COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 31 March 1881, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

The member for Egmont invites New Plymouth electors to meet him next Tuesday. On and after the Ist April the daily mail service between Wanganui and Wellington will be resumed. Mr G. Newlaud’s farm is now declared free from scab. All his sheep were boiled down. Three steamers and two sailing ships entered the harbor on Tuesday’s tide, which showed about 12 feet on the bar, at nearly the lowest point of neaps. Government invite proposals as to conditions likely to induce any person to undertake the colonial manufacture of blasting and sporting gunpowder, with a view to offering a bonus. It is notified in the Gazette that a meeting of the Patea Town Hall Company will be held in April “ to consider accounts and pass resolution that affairs of the Company have been fairly wound up.” Persons intending to supply exhibits to the Science and Curiosity Department of the Wanganui Exhibition, are requested to give the committee as early notice as possible regarding the space they will require. For the four weeks ending sth Feb., the railway traffic returns on the Wanganui section amounted to £2,855 17s4d, For the corresponding four weeks in 1880 the total was £2,855 18s 4d. On the New Plymouth section for similar period this year £668 13s, corresponding period 1880, £542 17s 4d.

An unemployed deputation wailed on the Hon John Hall in Christchurch on Tuesday. Two of the Maori prisoners confined in Hokitika Gaol, are to be released in consequence of their being in ill-health. One of the Maori prisoners at Lyttelton, named Moku Poranga, 70 years old, died from dysentery on Friday last. Constable O’Brien, lately of Patea, is now at Rcefton. He says it has rained ever since he got there, and is told the wet season has not set in yet. At an Executive meeting in Wellington on Tuesday, there were present—the Governor, and Messrs Dick, Oliver, and Johnston. The Premier was expected in Wellington on Wednesday, It has been resolved by the Nelson Volunteers to hold an Easter Encampment and review at Richmond, Wellington Volunteers to be invited. Each company is to pay its own expenses, which will be kept as low as possible. On Saturday last about 20 men engaged on the New Plymouth harbour works were discharged owing to there not being sufficient work in band to keep the full complement of men employed. Mr Inkster, of Normanby, objects to high school and college education at the expense of the State, because the public cannot afford to train up young gentlemen to embezzle the land revenue. Major Atkinson says the Harbor Board at New Plymouth ought to include members from the northern portion of the Patea district. Ho stated this at Normanby. The Patea Board includes district members. About fifty Wanganui natives have gone to Tanpo to be present at the Native Land Court which opened at Taupo yesterday. Several large blocks of land in the Taupo and Mnrimotu Districts will be dealt with, including Rangipo and Waian. A sugar bag tied up at the mouth, rather strong smelling, found on the beach at New Plymouth, led to the supposition by the finders that another case of child desertion, if not murder, would be brought to light. On being fished up and opened the bag was found to contain a decomposing tom cat. A correction should be made in some remarks printed in the last issue as to the extent of railway finished through the northern bush. The length was overstated by accidentally copying wrong figures, late at night. The length finished within New Plymouth district is about 40 miles, and 25 miles run through the bush. The length finished within the Patea County boundary is about 6 miles in the Ngaire bush. Our proportion is less than 1 mile to 6 ; but even at this rate the Patea district has had more than its share, according to the highest authority in the colony. Speaking at Normanby, Mr T. Robson told Major Atkinson that the rates which the County Council collects around Normanby are spent in cutting down hills about Patea. This is information. No hill has been cut down near Patea out of County rates since a County rate was levied. There is a hill near Patea which, needs cutting down, and proposals have been made, but the money was not voted, and the hill remains uncut. Drays continue to tumble down that hill nearly every week in the year.

Bishop Redwood, returning from his visit to Europe, is expected to arrive in Wellington by the s.s. Tararua, duo there on Friday. The Catholics of Wellington are intending to give their Bishop a suitable reception. He will immediately visit the various districts of his diocese, and preparations have already been made in the way of collecting funds to pay expenses, and forming committees to arrange Patea Catholics responded liberaliy to the call of their pastor on Sunday last. The visit of the Bishop to Patea will most likely be taken advantage of for the laying of the foundation stone of the now church, funds for which have been partly subscribed.

Mr Barleyman has resigned in connection with the Taranaki Land Board. Mr Barker’s first 11101111)13' stock Side at Patea yesterday (reported elsewhere) was a remarkable success. Mn Ivess proposes to start a new morning paper in Wellington, its politics to be in opposiiion to the present Government. He has called a meeting of supporters to discuss details. The Edlcattox Board have confirmed the appointment of Mr Williamson, Tnrakina, as head-master of Patea school. Mr G. S. Bridge has been elected to the Board. Our report of the Board’s proceedings is held over, Taranaki, people are very anxious for the arrival of the ship Adamant with the harbor plant. Excitement has several times worked up, on two occasions by errors of the signalman, and on other occasions by barefaced hoaxes on the part of fun-making New Plymouthites. Through aiming too high in an architectural point of view for the High School building, the Taranaki Education Board has had to compound with two architects whoso plans being agreed to were finally rejected. Apart from the delay and worry, £SO in cash has been uselessly sunk. The Railway Hotel at Patea harbor will be opened for business tomorrow, a certificate of completeness having been given by the police, as required by the licensing bench. The license is issued to the brother of the proprietor, well known as a settler near Patea. The earthwork contract at Kakaramea Station and the site of the Junction Station near Chapman’s farm has been let for £3,275 to Messrs Scalloy and JM’JjonghJaij, Wangnnni. Xhc other tenders were; Denby, Wanganui, £3,298; McLean, Foxtou, £3,750; Mace and Bassett, Patea, £4,100; Powell and Torkon, Patea, £4,246; Kendall, Patea, £4,387 ; Clarke, Auckland, £4,396; Downes & Proctor, Patea, £5,116. The tender of Mr W. Pell, Hawcra, was withdrawn. The Concert of the Patea Harmonic Society takes place to-morrow. Probably this will be the last conceit held in the present Town Hall, which will soon be converted into shops and offices; but it is to be hoped the new hall which the Society are about to build in Cambridge street will be better adapted to concert purposes, and that the conditions for conveying sound forward instead of dissipating it behind an open stage will be carefully considered. One essential is that the coiling over the stage should serve as a sounding board by sloping upward from the back; the sides of the stage being formed also as if opening fan-like to the front, with doors put in the sides instead of open “ wings.” Ventilation of the stage should be secured by ample contrivances for opening large or small apertures at the upper sides, according to the heat of the weather. Freight is lowered to £1 a ton between Wellington and Patea by both steamers. This represents a reduction of nearly £lO on each average cargo brought by the Wakatu, and about £l4 reduction on each average cargo by the Patea. It has been customary to offer a reduction or bonus to the larger importers, making the freight to them lower than to the general public. Of course it is a proper business principle that there should be reduction on a quantity. Freight to this port was 30s a ton until the Wakatu commenced running six months ago. If the Patea Company could put on a boat adapted to the trade, it would be practicable to cany double the present tonnage without increasing the working expenses more than perhaps one seaman’s wages. That is the direction economy might take with advantage.

Colonel Reader, Wellington, has received advice to the effect that the proposed Easter Encampment of the Otago and Queenstown Volunteers has been abandoned.

An angler in the Tcromakau river on the Went Coast fished up a charge of dynamite, with fuse attached.

Limestone in inexhaustible quantities has been found near Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay. Incendiaries near Oaraaru fired two stacks of oats and a slack of wheat belonging to John Lawrence, on the 26th March. Nominations for the Wanganui Derby of 1884 close on Saturday next, the 2nd of April. Two tons of seed peas are to be sent by the LacL' Jocely-n, from Christchurch to England, as an experimental export. It is anticipated that 1000 volunteers will gather at the Easter Volunteer Review, to be held in Waikato. A remission of rates lias been made by 7 the Wanganui Borough Council in respect of Roman Catholic convent buildings. News was received in Sy’dney 7 on 29tb March from New Guinea that four native teachers with their wives and families have been murdered by the natives. In order to dissolve present partnership the steamers Jane Douglas, Manawatu, and Storrnbird are to bo sold in the beginning of Mn}-. The Wanganui Herald says one of the most important local works that could be undertaken at the present time is a road to the Heads. Owners are willing to give land for road purposes. The pah at Waipawa, near Napier, has now a “ permanent population” of fortyfive natives, as a soi l of garrison to hold the property against an} - legal measures of ejectment that may bo attempted by Mr Harding. Petitions have been presented to the Wanganui Borough Council from lessees of Town Belt sections praying for a reduction of rent on their sections, as owing to the prevailing depression they were unable to pay the rents the}- had agreed to at the sale of the leases of the sections. On the casting vote of the Chairman it was agreed to take solicitor’s advice as to the power of the Council to make reductions. At Greymouth on Monday, a large blast was fired in connection witli Harper’s works. The charge consisted of 1000 lbs of colonial dynamite and 2501bs of colonial lithofractcnr. This is the first large charge of such explosives fired in the colony 7, and although the rock was full of seams and cavities it is estimated that about 9000 tons were thrown out and loosened. Telegrams from Grabamstown mention the arrival of the Hon. Mr Rolleston on the 28th March, where be was engaged till a late hour with departmental matters. Ho left Tuesday’ morning with the officers in charge of native affairs to interview Tukutino, the native chief who prevents the road being made through the Upper Thames. Instructions have been given to proceed with a section of three miles of the Thames to Waikato railway. This contract wi'l take a line to deep water in the Thames river inside the bar. At a meeting of the provisional directory 7 of (he Wellington-Manawatu Railway 7 Company in Wellington on the 28th March, it was resolved that while the directors were grateful to Mr Travers for his efforts to push forward the undertaking, they could not endorse his declaration as to Palmerston being the terminus of the line, and preferred to leave it an open question till full surveys had been made. An Adelaide paper says the present is the worst wheat harvest for ten years. The total yield is estimated at nine million bushels, leaving five millions available for export. In a letter in the N. Z. Times the Hon. Mr Waterhouse, quoting from statistics in Mulhall’s “ Progress of the World,” estimates the annual income of the United Kingdom at £1,120,000,000 instead of £400,000,000 which was Major Atkinson’s estimate, and thus makes the average income of the British population £33 per head and not £l4 as the Treasurer made it. On the same authority Mr Waterhouse gives the average income of the French as £25 per head, where Major Atkinson made it £lO. At the Wellington Police Court on the 26th March, Mrs Harris, who asked for a protection order against her husband, appeared in court with a baby in her anns> said she and the prisoner had been married about live years. They led a very wretched life. The prisoner had been guilty 7 of repeated acts of cruelty towards her ; indeed, she “ could not look at him, hardly, but what he struck her.” He was of an exceedingly lazy disposition and neglected her to such a degree that, although ho did not exactly command her to do so, she was obliged to haunt the streets at night, otherwise she and her child would “ have to go with a hungry belly.”

Shaken before taken ” —a house swallowed by an earthquake.