Local and General

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 413, 26 August 1876, Page 2

Local and General

Two ' parties of prospectors, consisting of Messrs R. Law ton, J. Duncan, T. T. Hull,W. Johnson, Alexander McKenzie, George Fed f fern, and H. Verooe, left town on Thursday afternoon en route to the Kaimai block, accom. pmied by AkuhataTupaea and another native.

We are in receipt of numerous letters on the present complicated state of Town Board matters, which, however, we deem it inadvis*. able to publish, seeing that the whole question is at the present mooaent forming the subject of telegraphic communication between Mr E. GK Norrh and his Honor the Superintendent. We may, however, mention that the report that Mr Norn's baa nominated five gentlemen for the office of Trustees to the Superintend dent, other than those informally eleoted by

the ratepayers, is incorreot.

. Mr Commissioner Brabant is still engaged in investigating the titles to the Waitaha block. The Court is daily crowded with natives, and the case is likely to take a oon« siderable- time yet.

At a speoial vestry meeting held on Wednesday the 23rd instant, the following geni tlenien were elected Parochial Nominators of the Pariah of Tauranga for the ensuing year, viz. : Messrs Thomas Allely, James Howard Sheath, and William Gore Armstrong.

A large seal was exhibited in a canoe by some natives yesterday morning, in the harbor in fronfc of the Straud. It measured about 8 feet in length, and was caught at the back of the Matapihi settlement, where it was quietly travelling along the road. The seal ia Bup'posed to have entered inland from the ocean' beach across the sand hills. The natives want £3' for it. The B.s, Pretty Jane called in at Tam^nga on Wedneslay afternoon, for. the purpona of bringing a party of fourteen immigrants, ex Bebington. The majority of the men are seeking farming occupation, to which they have been aocustotned, and we hope that among the farmers . in this district, they may coon find employment.

By the last trip, of the Eowena, Mr 0. N, Roberts, the reßpeotfld manager of the Tanr ranga Agency of 1 the Bank of New^ Zealand, returned from Auckland, where he has been on a month's ' leave of absence,, During Mr Robert's visit to Auckland, Mr J. F. Bud* die, of the Inspector's offioe, 'discharged the duties of manager, and by his courteous bearing made many friends, by whom his departure from Tauranga by the last steamer was muoh" regretted;

The advent of spring- is heralded in many ways. Mr Lee? of the Strand, draws attention fco the faot in an advertisement in another column, iii which appears a telegram received by him from Sydney, by whioh he is advised of the shipment to his order of a large stock of spring and summer drapery. To make room for these goods, Mr Lee notifies that he will sell the whole of his present well-assorted stock of drapery at below cost price, and that no offer will be refused.

A circular letter has been addressed fco the Governors of the Australian colonies, by Lord Carnarvon, requesting the co'dperation of the oolonies in a grand international horticultural show, to be held next year at Amsterdam, and to which all the countries in the world will be asked to contribute. The Families of plants more particularly referred to comprise cotton, tobacco, onoutchouo, indigo, vegetable substances used in the manufacture of paper cereals, vanilla, rhubarb, and sarsaparilla, After the exhibition a scientific congress -.-will be held,' for the purpose— of, considering the economic value of the various descriptions .* of r plauts exhibited, .

A Soiree and Spelling»bee, under the aus' pices •of the Tauranga Lodge of Good Tern, plars, is announced to be held -in the Temperance Hall on Wednesday- evening, noxt, in aid- of the funds for the harmonium, .a valuable instrument which was purchased ■ for the use of the Lodge some short time since. Tea will be on the table at half-past' six o'clock, . and ■as soon as tea is over the evenings-- entertainment will commence.. The spelling-bee will doubtless prove- one of the great attractions of the evening, as this will be the first -occasion that this popular amuse! ment has been offered to a-Taurariga audience. Prizes will be given to the -first and seoond successful competitors.- The other i portion of the entertainment- will be composed of the usual musical and literary programme.

Now that there is every proßpect of Obinemuri becoming, within a very short time, an important place, we would again urge on the Government the absolute necessity of extending, the telegraph to Maokaytown or the Pseroa.. We cannot, indeed, account for the Telegraph Commissioner not having taken the line to Ohinemuri a year ago at least. The line is already, at Hikutaia, within eight or ten miles of' Ohinemuri. At that place a mining population of considerable size has been settled for eighteen months, while a large acreage of land has been taken up for agricultural settlement. Considering how email and insignificant? are some of the places to which the Government has had the line extended r^>e neglect of Ohiuemuri is quite unaccoulhtErole. . It does not arise from not having been asked j.because the residents of Obinemuri have repeatedly memorialised the Government on the subject. If Mr Rowe would exert himself,, we have no doubt the work would be done at; once.-^-Herald.