Untitled

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1775, 14 March 1906, Page 1

At a gathering recently in the Taranaki district, at which quite a number of settlers were present, some very interesting and amusing remarks were made with reference to the much improved state of the dairy industry in this part of the colony (says the Hawera ‘•'Star”). Mr R. B. Hamilton stated that the conditions of living of the people in the early days were such as can hardly be now realised. The houses they had -were rough, to say the least. The people had a great deal to contend with, and worked out'a very hard living. What a change since then in the butter market! Cables on Saturday stated that New Zealand butter was up to 108 s a cwt, and the Normanby factory had gone above that. Mr Hamilton said that in the days he was speaking of the farmers got 3d and 4rd a pound for their butter. Three pence and fourpence seemed bad enough when compared with the prices of today, but then this was not always for cash, and often had to be taken out in stores. The butter was disposed of to the storekeepers. Piteous must have been the state of the women and children. The women were half-clad, and the children were so poorly clothed that a traveller going through the district with some others wanted to make a wager that the first child they met would lie dressed in sugar-hags. No one took the bet up. These settlers appear to have been somewhat different to the present-day land-workers, as, according to Mr Hamilton, they did not appeal to the Government about their troubles, but each worked out his own salvation by sheer harS graft and British pluck.

Sir William Ivillett, known in England as the pauper Bart., died in January last in a Catholic home at Plymouth. Years ago_.he went to Melbourne to get a supposed fortune left him by ms cousin. On arrival, however, lie found no money, and the property heavily mortgaged. He started teaching musio for a living, but returned to England, and applying to the Totnes Guardians, was allowed 3s a week. Mies Julia Josephine Jermy a well-connected Norfolk lady, was to be married to Sir William this month the wedding having: been already twice postponed through, illness. He is sum. by