WAVERLEY.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 481, 3 December 1879, Page 2

WAVERLEY.

(From our own Correspondent.) December 1, Your; reporter having given you such full reports of the Knees and Show, it leaves me nothing to say on those subjects, other than that the excitement caused by those events has about subsided. I shall therefore coniine myself to ordinary local matters. On Monday, wc were treated to a matrimonial duel, at which bricks, stones, and broom handles were flying about in a most erratic manner; at the same time we were oiso treated to a mild prize, fight, caused through the smiles of a fair one, but from the appearance of the rivals after the affray, I fancy it was rather a tame affair, notwithstanding the convincing ground was adjacent to the Cemetery. The Fun and Frolic Troupe gave performances in the old Town Hall on the evenings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, when they were well patronised. The performances of the two boys, or “ Infant Wonders,” was extremely good, as was also the trapeze part of the performance, and the audience evidently enjoyed themselves, if one can judge from the manner in which they applauded. The want of a Justice of the Peace, resident in the township, is greatly felt in Waverley. There is only one in this part ol the district, and he resides seven miles from here; the consequence is, that it the most paltry thing is wanted of a Justice of the Peace, we must either go this seven miles or to Patea. The constable, too, must find it very inconvenient, for if he wants to take out a summons for a breach of the peace or a drunk, he must leave his station, and, as happened the other day (when the cat’s away the mice will play), the passengers by the mid-day coach were treated to a rough and tumble fight, free, gratis, and for nothing. Now, on this occasion, I know the constable was at Patea laying an information, yet a stranger to that fact might think the constable was neglecting his duty. Surely some gentleman resident in the township cotild be found who would be willing to take the office, if

not for the honour, for the benefit of the public at large, and I have no doubt that if the subject was represented to the Ldon Mr Bryce, he would take steps in the matter. The Cemetery Road Contract, lately finished, shows evident signs of bad engineering or slovenly work. I had heard remarks about this piece of work, so went to look at it, and the first through cutting I came to was a kind of sand stone hill, bat instead of going through the hill in a straight li”e, it has a curve in it. The grade is about one in fifteen!, and that is also of the bow-shape. Li fact, not one of the cuttings arc straight. But the greatest improvement of all is about six chains south of the first cutting, where the top of a rise has been taken oil’, and the side of the hill filled in, which makes the grade much steeper than the old track, which appears to be the road generally used. I have been told that the new work is the continuation of an old job, yet I fail to see how the old job would interfere with the new busters, most of which have u protuberance - The trustees of the Cemetery appear to take very little'interest in their trust, to judge from the appearance of the place. The graves appear to be placed irrespec live of plan, and what might be made a very pretty place is allowed to go wild for the want of a few shrubs and trees. 1 believe the late Mr Williamson did go about lour years ago to lay olf the place, but nothing came of the matter. I am glad to say that Laing, who was hurt at the races, is recovering. Saturday evening last was the settling up night of the Waverley-Waitotara Racing Chib, when the following amounts were handed over by the Club to the several winners:—T. Lloyd, £4U; J. Higgie, £10; J. Burke, £4O, J. D. Powdrell, £ 125 ; S. Horsfall, £3O; W. 11. Gibson, £ls; R. Mclvor, £ls; J. Chadwick, £5 10s; J. Morton, £5 ; J. H. Pollock, £5 ; W. 11. Gibson, £6.

A public meeting is called for this evening, to arrange for athletic sports, to be bold here on Boxing Day. Constable Burrow had the pleasure of conveying a.' gentleman to Pa lea per the mid-day coach to-day, to interview the Bench, relative to throwing a tumbler at a young lady resident at the Wairoa Hotel; but as the young lady was the aggressor in the first instant, 1 suppose the charge will fall to the ground.

The following are the minntes of the Educational Committee meeting mentioned in my last:—Present: Messrs Mason (chairman), Bridge, Mathieson, and McDonald.—Minntes of previous meeting read and confirmed.— The Chairman reported having received cheque from the Educational Board for quarter’s capitation, £6 12s fid.—Notice of motion was given by Mr Milne to rescind resolution passed by previous meeting, excluding boys over school age. Proposed hy Mr Milne, seconded by Mr McDonald, “ That the Chairman send notice to the parents of three of the children who have the lowest attendance, informing them that the compulsory clause will be enforced.”—The following amendment was proposed by Mr Bridge,seconded hy Mr Thurston, and carried, That the Chairman send notice to tire parents of all the children residing within two miles of the school, who have not made the requisite number of attendances during the September quarter, excepting those who have been prevented by illness or absence from the district,”

in my last, in referring to the race course, what should have been “ cattle track,” read u cart track.”