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Patea Mail, 28 April 1881, Page 3

Letters-patent have been granted to Mr T. Ellis, of Wanganui, for an improved form of churn. Green peas fit for gathering are growing in Patea at this late period. There are also some ducks about. The Cape Egmont canteen has been broken into. A detective has been employed to discover the culprit. At the time of the war 10,000 troops were stationed at Te Awamntu, Waikato, and their trenches and rifle pits arc now to be seen. Concerning the totalizator the Auckland Star says;—An instrument in such high disfavour with “ the Ring” cannot be a very bad thing for the public. An aboriginal native debtor, near Wanganui, is an aspirant for a white washing under the Bankruptcy Act. Waata Wirerau Hipango, is his name. There were thirteen entries for the ploughing at Bell Block, Taranaki, four being for the champion match, two for boys, four for double furrow, and three for single furrow matches. The Very Rev. Count Le Menant des Chesnais who is said to be a very eloquent and forcible preacher, has commenced a mission at New Plymouth in connection with the Catholic Church. The purpose of a Government reserve at Kakaramca, hitherto held for general purposes, has been changed under the Public Reserves Act, as a site for a public library and institute. The section contains 1 rood 11 perches, and is numbered 204 in the Kakaramea township. Earl Beaugnsfield. —Cables of the 25th April state that Mr Gladstone speaking in Parliament referred in terms of deep regret to the death of the late Earl of Beaconsfield, and gave notice of motion to come on in a fortnight’s time in favour of funds being voted for the election of a monument of the late Earl in Westminster Abbey. In the House of Lords several peers took occasion to refer to the death of the Earl of Beaconsfield, all expressing great regret at the sad event. The Case Against Louis. —The Wanganui Herald says—The Grand Jury, although they finished their ordinary labors on Monday will have to return to the Supreme Court House on Thursday to consider the indictment in the case of one John Louis who was committed to take his trial before the District Judge at Carlyle for an indecent assault on a girl under 10, but whom that Judge, considering the prisoner to rrry — 73'to ITS •noir~remitted to a higher tribunal. The Chief Justice by virtue of the Supreme Court Act Amendment Act, 1870, has power to deal with such a case (which seldom by the way arises) although the prisoner was not actually committed by the Justice at Carlyle to the Supreme Court here. The necessity for the Grand Jury returning on Thursday arises from the unavoidable delay in bringing to Wanganui the witnesses who all reside at a considerable distance. Nelson Encampment. —The following is the address of Major-General Davidson to the volunteers at the Nelson Encampment at the close of the review there:—“l heartily congratulate you Major Pitt, the officers, and volunteers, upon the very satisfactory performance you have given us this afternoon. Evidently every one has tried to do well, and the result is a success. The marchpast was steady and compact, the gun drill exceedingly smart, and the competition between the Wellington and the Nelson gunners very good on the part of both. The bayonet and manual exercises were very well gone through. The parade movements were executed correctly and with celerity. On all points you have given a satisfactory field-day. It would much help the volunteers if they could see their way to meet oftener in these camps of instruction, and so gain more practice with the final aim of all drill—a facility of moving and working in large bodies. I am

Thu owner of a walnut tree at Akaroa, gathered over 20,000 off one tree which sold at 15s per thousand, or £ls for the crop. The Homeward Australian and New Zealand mails, via San Francisco, which left Auckland on the Ist March, were delivered in London on the 22nd April. The manufacture of potato starch, farinaceous food, arrowroot, and similar products is being commenced at Christchurch on a large scale. The late arrivals of Chinese . in Now South Wales has led the miners employed in the Newcastle collieries to make arrangements for holding a mass meeting for the purpose of considering Chinese immigration and the employment of Chinese labour in coal mines'. Persons riding into Wanganui are cautioned to avoid collisions, the reason being that “ the days grow shorter and the evenings darker.” This peculiar phenomenon of the days growing shorter at Wanganui is too distressing. It is notified in Gazette that Mr J. LI. Whitclaw has been dismissed from the civil service. The Colonial Secretary is prepared to receive applications from duly qualified medical practitioners for the office of resident medical superintendent for the Wellington Asylum, salary £4OO per year with residence.

The general meeting of surveyors held in Wellington adopted the actingsecretary’s report, which has been printed for circulation among members. The formation of a surveyor’s institute may now be looked upon as a fact, and the steps for its incorporation under Act of General Assembly will be taken at the adjourned meeting to be held in May. An address of welcome was presented to his Grace the Duke of Manchester, at Government House, last Friday evening by the . Orange Institution in Wellington. In reply the Duke stated that he held the object of the Loyal Orange Institution to be the maintenance of law and order and the support of the Constitution of the Empire as was established by Parliament. Railway returns for the four weekly period ending sth March show New Plymouth section, 41 miles open, revenue £844 10s 6d, expenditure £719 19s 2d ; Wanganui section, 108 miles open, revenue £3214 Is 3d, expenditure £2,028 18s sd. The average revenue for twelve months per mile of rail has been, New Plymouth section £252 6s lOd, expenditure £215 6s 2d ; Wanganui section, revenue £345 12s 2d, expenditure £234 4s sd. Two Justices of the Peace who acted as commissioners in the Wellington asylum enquiry, and who look little part in the proceedings besides playing the role of listeners, were each paid £3 3s per day for their attendance during the prolonged sittings. Mr E, Shaw, R.M., chairman of the commission, received nothing from the Government for his services, though the searching character of the enquiry was due in a very large measure to Mr Shaw, who himself drew up that valuable judicial report which has received the favourable notice of the whole press of New Zealand. Fire at Wanganui. —On Monday evening shortly after five o’clock, a fire broke out in the plumber’s shop occupied by Mr A. C. Leslie. The fire originated near the stove, and but for the water supply being turned off’ in error would have been subdued before much damage had been done. The building in which the fire began, the plumber’s shop, and one next door, which was recently in use as a bakery, were gutted. Very few things wore removed from the promises, and the total loss in tools and stock was considerable. The ascertained insurances are £l5O in the North British on the stock and tools, and £2OO in the New Zealand on the building, which was owned by Mr H. Clmrton. On Tuesday Mr Leslie made application to the coroner and to the police for an enquiry into the cause of the fire at his shop, but as there were no suspicious circumstances in connection with the case, it was decided that no inquest was necessary.

Mu Jackson’s stock sale at Hawera to-morrow comprises 1,569 head. The case of alleged child murder at Marton was to be tried at Wanganui ibis week, but the Grand Jury threw out the bill. The Duke of Manchester passed through Patea yesterday, on a tomnorthward, being accompanied by Mr E. Pearce, of Wellington. Mu Baukeu’s stock sale at Patea yesterday was fairly well attended, and prices were a good average. A detailed report will appear next issue. Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs that the Wellington and Wanganui line of steamers have reduced freights to 5s a ton, and passenger fares to 10s. Can these rates pay ? Mr Cowern has an important clearing sale to-day near Patea, at Mr Fairweather’s farm. The lease of 242 acres will be offered, with 846 head of stock, farm implements, and some produce. “ Wizard,” the pure-bred bull, has been sold by Mr H. S. Peacock to Mr Treweek; and this splendid animal is to go to Westmero, passing through Patea to-day. Ho will be a loss to the district. George Keys was injured severely yesterday while loosening earth at the gravel pit on Patea hill. The bar swung round as the earth fell, and knocked Keys down, his leg being pierced by the bar, also one rib being broken. He was taken home and attended by Dr Croft. Mr H. Vere Barclay, of Wanganui, has taken out letters patent for an invention for mechanically computing surveyors’ calculations, and also problems in plane trigonometry and navigation. The moving of a large building is an interesting operation. The Town Hall building at Patea is visibly “ on the move,” but it is backward. No use saying “ Advance, Patea !” The building must go to a back section. About three days will complete the operation. The rate is about a quarter of an inch at each turn of the screw-jacks; but when the building has moved at this slow rate on rollers to the rear site, the huge structure must then be slewed round by oblique pressure from the jacks, till the front faces the side street. The operation is going on with care and success. The travelling agent of the Australian Lihtofractenr Company while on a visit to the Thames, caused several boles to be bored in a mass of iron weighing 25cwt., in which charges of the explosive weighing altogether two pounds were placed. The different boles were connected by trains, the result of the explosion being the fracturing of the mass of iron into blocks of four or five cwt. Reefton Murder. —A telegram from Greymonth mentions that Mrs McGahey has petitioned the Government for means to enable her to leave Reefton. Ever since the fatal occurrence she has been sleeping in the police camp. Up to the present time the police have been unable to got tiny trace of the gnu with which the murder was supposed to have been committed. The money found in McGahey s possession is satisfactorily accounted for. At the enquiry of the Police Board in reference to the Kelly gang at Melbourne, Mr Wyatt, a magistrate, gave interestingparticulars as to the ramifications of the Kelly family. Ho stated that to his knowledge there were 77 blood relations of tiie Kellys scattered from Dahnoro to the border of New South Wales. About 1900 New York piano and furniture makers and carvers are on strike, in consequence of a decision of the employers to reduce wages and make the day’s work ten instead of eight hours. The Te Aroha batteiy was opened on the 23rd, when over 200 persons were present, including visitors from Auckland, Waikato, and the Thames. The question of the quality of quartz will soon be tested, the prospectors’ claim being ready with stuff to crush. A fire broke out at Messrs Catbcarl and Gallon's stables, Toowoomba, early on the morning of March 19, which was fortunately extinguished before any serious damage was done. There are about 10,000 stand of arms in Ireland which have been bought with Fenian money. Most of these"“’arc oldfashioned and more likely to wound thenowners than anyone else. At the Kaiapoi root show one of the large red mangolds which gained first prize was weighed, and turned the scale at 381lbs. The new organ in the Sydney Universi/y will be the finest in New South Wales ; it has 43 stops. There are 1000 Roman Catholic Maoris in the diocese of Wellington.

Patea R.M. Court. Tuesday, before Mr C. A. Wray, P.M. NEW TRIAL. Mr Ward applied for a re-hearing in the civil case of Williams Brothers t’. Gillighan, tried at this Court about two months ago. A material witness who was absent had since returned to the district, and his affidavit was read The action was brought to recover the value of two tip draj's, value £46, which had been made for Michael Mulville, then a contractor at Kakaramea, the drays being removed without leave and not paid for. Gillighan was found to be in possession of them after Mulville left the district, and was sued for illegal detention. Gillighan produced a receipt showing he had bought the drays from Mulville. The verdict was for plaintiffs for the amount claimed or the return of the drays. Defendant was now prepared to put Mulville in the box to prove that the drays had been delivered by plaintiffs to Mulville, also that one dray was paid for by exchange of a cart and £3 cash, the second dray icmaining not paid for. Mr Hamerton, for Williams Brothers, asked for the affidavit to be filed, and said no would be glad to see Mulville in the box. The Bench granted a re-hearing, and fixed the 6th of May. lIOBRS 0. MACK AY. Win. Hobbs,lessee of the Patea Boilingdown Works, claimed £lO Os 9d from Mackay, a butcher, who admitted the demand, sajdng ho had made himself responsible for the money, and asked for a month in which to pay. Hobbs said ho was suddenl}" pressed himself, or he would not have sued.