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Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 492, 18 February 1880, Page 2

A little stir was caused in the district las: week by a report that the Maoris had cut the telegraph wire on the Plains. It now turns out that the wire had snapped, in consequence of the wheel of a dray coming in contact with one of the posts.

A musical entertainment will he held in the Kakaramea Town Hall on Thursday evening, in aid of the Kakaramea Library.

The ringing of the fire-bell about 9 o’clock on Sunday evening, startled the quiet of the town considerably, and a general rush was made to Taranaki Road to Darn the whereabouts of the fire. It appears that a window-blind in a small house opposite the Council Chamheis had caught lire, and one of the Fire Brigade, seeing the flames, immediately gave the alarm. Although their services wm-e not required, great, credit is due to the members of the Brigade for the prompt manner in which they turned out with buckets to subdue the flames.

At the request of the Government, Colonel L-jekie, of Her Majesty’s service, has undertaken the inspection of the Volunteers of the North Island, and may he expected in this district shortly.

An inquest on the body of the Maori diowned up the Palea River, was held on Saturday last (before C. A. Wray, Esq., Coroner), when an open verdict of “ found drowned” was returned. After the inquest, the body was conveyed to Ha worn by natives for burial.

The Secretary of the Carlyle Cricket Glut) wishes us to announce that the match arranged between VVailotara, for Saturday next, will not take place, owing to the iatt.cr team not being able to come up. Instead of which, however, the return Married and' Single match (postponed from last Satmdny) will he okayed, commencing ,rg. 1 cAdor-k.

The following Jotter appears in the Taranaki Herald of Monday:—“ Sir,—, — I am exceedingly sorry to have to inform you that during thu past week native;! who have been perfectly unknown to ui aa residents have made an appearance, which we dislike. I think the. officer commanding this district, knowing the utv settled state of affairs on the Wahnatc Plains, should avail himself of the opportunity of potting tiie district in a state of defence, and not wait for ‘ any instructions’ from the Government.—l am, &e., OB3KP.VEII. —Waipukn, February 18. 188 J.”

flnnv-j very serious charges (says the Taran ;ki Herald) have been made by the .special correspondent to the Auckland Herald , who is reporting events as they happen on the Waimate Plains. The other day tins correspondent authoritatively stated ihat the secrecy of the telegraph office had been violated by an order from the hit,•. Government, an i now we find him making furtliVr charges, hj; which he “ points to something very like a conspiracy of a very serious nature, of which there tire; not wanting signs that it is at work hot!) in Wellington and on the Plains.” lie also refers to a mysterious occurence rd alive to the resignation of I‘awnai of Irs s.mt on Urn Native Commission. “ A paragraph appeared in the Wellington Chronicle .announcing -that Mr Bryce had received a communication from Tawh.ii. This being the first that Mr Bryce had heard of it,” says this special can respondent, “ search was made, and the letter was found in a pigeon-hole in the Native Department, messenger's office, placed I hero in the absence of every body A few days after, during five minutes absence from his office of Mr Morpeth (NativeOfficer),another leDcr from Tawhai to Mr Bryce was found on his (Morpeth’s) table, placed there no one knows by wlnnn. The third mys e.lotis occurrence—but in ibis instance amounting to a very serious crime—has taken [dace, a’so having connection with iha Waimate R.ains question, but with respect to which it would be injudicious as yet to be explicit,” A spiritualist to read of such mysterious occiirn.-ne. s, Would tie inclined !o believe that the decline nts were placed where they wore found by hands from another world ; but the inore world 1 } - would put a different, construction on the at fab - , and by tilling the office wndi new faces tin? mysterious hands would lis found to dissappear, and the letters would be delivered in the usual way. If there is any foundation for these charges, the matter wit!, no doubt, bo brought before I lie Douse when it meets, and if a conspiracy is found to exist, it is to be honed that the parties concerned in it will be severely punished.

APi ess Association’a tolo/ynan), dated Christchurch, 6fh February, says :—li was rumored yesterday that an attempt liad been made to poison “ Pastor” Cniniqny. It seems that on Wednesday night a 1 1? r.t>-r was received at the Odd Fe: low’s Hall addressed to the Pas!or. When opened by ibe secretary it was found to emit a s:mil# st'-ncii. fho secretary said tliat aider Handling the letter, and putting his fiii'i'r.s to Ids iipa am! nose, an il<-hy sensation followed, and shortly afterwards his lips were swollen conai A paper was also inside the envelope, on which w.is written, “ iLememher, you are to meet your God. I'rodicai child, com'.; to me Home. lam one who would give alms if yon want them. Reflect on lids. Look at ye,nr blaclt angel.” The envelope and enclosure ware handed to the police, who submitted them to Professor Bickerton. He reports as follows ; —” I hav,; examined the paper sent to .VJr Uhiniqny, and (hid it to contain nothing mare than- varnish and dead Hies.”

The Swimming Club promises to become quite nn iuwitntion in Patea. The members already number about thirty, all of wimm can s'.vim, many of ttumi being quite dons at it. The site chosen is jnsi round and above the turn in the river on the upper aide of tile bridyv, where privacy and comfoit are s-enroll. The bathinghouse is placed just .above high-water mark, and is commodious and com . or: ab c, being of iean-to shape, having two entrances, a bench, a floor well open at the joints, and plenty of nails to hang one's clothes upon. In front of the main entrance is a very springy spring-board, from which, even at tin lowest fid', those who are inclined can take a u header" into twelve feet, of water, bill the height at such times is nearly ten fed. When the tide is higher toe •* header” h'-coiiics mod) simplified. There is also a flight of steps from the house down to low water. From tide a second-class “ header” may bo obtained. Thu timid ones may wade out a few yards before losing bottom, but it is not a good place for terrafirraa swim tiers, Tim bast times to swim arc at high an 1 low water, when the current is weak. l‘lm sea water bath can be had at high tide, and the fresh water bath allow tide. Wu wish the Club success.

It is with extreme regret we learn ("says the Manawatn Times) that lhe medical adviser of Mr Alexander McMinn Ims m ist determinedly prohibited dim from persuing Ids profession, at least for tin* n*xt twelve months. Siiu‘3 his appointment to tin; chair of the Marton p.\p-T, ho has l»«en performing a Herculean las*, ami aa might have been expected, the mental strain ins JgrOn so great aa to regularly shatter his nervous system and leave him perfectly broken in health. By his reiirement, Mr Kirkhride loses the services of an indefatigable and faithful servant, and the profession one of its ablest members, among which Mr Mc.Minn had but few equals. Whether as an editor, reporter, or para, graphist, he has been ah c to hold ni-s own with the best ami the blame of his present illness may Iv well laid upon the untiring energy and self-sacrifice which caused him to utterly ignore himself for the interests of the journal under his charge. a spirit of independence, which did him credit, no sooner did he fee] himself unable to do t'ne sim ■ amount of work as he ha I been previously doing, than handed in bis re.-ignaiion of his appointment, Wide!) was received w;tn regret. Mr McMinn then made application to the Education Board for a schoo., and withon the slightest hesitation was appointed to t!ie charge of Otaki, where we sincerely trust in the enjoyment of 1 hat rest which hj« lias so well earned, and so much needs, he wiil he so throughly restored to health as to again take the. place in the world of letters which he has so worthily filled IH w iiU w •

A correspondent of the Auckland Slar sends the following receipt to keep flics off horses : —Boil some onions, of any sort, wdl for half-an-honr, and then pom tlie water off and wash the horse with ii after.it hits been cleaned. The flies will not trouble the animal any more. Referring to the Wanganui £IOOO Handicap, the Canterbury Times says : “ Mr Haldy’s handicapping is likely to come out right in the betting alter all the noise. Twenty animats remain in the £IOOO Race at Wanganui, and of these Templeton is the top weight. Those left in are the most favored ones, and with the money market right, the race should be between Hippocampus, Libeller, Hornby, Betrayer, and King Quail. The other events at the meeting promise fairly.”