IN FOREIGN PARTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3289, 30 November 1892, Page 2

IN FOREIGN PARTS.

(FROM OtFB TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.)

A journey by road from Waimate to New Plymouth makes, at this time of tbe year, a very pleasant trip. Tbe route parenej io tbis case was by tbe Manaia and the Opunake-Stratford roads to Stratford, and from thence by the Mountain road towards New Plymouth. The roads on tbe whole were io excellent order. The Opunake road at present is undergoing important obanges, and it would have been utterly impossible, when I went through, to have taken any vehicle by that road, as tbe contractors, of necessity, are obliged to leave portions of their work unfinished, over which or through which the lightest buggy could not have been navigated ; nevertheless, judging by the progress the contractors are making, the work ought soon to be completed. Tbe worßt parts of tbe Opunake road are encountered shortly after leaving the Manaia road, but when these are passed, a well graded, bridged, and. for tbe most part, metalled road is enjoyed by the traveller.

Tbe county town of Stratford has grown completely beyond my ken. It may, however, be roughly desoribed as larger than Manaia yet smaller than London, , and is a curious mixture of high civilisa*-* tion and deep mud. Tbe hotel accommodation of tbe town is excellent. Mud I is tbe temporary drawback ; it is not only adhesive, but positively aggressive. The East road, by far the most important line of country in tbis district, is notorious for the quality, depth, and vindiotiveness of its mud, und many a poor packborse and patient bullook lie smothered in its depths. At a particnlar spot on this road there at present lie fathoms deep in treacherous slime a barrel of beer and one of whißky. Truly, our pioneer settlers, and those who go down to tbe forest with axes, are subject to great privations and many disappointments.

From Stratford to loglewcod is about fourteen miles. The appearance of the country is good, but there is certainly not sucb good land hereabouts as that around Hawera or in tbe Waimate or Kaupokonni blocks. Yet things are not a whit less prosperous, and cleared farm lands within a mile or two of Inglewood are worth from £9 to iSI2 per acre. Dairying is booming, and I heard of one. dairy proprietor who is making £50 per week this Beason. The climate here is very mild ; roses, oameliaß, lemons, and semi-tropical vegetation flourish unprotected in the open air on this north side of tbe mountain. I was very pleased to meet with an old acquaintance in Inglewood, Mr. Geo. Gibson, wbo lately kept the Royal Hotel in Hawera. He is in the Bame line of business here, doing a handsome trade, and is delighted with tbe place.

Perhaps it is attributable to the milder climate, but, at all events, people here possess more equable and peaceful dispositions than those enjoying the more invigorating and bracing, if more trying, breezes on tbe south side of tbe mountain, and in this happy state of affairs squabbles and faction fights are quite unknown. It would be an interesting experiment to watch the effects of the adoption of the Manaia town by-laws by this peace-loving people of Inglewood. lam sure that tbe clerk of the Manaia Town Board, if asked, would be happy to give all information as to the first necessary steps. There is nothing like being under proper control and having things ship shape. Inglewood, as well as Stratford, has the key to a large traot of baok country, and a prosperous future is io store for it. It was with regret that I had to leave so pleasant and pretty a township. Through pleasant fields and pastures new, dotted over with beautiful homesteads, I wended my way as far as a little beyond Bell Block. There I lelt that I reached the limits of my researches into so delightful a country —thoughts of the New Plymouth highwayman, I must confess, were not entirely absent from my mind. I could not determine to my own satisfaction in what spirit he might view tbe encroachments upon bis domain of a travelling newspaper reporter. His mental oapacity might be too circumscribed to appreciate thoroughly the magnificent qualities of such an one, and bis temper might be blood-thirsty.

In tbe course of my meditations npon this, subject, I arrived at certain conclusions concerning this so-called bushranger, these I modestly ofier to the public. The New Plymouth highwayman is neither more nor less than a spint, a materialised spirit, evoked by some medinmistio member of tbe Harbor Board. Now in cases of this kind, better understood a hundred years ago, the ordeal by water was generally resorted to. If the witch or medium floated that was deemed proof positive of guilt, and she legally roasted, bat if tbe accused sank, then the matter settled itself without farther trouble. Let us try tbe ordeal by water to the New Plymouth Harbor Board.