WAIROA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5677, 1 May 1880, Page 3

WAIROA.

" (FROM OUII OWN COItBESrONDENT.) April 27, ISSO. .. The, land, salo -was not a success from a financial point of view, the attendance not being large and the number of bidders few. For only two lots was there any competition, and the total amount realised was ouly £3710. It was noticeable that the land nearest to town and tho e.isiest of access was pub up at 5s per acre and sold, while similar land further away and more difficult to get at was put up at 103 per acre. The Wai-au block and portions of the Taramarama block are instances of this ; the quality of. the land is almost identical, and whoever fixed the upset prices must have been misinformed. It would pay better to sell all the Crown land; in this couutry at tho minimum rather than have it lying idle. The land is. only fib fov pastoral purposes— for any other it would simply mean ruination. Perhaps the most noticeable feature at the sale was the presence of the rate collector, who wa3 busy sticking up the country capitalists for their contributions to the common weal. 1 don't know whether he met with much success or not. I " vamoosed" when I saw his movements. I hear there is to be a road overseer appointed, and really it is about time. The work of clerk, collector, and road overseer must be too much for one, and some of the work must get neglected. There is to be a soiree on the 24th of May in aid of the Roman Catholic Church. Our friends of that denomination deserve to have a generous support extended to them by kindred denominations, as it is their turn now. I wish them every success, and shall be very glad When they build their chapel. .[We are sadly in want of some winter evening entertainments now that the nights are getting so long. It is true we have prayer-meeting 3, bible classes, aud choir practices, but prayer meetings are exhaustive rather than exhilerative ; bible classes are certainly instructive, but to the ■worldly-minded they are not amusing, and choir-practices, though useful, only occupy the choir, and we want something to amuse the public. ■ I