PATEA DAILY MAIL. Published every Evening, Price 1d. CIRCULATION nearly 600 DAILY. Average circulation last year, 510. Friday Evening, April 21, 1882.

Patea Mail, 21 April 1882, Page 3

PATEA DAILY MAIL. Published every Evening, Price Id. CIRCULATION nearly 600 DAILY. Average circulation last year, 510.

Friday Evening, April 21, 1882.

Delivered every Evening by mounted messengers— at Hawera by 7-30 o'clock, at Normanby by . 8-15, at Manaia and Waimate Plains by 8-30, and Southward at Waverley (for train) by 6 o’clock.

Spiders of the katipo variety frequent sandy places near the sea, and are rather dreaded by the Maories, who are careful in .selecting camping ground away from the haunts of this poisonous insect. The man who is now in the Patea Hospital suffering from the bite of a katipo was working at the railway fi.rmation near Whcnaaknrn river. The bite causes a painful swelling, from a poisonous virus injected by the spider. Many old residents bn' this coast have never seen the dreaded spider. Compressed air has been tried as a motive power on the London Underground Railway, and is reported to have driven a locomotive and train of

carriages. The distance is not stated,

but if a train could be so driven about 1 three’ tbilesp allowing for stoppages at intervening stations, the change froth steam to air-pressnre would probably be a saving in cost, as the air-cylinders could be re-charged at fixed distances, and probably lose no appreciable time in the operation. The present plan, of burning coal causes a distressing nuisance in the tunnels, the air being almost unbearable to breathe in warm weather. The proposed tunnel from Dover to the Calais coast,' about 24 miles, underground*, would he still more, liable to cause distress to passengers, the length of the tunnel making ventilation almost impossible, and the smoke given off from passing trains would linger in the hot close atmosphere. At Hawera R.M. Court yesterday, the impounding Ciiso which has given some trouble was again before the Justices. Mr Prosser, keeper of the pound, was now summoned on the information of Mr Quinh for neglecting to record the particulars of brand in the ponud-book, as required by law, Mr Matthews, solicitor, appeared for Mr Quinnj and said there was no malice in this prosecution, but it had been brought as a test to show that the keeper of the pound had broken the law. Mr Barton, for defendant, contended that as the cattle were received by defendant’s wife in his absence, he could not be held criminally liable. The bench inflicted a nominal penalty of 2s 6d and costs 7s. Counsel’s fee was not allowed. , , , The Maori King is not only in favor of railway extension, but is willing to assist in the construction.. .He,also informed a reporter from the Auckland Uet'ald that if the Parliament were to sit in Auckland he would accept a seat in it. Speaking of extending the railway from Te Awamulu to Alexandra, he said:— <f I have no objection to assist ia defraying the expense of the railway extensisn to Alexandra. I suggested some lime ago that the labor should partly devolve on me, and I proposed to put hahhaus on the.work, and two Europeans,.to supervise the operations ; but no;notice.whatever was taken of my proposition. It therefore lapsed.” The estate of the late J. j. Whelan, storekeeper, has passed under the care of the public trustee, and Mr Dale; as his agent, is about to sell the stock byauction. The estate appears to be in an insolvent coiidition

Four sections of building land in Patea are to he sold to-morrow at Mr Cowern’s warehouse, by order of the mortgage. It is s»id that Mr Whitaker and Mr Sheehan are dissolving partnership.

The numbers voting on the licensing question in the Otoia district were :—- For increase of publicans’ licenses 9, against increase 4 ; for increase of wine licenses 11, against 2 ; for increase of accommodation licenses 11, against 2. The Licensing Committee is thus authorised by local option to increase any liqnor licenses, according to (loir discretion.

The poll on the licensing question in Waverley district has resulted in favor of licenses of each kind being increased. The numbers are advertised in this issue. It will be observed that both in Waverley and Otoia districts the question of bottle licenses was voted on, though the Licensing Committee hove no power to grant bottle licenses in tins district' The danse in (lie Licensing Act on that head applies only to places where bottle boons' s existed before the Act passed. We believe Dunedin is the only place whom bottle licenses are legal. Sir George Grey has contradicted the statement published in Christchurch that he had telegraphed to some one in that city concerning the formation of a Ministry.

The aurora was visible again last evening, about 7 o’clock, hnt not very brilliant nor long continued. A seizure of spurious liquors is thus reported by thn. Buller Miner .-—Much public interest attaches to the seizure made lately by- the Customs in Westport. It appeals that Mr John Mnnro, M. H.R., auctioneer and importer, has lately received a consignment of cases marked as containing Cologne vinegar, but which in fact proved to be soin't in bottle. The attention of the Customs officials was directed to this suspicious circumstance, and the result was a tardy seizure.; Each case contained three dozen - bottles • counterfeit Hennessy’s brandy. The counterfeit is, we are informed, very inferior in quality, and deleterious in nature. There seams to be quite a manufactory of such poison ! in Dunedin. ; It is to be hoped that this affair will be thoroughly sifted, and all concerned in such a nefarious business be made examples of, for it is scarcely possible to exaggerate the evils resulting from a supply of bad liquors, ; That this is by no means the first importation of the kind that has been received in Westport is self-evident from the fact that large quantities of this ’ spurious spirit are distributed about the country districts, more than could be accounted for by one or two shipments, Tlie ■ bottles are exact counterparts of Hennessy’s, the labels and - capsules being perfect imitations.

The Patea wreck inquiry is to beheld in the Court House next Tuesday, at 11 o’clock. , Mr Jjimdon, Commissioner of Customs, has now received instructions from the Marine Department ;to proceed with the magisterial inquiry, and subpoenas Will be issued for Tuesday next. .The . Justices are his Worship the Mayor, and Mr Peacock. - The outward Frisco mail vid .New Plymouth closed at 11 a.m. to-morrow.

The comedy of “ Our Boys ” was played for the two thousandth time in England on February 11th. Respecting the death of a Maori near Manawapon bridge, the Taranaki Herald says :—“ Mr Gallagher, the hotel-keeper at Manutahi, had a quarrel on Tuesday night with some,natives, and the natives accuse Gallagher of hitting deceased with a billet of wood, which staggered him. Win left the hotel shortly afterwards', and his dead body was found at the Mamiwapon bridge on the following morning. Dr Gibbes proceeded to Manutahi, for the purpose of holding an inquest.” .. . .->■■■ • Mr J. Hair in vires tenders for clearing 200 acres..; ,

“ A man would be a heap better off ef be was as pprticler ,’bout de whisky he drinks as he; is ’boot de water,” remarks an observant old darkey. A Wisconsin man stole thirty-nine sheep and a steer, but the warrant charged him with stealing thirtj'-nine steers and a sheep, and he left the courtroom with all his reputation restored.