WAIPU: STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5490, 21 June 1879, Page 5

WAIPU: STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUCKLAND.

A public meeting of the settlers of Waipu was held iu the central schoolroom on Saturday, to take into consideration a proposal by Captain John McKenzie of establishing direct steam communication with Auckland. Mr. H. Matthews was called to the chair. <r<! read a letter received by Captain .'-.' :Kenzie from the manager of the Kaipara Steam Navgation Company, offering to place the p.s. Tongariaro on the line on condition that the settlers of Waipu .'ud Mangawai subscribed for 250 shares at £3 10s each ; £2 10s to be paid up, and that the settlers gave the boat their moral and pecuniary support. Captain McKenzie stated that the Tongariro cost the company £5000 ; that she was perfectly suitable for the trade, being of light draught, and perfectly manageable. The shares at par were £3 10s ; anyone taking ehares now would havo to pay £2 10s per share. Captain Jacob produced a letter frem McKenzie and Ross, offering to take the agency of the Waipu Steam Navigation Company on the two settlements taking up 2000 shares. The Chairman considered the offer of Ross and McKenzie was undesirable. He then read the names of the directors of the K.S.N. Co., showing that they were responsible and reliable men ; that the company was paying well. Mr. M. McLeod observed that the company offered to act with consideration. Messrs. McKenzie and Ross wanted the settlers to be at all the expense, and they to get the cream. Captain McKenzie was sure that the boat would run for twelve months. Mr. Morrin had promised that sha would be ready in five or six weeks. A condensor was being put into her, She would draw three feet of water. She bad a good saloon, a lady's cabin on deck, aud a Sue hold for cattle. She was a long boat, and of good speed. The company had cleared £889 in two mouths—Mr. M. T. McKenzie: If tho boat did not answer, would they put on a suitable boat J—Captain McKrnzie did not know.—ln answer to Mr. McKenzie, the Chairman said that goods could be delivered at the bridge for £1 per ton.—Mr. Oscar Bryan said he had paid £5 for freight to Auckland by the present route, and it had cost £6 to get butter there. The following agreement was then placed before the meeting, and signed by 109 intending shareholders, viz.:—" We, tho undersigned, hereby agree to take the number of shares opposite our names respectively on the following condition?, viz., 'That the Kaipara Steam Navigation Co. keep the Tongariro, or some suitable boat, in the Waipu and Mangawai tra<le for a period of twelve calendar months.' " There is no doubt but that more than the number of shares will be at once subscribed for. A sad result of the present bad weather is the death of a daughter of Mr. John McLean, of the upper district, who died on Friday evening last of inflammation of tho lungs, having been in good health a few days before. Her eldest sister had a very narrow escape. Many of the children in the district are very ill. The roads throughout the settlement, especially the upper part of it, are in a very bad state. The tea-tree wants cutting, to allow the wind and sun to get at the soil. A public meeting was hold in the Waipu store (Mr. G. Ross in the chair), to form a volunteer cavalry corps. The meeting was convened by Mr. Paul. I believe that between twenty and thirty settlers have joined. The members will no doubt increase to three times that number. The corps is already undergoing a course of drill, Mrs. Murdoch C. McDonald, of the North River, died to-day after a long sickness. Mr. Aubrey, R.M., held an Assessment Court yesteiday.' No objections were made. —[Own Correspondent, June 18.]

Notice ia given in our advertisement column* that it is the intention of the City Council to fix the levels of Hopeton and Ficton-streets. Flans may be seen at the Surveyor's office. The annual meeting of the ratepayers in the East Tamaki Highway District is advertised to be held on the 12th July, at 2 o'clock, for the purpose of eleotlng trustees and auditors, &c.