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Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 181, 3 January 1877, Page 2

We remind Hawera Town Board ratepayers that the rate roll for the current period will be discussed and finally agreed on, on the 24th inst. A notice to that effect appears in our advertising columns, and objectors must attend accordingly.

A general meeting of the Hawera Town Hall Company will be held to-morrow, the 4th inst. In the announcement it will be seen that the business is the election of a permanent director. The hour of meeting is not stated but we presume it will be in the evening.

The addresses of Messrs Davidson, of Hawera, and Peacock, of Manutahi, thanking the electors for not returning them to the new County Council, are published. On the other hand, Mr Winks is grateful for the honor conferred. As we have previously stated, the status of the candidates was unexceptionable, and therefore, though some of them were compelled to suffer defeat, none could possibly be considered to be disgraced by the result.

At the Eangitikei races on New Year’s Day, the Hurdle race was won by Te Whetu Marama, Ireland second, after a splendid race. For the Produce Stakes, Sunshine was first. The Ladies’ Purse and Goodwood Stakes were taken by Treason. The Handicap was won by Mr Durie’s g m Elsie, Flora McDonald second. The Consolation Stakes were won by Haphazard. The meeting passed off most successfully, and great credit is due to those who had the management of the proceedings.

On Saturday last a man named W. B. Wood, who is well-known in this township, made one of the most deliberate attempts at suicide that we have known. It seems that he was stopping at the house of Mr Shaw, settlor, in the Whenuakura Block, and in the absence of the proprietor, deliberately sharpened an old carving knife, got hold of a bucket, Inflicted five wounds in his throat, and bled himself into the vessel in question. Owing, as he states himself, to the weapon being too blunt, the wounds were not as serious as intended, but they were so severe as to cause him to faint, and on Mr Shaw’s coming home, he found him prostrated with nearly a quarter of a bucket of blood alongside the would-be suicide. Assistance was at once obtained, temporary bandaging being applied, and Dr. Walker was sent for post haste. All that could be done was done by Mr Shaw, and on Sunday Wood was brought into Carlyle, and housed in the temporary hospital, where he is now being treated. Although the attempt was so determined, it is likely that he will recover, but Chambers has been sworn in as a special constable, and the lunatic, for he can be regarded in no other light, will, on recovery, be brought up before the R.M. Court. He is getting on marvellously, the wour.da in his throat having been sewn up, and his recovery, we are informed, is almost certain. The person in question is, we understand, well connected at home, was formerly a medical student, and, in consequence, went by the soubriquet of “ the doctor.”

The return cricket match between Waverly and Patea, came off on New Year’s Day, on the ground of the former. The weather proved all that could be desired, and. a number of people were present to witness the match. The captain of the Wairoas (Mason) won the toss and sent the Patea team in first, and the result was that the innings closed for 120, out of which Fetch made 38, Fraser 36, and Tapi in 10. In the first innings of the Waverly team, the bowling of Messrs Fetch and B’raser, was more destructive than any ever seen in this district, their opponents being disposed of for 10 in all. The Waverly next assumed the willow, but even oh this occasion fortune was sadly adverse to them, as they could only put 44 together. This made a total of 31 only, so the Patea Club won in one innings with 74 runs to spare. The scoring book is missing through some cause or other, and we therefore cannot give the details we would wish. The victory however, was most decided, and we wish our Waverly friends better success next lime.

j A new blacksmith firm has started here as j can be seen by our advertising columns. They are young and enterprising men, and will no doubt be able to establish a business in this part. There are great changes pending in the A.C force, but we abstain from further reference in this issue. We may say however, that they are likely to entirely and, in our opinion, • most unfavorably influence officialdom in Pate a. We regret to say that wc are unable to furnish our readers with a report of the Hawera sports in this issue. Our correspondent sonds us a message to the effect that the time was too festive for him, and that he will send a report so as to be published on Saturday. Wo may say however, that Mr H. Jenkins, and the Messrs Williams of this township were the principal prize takers. Our correspondent will, no doubt, bo able to furnish a full report in our next. As will be seen by advertisement in another column, Mrs Davis will open a school on Monday next. She was a certificated teacher in New South Wales, and is in every way qualified for the position she has assumed.

Some blackguard larrikinism took place at Hawera on the evening of the 29th or morning of the 30th last. The school-house windows wore smashed, and other damage done to the building and its surroundings. The matter was brought under the notice of the Board yesterday, and it was agreed that a reward of £5 should be offered for the conviction of the perpetrators. Great fun and considerable license are fair enough for the late jovial time, but when it takes the form of stupid and malicious destruction of property it is another matter altogether. We sincerely hope that the Board’s exertions in this respect will be successful, and that the fools who were parties to the outrage will be punished as they deserve.

A most distressing and tragic occurrence has taken place near Felton, Northumberland lately. A widow, named Armstrong, and her family, residing in a cottage at Waterside-house, on the river Copuet, were seated at dinner, when some altercation occurred. Suddenly the daughter Jane, aged 22, rushed out and threw tierself into the river, which is close to the house. Her brother Thomas, aged 16, followed, plunged into the water to rescue hrr, and, after struggling, both were drowned.

Our readers remember, doubtless, the fire which at Blenheim recently destroyed the Government Buildings and soveial houses. The New Zealand Times learns that the various land transfer records, marriage records, and other documents of a similar nature, which were locked np in brick safes at the time of the fire were found perfectly uninjured at its conclusion. So much so, indeed, was this the case that in one of the safes a candle which hud been left there was found wiihou 1 the smallest appearance of having been subjo.ted to excessive heat.

The Tuapeka Times says ; —lt is not always well to be too valiant, even in the company of ghosts. Some time since the town inspector of Williainstown in passing through the local cemetery “ at the dead of night” was somewhat startled by the sadden appearance of a spectre, which lie at once went for with his walking stick. It was soon apparent that the sprite was no less a personage than .Mrs Alary Ann M l Grcgor in the flesh, who was making her way home with all haste when the Inspector’s stick fell upon her skull. For this assault MrsM‘6regor sued the inspector, and obtained £2 damages, with £3 5s costs. It is but fair to add that the inspector thought he was being made the subject of a practical joke when he was in the cemetery. The Evesham Journal of a late date, publishes a report of a lecture given there by Mr Charles Holloway, of the Agricultural Labourer’s Union, in which he gives a practical working man’s account of the Colony, and states that it offers the best opportunities to all labouring men who are not idlers or drunkards. The same gentleman has been addressing meetings in the districts around, and included in are Hereford, Bedford, North Essex, and SwafEham ; and in each place has given a plain and straightforward statement as to this colony as a field of labour for the agricultural emigrant. The Coromandel Mail is responsible for the following ; —A remarkable and singular freak of nature in the vegetable world may be soon at the office of this paper. Some months back a gentlemen at a public dinner table received a “ flick” from between the thumb and finger of a guest at the opposite side of the table from an orange pip. This the gentleman place ! in his waistcoat pocket, and on the morning following he set it in some earth placed inside the half of a cocoa-nut shell. The pip took root and is now bearing as fruit a small, but well defined cocoa-nut pendant on one branch, while a small orange is maturing on an adjoining one. A cocoa-nut and an orange ripening on one tree, is we be'icve, a phenomenon altogether of an unique character in the knowledge of botanists. The N.Z. Times says the following story is authentic :—“ An honest and respectable bachelor, who lives by himself on his farm without kith or kin, savetabbie and collie, and who is a most rigid Sabbatarian, was found digging in his garden the other Sunday. When made aware that lie mistook Sunday for Saturday he flung the spade from him in great fury, ran into the house, donned his Sunday suit, rode in haste to church, and was'there in time to augment the collection, and to get the blessing. But the best of it is, the following Saturday, he again forgot the day, dressed himself in his Sunday suit, and hurried off to church, and to his consternation, was only apprised of his mistake within a chain dr two of the church. Who would live a bachelor’s life in the bush ?

A terrible case of alleged malpractice in midwifery has occurred at St. Aniaud. A Dr. Turner attending a Mrs JT-Lennan, directed two neighbours to place a sli •••; round her body and twist it as tightly as possible. The patient died from the operation. The medical man has been charged with manslaughter.