COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 24 December 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

An Illustrated Weekly Suxm'LEmest is presented with this issue of the Mail.

The Mail will not bo published next Tuesday, but will appear on Thursday as usual.

Christmas decoration of shops and dwellings is not a feature in colonial towns. Wo are forgetting the old fond traditions of Yule. There was a time when the hoily and mistletoe wore the dearest emblems of juvenile holidays. How we romped and flirted and stole kisses in those days ! And how wo stuffed at the Christmas dinner ! Colonial youths don’t know what’s what. They don’t get up on Christmas morning and scratch the frosty rime off the window to see if it’s daylight. They don’t find their stockings stuffed with jumping-jacks and crackers and oranges, wondering what bountiful fairy had been in the bedroom. Nor do they throw Christmas snowballs at the milkman and hit grandma’s bonnet instead. Christmas seems to have lost the traditions of old time, when the weather is too hot for souj), and plum pudding is too heavy for tropical sunshine, and yon Ho down on the hot grass instead of skating on crackling ice. Jt used to be such fun to show our sisters and cousins how to slide, and to put new skates on their dainty boots, and then steady them till we got a nice tumble together. Oirls scorned to like it in those days. Now we arc all getting old and solemn together. Wc sec a younger generation, in a new hind, trying a feeble imitation of the old-fashioned Christmas, and making believe that this is the correct thing. They don’t know, do they ? But theirs is a merry Christmas, after its kind ; and wc wish them many such.

The show of Christmas meat in Patea lias been plentiful and prime. The rival butchers seem to be mining their pockets iu trying to outdo each other in quantity and quality of beef and mutton and veal and sucking pigs and fat gccso. There must have boon extra purchases by many households, or (hose heavy Christmas stocks could not be “ worked off.” Mr Colson made an extra line show with his “bazaar” of prime beef and sucking pigs and fat geese in plenty. Mr Gowland, who is pulling up at the south end, made a substantial display of Christmas faro; and the difficulty is to say who carried off the palm.

Tnlii is to be banged at Wellington next Wednesday, at 8 a.m. Ho eats and yawns and sleeps with the stolid indifference of an ox. Ho will soon feel elevated. When the sheriff informed him of the date fixed for his execution, ho replied “ I know it.” A number of applications have been received for the post of hangman, but the sheriff declines to say which applicant is to have the “ contract,”

Twenty-six printers in the Lyttelton Tones office struck work through some dispute with the overseer as to details of piece and lime work. The paper continued to appear daily, with tho help of other bauds, and now the strikers have surrendered unconditionally. Only half the men have boon re-engaged, the now hands remaining. To attempt to stop a daily paper by striking is extreme coercion which deserves punishment.

In the coach accident at Wellington on Wednesday evening, reported by our co-respondent, the driver Maher had several ribs broken ami was otherwise

badly hurt by the fore wheels passing over him when the horses bolted up Willis-strcet.

Mu Baukeu has disposed of the 2,500 sheep brought from Napier, and is arranging to bring more into the district. The inquiry is brisk at this season. The directors of the Patea S.S. Co. granted the manager £lO as a Christmas box, “ in recognition of the very efficient manner in which he has conducted the Company’s business since his appointment. It is proposed to form a com pany to work the deposit of hematite ore found near Auckland, and large workshops are to be erected at once. The artizans are coming from England. The .Reform Club in London spent a large sum in assisting Liberal candidates at the late general election. The Carlton Club spent probably a larger stun. The amount t( invested ” in this way by the Beform Club is stated to be £270,000. This is the fund from which the “ man in the moon” draws supplies. Mu Buyoe remains at Pungarehu camp, and it is said he intends spending Christmas there. What matters of mysterious native policy can repuire the Minister’s peremptory presence at this time so near to Parihaka ? Boos he prefer a Christmas dinner of eels with To Whiti ? A private letter from a friend in Brisbane says : “ We have had a serious occurrence here. A boy aged 12 went with two companions to bathe in the Brisbane river, in front of his father’s house, near the gasworks. They had not been long in when a shark seized the boy’s foot, nearly taking it off. He He fought manfully to get his leg loose, the other boys pulling - him to the shore. He got his foot out of its month, and was struggling to the shore, when the shark seized his other foot, and another desperate struggle ensued. They pulled harder than the shark, and managed to get out of the water, when a boatman carried him into his father’s house. The little fellow, as he entered the door, begged bis father not to bo angry with him. Ho then asked if they thought he would die. There were four doctors with him all night, ami they had to cut one leg oil' early next morning, and the other on the following afternoon. At nine o’clock next morning ho died. The The hoy’s father, Mr Drury, is secretary at Parliament House. You would think this a flair ought to be a caution to the hoys ; but it isn’t. They are bathing just the same again, and it isn’t a week since the sad affair happened.”

A public meeting was bckl at New Plymouth on Wednesday, convened by the Mayor, to represent to the Government the desirability of bolding the sale at Now Plymouth for Farihaka sections. The contention is that the Parihaka block is only 27 miles from Now Plymouth, whereas it is over 50 from Hawera ; and that unless some strong representation is made to the Government of the absurdity of the sale being held at Hawera,” the mischief will be done. It seems to us that the question of distance from the block should be considered where the difference would be great, as between one centre and another; but this question is complicated by the other fact that New’ Plymouth is not within the West Coast Land districtFrom the middle of the Parihaka block, the difference between Hawera and New Plymouth is about 20 miles. Patoa gave up all claim to have the land sales held at Patea, because Hawera was 20 miles nearer to the now' land. We think the same principle might be applied in the present case, on the ground of public convenience. Hawera might, with a good grace, recognise that New Plymouth would be a more convenient centre for the Parihaka sale. The interests of the Patea township would be better served by having the sales held at Hawera, but public convenience is a higher consideration than the selfish inicrests of a locality. On the ground of broad fairness we think the New Plymouth claim is reasonable. Whether the sale can properly be held outside this Land District is an official question on which wo offer no opinion. Our desire is to bo fair all round. ■

A live coal dropped by a railway engine set fire to the bridge at Mechanics Bay, Auckland. The flames were soon

put out,

A stupid report is going the round of the colonial papers, alleging that the Queen asked Mr Gladstone to propose to Parliament a vote of £40,000 to enable the Prince of Wales to pay his most pressing debts, and that, the Premier refused. This story was also told of the late Premier about two years ago, and it was officially denied both on the part of the Prince and on the part of Lord Beaconsfield. Although the denial was emphatic and complete, there are persons mean enough to revive the slander.

Another shipment of plant for New Plymouth harbor works has just left England per ship Adamant: and the Board have paid £O,OOO on account of it, ami the balance will bo drawn for next month. The plant includes an enormous crane with a lifting power of 40 tons. The Board have also just paid £11,055 towards the sinking fund for extinguishing their large loan. This repayment ont of capital is the easiest thing in the world, so long as there remains any capital out of which the farce of repayment can bo kept up.

Harvest in South Australia is not favorable. The Adelaide Observer says ; —Although it is as yet impossible to predict what the results of the harvest now being commenced in South Australia are likely to be, it may be assumed from the tenor of the reports wdiich have lately reached the various parts of the Colony that the yield of wheat this year is likely to be somewhat small. Although good reports were at first received, latterly there have been several indications that the hopes formed of the probable out-turn w’crc scarcely warranted by the facts. The reports as to the appearance of rod rust have of late become more frequent, and although it was hoped that the wheat was too far advanced to receive any serious injury from the attacks of this mysterious disease, it is now clear that in many districts it has done considerable damage. In the north-west the crops are for the most part seriously injured, and the yields wdll he but trifling. A correspondent travelling in the Kawakawa district says ;—“lt is supposed that vast fields of coal exist in the North—that the beds may stretch from Kamo to Kawakaw’a. Indications seem to be favourable to this supposition. At Hiknrangi, on the way to the Bay of Islands, and distant some ten to twelve miles from Kamo, coal was pointed out to mo as cropping out of the side of a valley. It was evidently a good sample, and the location well situated for working a mine. It can easily be imagined as population increases and industries become developed, how these coal deposits will become a source of wealth, giving employment to an immense number of people.” The new dredge for Wanganui harbor was tried on Wednesday, half-way between the wharf and the Union boatshed. The result is thus reported by a favourable witness: —‘’ The bucket ladder was lowered ami then the order given to start the machinery. For the first few revolutions the buckets came round very smoothly, everything working well. The ladder, however, being too low down, tiie buckets became clogged and wont out of gear. This arrangement by which the buckets stop when meeting with a greater obstruction than they can lift is an excellent contrivance, and reduces the danger of breakage to a minimum. The engine worked smoothly, with a pressure of 16 lbs, and Mr McGregor the representative of the makers, was well pleased with his first trial. The boat is not yet on an even keel, but this will be remedied by concrete ballast and arrangement of the coal bunkers. The dredging power is evidently all that the builders guarantee, and the first trial on the flats (this attempt being unofficial and made more with the idea of testing the engines) will be very interesting.”

Mr Crosse, dentist, will visit Waverley January 3rd, and Patca on the 4th. A serious railway collision occurred at Leeds station, on Tuesday. The 50th Regiment have been ordered for service in Natal. Limerick, Ireland, has been proclaimed a disturbed district. Mr G. North’s sweep of £4OOO on the Wellington cup was drawn last night. An Auckland telegram says a floekowner has produced a fleece 19 inches long ; the average clip being 9 inches. T1 ic Government have instructed the police to stop all illegal sale of drink on Sundays. The death of Mr Frank Buekland removes the most versatile and amusing writer on natural history that the present generation has known. Little folks whose faith is in dolls and fairings have had a feast to the eye in gazing at the fruit on Mr Currie’s Christmas tree. It is said that Hone Fihama’s site for a proposed station at Norrnanby has been transferred to the Government. The news is doubtful. The next Homeward mail via ’Frisco will close in this district next Thursday. Sunday postal hours will be observed on Boxing-day. The Waitara Harbor Board are ottering debentures for a loan of £3,000. Their original borrowing power was limited to £5,000. Selections from Handel’s oratoria, the “ Messiah,” will bo snug by the Harmonic Society on New Year’s day. The second part of their programme is miscellaneous. South Island prospects are improving. The grain crop promises extremely well, the recent rains there having fallen at a most opportune time. Should the weather continue favourable, one of the heaviest yields ever known in the colony will be the result. The lambing season is also reported good, and there is a decided improvement in trade throughout the South, in consequence of agricultural and pastoral prospects being su good. The bankruptcy of a Nelson draper named Wymoral lias bad a suggestive sequel. His wife and nephew are reported to have left Nelson with ce.tain luggage per the steamer Hawoa, and on reaching Lyttelton the police, acting on a telegram, seized the “ luggage ” and took the parties into custody. There were 32 cases containing goods which may have been part of the bankrupt stock. The prisoners were remanded to Nelson. A Christmas pic-me for Sunday scholars of the Wesleyan body is announced for Monday next, at the usual rendezvous, Paterson’s bush, near Kaknramea. Wesleyan scholars from Patea and Kakarumea will combine in a day’s frolic ; and older members of the congregations are to enjoy the fun at secondhand by watching the young folks, Samuel Weir, a Hobart Town publican, was fined £4O for smuggling brandy. When arrested lie offered the constable £SO to let him go, so apparently he considers he has mode a profit on the transaction after all. Mr Brogden, 31.P. for Wedncsbury, arrived in Auckland by the ’.Frisco Mail boat. He proposes to be back in England shortly after the meeting of the English Parliament, A New York farmer bad just loaded his waggon of wheat when he knocked the ashes from his pipe—they managed to save the team ! Preaching at Melbourne the other day, the Rev Rabbi Davis, of Sydney, expressed a firm belief that Queen Victoria was a descendant of a noble Jewish family of antiquity, and be supported the theory of the Anglo-lsraclites, who believe that the English people are of Jewish descent. Kodanow Watches —Attention is called to the price-list of the Rodanow Manufacturing Co., of Boston, published in another part of this issue. It will be seen that the prices quoted arc immensely lower than Englishmen are accustomed to pay even for inferior watches. The firm was established in 1849, and has gained prize medals at the Exhibitions of London, Paris, Vienna, etc., for excellence of manufacture.