COUNTY NEWS

Patea Mail, 2 April 1881, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS

An Illustrated Weekly Supplement is presented with this issue of the Mail. The District Court will sit Patea the second Thursday in April. The jury lists have been revised by the police, and from these names 36 will be drawn by lot to-day at the Court House, to serve on juries. The Pauihaka Block will be open on and after Monday for applications on deferred and cash payments, at upset prices. Thirty sections are offered for cash, the areas running up to 320 acres. The deferred payment sections are village lots of 1 to 50 acres each. A man named Speightman had his leg hurt with a bullock dray near Patea bridge on Thursday. He was turning the dray towards the wharf, when the pole jammed him and scraped the flesh off one leg from the knee downward. The shooting season for native game commenced yesterday in the Wanganui district. The season for imported game commences Ist May and runs to end of July. Mr Fisher, Waitotara, is agent for the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society. Telegrams have been received in Wellington from the Constabulary Camp to the effect that the natives are busy carting their produce from the land seaward of the Constabulary-road, to Parihaka. This appears to imply their final abandonment of the claim they set up to this part of the block. A new way of hatching eggs may be useful. On the Momahaki block Mr James Dickie set a hen on eggs in a hollow tree. Higher up the same tree a cat had a nest of kittens. Mr Dickie put a sitting of eggs at the bottom of the cat’s bed, put the kittens on them, and waited. Cat and kittens kept the eggs warm, and in due time all the cat’s chickens were hatched without injury. These chickens were then lifted down among the hen’s own brood, and the whole clatch are now flourishing like one family. At the Patea School, on Thursday, a pleasant ceremony took place by way of farewell to the retiring master, Mr Dyer. The scholars had quietly put their savings together and purchased a handsome desk and inkstand; and these were presented to Mr Dyer at the close of the school on his last day of duty. In lieu of speech-making, an address had been nicely engrossed by the female teacher, Miss Gowland, as follows .• —“ Dear Sir, As a slight token of our love and affectionate regard to yourself, we beg your acceptance of this small present, not for its intrinsic value, but as an expression of gratitude for your uniform kindness and attention to us during the time we have been under your tuition, Hoping that you and your family may enjoy those richest of blessings,health and prosperity, is the wish of your affectionate pupils.” This address was read by Master Bertie Wray, and Miss M. Black made the presentation. MrDyer accepted the gifts with a few words of affectionate parting. The address is being framed by Mr Arthur, and will be a pleasing memento to bang in Mr Dyer’s new home at-Karon. The address is engrossed in colored German text with much skill. A ball was organised also in the School on Tuesday as a complimentary leave-taking to the Misses Dyer, wlio have many friends in the district.

The Harmonic Society had a successful concert at Patea last night. The hall was Avell filled, and the applause frequent, A fuller notice is reserved. The two Maori prisoners to be released from Hokitika Gaol belong to Tito Kowarau’s tribe, and will be landed at New Plymouth. To help to reduce the debt on the drill shed, the Wanganui Rifles have determined to hold athletic sports on the Racecourse at Easter. An Accident happened to Richard Bassett, carpenter, while working at the new railway bridge near Patea, He was reducing a log with an adze yesterday afternoon and struck his foot, splitting the large toe. The wound being dangerous, he was conveyed to the Hospital, where he is doing well. Another Sale of bush sections for cash will be held next Tuesday, at Hawera. In the Kaupokanui district It) sections are offered at £1 10s to £2 per acre ; and in the Ngaire districts 10 sections are offered, at £1 10s. Two sections of open land near Mantua will

also be offered at £4 an acre. Stock Sales at Normauby are to bo held monthly by Mr C. F. Barker. His first sale is announced for Wednesday, April 13th, by which date the new yards will be ready. The object of fixing on Normanby as a centre is to open business with the. Plains. Mr R. Pettit, formerly manager for Mr CaverhiTl, will be located at Normanby to attend to the business at that centre. The Railway Hotel at Patea Bridge was opened yesterday, and nearly as many boarders as the house will accommodate have already bespoken beds. The furnishing lias been done with a liberal hand, the beds being particularly good. The bouse is too good for the situation, in our opinion ; but when the railway is finished—a doubtful when —the passenger traffic is likley to justify Mr McCarthy’s enterprise. The trial of David Hutchison at Hokitiki, for the murder of his wife at Kanieri, was concluded on the 30th instant, when a verdict of ‘‘ Not Guilty” was brought in, the Judge having summed up in the prisoner’s favor. The evidence showed that prisoner had saved a gun and a bag of provisions from the burning house, and that lie had hold of his wife’s leg but did not save her.

When advocating a grant of money in aid of Woodvillo school, Mr Coutts greatly surprised members of the Education Board by mentioning that it Avas the intention of Government to place £IOO,OOO on the estimates of next session for school buildings. None of the Board Avere aware that Major Atkinson had made the announcement in addressing his Patea constituents. The “ political economy lecture ” evidently proved too heavy reading for the enlightened members of the Wanganui Education Board. We may add that Major Atkinson made no such statement in public, so far as wo remember.

Mr Hutchinson addressed his constituents in Wellington on Tuesday, a vote of thanks and confidence being carried after an address of over two hours’ duration. The present Government Avere condemned wholesale, and amongst other things he said that last session, to suit their oayii ends, the Ministers had systematically depreciated the credit of the colony, thus leading to a financial crisis. He denied that the present Ministry had any sympathy Avith the bulk of the people, or in any way represented their feelings. Mr Rolloston’s boasted efforts to promote the settlement of the country amounted to nothing, and the Government were not sincere in their desire to settle people on land.

The Death of a man at Waitotara, through what appears to be official neglect, needs some explanation. A pakeha Maori had fallen ill in the native village on the south side of the river, and the Maoris had turned him out to die, as they do in such cases. The man crossed to the town side to beg for shelter, and being in a pitiable condition one of the innkeepers put him to bed and had him attended to as an act of charity. But the sick pakeha had been so long used to Maori life that he begged for the freedom of a blanket and some straw in the stable. He was humored by being shifted to the stable, and wc are informed that application was made to the Wanganui County Council to have him removed to the Hospital, he having been living within that County while with the Maoris. The reply is said to have been a refusal, on the ground that the sick man was at that moment within the Pa tea County, the river being the boundary. His condition was now seen to be desperate ; and it was agreed among some residents t o defray the cost of conveying the man t o the Patea Hospital. Before this ould bo done, he died.

The Catholics of Oaraaru gave Bishop Redwood a hearty reception yesterday. | The Patea Garrick Club will reassemble next Thursday, after the summer recess. A fire took place at Cunningham and Co.’s premises, Christchurch, on Wednesday night. Damage about £I,OOO, fully insured. The Government have promised the Wellington Volunteers the use of the Hinemoa to convey them to the Nelson encampment if the vessel is not otherwise engaged. Over 20,000 car-loads of live and dressed poultry arc carried into Noav York city yearly, and 25,500,000 dozens of eggs go to the same market. It is reported that a Feilding firm has received an order from the youth for 900,000 feet of totara. Two stacks of wheat and one of oaten hay have been burnt at Mr James Elliott’s farm, near Mangerc, Auckland district. Insurance £450. Rich specimens from Coromandel on exhibition in Auckland on the 20th March; caused a good deal of excitement, and a rise iu shares. The Australia, with the London mails, left San Francisco on the 13th March, a day after contract date. She is due at Auckland on Monday, the 4th inst. Mr Brogdcn, representative of the great railway firm, was in Palmerston on Saturday, in company with Mr Lawson, the late Commissioner of Railways for the North Island. The congregation of the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church presented Dr Copeland, the retiring Minister, Avith a purse containing 100 sovereigns. The local paper believes it is the intention of the railway authorities in Palmerston to erect a windmill at the station for the purpose of filling the tanks. The machinery now lies at the goods shed awaiting erection. The Earl of Shaftesbury recently said that “ the religious horizon was dark, and men’s hearts and minds were so little suited to the exigences of the times that he began to fear the final close of the Established Church was near at hand.” The Orient Company’s steamer Lusitania, from Plymouth, is bringing a large quantity of frozen fish to the colonies. In the New South Wales Parliament Mr Slattery’,s motion for the abolition of interest on unpaid selectors’ balances was negatived without a division. The opening of the Christchurch Library on Sundays was carried by nine to three, after a long discussion. The hours will be from 2 till 5 p.m., and from 7 to 9 p.m. The foundation stone of a new Masonic hall was laid in Auckland on the 29th March by District Grand Master Graham. Bro. F. Whitaker (the Attorney-General and Provincial Grand Master) delivered an oration. Dr Kidd preached to the Masons in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Avater famine in Wellington lias induced the Town clerk to have posters placarded over the town drawing attention to the alarming state of the reservoir, and requesting householders to use all means in their power to prevent Avaste of water. The Post says—The Phoenix Gold Mining Company appears now to have every prospect of being successfully floated. We are authoritatively informed that nearly 3000 shares have already been taken up, and only 300 or 400 additional shares are required to bo applied for to ensure the registration of the company. This clone, steps will be taken to procure machinery. Loud screams and violent language being heard in a house in Gill-street, New Plymouth, on Tuesday evening, led to the intervention of a policeman, avlio on entering the house found that the man and wife Avere indulging in a very warm recrimination, which had been accompanied by blows. The husband complained to the police officer about the conduct of his Avife in having throAvn articles at him which cut and bruised him rather severely about the head and face. The Avife bore no marks of violence, as it was one of those ha]jpily rare cases of husband-beating and not Avifc-beating. Only a short time ago the Avife obtained a protection order from Court, but not being content, went back to liA-c with her husband, with the above result.

At a meeting in Wellington of the directors of the Phoenix Gold Mining Company on Monday, it was decided to put on two men to cut a track to the mouth of the long drive in the claim on the Waierokc hill. The men employed there reported that they bad struck a new leader about bO foot from the reef showing gold all through it. The leader is of an average width of 8 inches.

The Indian tribes in the territory north of Mexico, in the United States, are on the warpath. They have attacked the white inhabitants and have massacred 30 persons. The Bible in Schools Association at Dunedin have received 63 replies from schools to their circular. 303 persons, representing 817 children, are opposed to the Bible reading ; 1670 parents, representing 6916 children attending school, favor its introduction. The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day at Home was attended by some rioting amongst the Irish soldiers quartered at Aldershot. The disturbance lasted three hours, and it was found necessary to charge the rioters at the point of the bayonet, and some serious injuries were inflicted. Victorian news to the 22nd March mentions that the Presbyterian Ormond College, opened by the Governor is the gift of Mr Francis Ormond, who paid the whole cost of the building—£22,soo. A number of scholarships are also provided already. Amongst persons summoned in Wellington for having unregistered dogs Avas Mr N. English, who said the dog on whose account he had been brought to the Court belonged to “ North, the barber,” upon which his Worship jocularly remarked that the trustees of the estate ought to be informed of this circumstance, in order that the dog might he included in the assets. The directors of the Southern Cross Petroleum Company, at Gisborne, hive accepted the tender of Mr Hugh Campbell. The tender includes the erection of derrick, machinery, and dwelling-houses, and also for boring 1000 feet, or until oil is struck. The directors have made an arrangement with the contractor whereby a very handsome bonus wil 1 13c given if oil is struck, thus giving an inducement to him to prosecute the work with the best of his ability and skill. A Dunedin tradesman publishes the following :— u This is to notify that A. B. C., of street, labourer, carpenter, Mason, &c., has this day filed a notice that he cannot pay for the meat, bread, and groceries he has been living on with his wife and family for the past month or more. Would any man Avith a spark of honor or courage send such a message to his life sustainers ? No, none but cowards and thieA’es do such things. No Avonder those avlio give credit charge exhorbitant prices to make those who do pay pay for those who do not.”

Gin Joke.—Just before Mr Hutchison commenced addressing - his Wellington constituents on Tuesday, someone poured a quantity of gin in the Avater bottle. Mr Hutchinson probably scenting the joke spoke for tAvo hours Avithout once moistening his lips. Not so, hoAvever, Mr Duthie, who aftenvards got up to defend Mr Bryce. He had not spoken long before he poured out a glass of liquor, and took a deep and rapid gulp. It Avas fairly doAvn before he felt, the effects, and then his countenance assumed a most comical mixture of expressions, and he appeared to have an inclination to say something foreign to his subjecl. The way he eyed the Mayor and chairman too Avas very amusing, for he evidently thought they Avere the perpetrators of the joke, and he looked a rebuke he could not utter.

Remedy for Colic. —An old lime remedy for colic is revived saj 7 s the New York Weekly Tribune, that of smoking a horse with cotton rags for the colic. The afflicted animal likes to inhale the smoke, and it should be continued till water runs from his nostrils. A similar method used to be resorted to restore young chickens. When apparently at the last gasp they were held,not merely near the hearth lire but over it in the smoke, where they would soon revive. Perhaps some minute enemy is killed, as aphides and thrips are, by the fumigation. Dairy Farming. —A meeting was lately held at Halcombc to elect directors of a company whose object is to establish a dairy on a large scale. A piece of ground has been secured suitable for the necessary buildings and machinery, and operations will be commenced at once. A creamraising machine has been ordered, and if it has not already arrived, will be on the spot in a short time. The company intend to have the cream brought from the holdings of the surrounding settlers and manufactured into first-class butter. This butter will be tinned for export to England. The company have already made arrangements with a large exporting merchant in Dunedin for disposing of the butter to the retail stores in England. Gan your medical man be properly spoken of as a “man of patients,” however great a hurry he may be in !