STRATFORD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 290, 21 August 1882, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(FROM OUR OWN COBRESPONDENT.) I have, heard expressions of approval of the manner in which the Star is advocating the fencing of the railway line along the Mountain Road. The matter is becoming one of vital interest to the settlers ' along the line ; in fact, every few davd some poor strugfling fellow finds his working-bullock, is cow, 'or his calves swallowed up by this Moloch of the Mountain Road. Many a man has .been fighting his way a}ong, denying himself all luxuries, and taking every care of the few headpf ' cattle he has been able to get together, only to find himself some fine morning thrown hack almost to' where he started from . The matter has- become Wo ' common now that correspondents cease to mention the destruction that takes .place, but I wonld suggest that the Olivers be ordered to report, every day when they nave thrown a beast off. the track, and that a monthly, report be iseued by the 1 manager at New Plymouth. This would prove beyond question that the evil needs some abatemtnt. Of course, people aia, d.btance Bay, why don't,. the . sellers, fence whpn they are always losing cattle in this manner P But the question is not* so simple; supnose your land odjoiner an' absentee section, and you publish' the 1 neceßßaiy notice to fence,- the absentee quietly throws the. whole burden of nnding the ' exact 'boundary line and I; of erecting the exact fence described in the Act upon you, , If, you fail.to do either of these thing's, 'wpat chance have of recovering the^value of the fenco in a court' of law ? — because remember, the side and back lines are not cut hci-e, and only the road auction pegs are in. Then, again, there is a delightful institution, called the School Reserves Board. This institution holds sections scattered about everywhere throughout the, bush, and calmly declines to entertain the question of fencing at all.. If.,. you .like ,to pa} theiu a rental of about 2s. 6d. per acre for standing bush, and surrender all improvements at the end of youx* term, you may occupy the land, but otherwise—do your worst. I have not jthe least peveonal interest in the railway fencing, but one cannot help feeling 'warmly for men whom oho 'knows to be in every •< way deserving^ and whose hopes are constantly being blighted through no fault of their own. *

A search party tvas out' again yesterday bunting for Mr. Hall, but no trace could, bp found, and the search has now been abandoned till Sunday. On Sunday morning it is intended to muster up again in force, notice having' been' sent out to Inglewood and Ngaire that a search will be made again on that day, when it is thought that if decay has set in, there may do a good chance of recovering tbc body. If that does not succeed, a substantial reward should be offered as an inducement to clear up this mysterious affair. - Just as I was taking the above to the post, I became acquainted with a sickenng piece of cruelty. A steer had both lind legs broken by the cow-catcher Jast evening, and the owner living -within «n or twelve chains of- where the poor »rute wo* lying, left it there all this norning, with the intention of slaugbering it this evening. Mr. Marchant, )OBBing by at three o'clock, gave th6.poor jeaetita happy despatch with a rifle )ullet. I refmin from publishing, the >wner's name, but a police prosepu'tbn rould be a fitting punishment for such leartless cruelty. , ' i Au^.'ia , „ .. lhl