COUNTY NEWS

Patea Mail, 19 March 1881, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS

Notice. —As Major Atkinson will address the electors on Monday night, the County Mail will be published on Tuesday afternoon, about six o’clock, containing a verbatim report of the speech ; and will be delivered throughout the district the same evening by mounted messengers. The afternoon publication will be in lieu of the usual morning issue on Tuesday. Major Atkinson’s address at Kakaramca on Tuesday night will be fully reported in Thursday morning’s issue. Other addresses arc announced for this week, at Manutahi, Hawera, and Normanby.

An Illustrated Weekly Supplement is presented with this issue of the Matt.Major Atkinson left Wellington on Thursday by steamer for New Plymouth. A report of cricket match Patea v. Hawora is held over. The Hawera team won by long odds.

The steward of the Patea Hospital acknowledges with thanks the following contributions : old linen from Mrs Sherwood and Mrs John Black: suit of clothes for J, McMahon, and fruit, from Mrs Dale sour.; journals from Mrs Downes, Mrs Wray, Mrs John Whelan, Mrs Oowern, and Mr H. E. P. Adams; vegetables from Mrs Nickle, Woodville, Mrs Paul, Mrs McKenzie, and Mrs Cowcrn ; potatoes from Mr F. McCarthy ; fruit from Mrs Currie. The steward would be thankful for some old linen.

The Pilot reported to the Harbor Board tins week that there is no alteration in bar and channel, both keeping good and straight, with the same depth of water, and the same width from breakwater to north spit. At the new wharf the belts of steamers catch under the lower stringer at low tide, and as injury might be done when the tide rises lie suggested that a piece of timber be placed under the stringer. Thirtynine vessels crossed the bar during the month, four at night.

Fhee Reaping at Patea Institute. —When the Government subsidy of pound fox*.pound was stopped, the Patea Institute Committee had to close the reading room to non-subscribers, and a notice to that effect was placed at the entrance. The inconvenience to travellers or visitors staying a few days in the town has lately been brought prominently under the notice of Mr H. F. Christie, the result being an offer by him to contribute £lO to the Institute on condition of the Reading Room being thrown open to visitors and the general public. It is not of course understood that present subsbribers will thereupon consider themselves free of obligation in future, but rather that such as can afford will be induced to increase the amount of their contributions, for the benefit of working men and the younger adults who are scarcely in a position to respond to the many calls made on their slender moans. The Reading Room of the Institute is now free. Five steam threshing machines arc at work in the Sandon district.

The Wakatipu which arrived in Wellington from Sydney on Wednesday experienced heavy weather, and a quantity of fruit (deck cargo) was washed overboard. The tarpaulin was washed off the after-hatch, and the water going down damaged a quantity of sugar.

The amalgamation of the telegraph with the railway department at Woitotara, has load to the removal of the late telegraphist, Mr Dawson, who passed through Patea yesterday on his way to Otahuhu, in the Auckland district, his future station.

The reply of the War Office to petition of pensioners against payment receipt stamp which the colonial government affixed to vouchers, is that the pensioners are bound by the law of the colony in which they reside and must therefore pay the tax. The Wanganui Exhibition committee held a meeting on Wednesday, when reports showed the nature of exhibits promised, and the sub-committees were strengthened by now names. Mr T. Cnlpan was appointed secretary through Mr Allen being unable to devote so ranch time as the work necessitated.

Mr Robinson, ranger to the Taranaki Laml Board, paid an official visit of inspection this week to the deferred payment holdings on the Momahaki block. Whether the information is furnished to the Wellington or Taranaki Land Board, or direct to Government, it is to be hoped Mr Robinson will not fail to point out how much settlement is kept back in that block for want of roads, and the disadvantages under which the present settlers labor.

The bush fire in the Manawatu district which burned down Henderson and Gillies’ saw mill on Sunday, also destroyed several bridges on both sides of the Palmerston and Feilding road. The High Bridge, North Grey town, Wairarapa, caught fire about G o’clock on Thursday morning, and was totally destroyed, there being no water near to save it. The bridge cost £BOO. At a Maori meeting at Te Ore Ore, Wairarapa, the prophet failed to explain the devices of the flag set up by him, and most of the natives look on it with derision. The assembly on the second day decreased to about GSO. The whole meeting in the Maori mind is a failure.

The first day of the Napier races, held on the 17th, resulted as follows : Maiden Plate, Grand Duchess 1, Fire Fly 2, Primrose 3. Napier Handicap, Randwick 1, Dan 2, On Dit 3. Coriuthain Cup, Angler I. Railway Stakes, Natator 1. Dan 2.

A potato root on Poverty Flat, Patca, had 61 full grown potatoes attached. About 50 of them were very large, the remainder a medium size. Other roots in the same garden had 30 to 50 each, and a very large size. The ground was the levelling of an old fence across Mr Guyatt’s garden. Off the line of this fresh soil the potatoes were not so large nor the roots so prolific.

A Dkawing Class is being started in Patea by Mr Wallis, formerly proprietor of the New Zealand Punch published in Wellington. IVTr Wallis has been ruined financially by the failure of that expensive venture, and having a wife and children to support he has

made his way to Patea as a thriving place -where work might be had. When a man of ability is reduced to want, he must do like others—take any job that turns up. With this intention he came to this place. Having considerable skill in drawing and water-eolor painting, he has been advised to start a class for teaching, and also to paint views of the town, river, and objects in the district, in the hope that residents will give him a helping hand by purchasing local pictures. His drawing is really good, and excels in nice management of perspective. He has done one sketch in water-color, a view of the river heads from a lull on the south side of the river, and we can commend it as a good performance and a pleasing picture. Any kind residents who wish to help may communicate with this office.

Greymoutli races have had to be postponed through heavy rains. Captain Hume, Inspector of Prisoners, contemplates transferring some hard labor prisoners from Wanganui to Taranaki. At Dunedin on Wednesday, His Excellency the Governor, accompanied hy the Mayor and part ot Ids suite, went to Roslyn by tramway, inspecting the Observatory in charge of Mr Skcy cn route. The Kaikori and Mosgiol factories were next visited, and His Excellency seemed to take considerable interest in the working of each. The Industrial School and Benevolent Institution were inspected, His Excellency expressing in high terms his pleasure at the manner in which the institutions were conducted.

The juvenile entertainment for the Presbyterian Sunday school fund realised over £lO. This will start a small library. The Weslevax Soiuee on Thursday evening was largely attended ; and the Rev P. W. Fairclough’s address on the two Roman empires, showing a parallel between the temporal and spiritual beginnings, was interesting and informing. He had bestowed much research into legendary stories and the early historic period. The latter part of the sketch had a controversial tinge. The Waverley railway extension is to open for regular traffic next Wednesday. An excursion train runs on Tnesduy. The public dinner might be fixed a few days later—say Saturday or Monday, to enable persons to attend who will otherwise be kept away until Major Atkinson’s speech-making tour is over. It would be impossible also to report the Waverley speeches in the Mail next week.

Mix Bryce’s address to his constituents will come in the same week as the Colonial Treasurer’s speeches in this district. Mr Bryce is to speak on Wednesday, and Major Atkinson’s tour terminates at Normanby on Friday. He will, however, address the electors at New Plymouth probably in the following week, and it is then that lie is likely to take notice of any awkward points or charges or revelations which may occur in the speech of the ex-Minister for Native Affairs. The general election may not take place at the end of next session, though most people scorn to expect it will follow at the close of the third session. The Ministry can legally prolong their rcigu till August next year, and may thus secure four sessions in their triennial term. Major Atkinson can’t be expected to say “ yes ” or “ no ” to this.

The Feilding Guardian is anxious for the completion of the railway line from Waverley with the northern portion ; and says :—“ This done, the Manawatu will be placed within one day’s journey of New Plymouth, and the market for our timber expanded to an extent that must inevitably have a beneficial effect on our timber trade.” The Manawatu timber trade was benefited by the extension of the railway line to Waitotara. Evidences of increased trade arc felt in anticipation of the opening of the line to Waverley, and the opening of the line still further north it is hoped will allow of better prices being obtained by reason of the greater demand for timber.

At a meeting of the Frozen Meat Export Company held in Dunedin, Mr M’Queen, of Melbourne, who had charge of the fitting up of the Prolos, with the trial cargo of meat, said there was no doubt of the success of the experiment, and the experience then gained would be valuable for future guidance. He considered a chamber to take 400 tons could be fitted up at the rate of 12s per ton of meat. A report from Auckland states : —The Maoris have subscribed £3OOO to defray the cost of sending delegates to England to lay before the Queen the grievances

which will be discussed at the approaching meeting. Up to the 14th instant the following sums had been paid on account of the Property Tax, the total being £96,735 ; Auckland, £17,004 ; Hawke’s Bay £6468 ; Wellington, £19,351 ; Nelson,* £3898 ; Canterbury, £26,611 ; Otago, £16,916 ; Southland, £3430. The Wakatu is laid out for an excursion to Picton on the 4th April from Wanganui, the occasion being the sale of Mr H. Redwood’s stock. On the 16th instant, 1,600 ounces of gold were received by the Bank of New Zealand at Auckland, from Coromandel, chiefly from the new goldfield at Tiki. The truly “great unpaid.”—The Irish landlord.