PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1880.

Patea Mail, 30 December 1880, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1880.

The Mail will be published on Friday afternoon, about five o'clock, Saturday being a general holiday. An Illustrated Supplement will bo presented on Friday. Pressure of news compels several items to be held over till Friday, The Homeward ’Frisco mail closes in this district to-day. The Patea box will close at three o’clock. Monday next will be observed as a bank holiday. Waitara race meeting is fixed for Monday next. In a recent police case at Patea, the Francis Drake mentioned was not the person of that name who is so favorably known on the Whenuaknra side. A lecture on the mysteriously interesting subject of chemistry, with experiments, is announced for this evening, in the Presbyterian Church. We understand there is no real foundation for a rumor that Mr C. A. Wray, Land Commissioner, intended removing from Patea. The report arose from an inquiry about a branch office. The entries for the Patea Caledonian sports on Saturday are larger than last year, and a first-rate programme will attract a large company to the ground, if only the weather he favorable. A band of music will probably perform in the field, some players from Wanganui joining with local musicians. The Patea Rifle Volunteers having presented a requisition signed by 22 members, asking Mr F, M. Chapman to allow himself to be elected second lieutenant, lie has made the following reply :—“I shall have much pleasure in accepting the honor yon confer upon me, and trust I may be successful in giving satisfaction as an officer, and in forwarding the interests of the company generally, to which end my best efforts shall be directed.” A pic-nic for children connected with Patea Catholic Church was hold on Boxing-day, in Mr Hugh McCarty’s paddock, conveniently near the town. A large number attended, and youngsters from other religious bodies were made welcome and fared as freely as the rest. Games of a romping character went on all day, and a plentiful table of refreshments was always handy. The promoters and providers of the feast and fun are entitled to thanks for the hearty way in which they contributed to the success of this annual holiday. The date for closing the share-list of the Caswell Sound Marble and Portland Cement Co. has been extended to the end of January. Mr W. Dale and Mr G. A. Hurley are appointed local brokers. The prospectus offers a tempting investment, so far as can be judged from information available to us ; and it is very desirable that permanent and profitable industries within the colony should be promoted, as far as circumstances warrant them. Competition in the keeping of bonded stores is the first result of making Patea a port of entry for goods liable to duty. Mr W. Dale has engaged to store dutiable goods in his warehouse near the wharf, and Mr G. A. Hurley will shortly open a now bonded store near the Bank of New Zealand. The Government have not yet completed the preliminaries for bonding goods under the new plan.

The .tender,, of Mr Paul, Wanganui,

for the Nelson drapery, stock of Edwards & Co., has been accepted at £B,OOO cash. Tenders for Hawera station master’s house were: G. Syme (accepted), £396; Dnffili Bros., £397; T. S. Drynan, Waitsra, £536.

The magistrate who was shot at Dobbo by his jealous paromour lived many weeks with a bullet in his brain. He is now dead.

Mr 0. F. Barker announces his acceptance ol a tender for the erection of his premises at the corner site opposite the the Emigration Barrack. The building will commence immediately.

Tenders for the Hawera railway section are not decided. It is understood that among the lowest is the tender of Dingle Brothers, Hawera, and a shade higher is that of Berry and Newman, who are doing the Nonnanhy section. Christmas weather this year lias been atrocious. But for a lull in the gale on Monday afternoon, the whole series of holidays would have been a dismal failure. Tuesday and Wednesday have been a stormy deluge, and human endurance has been tried too much for holiday-time.

The Waverley man whose leg was amputated in the Patea Hospital was able to get up for the first time last Saturday. Ho is just able to move from room to room by' way of change, and is getting more cheerful. There has been some difficulty in getting his clothing from Waverley, which friends might see to. The visit to Parihakn of the now Governor’s private secretary, Captain Knollys, is keenly discussed among the Wellington politicians, according to our correspondent. They want to know whether the Governor is taking the native question out of the Ministry’s hands, or what this new move means. The secretary went on Sunday with Mr Hursthonso and Hone Piltama, and report says ho presented a letter from tin? Governor, inviting To Whiti to go to Wellington; that To Whiti replied it was too late—the potatoe was cooked. This report needs confirmation.

A mishap occurred in launching the stranded schooner over the breakwater last. Friday afternoon. Particulars reached us too late for last publication. The men who worked the “ ways ” did not raise them equally at the same moment, and the schooner wont over the wall end-first instead of gliding down broadside. The bottom scraped against one of the “ ways,” and two or three planks were so damaged that the schooner made water rapidly. She was run across to the opposite bank, in smooth water, and beached. She will bo patched up sufficiently for removal to another port, to be docked and overhauled. This will prevent the intended voyage to Kaipara. This schooner has had a succession of misfortunes, which might easily have been avoided.

Drowned. A shocking fatality happened in the Wanganui river on Saturday. Mr J. A. Wilkinson, Patea, reached Wanganui on Christmas day to learn that his younger brother had just been drowned. Four young men had taken a sail-boat towards the heads to try the wind, intending to take ladies out after dinner. A short way down the river a strong gust caught the sail, upset the boat, and the occupants had to struggle for life. Robert Noel Wilkinson and Andrew Farnie, being swimmers, struck out for the town side, but sank in the rough water. William Farnie and Alfred Moseley, being unable to swim, supported themselves, one by clinging to the mast, just above water, the other by a floating spar. Moseley drifted with the spar to the south training wall, Mr G. W. Woon rescued both men with his skiff’. Search was made for the two bodies, and has been continued daily, but without trace. Young Wilkinson resided with his mother at Wanganui, and was in the office of Mr Fitzherbort, solicitor. Farnie was a son of the late Captain Farnie, and was in. business on Taupo Quay as a sailmaker.

The cricket match at Wanganui on

Monday was won by Nelson on the score of one innings, 80 to 36.

The children of the Church of Fugland Sunday School at Patea had a pic-nic yesterday in the Town Hall, the weather being too stormy for out-door amusements. A large number assembled in the hall, and several members of the congregation, with the Rev Mr Dasont, assisted the young folks to amuse themselves.

As to the reported gold discovery up the Patea river, in the Mangaehn stream, Mr IT. Verc Barclay, in charge of the survey party, writes a cautious disclaimer thus :—“ Although it is true that we have found quartz specimens in several of the creeks in that neighbourhood which appear to indicate the existence of a rich reef somewhere amongst the ranges, the cost of prospecting such country would be very heavy on account of the difficulty of obtaining provisions, and I should not recommend anyone to try canoeing down the Patea from Stratford, as that river is very shallow and rapid and full of snags.” A very successful pic-nic, in which the Patea Wesleyan Sunday-school and the Kakaramea(undenominational) Sundayschool united, was held on Monday at the Kakaramea bush, on the estate of Paterson Bros. The first detachment left Carlyle about 8 mm., and visitors continued to arrive on the ground until about 2 p.m,, when about 300 persons, young and old, were present. The time was spent in various games “ in the ring,” together with cricket, rounders, and football. There were numerous races by boys and girls ; toys being provided lor prizes. Several “ scrambles ” also took place. The provision was ample, and of excellent quality. The children had dinner and lea sitting on the grass. Some little inconvenience, to them, arose from a large number havingneglected to bring drinking vessels, which the schools never undertake to supply. Adult visitors were regaled at some tables which Mr Guy had kindly erected in the shade. The committee had their hands full of work, and had time for little else during the day. Twice a temporary drought arose from the hoys upsetting the water-tank. But notwithstanding any drawbacks of this sort, a most enjoyable day was spent. Much credit is due to Mr Otto Haase, who did the Jehu with four-in-hand all day. It is to be regretted that a few boys had to walk homo, the coach being over-crowded; but this arose from the unwillingness of the juveniles to return by the first home trip. The hoys in question are, however, to he highly commended for the readiness with which they jumped off to allow girls to ride.

The members of the A.C. Force who were the means of bringing Tnhi to justice have received £5 each from the Government, and Sergt. McKcown has been promoted to the rank of first-class.

“ 1 don’t believe it’s of any use to vaccinate for the small pox,” said a backwoodsman, for I had a child vaccinated, and in less than a week after he fell out of a window and was killed.”

New Test for Trichina;. —A Holstein peasant, uninstructed in microscropical research, and not possessing the requisite instrument of precision, has devised for himself a new test for the presence of trichinae in pork. When ho killed a pig, he was careful to send a portion of it—a ham or a sausage—to his pastor, and then waited the consequences for IT days. If his pastor remained healthy, then he felt perfectly easy in his mind, and well assured that his pig fulfilled the requisite conditions of soundness of food, and he proceeded to dispose of it accordingly in his own family. This ingenious method of research has not been considered satisfactory by the district, physician.

Rodanow Watches —Attention is called to the. price-list of the Rodanow Manufacturing Co., of Boston, published in another part of this issue. It will he seen that the prices quoted are immensely lower than Englishmen are accustomed to pay oven f‘>r inferior watches. The firm was established in 1849, and lias gained prize medals at the Exhibitions of London, Paris, Vienna, etc., for excellence of manufacture.