COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 30 April 1881, Page 3

COUNTY NEWS.

■ An Illustrated Weekly Supplement is presented with this issue of the Mail. A scratch football match is to be played at Patea this afternoon. The drapery stock of Mrs Schultz, Patea, will he sold to-day by Mr Dale. The first stock sale by Messrs Nolan and Co. at Hawera takes place next Thursday. The testimonial to Mr Shaw, whose action brought about the enquiry into the Wellington Lunatic Asylum, will probably take the shape of a piece of plate valued at £IOO. Sixty of the Maori prisoners are to he released from Dunedin, and will go north by the Hinomoa. Thirteen remain behind. 100 are also being released from Lyttelton. The meeting of northern natives, at Auckland, to form a confederation of tribes and a native parliament is a practical failure. Much talk, nothing done. At Christchurch two non-coimnisioned officers were ordered off parade as not being qualified. They refused to go, and the captain dismissed them. The company sided with them and is disbanded. Lady Gordon and family arrived in Wellington on Thursday. His Excellency the Governor went on board the Hinemoa at the pilot station. The Wellington Guards formed a guard of honour, and a feeble cheer was sent up as her Ladyship landed from the steamer. As Mr James Nicholson, of Whenuakura, was going homo on Thursday evening, his horse foil and rolled over him. He was in bed on Friday, but it is hoped he has not been so seriously injured as might have been expected. More bush sections are to be open to cash applicants on the 23rd May ; ten in the Kanpokonui block, behind th« Wahuate reserve, and seven in the Ngairc district. The price ranges from £2 to £1 10s, and most of the sections are about 100 acres. The clearing sale at Mr Southby’s farm, Appleton Park, takes place next Wednesday, and should draw a large company of buyers. It is the largest clearing sale held in the district for a long time. The two lessees of the farm will enter into occupation on Monday, Mr South by and his sister have arranged to visit England, leaving in May. An important step, is being taken by tfche Patea S.S. Company. At the halfyearly meeting on Thursday it was resolved almost unanimously (after some opposition had been satisfied) to build a larger boat for the Patea trade, to the outside value of £7000; and this is understood to moan the extension of the company’s trading area, by including other ports besides Wellington, Patea, and Nelson. The company will thereby be opening new markets for the produce of the district, and conferring a substantial benefit on the local public. Our opinion is that the stop is a right one, and that it might have been taken sooner with advantage.

It is understood in Wellington that Parliament will not he called together before the middle of June. The secretary of the Paten Cricket Club being detained at Wanganui, the intended meeting on Monday cannot be called. Young Garrett, of Dunedin, who was injured in tramway accident, bad not recovered consciousness on Thursday. Rails to Nonmuiby will be laid in a few days, and there is some prospect of the northern lino to that township being taken over and opened by the middle ol June. Small parcels under 14 pounds weight are to bo conveyed by railway at a uniform cheap rate, on the postal system. A small parcels post is in operation a* Home, but the maximum is very light. The colonial scheme aims at a railway parcels delivery for articles too bulky lor postal carriage, yet moderate in weight. The puro-bred bull -‘ Wizard” passed through Patea yesterday on its way to Wcstmere, near Wanganui. This animal would look better for feeding up, his splendid frame being of the desired shape for meat carrying; hut having never been stall-fed during the six years Mr Peacock had him, the bull is hardly up to condition for exhibiting. We are told it has never been beaten in the showyanl. Seven Cottages are being erected Glare under order in the suburban paddock lately plotted out by Mr Storey, near the Hospital. One or two houses of a larger class are also contemplated. Mr Storey has transferred the unsold sections to Mr Dale, who is premoting building by taking payment for section and house on the deferred system. Mr Storey has let his own residence in the paddock to Mr W. Mackenzie, and Mr Storey is removing to a farm near Waverley. Mu Biiadlauuh. — Cable message of the 26th states that on Mr Bradlaugh presenting himself to be sworn by the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Stafford Nortlicote moved, That the House refuse him permission to swear. A debate ensued. Messrs Bright and Gladstone spoke against the motion, but the same was carried on a division by a majority of 33. Mr Bradlaugh then re-appeared and persisted in his demand to be sworn, and refusing to withdraw, was placed under arrest until the House adjourned. Next day Mr Bradlaugh again presented himself, when a long and animated debate took place. Finally Mr Bradlaugh withdrew on Mr Labouchere announcing that he would introduce a Bill to permit lu;n to take the oath. It is now certain that the sweepingreduction of freights to 5s a ton is being made by the Wellington and Wanganui line of steamers. The report seemed at first incredible. Passenger fares are to be only ss. The freight to Patea has been reduced from 30s to 20s a ton within six months, and if Captain Macgregor’s new design of steamer now building at Auckland for this port proves a success, the freight is to be lowered to 10s a ton. This Auckland report may be only a sort of intimidation. It will be evident, however, that if Wellington freights can be can be carried to Wanganui for 10s, they will pay to re-ship to Patea by the Clyde, showing a saving as compared with 20s. The following verdict was returned by the jurv at Greymonth, in respect of the death of John Bell—“ That John Bell met his death on April 16th, 1881, at Larry’s Creek, having been killed by a blow on the back of the head, and that the blow was struck by David Charles McGahoy.” The Capo Egmont camp has but about thirty-five men stationed there, and a contemporary learns that over £2OO have been taken in cash at the canteen during the last month, besides a considerable amount of book debts having been contracted. Shareholders in the Feilding Public Hall company are being called on to decide whether or not they will empower the directors to borrow the sum of £BOO. Sir George Grey arrived at Auckland, from Kawau, on Wednesday, and will address the Thames electors on Saturday evening. Fiji.—A large sugar mill is being erected at a cost of £30,000 at Suva Point.