PORT ALBERT. COUNTRY IMPROVEMENTS. {FROM CORRESPONDENT.) January 28.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3887, 5 February 1870, Page 6

PORT ALBERT. COUNTRY IMPROVEMENTS. { FROM CORRESPONDENT.) January 28.

A. well- attended public meeting was held at Port Albert on Wednesday last, called together by advertisement, to consider a letter received from his Honor the Superintendent recommending a certain line of road, known as "Churton s line," in preference to that known as ' • Denham's line, " which connects this and the adjoining settlements with Mahurangi. Some correspondence tad taken place with the late Superintendent on the same aubject, the result being a promise of some £144 for the purpose of opening up Denham's line through the bush some five miles, which would achieve the object ; but, on three of our settlers — appointed at a publics meeting for the purpose — going over the two surveyors' lines in order to discover which could be opened with the least labour and expense, Denham'a line appeared, from the precipitous rocky character of the ground, to b« quite impracticable. A report to this effect, and which also enumerated the number And kind of bridges and culverts required, was duly forwarded to Mr. Wil"iianison last August. Nothing further was heard of the matter until the above-men-tioned letter was received, about a week since, by the gentleman deputed to carry on the correspondence, and who at once called a public meeting in order to arrange for getting the road cleared. Mr. Worker was unanimously voted in the chair, and, having introduced the business to the meeting, called on Mr. J. Turner, who read the Superintendent's letter, and stated that there were some five miles of bush to be cleared, for which they were to receive seven shillings and sixpence per chain, on its meeting the approval of the Government inspector. The following resolutions were then duly proposed and seconded, and met with nnanimous approval. Moved by Mr. Cutforth, seconded by Mr. Hindle : 1. "That the work of felling the bush on the line of road, half a chain wide, sixteen feet to be cleared close the ground, be ballotted for." 2. Moved fcy Mr. Collinge, seconded by Mr. Elliott, •"That Messrs. Worker, Nicholson, G. Plurntner, and Beecroft, form a committee for «eelng to the carrying out and completion of the work." 3, Moved by Mr. Cutforth, seconded by Mr. G-. Hummer, "That the work be completed by the end of July." The next subject that engaged the attention of the meeting was the necessity of getting the requisite bridges and culverts erected on the above road ; anent which, a letter w*s read received from Mr. James, of the Chalmer8ton settlement, which stated that the Mahurangi settlers were desirous of the co-operation of those on the Oruawharo to effect the complete opening up of the road. After some little discussion ifc waa determined to adopt the following petition, and obtain as many »ignatures thereto as possible in the course of two days, when one of our settlers, going to Auckland, undertook to convey it to our member, Mr. J. Shepherd, for presentation to the Provincial Council: — "To the honourable the Provincial Council of the province of Auckland, in session assembled. — We, the undersigned settlers on the Oruawharo, Te Arai, Ac, are desirous of again placing before your honourable Council the necessity of erecting fridges on the line of road called Churton's line, now about to be cleared, to connect these districts with the Mahuraugi road, in order to obtain more direct communication with Auckland. We enclose a copy of a report previously forwarded, showing the number and kind of bridges and culverts required. The opening up of this road would facilitate the communication of the whole of the country north of it with Auckland."

A miser having relented so much as to give a beggar a sixpence, suddenly dying soon after, the attendant physician gave it as his opinion it was from enlargement of the heart ! It ha9 often amused me to aee, when the giver of a dinner carved the haunch himself, the dodges -which gourmands were put to to get their favourite slice. One within my knowledge used always to wait until the carver had helped himself, when, having previously refused venison, he would say, "If you will allow me I will change my mind— that," alluding to the favourite bit just cut — ' • will just suffice for me. " " Thank you, " on one occasion replied the host, who vra.9 down upon the dodge of his friend. " X will keep that slice ; but I am afraid you are too late for another good one. However, I ■hall be charmed to do my best. A plate, please." — Hon. GrantleyF. Berkeley's "life laid Recollections." Why is t dnmkard like a bad accounttot ? Jtecauae he generally overbftlftnttth ;