TOKATOKA SWAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 278, 24 November 1898, Page 2

TOKATOKA SWAMP.

(To the Editor.) ;•. .' Sir,—l saw a letter in an Auckland paper signed Wm. Break'ell, relating tp ftie tin/; . : satisfactory state of the settlements at Tokatoka- I have been away from AUck-j land for three years, and having an inter-' ■ est in the Tokatoka township I natur-. aly inquired how the settlement on"the, swamp was getting- on. As J* couldn't-, obtain much information in Auckland,"1 I went by steamer to the Tokatokg, . township, thence to the swamp. Agrejtt' deal of. money has been spent and but little progress made by the settlers, onj account of the water, they say. What. I was surprised at was the steep, sides'1 . to all the drains. As an old hand.inNew Zealand, I found in similar ground' to the Tokatoka swamp 1 hor. to 1 vert.; stand, but not less. The thickness of; the flood gates and. the hinges passedall ray comprehension. How the Govern*: ment expect the water to open, thosft: doors, unless under great pressur^beats.. , me. A sum of £3000 was voted lately by1 the House for a. Yoad and railway ex-1 tension through the. kahikM«& bush, and , unless the line is carried away from the: steep side of the drain further than that at present constructed, I predict that tne whole line will slip in the ditch. ■: . All. work is supposed .to; be?JjWftv*Jk: ''■ co-operative labour. How many: ,csp.-pp.?ri y f: ative labourers who are hard up in./ Auckland would like to "gV up'ther6;Hte)p a month or two now the fine weather1. J is on. But no, it appears that :;the.; worl?.* ; is done by single men. who are or : he->' long in the district.—l am, etc., ■ }■"-'- INTERESTED.:-; :