The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1880.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 495, 28 January 1880, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1880.

For Government laud sale notice, tenders, and valuation notices, see Inst page. A concert, in connection with the llawera Roman Catholic school, will be held in the Town Hall, llawera, on Thursday evening, when a number of talented lady and gentlemen amateurs will appear. The animal meeting of the members of the Patca Library and Institute will be held at the Institute, this evening, at 7 o'clock.

'The first annua! meeting of the shareholders of the llawera Building Society, will be held at the olliee of the Society, this evening, at 7 o’clock.

Mr H. H. Dyer announces in another column that lie has commenced holding evening classes for young ladies at his urivate residence.

We have received a Jotter from Mr Crombie Brown, in reply' to one which recently appeared in this journal. It shall appear in our next issue.

It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, that tenders are called by Government for gravelling contracts on the main line of road west of the Waingongoro River, commencing at the bridge. A footnote to the advertisement notifies that this will bo the first of a series of contracts which will extend northward of the Waingongoro. Tenders for the above close on the 2nd February, showing that no time will bo lost in pushing the works on. At the meeting convened for Mondaylast, to receive the report and balancesheet of the Carlyle School Committee, and to elect a committee for the ensuing vear, only one householder, besides four members of the committee, put in an appearance. The report and balance sheet, road by the chairman (Mr W. Aitchisoii) was adopted. No stops, however, were taken to elect a new committee, and it will devolve on the Education Board to appoint another day for that purpose, or to appoint a paid commissioner, as it thinks fit. The accounts wore audited and passed by Mr NV. Co worn.

Tenders for the following public works in the County have been accepted, and will be proceeded with at once :—Police Station, Carlyle, Messrs Mace and Bassett ; Police Buildings, Mauutahi, Messrs Holtinun and Warren ; Police Buildings, Normanby, Messrs Holtham and Warren. We have been unable to get the prices as yet, but hope to do so by next issue.

Clause 11 of the Schedule to “The Special Powers and Contracts Act, 1879,” amongst other things, “authorises the Governor to execute a lease to William Wilson, William Newlaml, Henry Axup, James Nieiiolson, and Arthur Drake, settiers of the Provincial District of Taranaki, tor a period of fifteen years, of the following portion of the Pilot Reserve at Pa tea —namely, all that parcel of land situate in tiie Whemrakura District, in the Provincial District of 'Taranaki, containing by admeasurement 9 acres and 3 roods, more or less, being part of section No. 130 on the plan of the said district. Bounded on the north by sections numbered 84. 285 links ; towards the east by other part of section numbered 130, 2598 links ; towards the south by a road line, 875 links ; and towards the west by the Patea River, 2080 links, excepting therein the strip of land 1 chain wide along the frontage to the Patea River, if required for public purposes, but allowing-present, access to the river to the lessees. The lease to contain a clause that if the land is not at any time during a period of twelve consecutive months used for the purpose of boiling down stock, the Governor to have power to enter into possession of the land and cancel the lease. Also a further clause providing that, if the land is required for pilot or harbor purposes during the currency of the lease, the Governor shall have power to cancel it over such portions of the lease as shall not have been actually built upon by the lessees.”

The Carlyle correspondent of the Taranaki Herald seems to he one of the few v/ho object to the Patea Boiling Down Company’s works. He says ;—“ From the first, formation of the Patea Harbor Board, the Boiling Down Company, or its agents, have badgered the Harbor Board for the lease of nine acres of land at the Patea Beads, the land having a frontage to the river, and being quite close to the root of the now-being-coMßtructed Breakwater, which land (a Pilot Reserve, not at first, if even now legally handed over) the Board had neither the power nor inclination to grant. In one form or other at almost every meeting of the Board there has been boiling-down discussion or snarling. The “ boilers-down ” have been persistent, and their case has been continually specially pleaded at Board meetings. They have been indefatigable in deputationising here and in Wellington, danced appropriately around Major Atkinson whenever he showed up, voted straight at the late election, and have got their reward. A lease for 21 years [we read it 15 years] of nine acres (no price named) has been granted in the “Special Contracts Act” introduced by the Government and passed during the last session of Parliament,. The five persons forming the company also want a special and separate wharf, and a motion was moved at yesterday’s (10th instant) meeting, lost only by the casting vote, that the Harbor Board construct it, the company to guarantee, i.e., promise to pay, the cost.”

At the 11.M. Court yesterday (before C. A. Wray, Esq., R.M.), the following, cases were dea't with. sV. Dixori v Alex. Wood, claim £4 6a 9.1 ; judgment for plaintiff for amount claimed, and 7s costa. —H. F.Christie v. A. Riches, claim £1 Is ; judgment for plaintiff by default for amount claimed, and 5s costs. —A. R. Pve, for allowing a horse to wander, was lined os. and 7s costs, —Wm. HiVgiiis was charged by Constable Hynes, of Waitotavn, with the larceny of a coat ; remanded until Saturday nest. Trade must be getting miserably low with the Wanganui papers —we speak more particularly with regard to the Chronicle — when they descend to such low practices as have come under our notice on several occasions lately. Not long since an advertisement was inserted in this journal by a gentleman who was about leaving the colony, of various properties ho had for sale ; and (lie Chronicle clipped the advt. out, put it in type, and then sent to the advertiser iliac they would insert it at a ridiculously low price. Of com ae the offer was accepted ; but what is the result of those low practices. We are characterised as swindlers, or something as bad, because wo have charged a fair and reasonable price. It must be borne in mind that the amontit of advertising is far more limited in this district than it is in Wanganui, and it is not to he supposed that we can come down to their prices yet awhile. It would pay us to take as many Wanganui advertisements as we could got, at half our regular scale charge, but \Ve would scorn the idea of interfering witii the prices of another paper, more especially if that paper was fifty miles away. We did hear of a Wanganui newspaper proprietor sending tip a traveller with the glad news that billheads would be done for 7s 6d per LOO 9 : but one trial at this was sufficient, for it was found that the paper alone cost as much. Wo do not object to the Chronicle getting Ratea advertisements, but let, it be clone fairly, and not in an underhand, cringing manner. A number of other instances could be given, if necessary. The Wellington Chronicle, speaking of the recent libel case—Anderson wiiirlcbride—says : —We had intended to comment at length upon the action for libel of Anderson v. Kirkbride, but as the matter is still suhjudice we refrain from doing so. The New Zealand Times and New Zealander have stated that a verdict was given by the jury for the defendant, Kirkbride. This is not the case. The jury merely gave certain answers to certain issues. Under these circumstances, Mr Anderson will, through his counsel, apply to the (Supreme Court for a new trial. An application will be made on the subject before his Honor the Chief Justice, by Mr W. L. Hues, thecouusel For Mr. Anderson. Tin’s being the position of affairs, it would be manifestly improper on our part of comment on a case which is still jicndcnte life.

The Taranaki iW.tf of Saturday las!, says —A largo number of Government, notices were distributed yesterday among the natives residing both north and south of New Plymouth. These notices are published at Wellington, and are dated January ’dO, 1880, and their contents aie as follows ;—First, (hero is a notice try the Governor slating that the Confiscated Lands and Maori Prisoneis’ Act has pawed the Legislature, and is published for the information of the natives. That by it a Loyal Commission has been appointed, to consist of three persons. That the Governor does not desire to have recourse to war, nor to keep the prisoners longer than is necessary, and hence ho has appointed a Commission to enquire into grievances or unfulfilled promises. That the Commission will report whether, in its opinion, any grievance weighs heavily on the natives, and also with reference to the amount of unalienable lands necessary for their settlements. That if the natives have grievances are reqmatod now to appear before the Commission and state them, and that failing to do so they themselves will he to blame if such grievances are not remedied, and not the Governor or Parliament. That as the Governor is particularly anxious to do what is right, lie now calls on all people to assist him in this good work. Then follows the li Confiscated Lands and Maori Prisoners’ Act, 18/9.” The warrant of the Commissioners concludes the paper. The Commissioners are :—-Hon. \V. Fox, K.C.M.G. ; lion. Sir Francis Dillon Bell, Knight, M.L.C. ; and Hone Mohi Tawhai, Esq., M.H.K. An adjourned meeting of Mr. G. D. Hamerton’s creditors was held on Friday, Mr Uoy occupying the chair. Tho supervisors (-says the Taranaki News) reported that Mr Hamerton had objected to their inspecting his trust account, and that they had not had sufficient time to prepare a statement of accounts ; also claims amounting to £614 and £lO7 respectively had been made that day.—Mr Hamerton stated that he thought he should he able to pay 4s 6d in the £, in periods extending over twelve months and he promised to permit a full investigation of his books by the supervisors and not to operate on an}' monies until the next meeting.