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Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 163, 1 November 1876, Page 2

As was anticipated, the District Court

will be adjourned, Judge Kenny rightly thinking that an appeal case, in which the whole amount in dispute is L 8 12s, is not sufficient to justify him in putting the Government to the expense of holding a oourt-on tins occasion, xno race mac there is no other criminal or civil business for the Court to deal with speaks volumes for the district, showing first that crime is almost absent, and secondly that commercial matters must be on a very sound basis, inasmuch as the Resident Magis trate’s jurisdiction here only extends to L2O, and no larger suitors have found it necessary for the recovery of their dues to come to the District Court. According to Supremo Court custom, a pair of white and spotless gloves are presented to the Judge at maiden sittings. Whether that extends to those who preside at District Courts we do not know, but, if so, Judge Kenny has fairly earned them. The Courtwill be formally opened to-day, and will be at once adjourned. In few parts of the Colony has there been greater interest taken in the progress of the Counties Bill through the Assembly

than in the Patea district, and this is not surprising when it is remembered that the county containing it will, very probably, be one of the richest and most prosperous on all the list. The original hill has boon cruelly mutilated, the boundaries as first proposed have been reduced in area—though not materially—but the residents are still satisfied, and great desire for the Act to come into operation exists. There are already three declared candidates for the Chairmanship in the field, two residing in Carlyle, and one settler holding land a few miles out, not a hundred miles from Whenuakura. How many more may aspire to the honor has yet to be seen. It will be an honor without doubt, and a position that will require the exercise of some ability in the preliminary working of the new system.

There has been a strange oversight on the part of the Education Committee, in l not hitherto sinking a well, whereby water for the use of the children at this school (Carlyle) could always obtain water for drinking purposes, or for performing necessary ablutions. At present there is no provision for the youngsters to get a drink during the thirstiest weather, and they cither have to beg it of those living near or go home to obtain it. As a matter of course, those living at a distance have to appeal to people living near the school, and this is sometimes troublesome. It may be said that an ordinary well might bo a source of danger, as children might fall in ; but this could be readily averted by the erection of a cheap pump, and having a substantial cover over the shaft. Wo diope the matter will receive the consideration of the Board at their next meeting. Though no District Court will sit, Mr G. D. Harameiton, tho well-known solicitor, has arrived from New Plymouth, in accordance with his announcement, and is prepared to transact business with his clients. He returns on Friday.

The first meeting of the lately elected Hospital Committee will beheld to-morrow evening at the office of the lion, secretary, Mr Harris. We hope that their labors will bear early fruit, and that the institution will soon bo in working order. We presume that the first efforts of the existing committee will be to organise local committees, and make arrangements for collecting the sinews of war. Mr George Brown, the well known watchmaker and jeweller of Wanganui, has determined—-most judiciously in our opinion—on opening an establishment in Carlyle. To-nigbt ho will oiler a large and valuable stock in Hawera, where lie will dispose of it at lower prices than could be conceived possible. In a very short time lie will have his business started here. Mr W. Courtney, of Taranaki, will bold an important sale of cattle at Opnnake, on Monday next, November Gth. Particulars can be seen in our advertising columns. In our last issue a letter appeared with reference to Ball Road being opened up. The letter read that it would be absolutely necessary to open the road in question, because a “ grassed road” would be unable to bear the traffic, it should have read because “ Garsed Road” would be unable to bear the traffic. The members of the local cricket club will have their hands full this week. Tomorrow (Thursday) they will play against Wairoa on the new ground hero ; and on Saturday they will play the Hawera-Waihi club, on this ground also. We believe that the team to encounter the latter could not bo definitely chosen, but the following will do battle for the Carlylists to-morrow, against Wairoa : —Messrs Jacomb, Tapi in, Fraser, Inman, Tciment, Drake, Baggett, Dasent’s (2) Rev. Dascnt, and Dr. Croft, Wickets will be pitched at 10 a.m., and drawn at half-past six in the evening, should the game not bo concluded by that time On the part of the Wavcrley’s or Wairoas, Messrs Mason, Hookes, Dudley, Perry, Butcher, Thurston, Sangstcr, Howiei Swinburn, Fraser, and W. Sangstcr will wield the willow.

A Mrs Marian Stewart, of Yvhakatane, Napier, was gazetted last week to bo an interpreter under the Native Land Act of 1873. This is, wc believe, the first time a female has received a license under the Act.

Mr Lee, Inspector of Schools, paid his annual visit to the Carlyle school on Monday last, and occupied the whole day in thoroughly examining the children in it. The examination was no superficial one, but a thoroughly searching and dole one, ana the Inspector -was not only pleased, but exceedingly surprised at its results. For the first standard, twenty-three children presented themselves, and twenty-one of them passed. For the second and third the success was beyond the average, but not ccpial to the first. For the fourth standard there were three candidates, two of whom, Miss Catherine Williams and Master Tom Hirst, passed with flying colors, the third being turned back on account of some deficiencies, winch were anticipated. He passed very creditably in the third standard. Both the successful candidates have achieved their distinctions within little more than a year, and their success reflects equal credit on their industry and intelligence, and on the sound tuition that they must have received During part of the examinations, several parsnts were present, and when proceedings had terminated Mr Lee made a few remarks. lie especially complimented Mr Dyer on the very high efficiency his school had attained, and indeed no greater testimony could be borne by inspector to master than Mr Lee offered to Mr Dyer. It seems that in all the schools in the Wellington province there arc not twenty

scnoiars wno nave passeu mo lounn standard, and of these scarcely any so young as the Patea ones, neither of whom have reached their full thirteen years. The examination was most rigidly con ducted throughout, and the proficiency shown should be a great satisfaction to parents, pupils, and master. Some pupils in the school were specially mentioned by Mr Lee in his report entered on the school log, and we havo been permitted to copy extracts from it. Wo do so gladly, as Ids remarks will doubtlessly be interesting to their parents. We may promise that 40 boys and 18 girls presented themsolvea for examination. Mr Lee says, speaking of standard two —“ David Paterson and and Isabella Aitchaon obtained full marks,” in other words, all that was possible. Further on he says—“ Edward Usshcr is an excellent reader in his standard. ■’ The elder brother of the last-mentioned boy, Sydney Usshcr, was still more complimented on liis arithmetic, Mr Lee saying—“ Sydney Usshcr obtained full marks in arithmetic for standard 3,” that means he did the whole of his task without mistake. lie winds up by saying—“Kate Williams and Thomas Hirst passed standard 4 creditably, the former doing exceedingly good work throughout. The results are very satisfactory.” Very terse, but very meaning these last few words, and wc hope that in all subsequent examinations he will conclude as well.

The Art Union for the four racehorses, the property of Messrs Mcßae and Nicholson, who are abandoning the turf, will take place in Wanganui this evening. The animals have all all won first-class reputations, the names of Medora, for a long while the champion hurdleracer, Butcher Boy, winner of several steeple chases, Firetail, and Gazelle, being household words in New Zealand sporting circles. Several shares have been taken here, snd we hope sincerely that the horses will return to their old district, even though with new owners.

Captain Campbell Walker, whose title we do not exactly remember, but who has been fortunate enough to secure the chief appointment under the “Forests Act”— one of the whimsical creations of our late Premier—lias been trying to earn his money by travelling. In order to do this, he has been interviewing the slopes-of Mount Egmont and other places within the last week, and has considered whether a reserve of 50,000 acres of bush at its base was desirable or not. No doubt when ho gives his opinion it will be worth all his salary and travelling oxpenses. He was accompanied to Hawera on Monday by an officer, with an orderly in his train, and passed through Carlyle yesterday morning, to inspect the forestlcss lands between here and Wanganui. Can the force of folly go further than to have wholly unnecessary officials for wholl} 7 unnecessary work, and make the Government a laughing stock ? The new combination has promised reform. One of its first acts should be to get rid of the pseudo-forester, and though he may not be the “ Correct Card” imputed to him, still ho is not necessary to the well-being of the Colony, audit would be the “correct card” on the part of the Government to give him leave to return to India at the earliest possible moment. The Forest Act was a humbug from the first, and, without wishing to depreciate officers appointed under it, the Government cannot, in the present financial condition of Now Zealand, continue to carry on fancy Acts of the kind, involving large and useless expenditure.

As to the Waitotara district going ahead, no one who has visited it of late could doubt. There has been a growing necessity for sale yards, whsrohy settlers might buy and sell between each other, or where they could dispose of stock for export, or for up-country places without the intervention of a middleman. This requirement has been supplied by Messrs Ashforth and LilTiton, of Wanganui, who have of late erected most substantial and expensive sale yards, where they propose to hold periodical auctions of stock. Their first sale is announced in our advertising columns, and wo are quite sure wiil bo attended. Wo need hardly say that we wish the firm every success On this, their new venture.

The writer of <- 0!d Identities” in the Auckland Cross says—" On the beach, in front of the Victoria Hotel, on the 29th of January, 1855, a great Maori war dance took place, the last war dance ever seen in the city. The day was beautifully clear, snd nearly all the inuabitants, men, women and children, turned out to witness the porfomance. It was during low water, and at that time the beach was clean and firm, and the ladies as usual got to the front rank to have the best view. The Maoris were the picked men who had come in their large war canoes to attend the regatta, and they were a fine lot of men. They began as usual with the quiet montonous grunt ; but when the quick “ ha ! ha!” the united jump, the glaring eyes, tire protruded longue, the wild shiiek, and olf went the blankets, and then they were stark naked. There was a scream from the front rank of spectators, and a rush of ladies through Victoria Lane such as never has been witnessed before nor since that time.

Ileremia te Wake, of Ilokianga, wri'ei to the ]Vaha Maori that he and two others, and a European, weie in the forest searching for crabs in the streams, when they came across a salt spring situated some 20 miles in the forest. The ground around was encrusted with salt half an inch or so in thickness. The water bubbled up with a gugling sound. On the pakeha thrusting a stick into it to prove its depth, the natives sprang up a tree in terror and afright, expecting to see him destroyed by the presiding genius of the spring, for they believed it was of supernatural origin. However, seeing their pakeha friend uninjured, they shortly rejoined him. Their fathers had told them that a spring existed somewhere in that particular bush, guarded by demons, who would slay any one approaching it; they fanccd they had stumbled upon that spring, and were in consequence dreadfully alarmed.

The daring young Signorina Speltimi, a young Italian lady, performed a short time ago her promised feat of walking across the Niagara Falls on a tight-rope, which was stretched immediately over the point where the rapids boil most furiousty, and a couple of hundred feet beyond the suspension bridge. At this point, the same at which Blondin stretched his second rope, the gorge is more than 1,800 feet across, and the banks about 200 feet above the seething water. It is one of the .wildest and most troubled parts of the river. The rope was two and a quarter inches in diameter, of the best manilla, and weighed nearly a ton. The lady was attired in green boots, flesh-coloured tights, a tunic of scarlet, and a shining green dodicc. Bands at each side of the river played during the walk. She reached the Canadian side in eleven minutes. At the expiration of ten minutes the Signorina again appeared, balance-pole in band, and began the return journey. Steadily she came back across the long line, stopping at the centre to rest upon one knee, then again stepping forward with measured and steady tread. When within a few rods of her final destination she stood immovable for a moment while being photographed. She then traversed the remaining distance safely. The wind toyed with the Signorina’s flowing hair, hut did not disturb her equipoise; and she enlivened her sedate march with a few fancy steps, which showed her thorugh disregard 'of fear. . ,

SALE OF CONFISCATED LANDS. We are able, By the courtesy of the Officer Charge of Confiscated Lands, to furnish correct particulars of the result of the late sale, which.will bo found below. It will be'seen that the prices realised were high, and it must be clear that the demand for land in this district is greatThe following are the returns : Kakaeamea Township. Sec. - Area. Purchasers and

Many more lots were offered, which were not disposed of. In the above return we have made no reference to them, so any omission in this respect may be so explained. According to the conditions, the terms of payment were as follows : One-fourth of the purchase money in cash on the fall of the hammer; the remainder at or before the expiration of three calendar months from the day of sale ; to be paid at the office of the Officer in Charge of Confiscated Lands, Patea. By clause 18 of the Confiscated Lands Regulations of the 11th May, 1871, in the event of the second payment not being made as aforesaid,* the sale will be void, and the deposit forfeited.

256 A. 0 R. 1 p. 0 prices. H Williamson, £15 257 0 1 0 n n 258 0 1 0 J Duncan, £14 259 0 1 0 „ _ £15 260 0 1 0 M Keating, £17 261 0 1 0 „ £20 262 0 1 0 S Dixon, £26 264 0 1 13 H Williamson, £10 15s 265 0 1 0 „ £6 5s 266 0 1 0 „ £7 15s 267 0 1 0 „ £9 5s 268 0 1 33 M Keating, £16 269 0 1 0 S Dixon, £8 15s 270 0 1 0 „ £8 6s 271 0 1 0 „ £17 274 0 0 37 R. E. McRae, £33 10s 275 0 0 38 W Stephens £18 277 0 1 0 W Cowern, £11 5s 278 0 1 0 J Duncan, £11 10s 279 0 1 0 „ £12 280 0 1 0 Church of England, £5 281 0 1 0 J Dnncan, £10 J Armstrong, £10 282 0 1 0 284 0 0 37 M Keating, £18 10a 286 0 1 0 W Cowern, £11 287 0 1 0 J Duncan, £11 288 0 1 0 T J Hinde, £8 10s 289 0 1 0 Church of England, £5 290 0 1 0 J Duncan, £10 S Atkins, £9 291 0 1 0 293 0 1 0 T J Hinde, £12 10s 294 0 1 0 S Symons, £8 295 0 1 0 T J Hinde, £10 5s 296 0 1 0 J Duncan, £10 297 0 1 0 „ £8 10s 298 0 1 0 W Duirs, £8 299 0 1 0 J Keys, £8 10s 300 0 1 0 J Duncan, £8 5$ 301 0 1 0 R Fetch, £9 302 0 1 0 „ £12 5s 303 0 1 0 J Duncan, £9 304 0 1 0 „ £6 10s 305 0 1 0 „ £6 10s 306 0 1 0 „ £5 10a 307 0 1 0 „ £6 10s 308 0 1 0 H WrkeLord, £5 15s 309 0 1 0 J Iveys, £5 5s 310 0 1 0 J Duncan, £5 10s 311 0 1 0 R Fetch, £5 15s 312 0 1 0 „ £6 15s 313 0 1 0 T Roots, £8 10s 317 0 1 0 J Hansen, £7 10s 318 0 1 0 ., £7 10s 319 0 1 0 J Mansen, £5 320 0 1 0 „ £5 10 s 321 0 1 0 II Wakeford, £5 15s 322 0 1 0 W Rose, £6 5s 323 0 1 0 J Duncan, £8 324 0 1 6 W Rose, £15 325 0 2 0 J Hansen, £11 10s 326 0 2 0 „ £13 327 0 2 0 ,, £13 328 0 2 0 „ £10 10s 329 0 2 0 „ £12 15s W Rose, £10 5s 332 0 1 8 333 0 1 9 II I Davis, £8 15s 334 0 1 8 D Coults, £10 15s 335 0 1 18 W King, £19 337 0 1 0 F Williamson, £5 5s 338 0 1 0 L Drowery, £5 15s 339 0 ■1 0 F McLean, £5 15s 340 341 0 1 0 „ £5 10s W Gower, £5 5s 0 1 0 ' 342 0 1 0 J Duncan, £8 i 343 0 1 0 E Payne, £9 345 0 1 0 F Williamson, £5 5s ! 346 0 1 0 L Drewory, £5 10s ; 347 0 1 9 H Williamson, £5 ; 348 0 1 0 a n I 349 0 1 0 H M 1 350 0 1 0 W Robertson, £5 5s 351 0 1 0 J Duncan, £7 j 352 0 1 0 H Williamson, £5 I 353 0 1 0 ,, 356 0 1 0 J W C Wood, ,, 357 0 1 0 i> a 358 0 1 0 )! I) 359 0 1 0 II 1) 360 0 1 0 T Roots, £5 10s 361 0 1 0 W Micham, £7 5s 362 0 1 0 ,, £5 5s 363 0 1 0 „ £5 364 0 1 0 J W C Wood’,’£5 366 0 1 0 367 0 1 0 » » 368 0 1 0 n a 369 0 1 0 n n 370 0 1 0 a a 375 0 1 9 J Duncan, £9 376 0 1 35 „ £810s 377 0 1 35 L Drewery, ,, 378 0 1 35 G A M archant, £9 379 0 1 35 II Williamson, £8 5s 380 0 1 35 H Wakeford, £8 381 0 1 35 „ £7 10s 382 0 1 35 Napier & Mitchell, £7 5s 383 0 1 35 j) a 384 0 1 35 ,i £8 590 68 Otoia-Opaku Brock. 3 24 W Cowern, L72 Cs 591 90 7 30 „ L172 8s 6d 592 45 2 23 T Delamorc, LI 26 3s 593 48 3 38 R C Clifford, L97 10s 594 50 0 10 L Dunn, L102 10s 595 50 0 5 „ L92 10s 596 41 2 12 „ L99 12s 597 53 1 0 L166 8s 598 58 0 0 T Struthers, LI 10 4s 599 217 0 0 R Fetch, L314 13s COO 68 1 0 T Struthers, L122 17s 601 82 0 0 W Dalziel, LI 31 4s 602 50 0 0 „ L91 5s T Struthers, L91 17s 6d 603 55 2 30 604 51 2 7 L94 19s 6d 605 82 2 0 W King, LI 27 17s 6d 606 89 2 0 „ LI38 14s 6d 611 257 0 0 J Dnncan, L411 4s 612 98 0 0 „ L225 8s T Roots, L101 17s 6d 616 81 2 4 017 66 0 9 „ L100 13s S Walker, L93 10s 6d 618 62 1 25 610 244 2 0 W Dale, L244 10s 623 383 0 0 C Brown, L577 10s 024 299 0 0 ,, L196 3s F McCarthy, L239 029 239 0 0