COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 21 September 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

The Inward Mail via ’Frisco reached Auckland yesterday. Mr Blanchard inspector of the Colonial Bank, died at Auckland from bronchitis. Tenders arc invited for a bridge on tbe Urenui road. Waitotara.—A report of the entertainment given on Friday last will appear next issue. The Patea Cricket Clue held their annual general meeting last evening, and resolved to open the season with a match next Saturday, married o. single. Oaks three hundred years old, on which herons now build, in Earl Spencer’s park at Altljorpe, Northampton, are fine tall growing trees, with no sign of decay.

Caveriiill v. McCrke was a debt case hoard at New Plymouth District Court, last week, the claim being for £79 14s, the amount of a promissory note dishonored. Judgment by default, with costs. The Choral Society at Wellington intend to produce Macfarren’s cantata, “ Lady of the Lake,” and have arranged with the Patea Harmonic Society for use of the scores.

Mr Bryce, Native Minister, passed through Patea yesterday with his secretary; and we believe he proceeded to his home near Wanganui. Mr Wray is calling for tenders for erecting a ten-roomed house, in a commanding position at the base of the hill behind his present residence. At Ashburton, Mr Joseph Ivess has been elected a member of the Town Board. He is establishing a business there in association with a solicitor.

The Postmaster at Urenui is a Government servant. He gels T1 per annum salary. He received an official intimation the other day that In's salary will bo reduced 10 per cent. IL' the Government drop him from £1 to 18s, the people of Urenni ought to make a colonial question of it. Gas at Ashburton is reduced to 18s lOd per 1,000 feet. In London gas can bo supplied at 3s 6d per 1,000. Inland towns in this colony will have to pay for carriage of coal in the increased price of gas. It ought to be practicable to deliver good gas-coal at Patca harbor under 20s a ton, and wo hope to sec coal landed here at that price wholesale within a year. It is probable a largo reduction on present prices will be made immediately. More Counties ! An agitation is started at Tikorangi for the formation of a new County cast of the Waitara river. Local politicians would do well to look before they leap. It is notorious that dozens of applications have been made to the Government for alterations of County boundaries, and in no single instance has the petition been granted. The reason is palpable. Ministers see that if the present settlement of County boundaries bo altered in one oi two instances, there would be agitation in all directions, and the whole question of boundaries would bo re-opened ; for it is a noble distinction of New Zealand public life that every township wants to be the centre of the County, and every city wants to be the centre of Government —the Empire City. What a race of bouncing blowers we must be! We understand that Mr C. A. Wray, E,. M., is appointed Land Commissioner for the Patca Land Board district, which extends from Waitotara to Stoney river. The manner in which the new Laud Board is to be constituted is not yet announced, but we hope it will be representative, and that all parts of the district will be fairly considered in apportioning the numbers. The Land Office at Patea contains all facilities required for the land business. The rooms are large ; and there is a fireproof chamber which was built at considerable expense for the safe custody of important papers and .records. The meetings of the Board can be conveniently held in the Court house, which is under the same roof. The new Board will find every convenience ready-made, without spending ton pounds. Major Noake reviewed the Patea Light Horse yesterday afternoon, this being the annual assembly for inspection and drill. The muster was very small. He reviewed the Cadets in the evening, and found himself confronted by a strong phalanx of determined warriors, who showed themselves to be “ old soldiers” in steadiness and smartness on parade. A photographed group of the Cadets was to have been taken last Saturday, but the experiment was not successful, and will be tried in a better light.

Mr E; M. Honey field has parted with his interest in the draught stallion True Briton by Lofty, dam by Wellington. The name of the purchaser has not transpired, but wo hear that he will proceed North, probably to New Plymouth, in the course of a few days.

The Natives interested in the sale of the Kaitangiwhenua block all signed the transfer within a few hours of the declaration of the Court. No difficulty now stands in the way of immediate possession by the Government, for survey and sale. A strange incident followed. The Waitotara natives had made presents of horses, harness, buggies, and some other costly trifles as good-will tokens to the Whcnuakura natives, including Tauran’s people. This was before the ownership of Kaitangiwhenua came into question. Now that the claims of the WJienuakuras has been laughed out of Court, the Waiiotara natives have punished their former friends by raking and carrying off all the horses, harness, buggies, &c., they had previously given. The row has not led to shedding of blood, but there must have been terrible shouting and yelling.

Local Jealousy.—There is a rumor that a South Island contractor in a large way was recently at Foxton, making inquiries about timber, but was told that there was none of the kind that would suit him anywhere about. It is said he desired to purchase timber to the value of several thousands of pounds, but was assured ho could not be supplied anywhere in Manawatu. He thereupon, we arc told, sent over to Australia an extensive order for jarrah. Shortly after the order had been despatched, business required his attendance at Fielding, and being in the bush saw some fine young totara. “ Why, those are the very trees I wanted,” said he, “ they are far before jarrah for my purpose, and I would have been glad to have left the money in your district, but they told me in Foxton there was no use in my going any further, as there was nothing of the kind I wanted up this way.”—Fielding Guardian.

Mu Bradlauuii complains that he has been libelled by a London newspaper. The paper describes an episode in one of Mr Bradlaugh’s Sunday evening lecture 8 thus :—“ If there be a God, says the lecturer, let Him strike me dead within the next five minutes. Amid the breathless silence of the auditory the atheist takes out his watch and bides the five minutes.” But Mr Bradlaugh now denies that there is a word of truth in this, and has summoned the publishers for alleged libel.

Snobs have a new plaything in Paris. Ii is a perfume cane. The knob represents a Chinese magot or an Indian idol ; you press a spring and a spray of scent issues from the mouth.

There is now working in Grahamstown as a general servant, a young woman oi eighteen summers, who has just been left a small legacy of £3,000.