TE AROHA. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Te Aroha, Friday.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2132, 9 March 1886, Page 3

TE AROHA. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] Te Aroha, Friday.

Since the opening of the line on Monday the town has settled down to its usual state of quietude, and the arrival and departure of trains, which a week ago was looked forward to with the utmost eagerness, has now lost its novelty and is regarded just as an ordinary every day occurrence. The eel.it that attended the whole of the opening ceremonies was very gratifying to the people here, the more so as the morning broke most gloomily, and it was feared the weather would spoil the whole of the arrangements. As the day advanced, however, and the sun began to shine out, matters assumed a bomewhat brighter aspect. The spirits of the residents began to rise in proportion, and it was thought that after all the affair might not prove such a failure a» the weather in the morning had led them to anticipate. The expectations of the most sanguine, however, never led them to look for more than five or six hundred visitors, and when the lone streams were seen pouring out of the carriages at the station every one was agreeably surprised. In a small town like thi-5 it is no easy matter to provide rations for such an inrading army at a moment's notice, and the powers of the hotel-keepers and others whose business it is to cater for the public were taxed to the utmost. Many of the excursionists were prudent enough to bring their own supplies and they fared better than others who had not that forethought, but it is to be hoped that no one's enjoyment was marred by a lack of those necessaries which form so important a part of the pleasures on an occasion of the kind. It is stated, though not yet authoiitatively announced, that there will be another trfp on the 13th inst. As the race meeting takes place on the 12th the secietary to the Jockey Club has communicated with the railway authorities in order to have the excursion fixed for that date it possible, and the time of return extended till the following Monday. Jf tlu*> can be accomplished, it will duubt-

le*s attract a much larger number of visitors and also add largely to their comfort and enjoyment. The race meeting is likely to be a very successful one. There is a. large cutty for the J. C. Handicap aud also for the hurdle«, and if the elements bo piopitious there is likely to be a cipit.nl thiy's bpr>rt. Another excellent letum has been obtained from the prospectors' claims at tho Tui creek. A paicel of about nineteen tons sent to the Thames la^t week has been tested at tho furnace works and found to contain ICo/; 18dwt«. of gold and 5-lGoz of silver, the total value of bullion £178 7slod, an average of little short of £10 per ton. When it is considered that the stuff was only \ery roughly picked and that it was taken from the whole v\ idth of the leef the yield must be regarded a-s exceedingly catihfactory and tho richness as well as the permanence of the lode is now in a great raeadure admired. The excessive charges made by the smelting company are a terrible draw back and these must bo reduced or other means of treatment found if the mines arc to go ahead as they ought. A good number of applications have been sent in to the proper quarter foi the suburban allotments, to be let on a perpetual lease, near the Government township on the west aide of the river, but very few of the applicants are resident here. Some of the land is of fair quality, but much of it is very indifferent, and the block* are too small in size to induce settlement. We mubt have the land on the ca^t side of the river thrown open on the hanic .system, if agricultural industry is to be encouraged and made to prosper in this district.

j Monday. The quarterly meeting of the Licensing i Committee was held in the Court-house on ' Saturday. The first business dealt with , was an application from the proprietor of the Palace Hotel for permission to open a , booth for the Hale of liquors* at the race- ; course on the 12th and 13th of this month. Permission was granted for the 12th, the ', advertised day of the race meeting, but not for the 13th, as the committee had no knowledge of any races to take place on that date. Applications were also received from the propiietors of the Hot Spiing->, Te , Aroha Club, and Palace Hotels for an alteiation in the hour of closing their , houses, viz., from 10 o'clock till 12. This ( m.itterg.ne rise to considerable discussion, , and two motions, the first that the application be allowed, and the second that the , hour remain as before, were both negatived. , A third motion, that the time be extended j till eleven o'clock, was finally carried. ! A somewhat painful accident happened to Mr Nicholas Cleary on Friday e\ening last. While mounting his horse he by some means slipped, and fell heavily on his arm, breaking the limb between shoulder and elbow. The fracture is, fortunately, a ■imple one, and under the care of l>r. . Cooper the sufferer is progressing favouri ably. _________