Patea County News.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 540, 1 July 1880, Page 2

Patea County News.

The Editor of the Mail presents his compliments to the Subscribers and readers of this journal, and hopes it will not be found a disadvantage to themselves that the Mail has this day become his property, under a deed of purchase. Whatever can be done, within the limits of commercial enterprise, to increase the attraction and usefulness of the Mail as a newspaper, shall be done at every opportunity. The manner of conducting the paper during the past three months has spoken for itself—ill or well. As the Editor began, so he intends to continue. The Mail will be independent of Party or personal influences. It will continue to praise or censure with honest impartiality. For the rest, those who have read the Mail will not need farther assistance towards forming their opinion of the fitness of the present change. They will observe an enlargement of the title, which means that the Patea County Mail has entered on a larger mission. In making this change, it is hoped the propriety of it will be endorsed.

The Inward Mail via San Francisco is expected at .Wellington to-day, by the s.s, Stella. ■ Messrs Gibbons & Co. have to-day entered on the management of the Patea Brewery. The successful tenderer for the Railway works at Patea had not been communicated up to last evening. The announcement is expected to reach Patea to-day. A Salary is to bo paid to the Chairman of the Harbor Board, on the motion of Mr Milroy, as soon as authority can bo regularly obtained. A New Wharf for the shipment of cattle and gcheral purposes, on the town side, is to be erected by the Harbor Board, at a cost ranging from £1,700 to £2,000. Tenders are now invited. A Select Committee has been appointed by the French Chamber of Deputies to enquire into the alleged torturing of political prisoners at New Caledonia. The Kelly Gang of outlaws is caught and annihilated. These desperadoes stood at bay, when finally run to earth, and had to be “ smoked out” by setting fire to the hotel which they had seized and barricaded as a refuge. The trouble is not over, for another gang of sympathisers is on the scene of action ; and strong bodies of police have been despatched to settle them. Our special cable despatches will be found to present the situation with graphic terseness in its sad and its ludicrous aspects.

Mr llamllv, M.H.R., left Patea on Tuesday for Wellington, and it will be gratifying to know that he was so favorably impressed with the character and capabilities of this district, that be is likely to give a report to the House of Representatives which will react greatly to our advantage in the political understanding of our position and requirements. Mr Hamlin will be able, with his present favorable impressions, to do what a local M.H.R. would do in the ordinary course of his duty —if Tatea County had a local M.H.R. More’s the pity it hasn’t.

Tine Improvement Works at the heads of the Palea River arc to be continued with increased vigor, so soon as arrangements can be completed with the Government for a farther loan, to be advanced in such a manner and to such extent as may seem to best meet the requirements of the case. The Chairman of the Board has been authorised to proceed to Wellington to make the best arrangements practicable.

We understand that the new hotel at Patca, erected by Mr Milroy, is now leased by Mr MoKetteriek, of Whonuakura. The price will probably bo found to be at the rate of T4OO a year rental, not quite so high a figure as was at first asked. This now hotel, when finished, will be an architectural feature of the main street of Patca. Theexpensc of so large a house will doubtless be heavy in the early stage of making the business; but it is likely that, before the structure is finished for occupation, there will be such an increase in the hotel requirements of the town, through the starting of Railway works and the inflow of visitors in quest of land in this now famous district, that the new hotel will he found to have been erected none too soon. It will be seen that the previous statement in the Mail as to Mr McKetterick’s probable connection with the new hotel was well founded, notwithstanding the weak denials attempted elsewhere. It is easier to build a new hotel than it is to make a paying business for a new house ; but time will show. We are authorised to state that the Native Lands Court will sit at Patca on the 7th July and thereafter, for the hearing of claims to native lands purchased by the Government, and on which an advance payment has been made. There are twelve sets or families of claimants to the first series of land-blocks scheduled for investigation at the first sittings of the Court. The blocks are Makino, Malematcaonge, Tutaeriari, near Patca ; also, To Raima, Okahu, Tc Ruaotcmoko and Turangtapuai, all near the Waingongora ; also, Te Ngaere, Tuatacriari, and Te Toko, near Patea ; also, Nukutauraro, near Mangaotuku. The latest local disease is an eruption of poetry. Some of it lias gone into tlio editorial basket, which is a pity. The latest received fragment is a ghostly motto for a poem Whither wouldst thou lead me ? Speak ; I’ll go no farther. Hamlet. The sweeping away of nearly two thousand names from the electorial roll of the Thames seems to be enjoyed as a good joke by Ministerials. —Thames Advertiser.