WAITETUNA NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2252, 14 December 1886, Page 2

WAITETUNA NOTES.

Thr road between here and the hot springs is being rapidly proceeded with. The engineer in charge of the woiks has received instructions from the Government to push on with it as quickly as possible. It is evident that Mr Ballanco intends to place the intending settlers on the land as boon as possible. With a road from here to Huntly, and one from the hot springs *o Ngaruawahia, the Raglan people will have no c:\U3e to compUin. The road over the Hakarimata ranges want* attending to at once, as several of the bridges want repairing. Visitors are daily passing through on their way to Raglan. Alas, how are the mighty fallen? On Saturday last Tawhiao, with a number of his followers, arrived here, en route for the hot springs at Kawhia. He looks very bad, as he is suffering from rheumatism. When ho got to the native settlement here he, as in the days of yore, drove up to the chief's whare, expecting to meet with the usual haeremais and other expressions of welcome, but all was silent. There was not one word of welcome. After some moments were spent looking at each other, old Hakopa, the Waitetuna chief, asked Tawhiao what he wanted, and he answered: "I want to stop for the night, as it is too late to proceed, and I am in pain." Hakopa said : " You can stop for this night as it is raining, but don't come here again, as we have little food for ourselves, and cannot feed the lot of tangate patikai (i.e. loafers) which you bring with you." It is only a year or two ago that Tawhiao used to receive a reg.il reception here. Such is life. Mrs Johnstone, the native schoolmistress, is getting on very well with the natives here. She has quite a number attending her school. Some of them not only speak English well but, under her tuition, play on the piano very nicely.— (A Correspondent.)