MAHAKIPAWA

Marlborough Press, Volume IX, Issue 594, 3 June 1868, Page 5

MAHAKIPAWA

[from our own correspondent.] June Ist. I must, I suppose, endeavor to send you a few lines for your summary, not that I have much to vrite about, for Mahakipawa, like many other places, is very quiet at present ; and since our last cricket match and tea party, we have gradually subsided into our usual quiet state. Speaking of the cricket match, I think your “ special ” gave us more praise than we deserved ; one thing certain, it brought Mahakipawa very prominently before the public, and has given us an idea that we are somebody. However, we are all very glad to hear that our young visitors enjoyed themselves, and trust to see them again on some future day.

Now, as to news, I suppose I need not tell you that the principal feature in our district is the sawing and selling of timber (if we can). During tlie past month the mills appear to have been all busily employed, and 1 think you will find upon comparing the returns of previous months, that our expoi ts have been quite up to the usual average. There have been a great many vessels in harbor during the month, and none have gone away empty, so that I think, as far as the timber trade is concerned, the mill owners have no need to complain. Our cricket club has wound up its affairs for the season, and I don’t suppose you will here any more of us until next year ; and then (and mind I give you good warning) wc mean to try our luck once more against “ Robin Ilood and his Merry Men,” hoping to win hack the laurels we lost to them this season—well knowing that if we should do so, they will not grudge us a victor}'. If on the contrary, why we must only do as we did before, submit with a good grace to better cricketers ; one thing is very certain, no matter who wins, the game will be played without any petty feeling of jealously, and for the love of tlie game itself. During the month we have bad onr little district slightly agitated by two (I won’t say important) but still to us they were events. One was the canvassing of two gentlemen for the vacant seat in the House of Representative. The other the arrival (direct) from Wanganui, per Canterbury, of a theatrical company. In the matter of the election of a member for the

House of Ilepresentatives, I have but little to say. The friends of Dr Sielder were taking round a requisition and of course endeavoring to obtain as many signatures as possible ; and f don’t think the electors were aware that tiny ! other candidate was in the field, until the arrival of Captain Kenny a few days afterwards. The ; Captain called a meeting of the electors in the Schoolroom, and informed them that he intended to oppose Dr Siekler, and solicited the ! interest of the electors in his behalf. He sailed his views to the meeting upon different political (

subjects, among others, on Provincialism v. Centralism, and entered at length upon the question of Education (at present a sore point amongst us ) I don’t interfere in politics, but from what I can hear of matters, I think the medical gentlemen and the gallant captain were both rather premature in canvassing for a seat which was not at the time vacated. If I mistake not, it has been only within the last eight or ten days that definite intelligence reached us that Mr Adams had resigned his seat ; however, 1 don’t suppose anything will be lost by their taking the field a little early. The election of a member at. the present time is a very serious consideration, and I trust that the electors will throw aside the apathy they have shewn in these matters of late, and do their best to return a member who will be of some use to the province. The other events, as I said, was the arrival from Wanganui, of a theatrical company, who gave an entertainment in the Schoolroom, and although the notice was very short, still there was a very fair house. I believe that Britons have the privilege of grumbling. Whether they have it or not, they very often indulge in a quiet growl, and perhaps at times without much reason ; but, I am afraid the inhabitants of this district have a bona fide right to grumble, and that not quietly, hut loud and deep The why and the wherefore, is as follows :—Some time ago, the Government made a really good road from the Grove nearly to Mahakipawa. It was understood the; were to finish the road and build a bridge across the creek last year. Such, however, has not been the ease, for the road now ends abruptly some live hundred yards from the Schoolhouse. No bridge has been built, nor can I see any lilcliliood of its being done; and yet 1 believe that an amount sufficient to do so was placed upon the estimates of last year. Why it has not been expended, and the works carried out, the powers that be, I suppose, know best. It would have been a saving to the province if these works had been carried out in the first instance, for during the late heavy floods, the creek has encroached upon and carried away a whole chain of roadway, leaving the road already formed, not only quite useless, but dangerous to any person travelling it at night. It would now be almost impossible to form a road on the old line between the piece already made and the school, unless it were made in the bed of the creek, and this would cost more money than they can spare. When the road is made it will have to deviate upon Mr Gaby’s land, and, of course, he will want compensation for allowing it to do so, and the money thus, I may say, thrown away, would in the first instance have made a road, and have given the inhabitants of the district the means of getting goods from Picton instead of Nelson and other provinces, as they have to do now.