The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 65, 24 November 1875, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1875.

The Hon. Colonial Treasurer arrived yesterday in this township, after journeying on horseback from New Plymouth, on route to Wanganui. As ho did not address his constituents in Taranaki, i t was not anticipated that he would be more communicative here. No special pomp announced his advent, neither will it his departure to-day, and beyond a few quiet election feelers, no political significance can bo attached to the visit. The only deputation that waited on Major Atkinson was one from the Town Board, in reference to the Kesident Magistrate’s and other reserves, the Cemetery, and the occasional rerviccs of ftlie ol the Government surveyors. As to the K.M. lieaorvo, Major Atkinson said that the Government would not consent to anything but leasing. As to the other reserves asked for, they were beyond the Town Boundary and could not be granted. The services of a surveyor, at times, were given, and the cemetery is to handed over to the Town Board. We may say these particulars were picked up casually, no notification haying been given to the press of any deputation being projected. In connection with the Harbour Board endowments are to be given. Many other promises, on various subjects, to private persons, were made by the Minister. We are unable to detail them at present, and are also obliged to hold over some comments on our member, as our member, and not as a member of the Colonial Government. Political promises, made on the eve of an election, are specially like private pie-crusts, and it is well for electors before committing themselves to any candidate, to bear that particularly in mind. Two letters, taking exception to the conduct of the Education Board in the matter of the decision arrived at to leaso the reserves by tender, are held over til] our next issue. A petition has been circulated in the district, and has been signed by nearly every ratepayer to whom it has been presented, praying the Chairman of the Education Board to call a special meeting •of that body for the purpose of reconsidering their resolution in reference to leasing education reserves by tender instead of auction. Public opinion is strongly in favour of the latter, and it is supposed that, on second thoughts, the Board will rescind their former determination. It will he impossible for the Chair, man to refuse to convene the meeting aft«r being requested to do so in suitable tenns by so large a number of ratepayers as have signed, or will sign the requisition ; it is sincerely to be hoped that members will retract their former

decision, and act in accordance with the wifi lies of a very large portion of their constituents in this respect. It has been stated by one member that by changing the form of disposal of these lands, a great ileal more expense will be necessary for advertising, but such is not the case, as not a penny more can be charged. All (lie alteration from the present announcements would be one or two lines, if so much, for by substituting “by public auction” in lieu of “public tender" everything needed would be effected. There is a great deal more feeling existing on this subject than members may think, the ratepayers very properly deeming the arguments in favour of tender, shallow and ridiculous, and naturally being anxious that the reserves should fetch as high prices a? possible, a result which, even the advocates of the fonder system admit is likely to be best achieved by auction sale. A Bazaar in aid of a new Wesleyan Church at Ilawera will be held at the Block-house, Ilawera, on Wednesday and Thursday, the Bth and 9th December next. Contributions of all kinds are invited, and many have already been promised. A new feature will also be introduced, in the shape of a variety of out-.loor amusements i i connection with the bazaar.

Complaints having Licit made to the police, relative to some uncovered anil dangerous wells in parts of the town where children play, Sergeant Whelan has reported three to the Chairman of the Town Hoard, in order that that body may take such steps as are necessary to prevent accident. An old cess-pool is also ex. posed, about which complaint is likewise made.

The Revernd Mr Agnew arrived in Car. !yle by coach on Monday from Wanganui, and was to have given a lecture in the evening, in the Albion room. Owing to some causes or other, chiefly to want of publicity being given, no one attended, and, after waiting half an hour beyond the announced time, the lights were put out, and the promised entertainment came to an abrupt conclusion. The reverend lecturer returned to Wanganui yesterday.

We understand the Institute Committee lias been prompt to follow the action taken by that of the Wellington Athenaeum, and is taking the necessary steps for incorporating the Institute under the “ Public Libraries’ Powers Act 1875,” to which we referred in a previous issue. Clause six of this Act provides that the committee for the time being of any Mechanics Institute or Public Library estabished, or in existence when this Act comes into operation, may make and sign a declaration of their wish to become incorporated under the provisions of the Act, A committee meeting was held on Monday evening, when a form of declaration in keeping with the various requirements of the Act, wa tt submitted by the Secretary, and unanimously approved of. A code of rules based on those of the Taranaki Institute but modified to suit onr local Institute, was carefully gone through and passed, and it is hoped that the Patea Institute will be placed on a legal footing by the end of the year.

At the last meeting of the Education Board, when arrangements were being made in connection with leasing reserves, it was resolved to have, in addition to advertisements, some posters printed, notifying the sectiaas to let with other particulars. Strange to say, those weie sent for to "Wanganui, more than forty miles distant, though there is a printing office within three doors of the Secretary’s office. On making enquiries relative to this somewhat strange proceeding, the Secretary stated that he was instructed by one of the members of the Board to send to Wanganui, and had accordingly done so. The value of the job is only afewshillinga, but by the present course carriage, in

addition to the printer’s charge, will have to be added, and the total cost will thus probably be more than if the work had been done on the spot. Apart from this the conduct of “ a member of the Board in issuing his directions, whether through malevolence or otherwise, is most extraordinary, and we cannot think for one moment that other members are either cognizant of or would sanction a system whereby local money is diverted to foreign channels. We trust on their next meeting some satisfactory explanation will be offered. The profit is nothing, but the principle whereby any single member can gratify his whim or spleen, in case of not being altogether en accord with the local newspaper proprietor, is vicious in itself, and humiliating to members as a body In the meantime it is hard to say whethe r the cool impertinence of “ a member - ’ or obsequiousness of the Secretary in obeying the above order can be most admired.

An extraordinary meeting of tho Patea District Jockey Club is called for Monday next, tho 29th inst., for business of different kinds. Chief amongst it is to arrange for a course in this neighbourhood. One of the reserves offered for lease by the Education Board is excellently adapted for a race-course, and it is the wish of many members of the club, we hear, to rent it for that purpose. It would certainly he most desirable to get a central central course for meeting, and we hope that arrangements to this end may bo consummated.

We congratulate the Ilawera residents on the fact that their town is proclaimed under the Town Board Ordinance, and without doubt their new status will be productive of much public good to the community as a whole. The Board will consist of seven members, and the election will be held on Wednesday next, December Ist. The 26th Road Board is now made perfect by four additional members being nominated. These arc Messrs John Gibson, James Soutbby, 0. Byrnes, and Joseph Ivess. The first meeting will take place immediately. Wo may add that the above gentlemen wore duly gazetted yesterdayI A special meeting of the Wairoa Highway Board was held on Saturday last the 20th inst., when there were present the Chairman, AVardens Fleming, McLean, and Lupton. The tender of J. and A. C. Milne for work on Nicholson Road was accepted, the amount being £45 ; For the Kohi Road three tenders wore received, viz , J. and A. V. Milne £B3 ; AV. AVatkins £7B; Dudley and Mayne, £75. The latter' was accepted. Two tenders were sent in for a small work on Cemetery Road, one by J. Dicke, for £7, and one by T. Allen, for £G 10s ; the latter was accep'ed. This ivas all the bus’noss and the Board then adjourned.

A general meeting of the Carlyle Cricket Club is called for Saturday evening next, at 8 o'clock, in the Court House.

A meeting of tin; working committor* of the Patea. Steam Navigation Company was bold on Monday last, at the office of tho company. The Secretary reported that, in accordance with instructions received at the last meeting, he had ■ communicated with the gentlemen who were proposed as agents, and that all of them had expressed their willingness to act. Further than that. they had every confidence in being able to dispose of a large number of shares, and expressed the greatest trust in the financial success of the speculation. A large number of shares were applied for at the meeting, and it was arranged that a thorough canvass of the district, in order to eflect the disposal of those remaining, should be commenced at once. There cannot bo the slightest doubt of the company being successfully launched, and it is supposed that the whole of the shares, not yet. taken up, will be easily placed, on the projected canvass being made. The directors are anxious to keep them as far as possible in the district, so as to directly interest residents in a gr/alor degree, and there is every prospect of their being most successful in this intention. Nothing could progress more satisfactorily than matters in connection with (he company have so far done. All difficulties in tho erection of a Town Hall in Carlyle have at length been overcome, and the building will be proceeded with without delay. Tenders are called for, and must bo sent in, on or before the 6th proximo. A meeting of the Patea Pastoral and Agricultural Association will be held on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’cloeV_ The “ Intelligent Vagrant” in tho New Zealand TimesHAya ; —Under some circumstances sawdust is not an efficient substitute for gunpowder. At the firing of the vice-regal salute, for instance, when the Volunteer Artillery, “ with their musicplaying tunes,” turned out to fire a salute on prorogation day, they found out the fact that I have briefly stated. The first gun was loaded, and the officer was watching the fiag at the Government House through a binocular, waiting for its disappearance, to give the order to blaze away. Little boys stood about, and made insulting comparisons between tho gunners and kitchen pokers. Two or throe young ladies contemplated through a halo of affection the forms of their adored ones in uniform, and all was expectation. At last tho officer gave tho word, the young ladies shut their eyes and put their lingers in their oars, and little boys got ready for a yell of triumph, an artillery man pulled the trigger, or did whatever is necessary to fire off one of these latterday cannons—and the cannon did not go off. It was tried again witli the same result. The officer cried “fire” in a voice that would have kindled a barrel of gunpowder but it was inefficacious on the cannon. The artillerymen began to perspire with silent agony, and the tallest of them was only restrained by discipline from chasing a little boy who suggested that they should ram him head first down the gun to find out what was the matter.” There was a pause of horror, and at last it was found out that they had loaded up with a sawdust practice cartridge. This was removed, the little boys in derision called the artillerymen “ timber noddles,” gunpowder replaced sawdust, and tire salute was fired.

1 Onr native friends evidently regard a railway train in the same light as a coach, to bo pulled up at the will of any intending 1 passenger. An instance of this is recorded ly the Budget as follows :—“ A Maori who came in the train from Waitara, having purchased a return ticket, failed to put in an appearance for the return journey until the train had actually started. He saw tlie train in motion, and called out lustily for it to be stopped. Of course the train went on. The Maori was very wrathful. He looked upon it as a broach of faith on the part of the raihva} - folks. Having the return ticket in possession, to which he triumphantly pointed, he considered they were hound to wait for him, or stop the train on his calling out. The ticket, according to the Maori’s idea, was an instrument of power, the simple showing of which would make the train stop. In reply to a deputation that waited on Major Atkinson in New Plymouth, he stated that he had no doubt the telegraphic line between that town and Opunake would be completed during the summer. He further stated that the line, at present existing, did not pay, though the commis* sionor’a report shows that the total value of telegrams amounted during the past year to £937 Os Gd and the cost of maintenance to £823 3s 5d only. As is very reasonably pointed out by a contemporary, the line would pay if the horse express was not needed between Stoncy Creek and Opunake, as in that case the stations at these places could be dispensed with till population settle at them. After some months of experimental boring, water has been struck at Napier at a depth of 220 feet, and the Town Board intend to connect service pipes with the artesian wells, to cany a supply of water to all parts of the town. The Waikato Tim?.? is about to use carrier pigeons for bringing news. I ;

A number of residents in Xas -by, Otago, says an exchange, have Formed themselves into a band, sworn to cat no tie si i hut that of goats, and drink no wine uusteeped in the blood of young kids, until the township is freed from the goat nuisance. The cemetery managers, exasperated at the loss of their trees, are calling for tenders for the destruction of goats at one penny per head. Altogether it promises to be lively times among the goat tribe. Under the heading of “ Classics on the Bench,” an Auckland paper writes —Judge Fenton has quite a happy way of dealing with crime. Ho throws quite a halo of poetry and classic beauty around the most repulsive features of the cases which come before the Auckland Police Court. He touches nothing that ho does not adorn. The must verbal distinctions he deals with as airy trifles to relieve the monotony of the proceeding. The other day, during the hearing of the case against Kirby, charged with a criminal offence, Judge Fenton quoted (Jlaribel’s song “Strangers yet,” French, ami an ode of Horace. If this sort of thing be properly cultivated, Judge Fenton’s daily levee will develop into a morning fashionable where the scholar and the man of science will resort for mutual profit and instruction and criminals will esteem it an honor to be made the subjects of so much learned disquisition.”

Some months ago a digger by the name of Stanley was admitted to the Hokitika hospital, where, through indisposition, he was obliged to remain for several months. The sequel is thus told by the West Coast Times ;—When leaving he stated that he was without funds, but lie desired to pay for the medical attendance and board provided him while in the hospital, and ho requested that the account for the same should be rendered to his friend and relative, the Earl of Derby. The Secretary of the institution actingupon the directions given, though not without some doubt at the time of any successful result, posted the account mentioned, which amounted to £2O ss. By the last English mail a remit, tance was received for the amount, and a receipt has been forwarded to the “ cousin of the Earl,” who is at present at work in the Kanieri district.

The Lancet contains the following curious paragraph on the use of the mosquito :—Dr. S. W. Francis (U. S. A. ) thinks he has discovered tho cut hono in the economy of nature, of this pest in warm climates. He believes the mosquito was created for tho purpose of driving man from malarial districts ; for in his opinion no region where tho chills and fever prevail can he free from this little animal. Now, if man will not go after the warning given in humming accents, then the mosquito injects hypodermically > little liquid which answers two purposes—first to render the blood thin enough to be drawn up through its tube ; and. secondly, in order to inject that which possesses the principles of quinine. The Wellington Podl urges tho desirabi’ity of post cards being introduced in the Colony. In Sydney, where a commencement had just been made, 12,000 cards were sold on the first two days of

issue,

A man in Dunedin Ims been convicted of Ihe novel crime of having stolen three bibles. He did not, however, keep them for his own use, but sold them to three ladies.

A very narrow escape is reported by the Budget as having occurred at Taranaki, as follows :—“ As the ballast train was coming into town last evening about five o’clock, the whistle was blown as usual at the back of Brougham-street. Mr E. Welcome was passing along by Ansley's at the time, and, apparently quite unconscious of approaching danger, sauntered along and on the track, just as the engine reached the Devon-strect crossing. Tliero was a sorepcli from the engine the break clapped on, a yell from the bystanders, and by the barest shave Mr Welcome escaped contact, with the engine. The shave was so close that bystanders for the moment thought he was caught. This only shows the need for at all times being careful on approaching the cross-

Wherever the pastures of Western Missouri have been destroyed by the grasshoppers, new varieties of grass have sprung up which the oldest inhabitant never saw before. The principal of these is a green bush grass of luxuriant growth, which now covers pastures and door-yards, where only blew grass has grown for many a year before. Stock eat it with avidity.

A Cork contemporaiy Rays that a remarkable phenomenon lias Declined at Clow Bay, Westport. An island in Ini.shgowia was discovered covered with fish, much to the astonishment of the islanders who were unable to explain from, where their flight originated, or by what mysterious means they came upon the island, which is at present veiled in mystery. It is thought that a tidal wave might have occurred during the night and deposited them there, but it is not definitely ascertained as yet. The matter lias created much surprise in the locality. Cats are being sold in Clyde, and Alexandra, Province of Otago, at 4s per head. Oood monsers/' in some instances fetch almost fancy prices.

Publicans will do well to have a can* wi.h their barmaids, for we (Southern Crn.i.:) learn that on Tuesday night one of those interesting young persons were initiated into (he arts and mysteries of Good Temphuism.

The punishment of Fernando Garcia, (he Spaniard recently arrested for cutting Murillo’s famous picture “ The appearance of the Infant Christ to St. Anthony,” from its frame in the cathedral of Sevido, and selling it to Mr Behans, of New York, was pretty summary, lie was shot dead at Madrid, after his hurried journey from that country in charge of a detective, almost without the formality of a trial. Detective Davis, of New York, received IU,UOU dollars for capturing him.

It is a curious fact that there are in N'-w Zealand 93!) persons having no native land, having boon born at see.

Dr James Hurdle, of Manchester, at a recent medical congress in Edinburgh, tubs ns how a young girl, having lost her nasal bones and cartilage, came to him to be repaired. In the most daring manner ho determined to put a new nose on her. He bandaged her arm in such a position aa to “enable the forefinger to be laid and plastered on her nasal cavity,” and kept there for about three months. Without any idea how nearly he approaches to a worker of miracles, Dr Hardie modestly says :—“ After the first few days the girl did not Buffer from the irksomeness of her position. Gradually the finger become attached to the cavity.” Ultimately the upper joint was snipped ffiff by forceps from the rest, and being duly trimmed and carved by Dr Ilardie’s dexterous scalpel, and covered with, grafted flaps of skin from the face and arm, it grew into a most respectable nose indeed.