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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 338, 13 July 1878, Page 2

We understand that the lion Native Minister, at the various meetings held along the coast, intimated to the natives that the carrying out of Government intentions would be placed entirely in the hands of iVlajor Brown. That officer had been given full power to act, and to him they must look for redress of any minor grievances. If they were dissatisfied with anything Major Brown might do, then they must petition the General Assembly. We are of opinion that the settlement of the Plains question could not be placed in better hands, and only regret that the interference with Major Brown, on the Grey Government coming into power, should have prevented the then intended survey of the Plains, and so led to the waste of valuable time. The Wanganui Herald referring to this matter says—“ We learn from Mr Sheehan, who is at present in Wanganui, that the Minister for Public Works has telegraphed to the effect that a party of four surveyors now await the

orders of Major Brown, and it is confidently expected that a start will be made in about a week or ten days. The survey will commence at this end of the block at the Waingongora river, and proceed northward. No trouble is expected, the threat that anv native taking part in obstruction of the survey would bo deprived of any participation in the reserves being oneholdj and the determined action now taken bj r the 'Government proving that the usual bombast will not be of any avail with a Minister who is able to guage the value of such a manifestation. The successful inauguration of the survey of the Waimate will mark an important advance in the history of this coast. It is now promised us. If the promise is carried out we shall not begrudge our recognition of the services thus rendered by the new Native Minister.”

On Wednesday, the engine belonging to Messrs Stevenson and Tait, Hawera, and being part of the threshing machine, got stuck in going up the Manawapo hill, just opposite the gravel pits. There are some frightful ruts all up that road. The wheels getting into a rut, the engine was turned partly over, and had to be fairly lifted out before progress could bo made. The machine is now engaged threshing grain for the Maoris.

Wo have been informed that the committee appointed at Carlyle, a short time ago, to urge upon the Government the desirability of pushing on the railway, hav° met and decided that as the Government appear now to be in earnest, as evinced by having accepted tenders for the Waitotara contract, and in having the surveys of a further section towards Whonuakura proceeded with, it is inadvisable to further press the question at present.

An adjourned special meeting of the PateaHarbourßoavd was continued yesterday, at the office of the Board, Carlyle, when the question of wharfage accommodation was considered. Present: Messrs Sherwood (chairman), Gibson, Milroy, and Taplin. Plans being submitted b}' the Engineer the members went and examined site of proposed wharf, which is to run out from near the lower wharf about 100 feet, from the end of which an arm about 30 feet will extend down stream, which will thus afford inside and outside accommodation for vessels. On shore a commodious store will be erected. On land at back of Patea Harbour Reserve, late E.M. Reserve, Carlyle, a horse, owner unknown, has been ailing, ami evidently suffering greatly for the last two days. Pity but the owner would show up, and either shoot the animal or take belter care of it.

A correspondent wishes to know why salt but ter is being made up and sold as fresh, ami thinks it would be far belter, if required, to sell salt butter as what it is? instead of attempting to give it a fresh butter appearance, and the taste of tallow. The Wellington Chronicle, referring to Mr E. W. Mills, having obtained the contract for the steamer “ Patea,” says “ The work will be begun at once.”

The Wellington Chronicle , of the Btb •July, contains a full report of the statement made by William O’Connor, charged witii attempting to poison, O’Connor’s statement occupies nearly a column and a half of small print.

TheHawera Education Committee notify intention to strictly enforce the. compulsory clauses of the Education Act. As aid to schools will be in proportion to attendance it is very necessary for the well-being of each particular school that as large an attendance as possible of scholars should be secured. Wo trust that parents will co-operate with the committee in helping to get all children of school age sent regularly to school. Each local committee has much necessary work to perform, and, at present, very limited means at command. Every additional scholar means an addition to the school funds of £3 los per year. Twenty to thirty new scholars in any particular school would make a respectable addition to the annual income. Let all interested in educational matters aid the school committees in increasing the attendance of scholars at school.

On Thursday morning last, the Patoa Harbor Board assembled by appointment, all the members being present except Mr Bridge. Starting from Mr Coutts’ gate, and travelling partly on foot and partly by boat, the whole of the Harbor Beard Reserves above the bridge, on either side of the river, were examined. The Engineer to the Board accompanied the party. Plans, anti all necessary information had also been procured by the Chairman, so that the work of inspection could be thoroughly done. It appears to have been no easy task to ferret out some of the boundary pegs. After about five or six hours’ heavy tramping, the party returned to town, and assembling in the Harbor Board Offices, proceeded to fix upset prices preparatory to sale of portion of the reserves. We understand that some of the members of the Board were agreeably surprised at quality and extent of some of the Board’s property. The general understanding was that the Board took in about one chain along each bank of the river. In several places flats are included, varying in extent from two or three to ten acr.es The Board were appointed to meet again yesterday, to consider the question of wharf accommodation.

Great enquiries during the week for Carlyle Town Hall shaies, about 100 of which have changed hands at par.' Mr W. Dale disposed of 60, and other holders of smaller quantities. The late sale of Carlyle Town Board leases indicates confidence in the future of the township. Sections adjoining the new Bakery, purchased by Mr W. Dale, have been subdivided, the front portion into four business sites, and the whole length of back of section as residence site.

The police have been instructed by the Registrar to proceed against the owners of all unregistered clogs. Mr T. Crowliurst

has been appointed to receive Registration Fees for Hawera.

About half-past two o’clock on Thursday morning. Dr Croft was aroused by a messenger from Waverley, who requested that the doctor should at once proceed with him to attend a man who had been dangerously wounded. The doctor promptly responded, and on arrival at the residence of a Scandinavian named Charles Christiensen, found that he had been stabbed in four-or five places, the most dangerous wounds being in the abdomen and chest. Constable Burrows had been called on about halfpast one o’clock to arrest Carl Hubei for that he had malicously and dangerously wounded Charles Christiensen with a sheath knife. It appears that the two men with others had been drinking together and got quarrelling after leaving the public house. At two o’clock in the afternoon the prisoner, having been brought to Carlyle, was charged before Major Baddeley and H. F. Christie, Esq., J.P.’s with the offence. The case was, however, adjourned, to enable evidence to be collected. It is feared the wounds may prove fatal. Possession having been taken of what is known as the E.M. Reserve, Carlyle, by the Harbor Board, the building will in future bo used as the office of the Board.

A Football match, Town and Countiy, Avill take place to-day on the Carlyle ground, commencing at 3 p.m.

Messrs Thomson and McGuire will hold produce sale at Hawera to-day. Mr William Cowern will to-day hold sale of 20 valuable building sections in Carlyle, under instructions fromF. McGuire, Esq. The sale Avill take place at 2 p.m. Lunch provided. The Rangitikei Advocate has been veryoutspoken on the pettish action of Mr Bryce, and of the wail of Mr Duthie, about finance at the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board. Returning to the charge it says : —“ We arc told on excellent authority that the number of scholars on the attendance roll, which fixes the amount (o be raised by the Board from the General Government, has already increased to 1,950, as compared with 1,450, the number when the Board took over the district. Here is an immediate increase of 500, representing, at £3 15s per head, the sum of £.1,875. The overdraft required by the Board at the date of the last meeting, when Messrs Bryce and Duthie threw up the cards, on account of what they called the “ reckless finance” of their colleagues, only amounted to about £SOO. Their colleagues were evidently quite justified in regarding the prospective increase of scholars as a sufficient security for the temporary accommodation they required ; and the bank showed its acquiescence therein by at once agreeing to give them the overdraft.”

The Waikato Times, referring to the progress and usefulness of the railway system in this colony says ; —The railways have made available land which, till they were constructed, had ho practical value, being shut out from a market, and consequently from settlement, but where lines have been constructed a value has been given to whole tracts of country which they did not before possess, not a mere fancy value for purposes of speculation, but an intrinsic value for actual present use and production. If the cost of our railways has added some millions to the colonial debt, it has at the same time added many millions in actual productive value to the landed estate of the colony. Nor is this altogether a matter of private gain, for the overflowing exchequer is the result of increased sale of waste lands of the Crown, the demand for which has been created by the facilities for settlement afforded by the construction and opening of these railways.” The following approximately represents the time from England to New Zealand by the various routes : —By sailing vessel, 90 days ; by San Francisco route, 41 days; by sea through the Canal to Suez by Galle and Melbourne, G1 days ; by overland to Brin disi, and by railway across Isthmus of Suez, 53 days ; by overland to Brindisi by Singapore, Brisbane, and Sydney, 61 days. The Herald says :.—The Hon Mr Sheehan arrived in Wanganui on Tuesday, and at the special request of Mete Kingi visited Putiki on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Mr Grace (Private Secretary), KaratianaTakaraona, M.H.R., Major Brown, Civil Commissioner, and Honi Pibama. The large meetinghouse at Putiki had been specially prepared for the visit, and a fair number of natives assembled to hear the words of the Minister. Kemp, Paipai, and a number of other natives of note being absent up the river, the attendance was not so good as it would have been, but of those that wore there speakers were plentiful. After the Maori speakers had been listened to, Mr Sheehan replied at length, giving wholesome advice on many points. At the conclusion-of Mr Sheehan’s address, Meti Kingi stated that he was glad to hear the words of the Minister respecting the river. Mr Sheehan had answered all their queries, and they would take his advice. Turning to the tribe Meti said : “ Listen, O, Wanganuis. I consider the words of Sheehan straightforward and plain, No mistake can be made, and his words will not be broken by me.”

PAT DOWLING TO BIDDY. Shcraps ox? a Letter to Biddy, noa?

ON A VISIT TO HER COUSIN LaWRY IN the Country. My Charming Biddy, —Dear to me as iver, and spacily so during yer absence. I tould ye on laving that you might ixpect a fue literary shcraps now and agin, and having sildom decayed ye in domestic mathers, I don’t mane to do so in pollytiks, but to give ye a report ov a fue lading ivents. Last Monday night waak, I dressed mysilf as particklarly as possible, put on my leather leggins insted ove the hay ropes (ove which I tould you before) for the dogs arc not quite so plintiful nor voracious naythor, since the Biling Downs were started, so that I can vintnre ontdnres without my shilaleh. Well, on my way down tonn, I met siveral ladies and gintlemen, but conspakeous amongst the rest, was a well looking gintleman wid white bell toper, and I think Dundrary style of warning his whiskers.

“Mr Dowling, I prasurae, sur,” siz he.—“ The same at your sarvice,” sez I. —“ Glad to have the honor of your distinguished acqnaintince, Mr Dowling : hope to do business wid you yet. Come Avad me for a shtroll, my dear fclloiv. Yon have not scon the lions of the place yet, have ye ?” Wid that ho linked his arm in mine and whisked mo of, keeping step to a fine onkl march, which ho sang in a good tenor voice to the words, “ Do, so, me, do, do, me, so do. Law, la, laa, la.” We whit along in grand slityle, till coming near what he called the County Buildings. He axed mo if I Avonhl like to go to a Town Bourd meeting. “ Not for the Avorkl,” siz I. “ I have a perfect horror ove all such assymblidges ove depraved intilects.” “0, do come, Mister DoAvling,” siz he, “ you h.ivn’t heard mo make a spaach yet.” “ Well, to phase ye,” siz I, “ I’ll just keep in attindance at the kay-hole, but on the outside though.” “That’s a good fellow, sez he. There’s some borreying skaame to be on to-night, and the benefit ove your kriticisms on the debate will be valued by yer humble servant.” He bowed and AA’int in, burning “didn’t you hear your father, &c,” and I stepped aside into a rcciss, formed by a comer ove the house and an iron tank, to have a look at the numbers as they assy tabled. And share, I had not to wait long, for almost immediately up sauntred two pollitashons, whom I took to bo botanists, as they Averc spakiug very earnestly about a native Avood called “ rimn,” and its adaptability for two spacial purposes, they saamed to huve in Anew—one arguing that under certain processes it could be made intrinsicaly valuable to man and baste, by giving them shiltcr in could AA'oalher—the other thought its best use lay in being a moans of accnmilating £s d. The last spaker I Ink to be the most sensible on the question of botany. Immediately behind them came a bustling little gintleman, in a great hurry, and who appeared to have the weight ave nations resting on his shoulders, for he kept honlding his watch in his hand till he came to the light ov the Avimlow, than looked at it and muttered—“ Quarter minute past time. What a bother to be so late.” Ho wore as ornaments'a pencil behind, his ear, and a scissors, half in his Avaistcoat pocket. Behind him appeared a manly form wid slightly oriental complexion, and by Avay ove cheering up his spirits Avas singing in a fine bass voice “ As she lay, till next day, in the Bay of Biscay, O.” And last, though not least, came a gintleman ove very nouble carriage, and appearing ivery bit a statesman. His countenance was radient Avid joy, complacency, and happier in the consciousness ove being the bearer to that particular Board, of a great skame which, if carried out, would make ivery owner ove a house or section wish he had one or two more. Beside him Avalked, in an unassuming style, a personage Avhom I tnk to bo the reporter to the Mail, on account oa t c thirabeing conversing about “reporting.” Said the first, “ I intind to act as £ spacial ’ to the Chronicle to-night.” “ What!” siz the other, “ bntarn’tyez a number of the Bourd ?” “ Oh, all the better ove that,” siz he, “ you silly. Is that all yez knoiv about reporting. Don’t yez see what a fine slant for placing one’s ouAvn skaaras to advantage before the public. How asy it is to Avithould a fue words that might have an ackward tendency, or insirt a fue handy ones to make it read well.”

“ Yer right there,” siz the other, “ but will the ratepayers submit to sich a course—didn’t they ellict yez as a mimber, and not a f special.’ ” “ Keep yersilf asy on that pint, my dear sur,” siz he, “ yez little know the abilities ye are spaaking to. I can throw dust in the eyes ove the ratepayers as asy as dhrinfc my chackylate at ten in the morning.” His friend looked up at his face, and the eye next him gave decided ividence of great admiration—but the off one—Och ! Biddy, I wish yez had seen the knowing twinkle it giv at this particklar krysis, aven from the shadows ove the iron tank, yer lawfilly esphonsed husband could notice that it was doubtfil. They thin wint in and shut the dure, and thme to my promise, I wint to the keyhole to hear the debate on the borreying question, and soon could hear the Chronicle reporter hard at work, spaaking away, and his pen racing over the pages, laving in black and white for the benefit of future generations what himsilf was saying. He pinted out the fact

that by honeying enough to form and metal the shtreets, from the very ciliter to the circumference even Poverty Flat would become ixactly like Ragent Shtraat, London, and that would continue to be what it is now, not, shtrictly spaaking, the principal shtraat; and “ only think,” sid he, wid a whale on the table, “ whnt the principal shtreet will thin bo, and furder,” siz he, “ if we borrey £OO,OOO, the town will be immadiately that much in debt—but what signifies that —■ the income ove the Buard will pay the interest, and our grand-children will pay off the principal, when the township is sould by the creditors.” He inded his spaach by moving a resolution to borrey £30,000, •which was sickonded by a number who hoped the resolution would not be carried, os he was agin borreying either by Boards or individuals. The next spanker on the question said he did not belaavo in little townships goiu naadlessly head and aars in dit in their aarly childhood, for the ixpress purpose of karting a lot ove gravil from the u Hoads” and spreading it on the party clover growing in front of sictions wid niver a house or a fince on thim at all at all; and thought the Buard might do a dale of the most nrgint work wid the funds at its dispose], without goiu through the ilabarate and ixpinsivo prociss of Akts ove Parlimint, and printing and issuing dabintures. Ove coorse, Biddy, ye know the mailing ove all thim hard names better than 1 do.

The other numbers foiled in much the same shtrain. Some ove thim said soihething about a Mager, but what surt he was I could not ixactly kitcb, for it was so could, I could not wait till the finish, but wint home and dramed about you, lovey—l hat yez had borreyd 30,000 pounds, and run of back to auld Ireland wid Lawry O’Brian. From yer obadient husband, PAT DOWLING. Please print or not print as much or as little ove this family piece ove korospondince as yez think praper. P. D.