TE AROHA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1960, 29 January 1885, Page 3

TE AROHA.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRKirON'I)FNT.| Tf Aroh \, Wednesday. Tt is stated here that the contract for forming the approach to the railway bridge, for which tender* were recently called, is not now to he let at all, but th.vt the work will form .i part of the permanent way contract, shortly to be proceeded with. The reason-* for the change are not yet known. They are doubtless satisfactory enough from a departmental point of \iew, but the course adopted ha* naturally given rise to much grumbling .uium^ those persons who spout time and money m proem ing specifications and quantities, and put thennehes to the trouble of complying \\ ith all the conditions required in tendering. Looked at as a question of economy, it is to be regretted the work has not been gone on with, for some of the tenders are understood to ha\e been remarkably low, and it is not likely to be taken ho cheaply under other circumstances. It is moreover a little \e\ations that any delay should now occur, as the budge will in the course of a few weeks be almost ready for general traffic. Months, however, inmust elapse befoie it can be of any use if the approach is to bo formed as iB now repnited. Favourable as the long spell of dry weather may be foi harvesting operations, it is havmg an injurious effect upon mining. The creeks aie as low now as they h.i\e ever been known to l>e, and as a consequence water pow er at the battery is becoming \ cry short Half of the stampers are already idle, and if the drought continues much longer cinshingwill be brought almost to a standstill. There is an abundance of quartz in the hoppers at the mines, but there it must remain until rain comes and increases the power at the null. Till this occurs the returns of gold tire likely to be exceedingly small. A rara avis has made its appearance hero in the form of a chicken with four legs. It in one of a numerous biood hatched by a fowl belonging toMrfJ. Wilson. What may be teimed its forelegs are placed where a fowl's should be. The other two (each of which is pi ovidfd with two toes and claws) hang down on each side of the tail or whuio the tail is supposed to be, but they do not reach the ground. They arc thcrefoie of little use either as a means of scratching for tood or of locomotion. Consequently they do not iaise the little thing above the lovel of ordinary feathi'iod bipods. It is strong and lively and bids fail to grow up a curiosity among its kind.