RAWERA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6937, 11 February 1884, Page 6

RAWERA.

Settlement still goeB: on in this country, i Several'thousands of acres of bush .have been, i felled; and considerable progress has, been made in other vrays. The season has .been unfavourable for crops* ; causing our, farmers, to turn, their attention almost: exclusively to, grazing. Scab,- which, threatened: ruin to.; many in this- district,' seems to have, been-: eradicated; The effort to start a butter and' cheese factory ended in .failure,- owing, to . lack of energy on .the part of the .promoters. It was generally considered: that many.' settlers had given, too much for their freeholds and deforred-payment sections, but up to the preseut there have been: exceptionally few: forfeits. The gap in the lino of rail between this and Foxton is now in the hands of the. contractor, Mr. Baesett. When that contract, is'finished there will be one unbroken .railway of' ISO 'miles, from: New Plymouth to Foxton ; whilst between-that and Welling? ton the work 3 are being pushed, on by the . Manawatu Railway- Company; Bassett's. 1 contract should.be finished in about.eighteen months . I should guess the Manawatu will be rather more than three years. Itx fact, I ■should- say-.that-wo-may ; safely ■ conclude'-.that-weshall bo joined by rail to Wellington by the time the route to Te Awamutu: is decided on. Of course we are pleased at the prospect of being joined to the Empire city at an early date, as. there will be one available, sure output for our produce and stock, although really the sympathies and inclinations of the settlers are more with the Auckland people. Besides, for years past: Auckland has been taking our stock and produce, in large quantities. " . . X notice that the Auckland Meat- Freezing Company eonteropLusworks either at New Plymouth or .Waitara. Without prejudice I should say it tte works are wanted at once, select Waitara. If t aere is. ho hurry for a couple of years, have Now Plymouth. With every success New Plymouth can do riothiog ■ in the shipping line from their breakwater for at least two years. New Plymouth and Wanganui are having a paper war over the railway line to Auckland. They appear thus far to be, fighting with the wind, as .nothing' definite can be : decided until, thp respective reports are in. So far as we are concerned, bising joined to Wellington, a3 we shortly shall bej. we would' like the line to go direct to Auckland, say from Stratford. But after, all, it is a,question for the Government to decide. It wilj not make any real, difference to. the prosperity of this district. * Our borough has decided to have gas., The Corporation undertake, the erection aud management of the works. Providing, a good man be employed to carry out the tiling thoroughly, X have no doubt that it will bo a good thing for the town. At present the New Plymouth, Gas Company import their coal via Waitara. We: can do the same, thero being an addition of HO . miles haulage, which on coal is not a serious item. Through the Council taking the work in hind, the expenses of forming, a company, : the purchase bf land, erection of offices, etc., will be saved, whilst there will be rio dividend to be made up from the consumers. We therefore expect to have gas supplied at a reasonable price.—(Own Correspondent, January 29.]