COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 7 September 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

The Homeward Mail via San Francisco leaves Wellington next Sunday, the 12th, and New Plymouth on' Monday. ; The death is reported (kst night’s cable) of Mr /fßos. Higginbotham, enginecr-in-chief of Victorian railways,from apoplexy. A steam threshing machine at Christearned lil,lßl daring the season. The expenditure was £974, and the profit remaining was £225. The quantity of grain threshed was 63,9824 bushels, in 1221 hours. The machine belongs to the Harewoocl Road Steam Threshing Company, and the dividend on capital is equal to 31 per cent. " i Goons in Bono are to be kept at Patea harbor. The Government have just decided to provide facility by which merchants and storekeepers can have their bonded stores scut to this port, and kept under bond in a warehouse, paying duty for such portions as'the owners may take out'from time to time. The new provision for bonded stores at Patea is embodied in the revised Customs tariff. ‘ : ’ ; Tiie ; Cadets’ Ball ,is fixed for Friday next, in the Town Hall. It is to be the ball of the season, in the opinion of young Patea. :;These wan-like young gentlemen, whoso motto is Defence, not defiance,”' and whose martial courage is the palladium of Patea, will muster over fifty strong at the Town Hall at eight o’clock evening,' and the:younger ladies of the; district will also bo there, for liavc they not all received tender invitations to the “ military ball”? Captain Black has issued supplementary invitations to parents and guardians, to rich uncles and fond aunts, who may desire to be. spectators of those military ‘‘ high jinks and there is aii understanding that when the fighting brigade and'the tender maids have kept up their soiree tlansanle till midnight, the cider generation shall have a turn on the floor for .an hour or two. A coachbuildcr at,Christchurch, writing of the adaptability of inanukafor buggy spokes, gives the following among other proofs of the lasting qualities of this wood for the purpose :—“ In 1865 1 made a very light wagon to rim the mail from Selwyn to Snowdon, 44, miles each way, 88 miles a week, 'which;.it. did for 18 months, running a .distance ..during that time of nearly 7080 miles. With the exception of now tires occasionally; 1 am not aware that they have any repairs. They have been in constant wear for 15 years, and have covered) a distance during that time of at least 32,000 miles. The spokes arc the same that I put in originally, and are not worn out: yet, and they are manuka.”

The 8. S. OaUTi is understood to be chartered by Messrs Downes and Proctor to bring a cargo of timber from Dunedin to Patea, for the railway wharf. The Puriri, previouslymentioned, is not coming here. The Oreti is a new iron boat, 135 feet long, with a draught of 7 feet. She carries sails, is an excellent sea-boat, and has groat power and speed. The harbor bar is now in a condition to admit steamers of this class with case and safety in any state of weather. The Orcti is a much larger steamer than any hitherto seen in Patea harbor. Bhc is capable of carrying 60 head of cattle, along with sheep ; and a good opportunity will offer for sending an experimental , cargo of slock to Dunedin.

A Rifle Match took place last Saturday at Patea, and was brought about by the non-commissioned officers (of whom there :are ten) challenging any .other ten members of the corps. Sergeant Harden and Corporal Hudson being unavoidably absent, an average had to be taken for their scores. The conditions were 200, 300, and 400 yards, 5 rounds at each, any position ; bull’s-eye Sin., centre 2ft., target 6by 4ft. Scores :

Mr George Mershall. Gray died at Wan. ganui on Saturday, aged '74. Two vessels loaded with goods for the Melbourne Exhibition -have been wrecked. The Wesleyan Soiree takes place this evening (nut Wednesday, as erroneously stated); and’ a lecture on a fascinating topic is to follow the tea. The Coast Road from Stoney River to 'the’" Waingongoro is now gazetted as a highway : a sort of, official flourish to ward off Maori fencers from daring to’ stop the Queen’s-high way. -< ■ ; - - The Emperor of Russia has again been travelling, and all railways he had tolpass over , were examined for .suspected minesOne line was found to be mined in several places. The Czar must- return to his capital in a mood of painful sadness. ; The 7,000 Acres to be firstsold oni the Plains form a block four by throe miles in extent,! level arid undulating, about five miles .beyond Hawcra on the coast road. The sections will be 50 to 80 acres each ; and about 2,500 acres will be offered on deferred payment at £5 An acre, and about 4,500 for sale at £4. . A .Dramatic Company .will perform in this! district during the week ; at Waycrley on Wednesday,, Patea Thursday, and Hawera on Friday, and Saturday. ; They could not obtain the Patea Town Hall for Fridayji and so one performance must suffice. They give scenes from standard dramaspand also light faeces, with musicA Great Victory ,5s achieved in AfAfghanistan, retrieving the late disaster to British arms at’Candahar. Our cable news last night reports a complete rout of Ayoub Khan, who was besieging a small force iii the citadel at Candahar. The relief force under General Roberts was ten thousand strong. The battle, though decisive, was bloody, for the British had 657 wounded and missing, with 21 killed, these being equal to the strength of a whole regiment cut down in one action. The Surveyors’ Mketinul held on Saturday in Patea was a gratifying success to the profession. Representatives were present from Wellington, Wanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth, Wahriate Plains, and Patea, comprising Government engi--1 neors, authorised and Government staff surveyors. After a discussion of the scheme for an association of authorised surveyors, a resolution to form an association with head-quarters at Wellington and branches at populous centres along this coast, was adopted. A schedule of charges for various descriptions of survey work was agreed upon, and this schedule will be a standard of charges, while it is intended that membership shall be a guarantee of competence and fairness of charge. A committee was appointed, Mr Deere being secretary ami treasurer ; and circulars arc to be sent to the profession throughout the colony.

Sergt. Kells .. ............ Sergt. Kitchiug ......... • ;;17 ....18 18 14 ; Sergt. Smith.... ,...15 14 ' 14—43 Color-Sergt. King 1 ,...16 13 13—42 Sergt. Carey ,...15 11 14—40 Goi poral Chadwick ;..14, . 12 13—39 Bugler Baxter ............ ...16 15 7—38 Corporal Powell ...!.... ...14 10 11—35 Average for two 82 ! Total............ : : 413 Volunteer May !. ...15 17 14—46 Vol uhteer Pringle.. ...... ...17 19 10—46 Captain Black ;.!.;.. ...17 10 15-42 Volunteer W. Dasent... ...14 16 12—42 Volunteer- Mi Carey... :...16 15; 9—40 Volunteer Pearson ...... ,...14 11 ; 12—37 Volunteer Thomson..;., ....15 .. 11, 10—36 Volunteer A. Black ...-,16 ,..'.15 12 8-36 Volunteer Williams...!, 14 3—32 Vol untecr Harris ......... ...10 2 2—14 ■! Total..;.!'..’;.. •- 1 •' i 1 i 'i , 371 Maiority for non-commissioneci officers,42;