PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Wednesday Evening, October 12.

Patea Mail, 12 October 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Wednesday Evening, October 12.

The Goods Shed at Patea railway station is to be commenced immediately ; Mr Charles Bull having arrived to carry out the contract.

The poor woman who was deserted in Patea by a worthless husband, as mentioned in last, issue, has got a situation as domestic servant. We believe several kind residents were willing to find her a place, after her hardship became known.

The Chairman of the Harbor Board has brought under Mr Rolleston’s notice the indirect injury to the reserve between the railway and river, the loss of previous expense in surveying the same, and the necessity for access by forming a road. Mr Rolleston, as Minister of Lands, seems disposed to treat the Board equitably by making the concessions desired. A Loan for the Harbor Board is under negotiation. The Board resolved on j Monday to apply to banks for an advance, the sum suggested being £2,000; and we understand the Chairman has obtained a favorable proposal for an advance on the- Board’s rents. Upon this he has called a special meeting for Tuesday next, to consider the expediency of building a protecting wall as a continuation of the inner end of the breakwater towards the hill, thereby protecting the boiling-down works from further encroachment.

At the inspection parade of the Patea Rifles last evening, over 40 attended. The company were put through platoon, manual, company, and bayonet exercises. The amount subscribed for the brass band has now reached £7O, and Capt. Black hopes to have the instruments here by next inspection parade. There are 21 members in the band, and they are all able to play. The next competition for the officers’ medal takes place on the first Saturday in next month. The firing for the McGuire cup will come off on the 9th November, at the Patea range. The cup is at present held by a Waverley man. Mr T. Haywood, of the Albion Hotel, has kindly offered a belt to be competed for by the Rifles. The Cadets were also inspected last night, but there was a poor attendance.

Mr Coutts brought under the notice of the Native Minister yesterday the exceptional claim of this large new district for assistance in building schools and teachers’ residences. The Education Board has at present claims from Eltham, Ngaire, and Manaia for schools; and we think the Board has not yet reasonbly met the claim of Woodville, a district which has been meanly treated. Mr Rolleston seems disposed to regard with favor the exceptional case put before him, inasmuch as the Education Board cannot claim a building grant for this year except upon the returns of a prievcus period, and those returns do not show the sudden extension of settlement and proportionate increase of children.

A duck fell ill the other day, and the doctor applied a remedy which he called the coup de grace. A post mortem examination disclosed an old curiosity shop inside poor canard’s gizzard; to wit, 22 iron tacks, 6 pieces of larger nails, 3 flat bits of iron, 2 small pebbles, 7 bits of pot, and 1 nail 2 inches long ; total of indigestable items, 41. That large nail proved a stickler, for it cut through the gizzard, and was working its way to foreign parts. That iron 2-incher was a nail in the duck’s coffin : the poor bird went coffin’ about, and finally took to limping, as if one foot were already in the grave. Authorities differ as to the proper kind of stuffing for a duck, hut a niarine-store-dealer’a stock-in-trade is not usually recommended as a , substitute for sage and onions. Whether this duck was properly stuffed is doubtful, but we are anxious not to stuff the reader.

Warerley is again to have sittings of

the R. M. Court

New Zealand Banks anniversary holiday falls on next Monday. Tenders for enlarging Mr Currie’s premises close next Monday.

An interesting communication respecting Mr Rolleston and Te Whiti will be found in another column.

Pdst and telegraph offices that close on Sundays will also close on general holidays.

Two leases of Harbor Board property, near the wharves, withdrawn from Mr Cowern’s reegnt sale, are to be offered at his auction on Saturday.

Mr Rolleston, Native Minister, passed through Patea southward yesterday. He had interviews with Sir William Fox and with Mr D. Coutts, The School Committee tender thanks to the Garrick Club for the public entertainment, which realised over £lO after expenses paid.

Legerdemain, t ventriloquism, and clairvoyance are to form an entertainment on Thursday evening, in Mr Dale’s room, .and .at.. WavcrJey on Friday.

The Land Sale on Thursday is attracting a large of visitors. 12,000 acres form an important block to offer at once. For deferred payment sections 61 applications were received at Hawera on Monday, and 26 at Patea. A meeting to form a Farmers’ Club was held in Patea this afternoon, but owing to the small attendance, the main business was adjourned to the sth Nov., a committee being appointed to collect information in the meantime. r

Mr Barton, solicitor, acting for Mr T. North, applied to Judge Hardcastle and obtained an order on Tuesday to inspect the books in the estate of W. Williams, now being administered by the creditors’ trustee.

Mr Cowern’s sale of land and building leases on Saturday should attract a large company. The Education leases arc for 42 years, almost equivalent to freeholds ; the 2 Harbor Board leases are for 50 years; and Mr Marchaut’s farm at Woodville will also be offered.

The prisoner Barczinsky, whose appeal could not be formally brought before the District Court, was conveyed to Wanganui gaol yesterday. A remarkable discretion was exercised by the Crown Prosecutor in raising a technical objection against the appeal coming before the|District Court. Why Mr Barleyman should prevent a case being heard on its merits, by taking advantage of a lawyer’s oversight, for which the prisoner could not be blamed, is a puzzle to any person of common sense. Official duty should not be strained, especially where the straining means a churlish denial of justice. A discreet Crown Prosecutor would Mve allowed the case to go before the» Court on its merits.

Major Atkinson’s address to Egmont electors appears in this issue. It is pervaded by a tone of cheerful assertion, as usual. If we were all so sure of anything as Major Atkinson is of everything, this would be the best of all worlds. He says he will be here in a few days, and perhaps we shall all be invited again to go on the stage, and have it out. The Major has done some good work during the session, and some that were better left, alone. He does put down his foot on the Native question, and says just what he ought to say as a Minister. That is language worthy of the crisis ; follow it up.