamutu C.nalry Volunteers on Wednesday evening. They fell in at 7 o'clock, _ and marched through the town to the enlivening strains of the band. The natives were delighted with the music. They said the band was very " kapai," but the paiade of the troop was a sanguinary bit of bounce on the part of the Government, because there are so many Maoris heie attending the court, and nothing could convince them it is the custom to bring the troop here during the annual drill.

ROAD WORKS. The contractors for the road works between heioandTe Awamutu are pushing on with the work very rapidly. They certainly have a staff of good woikmen. I cannot say much however in favour of the gravel (?) they are putting on the road. There is too much clay and too little gravel in it, a fact which has been unpleasantly forced upon the notice of travellers by the late rain, but many are of opinion it Will bind w ell, and make a good road.

BUSINESS PROSPECTS. If business operations continue as at present timber will soon be at a premium, for almost every day we see some new building begun. Some of the business men uf other districts have, I think, realised the folly of starting here, and have wisely abstained, from coming here, as they originally intended. Indeed, one man packed up his goods and returned to his home. Of course I do not mean to imply there is no business doing ; there is a fair amount, but not sufficient for a couple of dozen stolekeepers. — (Own Correspondent).