THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 1, 10 April 1880, Page 2

THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

Everything is proceeeing very satisfactorily on the Plains. Hughes' and Dingle's contracts have been completed and taken over by Mr. Wright, the Overseer of Works, and the time allowed will soon have elapsed for the completion of the middle contract, which was let to Messrs. Gordon and Vincent. Two more contracts, comprising about four miles, have been let and signed for from the Kapuni Bridge towards Oeo, and a third contract, of about two miles in length, has also been let, but has not yet been signed for. At Oeo there are 120 men of the A.C. Force, aud 50 of the unemployed, constantly at work ; whilst at the Werekino Camp, two mile 3 from the Stony River, a similar number is engaged in road formation. Mr. F. Hursthouse is surveying a bush track leading from Stratford towards Opunake, and a party of 30 experienced bushmen. under the superintendence of Mr. Bayley, are pushing ahead with the clearing of the line. The road which is being made from Stony River to Opunake will be midway between Parihaka and the Bea coaat. _ It will be carried about three miles inla.nl, -v»uilst Parihaka is situated six. miles f rem the coast. All the works are being carried 6ut - under the superin--cent^t^-T^U^^iW^armsthotise, the

Government Engineer! (siTil!s«Bday thj Hon. Mr. Oliver, Minister of oiblic Works, accompanied by Mr. Blackett and Mr. Hursthouse, drove out to the Camp at Oeo. and the hon. gentleman expressed himself highly pleased at, the manner in which the road works have been carried out.

Mr. Parria. Native Commissioner, accompanied by Mr. Humphries, Chief Surveyor, and Mr. Skinner, have gone to Oeo, for the purpose of surveying the land awarded by the Royal Commission to Hone Pihama. So far as we have been able to ascertain, the general question as to the allotment of reserves to the Natives has not yet been determined upon, although there are many surmises current as to the amount of land to be awarded. When the allotment does take place, it will, it is generally understood, take in a certain portion of open land, and some of the bush laud adjacent. But up to the present nothing definite has been arrived at by the Government, so far as we have been able to learn.