GREYTOWN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 360, 4 January 1879, Page 17

GREYTOWN.

11'itOlI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) December 30. After an absence of several weeks I have now the pleasure of resuming my contributions to your columns. Before proceeding further with this, I offer you the usual courtesies of this festive season of the year, hoping that the one just dawning upon us may bring to your readers, and to ourselves, increased happiness and prosperity in our several spheres of life. When I said " festive season of the year," I did so advisedly ; for, whilst you have a variety of high-class amusements to entertain you, everybody here is complaining bitterly of the excessive dulness of the holidays. There are no attractions of any description, no one appears to be going anywhere, consequently everybody is dying of ennui. For example, I could find no other way of spending Christmas afternoon than by visiting the cemetery, and falling asleep under an umbrageous wattle ! Could anything be more dismal ? On Boxing Day, there were some races held at Moriki, near Grey town, which were of a very mediocre description altogether, the stakes only ranging from £5 to £ls pounds. Yet they were a most welcome break to the oppressive torpor, and attracted about seven hundred people to the course, for the simple reason that there was literally nothing else for them to do bv way of amusement. , .

A little excitement has, however, just turned up in the shape of our first municipal elections, and, mirabile dictu, the Greytown people are actually getting quite animated over ic. The nominations for the honorable office of first Mayor of the new borough, took place at the Town Hall to-day, when two candidates were brought forward, namoly, Messrs. F. H. Wood, and Thomas Kempton, sen. The former, I may say, is the representative of the party of progress. He is a pushiug and energetic man of business ; possesses the culture and affability of a gentleman, and from his earliest arrival here has distinguished himself by the liberal spirit he has shown and the active part he has taken in all local public affairs and institutions. The latter, though a worthy old settler, and a successful workingman (to his honor, be it spoken), is uneducated, and by way of contrast may be styled the representative of antiquated ideas and oldfogeyism. His party is working tooth and nail for his return. His chief claim on the suffrages of the ratepayers appears to rest on the tact that he was the somuolent chairman, in perpetuam of a remarkably somnolent local board, who immortalised themselves by the determined manner in which they indulged in their " forty winks." At the nomination both gentlemen addressed the ratepayers, who have been sufficiently impressed by the contrast in the conduct of the two as to have already decided how to vote, without any promptings from me. I say, however, let the young and active man come forward and work, whilst old age, resting on the laurels of the past, sits down to look on and applaud or criticise. I have noticed lately several letters drawing the attention of the Government to the extremely unsatisfactory progress made with the line of railway between Fsatherstou and Masterton. I can bear testimony to the truth of the assertions made by the various writers relative to the neglect of the contractors, and the very snail-like speed with which they are carrying out their contract. Unless the Public Works department exercises its authority to push on the work the line cannot by any possibility be completed under double the time stipulated. I would strongly urge the Minister for Public V/orks to move in the matter witho-ut loss of time. I understand three or four different surveys have been made of routes practicable for our loop line from Woodside. It is also stated that as soon as one of: these has been decided upon, on Mr. Macandrew's return from the North, tenders for the construction of the line will be called for. We are, of course, all very anxious to hear the fiual decision in order to learn where the site for the station is situate. Whilst on the subject of railways I wish to say I am pleased to find that the difficulties which at first attended the working of the line to Featherston have apparently been overcome, and those grievous delays in the traffic are now not heard of. At the same time it would undoubtedly be a great boon and convenience to the toavelling public if a Sunday train were run to Featherson instead of only as far as the Upper Hutt, as at present. That peripatetic preacher, so called, Mr. Varley, has visited the Wairarapa. I wish to give a little stpry I was told of him during his visit, which leaves me in doubt as to his sincerity, or he must think country people here very simple. He is reported to have stated that shortly after his arrival in the colonies he found he could avoid working at his trade by becoming, as he described ail others this side the line to be, an adventurer. By his candor he saves us a deal of trouble ; and, I doubt not, that in assuming the role he has, he made a wise choice, for does not Lewis Carroll, with his inimitable satire, call that of a prophet a good trade. The weather has been very changeable, indeed most abominable. The high winds, with alternate showers of rain, have damaged the gardens to a large extent, stripping the trees of the young fruit. The crops generally are looking well, and just turning mellow.