PATEA MAIL Established 1875. CIRCULATION nearly 600 COPIES. Average circulation last year, 510. Friday Evening, April 28, 1882.

Patea Mail, 28 April 1882, Page 2

PATEA MAIL Established 1875. CIRCULATION nearly 600 COPIES. Average circulation last year, 510.

Friday Evening, April 28, 1882.

Delivered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings 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.

An Illustrated Supplement is given with this issue of the Mail, and will be continued weekly. A Waterfall four thousand feet high was found emptying into Milford Sound, West Coast of the South Island, by a Dunedin photographer and his party while exploring for views of natural wonders and picturesque grandeur. The Bowen fall in that Sound is only oneeighth the height of this later discovery, which is named Sutherland fall. The Post Office at Patea is to have an additional assistant at the end of this week, the business having increased considerably during the last twelve months. The assistant (Howard) has been at Bulltown.

Mr C. P. Barker will offer at auction on Saturday, 45 pieces of ladies’ dress material. Shouting Licenses are obtainable for 30s from the postmaster at Hawera, as advertised.

The Wreck Inquiry has occupied throe days, as reported at length in the Mail. Captain Edwards has been on his trial, to the extent that the Court mightrecommend the forfeit or suspension of his certificate. His evidence contained serious contradictions; for he first told the Court that he did not know there was a fresh in the river until he entered it and got carried on to the west spit; yet he told the Court at a later stage that he entered the river early on the tide, as soon as the signal was hoisted, because he expected that the fresh would have made the river higher than it proved to be. He also said he could not obey the pilot’s direction to steer nearer to the breakwater, because the outward current carried him over to the spit; yet he told the Court later that when the steamer grounded on the spit the helm was about amidships—that is to say, her course was not towards the breakwater in obedience to the pilot, but was straight ahead towards the west spit. Nor did he reverse one engine before grounding to turn her towards the breakwater. Thus neither helm nor propeller was used to steer in towards the wall after passing the end of it, although he admits the pilot directed him to keep nearer the wall.

A public meeting at Feilding has agreed by resolution to a loan of £6,000 for borough improvements. Only one person voted against the loan, A vote by ballot has to be taken. Hawera Borough Council has levied a rate of one shilling in the pound this being sufficient with ordinary revenue to pay interest and sinking fund on the £5,000 loan. Victoria has reduced the postage of lettes to Id, and newspapers to the colonies £d. The inward ’Frisco mail is clue in Auckland on Monday. She left San Francisco three days late. Messrs. Farrington and Barton (in partnership) are appointed solicitors to the Borough of Hawera. The cable steamer Agnes has reached Wellington. She will proceed to repair the broken cable in the Strait. Hiroki’s Trial for the murder of M’Lean is (o be held at New Plymouth next week, he not being removed to Christchurch with Te Whiti and Tohn. Sub-pcenas are already served on witnesses in this notable case. Hiroki has been a “ thorn in the flesh” to more than one Government: now that they have got him, his fate should be soon determined. We learn that Mr C. A. Wray has arrived in Wellington after bis visit to Auckland ; that his health is greatly improved; and that he will return to Patea next week. He was requested to go to Wellington on business connected with the Crown lands in the West Coast district. The Verdict in the coroner’s inquest at Manutahi was not intended to be equivalent to a finding of “ wilful murder,” although the words would carry that meaning. We learn that Mr Hamerton, counsel for Mr Gallagher, asked the jury to say what they meant by the verdict. The foreman replied that they intended it to be a verdict of manslaughter. Mr Hamerton then applied for leave to tender bail for Mr Gallagher’s appearance at the trial in New Plymouth. Bail was accepted, as reported.