WAIRARAPA.

Wellington Independent, Issue 3137, 2 March 1871, Page 2

WAIRARAPA.

♦ [Fkom Oub Own Cobbespondent.] A BAWJ AND A WEDDING. " No events of importance during the past week !" exclaimed a lady in our hearing. " Has not there been a grand hall at Featherston, and a grand wedding at Greytown during that period, in which one halt the female population have taken more interest than you could have done in the visit of Mr Roohfort, or in the report that Mr Fitzberbert is to be nominated for the Superintendency ? You journalists and newspaper correspondents appear to think that nothing it> of importance which does not interest your sex, while you sec Ea to be totally oblivious of the fact that ladies never read newspapers, and that one of them has been returned at the head of the poll as a member of the London Board of Education." We were not only silenced, but convinced. The position of women in society marks on the Booial barometer the different degrees of civilization, and the height to which it has risen amongst the people in the several countries of the world. Women, now moreover, read newspapers, and it is quite right and propei that their tastes and wishes should be consuited. The ball referred to was a private one given by Mr Bunny to celebrate his return for the third time at the head of the poll as member for the district in the House of Representatives ; and it was attended, notwithing the weather was unfavorable, by nearly " all the beauty and fashion" in the neighborhood. The marriage referred to was that of Mr Leonard St. George, second son of Mr St. George, surgeon, of New Plymouth, (who years ago was a frequent correspondent of tho Independent), to Mary Emily, the eldest daughter of the late John Varnbam, Esq., long a resident in Wellington, and at one time one of its representatives in the Provinoial Council. The marriage took place at St. Luke's Church, Greytown, the Eev. A. Enell officiating, and a large number of people were present j ifc being one of the first weddings which has been publicly celebrated in the valley, the praotico having usually been for the ceremony to take place at the residence of the bride's parents, which, now we have a Churoh will not be continued. THE GENERA! GOVBBNMENT GEANT. The treasurer of the Greytown Boad -District has received a letter from the Provincial Treasurer, in which he states that the share of the £5000 coming to the Greyfcown district amounts to £566 10s, and enclosing him, for the first half-year, £283 ss. This sum haa been sent to the Bank of New Zealand, in whioh the board has opened an account. We have not heard whether the chairmen or treasurers of the other road boards in the Wairarapa have also been favored by a communication from the Provincial Treasurer, • accompanied by a remittance of half the amount of the share to which they are entitled out of the grant in question, but we know that in one case this has not yet been done. The money will prove very seasonable, affording as it does an opportunity to commence road operations during the dry weather. It is to be hoped that the Provincial Counoil will lose no time in passing a law which will enable the boards to collect the rates without first having to go to the trouble and expense of a lawsuit. There is yet time to carry out repairs) which, on most roads are now sadly needed. XiAND SAIiB. Several small blocks of land were offered for sale by auction at the Rising Sun, Greytown, on Monday last. There was a large attendance of speculators, though but few buyers. The first block offered comprised about 200 acres, divided into seven lots, and consisting partly of open land aud partly of bush, situated near Greytown. The first three lots, each cornpriding 20 aorea of bush land, were knocked down at 30s per acre. Loto 4 and 5, containing the same quantity of bu6h. land, realised 32s 6d per aorej and lots 6 and 7, containing eaoh about 40 acreß of open land, were sold, the first for £2 7s 6d, and the last for £2 10s pcr 1 acre. Battersea Farm, formerly the pro* perty of Mr Toomath, was then offered for sale on extremely liberal • terms. It was put up at the upset price of £3 per acre, but there being no advance, ifc was necessarily withdrawn. A block of land in tho Taratahi plain was then offered, divided into 100 aore seotionai, at the upset price of 30b per acre, whioh had also to be withdrawn. Mr Wallace then tried to obtain a bid for the open accounts and judgment debts due to the estate of Tonka and Lowers, and purporting to amount to considerably more than £1000. Mr Joba Morton bid £5 for the lot, but there being no advance the aforesaid debtß w«e bought w

for the sum of £20, which was probably their full value. The result of this sale proves that the price of re »l estate has rather receded than advanced since the last auction sale of land in this district. The property sold belonged to the estate of F. Sidey and Co., and probably •would not have realised so much had it not been divided into small sections. MAOBI £ANI> PUBCHASEBS. It is worthy of being recorded thas, at the late land sale, a Maori by the name of Komena purchased the grass land, comprising in the whole 83 acres, at the average price of little less than £2 10s per acre. He had previously been the purchaser of one of the seotions in the new tonship of Waihenga ; while other Maoris, one a noted Haubau, became the owners of eight other allotments in that township. Such investments by Maoris in real estate will furbish a better security for .thw future peaceable behaviour than any nErp>er ° f stockades could afford. We direct the attention of Wellington correspondents to these facts, which are better worth telegraphing down South than half the iteinß of news received from thence. SHEEP INSPBCTOB3. It is reported that Mr T. Telford, who has ! long occupied- the post of sub-inspector under the Scab Act for tho East Coast district, has received the appointment of inspector for the Wairarapa district, and that there is a possibility that Mr H. Bnnny, junr., will be appointed cub-inspector for the Eaat Coast, vice Mr T. Telford promoted. THE RAILWAY. The survey of the line for tho proposed railway from the Rimutiika through the valley of the Wairarapa is being prosecuted with energy and despatch. It would be premature to announce the course it will take through .the valley, though, naturally, great interest is felt in the matter, both by tho owners of property in the several townships, and by those having property in the more rural districts. It is understood that the straightest and shortest line has been surveyed. This will pass over the plain from Lucena's and leave Featheraton on the left, or as tho Americans would say, on the west, cross the Tauherenikau near Holland's, pass over Jthe Moroa Plain to Cotter's, between whose homestead and WoodBide it will croßs the Waiohine, then go over the Matarau plain to the Waingawa, at a point nearly a mile and a half above the present ford, and thus huve Masterton on the right, from which town it will be a considerable distance. This line, if adopted, will also be distant over two miles from the centre of Grejtown, and it has been suggested that the owners of property there, as well as those of Carterton and Masterton, should require to be informed whether there exist any valid reasons why those centres of population should thus be left out in the cold. It would certainly be better if the line passed nearer these flourishing townships, even if it had to go out of a direct course to accomplish that object ; but there may be engineering difficulties in the way, and unless tho value given to the land it passes by is nob taken into account in estimating the value of that which it passes over, and which will of course have to be paid for, the greater the distance from the towns, the less the amount which will be required for compensation. The proposed line will open for settlement a large quantity of valuable land afc Matarau, but it is all, unfortunately, in private hands. A LAWYfIR "WANTED. " It is said the fee charged by Wellington lawyers to attend a sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Cdurfc at Featherston is some twenty guineas, which, of course, includes travelling expenses. If so large a sum is required, the question suggests itself whether it would nob pay a lawyer to take up his residence in the district. Greytown has five members of the medical profession, two resident clergymen, but not a single solicitor. Perhaps the fact only wants to be known to be appreciated. ME O. B. CABTEB, It is said that a private letter was received from this gentleman by the last mail, from which it is supposed that he contemplates returning to the colony at an early date, and taking up bia residence on the Taratahi plains, in this district. We give the statement for what it is worth, but feel disposed to doubfc its truth, seeing that there is a probability of an English agent being required to carry out the immigration scheme of tbe Government, for which post, the Kennard contract notwithstanding, Mr Carter may be deemed well fitted. THE "WEATHEB. We will never again put any faith in the doctrine that tho seasons in tho Southern follow those of the Northern hemisphere ; that if they have had a cold winter or a dry summer there we shall have the same here, and so forth. This, at all events, has not been the case this year, if February is to be deemed one of the summer months, which, according to the almanacks and gardeners' calendars, is said to be the hottest and driest month in the year. It promised to be so this season ;' but the promise, like busting professions, has proved hollow and delusive. It was very hot and sultry for some days last week, but at the beginning of the present one the wind chopped round to the south-east, whioh was accompanied by such heavy rain that the roads and plains are now covered with water, and it would certainly cause the rivers fco be flooded if tho wind had been in a contrary direction. Fortunately the crops are now harvested, so this change in the weather will prove an unmixed good. It will make feed abundant, and Bet up the late potatoes, which would otherwise have proved a failure.