POKENO. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4234, 10 March 1871, Page 3

POKENO. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

A visitor to this district, or, as it was generally called during the ISG3-4 wars, the Queen's Redoubt, must be struck with the remarkable change which have since taken place. Instead of the afternoon's military music, bugle calls, and the ominous challenge of " Who comes there?" you witness the easy-going business people, the noise of flaxmitls in working trim, the construction of roads, the falling of bush, the building of comfortable dwellings, the onward progress of agricultural pursuits, the gradual increase of settlers, and the steady development of the resources of the settlement. In visiting the Fokeno settlement a few days ago, I could not help noticing the great progress mado since the location of its passengers in 1865. Heavy bush land has given way to fair roads, swamps turned into fields for grazing and growing purposes, unreclaimed land into j well-fenced paddocks capable of feeding a considerable number of live stock, and a number of industrious settlers are everywhere to be met with. The land itself is of excellent quality, and its easy access to the Great South Road makes it a very desirable district for settlement. In noticing the wants of the district, the appointment of a Registrar of Births, Marriages, and Deaths stands num. ber one. When it is recollected that no such officer exists at either Whangamarino, Point Russell, Tuakau, or the Bombay Settlements, the necessity will be at once seen. We have no school for the settlement socalled. Mr. Hobbs has a school near the cemetery, but only a couple of children from tho Pokeno Settlement attend it. The teacher used to pay alternate visits to the settlement, but he has recently discontinued doing so. If the school was established neav the old redoubt it would be more suitable, and very likely one school would be ample when it is found unsufficieut at present. Tho road to Paparata is in a fair state of repair, but the attention of our provincial rulers should be drawn to the necessity fora couple of culverts being at once commenced before the wet season sets in. I wonder none of our flax- workers have established a mill in the Paparata district ; its ndvantnges are apparent in that respect. Mr. J. Dougal.of this place, has one mill ab work ; it gives daily employmentfor 10 or 12 persons. The average monthly yield is about 8 tons, and, judging from the material manufactured, it is certain to command a ready sale and good price. The flax plant about is scarce, but very plentiful about Underwoods, from which place Mr. Dougal obtains his supplies. The farms of Mr, Austin and other well-known settlers are looking splendid. Ifc is a matter of common comment that it is surprising neither General nor Provincial Government ever had the range* from Pokeno to Paparata examined, as it is the opinion of many competent persons that gold and coal are corfcain to be come on in the exploration. D»\ Hector has » toga staff of professionals about him, and I dw't sonsidw \l o.ufc Jof jjlaqq tft maks tiM