THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 9, 12 May 1875, Page 2

THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1875.

We do not think any great amount of argument is necessary to prove the desirability of establishing a Local Hoard here. At present, the rates collected in the town are not expended in it, and the consequence is that our streets arc badly in want of a little timely attention before winter sets fairly in. The drainage of the township requires to be carried out for sanitary reasons alone. We all know how bad a few hours rain makes our streets, and what an obstacle to business the mud proves during wet weather. The value of town property here, with a. grant in aid from the Provincial Council, would provide funds for carrying out several very necessary works, which, according to present appearances, bid fair to remain unattended to for a long time to come. We always have been in favour of the municipal forms of government, ns by its means revenue is more equitably expended, and the progress of settlement more effectively secured. Carlyle has wonderfully improved in appearance since the change in its site transpired, but there is much yet to be done before it can be congratulated on it highways and byeways. We trust our Provincial representatives will not lose sight of this matter next session, as it is one requiring prompt attention. A Board constituted much the same as the Local Board in the Province of Wellington, would have ample powers and means to perform all the necessary functions of such bodies. A good set of municipal bye-laws are much required, now that the township is so large, and contains so much valuable property. At present our footpaths are frequently impassible, on account of the number of cases and such like obstacles which arc so often piled up outside the various stores. Htray cattle and horses, too, arc another nuisance that requires abatement. In fact, there will be plenty of matters to be rectified by our Local Board when we got it to Im-m the members bimv (hr some tlm *.

The formation of a good circulating and reference library in our midst, is a matter that should engage the warmest sympathies and support of all who value the social advancement and comfort of the community, and we trust that contributions of books to the Library will How in apace. We direct the attention of our readers to an advertisement on this subject which appeal’s in another column.

The Pate.a Library and Institute Committee held a meeting at the Albion Hotel on Saturday evening last, when active steps were resolved upon towards making the Institute vnfait accompli. Until more central premises can bo obtained, the reading room will be open, by permission of Captain Wray, at the large room of the Immigration Barracks, in which the Good Templars at present hold a weekly meeting. It is proposd for the present to open the room on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, from 7 till 10 o’clock. Several of the colonial papers are already to hand, and time and money are the only requisites towards providing further supplies of current literature. We strongly urge all who can to take a practical interest in so praiseworthy an undertaking, by becoming members. The Committee has wisely resolved on calling up the first half-year’s subserplion at the start, and we trust that the secretary will soon be in funds to give practical effect to the wishes of the committee. We hear that the Oika natives caught a large quantity of cols yesterday. Nine of the largest when put together weighed 2251b5.

The following telegram readied us yesterday from Hawera :—“Mr. Parris is now in Hawera, for the purpose of paying the natives for land purchasd by the Government in thcVlistricts of Maugaotuku, Kaharoa, an I Pungarehn. The aggregate of the whole is about G,OOO acres.” The vain that has fallen during ihc last week will prove a great benefit to the settlers throughout the district, every part of which was beginning to feel the effects of the continued drought. The ground has quite a different appearance now ; and there is no doubt the change of weather will have a beneficial effect on the health of the residents hero, ns well as in oilier parts of the colony wherdrain has fallen. It will be seen by an at vertisoment elsewhere, that Mr Sherwood, M.P.C., will address the electors of pjatea on Saturday evening next, at the Court-house, Carlyle, to obtain the views of tire electors with regard to his past and future actions in Council. The, quest ion ojf having a section of railway commenced in! this district will be discussed, and as this is a matter of great importance to the settlors, there will no doubt be a good attendance. A meeting will also be held at Wairoa on Tuesday evening next, with reference to the same subject. ! We understand that Mr’; Ilursthousc received instructions to proceed with the survey of the Waitara-Wanganui Railway, from the Moa Block to Patoa, and has commenced the work. We suppose this will bo finished in time to enable the Government to place an amount on the estimates during the next session for the construction of the line.

A strange chapter of accidents happened to Mr W, McFarlane, of Wairoa, on Saturday last. Whilst riding up from Wanganui, one of his horses fore-logs (without any apparent cause) snapped, thus rendering the animal useless. Mr Hurley, the Waitotara baker, was coming by at the time, and took Mr McFarlane up in his trap ; but before proceeding far, something occurred to frighten the horse, and the result was that both the driver and Mr McFarlane were pitched head-first into a furze hedge on the road-side. We have been requested by the Rev. Father Pertuis to stale that the reason why he did not visit Patea on Sunday last to celebrate mass, was because he had received a letter from the Bishop, intimating that he was not to visit Patea and Hawera again. The Patea River, it appears, is not the only one in which vessels are occasionally detained, for wc learn that the p.s. Tongariro is at the present time bar bound in the Wanganui river.

The serving out of summonses to defaulting ratepayers (says the Budget) is creating a small sensation. A good deal of steam has been let off in the way of denunciation of all parties concerned in the levying. Unless talk and rest has cooled the ardour of some of our worthy ratepayers, or rathei the non-payers, it is likely an indignation meeting will be raised. It is argued that the town folks were not permitted to express an opinion in public meeting on the bill whore much opposition was known to exist, and not having been consulted, it is only right to oppose. Talk, talk, it will end in talk most likely. Plenty of froth rising at present, which, when blown off, will probably lead to the collector being rushed with the amount of tiv rate to - ■■■ wh- • • -.iii oav the first,

The Wanganui Chronicle says : —“Major Edwards, E.M., gave utterance to severe strictures in Court on the 6th instant, whilst animadverting upon the manner in which liquor is sold to persons who at the time are in a state of intoxication. He censured strongly also the practice which was observed in several hotels, as communicated to him by persons who lead an opportunity of judging, of keeping two different and distinct brands or qualities of liquor, the one free from adulteration, and the other impregnated with foreign ‘and injurious ingredients. The Magistrate further remarked, that in this respect the citizen who is known to the publican, or the well-dressed casual caller, had a decided advantage over the man with a less showy outward appearance, or who happened to bo an unknown stranger, for whom anything was good enough ; which system of management, lie said, should not exist. In reference to an individual who was accused of improper behaviour in a public highwajq he remarked that much blame attached to the publican who, for the sake of sixpence, had supplied him with liquor, when he was at the time in an intoxicated state, and which conduct on the part of the publican probably induced the behaviour by which the accused had disgraced himself. Major Edwards publicly asserted, as a member of the Licensing Bench, that he would strongly oppose the granting of a renewal to any applicant against whom the police substantiated charges of mal-practices of this nature.”

During - the past year, dating from April 1874 to April 1875, the number of immigrants received in Wanganui has reached 1,335. In reference to the Talrna gold-fields and the regulations which have been issued for its working, the Thames Advertiser says : “All things with reference to this gold-field are in a pitiable mess. It will never do that it should remain the law that one man may peg out thirty acre, or ten thirty acre claims, and should then be at liberty to work each block by six men because a greater number cannot advantageously be employed on it as one claim. But it will be very awkward to have this peninsula worked under different laws and regulations, with the miners tioccod for a new miner’s right every time they shift. We believe that the Districts Act could be made to apply to the whole peninsula, to please the miners, to give every security to capital, and so greatly tend to promote the prosperity of the Province, if some capable man, not solicitous only for the interests of a clique or a class, were to take the work of amend* ing it in hand.

tl Lounger,” in the Melbourne Herald , writes as follows : —“I notice, by the Now Zealand papers, that robbery and garotting have been revived there to an alarming extent, and that the immigrants arc credited with the evil. Seeing that the immigration is indiscriminate, 1 don't wonder at it, especially after what I happened to see when, for curiosity’s sake, going over Ibe latest tile of the London Illustrated Police Gazette , one of the lowest, publications of the world, I there found advertisements from the local Agcnts-Generul of New South Wales and New Zealand drawing attention to the advantages offered to immigrants. Now, if these gentlemen seek for immigrants amongst the class who road the Gazette , I will not ho surprised to hoar of many terrible crinlcs Committed by these same immigrants. Things must have come to a low pitch when the Agents-General have to advertise in the Illustrated Police Gazette. 1 "

The shipping taken on the patent slip in Wellington last year comprised 37 vessels, including 20 steamers, G barques, 1 brig, and 10 schooners and small craft, representing an aggregate of about 7,000 tons. The mortality in Dunedin during the first quarter of the year past nearly doubles that of the corrsponding quarter in the two previous years.

A sign of advancement and a growing out of old fashioned ways (says the Budget) is shown by the opening of a registry office for servants in Dovon-strcet, New Plymouth. With the advent of new comers the feeling that “ I know everybody and everybody knows me” is wearing out, and advertising “ wants” is getting to be found needful, as being a quicker way of getting supplied than by trusting one person to tell another that somebody else wants so and so. The Church Gazette says : —“ The greatest of all evils at the present time is the facility with which the Maoris can obtain rum — the spirit most commonly drunk by them. The New Zealand law concerning the sale of rum to Maoris is a dead letter, as some magistrates seem to ignore all breaches of it, except when a licensed publican informs of some persons selling without a license.”

A number of employees effthe Nev ; Zealand Times, who recently received notice of dismissal, intend starting a new paper in Wellington. The prospectus has been idroiidv

At a meeting of the Temperance League in Perth, Western Australia, the Eev. W. Low, who took the chair, offered a few introductory remarks on the cause of temperance and the various modes of advocacy adopted by his members. Formerly lectures speeches, and addresses on teetotalisra formed their groundwork, but the modern mxlc had changed all that; there were fewer speeches, yet the temperance movement was making rapid strides. Notwithstanding the efforts of kindred societies ° J there was still a fearful amount of drunkenness, and it behoved all persons to strive to the utmost to put down so great an evil. The - Chairman was happy to state that in York the progress of the Order was somewhat remarkable. In Victoria there were 10,000 Kechabit.es, with a balance in their favour of ,L 10,000. —Australasian Templar. The following is taken from the Thames Star of the 13th of April :—” Should any irregularity occur in the delivery of subscribers’ papers, we crave their indulgence for a few days. We have three boys out of those employed in the office, and who deliver the Star to subscribers, laid up with measles, and nearly a dozen of our run boys down with the same complaint. It will soon have run through the place, wo hope. It is no rcspector of persons, the youngest devil being amongst the smitten.”

It, is not often that a three-roomed house is knocked down by auction for half-a-croAvn, but according to the Bendigo Advertiser of the 4th instant, it actually took place, Thanks to the kindness and good offices of Sandhurst dealers, 2s 6d was bid under the hammer of the sheriff’s auctioneer, and no advance was forthcoming for a three-roomed stone house and kitchen, though many of the dealers surrounded the hammer. One of the principal dealers from Howard place said, <£ That’s my bid, gentlemen, and if anybody wants to turn out the children, he can bid and do it,” and in this manly and outspoken manner passed the cottage to the poor woman, who was waiting anxiously at home, hourly expecting to be turned out. A friend was not wanting to find £1 ss, at Avhich all the furniture was knocked down ; the 2s Gdfor the house was also paid ; a good-hearted carriage builder lent his horse and waggon ; the furniture was taken back to the house ; and one heart at least was gladdened.