COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 31 December 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

An Illustrated Weekly Supplement is presented with this issue of the Mail, which is published this Friday afternoon in anticipation of the general holiday on New Year’s Day. Subscribers are reminded that a new quarter commences next week.

The Presbyterian school pic-nic is announced for next Monday. The Gazette notifies that the Patea Light Horse Volunteers are disbanded. At Westport, gold has been found in the inner locality of Welshman Flat, Bullcr-road.

Mr Parris is bringing to Taranaki 31 of the Maori ploughmen just released from Dunedin gaol. It was stated these were East-Coast natives ; but if so, why land them at Taranaki ? Wo have received a shilling almanack and directory, published by Mr H. I. Jones, of Wanganui. The book is neatly got up, and the directory extends from Normanby to Foxton, embracing the settled part of the West Coast. Some errors are noticeable, but they are not serious. The book contains much useful information.

The local rating at Wellington for next year is estimated at 2s Cd in the pound, being Is for general purposes, Is water rate, 3d for loan to form streets, and 3d for new loan on waterworks. The total receipts from these rates are expected to be about £IO,OOO, as against £12,000 last year.

Two Irish members of Parliament have had a quarrel. Mr Philip Callan, M.P. for Meath (not Leith, as the cable says), was sued in the Queen’s Bench for publishing a false and defamatory libel concerning Mr A. M. Sullivan, the other member for Meath. The Court fined Callan £SO. He is a man of virulent temper, and is rarely out of hot water. Mr Sullivan is one of the most effective orators in the House of Commons.

The Normanby athletic sports were hold on Monday in a disagreeable wind, and were largely attended. The maiden flat race of 220 yards was won by Reardon, 9 starting. The cup handicap race of 100 yards, £lO, was won by Hood (4 yards) in the first event, Minninox 2nd (scratch), Reardon 3rd (2 yards). The second event 440 yards, was won by Skcet, and the third event, 220 yards, by Reardon. Result of events was: Hood Ist, 19 pionts: Minninex 2nd, 15; Reardon 3rd, 13; the final positions being same as in the first event. The running high jump was won by Minninex, 4ft. llin, Skcet Avon the half-mile handicap. The handicap hurdle race 220 yards, Avas Avon by Minninex, Broughton 2nd, Hood 3rd, Putting the stone, Daniells 33ft 2in. Handicap Avalking match, 2 miles, Yaughan 1, Ross-Mansen 2, B. Dougherty 3. Running long jump, Hood 18 feet. Mile handicap Avon by Reardon. The largest amount of prizemoney went to Hood, nearly £l2, A lecture on chemistry was delivered by Mr A. Williamson, B. A., in the Presbyterian Church last evening, to an appreciative though (considering the importance of the subject as vioAved in connection with the luavs of life and health) a someivliat small audience. This may be accounted for by so little publicity being given, oiving to the necessarily brief stay of the lecturer in the district, Mr Williamson made his subject interesting and instructive throughout: and it was a treat to have such a clear demonstration of the properties and component parts of many things in daily use, such as air and Avater, a knoAvledgc of Avhich is so essential to health. Mr Williamson is one of the few avlio has succeeded in inking the degree of B.A. at the Dunedin University, and scorns to be Avell versed in the science which he Avas illustrating to a Patca audience. Mrs Thomson presided at the harmonium, and rendered some pleasing selections at intervals. Votes of thanks to the lecturer, Mrs Thomson, and Mr Coutts as chairman, br®ught the proceedings to a close.

Mata, the disqualified race-horse, is now doing duty as a common hack in Melbourne.

The tower of Christchurch cathedral is now finished, the height being 97 feet, and the spire will add 100 feet more when finished.

The packing of wool sent from Auckland has drawn disrepute on the district. Some samples sent to London were found dishonest shams, and the Auckland brokers are now re-sorting before shipping Home. The brokers have found bales made up so dishonestly that the sellers have been compelled to refund part of the payment.

The amount actually paid by Government on Tuesday, to the six chiefs who sold the Kaitangiwhenua block, was £5,411. About £7OO had been paid previously. The cost to the Government was at the rate of 2s 6d per acre. Mr Williams announces that Maori orders “ accepted ” by him on this account will now be paid.

The barque Telegraph, laden with coals from Greyraouth, went ashore inside the bar during the ebb tide, early this morning. The wind being fair, and the sea high, the captain was anxious to get inside rather than lose the favorable breeze. He got over the bar, but the strong ebb carried the craft, we arc told, too near the spit, and she grounded in smooth water. She will float on this evening’s tide all right, and probably come up with a fair breeze.

An outbreak of measles occurcd on the steamer Northumberland, just released from quarantine at Wellington. She was from London sixty-one days, just under nine weeks, and is one of tho auxiliary-screw ships of the late Money Wigram line. A dozen cases of measles occured during the last fourteen days from port. Tho captain had his leg broken during a gale in the Bay of Biscay, There are 70 saloon passengers, G7 second cabin, and 125 steerage.

A painful accident happened to a young man named May, at the Patca railway wharf, on Thursday afternoon. He was in a boat under the clift near tho bridge, when a workman on the top, not knowing May was under, was heaving a long pile into the water, to be floated to the pile-machine. May was warned by a call from an observer on the opposite side to keep clear of the danger. He shoved the boat away, far enough as he thought, but the pile came plunging down and struck the boat, sinking it, and breaking May’s leg below the knee. He was removed to his house on the flat beyond the fellmongory, and Hr Ivcating was soon in attendance and sot the limb. Both bones were broken, but tho tissues wore not contused by the blow so seriously as might be expected, the dip of the boat reducing the resistance. The boat was recovered. May was married recently in Patca.

The following curious statement is made by the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times :—I hope Major Atkinson will thank mo for giving him an opportunity to deny the truth of the following report. It is to the eflect that on Sunday last, on the arrival of a steamer from Auckland, he gave instructions that the letters should be immediately sorted, and those (private letters) for himself and Mrs Atkinson sent up to his residence. This involved working “overtime,” for which the Colony presumably has to pay. lam quite sincere in saying that I mention this for the purpose of affording Major Atkinson an opportunity for explanation ; and I can assure him that the circumstance, as narrated above,obtains credence in Wellington and causes dissatisfaction. If Major Atkinson expected despatches on public business —which was probably the case—there is no reason why his private letters should not have been sorted at the same time. Or, if otherwise, and he paid the overtime out of his own pocket, there would not bo any cause to grumble. Had a third paper been in existence in Wellington, we should have heard something about this. As it is, “ Mum’s the word.”

It is said Parliament will be summoned

later than usual this year,

Base two-shilling pieces are circulating at Wellington. Beware.

A daily coach service is being continued between Wellington and Foxton, although the daily subsidy is withdrawn.

Mr S. Caldwell has sent us a tracing of a vine loaf measuring 1G inches in average breath. This remarkable leaf is from a black Hamburgh vine growing in Mr Caldwell’s garden in Waverley township, and is only equal to many others on the same stem, this being the second season since planting. When this vine bears next year, it will be interesting to note the proportion of the fruit to the leaf.

Meat Prkservixg.— The prospectus of the Hutt Industrial Company, Limited has been issued. The Company, if floated’ will turn its attention principally to meat preserving.

Bismarck. —The great German Chancellor is said to bo in failing health. His constitution appears to be shattered, and though the doctors may patch him up for a while, it is not unlikely that his death may occur within the next few months.

Tho date of the earliest eclipse of the sun recorded in the annals of the Cliinese, when “ on the first day of the last mouth of autumn, the sun and moon did not meet harmoniously in fang,” or in that part of the heavens defined by two stars in the constellation of tho Scorpion, has been determined by Professor Von Oppolxcr, of Vienna, to have been on the morning of October 22nd, 2137 b.c.

Irelaxd. —The Land Leagues in the south of Ireland are carrying matter? with a high hand. In the Cork district they have issued directions that none of the landlords resident in the country’ who have rendered themselves obnoxious shall be permitted to continue their field sports, and the tenants are instructed not to permit any’ trespass on their land in pursuit of game. Great interest is excited in America among the Irish population, and the movement started to raise subscriptions for defence of offenders has been liberally responded to, and American sympathisers undertake to provide all the funds necessary’ to defray’ the cost of defence.

An impudent fop made sport of an old fanner’s large nose, mouth, and chin ; but the old fanner silenced him by' saying, “ Touv nose, mouth, an’ chin all had to be made so ’at thoro’d be material enough left for your cheek.”

It is stated that a Ouida ” the novelist, not being satisfied with an apology from Mr Labouchere, for certain criticisms on the morality’ of her works, intends to institute an action against him.

At a school examination in Christchurch recently’, a class of young children wore asked ; If yon can get a dozen buns for a shilling, how many’ can you get for a penny ?” One-worldly wise urchin astonished the examiner by promptly replying, “ Two, if they’ are stale ones.”

A Liberal Landlord.— Mr Geo. Elliot, the late tennant of Abbeymain, received (says the Scotsman of October 30th) the other clay from his landlord, Lord Blantyre, a cheque for £948 9s 7d as an acknowledgement of his belief that for the last fifteen years Mr Elliot has been over-rented, or rather (hat unfavorable times had not permitted the tenant to pay the rent he had contracted for—£l6oo per anum. Lord Blantyre estimates that a rent of £I4OO for the time specified would have been something like what he ought to have received, and, summing up the total amount he would have thus been entitled to, ho finds that his late tenant, arrears included, has over-paid to the proprietor the sum already mentioned, viz., £948 9s 7d. which is returned accordingly. Generous and considerate conduct like this requires no comment.

Kodanow Watches. —Attention is called to the price-list of the llodanow Manufacturing Go., of Boston, published in another part of this issue. It will be seen that the prices quoted are 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

Gold, said Professor Eaglctou the other day at the New York Academy of Science, has hitherto been considered by chemists as one of the most insoluble substances in nature, but in reality it is quite soluble. Sonnenstadt has shown that every ton of sea water contains 0.9. gramme of gold.