PATEA MAIL Established 1875. CIRCULATION nearly 600 COPIES. Average circulation last year, 510. Wednesday Evening, Sept. 20, 1882

Patea Mail, 20 September 1882, Page 2

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

Wednesday Evening, Sept. 20, 1882

Delivered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings by mounted messengers —at Haw-era by 7-30 o’clock, at Normanby by 8-15, at Manaia and Waimatc Plains by 8-30, and Southward at Waverley (for train) by G o’clock.

August mails from this colony may have been injured or destroyed in a fire which occurred on the steamer Alaska, crossing to Liverpool. The extent of damage is not yet reported. Mischievous dogs are doing damage at Kakaramea. Last Wednesday a valuable cow near calving was harried till it died, its leg being broken in the “sport,” and another cow had its tail torn off, by dogs straying on to Mr Henry Berry’s section. Dogs of this sort arc an unmitigated nuisance, and should be shot without mercy, An amusing recommendation was made by the Public Petitions Committee, upon a petition from some simple folks at Masterton. The Committee said:—“ The petitioners, consisting of 10U persons, express great sympathy with William Essex Gross, in consequence of his being compelled to pay £ls, the cost of defending himself against, a, charge made by the Customs authorities of having in his possession a portion of an illicit still, which charge proved to be uufounded, and they pray that the costs may be paid by the colony. The Committee find that if an average payment of 3s each were made by the petitioners, as a practical illustration of their sympathy, Mr Cross would be refunded his costs without the necessity of any appeal to the sympathy of the House, and the Committee recommended the petitioners to adopt this means of redress.”—When the Committee’s report became known at Masterton, there was an angry hubbub. Parliament had insulted Masterton, and therefore Parliament ought to be and must be punished. But how ? A case of alleged forgery is to be enquired into at Hawera next Monday. A man named William Hislop presented a cheque at' Owen’s hotel recently for £7 10s, purporting to be drawn by Mr C. F. Barker, on the bank of N.S. W. at Patea, in favor of William Holmes. Mr Owen took the cheque from Hislop, and gave him change. The cheque was sent to the bank at Patea, and proved to be a forgery, Mr Barker having issued no such cheque. Hislop was missing for some days, but on Saturday he ..was arrested at Normanby, brought before justices at Hawera, and remanded for a week. The road from Normanby to Manaia needs gravelling in part, to make it passable, and a bridge is wanted. The only mode of getting the money, we believe,' is by rating the lands to be benefited, and borrowing for 15 years under the Roads Construction Act. The mode of doing this is explained in some remarks in this issue respecting a similar road difficulty near Patea. The Normanby-to-Manaia road runs into 7 two Road Board districts; but these could agree to work; together for this purpose of special rating, or they could each do the length of road in the separata district, and levy the rate (by; consent) on the properties to be benefited, A conference of the two Boards should soon smooth away little difficulties of this kind. On Monday evening, a rabbit was seen near Mr Newland’s gate, on the Waverley road. Mr Newland informs us there were some at the back of his farm a few years ago, but of late there had been none seen. Should they once get a hold on this coast, they would be like the whirlwind, nosayiug where they would stop, and it is the duty of everyone to exterminate these pests, which are such a plaghe to farmers elsewhere, and ruination to any district where they happen to thrive.

A comet close to the sun was visible yesterday, through the thin film of cloud which made observation easy with the naked eye. Revival meetings are being held in Waverley every evening this week, largo numbers turning up, and lively interest is taken in the proceedings. Mr John Morton, of Waverley, disposed of a. mob of 100. fat bullocks the other day to Mr A. Keith, of Wanganui. They were in grand order, which is a characteristic feature of bullocks fed in this district. Mr David Fleming, of Clairmont, Waverley, left for Napier on Monday evening, taking his well-known pedigree bull Ensign 111, by the Duke of Hazlecote, out of Red Rose. The bull has been sold at a high figure, and will be a valuable addilion to the herd of the purchaser, H. I.- Twigg, of Petoni, Napier. Considerable danger exists at a rail way -crossing about two miles this side of Waverley. At either side of the road the cattle stops are ungarded on one side, the fence being straight instead of going at an angle. Horsemen incur a deal of clanger in passing this place at night, arid with a large mob of cattle passing over it, an accident seems > inevitable. Probably the reason was that tne railway crosses the road diagonally ; but- nevertheless the fence should be placed to suit the direction of the road. This looks like a piece of officework. A rifle match is arranged to be fired on Saturday morning at 5 o’clock; ranges 200 and 400 yards, seven men aside. The teams selected are Sub-Lt. Kitching, Corp. Kearney, Corp. Hyams, Vols. E. Mercer, Gowlaud, W. McCarty, and T. Dale. Color-Serg. Kells, Vols. Whelan, J. McCarty, Guerin, Bartlett, Arthur, and Handley. At the inspection parade last evening, the number present was 49, including the baud. The County Council’s proposed expenditure for the year ending March next is estimated thus:—Overdraft to be repaid, £I2OO ; salaries, labor, and contingences, £I,BOO ; total £3,000. The receipts are expected to be £3,000, made up thus ;—Rate of one shilling in the pound, £I2OO ; rates in arrear, £500; publicans’ licenses, £2OO (doubtful amount); dog tax, £200; moneys now due from Government, £800; sundries, £IOO. As to the liquor licenses, the claim of the Waverley Town District w T ould take away £SO, if the Solicitor General’s interpretation of the Act be sustained. The head master and second master of Wanganui High School for boys have been dismissed. A wretched system of squabbling and spiteful jealousy has disorganised the school of late; and after a formal enquiry, in which each master stated his grievances, the School Committee resolved yesterday to dis- ■ pense with both. They recommended the Education Board to dismiss Mr Steedman, the second master, for insubordination ; and to give three months’ notice to the head master, Mr Francis. It appears that Mr Steedman’s temper was not improued by his having been formerley reduce to a secondary position, and a head inaster appointed over him. The evidence at the inquiry showed that . his co'nduct latterly had been ridiculously disagreeable. The head master seems to have lacked firmness and tact. A special meeting of the Education Board was held yesterday afternoon to deal with the Committee’s • report; - The Board adopted it, except that Mr Steedman should be asked to resign before the 25th, and receive a month’s salary in lieu of service. The head master will be eligible for reappointment in a secondary position. We have received information which enables us to state definitely that the necessary arrangements for the leasing of the native blocks on the Continuous Reserve will be at once proceeded with, and that Mr Thomas Mackay, the Reserves Trustee, will shortly take up his abode in Hawera, it being the best centre for his operations.— -Star.

Messrs Nolan’s Manaia stock sale takes place to-morrow. Mr E. C. Horner is gazetted a certificated accountant in bankruptcy. Mr Jackson’s sale at Waverley takes place on Friday. Mr Barker’s first spring sale of store stock, together with horses, buggies, and implements, takes place to-morrow. For the post of sub-inspector for the harbor works at Wanganui there were 25 applicants, Mr W. Gifford being appointed. It is noticeable that the building trade in Wanganui shows marked activity at present, after a long and severe depression. Mr R. E. Mcßae will stand three entire horses in this district ; namely bis thoroughbred horse Premier, and two draughts Cashier and President. All three horses will be shown at Mr Barker’s sale to-morrow, and at Mr Jackson’s Waverley sale on Friday. A number of settlers behind Waverley want a shorter road to Patea seaport. They would benefit greatly by getting it, and Patea would benefit by increasing its trade. The subject has been agitated a long time, to no purpose. But there is-now a way by which the thing can be Rone very simply, as will be seen in another column of this issue. The A. and P. Association’s show is advertised for Tuesday, Oct. 81. The Wanganui show is fixed for Oct. 19. Auckland is going to have an illustrated monthly paper. It is to be conducted on a grand scale, and magnificent views from all parts of the colony are to adorn its pages. The price is to be Is.