WAINUIORU AND EAST COAST NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 6428, 28 December 1899, Page 2

WAINUIORU AND EAST COAST NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent). Wednesday.

Light drizzling rain sot in on Saturday afternoon, which turned to a steady downpour about midnight, and lasted throughout Sunday. This rain was most welcome, as the heavy nor'-west gales experienced during the past three or four weeks had dried up the pastures on the coastal portions of the district. Inland at Wainuiorn and Wharau the grass is green nnd obundant. The Turhtabi - Garter lon lioad Board's Overseer (Mr Harland), with several men, are doing somo good work iu metalling bad portions of tho Gladstone-East Coast-road on tho Maungaraki, between the summit and. the Eororau Creek. The repairs to the same liue of road between tho ffbarau and the Coast progress very slowly under the co-operative system, and if some more energy is not displayed in clearing the water-tables and removing slips, winter will again be upon us before the work is half completed. The progrnmuio of the East Coast Sports, consisting of twenty-two events, is now before the public. These sports, which arc to be hold at Homewood, take place on the 17th February (the date having been altered), and promise to be well patronised, and with tlic representative Committeo which has been selected to carry them out, should prove a success, ■

The additions to Mr King's Wharau Accommodation House aro drawing towards completion. A mob of seventeen hundred sheep from Mr Buchanan's Waikaraka station passed through the district to-day en route for Tupurupuru. A sign of progress at onr only township, the Wharau, is the starting of brick-making. Tlie event of the weok on (lie coast lias been the polling for a Maori member to represent, the Jiasteru Maori Electorate, About noon yesterday some fifty natives arrived at the Flat Point polling booth, and out of this number thirty-seyen recorded they votes, the majority being in favor of W| Perp. An unusual amount of interest was shown by the Maoris in this election, messengers haying been sent to all the pahs for milos round, and from north, south, east and west the dusky electors with their spouses and piccaninnies came to cast their votes. Tlio Wharau wiil not be without its attractions at Xmns, a cricket match is to take place on that day between the local eleven and a team from Cartertou, Ou the evening of Boxing Day a ball takes place, whioh promises to be well attended.

Shearing is completed on most of tho 1 stations, but one or two sheds yet remain to bo cut out. Tho clip is reported as heavy and in fair condition, and sheep-farmers are jubilant at {he prospect of bjgli prices as preshadowed by the figures reached in Wellington af the recent safes,

Iliero'lias beon quito ap epidemic of influenza in t|io nfighbourhood, but J ani glqd to ropofl that most of those attacked are now convalescent, ' is this will bo my last notes before Xwas, I wish you Mr Editor, and all and sundry i happy time, It is pleasiug touoto that tho initiative is being taken to recognise Mr W. 0, Buchanan's oightecn years' good service to the State. The movement will be woll supported on the Coast.

Our London Artist has now arrived, and wo are preparel to execute orders for all kinds of Stained-glass Windows and Leaded-light Work suitable for churches public buildiugs, and private , residencej, !We will be glad to submit designs and prices'. Smith & Smith, Ouba and Victoria-1 streets, Wellington,-Anvr, . 1