HAWERA.

Patea Mail, 26 May 1881, Page 3

HAWERA.

The Mail has over 90 subscribers between Manutald and Stratford.

BRANCH OFFICE OF THE MAIL, Wednesday.

A pigeon match in connection with the Hawera Gun Club took place on the Cricket Ground Tuesday. There were 13 entries, including two gentlemen from New Plymouth. A good deal of betting was indulged in, each competitor feeling sure of a place. In the Club Match, seven birds, 21 yards rise with two points for every bird falling with the first barrel, but one only if both bai-rels fired, C. Coomber killed 6 birds, scoring 10 points ; F. Lysaught and G. McLean, 5 birds, 9 points each; J. Nicoll and A. Owen, 4 birds, 8 points, tbe remaining eight who fired running 7 down to 3 points. A handicap sweepstake of 10s with five birds each, secured twelve, entries, the highest being Willy, with 4 birds 7 points. Mr A. Owen is getting the Oeo Hotel thoroughly renovated before occupying. He intends to open it next month. , The want of this roadside hotel is being felt more and more, particularly by travellers. The Choral Society’s third concert to be held on this, Wednesday, evening, is expected to be a great success, especially as they have been strongly augmented by a great Wanganui favorite. Cafi it be true that the Government are going to make another survey between Manutahi and here ? To my certain knowledge a staff of men have been trying to locate tbe railway line between Tongaboe and Manutahi for about three years, but probably it is another manoeuvre to delay the construction. The annual meeting of the Cricket Club took place on Saturday evening. The report and balance sheet was read and adopted. Bats were presented to Messrs Moore (Ist eleven) and Goodson (2nd eleven), for batting averages ; and to Mr Wanklyn for bowling, and Mr Riddiford for fielding. Mr Bate received a ball for best bowling average for the second eleven.

The Rev, Mr Luxford preached in the Town Hall on Sunday for the purpose of collecting money for the widows and families of the Wesleyan Ministers who were drowned at the wreck of the Tararua. There was a good congregation and a failcollection. Yet it struck me that people would have responded more heartily had the sermon been for tbe relatives of the whole of the drowned. It would seem, to my thinking, a little more like charity on the part of the Rev. Mr Luxford, but possibly Wesleyan Ministers are not as other

men, and Tom Smith who was drowned, and up to then the mainstay of say a widowed mothe", is not deserving the same consideration as those of higher social scale.