WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 32, 2 September 1871, Page 15

WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

THE AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. The meeting of this body, which was to have been held on Thursday last, did not take place, owing to the chairman of the Committee having made a mistake in the day of the week on which the meeting was to have been convened ; which, it appears, was fixed for Monday next, instead of Thursday last, on which day it is to be held at the British Volunteer Hotel, Grey town. As I have previously stated, the rules have been carefully drawn up, and if the promoters of the Association do not relax in their efforts I feel confident that the movement will be crowned with success, and prove a great public benefit. Indeed, 1 hardly know of any movement which deserves more enouragement, or one more likely to promote the best interests of the members, as well as those of the district in which they reside. Its success will depend altogether upon the character of the men who are chosen as office-bearers. This is a most important point, and one which has been too little regarded in previous movements of the kind. The press can lend it valuable assistance, and so far as I am concerned it shall not be withheld, provided that the secretary appointed by the members, at the forthcoming meeting, affords me his hearty co-operation in in securing this object. NON-ARRIVAL OP MAIL. Owing to the heavy gale blowing on the Rirnutaka on Saturday, the mail coach did not put in an appearance on Saturday afternoon as usual, to the great disappointment of the numerous subscribers to the " Independent" and " New Zealand Mail," who had to go home without either of those papers, and in total ignorance as to how matters stand in Wellington. THE GREITOWN SCHOOL. In May last a meeting of the electors of Greytown was held for the purpose of electing a school committee. The attendance was small, and a list of twelve persons having been duly proposed and seconded, was put to the ! meeting and carried nem. con. Some of those had not been previously consulted, and declined to act. The others met and elected A. IL Arnott chairman. They also advertised for a schoolmaster and mistress. Two applications were received, and one of them was accepted. But there was already a teacher for the Greytown school, who had been acknowledged as such by the government, who was in possession of the buildings, and to whom arrears of salary was due. Soon after the committee had been legally constituted he sent to them his "little account," amounting to £lO6 16s Bd. They declined to acknowledge the debt, referred him to the parties by whom -he had been engaged, and gave him very brief notice to quit the premises. This , he declined to do, and on Wednesday last he was summoned by the chairman of the school committee before H. S. i Wardell, Esq., R.M., at the court house, Featherston, to show cause why he , did not give up posession. The plaintiff produced what purported to be a copy of the conveyance of the school property to certain trustees, for educational purposes, and also a written authority from the said trustees to take possession. The defendant objected to the copy of the conveyance being received as evidence, and the objection was held to be valid by the court. An

adjournment then took place for an hour, when the defendant was subpoenaed to give evidence From this evidence it appeared that Mr Pole considered that he was recognised by the Government as the schoolmaster, having been paid the usual grantup to expiration of the June quarter and after the present committee had been elected. Ultimately the case was adjourned until Wednesday next, when it is said that the original deed of conveyance will be produced. But the question then arises whether, under the second clause of the Act, a school committee has power to enter on any new business, such as the appointment of a new school teacher, whether any rates except those due under preceding acts can be collected, or whether a school committee which can legally collect rates- in arrears is not legally responsible for the pay ment of arrears due to the teacher The recent act, by repealing the old debts, has placed school teachers and school committees in a worse position than they were before; and the worst of it is no explanation is vouchsafed by the Provincial Government why the act is not to bebroughtinto opora'ion until after the* next session of the Provincial Council. In the meantime the collector has received instructions to proceed to collect the rates under the old act. CAVALRY RACE. The anniversary of the Grey town Cavalry Volunteers was celebrated on Wednesday last, the 23rd inst., when the usual race and dinner took place. The course selected for the race was a long and muddy one. There were three money prizes given, and also a matai writing desk, made and presented by Sergeant-Major A. AVakelin, belonging to the troop. Eight horses competed for three prizes, and a large number of persons of. both sexes were present to witness the contest. The first prize was won by J. Cotter, the second by J. Greathead, the third by R. Bright, and the fourth by J. Duffy, after a smart contest. A dinner took place afterwards at the Eising Sun, to which those present did ample justice; but, on the whole, it was a more tame affair than on former occasions. THE ODD FELLOWS. On Saturday evening last a new lodge belonging to this fellowship was opened at the°Victoria Hotel, Featherston, when a dinner was given to celebrate the event, to which many of the principal settlers in the district had been invited. H. S Wardell, Esq., R.U., occupied the chair, and Dr~ Spratt, the coroner of the district, was also present. The speech of the evening was made by Mr E. Marriott, and the whole of the proceedings passed off in the most agree able manner. Nine members were initiated on the occasion. POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT.

An entertainment was given at the Town Hall, Greytown. on Thursday last, for the benefit of the hall fund. There was a very large attendance ; and those who took part in the performance, particularly Messrs Marriott, Murphy, and Cotter, were'loudly and deservedly applauded. Mr Skipper attended to the magic lantern,' and gave an explanation of the different figures exhibited in his usual gentlemanly and lucid manner. The success which has attended these entertainments is a proof-that they supply a public want, which fortunately, in this case, can be innocently gratified. SHEARING. Shearing will commence earlier than usual this season, the flockowners being anxious to reap the benefit of the advance on wool, before an unfavorable turn in the market happens. THE WEATHER. I have not recently said anything about this commonplace subject, in the vain expectation that it would soon clear up. Nobody can remember having seen so much rain as there has been during the last six months. The roads were never in a worse state. The loss to carriers, and those engaged in the timber trade, has been very great, which has been fearfully increased by the nonerection of the Hutt bririge. All outdoor occupations have had to be partlysuspended, which will seriously reduce production; while storekeepers and others have been deprived of their usual run of customers, which obliges them to limit their purchases to the bare supply of current wants. Everybody is, therefore, predisposed to grumble, while the, belief is becoming general that the pre-

1 sent distress is owing to the presence of taxation, when really it is owing to causes over which no Government can exercise any control. The weather has been felt to be very disagreeable, but 1 do not think that those who complain ot it most see how injurious it has been in t.n economic aspect; and the worst of it is that the effects will probably be long felt after the cause has ceased to operate. SCAB. I stated in my last that this disease had broken out "in the flock belonging to Mr Bunny at Featherston, and that it was feared, owing to the run being unfenced, and open to the public road, that it would be likely to spread to other flocks in the neighborhood. With one exception "this has not at present been the case, and I am happy to report that the proprietor of the infected flock is taking energetic measures to extirpate the disease.