WAIRARAPA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3283, 22 August 1871, Page 3

WAIRARAPA.

(Fkom Our Own Correspondent.) meat preserving company. The adjourned meeting of the shareholders, and others interested in the Wairarapa Meat Preserving Company was held at the Rising Sun Hotel, Greytown, on Wednesday last. In consequence of the supply of tinned meats, in London, being much in excess of present demand, prices had seriously fallen, and hence the promoters of the company were much less sanguine as to its success than they had been on previous occasions. The opinion previous to this meeting hiul become very general that the best course to adopt to obtain a foreign market for New Zealand meats would be by sailing it, as had been pointed out in the " New Zealand Mail" when the company was first talked of, and which was more subsequently referred to by the Hon Mr Water-house at one of the meetings of the company held at Greytown. I was not surprised, therefore, to find this was the view now taken by the principal speakers on the present occasion. Mr 'fully occupied the chair, and Mr Pharazyn explained that it would not he desirable to commence meat preserving under present circumstances, but that it was desirable that the company should be arranged to take advantage of any favorable opportunity that might arise. He would move that the directors he requested to register the company The resolution was seconded by Mr J. Bennett. Mr Oenall suggested that it would be more advisable to adjourn the consideration of the subject to a future day, as he thought that this course would save expense. Mr Pharazyn stated that if preserved meat rose in price the company, if registered, would be able to commence operations. It might be desirable to buy fat stock, when very low, and try the salting process. The provisional diiectors were unanimously in favor of the company being registered. After a few remarks from Mr Itevans in support of the motion, it was put and carried. Mr Pharazyn explained that there had been 1200 shares already taken up. After a long discussion, it was agreed that tho proposed articles of association should be printed and circulated amongst the shareholders, when another meeting should be convened. The meeting then broke up. ACCIDENT. A bullock dray, laden with half a ton of bacon and ten one-hundred pound butter kegs, the property of an indus-' trious settler by the name of Tullock, was crossing the Ruamahunga river on Friday last, when one of the wheels struck against a snag in the middle of the river, and the driver, finding ho could not extricate it, was obliged to leave the bullocks and dray in their dangerous position, in order to obtain further assistance. On returning with an additional team, it was found that the river had risen so high as to- render it dangerous to cross, and it was a long timebj^foro the bullocks and dray could bfc e:*fncatcd. A fine bullock, belonging to Mr-Harris, of Wailiunga, was drowned, and all the goods, with the exception of one heg of butter, was lost. Suying nothing about loss of life, tho loss of time ii nil property alone would cover the interest on the cost of bridging all the rivers in the valley.

PROGRESS. We direct the attention of the southern members now in Wellington to the progress which has taken place in the population of the Wairarapa during the last decade. Iv 1861 there were 200 names on the electoral roll for the district; in 1802 the number had been reduced to 232 ; from that year there was a marked increase. In 1870 the number on the roll was 510, and this year the number had risen to 604, notwithstanding a long list of objections which had been made to names on last year's roll. The progress of the district in other respects has been equally gratifying and rapid. CATTLE DRIVING. My attention has been called to the fact that the loss attending the driving of cattle ever the Rimutaka is not confined to its depreciation in quantity and quality, as one Wellington butcher out of three mobs lost five head in driving j them over the hill : a fact worth considering by the promoters of the Hutt Export Meat Company. CAVALRY RACES. ' The anniversary of the Grey town cavalry will be celebrated on Wednesday next, the 23rd instant, by a race, dinner and ball. The races will come off on Morrison's Run, as on previous occasions, when several valuable prizes will be awarded to tho successful competitors. The distance to tho run is about eight miles over a very heavy course. To give the several members of the troop a fair chance of obtaining a prize, trained horses which have won at previous races should either be timed or handicapped. SCAB. Though heavy penalties are imposed by the Scab Act, on the owners of scabby flooks,it is seldom that they are inflicted, and when inflicted are scarcely ever enforced. Fencing is found the best protection against the spread of this disease. At the Whareama petty session on the sth instant, Mr T. Guthrie was fined £20 for placing sheep on his run, and allowing them to mix with a flook which he knew to be scabby. It is said that scab has made its appearance in the flock of Mr Bunny ut Fcatherston. and as his land is open to the main trunk road, it is feared that other flocks will be infected. DR. BOOR. This gentleman, so well known at the Hutt, and subsequently in Wellington, at both of which places he held the office of coroner, and who a short timw ago came to reside at Masterton, is about leaving the district, having received the appointment of house surgeon at the Nelson Hospital. THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT. Though every effort has been made to recover the body of Mr W. Donald, recently accidentally drowned in the Eumahunga, it has been unsuccessful. PENNY READINGS. The last of the penny readings for the season was given at the Town Mall, Greytown, last week. The Greytown band rendered valuable assistance during the season. Tho readings have been well attended, and much credit is due to those who took part in them.