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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 332, 22 June 1878, Page 2

•The Taranaki News, in an article referring to the way being prepared for the imtne.diate survey of Waimace Plains, and on the advantages likely to be derived therefrom, says “It occurs to us that the Government have sought to make political capital out of lids transaction. The officer in charge could have effected the purpose, but had lie been suffered to do so no glory would have redounded therefrom to the Government. Hence the stoppage of the survey arid all the pomp and circumstance of the visit of the Hincmoa to Opunake, and the interview of the Hon Native Minister and his staff with the old warrior chief Titoko Warn, and the formal declaration of the intention of the Government to order the immediate survey of the Plains for European settlement. Apart from this matter, the taking possession of the Plains by the Colonial Government is a satisfactory act. From creation these lands, except in small patches, have never been cultivated, and if left in the hands of the Maoris they never would be cultivated while the world stands. The original proprietors will have ample reserves inade for them and their children, and they will receive some payment for tire lands that are taken. The Plains will be surveyed, and in due time will be sold,”

We are informed that Sir John Coode lias forwarded to the Harbour Board a quantity of memoranda, and a plan on which certain information is to bo put, in order to guide him in preparing plans for further work. A large portion of the information sought refers to the river from the upper “ eel wier,” and soundings are required to be taken at sea, in the lines of proposed breakwater. The fact of Sir John having asked for this information looks well upon ihc face of it, and seems to be an earnest of his intention to recommend that tiie whole work, including the river improvements, shall be carriod out. We are also informed that the information and data asked for will bo forwarded to England as soon as possible.

The Government has informed the Harbour Board that Mr William Cowcrn has been appointed Auditor to that body.

At a meeting - of country settlers held at Bell Block, Taranaki, on the 13th instant, it was decided that a Ransom and Sims’ Threshing Machine, with Head’s new traction engine, should bo, procured from England, a committee being formed to draw up rules for proposed company. The Wellington Chronicle of Saturday last, contained an article on flic large purchase of land from natives within the Patea Comity, expressing a hope that the Government would step in and repurchase, if too high commission was not wanted by present holder.

Preliminary steps for the holding of a plouching match in the Wairarapa, have been taken.

The following memoranda re lands at Hawera, received from the General Crown Lands Office, were laid before the Taranaki Waste Lands Board, at meeting on the 10th instant — £ ' 1, That the Governor has reserved, temporarily, sections Nos. 531, 573, and 574, Hawera Survey District, for road purposes, —2, That in accordance with a recommendation of the Board, the Governor has issued a Proclamation setting apart certain lands at Hawera for selection on deferred payments."

A branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society was opened at Hawera, on Monday, the 17th instant, when thirteen members were initiated. The following were elected officers:—Bro. C. Casey, President ; Bro. B. Dougherty, Vice-President ; Bro. J. Malone, Secretary; Bro. T. Malone, Treasurer ; Bro. E. Dougherty, Warden; Bro. P. Murphy, Guardian. A supper was given to the delegate (Mr Hart) immediately after the initiation of members. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided by Mr Tait, the remainder of the evening was devoted to songs and recitations. The party broke up about 12 o’clock.

Mr James Southby, one of the very oaky settlers on this coast, died at his residence near Carlyle, about nine o’clock on Thursday evening. The Taranaki Herald, of Saturday last) says : —“ The vote for the Mountain Road of £17,000, it would appear from a telegram wo publish elsewhere, is not to be made over to the Counties of Taranaki and Patea, but that the £7,000 already allotted is about as ranch of it as the Government intend to let us have. The Under-Secre-tary very coolly, we must own, intimates in his telegram to the Chairman of the Patea County Council that there is a further vote, but that the Minister declines to authorize the payment of any portion of it, pending the expenditure of the amount already made over, which is really shelving the vote of £IO,OOO until after the financial year. This will enable the Government to show a larger amount at its disposal on the next year’s estimates ; but it will tend to delay a very necessary work, and therefore the two Counties—Taranaki and Patea —should make the, matter a common cause, and demand that the £IO,OOO should be made over to them at once."'

The Quadrille Assembly at Maoutahi on Thursday evening passed of very successfully. The partf broke up at twelve o’clock, after a -cry pleasant evening’s amusement. Next Thursday’s debate is to be on the subject of “ Whether a miser or a spendthrift does tho greatest harm to society.” On Wednesday evening last, at the meeting of the Patea Kilwinning Lodge of Masons, a Past Blaster’s Jewel, together 1 with a weighty fetter-link gold chain, was •presented by- 1 brethren of the Lodge to Brother William Bale. The value of the gift would be hbont £25. The Masonic Jewel had the following words engraved on the back : —“ Presented to Brother Win. Dale, by brethren of the Patea Kilwinning Lodge, No, 53G, 8.C,” The ketches Agues, Argus, and Wild Duck, have been off the Patea Biver- for several days awaiting a change of wind to enable them to enter. On tho arrival of the s.s. Clyde, from Wanganui on Wednesday last, six passengers, who had come from Auckland to work on the breakwater, were transferred from the Wild Duck, The Argus was then picked up for the purpose of being towed in, but a -signal being hoisted to let,go, the Clyde steamed into the river alone. On Thursday, the s.s. Clyde wont out and towed in the Argus and Agnes. The water on the bar beingthen too low for the Wild.Duck, sail was set- for Wanganui, and the Clyde also proceeded to her destination—Wanganui* Tho Wild Duck has plant and working material on board for Mr P.icbard Dickson* We understand that the workmen’s tools will be brought from Wanganui b} the Clyde, on her next trip, and that the Wild Duck will remain in Wanganui till spring rides, when she will again show up at Patea. The Chronicle , of yesterday, referring to the towing done by the Clyde, saj 7 s—“although, as Captain Bonner informs ns, there was half a foot more water on the bar than the ketch was drawing, the Pilot would not allow tho Wild Duck to be towed in, and gave the signal that the Clyde was towing at her own risk. Captain Bonner had, therefore, to drop the ketch, which run on in company with him to Wanganui for shelter ” Piifle Matcii will be held at Waibi, today.

Applications for office of Secretary for Patea Harbour Board will be received today. On Wednesday last Mr 11. I. Davis was breaking-in a horse of Mr Donald Coutts to working the harrow. The horse got frightened, and bolting became in some way entangled with the machine, and made a frightful wound on the inner thigh of the right hind leg. The horse was a valuable one, and if it survives it will be no small compliment to the treatment adopted by Mr Williams. Tenders for a steamer for the Patea Steam Shipping Company have been advertised in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, to be sent in by 4th July. It will he seen by advertisement that Mr William Dale will offer for sale on the 291h instant the plant of the Patea Steam Threshing Company. Settlers in the distret know the capabilities of-the machine well, hut for the benefit of outsiders we may mention that the plant is good and in good Working order.

An extra 0 in the report of Mr Sherwood’s speech at the laying of the foundation stone was just one too many.

To-day is last opportunity settlers will have of signing Waverley railway petition.

Mr W. Dale will sell fine collection of fruit and ornamental trees to-day at his Mart.

At the Carlyle Court, yesterday, before C. A.Wray, Esq.,R.M.,Robert Hastie, of the Waverley Hotel, was summoned on the information of Stephen Neary for a breach of “ The Wellington Licensing Act, 1873," in having permitted certain persons to play a game of chance called “ eucre,” for money or money’s worth. Evidence went to show that Neaiy was drunk at the time of the alleged offence, and though he stated that Mr Hastie was himself playing) other testimony went to show that he had not been playing, had not seen the playing, nor been in lire room. After examination of witnesses the case was dismissed with 14s : costs and solicitors’s fee 21s.

Messrs Thomson and Mcguiro will sell trooper and other horses at Havvcra on Monday. The Wanganui Herald says ;—The £SOOO mentioned by Mr Bryce as having been granted to the 'Wanganui Education Board for building purposes has been received. We understand there is an express provision attaching to this grant, that it should only bo expended on elementary schools.

Mr William Cowern will hold an important sale of town leases, Carlyle, on 6th July. Particulars next issue. We understand that there is every probability of a few persons—whose language to horses and each other when at work is more forcible than polite—being brought to book for their profanity under “The Vagrant Act.” They had better take the hint and mend their language.

A new Roman Catholic Cathedral is to be erected in Dunedin, at a cost of £26,000. It is proposed ultimately to provide accommodation for 2000 people, but in the first instance only £BOOO will be expended in the erection of a nave and aisle to accommodate 800 persons.

Tho Wanganui Chronicle reports at length an accident which happened to the coach for .Wanganui ou Thursday—“ The. conveyance left Waverlcy as usual, about noon, having on board ten passengers, including three ladies. Two of the male passengers occupied the box seat, along with the driver, Mr Hall, who, as is well-

known, is as careful as he is experienced, in the matter of coacii driving. All went merry as a marriage bell, mail the coach arrived at a very narrow part of the road, within a mile and a-half of Westmere, at which spot a weary swagsman had been resting his tired limbs. Jus Las the coach approached the place where he lay, he started sucidontly up, swinging Ins swag round bis head on to his back. The man while ly ing on the roadside had not been observed by the driver or the other occupants of the vehicle, or by the horses either apparently, for his sudden and unexpected appearance so startled the oft' leader, that he shied, and plunging violently forward, the coach was thrown partly over against the culvert they were just about to cross, and the driver and both the outside passengers were thrown violently out upon ibe road Only two of the passengers sustained injuries sufficient to require medical treatment ; one of whom, Captain Marshall, son-in-law of the Jate Mr Blundell, of Wellington, to which place he is on his way, had his shoulder hurl, and was severely shaken ; and the other, Mr Chalmers, a Canterbury gentleman, travelling through tho district, sustained the fracture of one of bis ribs, besides getting bis bead badly bruised,” The driver procured a horse and rode to Wanganui, returning again to the scene of the accident with a fresh conveyance, when the delayed passengers were taken on to their destination. The ladies behaved admirably, and showed great presence of mind.

The New Zealander says : —Jonas Woodward, Esq., Public Trustee, and J. M’Kerrow, Esq., Secretary of Crown Lands, have, we believe, been appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into the charges made against Mr Janies Booth, R.M. and Native Land Purchase Commissioner, of having dealt improperly in the purchase of Native Lands.

The Akaroa Mail in an article strongly condemning the proposed wholesale alterations as to Resident Magistracy, while admitting the necessity for reform in largo centres of population, concludes :--As regards the adaptability of the new to the Peninsula, we feel convinced that it cannot be successfully worked here. With our present difficulties of communication, the scattered nature of the district, and its peculiar configuration, the expenses and delay that would result in the administration of justice by the proposed measure would be productive of considerable loss and inconvenience to the public. As we said before, there are doubtless some large districts which have advanced sufficiently to need an extension of the local legal machinery, but in this district, as in many others, it is premature and superfluous. The present system is - sufficient for all local requirements. The Thames Star says : —We learn that advices by telegraph have been received by the chairman of the Thames Valley Railway Committee of the despatch from Wellington of papers and information regarding the proposed line and the bill to be dratted, on receipt of which stops will be taken to hold another telegraphic conference with the local bodies interested, preparatory to having a bill prepared. We trust there will be no delay over this matter, as the time is short before the session of Parliament assembles, and the present time seems peculiarly favourable to having the preliminaries settled for the coming season.

The Auckland Herald says :—Nows reached Auckland on the 14th instant that the Maori Kina; is now at Raglan. Tins is the first time, we believe, on which Tawhiao has entered a European settlement since the war, and the fact shews that he has determined to abandon his isolation, and to fully accept the proposals made by Sir George Grey. Tawhiao, as we stated a few days ago, left Kawhia for the purpose of visiting Koimakariri and other chiefs living on the coast, between Waikato Heads and Raglan, and has called in at the last-named place on the way. The residents of Raglan and neighbourhood were, as might be expected, not a little surprised to see the Maori King amongst them. Tawhiao was disposed to be very courteous. He dined with one European, and took tea with another, and in the evening attended a musical entertainment.

The Manawatn Times say—lf evidence were wanting of the necessity for the enforcing of tire compulsory clause of the Education Act, it might be found in the following unique document, forwarded to the Palmerston Borough Council, and read at its last sitting;—“ pameson, may 18 — they Korner setion facing trims i boned it they otlmr day and i fine he has enroebed on they rod with is fense I no yo will atend to this and mak him muv it ackordin to nn akt, —yors an C.C.” As we presume the “an C.C.” means etcetera, the writer is determined, like Junis, to preserve his anonymity, and, consequently, hide bis light under a bushel. As the caligraphy of the artist is equally advanced as his orthography, we regret that we have no means of conveying to our columns a facsimilie of the hieroglyphics by which ihe sentiments of the writer were transmitted to paper, as, shorn of such adornment, the epistle loses half its attractiveness. Why, the last French cabinet had a Four-ton, and the present cabinet has a Bu-faure. But it makes quite a different figure from the other.