PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1881.

Patea Mail, 30 July 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1881.

Our attention is called to an “ important notice” which says : “ The weekly circulation of the Herald and Yeoman is now 8,000, extending from Otaki to the Wahnate Plains.” This fact is cheerful, and we hail it as an interesting evidence of the progress of the West Coast. But what does it exactly mean ? The Herald is published six times a week, and the Yeoman once. Suppose the Herald circulates 1,250 per day, that would be a total of 7,500, and the Yeoman may issue 500; total, 8,000 weekly. The daily circulation of the Herald at 1,250 would be highly satisfactory, and well deserved, for it is a good average paper. The district it claims to circulate over is from Otaki to the Waimdte, containing a total population of 27,000h The proportion of circulation would be one Herald to 21 persons. Compare this with the circulation of the Mail. This County has a population of 6,000, and the Mail prints 500 each issue. The Mail’s circulation is therefore one to 12 persons, or about double the relative circulation of the Herald; that is the Mail is supported in its district twice as well as the Herald in its district, and each paper has to face competition. If the Mail circulated in a district of 27,000 persons, as the Herald claims to do, the Mail would have 2,300 subscribers as compared with the Herald’s 1,250, at the present ratio, of circulation. If therefore the Herald thinks its circulation something to boast of, we ask whether the proportionate circulation of the Mail is not doubly satisfactory in comparison with the strongest paper on the Coast. There is another point. The Herald claims to circulate in the Patea district. The claim is fair, because a few copies do come here; and we regard this interchange of papers as a good sign, for district feeling should not be narrow.

In the Legislative Council on Thursday the Taranaki County Council Loan Bill was read a second time. On the motion for the second reading of the Waitara Harbor Board Loan Bill, Mr Waterhouse moved that it should be thrown out, as there would be no security for the bondholders. The debate was adjourned. . Patea is named among counties which have failed to forward a statement to Government of the year’s transactions, as required by the Counties Act.

A Fencing Billhas been introduced j in the Assembly by Mr Bryce.

The Rowena was unable to enter Waitnra river on Thursday, the rough weather having shallowed the bar.

The Wanganui Jockey Club have voted£2o as honorarium to Mr C. Ranson, now of Hawera, in recognition of services connected with the club.

Mr T. Eyton, who is again conducting the commission business on his own account, announces seed wheat and oats for sale.

Kemp, the Wanganui Native chief, has among his 250 followers 50 armed men. They are now in attendance at the Native Land Court at Upokongaro. Government recognised the importance of giving effect to the recommendations of the joint Committee on the rabbit nuisance, and have promised, if time permits, that a Bill should be introduced this session. In the R.M. Court -on Tuesday, the case Warren, v. Beamish was a claim for balance of rent of house. Plaintiff did not appear J bn t r had seftt a Written offer to withdraw proceedings if the house were given up. The Magistrate said : The rent is over £SO a year, and I do not think the Court has jurisdiction where the rent by the year exceeds £SO. Bankruptcy,— -In the R.M. Court on Tuesday, J. Gibson sued Mr Cockburn, coachbuilder, Hawera, for £ll 2s, goods sold and delivered. The defendant, who did not appear, had filed a declaration of insolvency a few minute? before this case came on in. Court. Mr Hamerton for the plaintiff; We will. take a judgment. It will at any rate give hs a dividend.-—Judgment was given for the amount, with costs. . The steamer MacGregor which was being built at Auckland to ran stock from the Waitara, was launched on Thursday. The boat will be provided with the best passenger accommodation, and is also fitted with appliances for taking in and discharging sea-water ballast, in order to ensure easy entry to shallow or variable bar harbors. Should inducement offer she may be expected occasionally at Patea. The Auckland Herald referring to the appointment of Mr Laishley as manager of the branch of the Union Bank of Australasia at Hawera, says— Mr and Mrs Laishley will "be much missed in Hamilton, Waikato. Mr Laishley took an active part in all musical entertainments, was an energetic officer of the church, the chairman of the debating club, and ; a supporter of every useful movement. A substantial testimonial was about being presented to Mr Laishley, Roads in the Ngaire district are being damaged by the practice of drag- ~ ging logs. The chairman of the Road Board, Mr Marchant, has received the following letter from the Public Works . Department: “ Complaints having been made to the Acting Minister for Public Works that the main road through your district is being much damaged by the saw-mill proprietors dragging logs along it, which not only disturbs the gravel but fills up the side drains, causing the road to be flooded and the gravel washed away, I am directed to call your attention to the 97th section of the Public Works Act ’76, and to request that if the practice above mentioned is still going on, you will take steps to have a stop put to its continuance.”

The report of Mr Rees, late harbor engineer at New Plymouth, whose opinion about the quantity and quality of stone locally available for the break water caused a revisal of the design to suit concrete formation, has added another £I,OOO of money wasted. Sir John Goode’s account has just been received; ;

At a meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club, Mr T. Rowe said that such swindles; as that with which Mata had been concerned, and by which the. New Zealand public bad lost £60,000, should be discouraged and put down by every, means, otherwise honest racing would decline.

It is complained that. Major Atkin-

son’s tone was dictatorial to the Opposition after the division. Of course the tone of a conqueror is always disagreeable to conquered, as Mr Ballance ought to remember.

Seventeen more unemployed arrived on Thursday, 10 being from Oamam per the Wakatu, and 7 from Wellington per the Patea. Two of the men brought These men are to be employed on the railway section near Kakaramea, to complete it for laying rails and ballast.

Monday’s sale of sections will probably be largely attended. They are mostly township and suburban sections at Opunaki and Manaia. Much uncertainty attaches to the value of Opunaki sections. It is certain that some speculators will invest there from a belief that Opunaki must be the port for the Plains. There are always people who cannot form a sound opinion on the feasibility of making a harbor.

The Committee appointed at the Patea public meeting had a conference last night for the first time. On the question of a separate County they decided to leave the matter to the two Houses, in the belief that the impolicy of encouraging petitions for separation will be so obvious as to require interference in the shape of motions disallowing the petition for separation. A counter petition was thought unnecessary. The members were the chairmen of the public meeting, of the County Council, the Town Board, and the Harbor Board.

That was an ,am using sensation in an * £ extra’’ announcing l, that “ a proclamation proclaiming - Hawera a separate County has been gazetted.” This distinctly conveys the idea that the new County is a proclaimed fact. The truth is that the new County has no existence and cannot have till the Session has closed, and any member in each may move to have the proclamation then on the table withdrawn. We regret that the wish for a new County can’t be supported in the : interest of the whole district, because firstly it defeats the claim of the County to be an electoral district, and secondly it greatly increases the expense to the remaining ratepayers.

We are informed that Mr Aitchison has been asked but declined to accept nomination to the Harbor Board as representing the Government. This offer appears to have been made with the object of enabling Mr Sherwood, present nominee,, to be elected by the Town Board as their nominee on, the Harbor Board in room of Mr Aitchison, who would'have vacated that position by becoming the Government nominee. These understandings seem difficult to arrive at. It is particularly desirable that the present chairman of the Harbor Board should continue on the Board, as he has done invaluable work, which the public freely recognise. If the Government are not disposed to nominate him, he can probably obtain popular election to fill the earliest vacancy.

The Division on the no-confidence amendment has given a majority of four to Ministers. This represents only two votes in excess of the Opposition, for the transfer of two votes from one side to the other would count as a difference .of four. The majority is fairly solid, but it is not a safe working majority. Ministers recognise this, for onr Correspondent at Wellington, who happens to be well informed, telegraphed last night that Ministers had met after the division and decided to withdraw their Hating Bill and not to bring on their other: measures on Local Government. They recognise that this subject has assumed an importance which requires a larger reform of Local Government than Ministers had first intended.

A punt for New Plymouth Harbor which was to cost £1,600 through afterthought alterations of the late engineer, actually cost £4,000. Now the punt is a “ white-elephant,” there being no work for it to do.

At a Band of Hope gathering in Wanganui, 400 sat down to tea in the Wesleyan schoolroom.