COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 27 July 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

A New Uniform for the Patea Kifle Corps is to be provided. It consists of scarlet tunic, blue trousers with scarlet piping ; black helmet, with oak-leaf band, and a spike or plume. A Sporting Tournament of Maoris is being held at Parackaretu, near Marton. All sorts of shooting irons are brought into use, and the gathering is described as curious and motley even for Maoris. The Patea Harbour Loan, now being applied for through the Harbour Board, is likely to be the subject of enquiry before a Parliamentary committee. Evidence will bo required as to the state of the bar, the capacity of the harbour, the progress of the breakwater, the number of vessels entering the" river now as compared with a period prior to the harbour scheme, and other particulars.

The Capitation to Volunteers stands on'this footing. The money received is not strictly duo to those who have resigned ; but having regard to the circumstances, it is intended that all ex-members i who bad obtained uniforms shall receive a share of tho capitation now in hand, after all arms and accoutrements arc handed in and accounted for.

Hunting. —A subscription is being raised in Hawera, in order that the Master of the Otago Hounds, now in Wanganui, may have sufficient inducement to bring up his pack, for a limit at Hawera, The Wanganui sportsmen have already had several runs, and hunting is likely to be a favorite pastime there during the winter months. Patea and Waverley might combine to pay the expenses of two or three runs. Is this not practicable ?

Cottages are becoming scarce in Patea township. The gradual influx of working men, some bringing families, baa overtaken the accommodation, which was in excess of requirements three months ago. This increase of settlers is likely to be continuous, and in a few weeks the demand for small houses is certain to exceed the supply very seriously, unless building be continued more rapidly than at present. There is also a distinct want of houses of a superior class, small but well-finished) with garden plots, suitable for families.

During the sittings of the Native Lands Court last week, over £BOO was paid to the natives for land. The greater portion of this was paid by the agents of a private company. The Government payments so far have been small, but we are informed on authority that in the course of a few weeks all the blocks purchased by Government will be settled for in cash, and the natives are to receive the money at their own , settlements. The case of Kaitangiwhenua is to be brought on again in three weeks, and it is not unlikely that the evidence will be taken at Waitotara. Some particulars of the blocks passed, with names of purchasers, will appear in the Mail this week.

Maori Exodus. —On Saturday afternoon nearly all the natives who had attended the sittings of the Lands Court departed •to their respective kiangas. The Hawera and Tongahoe hapus engaged the vehicles of Messrs Haase .and R. Erskine to take home such of them as had not horses aud conveyances of their own. The Waitotara and Whenuakura natives, and others from up-country settlements, started away in buggies and on horse-back ; and on Saturday night they, held. a tangi over the remains of the young man Tamati, who died on Wednesday last at ’Whenuakura. On Sunday morning*, after performing the burial service, the Whenuakura settlement was deserted for that of Thiupuku, two miles from Waitotara, There fully four hundred Maoris gathered during the day, and commenced a tangi over the dead chief Pirimona, which is to be continued till Thursday morning. Our informant states that he saw several hogsheads of beer and a considerable quantity of spirits at the scene of the tangi, and that the natives were all more or less intoxicated, and greatly excited. This is called sorrowing for the dead.

Mr Joseph Ivess’s new journal, the Ellesmere Advertiser was issued last Wednesday. It is a bi-weekly, and well got-up, though the editor’s style of writing is not first-rate. A Bowing Club for Patea is projected, and a meeting is called for Saturday next, at the Albion Hotel. The formation of a good boating club ought to be an easy matter, with a river so accessible and so pleasantly suitable for aquatic exercise and enjoyment. Will the promoters kindly take into consideration the practicability of enrolling lady members, at say half the fee for entrance ? They or their sisters elsewhere have a passion for boating which might bo indulged with advantage at Patna. Get the club formed, and then try the other experiment. No outdoor exercise is better suited for ladies or is more enjoyable to them than boating* But the first essential is to start the'club* We understand that a second batch of unemployed immigrants, forwarded from Wellington by the Government, will arrive at Patea to-day. They will be received by Major Noalrn, and encamped probably along with those now working at the Junction Station. Other immigrants, to arrive later, may bo camped for railway work at Kakaramea Station. One man lias left the work at the Junction Station, and others are likely to. drop off as employment offers elsewhere.

Volunteers.— -A rifle match between the Wanganui and Patea corps will take place next Saturday. Each team will fire on their respective ranges. The Waverley Rifles have also been asked to compete ; and if the preliminaries can be arranged, an interesting competition may be expected. The Wanganui Rifles are the senior corps of the district, and will take a deal of beating ; yet the Patea team may succeed In justifying- their courageous response to the challenge.—Captain Tiegear tendered his resignation of the company at tbo close of the last inspection. His engagements do not permit of bis continuing to fill a post which he has held with much credit, as a general favorite. A vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring captain ; and Mr John Black was unanimously elected to the vacancy.

Miners are flocking to now goldfields in South Africa. Tho Tasmanian Mail says :—“ There is a remarkable exodus of miners, not only from this, but from the other Colonies to South Africa. The miners are acting on private information) and over, a hundred have left here within the last week or two. How many have left from the other Colonies I cannot say, but a few days ago one steamer alone brought 120 from New Zealand to Melbourne, and the steamer Northumberland, which left Melbourne for London the other day, and was going Home via the Suez Canal, had so many miners for the Cape that her route was changed to suit them, and she took between 100 and 200 miners for Natal. All lean learn is that the goldfields, which are attracting so much attention, miles inland from Natal.”

Seven Labourers in Patea have been taken on for work at subsistence wages along with labourers at the Junction Station. The deputation of unemployed laborers who applied to the Resident Engineer last Friday, were told to wait till instruction came from Wellington* That instruction is to the effect that Mr Hunter may engage men who really need charitable assistance. Twenty names were handed in on Friday, and of this number employment has been accepted by seven, at 21s for single men, and 28s for married men, with Is, 3d per day deducted for rations. There will be employment on Government railway work near Patea for at least 100 men during seven or eight months. The batches of unemployed who are coming from Wellington are likely to be located here during that period, unless increasing demand for labour lakes them into other parts of the district on day wages. Our ancestors, the monkeys, couldn’t have been so ignorant after all. They were all educated in the higher branches. Keep a barrel of gypsum in the stable where cows arc kept, and sprinkle the floor with it after the stalls arc cleaned. It is a very valuable absorbent of liquid manure and an excellent deodorizer. Gower and Co., chemists, of Patea, have just received a stock of Mother Seigel’s Curative Syrup—see advertisement in another column.— Advt.