NOTES FROM OUR TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1249, 6 February 1896, Page 20

NOTES FROM OUR TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.

KANGIWAHIA. To reach this township from Birmingham, the traveller can avail himself of Sam Daw's coach. The distance is about 13 miles. The scenery is not of a very interesting character ; the once beautiful bush has given way to charred stumps and logs, and this for the whole distance. About midway between Pirtningham and Rungiwahia is what is known as o' Day, and receives this name from a hi&h hill from where the country around could be viewed when the bush was etanding. A mile or two further on is Beef Creek, where the young fry of the district around assemble in a whare to receive instruction. Another few miles is passed and Pemberton is reached. Pemberton is a special settlement, and receives its name after Mr Pemberton, who, with his brother, occupies a piece of country on the corner of th« main road and a branch road which leads to The main road in the winter and spring is almost impassible from a few miles after leaving Birmingham right on past Bangiwahia. The settlers complain bitterly that they borrowed money, the

greater part of which, was spent in making the piece of the road which at the time was bordered with Crown lands. They maintain that there was about seven miles of road made through very rough country which was unsaleable up to "then. If this is so, the settlers have a good case for a subsidy from the Government to metal the road they have already foimed. At Peniberton Junction there is a school and a store where the Post Office is kept. On the road from Peniberton to Rangiwahai Messrs O'Connor, Casey, F. Ruscoe, H. Ruscoe, Clarke, Woods, and Buckwell are settled.

The township of Bangiwahia is of recent growth, and is situated in a natural clearing, a great space of which has been reserved for a recreation ground. The township, consisting of several stores, boardinghouses, hotel, &c., is beautifully' situated on a flat with clumps of native bush here and there on the outside. Every morning and evening the welcome uote of the tui adds a charm to this remote village with its wild natural scenery. There are several settlers near the township, and amongst these Messrs Stent, Frankhauser, Marlic Bros., Red path, and Boshicr have made fair progress in clearing the bush.

About five miles from Bangiwahia is the State farm settlement of Ruahine. There are about a dozen farms at the settlement let to men on the 4 per cent, principle. These settlers are engaged on the co-operative road works by the Government, and are at present making the road to their own beautiful litt'e settlement, which, like Rangiwabia, is also a natural clearing, but still more beautiful. The men are in charge of Mr P. J. Moran as engineer, and Mr Manning as overseer. It is pleasing to converse with the men at their work on the road. The Government has fortunately secured not only men willing to work, but of intellect far above the average. They are highly pleased at, and are grateful to a Government that has at aDy rate done something fo. them. It is also refreshing to hear the men speak well of the engineer and the overseer. The bigoted oppositionist need not hurry himself To thcconclusion that if the men are so well satisfied they have been treated out of the common at the public cost. Not so, the Government are getting the road made at 90 per cent, cheaper than it can be done by contract, and a better job. These are the words of a settler, a Government opponent. The men themselves say they can only make six shillings per day, but being intelligent j men recognise that it is better than looking for work, and they also recognise the fact | that when out of employment they can | improve their holdings. Although the land j was only sub-divi led about nine months ago, thCfG- is~a little wbare, a~ paddock, and a garden to each farm. On the wlioio the Ruahine Co-operative works and State farm settlement, are far and away the best concern of their kind in the Colony, and this is mainly due to the men themselves and the'r practical " bosses," Messrs Moran and Manning. Mr Dobsou, who is a settler at Ruahine, is apparently a man not easily killed, having at one time fallen over a bank 30) feet high with a slip of earth. He had several bones broken, which in a period of a month or two knitted, and now Mr JJobson is as sound as ever. The most surprising part is that Mr Dobson is a temperate man, and how he escaped is the wonder of his friends, it being a recognised fact that only a drink man could escape death in Kuch a fall. The country is fast becoming settled around Ruahine. Messrs Krebs, Rule, Fawcett, Twist, Stevenson, Denham, Fenton, Tidswell, Crittain, Sullivan and McCormack 'have holdings with patches of bush cleared and whares.

On the road from Rangiwahia toßuahine there are numbers of pretty little bends in the Mungawereka. These bends aro lined with native shrubs and ferns. There is a little difference between the State farm holders and tho Commissioner of Crown Lands. On the one hand it is contended that the rent should commence from Ist December last, and the department has demanded a half-year earlier.

There is something to be said for the men as they are paying interest on a capital value of improvements and original value. The land was of no use to them till December, and not much then. It is to be hoped the department will concede the point, as it is a small sum, and the men have used their places to tho best advantage possible. The Wano-anui Education Board should wake up and do something- for the education of the children in this district. The building used at Rangiwahia is a disgrace, BIRMINGHAM. ODDS AND ENDS. Mr Stevens, who has sold his tailoring business in Birmingham to Mr Stokes, of Marton, intends taking to the boaids as a professional singer, and will shortly appear in "Wellington. He had a successful career in Queensland. Mr Hammond, who was driving from Pemberton to Birmingham, met with a serious accident. The kingbolt of the conveyance came out and he received a nasty cut on the leg, and was picked up by Mr Sam Daws, the coach proprietor. It is fortunate that Mr Daws was in the road, as there is no greater man in an emergency than the genial Sam. The Revs Murray and Gordon., of the Presbyterian Church, have passed through the district. The Presbyterians intend opening a church in Birmingham, and the Church of England people contemplate taking the same step.