PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Friday Evening, December 16.

Patea Mail, 16 December 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Friday Evening, December 16.

The first issue of the Mail as a daily evening paper will be on Tuesday, January 3rd. As the Monday will be New Year holiday, the Mail office will be closed on that day. A large and handsome sheet Almanack, with Old English scenes printed in colors, and interesting local information, with space for a few advertisements, will be presented with the first issue of the Daily Mail. Results of the examination at Patea school will be found in this issue.

An entertainment by the Patea Brass Band is being arranged for January 2nd. The programme will be various, and rumor says it will contain a laughable novelty that is to he kept a dead secret.

Rules of the Farmers’ Club are now printed. At the next general meeting, first Saturday in January, papers will be read by the President and the VicePresident.

An amusing programme of light pieces was performed by Lyon’s “ Pleasure Party ” last evening, at the Harmonic Hall, the attendance being good. “ Irish Justice ” was a roaring farce, the broard fun making some people laugh till they cried. During the election contest at Hawke’s Bay, Mr, Sutton said Captain Russell had bought 40,000 acres of Native land at Is Gd per acre, which he shortly afterwards sold for £20,000. The Mercury says the fact is Captain Russell only bought 30,834 acres at Is lid per acre, and sold 11,762 acres for £20,588, leaving 19,072 acres for himself.

The unfortunate dispute arising at the Central Hotel has been arranged amicably, by the intervention of sensible advisers. An apology has been given to Mr H. Chadwick for statements made at the Licensing Court, and they are retracted. The summons for assault was not proceeded with in the B.M. Court to-day. satisfactory amends are made in the other case by complete apology. Readings from the poets were given by a travelling Australian, the Rev. Mr Seaborn, to a numerous audience at the Patea School on Wednesday evening. He reads with intelligence and point, and his dramatic exj ression is fairly adequate. A room of moderate size like the school-room is better suited for quiet elocutionary performances than a large hall. Only actors of unusual ability and intensity of delivery could hold the attention of an audience during several solo recitals in a large area. Mr Seaborn enchained the attention of his hearers, and stimulated a livelier appreciation of the genius of the poets whose short masterpieces he rendered. Criticisms that might be applied to a professional actor are hardly needed in this instance.

How true it is that “ In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love !” Several young men that we wot of arc getting into that fix. Young ladies in these parts must have been throwing their caps at ’em ; else why are the boys so badly hit in a soft place ? First there is onr friend of the learned profession who has been and gone and —well, he has gone, and nobody knows what may happen. Then there is another learned friend who is supposed to have proposed and been accepted. An artist in colors is looking happier since she who loves bis art has named the day. Two marriageable daughters of a well-known tradesman are to be led to the altar about the New Year ; one by a well-to-do settler, the other, it is said, by a mighty worker in iron. These matches for early mating are not all that are spoken of around Patea. This New Year is to be eventful in weddings.

Some settlers who wanted the railway to go inland of Whenuakura block are sorely aggrieved at the decision to bring it by the coast. Disappointments and grievances of this kind are common in many districts. Too often personal interest prevails over good policy ; but the decision in this instance is manifestly based on the common principle that the interests of the largest number should prevail. To fight against that is not good policy, and in the present case the opposition is useless. All this is consistent with a feeling: of sympathy, and with regret that settlers should have bad official promises made to them in the early days, which later exigencies of Government prevented from being fulfilled. The claims of a large town population must be considered in the light of things as they are ; not as they may have been years ago.

Contractors have gone by the Stella from Dunedin to select a lighthouse at Waipapa Point, the scene of the Tararua wreck.

Government have accepted Westport Coy’s tender for the supply of 30,000 tons of coal for railway purposes during 1882.

On the 13th, an escort brought to Dunedin 20,0000z5. of gold from upcountry diggings. The Wanganui County Council has decided to retain a tax of 10s on dogs. It was proposed to reduce the tax to 6s, but several councillors expressed the opinion that 10s was not at all too much. A good dog was well worth paying 10s per annum for, and a tax of this description was a protection to the fanner, who most required consideration in this matter. The 10s tax had caused the destruction of hundreds of useless animals, which result was a public benefit. It was regretted that the Maoris could not be taxed for the useless mangy curs which attended them wherever they went.

Hickory nuts and peecan nuts, the latter a product of Mexico, have been introduced to Auckland for acclimatisation purposes.

The Rev. Mr. Bavin is at present on a visit to Wanganui.

130 wrecks took place in England during one week of fearful storm in October. The excess of wrecks in 1881 over those of 1880 to end of October was 364.

Farms at the back of Whenuakura block are changing hands. It is said three farms are likely to be thrown into one. Mr Kenah is reported to be leaving the district.

Kohi subscribers can have the Daily Mail left at the corner of Nicholson’s road, by putting up a box. The Mail can be posted daily to any post-office for 8s Gd per quarter in advance.

The inward ’Frisco mail arrived here yesterday. Wharfage having been charged for landing a fire-engine at Patea for the Volunteer brigade, the Harbor Board were applied to on Monday for a refund of the amount, ss. The Board members at once subscribed the money among them.

The Harbor Board bye-laws are to be rearranged as to the wharfage charges on small quantities.

Mr Thomson, lately engineer at this harbor, is to be asked to assist when any professional aid is wanted. On Saturday last the New Plymouth breakwater was utilised for the first time in discharging cargo. The schooner Ellerton discharged twenty tons of coal into the boats of the Harbor Board, which were taken alongside the breakwater by the Lighter Company, and the coals were landed on the work by the Priestman’s crane. In a short time it is expected schooners will discharge at the breakwater without the intervention of boats.