COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 18 November 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

Mr A. Richmond, M.H.R., has died suddenly of heart disease. Mr Greenwood, dentist, will visit Patea about the cud of this month. A fire at Invercargill destroyed the residence of Captain Raymond, at Annanclale, insured for £IOOO. A Station Master’s House is to be built at Hawera. Tenders are called, to close on the It is stated that a new general store is to bo built at Waverley for a Wellington firm, ou a section obtained from Mr Caldwell. Volunteers. —The gazette notifies the resignation of W. Dale as lieutenant of the Patea rifles; and of G. V, Tate as lieutenant of the Waitara rifles. The prospectus of the Caswell Sound Marble, Portland Cement, and Mining Co, limited, is advertised in the Mail, The share list closes December 15th. Patea Races commence at noon tomorrow. The day will be observed as a general holiday, and the banks at Hawera and Normanby will also be closed. Fine weather appears now to be reasonably certain. A Cricket Match is to be played at the Patea ground on Saturday, commencing at ten o’clock. The Hawera team will stand a deal of beating, but the Patea team may make a better show this time, having a fuller choice of players on the spot. An Outrage is reported to have occurred at the Manutahi camp of railway “ unemployed.” Our information is that the liquor canteen was broken into the other night, and an orgie was bold among the depredators. Who they arc or how many we know not. The canteen stock belonged to Mr Schultz, of Patea. Too Much Racing.— At the Patea R.M. Court on Tuesday, T. Humphrey Jones, of Waverley, was fined 5s and 7s costs for being drunk and fighting on the Racecourse at Waverley. He was sorry, having been drunk only about twice in liis life. George Lynch was charged with being drunk at the races, and fighting with Patrick Downes and others. He said he was playing at skittles when a man hit him with a loaded riding whip; he went for the man, and Downes took up the quarrel and struck him. That’s how it was. Fined 5s and 7s costs. John Murphy was charged with a similar offence. He said : “ I was a little bit tho worse for liquor, but 1 think there ought to be a little allowance for that day in particular.” Fined 5s and 7s costs.

The Harmonic Society’s Concert is announced for Friday evening, in the Patea Town Hall. The miscellaneous programme will satisfy the tastes of a mixed audience much better than the labored performance of a long set piece ; and we hope their success will this time be conspicuous. The evening of Raceday is a fortunate time to select, ns everybody will be in holiday mood, ready for any pleasing diversion. There were to have been two entertainments at the Town Hall this week, the Harmonic Society’s concert on Wednesday, and a dramatic performance by the Garrick Club on Friday. The second date was fixed in ignorance of tho first. To avoid competition, however, it has since been considered preferable for the younger society to give way, especially as they found frequent rehearsing inconvenient; and the Garrick Club decided to postpone their entertainment till early in December. Fixtures of this kind should be made to fit the moonlight evenings, as the Garrick Club expect to see many outside settlers at tho dramatic debut. It is also not desirable that local societies should come into close competition. There is plenty of room, and they should generously help each other. The Harmonic Society changed their evening to Friday, as being suitable to the public holiday ; and it will be pleasing to see them secure a crowded attendance in recognition of their self-denying labors and their merits as a musical society.

Mu R. Stout is visiting at Wel-

Hngton. The Fencing across the highway on the Parihaka coast is modified to this extent. One fence at Papapara has a sliding panel, movable for horsemen to pass through ; but the second fence is a complete barricade, A Letter from one lately employed at the Manutahi camp, referring to the alleged improper dismissal by a ganger, is held over for want of space. Also a letter from the Kakaramea camp, on the canteen question. An Extbntive Sale of sections and properties is announced by Mr Hale for Saturday next. The value of town sections in Patea is rising rapidly, and suburban sections are also in demand at increasing prices. Several of the sections to be offered are owned by Mr Felix McGuire.

The prosecution for malicious injury to a horse occupied the Patea Court until six o’clock last evening. The Bench declared there was no direct evidence to connect the prisoner with the act, and discharged him. Circumstantial evidence, strong and direct, is generally the most conclusive kind of testimony; but this ■was not of the direct kind.

In showing pigs at the Auckland show, Mr Horst, M.H.R., took first prize for a Berkshire boar, which was afterwards found to be blacldeaded in parts to conceal white hairs. The prize was withdrawn. Mr Hurst professed to be ignorant of the blaoklead dodge. Poor fellow ! He had better have saved his bacon.

The Death of Mr Schultz, Patea, occurred rather suddenly yesterday. He was seized with apoplexy on Monday night, and remained unconscious till Wednesday noon, when ho expired. Dr Keating had been called in, but found the case hopeless. Mr Schultz had been well known in this district, having been in business at the Manutahi Hotel about twelve months, and latterly in Patea two years. He was previously in Rangitikei. The funeral will take place to-morrow afternoon.

An Aucklander who recently visited i’ariluika recognised nearly forty of the lower Waikato natives there, amongst the most devoted followers of To Whili.

The Auckland Meat Preserving Company have received an extensive order from the German war-ship Hyane.