TE AROHA DEFERRED PAYMENT SETTLERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1880, 24 July 1884, Page 2

TE AROHA DEFERRED PAYMENT SETTLERS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Kindly allow me space in the columns of your valuable paper to make a few remarks concerning this district, especially as regards the condition of some deferred payment settlers who have taken up some land in the vicinity of Waitoa in pai ticular. There are about a dozen of these persons who have been unlucky enough to purchase land of Government under promise, of course, that drainage would be carried on on a large scale. Every inducement was offered to make sale of the land, but of course as soon as it was sold, and settlers on it, they are ever since unable to do a tap to it, owing to it being nothing but a regular quagmire with water. The settlers therefore are compelled to seek work all over the country, and this even very hard to get sometimes. It will give you an idea of how hard 'tis on them, especially old people, to be under the paternal care of a local storekeeper, the wife of one doing cooking, Sec, while the husband, who is an intelligent man, attends the store, and occasionally assists his co-partner in the land, feediug the storekeeper's pigs, and other handy jobs. Now, Mr Editor, don't you think but it is very hard on those poor people to be placed in this position owing to the promises, which aie still unfulfilled, of Goverument. There are other settlers, as surfacemen, &c, unable also to afford to stay at home, and work their land. Mr Whyte, M.H.R., has visited this district, and took great interest in the matter when he went to Wellington, by making every representation possible, urging Government to carry the drainage on, and has in a degree succeeded, as a 1 few of the drainage contracts have been lee, and arc under completion at present. It is, therefore, to be hoped that Mr Whyte, on his return to Parliament, will again try and help those struggling settlers, by urging on the remainder of the drainage works, with money .which has been voted for that purpose. A portion of it still remains on hand, and it is to be hoped he will cause it to be spent in furthering the drain now under completion as far as Mr Michelson's section. This would be a boon and a godsend to the settlers. Again, Mr Editor, there is a great outlay of public money, in fact, spent uselessly, paid to six or eight sur-face-men employed on a short part of the Morrinsville-Te Aroha road. Had the road board called for tenders, and let a distance for a certain time to be kept in repair, it would be far more advisable than paying away a large sum of money, viz. : £12 1 2s per week for about 13 miles of road ; and, of course, as is wellknown, these meu only put in their time, which means that they do, literally speaking, nothing worth while mentioning. By inserting above, Mr Editor, you will oblige. — I am, &c, Taxpayer.

Thb following is given as one of the many characteristic actions of General Gordon, as shown by his choice of a companion for the expedition to Khartoum. When he came before the Cabinet and announced that he was ready to start at once, he was naturally asked whom he would like to have as companion. Gordon paused for a moment in reflection, and then said :—": — " There is a man whom I have met a few times at the Club ;I don't know his name, but he is the roan I would like to take with me. If you will wait a little, I will go and see if he can come." Thereupon Gordon left bis Ministerial audience, drove to the Club, found his man in the smoking-room, explained the case, obtained his consent, and was back in Downing street under the half-hour. The man whom Gordon, with instinctive insight 'had, chosen was Colonel Steward who probably, knows more of the East than any otlier officer in "the ßntfflh «rmy, ", \* A *V7 ; \' i' -1 '' .