Country News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 361, 11 January 1879, Page 18

Country News.

The wind can blow in Upper Tuteenui. with violence as well as iu Wellington. One day last week a spring cart belonging to Mr. Neil Small was lifted by the force of the gale then blowing, and carried a considerable distance, when it was capsized against a fence and one of the shafts broken. We are indebted to the Wairarapa, Zkiu-f for the following information:—“Wellington tradespeople require a caution in sending per rail unpaid parcels to the Wairarapa. They arrive at Featherston where they are detained till the carriage is paid. The settler at Carterton or Masterton, as the case may be, wonders why he does not receive his parcel, little dreamiug that it forms a part of an immense accumulation of lumber in the Featherston depot. The department, of course, never gives the slightest intimation to any one of the fact that it holds their property as security for the carriage.”

Some commission agents at Masterton were “ sold ” the other day. An agent for the new Land Tax Department got them to forward telegraphic offers for valuing property in the various ridings of Wairarapa West and East of course their telegrams were to go free. The offers sped along the wire, but the Teiegraph Office cruelly made the senders of the messages pay for them. Half-a-dozen Masterton citizens had to shell out from. 2*. fid. to ss. eacli, and the only answer they received was an advertisement throwing the billets they expected open to public tender. The Wa4mrapci Daily says the agent of the Land Tax Department better not come up again to Masterton for a few years !

We clip the following from the RangitiStciAdvocate ; —“ A society with the appellation of the “Anti shouting Association” has been successfully inaugurated at Bulls, and will hold its first meeting at the' Rangitilcei Hotel on Saturday. Members of the society are bound under a penalty of £5 not to drink at a friend’s expense, nor to treat a friend. In a country where the custom of ‘shouting’ is so universal, that a mau when he suffers a bereavement asks his friend to drink as consolation ; when he marries, ia treated by way of congratulation ;

when up in the world or down in the world, lucky or unlucky, he treats cr is treated, it will scarcely be expected that the, fundamental principles of the society will be such as to meet with many supporters.”

FEATHERSTON. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The new year was ushered in with an exceedingly fine day, the balmy breeze blowing being just sufficient to impart a pleasing coolness to the atmosphere. I trust the bright sunny day will be a good augury, and that our thriving little township will prosper and flourish during the year that we have now entered upon. Our citizens are in high hopes that this will be the case, and appear determined to use every exertion to bring about such a desirable consummation. The weather being so fine was an inducement to the people to enjoy the holiday out of doors, and picnics and excursions seemed to be the order of the day. Some preferred going down the valley, others selected the underbill road, and others might be seen in picturesque spots commanding a view of the valley. All, however, seemed thoroughly to enjoy themselves, and the Ist January, 1879, will be a day to be remembered with pleasing recollections. Since the opening of the railway station here considerable progress has been made. New buildings may be observed on every side, and others now in course of erection give ample employment to all the available labor in the place. All is stir and bustle, and the amount of passenger traffic is truly surprising. The rolling stock is very inadequate for the carriage required, and sawn timber and other articles ape kept back for a considerable time for the want of trucks to convey them to Wellington. This should be 'altered, as it places our mill owners and others at a great disadvantage, and prevents them obtaining the full benefit of the market. The authorities should also give instructions to have lights in the carriages whilst passing through the tunnels. It takes about two aud a half minutes to pass through the summit tunnel, and there are several smaller ones. A laughable incident occurred in one of them the other day. A young gentleman happened to meet with a young lady in one of the carriages with whom he was acquainted, and thinking it a good opportunity of doing a little spooning, on entering the tunnel he moved towards the place where she was sitting. But the young lady, with woman’s ready wit, suspecting what might happen, had noiselessly moved her position, and the gay Lothario had the pleasure, on emerging from the tunnel, of finding out that he had been toying with a lady of eighty summers, and one with whom nature at no time had been very prolific with her charms. The hay harvest lias been a very prolific one, and the grain now in ear promises to be abundant, and of fair average quality. The late genial rains have clone immense good to the late crops, and everywhere there appeal's signs of an abundant harvest. Mr. Toogood’s Club Hotel was opened on New Year’s Day, and is doing a good business. If is a very large building, and forms a prominent feature in the landscape. The* house contains forty rooms, without the bar, in which are included twenty-eight bedrooms, large and well furnished. There are hot and cold baths. The passages, hall, and landings, are very spacious, and said to be superior to anything in the Valley, and not even to be surpassed in Wellington. There are private apartments for families, and a first-class billiard table is in course of erection. A good supply of water is laid on throughout the house. Mr. Knott, of Featherston, was the architect ; Mr. Cadenhead, the builder ; and Mr. O’Neall did the painting and paperhanging ; and the manner in which the work has been executed reflects credit on all concerned. Preparations are being made for the forthcoming- races, and we anticipate a good field aad plenty of sport.

MASTERTON. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Harvesting is now in full swing, and all available machinery is in requisition. Most of the early oats, as well as a considerable proportion of wheat is already in sheaf, and the prevailing fine weather is made good use of to get it under cover. Upwards of a dozen reapers and binders have found their way to this district since last year, the majority being Wood’s, which carried off many of the prizes at the various trials that have been made in other parts of the world. To these machines most of our farmers owe the ifnusual progress which they have made this season. There have been several destructive fires in the district, and some care is being taken to avoid others being started. A number of Mauriceville settlers have suffered severely, as a fire ran through several miles of settled country, burning a considerable quantity of grain, and, as already reported, two houses. It is reported, and it appears to be true, thnt Mr. D. Donald’s house at Waikaraka, near Whareama, has also been burnt down. If the report proves correct, the loss must be a very heavy one.

Messi’s. Hastwell, Macara and Co. have started running the Palmerston and Napier coaches tri-weekly, and the change is likely to -prove of great advantage, as Wanganui can now be reached from here in a day and a half, and Napier in two days from Wellington. A great deal of sickness among children is reported by medical men, infants being the principal sufferers. The hot weather is said to be the chief cause.

A slackness in usual speculations has set in, and not before it is time, for everybody who could do so invested all his ready cash, and in some instances borrowed money, in deposits on land, the result generally being that all subsequent earnings had to be paid away in instalments, while the grocer and baker had to wait from quarter to quarter. The building trade is nevertheless as active as ever, and there is not a part of the town where new buildings are not showing up like so many skeletons.

WELLINGTON DISTRICTS HIGHWAY BOARD. The usual monthly meeting of the Board was held at the Lower Hutt at 11 a.m. yesterday. Present—Messrs. Mason (chairman), Smith, Taylor, Speedy, Dick, and Morgan. Accounts to the amount of £278 6s. lid. were passed for payment. One tender was received from Henry Fleet and Co., Kaiwarra, for the making of 46 chains of road to Gollan’s Valley at £2 15s. per chain. The tender was declined. A letter was received from Mr. James Gorrie, stating that if the board undertook the formation of 50 chains of road commencing at Whiteman’s and ending at Thomas’ he would metal the road from the river to the mills free of cost. Mr. Morgan thought the offer a very liberal one. It was resolved that tenders for forming and metalling about 50 chains of road should be called for by the Warden of No. 6 Ward, and that Mr. Gorrie should be informed that his offer was accepted with thanks. Mr. S3fTTH brought under the notice of the Board the fact that the Hon. Wi Parata held a grant for the block of land known as Taupo, at Pahautanui. The same was now advertised for sale. The owner had refused to pay rates, and he (Mr. Smith) thought that the Board should summon him for the money.' The Chairman said that the Board had no power to recover rates from the Maoris. If Mr. Smith chose to spend a few pounds in testing the matter he could do so. Mr. Smith said he did not feel disposed to go to any expense in the matter, but it seemed to him to be a disgrace that a Maori who owned a large block of land and used the public roads should get out of paying rates, while a poor man with a large family was made to pay rates the moment he rented a couple of acres from the Maoris. The Chairman said that there was no help for it under the existing state of the law. The matter then dropped. Mr. Lett waited on the Board to ask them to make a road to his property from the main road at the Paukaratahi. The Overseer was instructed to report on the subject at the next meeting of the Board. Mr. W. H. Brown waited on the Board, to request them to continue the present road in the Horokiwi district to his property j a distance of about thirty chains. The Engineer and Overseer were instructed to go to the place, and report on the subject at the next meeting of the Board. Mr. Lett waited on the Board relative to rates which he had refused to pay to the collector for property at Mungaroa. The Board informed Mr. Lett that he would have to pay the collector, and he could then send in an application to the Board, asking that the rates might be remitted. After the transaction of some routine business, the Board adjourned.

THE WELLINGTON-FOXTON RAILWAY LINE. We are glad to be able to state that this matter is not being lost sight of, and that inquiries, with a view to securing the best and most practicable line are not confined to Government effort. When the Hon. Mr. Macandrew referred to the matter in his Public Works Statement, it may be remembered he laid on the table of the House two reports from Mr. Knorpp, C.E. ; the first dealing with the Hutt-Waikanae section, and the other with the Waikanae-Foxton section. The latter it is not necessary to discuss just now. The portion of the line presenting the most difficulties was that between Waikanae and any point on the Wellington-Masterfcon line, and Mr. Knorpp was called on to report as to the.respective merits of three lines. One of these, No. 2, he dismissed as unworthy of notice. As to No. 1 he stated that it would start from the Upper Hutt station and run over average country to above the place where the HuttWaikanae road will cross the Hutt river: here a bridge of at least three SO-ft. spans, probably on cylinders will be required. From this point it would have to follow generally the course of the Akatarawa stream for a length of about nine miles, and then that of one of its tributaries for about three miles, until it arrives at the saddle dividing the Hutt from the Waikanae drainage. This saddle is 1560 feet above sea-level, Of this height about 300 feet may be overcome by a curved tunnel about thirty chains long, leaving the summit of this line at 1260 feet above the sea, or about 120 feet higher than the Rimutaka tunnel, which is 29£ chains long. The country from the Hutt river to the saddle is of a very difficult nature for a railway, being a succession of precipitous spurs and deep gullies with only a few flats of small extent, and exceeds in roughness the country of the Mungaroa and Pakuratahi contracts. A rilling grade of 1 in 40 can be obtained through this part, but further extensive investigation of the grouud alone can determine what ruling grade should be adopted. From the saddle to the foot of the hills at Waikanae the country nearly equals that of the Hutt side in roughness, and from a few readings at points through which the line must pass it is probable that a ruling grade of 1 in 40 cannot be obtained on this side, and that a much steeper grade will have to be adopted. Assuming the length of thi3 line to be 25 miles from the Upper Hutt station to the Waikanae banks, which, with the numerous windings of the necessary contours, is probably a somewhat low estimate, be considered that its construction would cost not less than £250,000, exclusive of land and stations (at the present prices of labor and materials), unless specially steep grades were adopted, for which the country appeared to offer special facilities. As to No. 3 line Mr. Knorpp reported : “ No. 3 line starts at the end of the 12tli mile of the Wellington and Mastertou railway, and winds up a gully behind Mr. Hayward’s house to a saddle 531ffc. above the sea, where a short cutting of a maximum depth of 35ft. can with advantage be made. The length, estimated to

be four miles, will coutain some heavy cuttings and banks. From this saddle to the Pahautanui Small Farm Settlement, a distance of about three miles, some heavy earthwork will have to be provided for : it is expected that a ruling grade of 1 in 40 can be obtained on both sides of this saddle. At the head of the Pahautanui small farms two alternative routes exist. The one runs down to arid follows the main road until the valley behind Mr. Abbott’s homestead at Horokiwi opens out. The other continues in a straighter course across Mr. Mulhern’s land through some very rough country to the same point. The lower line is estimated to be about three miles longer than the upper line, but the grading would be very light, although probably 100 ft. iu height would be lost in adopting it. The above valley leads to the Wainui saddle, which is S6oft. above sea level; 132 ft. of this height may be overcome by a tunnel about 18 chains long; the country from the valley to the saddle will necessitate some heavy grading, with a ruling grade of lin 40. From the Wainui saddle to the foot of the hills (about three miles from Paikakariki Hotel) the country greatly resembles the “ incline ” contract of the Wellington and Mastertou railway, and will occasion some heavy grading, with a few short tunnels. It is, however, expected that a ruling grade of 1 in 40 can be obtained. From the foot of the hills the line would pass to the Waikanae through the valley between the main range and the sand-hills of the sea coast, which appears to present no expensive features. It is estimated that the total length of No. 3 line, from end of 12th mile on the Wellington and Mastertou Railway via the Pahautanui main road to the junction with No. 1 line, is 29 miles, and that it 3 cost, exclusive of land and stations, will be about the same as that of No. 1, £250,000. It appears, therefore, that—l. The estimated cost of No. 1 and 3 are the same. 2. The estimated length of new line to be constructed is 25 miles and 29 miles respectively. 3. The estimated length of haulage from Waikanae to end of 12th mile is 32 miles along No. 1, and 29 miles along No. 3 line. 4. The estimated height to which load has to be lifted from the 12th line is 1179 ft. along No. 1, and 1137 ft. along No. 3 line, leaving thus a balance of 3 miles in length and 42ft. in height in favor of No. 3 line if the main read route at Pahautanui is adopted, and 6 miles in length and 142 ft. in height if the straighter line near the Pahautanui Small Fai*m Settlement is adopted. The trial surveys now being run will give further detail information; but, before any final decision is come to, I would recommend that further exploration be made between the Waikanae and the Otaki, as a lower saddle may possibly exist there between the east and west sides of the Tararua Range.” Neither of these routes seemed to give satisfaction, but the Minister for Public Works, when taking a small vote of £15,000 by way of demonstrating his bona fide intentions in the matter, presumably, stated that nothing would be done until further surveys were made. We believe that no survey by the Government has since taken place, but certain gentlemen interested have consulted Mr. Climie, G.E., on the question of route, andafter a careful survey he has chosen a route commencing at Kaiwarra and extending to Porirua. It is proposed to branch off from the Wellington-Hutt liue at Kaiwarra and go along the left bank of the Kaiwarra stream, rising gradually on a grade not exceeding 1 in 50 till Mount Misery, four and a half miles from town is reached. Thence to Jolmsonville, through that township and district, where the country is almost level, to a place known as the Half-way- House. From this Point to Porirua Harbor the country is easy, and the ruling grade will not be much more than lin 180 or 190. The line then skirts the bay till it reaches Pahautanui. Further than this has not yet been surveyed, but it is believed that with very little trouble the line could be carried across a shallow part of the harbor, and taken along what is known as the Puhe Kua bridle track, the total elevation of which is, say, 270 feet, passing through a native reserve, until junction with No. 3 line at Paikakariki is effected. The line from Kaiwarra to Porirua, we are informed, presents very few natural difficulties. The earthworks would be comparatively light, the requisite bridges would be inexpensive, none exceeding in cost say £4OO, and a line can be constructed so free from curves, and of so substantial a character (601 b. rails) that a speed of forty miles an hour may with safety be attained. And this at a cost of £6OOO a mile, including rolling stock and stations. The distance by this new route will be longer than either of the lines mentioned in Mr. Knorpp’s report, but as the line by it is only estimated to cost £6OOO a mile, and each of the others £IO,OOO a mile at least, the new line would be much the cheaper, especially as the latter part of the line would run through a native reserve instead of up the Horokiwi Valley, and through private lands involving large compensation. The matter is now being considered by the Department, and it is to be hoped that the outcome may be the speedy settlement of a line and the commencement of the work.

APPOINTMENT OF VALUERS UNDER THE LAND TAX ACT. AVe append the list of the appointments made as above within the Wellington Provincial District. They are as yet far from perfect in this district, neither the county Wairarapa East nor Wairarapa West being included. Probably in other counties the numbers are also incomplete. It is worthy of notice that these appointments already made number 167, all of whom are licensed to frank and receive, free of postage, letters addressed “ On land tax business only,” for a period of two mouths from this date : Thomas Edward Hamerton and Thomas Hempton, New Plymouth (Tarauaki), No. 1 Western; Joseph Pennington, Waitara (Taranaki), No. 2 Eastern; Ed. Olson and Richard Price, Inglewood (Taranaki), No. 3 Southern; Thomas Younger and Thomas Hempton, New Ply-

mouth (Taranaki), Borough of New Plymouth; Ed. Greenway, Patea (Patea), Eastern District; William Dale Patea (Patea), Western District; Edward Nolloth Liffiton, Wanganui (Wanganui), Woitotara-Wanganui ; Thomas Farrab, Wanganui (Wanganui), Borough of Wanganui ; John Charles Fulton, Marton (Rangitikei), No. 1 North Eastern ; Louis Charles Richards, Kilkern (Rangitikei), No. 2 South Western; Thomas Stephen Hoe, Palmerston (Manawatu), No. 2 District; Richard North Keeling, Palmerston (Manawatu), No. 3 District ; Ernest Stephen Thynne, Foxton (Manawatu), No. 4 District: James Fabian Wills, Wellington (Hutt), Cook Ward, Wellington ; James Bruce Wallace, Wellington (Hutt), Te Aro Ward, Wellington; Charles O’Neill, Wellington (Hutt), Thorndon and Lambton Wards, Wellington; Thomas Robinson, Malcara (Hutt), Xarori-Makara Riding; Thomas Smith, Horokiwi V alley (Hutt), Horokiwi Riding : Henry Thomas Ashton, Hutt (Hutt), Epuui and Mungaroa Riding.