The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 193, 14 February 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1877.

Mr T. Humphries, Chief Surveyor of Taranaki, arrived by coach yesterday morning, to take over the surveys here. It has been generally understood that Mr Humphries was coming hero for the purpose of winding up the affairs connected with the Land Office ; hut such is not the case, and wo hear on very good authority that the office is not likely to he removed at all. Wo hope our informant is correct. Wo would again call special attention to Mr W. Cowern’s sale of stock, at Kakaramea, to-day, which commences at 2 o’clock.

Mr Hill, agent for the Bank of Now Zealand at Wavcrley, mot with a severe accident on Saturday last, causing a fracture of the right arm, and a dislocation of the elbow joint. Dr. Walker was sent for, and had the sufferer conveyed to Carlyle, and wc are glad to say that he is progress! ng favo 11 rably. Mr F. !L Jackson will hold his fortnight ly sale of stuck, at his yards, Wanganui, 10-morrow, when a large number of cattle and sheep will be offered. We refer onr readers to the advertisement, which appears in another column. Major Brown, Native l Commissioner, arrived by coach from New Plymouth yesterday morning. We are not aware of the nature of his visit at, present. Mr Baddeicy, new clerk of the It.M . Court, arrived by coach on Monday, and will no doubt enter upon his duties at once.

We have been requested to draw attention to the alteration in the time of receiving tenders for bush falling;, by the Patqa West Hoad Board. Instead of the IDth, as previously advertised, tenders will close on the 17th instant. Mr Dyer informs us that ho wrote to the head master of the Wellington College ft short Lime since, asking to have the scholarships of that institution extended to this district. Although no definite answer lias as yet been received, still there is reason to believe, from the reply Mr Dyer showed us, that his request will bo complied with. If such is the case, it will bo an inducement for the pupils of the different schools to work themselves up, and show the outside world what they are made of.

Samples of wool, from Mr 11.1C. Mcßae's sheep (io he sold to day), is on view at Mr Cowcrn’a auction mart, and it is pronounced by those of experience in such mailers to be the linestin the district.

A largo gathering ot Maoris is expected to take placu to-day, when no doubt a considerable amount of talking will lie done. In our next issue we hope to be aide to give the result of the kororo.

Mr W. Dade will hold a sale of kauri and red pine timber on Saturday next. Particulars can be obtained from an advertisement in another column.

The Amateur Combination Variety Troupe gave their performance, as announced, last night, but we were sorry to see such a few present. The entertainment was a good one, and the performers certainly deserve great praise fur the creditable manner in which it was got up. We trust, if they appear again, their endeavours to amuse will bo better appreciated.

By advertisement cl so whore it will be seen that Mr Erskinc, of the Carlyle Horse Bazaar, has taken over the Albion Hotel stables.

The following method has been suggested for removing the combs from a beehive without destroying the bees ; —On a table near the hive spread a linen cloth, and on this place a plate having the sixth part of an ounce of chloroform, covered with ganse wire to prevent any bees falling in. Conl.iy lift the hive on the plate, and cover it over with a shoot of cloth. In twenty minutes the bees will bo all asleep, and out of the comb, lying helplessly on the table. Your bees will soon revive and return, on receiving fresh air, to lill up the void anew. The best time is early on a line morning, as the little insects will have the benefit of a Hue day to recover from their torpidity.

At a meeting of the London Aeronautical Society, several schemes were propounded for the construction of flying machines, and one gentleman, who expressed an opinion that balloon sailing was a game not worth the candle, announced that he had in preparation a machine, to bo worked by a thirty horse power steam engine, which would trace] through the air at the rate of two hundred miles an hour as safely as a railway train. In some parts of Otago, owners of orchards have taken extraordinary precautions to preserve their fruit from [tickers and stealers. A southern contemporary says, in some eases a supply of strong lishhooks have been procured, and will be so adjusted that the hand that plucks the fruit will bo caught, and should the thief get off, ha will be identilied when ho goes to the doctor to have the hook cut out. In addition to those placed at the fruit to catch the hand, others will be so laid as to bite the feet and legs. These measures may be thought by some to be too severe, but the hooks have been successfully employed to catch garden thieves in the Home country, and everything else seems to have failed here. A singular accident occurred lately in (lie family of a gentleman at Ballarat, which might have had much more disastrous results. The inevitable plumpndding was being served at the dinner (able, when, the burning brandy appeared exhausted, the gentleman set to work before the expiring flame flickered out to add to the fuel by thoughtlessly pouring some more brandy on to the pudding from a bottle, when the whole exploded. Fortunately there was not enough spirit in the bottle to break it, and by the prcsiucc of mind of those at the table there was no harm done beyond the partial burning of the cloth, and the scalding of some of the hands.