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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 339, 17 July 1878, Page 2

British mails via San Francisco close at the Patea Post-office on Thursday, the 18th instant, at 9.10 a.m. Via Suez on Wednesday, the 24th instant, at 9.10 a.m.Francis Long, Postmaster. The ketch Falcon, for some days off the Patea River, was towed in by Captain Bonner, of the s.s. Clyde, for which service, as well as being satisfied to pay, Captain Leslie seems grateful. Had greaterreadiness in the past been shown to tow small craft in, the desire for a locallyowned steamer would not have been so strong. Messrs Thomson and McCuire will hold stock sale at Manutahi to-morrow (Thursday).

It will be seen by advertisement that Mr Donald Coutts has been nominated for election to the Wanganui Education Board.

The Civil Commissioner (Major Brown) who accompanied the Hon Mr Sheehan to Wanganui, returned to Carlyle on 1< riilay last, and on Saturday started for New Plymouth. We nndeistand that his instructions are to start surveying the Waimate Plains at once. A few matters, however, in connection with the late, meeting "at Waitara, remain to be settled, and it is likely survey will not commence until the Major’s return, which will be soon enough to enable a fair start to be made at the beginning of August, by which time it is hoped the weather will have become settled.

B’ir George Grey is gazetted Commissioner of Customs anil Stamp Duties, vice Mr Ballance, who resigns these appointments ; and is gazetted Colonial Treasurer.

On Tuesday, Ulick Bourke was summoned at the R.M. Court by Sergeant Whelan, for a breach of the Taranaki Cattle Impounding Ordinance, in allowing two head of cattle to wander. Fined 2s 6d a head, and 6s 6d costs.

The first meeting of the Carlyle Improvement Class will be held in the County Buildings, to-morrow evening, commencing at seven o’clock. The meeting will be open to the public, ladies and gentlemen being invited to attend, but the speaking will, of course, be confined to membersThe society numbers about thirty membersHas England attained the zenith of her power,” is the subject for discussion, the Rev P. W. Fairclough taking the affirmative, and Mr R. C. Tennent the negative. We understand that the opener and seconder are pretty well primed, their speeches will therefore be likely to prove instructive. As future success will depend very much on the opening night, we hope to hear of a largo gathering, and ready speaking on the part of meihbers.

A petition was in course of signature at New Plymouth last week, urging Government to push on with railway works to Hawera without delay.

The Taranaki Herald says—“ Another diabolical attempt to throw the train off the line has been made by putting stones on the rails. This time a spot near Sentry Hill lias been the scene of operations, and has been the means of smashing a portion of the break of one of the carriages.

At the last meeting of the Taranaki County Council the usual monthly report of the Surveyor was read. It stated that when the contracts for the Mountain Road were completed (to be paid for by the vote of £3,000) there would still be about four and a-balf miles of the road untouched. He estimated the cost of these four miles and a-half at about £1,500, but it was not unlikely that the actual cost would be considerably less than that amount. In reference to the Oakura Road, the report stated that the parts most needing repair were those known as Oakura, Tapaue, and Honeysuckle hills. It would cost about £4O to repair those places.

Al the R.M. Court, Carlyle, on Saturday last, before C. A. Wray, Esq., R.M., Carl Huber was charged on the information of Constable Burrows with maliciously wounding Charles Christiensen, at Waverloy, early on Thursday morning, 11th instant. Mr Bnskie acted as interpreter. The following witnesses were examined : Dr Croft, Constable Burrows, Peter Nelsom Andrew Nelson, Duke Ballam, and Christen Kaoerstz. The case occupied all day and till late in the evening. The prisoner was committed for trial at the next Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court to be held at Wanganui. Tire prisoner was forwarded to Wanganui by coach on Monday morning in charge of Constable Shiel.

The Chronicle , in an article on the harbor, enumerates amongst other essentially requisite works to ensure the progress of ambitious Wanganui, the following : “It is the continuation of the WanganuiPatea railway to the limits of settlement. We believe the Government are alive to the necessity of this being done without any further delay, and intend to make provision on the Estimates during the approaching session for a further extension of the line, at least as far as Patea. If this is carried out, and our port thus becomes connected by rail with the vast extent of rich and fertile country that lies on either side of it, it will be our own fault if the bulk of the produce thereof does not come to Wanganui. While, then, we look to the Government to connect us with the districts each side of. us, it will be for ourselves to determine how much or how little that will be to our advantage.” Our contemporary urges that it is “ now or never” for the advantages to be secured, and which can only be, in its opinion, by carrying out the works named —harbor? reclamation, railway. As for the Patea trade being absorbed by Wanganui, we think our contemporary may conclude <l never.” We have too lively a recollection of the past, even without present reminders. However, there is room for all. There is a grand future before this coast, and in a few years it will comfortably run harbors in other places than Wanganui and Patea. The railway will help both< and stimulate other places into the bargain.

Maps and schedule of lands to be thrown open for selection, on and after the 13th August, in the Wellington Provincial District, have been received at the District Land OfficejCarlyb, where they may be inspected. The land comprises town and suburban sections in Manawatu and the Wairarapa. Volunteer scrip may be exercised in purchasing any of the sections named.

Mr F. R. Jackson will hold stock sale at Wanganui to-morrow.

The Sydney Evening News says—The friends of the late Mr Robert Craig, who, it will be remembered, met Lis death by violence at Southfield, Queensland, some months'- ago, will be glad to hear that, though his policy of assurance with the Australian Mutual Provident Society for £SOO, had lapsed sorno weeks before his death, the directors of the society have most liberally made a gift of £4OO to his widow, for investment under trustees, for the sole benefit of herself and children. When it is considered that Mr Craig, at the time of his deatji, had becnj a member of

the society £or less than three years, this generous det " (Vemaiks a Queensland journal) speaks well for the liberal management of the Australian Mutual Provident Society.

Perseverance has been shown by the Messrs Gane in getting to work on their lately purchased land at Wakamara. There are as yet only apologies for roads, and once the block is reached considerable engineering skill is required to get anything like heavy or bulky articles along. The site selected for dwelling by the Messrs Gane, and that portion of land which they intend to turn to immediate use, is separated from the Manutahi side by many small gullies, and one the sides of which are

particularly steep To get a dray across this gully, the wheels had to bo taken off, and the body 'let down the incline by means of rope and tackle. The bottom being reached, a kind of sleigh-way made, with the aid of four powerful horses, and five men and tackle, the dray was raised to the top of the —we might say —cliffs on the other side of the gulley. This work accomplished there is nothing to hinder rapid progress being made in the way of improving the land. A dwelling is being erected this week. “ The indomitable energy” and so on, “so eminently characteristic of the nobio Anglo-Saxon race,” &c., has been well exemplified in these go-ahead pioneer settlers. A few such energetic settlers and the rough country would soon he transformed, and made attractive and profitable.

AVellinpjton, by the following extract from a contemporary, appears afflicted similarly to Carlyle, with “ concert pests” —“ A correspondent writes to us bitterly complaining of the coarse and vulgar remarks which a certain class of people who are in tjie habit of attending the Athenaeum Concerts make in reference to the ladies and gentlemen who assist Maclaine Moeller. Last night these remarks not only annoyed the friends of the performers who happened to he near these “ concert pests,” but also thoroughly-upset the performers themselves. When it is remembered that these concerts are chiefly the work of amateurs, such ungenerous conduct is quite unpardonable. A case in point may be mentioned of a gentleman who played an instrumental solo, and had the pleasure of being called ‘‘ a fool” by a cad sitting near the door who was cairying on a running conversation during the whole concert. Mr Logan will do well to take immediate steps'to prevent the occurrence of this in future, or else he will find that the concerts will not be continued.” We think it might help to abate the nuisance if the old fashioned school method of slating names of the most prominent disturbers were adopted at the next HarmonicSociety’s concert, the list to be afterwards handed over to us for publication.

The Wanganui Herald and Chronicle have been nagging each other about the unfortunate stoppage of their harbour works. It is pretty evident there was a serious misunderstanding on the matter, and the kriottj 7 point appeared to be whom to blame. The usefulness of having a friend at court, in the shape of a member of the Cabinet, has unmistakably been shown. Partj’ feeling appeal's to run so high there, that harmonious working on any public matter is almost out of the question. Yet these quarrellers are ambitious, and desire to rule far and near. Of course there is some approach to party feeling in respect of the Patea Harbor Works, but it has not yet assumed seriously harmful proportions, and arises more from conflicting personal interests than from strong political or party feeling. At a special meeting of the Wanganui Harbor Board, on Saturday last, Mr Peat moved) and Mr J. P. Watt seconded —‘‘ That the Board’s Solicitor revise the conditions of contract, and that fresh tenders be called for No. 1, 2, and 3 contracts, to close at noon on the 21st August.” An amendment to accept Messrs Taylor and Banker's tender, with a view to prevent further delay in proceeding with the harbor works, found only two supporters, and the motion was carried, with but two dissentients to call for fresh tenders. We hope for the sake of the whole district that no further hitch will occur'. Progress at Wanganui means progress all along the coast.

News p,er Tararua, which arrived at the Bluff yesterday, states that it is projected holding an Intercolonial Exhibition at Melbourne in 1880.

A Government Gazette of the 11th contains the appointment of Mr J. R. Hynes, of Waitotara, and Mr Francis Henry Brett, of Nonnanby, as Rangers for the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society, under the 1 Protection of Animals Act, 1873. The Wellington Chronicle corrects the statement lately made in its columns about the contract for Patea Harbor being thrown up, by the following—“ The works at present being carried out at Patea for the conservation of the harbor, are being rapidly pushed on by the contractor. We are given to undostand that the alterations made by Sir John Coode in the plans, has had the effect of giving a direct run out to sea, and that daring westerly weather, which prevails about three fourths of the year, vessels will be able to sail cither in or out. The harbor will also, by the new plans, be considerably deepened, and vessels of much greater draught be able to go alongside the wharf.” The Wellington Chronicle reports that at a meeting of the Wellington Waste Lands Board, on the 11th July, a claim made by Mr James McDonald, for compensation for losses sustained by him in the Waitotara district through native disturbances, was read. It appeared that some years ago Mr McDonald acquired a block of land in the district referred to, and that after be had made certain improvements, he was deprived of it in consequence of the action of the natives. Hence the present claim. The Crown Lands Department recommended that the land should be sold by auction, and that a sum of £l5O should be added for the improvement upon it. The Board resolved that the land should be offered for sale at an upset price of £2 per acre, and that £l5O over and above the price per acre, should be charged for improvements.

The Eoad Districts of Taranaki not having complied with the Act in respect of electing Hoad Commissioners and Auditors, wo learn from the Herald report of the County Council proceedings that the Council made a number of appointments.—A letter was read from Mr Moore, Stratford-on Patea, stating that in accordance with advertisement re formation of a road district, several settlers met at the Stratford Hotel, but owing to the Chair-

man of the County Council not being present, nothing was done in the matter. —The Chairman said the}’ had evidently misunderstood the matter, as it was not his province to be present.