WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 31, 26 August 1871, Page 15

WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

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 had become very general that the best course to adopt to obtain a foreign market for New Zealand • meats would be by salting 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 Waterhouse 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 Tully occupied the chair, and Mr Pharazyn explained that it would not be desirable to commence meat preserving under present circumstances, but that it was desirable that the company should he arranged to take advantage of any favorable opportunity that might arise. He would move that the directors j be requested to register the company. The resolution was seconded by Mr J. Bennett. Mr Ren all 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 directors were unanimously in favor of the company being registered. After a few remarks from Mr Revans 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 the 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 industrious settler by the name of Tullock, was crossing the Ruamaliunga river on Friday last, when one of the wheels struck against a snag in the middle of the river, and the driver, finding he 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 time before the bullocks and dray could be extricated. A fine bullock, belonging to Mr Harris, of Waihunga, was drowned, and all the goods, with the exception of one keg of butter, was lost. Saying nothing about loss of life, the loss of time and 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. In 1861 there were 266 names on the electoral roll for the district; in 1862 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 60J, notwithstanding a long list of objections which had been made to names on last year’s roll. The progress of the district in t 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 them over the hill; a fact worth considering by the promoters of the Mutt Export Meat Company. SCAB. Though heavy penalties are imposed by the Scab Act, on the owners of scabby flocks,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 £2O for placing sheep on his run, and allowing them to mix with a flock which he knew to be scabby. It is said that scab has made its appearance in the flock of Mr Bunny at Featherston, and as his land is open to the main tiunk road, it is feared that other flocks will be infected. DR. BOOK 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 time 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 Bumahunga, it has been unsuccessful. PENNY LEADINGS. The last of the penny readings for the season was given at the Town Hall, Greytown, last week. The Greytown band rendered valuable assistance during the season. The readings have been well attended, and much ciedit is due to those who took part in them. INDECENT ASSAULT. A man by the name of Thos. Hawke, the landlord of the Greytown Arms Hotel, was charged before H. S. Wardell, Esq., R.M., at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Greytown, on Thursday last, with having, on the 18th ultimo, assaulted Miss Margaret Basset, a young woman aged eighteen years, the daughter of Mr David Bassett, farmer, of Carterton. It appeared from the girl’s evidence that on the day above named she was proceeding to her parent s home from Greytown, about twilight, when she met the accused, who was on horseback, and then in company with one of Mr Hastwell’s men by the name of George Salisbury. The accused pulled up his horse and asked her if she had seen a man lying on the road ; and, on receiving a reply in the negative, he asked her where she was going, and who she was. He then rode on. In a short time after she heard a horse galloping back, which turned out to be Hawke’s. The* accused dismounted, being then alone, and she started to run towaids home. This was in a very lonely part of the road, and at a considerable distance from any settler’s house. When she started to run away he caught bold of her, tore her dress, threw her on the ground, and tried to keep her down. She tried to get up, and, calling the accused by name, told him she would have him up for this. The prisoner, finding that she knew him, was checked in his purpose, and after further struggling she succeeded in escaping from his clutches, leaving him lying on the ground. . The whole evidence went to show that it was an assault with intent, but on account of the prisoner’s wife and family, he only charged with a common assault only. In fact, he would probably have escaped altogether had not Constable Byrn very properly interfered, and hence the length of time which bad elapsed from the commission of the offence to the time the case was heard by the court. The prisoner denied the charge, and tried to make it appear that he was not the paity who committed the assault. The Resident Magistrate, after hearing the evidence, said° that the girl’s evidence was conclusive as to his identity, which was confirmed by Salisbury, He sentenced the prisoner to two months imprisonment with hard labor; and said that it was only from the wish of the complainant that he had not committed him for trial at the Supreme Court. It was the first case of the kind that had come befoie him in the Wairarapa, and, if he could have legally done so, he would have given him a longer sentence. The com-

plainant is a most respectable person, and the youngest daughter of one of our most steady and industrious settlers.

AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

The practice of giving the whole contents of a book on the title-page has been for some time abandoned, and generally speaking short titles, whether for books or clubs, are preferable to long ones. This does not appear to be the opinion of the committee appointed to draft rules for a farmers’ club to be established in this district, who have launched it under the name of “ The Wairarapa and East Coast Pastoral, Agricultural, and Horticultural Association,” the first meeting of which is to be held at Greytown on Thursday next. The objects of the Association are similar to those of kindred societies, and the rales appear to have been drawn up with more than ordinary ability and care. We have much pleasure in lending our aid in forwarding the interests of the association, which has been established under the most favorable auspices, and which may prove very beneficial to the district. ACCIDENT. Another accident occurred in the Rumahunga river on Saturday last, when a dray-load of goods, the property of Mr Baird, the Provincial Engineer, was capsized, and two boxes were for a time lost. The dray and bullocks were extricated after some trouble, and the boxes were fortunately recovered on the following day. The body of poor Donald has not at present been discovered.