OHINEMURI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2569, 27 December 1888, Page 2

OHINEMURI.

Ministerial Benefactions.—'The visit of the Minister of Mines and Land, tho Hon. C. F. Richardson, has been fnuzht with much Rood to this county. Mr Richardson arrived at Paeroa on Sunday last, accompanied by Messrs Cadinan, M.H.R., Warden Northcroft, Inspector Wilson and Engineer Gordon, together with a posse of coun'.y dignitaries, and made during the two following days the grand tour of the goldfields. Tho Minister expressed himself surprised at the extent and quality of the mineral resources, and was especially gratified at tho Waihi Company's plant, which is, indeed, the largest in the North Island. Mr Richardson, being a practical engineer, chose a site for the new Waihi bridge, and promised a grant of £250 for its erection, £200 to be available as a progress payment immediately on plans and specifications being drawn up. Owharoa was the next district visited where the agricultural settlers on the goldfields 50-acre sections drew attention to their grievances. These settlers have been on land which is scarcely worth fencing, and have paid three or four times its value in rent. They now desire that the Government should give them the foe simple ot the land in return for the money already paid. Mr Richardson thought the request reasonable, and promised to give it his help. At ICarangahake the Minister was shown the absurdity of two Government roads running parallel with each other, tho better of the two being inaccessible owing to slips. After closely examining the country hereabout, the Minister suggested a grade from the lower to the higher road, and promised to divert tho £1000 grant fur the Marototo road for this Work. The road in question is known as the Mackay town reservation. £200 was also promised for the Komata long swamp road, and £20 for the liangiora, beside £100 for the Aroha road. The Minister left for Te Aroha on Monday evening. Mi.vino.—A first class return was made from the 18 cwt of ore from the Marototo mine, which was treated at the school of mines, Thames, by Mr Montgomery, B. A. It resulted in 684o? bullion valued at £17- r > 2s. There is still a little more to be ex. tracted, and Mr Montgomery hopes to net, after treating the tailings 00 per cent of the assay, value which was 7400z to the ton of 22-iOlbs. Mr J. H. Moore expresses hinif elf perfectly satisfied with the result. BiSßlW.—The Ohinemuri Skating Rink opened for the first time on Saturday evening last, there being a largo attendance of both ladies and gentlemen. The novelty appeared to "catch on,' the hall b.3ing almost uncomfortably crowded both by rinkers and lookers on. The rink opens once a week onlv.