Carterton.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1812, 26 March 1886, Page 3

Carterton.

Notwithstanding the “ existing depresiou " it is pleasing to note that the township of Carterton does not show much signs of it Bn siness, if not brisk, is sound, and visitors cannot bnt be struck with the number of buildiugs which are being erected, from humble tenements rf two or three rooms to spacious and comfortable residences of persons well-to-do. Besides tbese, there have be-n considerable improvements male to business premises a,,d new oner line Leon erected An observing visitor of twelve months ago and now, would be struck with the marked improvement of the place on the whole, and coali not but form a favourable o| mi ni of its pr.-grcss. Little by little the large ditch i n the side of Die main road it South Carterton is distptearing, aid tbe Town Board have considerably improved the formation of tbe road. At the piesent time Ibis road is in good Condition for the approaching winter, and not only ibis cne, but others have been improved as funds have permitted. One of the most important works undertaken bv the Board has been the opening up of a new street between the railway station and 1 iarderet’s store. Men are now at work extracting the stumps, and in ab. ut a month's time it is expected there wnl lie through traffic. This new street will enable passengers by train to reach the business [ait of the town in a shorter time linn by the Belvedere Road. Of course it wnl draw traffic from the old road, but the pub.ic generally Le i-ve that increased convenience will be secured, and that the two appiov-bis I) tho railway stauon will be Beneficial to a.l patties. Upon tne whole tbe pc.p.e of the 1.-wnsnip, though longing for brisker lira-s, in iy be content. If there has not been " leaps end bounds ” there has been a steady and permanent g'ow li, and this should satisfy. Looking abroad at other parts of the colony, and at Australia, we find that the pressure of the times has been severely felt ; but the clouds will roll by, aad belter limes dawn before long.

In addition to town improvements there has been considerable progress made in the outskirts. It is astoniphmg the amount cf bash wl.ich bos been felled, and in many eases, slumped. Where five years ago there were notions but dense forest, there are now “ fields of Inin,; preen,'' up ui which stock are grazing, and where comfortable homes o( unpretenli. ug appeatance hove been erected. A visitor pissing through C'aiterton bv the main road cannot see what has been going on in trie back, but wneu he turns his horse's bead to the right or left he •oon finds that sturdy settlers are at work ou every band bringing the iand under cultivation. It may be tne “ day of small things " with many of them, but Koine was not built i i a day, and we cannot expect even a country district to emerge altogether cut ol its primitive forest state in a few short years. TVre is no need to he disheartened at the slowueas ot the work. All things considered, the progrees of our settlements has been very fair, and the best days have not been seen. And judging by the way the Special Settlement scheme has been taken np ; there is plenty of real grit yet in some of the •ettlera. the Carterton Association, not withstanding the attempt to hurke it in a quarter where influence should have been put forth to establish it, will yet be successful, and many ol the tons of our settlers will be able to take op land for themselves, ao l do as their fathers hsve done before th in though they wilt not have to fight agonst the terrible disadvantages that beset ail the early Wairarspa settlers. We advise the young men ol Carterton to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the Speeiil Settlement icbeme. Never have such advantages been offered by any imvernmeut for settling upon the land, sod if young men want to make a future borne for themselves, let them consider well whether it would m t be wise to seize the present opportunity The delegates cf the Association have wotked with an earnest and thorough persevering spirit, and deserve many thanks from the members for their exertions. Thev have interviewed the Minister for Lsnds, and have been most eourtei usly received, a.id every encouragement has l>een promised them. If they do not obtain the block first selected, they have another in prospect, which may ■nil them even better. It is to be regretted that the prospects of winter feed for stock are not good. We hear that several settlers around Carterton have bad to sell a quantity at very low figures, because of the dearth ofputme. S' .r does this apply to Carterton alone. All thru.di the Vahtv the settlers have been crying out for ram for some time past The feat now is that the rams *i;i do little pul. Aft r they have fallen there is hj un I to i»« a change to colder weather, ani the frosts will cut up the ('ringing grass. We yesterday droppei mto the w. rks iipof Bisiug and i ox. cabi ;el makers, and ound them e.igiged in fio’snmg a pn pa f a St Mirk s Ciiurch. It is constructed of ronu, with white pine panels, sn I thefacii of tbe nomine is of moltled totara ; the panels ere covered with red c.<dh, and the whole work ' presents a very pleasing appearance, speakiogio the highest terras of the workmanship ol Ibis firm. The pulpil is a gift to the Church by Mr Price, sawmilier, and will be a monument to this gentleman's generosity, *°d interest in church matters. It will be placed in position by Sunday next. Considerable interest is manifest in Carterton just now over an investigation, which will take place to-morrow at the Courthouse Into the alleged negligence of duty on tbe part of Constable Darcy with reference to a certain hotel. The charges are made by Mr J. Merchant Fraser, tbe present teacher of the Belvedere School. Several witnesses will “** il . '* **P“«ted that there will be some revelations made of a rather •nrpnsing character concerning one or more of the witnesses, who have pitted a conspiraeas part in urging the prosecution. The Carterton footballers have just held Ibeif annual meeting and elected offieera ~ followa :—President. Mr F. W. B. Seed ; VioePresidents, Dr Johaaton nod Mr P. F. Tancred ; Secretary H. A. Bwen ; Captain. Ml 9. rartntf m, Committee, Bum w.

N. Dempsey, C. Rail, A, Smith, W. G. King, and C. K. Robinson ; Match Committee, the Cip.taiu. and Messrs Dempsey mo Idve'i. Toe meeting decided to t .ke put in firming a Wairarapa Football Union, aud appointed Messrs Seed and Dempsey as delegates. There was a well a’tended meeting of the T tara Lodge. UAOD, on Monday evening, Arch Druid Bio G. M. Gardener, PA, presiding. The rapid growth of this Lodge his give r it a high positron among the Friendly Societies of the District, and the yearly festivds are generally got up in a style not to be forgotten. On the evening in question it was decided to hold this year’s festival at the Town Hall, on Friday, May 23, and a mmilt-e of the following members was elected to carry out thu arrangements : -O. M Gardener, H. S. Horn, G. Y’ulo, A. C ifton, G. Mason, A. Daysh, and A. Armstrong. The Taratahi Carterton Jockey Club have off. red a most attractive programme for their forthcoming Queen’s Birth lay Meeting, and spirting men are anticipating some god enjoyment. This being the last event of the -• a.-on in the district no doubt it will be very attractive.