PATEA DAILY MAIL. Friday Evening, Feb. 24, 1882.

Patea Mail, 24 February 1882, Page 2

PATEA DAILY MAIL.

Friday Evening, Feb. 24, 1882.

Published every Evening, Price id. Circulation nearly 600 : average last quarter 510. Politics, Independent.

Mr Parris and his secretary have been in Patea this week on Native business; and they started this morning for Hawera. The Crown land at Oeo is to be surveyed immediately, the work commencing next week ; and the public sale will follow as soon as practicable. The land is open and of excellent quality. The bridge at Manawapou is now shored up, and is reported tolerably safe for ordinary traffic. Heavy loads are still risky; and it is well known that some timber loads going north every day are exceedingly heavy. The intended new bridge, with easier approaches, cannot be made too soon. A sad case of overstrained mind has occurred in Patea. Mr John Whelan became restless in a manner last evening, and talked as if he were afraid of being poisoned, or that someone was pursuing him to do a personal injury. He could not eat, and was missed from the house about eight o’clock. No trace could be found by those who made search in the darkness. He was seen about daylight this morning near the river heads, his clothes wet. He appeared to have wandered to the cliff, and down the rough track to the river mouth, going into the shallow water with his clothes on, under the impression that he was taking a bath. He was brought home by Mr Otto Haase, and is now under the care of his family. He had been suffering from sleeplessness.

A clearing sale of Drapery commences to-morrow at Mr R. A. Adams’s, Cardigan House. Mr Cowern will soli on Saturday the lease of 500 acres o( education reserve, situated on the Waimate Plains. The Patea Cricket Club meets this evening, to hear some grievances against the match committee. A return match between Hawera and Patea will be played here to-morrow. A fire in Patea last evening caused serious risk to the Council building. The fire began in a stable near the Police Station, among some old hay, but was soon got under by the Brigade, the shell of the building being saved. The Illustrated Supplement issued with the Mail this week contains a picturesque view of Otira Gorge on the West Coast of Middle Island, Among the articles are Ten Terrible Minutes in a train—stage gossip—little peoplewit and wisdom—Mr Spoodendyko on the sick list—scolds and their pnnish T ment—fat women—household receipes —lawn tennis—a complete story, and other readable items. We are privately informed that a meeting of the creditors of Webster Brothers, merchants in New Plymouth, is called for to-day. The liabilities are very large. The assets are considerable, but the amount of security held by the bank of New Zealand for advances will reduce the available dividend. The brothers Webster have been held in repute, and general sympathy will be felt, for tbeir embarrassment, caused (we are told) by certain unfortunate speculations.’ Both partners are married. Their father was postmaster at New Plymouth in the early days. While superintending the salvage operations at the Wakatu steamer yesterday, Captain Bendall drifted on a punt that broke away in the wash ; and seeing the danger of getting into the surf, he leapt off into deep water, and had a short struggle to keep, afloat till rescued in a boat. An old sea-captain may be relied on to act with coolness in danger. Captain 1 Bendall seems rather refreshed with his ducking. Another case of attempted abuse of female children came before the B.M. Court yesterday, the Mayor and: Mr H. F. Christie being the justices on the bench. A strong hulking fellow named George Brown, from Wanganui, where he appears to have other names, had offered a shilling each to two little girls to go up a lane and show him the house where a well known resident lives. They went, but one girl got frightened at the man’s manner, and ran back to tell Mrs Davis, who then followed up the lane, and met the man with the other girl. Mrs Davis remonstrated, and he jumped over a fence and made off. It appears he had offered the second girl more money to go farther up the lane. The police apprehended the man, and charged him with a common assault, there being little evidence of a more serious charge.; The man’s excuse was that he wanted the girls to show him the house in the darkness so that he might find* it next morning. He was fined £3 and costs, or fourteen days’ imprisonment in Wanganui gaol. The Taranaki Hei'ald says : Instructions have been issued by the-Govern-ment for the J execution of the surveys in different portions of the confiscated block, and parties of surveyors will proceed this week to commence the work. One party will survey the land between Taungatara and Ouri, near Opunake, inland of the main road ; and another party will survey a block of land near Pnuihu. The last mentioned block is a portion of the land which was offered to the natives by the Government proclamation if they would disperse from Parihaka, but, as they refused to obey, they have consequently forfeited a portion of the land originally reserved for them, A settler on the Rangitikei line, with, one acre of land in hops, expects a yield which will give him a cash return of about £7O to £BO.