County News.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 542, 6 July 1880, Page 2

County News.

A Weekly Supplement of If columns is presented with this issue of the Mail. The Railway to Masteiiton ia expected to bo opened in September. The Hinemoa is to be worked at a less expense, and the number of officers is being reduced. Permission was granted last night, by the Town Boa.ul, to erect a fire-engine shed and bell on the section near Mr Howitt’s store, Carlyle. The public are to be cautioned against damaging the cricket ground or anj r property thereon, the Carlyle Town Board having resolved to put up notice boards. The Poneke, schooner, is supposed to be lost or disabled. She could not get into Grey mouth on the 18th June, and made for Picton, but no tidings have been since received. The Cost of Public Buildings in various towns since the abolition of provinces is shown in a return just presented to Parliament. New Plymouth has had £5,508 expended in now Government buildings within the town, irrespective of public works. Timaru has had over £IO,OOO. Theic must have been some very friendly influence at work within the Government to secure these large grants as compared with other places.. Yet Taranaki wants more. Wc would suggest that when next a “ penny reading ” is got up at New Plymouth,some leading citizen should give a reading from “ Oliver Twist,” particularly from those early chapters describing his abnormal hunger in the workhouse, when he was constantly taking his basin and asking for 11 More!”

' A Maori Dictionary is being compiled Mr Colenso, who is doing the work under Government patronage. It will be in two parts, like the usual Anglo-foreign lexicons prepared for schools ; one part being arranged in Maori with English 'explanation, the other being in English with Maori explanation. The Carlyle Town Board, at their meeting last night, approved of the purchase of Mr Ross’s lease of the Recreation Ground, negotiated through the Chairman, in order to relieve the Board of difficulties in dealing with the grounds for tree-planting. The Native Lands Court commences its sittings at Patea to-morrow. The judge' and assessors wore engaged investigating native titles in the Hangitiltei district till Friday last, the Court being held at Bulls. The usual sitting at Wanganui is suspended for the present. A Captain of Volunteers at Dunedin is said to be a good officer but a terribly bad speller. One of the “Lords” has informed the upper Chamber that Captain Smith spells “conduct” with a few k’s and “city” with half a dozen t’s. It would be inter esting to know what other accomplishments the gallant captain has. Some men are considered to be educated if they can write a “thumping cheque,” A Doctor who refused to attend a woman in confinement has been arrested at Invercargill on a charge of manslaughter.- A telegram from Invercargill says : —“ Dr Moffat, of Wintou, has been arrested on a charge of manslaughter, and remanded pending an inquest. It seems lie was called upon to attend Mrs Cameron in her. confinement, and failed to successfully deliver the child. He went away, and when asked to return ho refused. Eventually another doctor was called in, but it was too late to be of real use, the child being dead. The mother died shortly afterwards.” A later despatch says a verdict of manslaughter baa been found against the doctor.

Wo are informed that Mr K. M'lvor, well known in sporting circles, has arranged to get a pack of hounds from down South. If inducement offers, he will bring them from Wanganui for occasional runs in this district. As there are no foxes or hares along this Coast, what is known as drag-hunting would have to be substituted : that is, the hounds would follow a red herring trail. It is to be hoped that settlers will not allow this opportunity to slip, as there are a large number of sporting gentlemen in this district who would be all at home in the pigskin, following the cry of the huntsman and the music of a beagle pack.

Thu Railway Contract for Patea section lias been let to Messrs Proctor and Downes, of Dunedin. The price is not yet reported here, but is understood to bo under £IG,OOO, If that be about the mark there cannot be much margin for profit, if any. It is evident that prices for contract work of this character are exceptionally low at present. There will be general regret at seeing the contract going to men outside the district, but the ulti mate result will be much the same, for the wages to men must bo spent here, and the payment for materials will go elsewhere. It is satisfactory, in any case, to bo assured that the Patea section of the Railway is to go on. We only want now to see contracts let for the intervening links. War is imminent in Europe. The Eastern question is flaring up anew. The stubborn Turks whom Mr Gladstone was going to coerce into good behaviour and docile obedience aie kicking against the pricks. They refuse to obey the Conference, and are once more preparing for a war of resistance. The question now is, whether the Powers will rpply armed coercion, and how far they will carry it Will tho British fleet be again sent to the Dardanelles? The opinion of the English press in discussing the landing of the French Communists in New Zealand, is generally adverse to any measures being taken towards depriving the political refugees from other countries of perfect access to British soil and freedom. Narrow Escape. —Atthe Supreme Court, Nelson, a few days ago, just before the gas was lit, the Registrar, Mr Turnbull, had occasion to leave his seat, and it was fortunate that he did so, for the sunlights being lit, one of the jets flared up till it touched the glass reflectors' in the roof above, and the heat cracking the glass, several large fragments fell on Mr Turnbull's desk. Had that gentleman been in In's customary place, it is more than possible that some of the broken glass might have fallen on his head and inflicted very serious injury.—Wang. Herald.