COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 23 December 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

The first of the series of Illustrated Whiskey Suri'Lements will be presented with the next issue of the Mail, which will be delivered to subscribers on Friday evening instead of Saturday morning. Advertisements for the Christmas number of the Mail cannot bo received later than Friday noon.

Messrs [Scott, Niehol, and Co. have purchased (he Haw'era butchery.

Tuhi is to be banged in due course. The Executive Council have decided to let the Jaw take its course but the date Ls not announced,

The suburban sections offered near Hawera by Iredale Brothers did not tempt the land-seekers. Mr J. Douglas was the only buyer at the sale. It is said that cheese making is about to be started at Hawera by Messrs Iredale Brothers. The only other cheese farms in (he district, so far as we know 7 , arc Mr Corrigan’s, Manntahi, and Messrs A. and J. Dickie’s, Waverley.

Maoris have returned Irom the Parihaka meeting, which was more thinly attended than usual. A feeling of sulkiness is said to be prevalent among the Plains natives, but they arc showing no sign of annoying the few 7 pakehas who are at work on sections.

Some of the Maori prisoners now confined at Dunedin for the ploughing disturbance near Normanby are to be released. The 25 selected for liberation are said to be connected with the East Coast, having been drawn to Te Whiti’s fold through religious fanaticism.

To prevent private arrangements between applicants for the same sections on deferred payment, the Land Commissioner has decided not to make public the number of applicants for sections until the time of sale. Ho believes this will defeat the private bargaining winch is known to have gone on extensively at the late sales.

There is good fun over the election of a member to the Wairoa Highway BoardThe question on which the issue turned was the length of two projected roads from the Momahaki block to Waverley and Waitotara respectively. Wagers •were laid for a walking match over the two routes, and our Waitotara correspondent says the match is fixed for to-day.

Mr J. Blackett, Engineer-in-chief, readied Patea yesterday from the north. Ho had inspected the railway works in progress near Normanby, and it is reported ho ordered the immediate formation of a bye-road from the Mountain road to connect with the site of the intended Eltham Station. Mr Blackett had interviews yesterday with the Chairman of the Harbor Board and with the Resident Engineer.

A question of rates lor lire premiums was discussed at the injecting of insurance agents held in Patea on Monday evening, as already reported. Mr Taplin was in the chair. The following companies w 7 ere represented by local agents : The Colonial, E. C. Horner ; Union, S. Taplin ; Standard, W. Cowern ; South British, J. Gibson’s manager; North British and Victoria, Eyton & Pringle; National, W. Dale. Alter agreeing to recommend vote of £5 per company towards the Patea Fire Brigade, with a prospective annual subsidy, the meeting discussed insurance rates. The Chairman said he was pleased to have the opportunity of speaking to the whole of the agents assembled. The subject of fire premium rates might bo considered with advantage to all concerned. The manner in winch business had been conducted during the last few months was not at all satisfactory, and he suggested that it would be judicious for the various agents to draw up a uniform tariff for the Patea district. The following resolution was then proposed by Mr Taplin, seconded by Mr W. Cowern, and carried, “ That a meeting of all agents representing insurance companies in Patea be held on the sth January, to discuss the advisability of adopting a uniform tariff for the Patea district, and fixing rates for same.”

The Wahnate land sales last week realised £G2,339.

Telegraph message boys are to be mounted on bicycles, in N.S. Wales.

Mosquitos are so voracious at Palmerston that a party of road workers wore bitten beyond endurance, and bad to skedaddle.

For the Patea Caledonian Sports on New Year’s Day, several Maori entries are received and expected, especially for the hurdle handicap and jumping.

The Patea Branch of Messrs Hallcnsteiu’s Clothing Factory is removed to Dale’s corner, and Mr Ahlfeld will open out the stock to-day. Those premises are roomy and convenient.

Major Goring has a detachment of fifty men at Cape Egrnont, as a covering party for the erection of a lighthouse. The structure is being taken to the site in sections.

Dr J. A. Moffatt has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Invercargill for negligently causing the death of a woman in labor at Winton. The jury had to be locked up all night before they agreed.

Haw eh a and Patea Sports Programmes are advertised in the Mail. The sale of Patea “privileges” was hold yesterday, by Mr Cowern, when the gate passed in at£2s,tho liquor booth fetched £lO, and tho refreshment stall £1 11s.

The Railway Camp at Chapman’s road, Patea, will he closed a few days after Christmas, and small contracts will be let for completing the formation as far as the cutting has gone, nearly up to Manutahi. The conditions will enable laborers to combine in taking small works. The “ unemployed” have been reduced in number gradually since spring.

Church sections at Mauaia were purchased for several denominations. Mr J. Livingston purchased section 20 at £ls for the Presbyterian body : Mr M. D. King, section 13 at £l2 for Wesleyans; Bishop Redwood, section 12 at £l2 for Roman Catholics. These were obtained at tho reserve price, without competition.

An amusing performance was given at tho Patea Town Hall on Wednesday evening, by Mr, Mrs, and Miss Hart, of Wellington. The pieces were light, sketchy, laughable, and well done. Mrs Hart is remarkably clever, her changes of impersonation being very rapid, life-like, and artistic. Tho audience was large, and enjoyed a good laugh. Tiie Hart family will appear again at Patea about the end of January. Theirs is the best travelling entertainment that has passed through here for some time.

Mr Cowern held a sale yesterday of the right to collect dog tax in the Otoia, Wavcrley, and Hawera Ridings, lor the year commencing January Ist; each owner being liable to pay 10s for each dog. The prices realised wore:—Otoia Riding, J. Chadwick £77 10s ; Waverley Riding, O. E. Brewer, £SO ; Hawera Riding, R. Jacomb £IOO. The purchasers will he duly appointed registrars under the Act, which is very stringent, the penalties being severe for any infringement. Owners should attend upon the registrar within 14 days from Ist January, and pay tho fee, lest worst follow.

About six thousand pounds should have been received yesterday by the Wnitotara natives as balance of the purchase money for Kaitangiwhenua block, tire total for the block being £12,000. Six chiefs, representing branches of the main tribe, had signed the deed, and it was a necessary condition that all the signatories should be present to sec the final payment made. Five turned up at Patoa yesterday, the sixth being away up the Wanganui river. This happened through ignorance, as he had not been made aware that all would have to be present at the payment. Mr Williams, through whom the land had been purchased, started in the afternoon for Wanganui to obtain the absent chief’s attendance, and the money will be paid at Patea to the six chiefs on Monday or Tuesday.

j The Patea School Committee have passed a vote of hearty thanks to Mr

Dyer and his assistants Mr Flood and Miss Gowland, for the painstaking and efficient manner in which they prepared the school for the late examination. It is also satisfactory to note that the Inspector’s report says the Patea school is in many respects satisfactory.