COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 26 October 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

Stock at Furdell Farm arc to be sold Nov. yth.

Wavekley Stock Sam-: by F. R. Jackson is announced for next Saturday.

Four Pedigree Bulls arc to bo offered at auction in the Wanganui show-yard, by Mr F. R, Jackson, next Thursday. They are advertised in the Mail.

Townsiiji* Section's at Palmerston and Fielding are to bo offered at auction by Messrs! 1 , Dwanaml Co., Wellington, November ord, as advertised in the Mail.

Entries i-’ou the Pa tea Agricultural Snow will close next Thursday, at 5 p.m. The Secretary attended at Hawera yesterday, and will be at Wavcrley on Wednesday, to receive entries.

Mr Joseph Ivess has recovered the amount he sued for in an action against a collector of debts at Ashburton. He also obtained costs, but not till he threatened to carry the case to the Court of Appeal. At Inglewood, the settlers have presented an address and purse of sovereigns to Mr H. H. Taylor, late agent of the Bank of New Zealand.

The Farmer , an English paper, says that carbolic soap is frequently used for dressing seed corn, and it answers so well in the case of wheat and barley that the aid of a scarecrow in the shape of a boy is dispensed with. It docs not answer in the case of peas and beans, because those, in germinating, cast their skins readily, and the birds devour the middle, leaving the husks with the carbolic soap adhering to them. For garden seeds which do not cast their skins, it will be found valuable, as birds have a horror of it. Mice also strongly object to carbolic acid.

The order which declared Francis Williamson a bankrupt, made by the District Judge at New Plymouth, was to include all costs incurred by the petitioning creditor up to date of order. The bankrupt’s separate petition at Christchurch cannot now be adjudicated upon, as the order in the Taranaki District Court anticipates and nullifies any petition from a debtor who is already a declared bankrupt. After the official notification in the Gazette, any farther petitions would be trifling with the order of the Court. The farther proceedings in this bankruptcy are transferred to the Court at Patea.

New Plymouth is in a flutter. A rambling reporter from Auckland has arrived at the Sugar Loaves, and the descendants of Trc, Pol, and Pen arc going about in their Sunday clothes, and and are posing in attitudes like persons who know their portraits are being sketched. To say those goody people arc on their best behaviour would be idle flattery, for their ordinary behaviour is so good that it cannot be bettered—perhaps we should say bested. Experiments arc being made in Melbourne harbor to ascertain tbe action of sea-worms on timbers of different kinds suitable for piles. Some comment has been made upon the specimen piles sent from Auckland to the Exhibition, one of jarrah being much worm-eaten, the other a piece of totara pile quite sound. Both bad been taken from the Auckland pier after 10 years’ immersion. These experiments at Melbourne with native timber are the result of a natural desire to restore confidence in the native Australian timbers for piling' purposes. The samples to which this test is being applied are jarrah, turpentine, Sydney iron bark, Victorian iron bark, red box, yellow box, bastard box, redgum, stringy bark, messmate, spotted gum and bine gum ; the timber being in the form of short piles, say 10ft long and Ift in diameter.

A Plumber long established in Wellington, Mr G. Hall, has removed to Patea, and is arranging to open premises at an early date. He is reputed to be a superior tradesman.

A Nugget weighing 96 ounces has been found on the Cana gold-tield, Queensland, as telegraphed last night. The Mountain Road is one long quagmire between Nonnanby and the station at Ngaire. Taranaki Agricultural Show is fixed for December Isr. The secretary says the society is not increasing in strength. This is to be regretted, but there is a general want of “ go ” about Taranaki, except that they kn*w how to “go for” the public money. Oi’UNAKi suburban sections are gazetted for sale. There arc eight sections, ranging from 9 acres to 11 in area, to be sold for cash ; and eight other sections are offered on deferred payment, ranging in size from 3 to 11 acres. The prices are fixed according to position, and a novel provision is made that where more than one applicant applies for any section, lots shall bo drawm for it. That should have been applied to the Waimate Plains. A Wool Enhiritiun is to be held at the Crystal Palace, London, next year. This is one of a series of exhibitions to illustrate various manufactures. Wool and all things connected wdth woollen manufacture, besides skins, feathers, and clothing made from these, will be included in the show from all parts of the world. Space for exhibits is offered free. Patka Cemetery. —Rules and regulations ol the Cemetery, adopted at a meeting of the trustees last February, are now gazetted as having been approved by the Acting Governor in Council on the 19th October, This interval of eight mouths seems rather leisurely. Contracts. —Four tenders w'ere received for the No. 2 culvert contract, Hukatere, Manutalii, as follow:—Mace and Bassett (accepted), £897 17s; Walton Poll, £9BB 10s ; James O’Sullivan, £1092 Js 8d ; Downes, Proctor, and Co, £1153 18s. The accepted tender of Mace and Bassett is £256 Is below’ the highest tender, and £9O 13s below the next lowest. A Charge of Assault under peculiar circumstances will be hoard at the Patea R.M. Court to-day. The two constables who apprehended Francis Williamson, the bankrupt, by surprising the bush cottage at dead of night, have laid informations against him for assaulting them while in the execution of their duty, and lie is to appear to-day upon the two summonses. He was sunning himself in Patea yesterday.

I' ll k Bki.l Towku for a lirc-bell at Pa tea is now finished, the contract being executed by Mr Warren in a creditable manner ; and the Fire Brigade will now have a rallying point whenever the dread alarm has to be sounded. The Brigade is strong and active; the bell is loud and well placed for the prevailing wind: and every facility for subduing fires is now provided by public subscription, except alas ! except the water supply. Of what avail would be a dozen buckets of water poured by hard effort on a large quick fire ? Wells and pumps would bo a slow ami tantalising resort in a sudden emergency. It is fortunate that Patea lias been remarkably free from fires, since a couple of stores were burnt down some years ago by the very purest accident.

Cuickkt. —The match, elveven of the Carlyle Cricket Club v. twenty-two, was resumed on Saturday, and resulted in a victory for the eleven by three wickets. The twenty-two went in first on Saturday, it being their turn, and kept up their wickets for three hours, making a total of 8T runs. May made 12, A. Black 10, F. Head 10, and Tapliu 0, these being the chief contributions to that score. The eleven then went in, and had to get only 33 runs to score a win, wliicli they did not do until they had lost seven wickets. Heenan made 10, not out, Jacomb 0, with byes 3, and wides 3, the other scores being low. The game, which lasted over two Saturdays, was most enjoyable, and cricket seems so much revived in Patea this season that there is a prospect of getting a strong eleven to challenge outside clubs at an early date. A local match will be arranged next. Saturday, in which the Whenuakura Block members of the club will play the town members.

Gold near Sydney -Great importance is

attached to the recent discoveries of a gold bank at Wal lad illy Creek. The nature of the strata and wash is believed to indicate that a new lead, following the old bed of the river, has been struck.

Tramways as Feeders. —The Minister of Railways in Victoria has about a thousand tons of old rails on hand, which he intends to use in making tramways in the agricultural districts,, to act as feeders to the lines of railways. If the experiment prove as successful as it is anticipated that it will, the system of tramways will be carried out on a more extensive scale. This is an idea which might with advantage be copied in New Zealand.

A gentleman lately left the Queensland Civil Service and received L6OO compensation for the loss of his billet. Since his departure it has been found that he drew and cashed a cheque for L 750 for which no vouchors can bo found in (he office. He is connected w’ilh the creme tie la creme of Queensland Society, and outfit there is not likely’ to bo any prosecution

The characteristic of American humor, which is supplanting all other humor, consists in what may’ bo called “ delicatcly’binted inference.” And if one wanted an example of this, it w’onld be found in the following from the Travellers’ Record, under the beading of “ He’ll Want Them” —“A subscriber to a sonth-westorn newspaper died recently’, leaving four years’ subscription unpaid. The editor appeared at tlie grave, and silently’, but w’ith deep emotion, deposited on the coffin 1 a pahnleaf fan, a linen coat, and a thermometer.’ ”

It lias been strongly represented to the Government that, inasmuch as a certain amount of direct “foreign” trade is carried on by 7 Foxlou importers and exporters, some degree of hardship might be inflicted by closing (hut place as a port of entry, as intended. Ministers, therefore, have now’ under consideration another plan by which) tlirough amalgamation of offices, almost as much saving w’onld be effected without removing the Custom House altogether. We believe this alternative plan is likely’ to be carried out. It is probable that Akaroa w’ill be closed as a port of entry, and that some other of the smaller ports will bo similarly treated.— Pouf.

Mahuiagi: uxm:u Diitigultiks. — A man named Michael Bates, whu is without aim?, has been indicted at the Liverpool assizes on a charge of bigamy. Counsel for the defence contended that if the marriage purported to be according to the rites of the Church of England it could not have been valid, inasmuch as the prisoner could not have given the woman his hand, nor could he have put the ring on her linger. Evidence was given that at the first marriage the prisoner put on the ring by ineams of In's teeth. As it was shown that the prisoner had, at the time of the second marriage, not heard from his wife for seven years, he was acquitted.

Timudu Tkadk.—The people of Manawatn complain bitterly of the manner in which the limber tradcisis hampered bythe railway regulations. If a man receives a small order for timber he is placed at a special disadvantage. The department has fixed 1,300 feet as the minimum for which payment will he received. A Halcoinbe agent the other day wished to send 1000 feet of timber to Ford ell, and he had to pay freight on 1,500 feet. This regulation is both absurd and unjust; the minimum should bo fixed far lower than 1,500 feet. Timber is the chief source of revenue to the Wangauni-Mauawatn railway’, and every possible convenience should be provided in regard to it. The thing is a mere matter of business, and no piivate firm would make such an obstructive rule. —Ad co cate. Loan to it I' mi. —The infant colony’ of Fiji is about to try an experiment of a Public Works policy, maintained by’ borrowed capital. She is not blessed with a Sir Julius Vogel, with a genius for creating wealth with a stroke of a magician's hand (say’s the Auckland Star), but borrowing comes so naturally’to all young colonies, and is withal so easy’ and pleasant, that she needs no tutor. The proposal is to raise £150,000, to be spent on various objects of “ a remunerative character.” The liabilities of the old government arc to be paid off, and £25,000 to be spent on roads, quays, drainage, water supply', and other public works at Suva, the new capital, in equal amount is to bo appropriated for immigration. A further sum of L 3500 is to be expended towards the purchase of a yacht for the High Commissioner. To what rhythm does a saw-mill run ? —Log-a-rythm. The people who give tone to society seldom give anything else. G hound Gamk.—Lawn tennis.