OHINGAITI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1180, 12 October 1894, Page 19

OHINGAITI.

A dynamite explosion took place on the railway station premises on Monday last, which was nearly the cause of serious injury to some of the co-operative men. They had piled up a number of logs and set them on fire, and were adding some light brushwood when an explosion took place. The logs were scattered in all directions, but fortunately the men were a few yards off at the time. It is supposed that some dynamite had been left on the ground from a previous occasion, or put there as a practical joke. As showing the urgent necessity for the immediate erection of the bridge over the Otara Ford to the residents at Pemberton and neighbourhood, two young- settlers from that district came to Ohingaiti on Wednesday last on urgent business, and had intended riding over and crossing at the Otara Ford, this route baing only about 10 miles, but the Rangitikei -was in high flood, so they had to go by the way of Feilding, which is over 40 miles from Pemberton. If the bridge were built the Pemberton residents would be only 10 miles off by road, while now tliey are over 80 miles. This will explain to the Government, if any explanation is necessary, why Mr Reid, chairman of the Kiwitea County Council, has taken so much trouble in going to Wellington to urge on the Government to place on the estimates a substantial sum for this important work. Mrs Heffernan has opened a boardinghouse at Makohine. This will be a great convenience to visitors to the tunnel and the people who will be employed on the J erection of the Makohine viaduct. . Mr Peters’ coach and horses got stuck in the street leading to the school on Tuesday. It took ten men to lift them out. It is quite time the residents who live in this street employed a few men to put it in repair. Some of the residents have made liberal offers, while others who should take greater interest in this matter have done nothing. Miss McGcnagle was, on Friday last, presented by her pupils with a nice lady’s bag on leaving the school to take up her duties as assistant teacher at the Upper Teutanui. The organ belonging to Mr Peters, which has been placed for a time at the disposal of the Church of England, is a great acquisition to the service. Mr Carver, the organist, has now got a good choir around him. He certainly deserves the thanks of the congregation for his efforts to make the services attractive. A.s an instance of the growing popularity of our tourist route, I am pleased to record that the English sight - seers are already visiting the district. Notwithstanding the state of the roads at present, three tourists came through from Tokaanu by Messrs Peters and Sons’ coach on Tuesday last. These said that they - would have been much disappointed had they missed the grand views of Tongariro, Ruapehu, Ngaurohe and the bush scenery along the Hautapu Yalley. In view of the approaching summer traffic, it is gratifying to learn that every effort is being made to meet the convenience of tourists. A comfortable and well-appointed accommodation house is being erected at Waiouru Junction by our enterprising firm of coach proprietors, Messrs Peters and Sons, while arrangements are being made by the Government for metalling and otherwise putting- the roads in first-class order.

A meeting was held at Meehan’s Hotel on Tuesday evening for the purpose of raising funds for the benefit of a young man named Joseph Morgan, who had his hand injured at Hautapu about two months ago. It was decided to hold a ball for this laudable purpose. Support was promised from a large number of residents, and a good round sum is sure to be realised for this most deserving case. The residents of Onslow street and others interested in the formation of the street met at Floyd’s Hotel on Wednesday. Messrs Floyd and Johnson were appointed to wait on the Rangitikei County Council on Saturday to arrange to raise a loan under vhe Loan to Local Bodies Act.

The Tokaanu Maoris are very busy planting potatoes, corn, &c., and making arragements for the Land Court that is to be held there about January next. It is stated that this will be one of the biggest Land Courts that has met for many years, and will deal with a large area of land. These Natives are now very anxious to co-operate with the Government in opening up their country, and once for all get a proper title to the land, which they recognise will be a benefit to themselves, their European neighbours, and the Colony generally. Nothing has yet been done to clear away the big slip at Waiouru Junction that has been almost blocking the coach road foxover two months. Surely such an important road should not be neglected in the way it has been. Mr Healey is building a boardinghouse at Hautapu, so that tourists and others will have proper accommodation at this coach stage.