Untitled

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 375, 20 November 1878, Page 2

T,3E following extract, being Olause 11 of the Financial Arrangements Act, shows exactly how Patea has been affected by the passing of the above-named Act —“ Out of the land revenue accruing, within the Patea County, on account of sales of land sitnated:between the Waingongoro River and

the Tanngatura River, and payable to the said County in the terms of the 6th section of (he Financial Arrangements Act, 1870, Amendment Act, 1877, there shall: be yearly applied three-fourths of such revenue so payable to the said County as aforesaid to the construction of a. branch due of railway between the Mountain Road and the Opnnake Township ; and the Governoi may apply such moneys for such purposes, and make the said line as if it had been included in the fourth schedule to the Public Works Act, 1876.”

The mail steamer from ’Frisco arrived at Auckland last night. The news has been anticipated by cable. Agitation has commenced to get the Government to survey a loop line to connect Greytown (Wairarapa) with the main line of railway.

On account of there being no quorum, the adjourned meeting of the Patea West Road Board could not be held on Monday last.

Mr Hislop, Secretary for Education has been on a visit to Taranaki, with the objects first, of miking himself as intimately acquainted as possible with the circumstances and necessities of the district, and secondly, to render every assistance in bis power to enable the Board to carryout its functions. Referring to Government aid, be is repotted by the Herald to have said, that the Government had allotted the sum of €2,500 to the New Plymouth Board, for expenditure within the, current financial year. Taking also into consideration the probable vote for the next financial year, “he had no hesitation instating his belief that the New Plymouth Board would be quite safe in entering into liabilities to the extent of the wants indicated in their return (about €4,000). The two grants he had referred to, of course, were intended solely for the purpose of primary education.” Tenders will be received to-day, for school site at Normanby. In transferring marks from the judges lists at the Agricultural Show, the second prize for ladies’ hacks was set opposite Mrs Brewer’s Flirt, instead of A. B; ewer’s bay gelding, which was awarded second prize.

A public meeting, to arrange sport 8 programme, will be held this evening, a 1 Prosser’s Hotel, Hawera.

After two or three starts and being compelled to put back, on account of the continuous gales, the s.s. Clyde, from Wanganui, arrived off the Patea River on Monday morning, at eleven o’clock. She crossed the bar about half-past. three o’clock in the afternoon, the wind still blowing stiffly. The channel io awkward just now, and in giving the breakwater as wide a berth as possible, the Clyde touched tl o sand bank just opposite. No barm was done, and she steamed up the river towards Hirst’s wharf, after a stoppage of two or three minutes.

On Saturday last Constable Shiel summoned a couple of drunks before Captain Wray, R.M., who indicted fines in each ease, with the alternative of 48 hours. On Tuesday W. A. G. Winchcombc summoned E. Baynton, for rates, €2 9s 61. Judgment for plaintiff, with coats, 13s, and witness 20s. In other cases summonses had not been served.

The Taranaki Herald , of the 12th November says :—Rewi’s new house at Waitara, is nearly finished, and he intends to hold a big “ house warming” to celebrate the event. The Hon. Mr Sheehan will be present, to see what is to be seen, and hear what is to be heard.. The meeting is not called for political purposes, the great mass-meeting of natives being still fixed for March.

At a meeting of the Taranaki Waste Lands Board, on Monday the 11th intsant, the Chief Surveyor’s report was read as follows :—“ During the month of October the surveys have been completed of 6,864 acres. Three thousand nine hundred and sixty-four acres in the Hniroa and Ngaire Districts, tracings of which are enclosed, can at once be offmed for sale. Tnis includes all the suburban sections at Stratford, north of the Patea River ; and the remainder, in the vicinity of Stratford and Midhirst, is seme of the finest level bush land that has yet been put in the market, and all within easy access of the Mountain Road, and railway now in progress. Sectional ivork now in progress comptu- i Stratford, suburban, south of the Pi tea River; and the Waimate Plains. The New Plymouth Borough Endowment of 2,000 acres is also in hand.—l have, &c., T. Humphries.” Alder the reading of the report the Board proceeded to price the sections ready for sale, in the Huiroa and Ngaire Districts. At a dinner given in Dunedin by the officers of the Otago Volunteers, in honor of the Defence and Native Minister, it was strongly urged that greater facilities should be given by the Government for the successful organization of volunteer forces, upon which Colonel Whitmore promised to endeavor to get a larger grant next year, but held - that no Volunteer Companies should be. allowed to existwhich could not turn out on parade fifty well-disciplined men. During the evening he intimated that Colonel Gorton had been appointed Inspector of Volunteers. A Wellington telegram says—*' It is reported that a most excellent sample of graphite has been discovered in the Northern poition of this province, near Taranaki. Dr Hector considers it is an Indication of coal beds in the vicinity. The schooner Uno, from Nelson, having on board the engine for the Kakaramca Saw Mill, bound for Patea, put into Wanganui on Sunday. The N.Z. Times of Saturday last, says—- “ The resmt of the sale of certain Crown lands in Okotnku Block, Patea (Patea Harbor Endowments) on Tuesday, testifies to tlie progress of the district, and the confidence of the settlers as to the future. Some three hundred acres brought £2,375, nearly three hundred pe» cent, in excess of the upset price.” We may add that it was currently reported after the sale, that the buyers (local men) were prepared to go £l6 per acre for two of the sections!

Rnnie commotion was caused at the Agric a tural .Show, on Thursday last, on one of the Stewards discovering that the bread, and much of the butter, had been consumed, almost before visitors had any opportunity of inspecting the' same. We were inclined to speak strongly against this practice, but have been informed that a member of the Association first invited on-lookers to partake, the result being that the lot vanished. This wholesale gobbling up of any eatable exhibits, tends to keep people from showing that class of produce. As plenty of refreshments were on the ground, there was ho possible excuse for eating exhibits!

The following 1? enter’s Cable message was received as we -were going Ao press last night: CkmMah.tjnopie,:*• November 17.—A Council of Mmistero have advised*the Sultan of Turkey'-to make an amicable arrangement with .Greece before foreigninlerveiition. The assent of the.Sultan iconsidered certain.

The New Zealander says a number o Wanganui and Paten settlers have Intel visited tipi Wairarapa, and expressed them selves pleased with the level character of the country, and signs of progress everywhere visible. "As most of the visitors are in'search of small farms, our contemporary hiutsjthat.it would be a good spec, for large holders to cut up portions of their runs. . The Chronicle , commenting on the Fun Mr Ballanee’s remarks at the laying of the foundation stone of the Wanganui Harbour, in which the jealousies of smaller ports were happily referred to,, says; “ He (Mr Balianee) said he took it as an indication of our acknowledged supremacy, and urged that we, should pat the little ones on. the hank and wish them well. Thai is exactly the position that Wanganui has all along taken up and acted upon. We have'undoubtedly given some attention to matters affecting our own interests as a port; bat we iiave never done so to the detriment or disparagement of the smaller ports oh; eitfieiirjside o£us. and wo hope we never shall. 1 .ambition will find a sufficient outlet ifi-so improving the port and town of Wanganui, that for convenience : arid - jcdlWfSit^'forpleasure and profit, it> yyi (Imai tittup »\iid fijoceliSf. /its present acknowledge*! sy-prgniacy, and by virtue of the advantages it will he able to, offer to settlers and traders become the great emporium of trade on this coast.” The New Zealander -says Mr Buck, who was so energetic in getting up a petition for further inquiry into .the case of O’Connor, stales that it is made the subject of frequent enquiry as to when an answer will be given to the prayer of the petititioneis. ,

Dr Wadis, M.H.R., was welcomed back to Auckland by a soiree. In the course of his addtesa he stated that, “It had been said of him that he had advised people to drink beer instead of tea; that he hud played into the hands of the Catholics on the question of education; and that he had advocated illicit love instead of marriage. To all these he gave a distinct denial. They should never believe newspapers when they spoke of- people in political life, for they never told the truth.”

The Auckland Herald . of the 9th instant referring'to telegrams sent from New Plymouth about Iliroki, says ; —“ The statement is now made that lie was wounded by the search party, but it is still attempted to be shown that he received some kind of provocation from McLean. He sets up a claim to the land which was being surveyed, and says he bad-determined to kill the Maories who had given the Government permission to survey, and that he inet McLean, who pointed a gtm at him. Hiroki knows that a land claim will most commend him to his countrymen, but the story be tells is a more unlikely one than the last one current.” ,

The Auckland Herald referring to the close of the session states, that through the facilities afforded by .the Telegraph Department it had been enabled to publish all the news obtainable in Wellington up to three o’clock on the morning of publication, and contrasts that state of things with what existed only a few years ago, when Auckland was sometimes a week and a fortnight in arrear of Wellington iii the matter of Parliamentary news. Each night between 6,000 and 7,000 words, sent at the rate of between",3o and 35 words per minute, had been received.

The tenderer (Mr Fallon) for the extension of the Waikato Railway, from its present termination at Ohaupo to Te Awamutn, has been officially informed to proceed with the work.

A writer in the Canterbury Times says, —“Throughout the Colony 1 know scores of places of which it can he written that they possess more hotels, more warehouses, more shops, more churches, more inhabitants than Ashburton; but 1 know of none of which it can truthfully be said that, making allowances foi all drawbacks, it, possesses in sncb a degree the elements and essentials of future, greatness.

The proprietor of the Oamani Evening Mail is about to publish monthly in connection with the paper, a journal to be called the New Zealand Agriculturist , and which will be the representative organ of, and conducted by, the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which it is‘considered will be a sufficient, guarantee that the publication will be a high authority on agricultural and pastoral matters.

A Sydney paper says a new machine ha« been invented and patented by a M,r Crockford, to make gas by an entirely new process. The gas generators are little larger than an ordinary gas meter, ami gasometers for fort}’ lights are each about the size of a ten-gallon tank, -

The Wellington Chronicle approves of tiie appointment by the present Government of Mr G. M. Heed (of New Plymouth Arch celebrity) to the office of Emigration Agent iu,England, ailiTafter siimmansing Ids qua! ifleal ipps„ says- — 4 >-A Itrtgetlifer' *Mr Reed will he ablir to;• do good service towards (be colony, in placing its advantages and resources fully: and fairly before the. English .’public, and thereby'inducing a flow of emigration towards bur snores.” The Taranaki Herald says—“ Several changes in the Ministry and Civil Service, it is said, will be likely to take place before next session. The Colonial Secretary and Commissioner of the Armed Constabulary. Colonel Whitmore, it is believed, will shortly be leaving for Europe, and as a consequence, will resign bis position in the Ministry. It is not yet known who is to succeed him, but possibly Mr Sheehan may have to take his Defence duties in addition to his present portfolios during the recess, and pending other arrangements. The Under-Secretary of the Native. Office, Mr H. T. Clarke, in all probability, it is said, will retire on a pension at the end of the year.”

The Sim is responsible for the -folio v ing —“A well known New Zealand Judge> who is an admirer of’the. fair, lately entered a railway carriage and took a seat by a gorgeously beautiful woman. She was as modest as beautiful. The Judge gave her some sandwiches, and she answered his questions modestly: At last he told her he was certain they had met before, but he couldn’t recall the place where he had the pleasure. She replied, laying aside her blushes, ‘Old Buster you’x;e* right: you sent me up for thirty days last year, and you have jugged tne' thirteen times.’ The Court—a.‘stalwart one—fled.” .' ’

The Napier Telegraph says :—That a subcommittee of the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Association appointed to consider, the question of acquiring a hrger'area of land-for the purposes of the society reported the purchase of 16| across >f land at Hastings for the sum of £75), •n which a first payment had been made of £250, The report contained the followjg recommendations :—(!•) Thattliedand, -r a portion of it, recently purchased be sold. (>.) That an offer of 53 acres of land at £3,180 be accepted. Tins land is the properly of Mr Tl Tanner, is close to Bastings and adjoins the railway, ami is of sufficient area for a race course, a show ground, and a cricket ground. The following expenditure was estimated—coat of land £3.180 y Grand Stand and Course, £700; cricket ground, £6O; removal, of yards &e., £4OO ; fencing, £2OO ; artesian well, £6O ; contingencies, £l5O : total £4,750- Assets Sale of present show, ground £I,OOO. Balance of money required to be raised by sale of 75 debentures at £SO each. Estimated revenuefrom ground £312 10s.

The Manawatu Herald of the 15th inat., contains a strongly condemnatory article on the late action of the Wanganui School Board, in respect of the £2O scholarships, and,points out that £so.scholarships for the country would scarcely be of equal value with £2O scholarships to the parents of scholars resident in Wanganui, where the High, School is to be. To enable a country scholar to take advantage of the £2O scholarship, an expenditure of fully £4O a. year ..extra would have to-be incurred to pa}* l or the scholar’s Board in Wanganui. Our contemporary says :—“ We protest against the Wanganui Education Board spending its funds in providing the ‘ shabby-genteel ’ element of the town of Wanganui with the means of putting on Dundreary airs, whilst the sons of the sturdy yeomen of Manawatu are forced to attend schools in buildings where the}’ are ‘ cribb’d, cabin’d, and confin’d where the atmosphere is dangerous to health ; and where, a single master, with two young pupil teachers, is expected to teach a large school. If the Wanganui people want ‘ higher education,’ they can organise private classes. But we protest against the salaries of country masters being lowered, the teaching staff curtailed, and necessary improvements neglected, because there is no money. And why is there none? Because, forsooth, Wanganui is strong, and the strong must always eat up the weak ? ’These remarks are suggested by the action of the Education Board regarding scholarships. The tendency of the Board to centralise everything at Wanganui, lias for a long time been very apparent ; but their recent action is so palpably opposed to the interests of the country settlers, that we deem it our duty to speak out plainly in this matter.”

The half-yearly report of the Bank of New South Wales, was presented to a meeting which took place in Sydney, on the 31st October. The following extract is from the report in the Sydney Morning Herald :—“ The net profits for the halfyear, after deducting rebate on current bills, interest on deposits, providing for bad and doubtful debts, and deducting the value of bank premises, amount to £97,610 10s 3d—to which is added undivided balance from last year £4,466 14s 2d, giving for distribution £102,077 4s sfi, which the directors recommend to be appropriated as follows : —To payment of dividend at the rate of 15 per cent per annum, £75,000 ; Bonus at the rate of 2£ per cent per annum, £12,500 ; Angrnenta-tion-of the reserve fund £IO,OOO ; Balance carried to profit and loss, new account, £4,577 4s sd. With the above appropriation, the reserve fund will amount to £460,000.”

A terrible fire broke out at Waimate (South Island) last week. Telegram to the .Wellington Post, dated lira.am, 16lh November says:—“ The fire at Waimate is still burning, and the Town of Timaru had a narrow escape from destruction. Atone time flames were within a quarter of a mile of the town, when the wind fortunately shifted. The fire commenced at the top of the hill, and cleared everything before it.” The following is tire Press Agency telegram, sent from the scene of the conflagration, at 5.30 p.m., on the 17th instant:—“ Mr Studholme states his loss at £60,000. The other mills destroyed are—Theobald’s, Kaye’s, Briant’a Bartlett’s, Hunt’s, and Burrett’s. A number of residences were bn nt, and many families rendered destitute. Much anxiety is still felt for a number of persons residing near the bush. It is believed that before, (he fire abates the whole bush will be destroyed. Fifteen families have just arrived, who are cleared out of house and home. Several minor accidents have happened. The fire is still raging furiously. Tele-grarns-of the 18th state:—The fire at Waimate is still burning. Very little

damage is dme to tho Maiden Bush, The loss will fall principally on woodcutters and h' Iders of small sections of dry bush, which have been swept away. The losses are estimated as follows ;—Studholms’s, £40,000 ; Price’s £I,OOO ; Barrett's £BOO ; Rickman, £4OO. It is estimated that £BO,O-0 wii! not cover the damage. The NZ. Times in reviewing Dr Elector’s Geological survey report,says :—Tho members of the geological staff visited and most carefully inspected 26 out of the 32 collieries now worked in the colony. The iota) amount, of .coal.used, in the year was fhns','‘of which' 155,996 were imported and 138,984 were derived from our own mines. By far the most productive mine was the Kaw.akawa, the out-put from which was 36,599 tons ; the next largest being the Brunner 21.974 tons ; the smallest amount was 50 tons from, the St. Andrew’s colliery, in the Oamam District. Dr Elector tells us that the prejudice against the use of biown coal " for household purposes and steam generating is rapidly disappearing as people become better acquainted with its management. The Director notes that the chief feature of the gold mining is a revival of the interest in the reefs in the Mai borough District and in the Longwood Range, District'of Southland, and we may remark that this confirms his speculations published in the reports of 1869. Mr Cox furnishes an elaborate report on the different collieries, and speaks very favorof the mineral wealth of d’Urville Island.