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Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 128, 1 July 1876, Page 2

Wc are glad to say that the ridiculous idea of marching off the Armed Constabulary, stationed throughout the district, to Waihi, in order to make that lively place bead quarters, lias been abandoned, or at least, in official phraseology, held in abeyance. This translated into ordinary parlance, means dropping it gently altogether, the wisest course open under the circumstances. Had there been the slightest occasion for the move, no one would have objected, but as it was both expensive and unnecessary, as well as productive of great inconvenience to those chiefly concerned, the cancellation of the order was both politic and considerate.

The Education Board will meet on Monday next, at the office of the Secretary. Amongst other business will bo tiie appointment of a female teacher for the Manutahi school, for which the salary is £BO a year. Applications, we would remind those interested, must be sent in to-day to Mr Coworn, secretary, the Board meeting to determine them, as stated above, at 10 o’clock on Monday. The next Open Lodge of the Good Templars takes place on Thursday next, and the entertainment to be offered will be more than usually attractive. The first part of the programme will be a Spelling Bee, open to all comers, for which good prizes will be given, and all arrangements for carrying it out properly are being made. Though what has been termed the Spelling Bee mania lias penetrated nearly everywhere, in the colonics, the old country, and America, the latter being its birthplace, it has not yet reached Patea, anti the forthcoming event will be the first of its Vinci that has been held in the district or near it. It is hoped and expected that many settlers, who pride themselves on their orthography, will come in, either as a portion of the audience or as competitors, and the public generally who attend may roly upon excellent fun being provided for them. -Indeed the amusement afforded must be witnessed to be realised thoroughly. Should the weather be favorable, as it will be moonlight, a large gathering will no doubt be attracted by the novelty. Entries will be received up to the meeting, but those unable to give in their names as competitors, prior to that time, will be allowed to join then. The second part of the entertainment will consist of music, recitations, &c., and in all probability, the usual climax to those gatherings, a dance, will wind up the proceedings.* Tenders, called for works at Garsed Bead, will be received by Mr W. Dale, Secretary, Patea ; West Hoad Board, till 2 o’clock on Monday next. Mr Barber, the well-known Wellington cattle dealer, is at present in this part on business, and will be able without difficulty to select stock fit, not only for Wellington, but for any market in the world. We hear that ho is in treaty for an extensive property'in. the Patea district,- and purposes carrying on stock rearing operations on a large scale, ■if the bargain be concluded. -

Wo remind our readers that a large

auction sale of cattle, horses, &c., Avill be held by Mr Win Dale this day at the I’atca pound at 12 o’clock. Afterwards, bo Avill sell at bis mart a first-class spring waggon, furniture, merchandise, &c., &c. The right to erect a booth on the ground at the ensuing ploughing match,-will also bo sold by him Ibis day'.

On Saturday' next, the Bth inst, tbirty'nine allotments of land, varying in area from fifty' to one hundred and ten acres, situated on the Mountain Bead and proposed railway line, near the intended village at the Wuipuku riA'er, Avill be offered for sale by auction at New Plymouth. Land in the South-east corner of the Moa Block is open for selection to-day', on deferred payments.

The Town Board will meet on Monday CA'ening next, but tbe business to be transacted is, avo boar, not of special importance. In connection with this body’, avo may' say' that a great many of those Avbo bid for and obtained leases of reserves at the late sale arc inclined to jib on their bargains, though Avliether these non-con-tents intend to make formal application for release or not avc are not aware. Their impression is that, as they' have signed no deeds, they' arc not responsible for more than deposit money' Avbicli they are Availing to forfeit. It is hoav t%vo months since tbe sale, and the delay in the preparation of the leases is likely to seriously affect the Board’s exchequer, in case of purchasers being able to throAv up tboir sections. Had these been prepared on tbe spot within a Aveck or two, they' Avould liaA'o been signed at once, no%v the probability is, not only that the useless tA\’o guinea parchments will ha\'e to bo paid for, but that the reserves to which they ha\'e reference will be again thrown on the bands of the Board. The subject will no doubt bo brought up at the coming meeting, and bo then, it is to bo hoped, finallv determined one Avay or the other.

In the B.M. Court yesterday there was no police business. The cross cases between Messrs Lett and McGuire were adjourned in consequence of the absence of the latter, costs being allowed to Mr Lett. In Baynton v. A. Wright, a verdict for £G 10s 7d, the amount claimed, with 18s costs, was given. An action was brought by Mr Vincent of Waitotara, against Mr Brewer of the same place, to recover 80s alleged to have been illegally paid by plaintiff, in releasing some horses from pound. The facts were that some horses of the plaintiff’s were running on defendant’s land, and the latter gave due notice that they should bo removed within a given time as provided by the Ordinance. Plaintiff did not so remove them, when defendant impounded them, and the amount claimed was paid to got them out. Plaintiff did not appear, and the ease was tli.sini.siiJOtl wiilt b is Gd costs, this Amount being incurred by the attendance of three witnesses for defendant, suppeenaes, mileage for service of summonses, &c, &c. There was no appearance of either party, in Gundry v. Hori Krei. The magistrates on the Bench were, Major Turner, R.M., H. F. Christie, Esq., and Or Croft, J.P’s, the latter gentleman, on this occasion, took his seat for the first time.

Farmers and breeders in the Patea district, will be glad to hear that Mr Qninlivan has purchased the splendid draught entire, Tom King, and will travel him bore during the next season. Tom King is a pure Clydesdale, color bay, eight years old, and stands 17 hands high. He is described as possessed of great bone ami substance, fine mild temper, and a good worker. Ills breeding is undeniable, both sire and dam being imported animals. He is of a class much wanted, and will be a boon to breeders *f every kind.

The Tiniam Herald of the 12th instant says: —A case occurred in town on Monday night, where a man who had taken three tablespoons of the drug known as Hunter’s Solution of Choral, was recovered from the point of death by means of electricity. The facts of the case arc briefly as follows ; —Drs Hammond and Cole were called to attend on a person, whose name we are furnished with but are not at liberty to give,,and who was found quite insensible —in fact, at his last gasp —from having taken four drachms of the ding-above mentioned. Artificial restoration was at once restored to, and kept up until the patient was made to breathe freely, when electricity, by means of three powerful batteries, was applied. This was kept up incessantly until 12 o’clock yesterday, when the patient first began .to show signs of returning . consciousness. After several relapses he was at length so far recovered as to be able to speak and take some nourishment. We believe that this is, one of the most extraordinary cures on record, a half-drachm of the drug having been known to prove fatal in many instances ; whereas the person in question took at least eight times that quantity. Dipthem, (says the Eangitikei Advocate) seems prevalent throughout the district, and not confined to any particular locality. The deaths of two of. the daughters of Mr Coomb, of Fern Flat, were recorded in the Advocate of last Monday, and •wo regret to have _ to announce in our present issue that of the eldest daughter of Mr Donald Fergusson.. ,

An Aucklandcorrespoiulentof asoutlicrn contemporary writes : —“ The Maoris have not lost their love for greenstone mores in their new civilisation. They sport watches and gold chains, but the old more emblem of chieftainship and the standard of the tribe—is still the most highly prized of all. Mr James Rolfe, of the greenstone factory in this city, has just finished cutting, a monster piece of stone, "which weighed over six hundred weight. The work took several months, and the cost of emery powder alone was over £GO. It is the first time so large a piece of greenstone has been cut in the colony. The block was brought from the west coast of the middle island fifteen years ago, ami was shipped to Melbourne and Sydney to bo cut into the required sizes, but was returned because the work could not be done. When brought back to Auckland a number of Waikato natives sold a block of land and purchased it. After this, tho greenstone was taken to the Waikato, and buried for safety for twelve years. King Tawhiao is said to be the greatest shareholder in the block, which is at last cut into slabs, that one way and tho other cost about two thousand pounds.” It is no uncommon occurrence in tropical climates to hear of a dog being devoured by a shark, but it is a. novelty when the proceeding is reversed in a latitude so far south as Hobart Town ; yet, those who were passing the Waterman’s Dock at 11 o’clock the other day (says the Tasmanian Tribune) witnessed the latter feat being performed by a half-bred Newfoundland and retriever dog, belonging to Mr Charles Dillon, the well-known waterman. The first.seen of the shark was his tail, which was above water, midway between the two stairs, and in an instant the dog was swimming towards it. Carlo then dived and presently reappeared with a shark four feet long between his jaws, having a hold round the belly. The tough hide of the dog’s antagonist prevented his getting a firm grip, and he had to, let it go for a moment, which opportunity the shark availed himself of to make an attempt to bite the dog, but he was not quick enough, for Carlo caught him by the head and presently dragged him ashore. The dog was not injured in the least, but the shark was found to have one of his eyes completely torn out. The waterman quickly disembowelled him and threw the carcase back into the water, when Carlo once more brought it on shore. Tho pluck shown by Carlo was generally admired, and it is the first instance we have heard of a dog so courageously attacking a shark in its own element.

The social and moral standard of Auckland cannot be a high one, judging from the two subjoined paragraphs, clipped from a recent issue of the Auckland StarThe first says “We would advise ladies not to venture out after tea without their lovers or husbands,' especially in any of tho by streets, for if they venture out alone they must expect to be insulted, or dogged I) 3* some prowler or other. Several respectable females have lately been molested in this way by vagabonds in cloth coats. Two ladies last evening were passing up Shortlnnd-strect, when a determined looking fellow pounced upon them from Council-street, followed them to their own door, and then decamped. He even shook his fist in the face of one of the ladies. Not a constable was to bo seen.” The second is more suggestive, and runs thus:— “ We understand that the police will take an>' respectable gentleman into custody, bo his social standing what it may, if found in houses of questionable such as ‘Miriam’s Roost,’ in Havelock--■ street, which was disturbed a few evenings since. Had not the ‘respectable men ’on that occasion ran to the tune of ‘ Over the hills and far away,’ they most certainly would have been apprehended, and their names would have appeared in our Police Court mirror of wrong doers. AVe trust this warning will be sufficient to induce ‘ respectable men ’ to keep good company and good hours.”

Taking in connection with the fact Prince Alfred has gone on a two years’ cruise, and his wifo has returned to Russia and also with the late allegation that there was talk of a divorce in a very high circle in England, the following paragraph from an English newspaper is curiously significant : —“The Duchess of Edinburgh does not intend to return to England. She has bought a villa in one of the islands of the Neva, which form the Bois de BoulognV of St. Petersburg!!. The price she paid for it is 300,000 roubles, and a French architect is engaged to add a new wing to this residence. Her Royal and Imperial Highness has gone home with an unpleasant impression of England and the English. She dislikes the climate, the coal smoke, the noise of street traffic in London, and of railways in the country, the Court, the people, and everything but the servants, whoso silent way of getting through their work pleased her. The Duchess knows how to use her pen, and corresponded freely with friends at St. Petersburg. Quotations from her letters have found their way to Paris, where distinguished Russians are numerous.” A farmer at Sheffield hcs been fined 40s for cruelty to a horse which he was taming by electricity. Horse taming by electricity, the Illustrated London News remarks, is now being freely practised.