WOODVILLE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3876, 19 March 1877, Page 2

WOODVILLE.

(l"BOM OUE OWN COBBESPONDENT.) March 11, 1877. Busking- operations are in full swing kere now, and the weather is all that can be desired, for the work. The burns are much cleaner, as a rule, than they were last year, as the summer has been much finer ; but there is a large amount of timber left by the fire on most properties, nevertheless. The last two summers hare not been nearly so favorable for burning, as, to my own knowledge, the season was three or four years ago. I should not think that the summer to come is likely to be as wet as the two last ; therefore, the chances are in favor of a much better burn next year than we have yet had. Whilst on the subject of bush work, I would add my testimony to that of yours contained in your issue of the 6th inst., where you say that things in connection with our bush work have been mismanaged. Such, I regret to say, is the case, and it must be extremely annoying to some owners to see their properties in such a deplorable state as many are. But certainly, where the fault is bad felling, the owners have themselves to blame, as the works were let at such extraordinarily low figures that the men were compelled to scamp it, and I believe that it will cost more to burn off the stuff that is down and covered over than it would have done to fall every tree, and burn it in the usual way. These remarks are about sections which have been felled up to a standard. It is open j to question whether it would not have ! been the better and cheaper mode to have bombarded it. Landowners wishing to have their bush felled, should commence at once, give a fair price, and have a competent person to overlook the work and pay him a per centage on the outlay, .making such person responsible for the carrying out of the work in a proper manner. We are glad to welcome amongst us such gentlemen as Mr J. B. Ross, late of Norsewood, who has a rather large block of land in the district ; also Mr Thomas, still of Kaikora, but who we believe will be permanently settled in Woodville in a week or two. These gentlemen are the more welcome because they are men of capital, and will be able to employ a great many hands. We are glad to see that the former gentlemen and Mv Horrocks are holding out inducements to landowners to fall bush. Either of these gentlemen would no doubt be able to give a large amount of time to the overlooking of work entrusted to their care. "We hope there will be a large number respond to their offer, but we cannot help putting a query to Mr Horrocks, viz., Why should he advertise the price of falling at a difference of 10s per acre between rural and suburban bash ? We hear that the coaching business between Waipukurau and Palineraton has changed hands, and that Mr Hastwell, of the Wairarapa, is the proprietor. A very large number of meu and teams are engaged ou the Wellington side of the Manawatu River, Masterton-road, metaling 16 miles. We believe this is the only piece that remains to be metalled between

here and Master.ton. A punt is also ia course of construction for the ferrying of, the Manawatu on this road: 4 30 notice the road board have invited tedders for the construction of some small bridged on the line of road leading into the Association block. This will make the road passable for vehicles. Meetings have been held in Woodville re burial grounds, the result of which you have already published ; but the reason why the settlers took action in the matter was that the authorities in the first instance allotted land for the object too near the town. I hear that trustees were appointed at the same meeting for the school. The names are, I believe, as follows:—J. B. Ross, Hugh Gregory, and Fountain, and I think another. A sad accident happened to a Mr Murray^ of Waipawa, on Monday last, the sth instant. It appears that he was on his way to Woodville to burn some : fallen bush (he belonging to Mr Lowry's Small Farm Association), and somewhere between the Matihiwi clearing and the Messrs Hutchinga' property, his horse fell and broke his (Mr Murray's) leg about four inches above the ankle. He managed to get on his horse again unassisted, the animal being very quiet, and reached Mr I Hutchings' without further mishap. That gentleman assisted him as far as he could by carefully binding the broken leg in a couple of shingles for splints, and giving him a resting place till the coach arrived to take him on to the WoodvilleiHotel. Mr Murphy, not expecting the coach till 5 o'clock p.m., kindly offered to convey the injured man in his (Mr Murphy's) own trap to the hotel, and also senfl to Palmerston for the doctor free of charge. Mr Murphy set out on horseback for. Mr Hutchings' place to ascertain the invalid's wish on the point, but met the coach on the road,, with the patient ensconced among the largest bags as comfortable as the passengers could make him. The doctor arrived from Palmerston at 10 o'clock the same night and set the injured limb, and we believe the patient, under the care of Mrs Murphy, is progressing favorably. We can safely say he could not be in better quarters, for the plainest rooms are excessively clean, and the attention to all classes is everything that l could be desired.