NOTES FROM OUR TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 18

NOTES FROM OUR TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.

MAKOTUKU. This is a small village about twelve miles north of Dunevir-:e. 'J be railway iir.o passes through the settlement. A few years back Makotuku was the centre of a great timber industry and then things were booming, but now there only exists one mill in the neighbourhood, and in place of the timber trade settlement lias taken place. Although farming does not produce the same amount of cash as sawmilling, it is permanent. The village is scattered, and tho few business places far apart. The principal buildings are two hotels. These two gloomy-looking taverns stand facing each other with a hungry look from opposite sides of tho railway. The good people of Makotuku are quite indifferent as to either publicans or prohibitionists. Being a temperate people they prefer going their own way and minding their own business.

The railway accident which occurred at Matsmau last week roused the inhabitants from their usual tranquillity to a high pitch of excitement. A railway accident a few miles from the village was something out of the common, and the little railway station was thronged with unquirets anxious to get the latest news as it came to hand. The prim little station-master was all life, get'ing the “hhoy-i" from the “wurruks" equipped, and de-patching tin m to the scene of the-arcidt-nt. The excitement was greatly allayed when it became definitely known (hit no one had been killed or injured, except three gentle bovines who were intn cetit.ly the cause of the disaster. It appears (bar a few head of cattle had wandered frem tiie grassy hills and, on reaching the line, chose i'a stony surface iu preference to tho dewy gross as a place to enjoy their nocturnal rest. Each s.-'ecUd his spot and made himself as comfortable as circumstances would allow. Here the gentle quadrupeds lay chewing their cuds and probably reflecting pleasantly or. the days of their ealfhood, and especially t he I iiue ivlmn I he milk- maid loosed the tether to enable them to get their warm morning drink from the maternal fountain, and all the happy days since, the fate that: was soon to overtake them being one thing absent, from these n■ fleet ime . in this p aceful and contented

state our bovine friends iay with the beat intentions, but the way to a certain place with an ultra-tropical climate is paved with the same. On came tho ruthless invader in the shape of a great iron monster with an appendage of trucks and carriages, and in less time than ;t takes to write it, tho bovines were suddenly transformed into steaks, roasts, sirloins, tripe, sausage meat, Ac. The conquest, was dearly bought, as I he invader was thrown oil' his track down a 10ft embankment, where he lay feet up a helpless wreck of his former greatness. Tho invasion will cost tho principals (the New Zealand taxpayers) over £IOOO. \Ve ought: to be thankful that it. isonly a matter of £ s d, as is by the merest chances tint there was not a serious loss of life. If the. passenger carriages had been next to Lkc engine, a number of the inmates would have met with serious injury, if not been killed, as the trucks next to the engine were broken into splinters, and these trucks were only taken on at tho instance of the D.utevii'ke .station-master on account of tho i /'anuvirke yard being full. If it had been daylight it is nmre than probable the engine-driver and stoker would have jumped from c-ither side, and the one that; jumped out cn the side on which the

engine went over tVOttld probably haVe been crushed beneath it; If the accident had occurred a few yards further back or forward, the whole train would have gone down a gully of 40 or 30ft deep. It was fortunate that a cyclist was on the train with his machine. This gentleman* Air Hy. Stubbs, mounted his twowheeler and proceeded to JJuiovtrke, where he arrived in a short time and informed the railway oflicers, who took | prompt measures in doing all in their j power for the passengers, clearing I the block and repairing the line.- The j men in charge of the tram also deserve a word of recognition for tln-ir attention to duly under trying circumstances. Parties have been at work ever since getting the engine in position and having it removed for repairs.

ORMOND VILLE,

This is another little village on the railway lino about three miles from Makotuku. There are a number of business places, and amongst these is tho usual hotel, which is run by Mr A. Cutler, who is well known in the Forty-Mile Bush, where he was once tho landlord of the Railway Hotel at Eketaluma and afterwards of the Dudley Arms at Mangatainoka. Behind Onmmdville is the Waikaj iro Block, a part of which has been opened up by the Government as a Sttite farm settlement. Tho settlers have built comfortable looking tv In res, and have cleared patches ranging up to about 40 acres, and some have a considerable amount of fencing and other improve monts. Tho land is ot good quality, and carries a good sole of grass. Other parts of the block are being surveyed, an I will be put up for selection in sections of fair size. Tho State farm settlers are at present busy making the roads, and although the block has not been opened 12 months, there is a good road three miles in, ar.d a horse track of another three miles, which is fast been converted into a good road. it is not an unusual sight to seo a settler driving a pack horse with his bidding on one sale and pots and pans on Hie other, but la3t week a driver might have been seen piloting a pack-horse loaded with part of a plush suite of furniture. The next thing will be a piano on one side with a chest of drawers to balance on the other. All around Ormondvillo there are small famicr*', and the inevitable dairy factory is in evidence. Mr Smith’s chece factory has been the meins of distributing a considerable amount of cash. The factory turned out 55 tons of cheese this season ; 2|d was paid for the milk on the 3 (’> Lest. On the Ist April Air Smith stopped cheese-making and started the manufac tore of butter. He is now giving 3d per gallon for milk. Four hundred and fifty gallons of milk were put through in the Hush of tho season. In connection with tho factory, there is a piggery with 70 porkers. Tho cheese took fiist and second prizes at the Hastings show. Like all other factories, there is considerable grumbling about the price paid for the milk. If tho settlers could take over the factory under a co-operative company, they might fare bettor, but they would require to give a bettei supply than they have given Mr (Smith, othonviso they would find things much worse. In the next, issue, the matter of a co-operative dairy factory for Ormondvillo, Norsewood, and Makotuku will bo fully dealt with. NOR3EWOOD. This is another little village, or rather two little villages, situated three or four Holes from Onnondvdie, and the same distance from the rail.vay. The settle menl; around is all in small holdings like Makotuku and Ormondvillo. There are several dairy factories in the settlement. One iu the centre of the village 1 another is on a road leading to the foot of tho ranges owned by Mr C. R. Ljungqvist (readers must not attempt to pronounce the name, as the wrher would he sorry to hear of any case of lock jaw amongst the subscribers to the Mail). This factory is a small one with one separator, and is worked by iee proprietor, who is a .Sc uidiriavi.ui with some considerable experience in dairying. Everything within and without from top to h.lt.an i; kept scrupulously (.'lean. Alt' Anderson, on the Lime road, milks about ;;0 cows, has a separator of bin own, and manufactures butler for tho Napier market. Those three factories tiro all within four miles of each oilier, and each is just as expensive to run as one goodsized concern. Why not combine, and knock the lot; into one !

Matters political are tho chief subjects of discussion in the throe '• itlages of Makotuku, Ornioudviile, and Norse wood. Captain Russel!’!) ape e’.e.i receive muon criticism. The National Ass. need not lay the flittering unction t<> then- « ; >u. that the people have swallowed the gallant C-tplain's speeches. E'-’gtc il,u * proofs are the material required, not mere assertions ret forth in faintin’ oratory. Tiw. qi.t-rants. M.hoo! tocher-*, and

am:! toil giap!. < OnUUiudividnaliy and collectively 'speak highly of the laws passed by tbe Leddoti Goveinn.cnt, giving them the right of appeal from a oneman tribunal. Before these laws v.cie passed every Government servant was at the mercy of one man, tho head of the department to which lie belonged, no matter how oee-s. led, biassed, oi even corrupt .ue might he. school toachci •night bo 11-islod I'cr iii'u through tho adverse resort of an inspector, bo tho same right or wroiife. Yet Captain Russell hid

the audacity to charge the Government with corruption in the service, and applied tho words anti oralle and arbitra’y. A Government that wished to be automatic, arbitrary, and corrupt would never place their servants beyond political power. tAlr George Hunter, who has lands beyond the dreams of ordinary men, Is not yet contented, as the following clipping from the Waipawa. Mail will show: reserve leases were pin up to auction on Thursday, and there was some brisk competition for them. Tin land is con* Lulled in hi ck 7H, being sub divided into lots of 200 and 300 acres, at the upset price of 2s HI an acre. The first lot fell to Mr J. Mealy for 3s 2d, whilst tno other three were secured l y Air George Hunter at 3s Bd, 3s 4 :1 and 3j per acre respectively. Mr Jensen, of Porangahau, was desirous of acquiring a portion, but was out-bid." Tho IVaijiava Mail is a Conservative paper, and was a strung supporter of Mr j I iinter last election, and will no doubt be the same at the next.