WHAKATANE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10600, 8 March 1895, Page 2

WHAKATANE.

[CORRESPONDENT “ CANTERBURT TIMES.” J Feb. 18. Since my last this district has had visits from numerous Government officials, besides a Minister of the Crown in the person of Mr A. J. Cadman, Minister of Mines, who came down specially to pave the way with the Natives for an entry into the Uriwera country. After several meetings at Euatoki, an invitation was extended to the Government party by a number of chiefs present to go in and “photograph the country/’ The party selected to discover the riches of this comparatively unknown country were Messrs Gordon (the Government Inspector of Mines), Mackay the Government geologist), M’AUster (our ex-local publican); Ben Biddle (of guide renown) and several Natives. After the invitation had been given the whole party returned to Whakataao to make extensive preparations for their sojourn, and Mr Cadman, who was accompanied by Mr Kelly, the M.H.E. for the district, returned via Kotorua to Auckland. On Jan. 27 a start was made for the wilds, and all went well for the first day or two, but whoa within about thirty miles of the locality that it had been decided to visit, the Natives declined to allow the party to proceed. After a korero it was eventually decided that four Natives-—two from those who had been willing for the party to explore the country, and two who were in opposition—should proceed to the supposed reefs and bring down samples of atone. This being duly arranged, Mr M’Aliater, believing his services were no longer, required, returned home to Whakatano, leaving the other members of the party to do their wait, which lasted upwards of a week, when they also returned without having a sight of the untold wealth, as the Natives "went never to return.” So ended the first goldexploring party to the great Uriwera country. What are Mr Cadman’s views now, after his almost threatening attitude at their first meetings ? However, we all hope that this little episode io only the forerunner of a more determined entry, and that the gold that is so firmly believed to exist will soon be laid bare for the miner. It is understood that the surveyors are soon to start their work again, and it is to bo hoped they will meet with more success than the mineral men have done. While in the district Mr Cadman also had a lookover the Oporiau Station (Messrs Gould’s, of Christchurch) in company with Messrs Percy Smith, Surveyor-General, and G. Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, and report has it that the party were well pleased with the property. The property has now been definitely offered to the Government, and the valuers appointed—Messrs J. Luudon, of Taurisnga, and E. P. Damsrgue, of Opotiki—are to value it on behalf of the Government next week, so ere thin sees the light no doubt you will be in a position to say whether the property has been passed over to the Government. Without wishing to give the future owners of the property a cheap advertisement, the writer, who baa been lately over the whole property, can justly say that it is one of the finest properties in Now Zealand for fattening stock of all sorts, but the present drawback is the trouble and expense of getting fat stock to a market. For a dairying industry, when cut up into reasonable-sized . farms, I know of no better spot in New Zealand, and it would admirably suit the wanta of many of the Canterbury farmers who are on the look out for really good agricultural and grazing lands at a reasonable price. The election of a drainage board for the newly created drainage district fell through, on account of the nominations being informal and several of the wouldbe candidates not being on the roll when the nominations were duo, tho revising court having been fixed after'tho date that the nominations were to be received. The Government has now been asked to appoint Messrs Whyte, Gill, Bnrt, Warbrick and Murray, who will hold office until November next, when the annual election takes place; and as a rata will have to be struck prior to that date, no doubt there will be far more interest taken iu the election than there has been taken in the one that has just passed.

This summer has made a vast difference to the swamp, as with the drainage already done the upper part of the swamp has little or no water on the bulk of the sections, except where the creeks come down from the hills; and wild cattle and horses are to be seen in large numbers quietly grazing among the ti tree and flax. Mr E. P. Gill ia making good progress with h's hill block, and intends also to proceed immediately with the completion of his swamp block. The To Teko road, which this time last year was almost impassable, is now in fairly good order, with the exception of tho bridges, which are still unsafe and in very bad repair. The maize crops are the best the district has had for years, but the acreage, owing to the Natives not growing so much, is-nofc so great, Tho caterpillars were in evidence, but, thanks to a few wet and cold days, their ravages have not been so bad as they otherwise would have been. The Native Land Court ia' still sitting and adjudicating on an immense amount of Native lands, the chief work being

putting the blocks into h&pu or family titles, which will • greatly facilitate tbe leasing or purchasing of the various blocks. It has not yet been decided whether there is to be a re-hearing of the Euatoki Block case.

The Whakataue, Opotiki and Matata districts are much in want of a medical man, there being only one at present between Gisborne and Taurang®, a distance of nearly two hundred miles. Some of the rising young medicos who, I understand, abound in Christchurch, might oast their lot in more unpleasant places than the Bay of Plenty.