OPANAKE

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 166, 7 October 1892, Page 8

OPANAKE

TFROM A CORRESPOND ENT. ] ML&ny times I have noticed, in the Bell, reports regarding the wretched state of the rolling stock of the Kaihu Valley railway, and I think these reports were amply verified on Saturday, September 24th, when the open wagons had to be used as carriages to convey passengers who wished to see the Auek- •> n( j “Wa/iroa football match to Kaihu. Let it not be understood that it is only on such occasions that the wagons have to be called into requisition, for there is never a Saturdiv now but that two or more of these wag • ons have to be fitted up with seats (kauri •blanks) and used as carriages. I overheard many growling at the local management because of the poor accommodation, but that sheer nonsense, for they are not m any way to blame ; they undoubtedly do the best thev can with ahe rolling stock at their disposal. At the same time I must and shall enter a strong protest against the government allowing things t® go on as they are ; open wagons are not suitable, neither are they safe for excited or partly intoxicated people to travel in. There are now a large number of people travelling on this line, esneciallv on Saturdays, therefore it is smcert'lv to be hoped that the authorities will nut on some more carriages, otherwise I am afraid you will be called upon to report some serious and perhaps fatal accidents. The natives at this settlement have lately been making great improvements; some chains of good paling fencing have been put up? some very neat and substantial weatherboard houses have also been erected and I am informed that it is the intention of one goahead native to erect a large building as a temperance accommodation, house. Many of the natives have been busily engaged ploughing, planting, Ac. and I trust they may have crops that will repay them for their lal The"®-ale on Sunday fortunately passed over here without doing any great damage, it must have blown pretty stiffly, for between here and the Bluff largo branches of trees were in many places Llown off and thrown across the road. The gale was felt veiy severely at. Maropiv, three horses narrowly escaped being killed by a large tree nuclei w tjfch ib* y »V'h : m '*> * \ iU:h “

down with a fearful crash ; fortunately the animals got off without injury. A Maori who came in from "VVaimamuku yesterday brought in a report of a serious affray at Kawerua between two gumdiggers named Boache and Jarvis. The latter is said to be rather badly knocked about. The Maori states that the row occured over a native woman, and the affair has been placed in the hands of the police. He further states that weapons other than the fists were used. The old Maunganui Bluff hotel is again occupied and I am told that the present tenant intends to open it as a store, also to apply for an accommodation house license. Should the latter be attempted I and many others would strongly oppose the granting of the license. Kindly send your contributor ‘ Wanderer 5 up this way Mr Editor, and let us have his opinion on it. He appears to have a. strong and very proper objection to these ‘ swipe shops ’ on or near a gunafield. We are well off for stores in this part of the district now, two at Opanake, one at the Bluff, and another at the Lakes. May we reap a benefit from the competition by getting a better price for our gum, and our provisions Ac. at a cheaper rate.