POLLOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6965, 14 March 1884, Page 3

POLLOK.

Tub Follok Road Board has now commenced to make the main road from Awitu boundary southward. One contract is being carried out, and several small contracts for cutting and filling up, also side cuttings, are let and being let. There is also a wooden bridge across a deep raviue. This road, when made, will prove of great service to the public. The road in passing through KoheUohe comes near to a place on the river called Toro Point. It ia a promontory belonging to the Government, where the Manukau narrows into a river, or arm, stretching up to Waiuku. The promontory approaches to deep water, or very near it, and is well adapted for Bhippiug fat cattle for the Auckland market if a short wharf and suitable drafting yards were erected, at a cost not exceeding £150. This would give a large saving in time and money to parties sonding fat cattle to market. As it is at present, cattle come off fattening paddocks with bright eyes, fresh, plump, and glossy, but after bemg driven round tne head waters of the Manukau for four days, with very little to eat, lose in flesh, and otherwise become depreciated in value to the amount or £2 a head. At any rate this is a calculation made by a gentleman of large experience in the neighbourhood. It seems that the steamer Manukau refuses to carry cattle, but the steamers running from Onehunga to Waitara, Raglan, and Kawhia indicate their willingness to run up and ship cattle for the market, and land them at Onehunga in good condition in a short space of time, drivers and all, at a nominal rate, providing that a good cargo is got and a proper shipping place made, thus preventing delay in loading. On' Monday, the 3rd inst., I'visited the Waiuku Cheese Factory, where everything was goiug on in good style. Mr. Walpole, the manager, kindly showed me through the works, and explained the various processes. The place is very clean, by means of a copious supply of fine waters forced up from a deep

ereek;by a" hydraulic ram, when it can bo used in any corner of the establishment with a portable hose. Cleanliness ia a prominent feature in manufacturing butter and cheese. From eighteen to twenty-five cheeses are made every day. There are three thousand cheeses at present in the curing room, each neatly covered with cloth and stamped, bear-: ing.the date, &c, corresponding with the diary kept. The room ia well suited for the ■ purpose, ventilated above and below, and 1 kept to a uniform temperature, according to a scientific..'instrument.:'■' The floor is com- | posed of concrete, and the walls plastered ' with hydrauhc lime. I tasted a sample of I the cheeee, which was mild, rich in quality, | aDd of good flavour—fit for the table of a ' prince. I hope sold, to see thousands of tons; of cheese from the various cheese factories I packed away in the cool chambers of our. j now fast sailing steamships for England,^ | where they 'would command a fair market value, and regulato the market in, Kew Zealand. | Waiuku is growing into a fine little provincial town. Many neat buildings have : been recently put up. The Wesleyan Church, nearly finished, is - well > situated, v and looks very pretty. The : court-house stands in an elevated position, has the outward appearance of a nice Villa' and nothing of the general court-house archK? lecture about it. The English;'and Scottish, , churches, the post-office and telegraph station iof an older date, are all neat buildings. 1 There are also public halls, Government school-houses, and several' good - looking private residences. The streets are clean, and are being macadamized. There are few Maoris to be seen about, although this was the frontier town only a few years ago. Several country people are in shopping, and while the steamer arrives with a good few passengers from Auckland, friends are waiting to meet them, and the usual shaking of hands takes place and other indications oE endearment. One or two light American buggies are passing and repassing along the -streets, while spring vans with good trotting horses are hunying along with the driver sitting in the fjr corner holding the reins. Heivy loaoed carts with timber and other building materials are going westwaid, like all other towns and cities inclining to the west. There ia one respectable-looking hotel,-where dinner and other refreshments are good and reasonable. Ido not know how the churches in this place have got so much in excess of the hotels, as they are pretty well balanced in other places. There are several stores along the most public street, filled with merchandise, apparently of good quality, and not much higher in price than in Auckland. There is also the village blacksmith, with t-everal good foiges in full swing, ready to do general smith work. I saw in his store yard several substantial grubbers and other agucultural implements uewiy off the hammer. —(Own Correspondent, March 6.]