HAWKESBURY. (From our own Correspondent.) Hawkesbury, 7th March, 1864.

North Otago Times, Volume 1, Issue 3, 10 March 1864, Page 6

HAWKESBURY. (From our own Correspondent.) Hawkesbury, 7th March, 1864.

I am sorry to report that the spread of pleuro-pneumonia is gaining ground in this district, several fresh cases having shown themselves since my last. lam however, led to helieve that the mortality among cattle is no more now than formerly, and it remains to be shewn whether there are not other lung diseases fatal to cattle besides pleuro-pneumonia. Mr. J. Jones is having his herd inoculated, an example, I think, which will be generally followed, j A sale of sections in the government township took place on the 22nd ult. ; out of 116 lots offered, only 6 were sold, the highest at £17 10s. and the others at the upset price. There were no purchasers for lots at Palmerston. The election for Wardens for the Hawkesbury Hundreds took place on the 3rd inst., there were seven candidates proposed, and Messrs. Henderson, Kennard and R. Mitchell were eventually elected. A prospecting party who started from this, returned a few days back ; they were out at the back of Mount Watkins, and report that only in the bed of the Waikouaiti river could the "color" be found, and only one party of four diggers, also prospecting, was seen by them. They came across many holes, ni ne of which had been worked. This ought to set at rest the belief that a good 'poor man's diggings' exists in the locality of Mount Watkins. The late spring tides have done some damage at the Spit, Mr. J. Smith having had one of his stores washed down, fortunately the goods inside were not of a perishable nature, so that his loss is comparatively slight I believe that fears are entertained that Mr. Houghton's store will be undermined next spring tides, a fate which already once befallen it. Mr. Vogel addressed a meeting of his constituents on Monday last, at the Ttoyal Hotel. He gave an account of his proceedings in the Provincial Council and the Assembly. In refering to sums voted for works benefiting Waikouaiti, he showed that the Council had been liberal towards it; £900 had been placed on the estimates for the main road (Beach Street), that sum being thought sufficient. It had been increased on his representation to £1250, and, as this sum had proved inadequate for the purpose, he had no doubt the next Council would grant a further sum in order to complete it. £2000 had

had also been voted for the Jetty, the site for which had been left for the decision of the Marine Engineer, who had lately inspected the place and reported that a larger sum was needed. He (Mr. Vogel) had no doubt that the government would grant money sufficient for this, having indirectly recognized the desirability of the work, and said that no effort on his part would be wanting to have that done, the Jetty not only being a benefit to the inhabitants of this place, but also to the people of the Province generally. He also stated that he did not know the programme of the forthcoming Session, although he believed the government intended inaugarating extensive public works, and the desirability of opening the country, both seaboard and interior, by railways. He believed that a Board was now sitting in Dunedin to consider these ljuestions, and report on the same. Mr Vogel also gave his views on education, and which were condemnatory of the present system. His expositijn was so far satisfactory, that a vote of confidence and thanks were unanimously passed by the meeting.