PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1881.

Patea Mail, 15 February 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1881.

An Illustrated Weekly Supplement is presented with this issue of the Maid. A fire at Dunedin has destroyed R. Hudson’s flour mill and biscuit factory, behind the new Coffee Palace. Mr T. Middlemas writes to say he has decided to settle near the south boundary of Missouri state. Property owners on the Waverley section of railway interested in compensation claims arc notified to send particulars to the Public Works office, Wanganui. Woodyillc settlers are reminded that meeting for election of school committee, takes place at seven o’clack to-morrow evening at the Woodville hotel. The polling for a member of the Hawera Town Board on Friday last was more active than customary, the figures being for Mr McCutchan 52, for Mr Davidson 20. An accident happened to the steamer Charles Edward on Sunday night. In leaving Greymouth she struck a sunken rock, knocking a hole in her bottom, and was towed back yesterday. A new line for seamen happened in the case of the crew of the Annie cutter, which was towed by the Clyde on Friday out of the Wanganui river, right on to the port of Patea, and up to the wharf—the seamen taking it easily in bunk all the time. Three steamers and four sailing craft in Patea liver on Saturday looked like business. The steamers were Patea, Wakatu, Clyde; sailing craft, Forest Queen, Wild Wave, Annie, and the locally owned craft, Agnes. Quite an array of notables have visited Patea within the last few days. The latest visitors are Colonel Reader, Defence Department, who passed northward, and William Sefton Moorhouse, the “.father of New Zealand railways,” once a candidate for the Egmont Electorate, who passed southward. The New Zealand Volunteer Service Gazette suggests that it would be well for the volunteers in the different districts to interview their respective Parliamentary representatives, and come to some understanding with them as to what they intend doing in reference to the force when Parliament meets. The many friends of Mr Charles Symes, Manutahi, will regret to learn of his bereavement, after a short twelve months of married life. Mrs Charles Symes was taken ill a week ago, when her physician was summoned, and more recently Dr Keating was called in consultation with Dr Croft. In spite of all efforts the deceased lady expired on Saturday evening—one of the two infants surviving the mother, but is not likely to live long. The funeral cortege was the largest there has been in the district. The interment took place yesterday at the Patea Cemetery, the Rev R. J. Allsworth, of Waverley, conducting the funeral service. The deceased lady was for many years organist at Wanganui church, her maiden name being Hook. The number attending the interment was estimated at two hundred. Mr H. A. Arthur conducted the funeral arrangements.

Harvesting operations, Nelson district, are now nearly ended, and the crops are good all round. The hops promise a magnificent crop, though want of rain is beginning to be felt. The value of those grown in the neighbourhood of the town for the year, it is estimated, will amount to between £30,000 and £35,000, while the cost of picking these alone will be some £1,500. Dr Cowie, Bishop of Auckland, was at Taranaki on Friday, and accompanied by the Rev. Philip Walsh, visited the district of Tikorangi. Notwithstanding that harvest operations were at their full height, a great many of the settlers were seen, and in the night, service with lesson, chants, and hymns was held in the school-house, after which six candidates were confirmed. Shipping at Patea harbor is increasing remarkably. Sixty vessels crossed the bar last month, being an average of two per day. This is double the average of six months ago. The pilot reported to the Harbor Board yesterday that the entrance to the channel is straight, Avith 11 feet of Avater on the bar at springs, and an average depth of 15 feet in the channel along the breakAvater, Avith a breadth of 102 feet to the north spit. At the Taranaki Harbor Board meeting on Thursday, a letter Avas read from Dr Munro relative to his discovery in making cement from volcanic matter, iron-sand, &c., stating that he Avas prepared to satisfy the Board that he could put into the members’ hands a stone that Avas solid and permanent, that resembled more a mass of basaltic lava than a cement stone formed by subsidence in Avater; Avhich lie assorted would not cost more than 10s per ton. He also asked the Board to forward a sugar bag of volcanic sand as Avell as one of iron-sand. The Union S.S. Company have come to terms with the Seamen’s Union, and the eight hours system of labor is to be applied in Sydney, Melbourne, and Port Chalmers. Upon being paid for overtime, the men agree to work after hours when other labor is scarce. At other safe ports, the hours are to be as before. There are to be no restrictions when the steamers arc at sea or in an open roadstead or dangerous port. Cookery lectures are being given in Christchurch by Miss Fidler, of whom a local paper says;—“ She does not merely describe how this or that item may bo prepared ; she demonstrates every detail, and produces dishes which, when subject to the critical test of tasting, disappear Avith extraordinary rapidity. But beyond this, Miss Fidler also demonstrates ‘ that not an atom of material need be wasted or thrown aAvay,’ and that tempting results arc to be obtained from simple and inexpensive materials. Finally, Miss Fidler demonstrates that the lady Avho may elect to prepare dishes, may, whilst engaged in cooking, be becomingly dressed, and may avoid all that “ mess ” and bother which are popularly supposed to be inseparable from the culinary art. “ Silver Pen,” in the N.Z. Herald, writes as follows in reference to a recent murder case in California: John Schroeder walked into the office of Dr Lefevre (dentistj, and shot him down without shrift. The cause was certainly galling. Arriving at home one night he heard a man leaving by the back door, and finding his wife in somewhat disordered state of mind, took her to task, finally eliciting from her the fact that the visitor who Avent out at the back Avas Dr Lefevre, who had been her paramour for three months. Ere the morning broke, Mr Schroeder had condoned his Avife’s horrible offence, and taken her again to his heart. After meditating over his wrongs, hoAvever, for six weeks, he determined to shoot the slayer of his wife’s morals and his own domestic peace, and so taking the Avifc by one hand and his little boy in the other he quietly Avalked into the doctor’s office, and shot him down like a dog—-Avithout as much as giving him a chance to explain the guilt verified for by the murderer’s wife.

Mr F, R. Hull', Wanganui, a new process photographer, Avill shortly pay a visit to Patea. Mr W. Dale will hold a sale at Normanby to-morrow of Mr Allen’s property, stock, and effects. Mr George Rhind, avlio Avas engaged at Home to be employed in the construction of New Plymouth harbor works, has arrived. Rifle prize match representatives Avill be conveyed by the Union Company from Dunedin to Nelson at single fares for the double journey. Otago Avill send about tAvcnty men. The Buller Miner, the first issue of Avhich appeared on the 2Gth January, is the latest novelty in newspapers, and will appear monthly. As its name indicates, its speciality is raining, and the proprietor “ intends mining to be the chief subject of the paper.” The first number, though small, contains much useful information. The Buller Miner has been informed upon reliable authority that the Union Steamship Co. have noAV in course of construction a steam collier, capable of carrying 800 tons of coal on a draft of 10 feet of Avater. She is being built expressly to run betAveen Dunedin and the Buller in the coal trade. The folloAving is summary of the Australian cricketers’ doings at Nelson ; | Spofforth, run out, 3: Murdoch, b ; Burns. 6 : McDonnell, c and b Bams, 5 ; ; Groube, b Burns, 12: Slight b FoAvler, I 5 : Jarvis, run out, 5 : Boyle, c Lawry, I b Fowler, 14 : Alexander, c Firth b I Burns. 2 : Blackharn. c Balmain b I Fowler. 3 : White, hj Fowler. 0 : | Palmer, not out. 15 ; byes, dec.. 3 ; | total, 72, In Nelson’s second innings I the local team made 77 ; Fowler being I highest scorer with 16 : H. Boddington, | 14 ; Wigzell, 13. At this point they ; had to leave for Wanganui, and the I match was drawn. Towards the total . of S3 made by the Nelson in its first | innings, S. Fowler made 30, and Halliday 14, the next highest being Fayen 6. The bowling analysis showed— Spofforth, 145 balls, 18 maidens, 38 runs, 8 wickets, 1 wide; Palmer, 48 i balls, 6 maidens, 12 runs, 0 Avickets ; Boyle, 92 balls, 7 maidens, 23 runs, 13 wickets. Colonel Gordon is credited 83* the North China Herald with having offered this plain language to the Chinese Ministry:— “It is idiotic for China to think she can take the field against Russia. But, if you Avill fight, then carry your Court and Emperor, ymur archives, and all the rusty and creaking machinery of 3mm- central government, far away into the interior of the country ; for, once hostilities are begun on the eastern seaboard, Russia, will, in a foAv Aveeks, be mistress of Pekin. Only be assured that this means the doAvnfall of your dynasty.” Upon some repairs being made in Newgate gaol, London, a petrified cat Avas found in a crevice of an old stone wall. It subsequently came under the notice of Mr Frank Buckland, the eminent naturalist, and he is of opinion that the cat must liaAm been in this condition ever since tho fifteenth century. Each family of the 300 destitute Irish transferred from Connemara to America during the summer of 1879 has been given a homestead of 160 acres in Bigstone county, Minn., purchased 83* a fund of 100,000 dols. raised at New York. The Cololl3' is named Graceville, after William R. Grace, the principal contributor, and its people are prosperous. In the English Chancery Division lately an action brought against Earl Howe and others, to dispossess them of property in Suffolk, Essex, and Warwickshire of the estimated value of £30,000,000, Avas heard on demurrer. The plaintiffs are people in humble circumstances in life. Mr M‘Arthur, the Lord Mayor of London is the first Wesleyan to hold that office. It is notable that tho Wesleyans will hold a sort of CEcumencial Council in England this 3’ear. A nervous, excitable steer is not as profitable to feed as a tymphatic one Avith a broad, deep chest, for this last is seldom disturbed much by anything— he feeds Avell and fats Avell. The Constabulary* station at Te Onepoto, Lake Waikaraemoana, is to be reoccupiedScrgeant Hackett has receiVed an order to send up a detachment at once.

The monthly meeting of the County Council was held yesterday by adjournment, and finished at half-past five. The rival petitions of settlers near the Boylan road and lower Ngaire were discussed, and the Council decided not to interfere at present, but to let settlers find a solution in the coming elections. Contracts were accepted from Messrs Murphy and M’Loughlin, J. Dudley, H. M’Devitt, E. Humphries, and J. Dudley (66) for gravelling portions of road. The Patea hill is not to be lowered, but gravelled. No contract was accepted for widening Bedford-street, Patea. The Town Board of Patea having offered £SO towards improving Bedford-street as per specification, to get over the difficulty of storm water, the Council agreed, by a majority, to accept the offer. “We find that he came to his death by calling Bill Jackson a liar,” was the verdict of a coroner’s jury in Missouri. Shipments of frozen fish have arrived at Sydney, from port Stephen, in excellent condition. Mr Mechi, the world-famed scientific farmer is in the Bankruptcy Court, with £13,500 debts, and only £2,800 assets. On February 4th, at Temora, New South Wales goldfield, a magnificent stone was got in Burke’s Reef. The crushing yielded highly payable prospects. Mr Marsh, a chemist, at Halcombe, has purchased 70 acres of land at Kakariki, and intends erecting a mill there to crush linseed. Experiments on a small scale have proved that European flax will grow luxuriously on the West Coast. Baron Yon Midler has written to MiBerry, suggesting that another search expedition should be sent for the discovery of Liechardt’s party. It is reported that gold has been found in the bed o£ the Clntha River, near Balclutha, Otago, and a small rush of diggers has set in to the locality. Gale, an English pedestrian, broke down on December 28, having covered 2233 miles out of his proposed feat of 2500 miles in 1800 hours. At the beginning he walked a mile and a quarter every halfhour. Colonel Haultain has been sent to Tauranga on behalf of the Government to inspect all the claims for native lands on the East Coast, Bay of Plenty. If claims are settled large districts of valuable land will be opened for sale. At a sitting of the Intercolonial Conference at Sydney, it was agreed to fix the cental (lOOlbs) as the standard weight for produce. H.M.S. Cormorant has returned to Sydney from the Islands, where she has inflicted severe punishment on the natives who took part in the recent massacres. News from Samoa announces that the old king party has delivered up arms and surrendered, being in a condition approaching starvation. News from the other islands likewise report that many have given in their adhesion te Mabetoa thus involving a total collapse of the old party. A new Armstrong gun has been made able to fire charges nearly twice as great as they do now, and the increase in thenpower will be prodigious. The six inch gun, which with 341b of powder gives velocities considerably over 2000 feet per second, will now be fired with a charge of 601b, and the powder of other pieces of ordnance will be increased in like proportion. The Bill for the restriction of immigration of Chinese, which will be introduced in the New South Wales and Victorian Parliaments provides that no vessel shall bring more than one Chinaman to the colony per 100 tons register, under a penalty of £lO for each Chinese passenger in excess. Every Chinese immigrant must pay £lO on arrival in the colony, whether coming by sea or land, British born Chinese excepted. The Oamaru Times , having received a full report of the cricket match between the Australian Eleven and Twenty-two of South Canterbury, says “ out of respect for those who, against the Eleven so expeditiously made themselves acquainted with ducks-eggs, we withhold a description of the manner in which they performed the trying ordeal of gazing at their wickets going down. The Timaru innings might be described as a melancholy and funeral march from the pavilion to the wickets, and from the wickets to pavilion.”