RAGLAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 229, 6 August 1864, Page 8

RAGLAN.

[FROM OUR OWX CUUUKSI'i(XI>ES T ."i ilr. Todd, Government Purveyor, returnr-d'a j. or two since, being unable to lay out the line of ro-'d —from the impossibility of proeuiing Maori laborer? 110 has offered os. per diem, being aii advance of l-' upon the old rate, but at that figure none are J' curable. Of course tlie reason is obvious. Mailmen &c., employed by Government receive 10s. per diem' r.T.rl a Maori cannot understand why on< ! party should receive double the amount eriniable by another. ' • The widows and children of those Maoris who have fallen, and wives and families of those who arc enjoying the rloke fur on board the hulk, are now receiving Government rations here— ail interesting fact—viewed philanthropic-ally, ;,nd worthv the thoughtful consideration of those " Stowi.-llites" at home, who are so continually holding forth about " the grasping cupidity of the settlers, \e." July 16. Mr. Todd, Government Surveyor, has again started for the scene of his labours—the road to Waipa, having procured, after a deal of trouble, some few labourers for lino cutting, &c. I hear to-day that the greater part of the Southern fanatics have left Kawhia for Taranaki. Thev were very unsuccessful in their attempt to incite W'uikuto to fresh deeds of a warlike nature. One of the old chiefs of Kawhia, after li-tenirs; to a long yarn anent the wonders the Gabritlites were to perform at Raglan, Auckland, and elsewhere, very pithily remarked, " that it would have been better had they shown what they could do at Taraimki, before attempting the conversion of the northern Kingites." There is very little doubt—seeing that the mad Tohunga has signally failed in this scheme of con-version-—Rewi and his adherents have had enough of fighting. A large number of them are now at Kawhia fpvU'tly engaged in planting, and it weulu iloubt-■ifef'ty-ke something more cogent than the arguments "of a G.'ibrielite to make them move out on the old "itraek, where starvation and fill ; «lie other horrors of war await them. July 17. 'The J Wonga Wonga* came in last night, two hours after "dark, and by her some of the old .-ettleis have returned to their old homes. .1 ui> 27. It is rather surprising that the directors of the Bank of Xcw Zealand have not established a branchy, here. lam sure it would be a paying speculation, and most unquestionably: a great boon to us l;u<:lanites. The mercantile part of the community feet the want greatly. I heard a party the other day who came from Waipa complaining sadly. lie wanted to negotiate a lot of bills, anil expected to find the same convenience here as at Queeustinui, but was of course disappointed. There is a large amount of business done here, and the directors would do well in their next report to recommend the establishment of a Raglan branch.