Country News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 227, 15 January 1876, Page 17

Country News.

According to the Southern Cross, Sir George F. Bowen, during his brief sojourn in Auckland, visited his old residence, the Government House, in company with Dr. Cowie, Bishop of Auckland. Sir George seemed thoroughly familiar with the old spot, into every portion of which he penetrated. During his visit he recurred to by-afone times, and said he would have been well content to have spent the remainder of his days in Auckland. It is evident that our once Governor .had not lost his powers of being pleasantly hyperbolical.

Mr. Tribe has been re-elected for the Totara Electoral District by a large majority over his opponent, Mr, Commisky. Mr. Whitaker has been elected unopposed for the Waikato. Both gentlemen are pronounced Ministerialists. The latter was at one time a separationist, but on the hustings stated that what was at one time possible is now impossible, and that he would oppose any attempt to disunite the colony. Mr. Whitaker is eminently one of the most sensible men in the country, and will be a tower of strength to the Government side. They have recently started two papers north of Christchurch, in the province of Canterbury. The elder, called the North Canterbury Neros, has noticed the appearance of the younger, the North Canterbury Independent, in a style which the late Mr. Pott, of Eatanswill, could not have rivalled. It is evident that one at least of our country cousins is about to atone for an absence of news by a plentiful abuse of his rival. These things, however, are common even in large places, amongst men who forget that papers make them and not they papers.

Referring to the recent election at the Thames, the Advertiser says :-—" The rejection of Sir Julius Vogel by the electors of the Thames is, we think, a mistake; but the cause of his defeat can easily be explained. The colleagues of Sir Julius Vogel did not up to the last moment withdraw their opposition to his candidature for the Thames, and his supporters here only determined three days since to run Sir Julius "Vogel in earnest. It was then too late to woik up a proper organization, and as the candidate himself was absent, the effort to put him in was unsuccessful. But the large number of votes he polled in the face of the difficulties thrown in the way of his candidature, shows that at the Thames he has a strong list of supporters." Mr. Hursthouse, of Motueka, in Nelson, who has just been elected to the House, gives a very good account of himself (says, the Colonist) :—" He has never been in Parliament, but he tells the electors not to fear for his shortcomings because of his inexperience. His uncle, Major Atkinson, and Sir Donald McLean, who knew him from infancy, would be able to instruct him in the forms of the House. Of course, brought up at the feet of such Gamaliels as these, the candidate would indeed become a burning and a shining light. 'He is a working man and a gentleman, and there is not a house in New Zealand, be the owner rich or poor, in which he had once been to which he would not be again welcome. By doing to others as he would be done by, and keeping a civil tongue in his head, he had always got on with his neighbors, wherever it was.' Such is Mr. Richmond Hursthouse's happy account of himself. It will be interesting to learn how many of the electors will accept it as the account of a man better fitted than Mr. Parker for the Motueka seat."

RANGITIKEI HIGHWAY BOARD. (from otjr own correspondent.) The usual monthly meeting of the Rangitikei Highway Board was held in the Board's office, Marton, on Saturday, the Bth inst. Present —Mr. A. Milne (in the chair), Dr. Curie, Messrs. J. Bull, A. Cameron, A. Simpson, C. M. Galpin, and R. K. Simpson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The Secretary read the following correspondence : Letter from Mr. A. Finlay, applying for assistance from the Board towards getting the hill on the Fern Flat.road, south of Mr. Morrison's house, cut down and gravelled, and offering to subscribe £2 towards the work if undertaken by the Board. Resolved that the Inspector be instructed to examine and report at the next meeting of the Board upon the hill in question. Better from Mr. John McKay, notifying that until the road through his land shall have been constructed and the fencing erected, he would prevent all trespass thereon. Resolved that the chairman and Dr. Curl be appointed to prepare a case to be submitted to the Board's solicitor for his written opinion thereon, asking him to point out how the Board can carry roads through the lands of parties who object to the same. Better from Messrs. James and Donald Bowrie, offering to fence one side of the road applied for by them through Mr. McGregor's land, if the Board will agree with Mr. McGregor, and lay off the road at once. Resolved that Messrs. Bowrie be writ ten to, and informed that the Board has been given to understand that block 225 is all contained in one Crown grant, and that until Messrs. Bowrie are prepared to prove otherwise, no action can be taken in respect of opening the road through Mr. McGregor's land applied for by them. REPORT. Mr. Milne reported that the deputation appointed at the last meeting of the Board to examine and report upon a new line of road in lieu of that through Mr. McKay's land, had examined the ground, and decided that the road already surveyed through Messrs. Cameron and McKay's land is the most preferable one, on the whole, and would advise that it be adhered to. The deputation also thought it advisable that the

road should be opened through McKay's, and, in order to do so, authorised Mr. Cameron to call for tenders for fencing through his property. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The Inspector's usual monthly report was read and received. BUSINESS. It was resolved that the Inspector be authorised to expend a sum not exceeding £lO in removing sand off the hill near Mr. Paulin's, in No. 1 Ward. It was resolved that the action taken by the Inspector, in giving the contract for re-metal-ling portion of Parkinson's Flat to Messrs. Shortall and Cameron at the amount tendered by them, namely, £1 16s. per chain, be confirmed. Reuben, a Turakina native, attended in person to urge the Board to grant a sum of money for the purpose of metalling the Turakina Reserve-road, now in process of formation. It was resolved that tenders be called for metalling 50 chains of the Turakina Native Reserve-road, the same to be opened at the next meeting of the Board. It was resolved that the Inspector be authorised to deal with the construction of swinggates on water channels on road sides, where he may consider them necessary. It was resolved that the Inspector be instructed to examine and report upon the probable cost of erecting a bridge and making cutting on Turakina Valley road, near Mr. A. Cameron's. Messrs. Jacob and Waring applied in person to have the union line of road between Griffin's and Walker's opened. They also handed in a requisition signed by a number of ratepayers, praying that the road may be opened. It was resolved that the sum of £3O be placed at the disposal of the Inspector for expenditure on the line in question, provided that the settlers clear all the road with the exception of the bush thereon. It was resolved that a vote of thanks be passed to Mrs. Ingle, Messrs. Matthew Ham- ; mond, Samuel Bartlett, George Yates, Bethbridge, and others for the free use of gravel from their respective properties. It was resolved that the resolution having reference to the procuring of gravel reserves, passed at a previous meeting, should be carried out as far as possible. EXPLANATION. The Inspector, before bringing forward the monthly accounts, observed that he did not know whether he ought to bring the matter under the notice of the Board or not, but he had been accused of having discharged a man solely on account of his political views. That charge had been made in a letter to the Herald, which had been printed as a handbill and circulated broadcast on the day of election. Though he felt sure that the Board would not give credence to such an accusation, he might be permitted to state the circumstances which had led him to discharge W. C. Watkin. As the Board were aware, he had some months ago complained of him to the Board as one that was not doing them justice. On the day of discharge he (the Inspector) was riding past when Watkins should have been at work, at [a quarter-past two, and found him sitting or rather lying down in the flax. When asked what he was doing there at that time, he replied he had just been having his dinner, and when told the time went to work again. He (the Inspector) had occasion to go some distance further on, and on returning at a quarter-past four Watkins had knocked off, and was going home. He asked him what he was knocking off at that time for, when he replied that he had only taken a quarter of an hour for dinner, and thought he was entitled to the three-quarters then. He (the Inspector) then told him to make up his time and he would give him a cheque, and that he should not require him any more. The idea of his being discharged through any political feeling was absurd, as the man had no vote —a fact well-known to him (the Inspector) at the time. The Board were of opinion that the charge against the Inspector had only been made for a political object, and did not feel called upon to interfere; but gave it as their opinion that the Inspector should have full power to engage and discharge men at his discretion. The matter then dropped. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed, and ordered to be paid : —W. C. Watkins, £1 10s.; A. Cockburn, £7 35.; G. Powell, £7 165.; W. Clark, £8 95.; J. Snelgrove, £8 125.; J. Payne, £8 25.; D. McNaughten, £1 10s.; D. Stevens, £44 ; H. Newman, £2 175.; J. Sleight, £3 17s. 6d.; S. Ingram, £3 3s. 6d.; C. J. Freeth, £33 Bs. 6d.; G. Franklin, £1 2s. 6d.; J. McMillan, £8 12s. 3d.; J. Bolton, £8 95.; E.Chase, 145.; D. Cameron, £3 10s.; C. H. Borlase, £5 55.; R. J. Harris, £23 75.; Flannery, £SO ; Bumsden, £SO ; Sutherland, £6 6s. 6d.; Paulin, £lO 7s. 9d.; Bracelin, £8 os. lOd.; H. J. Jones, £1 95.; Brogan, £SO ; J. W. Lee, £5 9s. 6d. Total, £363 2s. Id. TREASURER'S STATEMENT. The Treasurer read his usual monthly statement, from which it appeared that there was at date a credit balance at the bank of £9 2s. lid. The Board then adjourned until Saturday, the sth February, at half-past ten a.m.