A VOICE FROM MUNGATU.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 2, 3 January 1896, Page 3

A VOICE FROM MUNGATU.

PROGRESS OF THE VILLAGE SETTLERS.

Ab last we havo fome hope of progrosbion. Fine hob weather is upon us, after a proloagod web peuson since May, without one line week for eight months, and tho roads worse than ever; but given a week or two of the hot weather we are now having, it will perhaps, be possible to gat a dray up the road. Up to this date, uorxe of tho settlers have boon able to geb their household belongings up. Houses are being erected on several sections, some are using tottira, of which there is a grand lob. The end of summer should see aii tho houses up. All the families have arrived oxeopb two ; these will arrive after Christmas, and yeb bhoro is no prospecb for a school. The settlers aro greatly vexed and troubled over this, and cannot understand bhe action of the Board of Education in declining to grant a school, and thab withonb informing the applicants of' their reason. Tha settlers are secari tig cows by degrees, some bought one, others two or three, out of a mob from Whangarei side. I cannob cay much for thorn as a dairy lot, and tho price was very high, ranging from £4 10a to £6 10s. We have every reason to expect the Hokiauga-Opunaki Road to be finished through during the summer, thus, no doubt, causing a stream of traffic pass us, on to and from Auckland via Dargaville. The growth has beon wonderful, and the few gardens 1 have seen give promise of an abundance in the future if well cultivated. Settlers being unable to fance havo suffered. Several cows and a bull havo been lost. All felling for this year is now completed. A less area has beon doult with than last yoar, but tha work has been done in a 'thorough manner, so ib is to bo hoped that a good burn will be tho result; it so wo m. y hope in a measure to retrieve tho losses of last yoar.—(Own Correspondent.)