PUKEKOHE WEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4259, 8 July 1875, Page 5

PUKEKOHE WEST.

ItOADS. —RAILWAYS. —MORTALITY. —ECCLESIASTICAL. I AM sorry to say that the various roads in this district—always termed a thriving one —are almost impassable, even for a horse. The main roads, those on which is the greatest traffic, being in a complete state of mud and mire, in many places reaching the saddlegirths, hut which, in the ease of a pedestrian, would take him to the waist. The roads approaching the railway station are no exception to the rule. Our highway annual meeting takes place on Saturday, the 17th, and I hope our ratepayers will go to the meeting prepared to vote a fair rate, that will place some means at the disposal of the in-going trustees to repair these miserable quagmires. Another hint I would throw out to the ratepayers—namely, the advisability of electing as trustees some gentlemen resident on the west side of the district, as that side has been very unfairly treated for some time past. In fact, 1 doubt if anything like its fair share of the Government grant has been expended there ; aud tho main road (I mean the boundary road) would be at this present moment impassable, but for the action of the Mauku Highway Board. Matters in connection with tho Auckland and Mercer Railway are not in a very flourishing condition, although I must own we are a little better cared for now than formerly. For instance, we have a station clerk, in tho person of Mr. Feathcrstonehaugli, whom Mr. McDonald has very kindly shifted from Otahuhu. Then we havo a goods train running twice or thrice a week; but the goods shed is still unfinished, which is a matter of deep regret as oftentimes goods for delivery at this station arc thrown either on the platform or on the ground adjoining tho rails, and there left exposed to the cflects of wind and weather until the owner, being apprised of the arrival of his goods, takes them home. It is true some goods may stand this treatment, but then other goods will not, and one of our local storekeepers informs me that he had a parcel of drapery, valued at over £'40, served in this manner by one of the evening trains from Auckland. Now, the train does not reach here till long after six in the evening, and things then thrown out in that manner run nine chances out of ten of being damaged. Deaths appear very prevalent among the younger children and infants of this district, the principal cause beinjj croup, which appears to cut off its victims very rapidly. Here, again, arises another grievance—the want of a registrar of births and deaths in the vicinity of this fast-rising district. At present in the event of a child being born, or , a person dying, the parent or some other interested person has to undertake a long journey, either on horseback or on foot, to Papakura, for the purpose of registering the event, or cine sutler the penalty of paying a line, an undertaking anything but pleasing on a wet stormy clay, especially when some of our residents are nearly 20 miles distant from the present registry office. j

II is with great regret wu receive the infornntion the departure of our muclireapected Kpiscopalian pastor, the Rev. E. I>. Otuay, a gentleman who during his clerical charge of this extensive district has won the esteem and affection of all. Ho will also be missed by our district school, as he has always taken a lively interest in scholastic matters, attending the same, and imparting Biblical instruction at the close of

the nsual oohool hours every Tuesday to all those children who voluntarily stayed to receive tho same, and I need hardly say that his departure •will bo regretted by tho scholars, by whom ho was much beloved.