THE TE AWAMUTU DISTBICT.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5135, 5 February 1874, Page 3

THE TE AWAMUTU DISTBICT.

Our correspondent writes on the 2ud instant as follows : — "The annual school meeting of the residents of tho Kihikibi educational nistriut was held, in the schoolroom on Saturday laBfc, at 7 p.m.; Mr. Audrew Kay, occupied the chair. A report from the outgoing committee waa read which Bhowtd that at the la->t annual meeting a debt of nearly £25 remained due on the building. The chairman had great pleasure in stating that through the exertions of the comrnitti c, aided by entertainments given by membeis of the Armed Constabulary, the debt was now reduced to a very small item. The import was adopted, and the following residents wore duly elected a committee for tho ensuing year, viz: — Messrs. A. Kay (chairman), A. Ross, A. Hastie, J, Kennedy, J. Wallace, J. Farrell, and J. Q. Tristram.— i he Native Contingent, about 60 strong, under Captain Tregair, marched from the vicinity of Kihikihi on Fridayjlast to Orakau, for the purpose of forming a road through a swamp from that outpost to another leceutly established garrison situated in a very isolated position at Paikuku, south of Kangiawhia, and in close proximity to tho confiscation line. The Contingent has already done a deal of heavy work in constructing about 15 miles of road from Alexandra to Orakau via the valley of the Puuin, and thus forming a direct lino of communication between the several block-houses on tho border line of that river, whereby the old post and rail system of defensiro tactics is reversed — in having, when an alarm takes place, strong able bodied armed men shut up in garrison inside the lino of defence in the midst of the settlement, and defenceless, helpless women and children unprotected outside. — Speaking of the Native Contingent reminds me of a false and exaggerated Btatemeut I have seen in your morning contemporary, th« Herald, respecting the tiriug of the corp3 at the Alexandra butts ou the 17th ult. The distances fired from were 300,400, and 500 yards respectively, and nofc as the writer states it, 150 yards, and the target uninj uied. On the contrary, there were at these rather long ranges a good number of bulls" eye* and centres. The firing of the Contingent on the ocoasion is considered a fair average shooting for the first attempt, and as for the marker not leaving the shelter of the butts, the assertion is simply nonsense."