KATIKATI.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume I, Issue 45, 22 October 1892, Page 9

KATIKATI.

[FEOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT."] Your friends and. supporters here are much pleased with the sensible • and constitutional leading articles that have appeared in the Gazette, both ;as regards the Irish.question and the time-serving .policy of our t faddist in New Zealand with regard to the differences existing between His Excellency the Governor and;his present advisers. Whatever may be his.political failings, no person >can reproach Sir George Grey with the 'fact of not ha ring been during his • long life a most consistent Liberal, • and a warm supporter of the toiling :masses. Yet no man could denounce sin stronger language tha miserable -attempts by the present .Minister of -Lands to deprive the people of this •colony of their hereditary birthright of acquiring the " fee simple" title of I possession to land as iheresult of their hard-earned savings. The masses of New Zealand have, however, been saved by the action of the Upper 'House in amending the Land BiJl, which Sir George Grey described as -an Act "robbing the people of their rights and liberties." It occurs to ame that the best means of promoting 'the efficiency of the Upper House would be to abolish the payment of -members thereto, while the appointj ments" might be made either by elec- ■ tion or nomination as at 'present.' Glancing over some of our Irish } papers, T find from the second report •t>f the census of 'Ireland, pub ?lished, that the rate of emigration 1 from •dear"ould Ireland" still continues. At the beginning of the present century the population consisted of about -'5,000,000, while on the night of the census last year the numbers stood at i<4,704,750, including the naval and forces. Taking into consideration the prolific nature of the Irish ;race the population should have stood ?in round numbers at 10,000,000. But "what mostly concerns our friends from ■•Ulster is, that during the last decade •1 the area of flax under cultivation decreased from 147,151 acres in 1881 to 14,655 in 1891, and as the-production -and sale of linen manufactured articles *has shown an increase, it proves that •many millions of pounds have been -sent out of the country for the purchase •■'of Russian, French,.and Belgian raw material. There is no doubt that this iportion of New Zealand is well suited, 'for the growth of flax, and it is a pity that some of our Irish settlers do not •turn their attention to the production <of this valuable crop either with the vview of selling, spinning into yarn or £for the manufacture of linseed oil, of "■which we import sach large quantities -from America, and which means so 'much coin sent out annually from the «colony.

Referring to agricultural matters, ;our Katikati farmers are crying out for 'the warm genial sunshine. Although -our jland requires far more moisture than your heavy retentive soil in the -Thames 'Valley, yet we feel that We 'have had too much of a good thing. '"Weather permitting, shearing commences ;next week on the Mount ■Stewart and Martray flocks, and *L •understand that it is intended to sell 'the former by auction early next year, of which, '■ however, due notice will be given through the advertising columas ■of your'journal.

' One of' those pleasant reunions so 1 characteristic of this family settlement took place at Martray'last Monday, 18 well-appointed ploughs met •at the venerable Mrs Stewart's property, on • which Mr Vesey Stewart with his mother. The settlers there shortly after 9 a.m., and with a will, completing the Iploughing of a large ipaddock and ■sowing with oats, which was concluded ''by 5.30 p.m. Bofore separating, final -refreshments were served upon long tables laid on the Verandah. And after the usual loyal toasts were given, •Mr James Boyd rose and asked per--mission "as the oldest settler present '•to propose the health of Mrs Stewart, Remarking, inter alia, that he had the of accompanyingl her with his

family in the good ship "Lady-Joeelyn" some fourteen years ago, and he was very glad to see her that day looking younger and better since her sojourn in! New Zealand. -Mr Vesey Stewart, in responding on her behalf to the toast of her health, remarked that though his mother was now 90 years of age he fully expected that, God willing, she would enjoy for fully 14 years longer the healthy and genial climate of *Katikati. -Mr Stewart Wray proposed the GhaifmanVkeakk.(Mi" Vesey Stewart) in most kindly terms 'to which Mr Stewart replied,'remarking that^he had known Mr Wray since the time of his birth and during those forty years or more never had any reason- to change the high opinion he ever felt of him and his family. The health" of the) Vice-chairman, Mr Mervyn Archdale Stewart, and to our next meeting completed a most enjoyable day, the weather having been also most "propitious in every respect. t October 15, 1892. .- '.. j