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Patea Mail, 29 September 1882, Page 2

Patea Passenger Station is to be erected immediately, tenders being called in this issue, to close on the I7th Oct. The Station at Whenuakura is not yet commenced, owing to the stoppage of the timber transit, and it is now not improbable that the line will be opened to Patea, as a more convenient terminus for railway traffic, until the further length can be finished to Manutahi. Members of the Presbyterian Church in • Patea are arranging to hold a teameeting about three weeks hence, as a formal welcome to the newly appointed; minister, the Rev. A. Thomson, who now conducts services every Sabbath, morning and evening. At a meeting of members held on Wednesday evening, the following committee was appointed to arrange the tea-meeting : Messrs Coutts, Aitchison, Smail, Williamson, Milroy, and Howitt. Ladies are invited to furnish and preside at the tables. The earthwprk contract on the railway near Manutahi comprises 1 mile 37 chains of formation, part of it being the site for Manutahi Station, and the other formation extending towards Burke’s farm southward, and towards Manawapou river northward. The completion of this work will carry the formation right through to a point just past Manutahi, and when the rails and ballasting are also done, the traffic can be worked through to Manutahi Station, It will have to stop there a good many months before the length to Hawera can be finished. Messrs Dickson, of Patea, have to-day received intimation that their tender for the Manutahi earthwork, as above, is accepted, the price being £2,558.

Married v. Single will do battle on the cricket ground to-morrow, to open the Patea season.

Mr W. Milne is appointed valuer for this year in Waverley town district, also in Wairoa Highway and Patea East Districts.

The Horticultural Society’s catalogue for the Spring Show is now ready, and copies can be had from the Secretary, Hr H. E. P. Adams, from members of the Committee, or from the Mail office. The pamphlet also contains the catalogue for the Autumn Show, and a large quantity of information useful to amateur gardeners for each raomh in the year.

Settlers will read with gre’at interest a report prepared by Mr F. R. Jackson as to the conditions of freezing meat on this coast for export. A Refrigerating Company is proposed for Wanganui, with a capital of £20,000, as reported in this issue. Mr Jackson has done good service t© the whole district by bringing together so much valuable information gathered by personal inquiries in Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington.

A large tract of native land, nearly 700,000 acres, extending frond-'the upper Waikato towards Lake Taupo, is to be be put through the Native Land Court now sitting at Cambridge. Some of the natives interested in this land are opposed to the applicants, one set desiring to sell all they can, and another set taking a conservative view and desiring to keep things as they are, or at any rate sell only small blocks. Most of the natives want money, and will have it when offered in amounts which seem to them tempting.

The North Island is being opened to settlement with a rapidity which could not be expected only a year, ago when the Parihaka difficulty looked very risky, and the king-natives had not yet held their great meeting to welcome the pakeha Ministers. In a few months the old native barriers have been removed, and there is now peaceful activity on the Waimate Plains, preparations for extensive settlement from the Auckland side towards Taupo, and a railway survey ready to be carried through the heart of the once mysterious and impenetrable King-country. This North Island promises soon to be more populous than the South. This is the Island of the future, and a very near .future.

Patea has now a public lamp'. It is a light to lighten the Gentiles who stay out after dark. Some stayed out last night, and were surprised at the new illumination, which shone brilliantly even in the moonlight. The lamp was got from Auckland some months ago, by the Mayor, as an experiment in street lighting ; but somehow the Works Committee left the lamp unlit, until a fresh resolution was passed by the Council to have the lamp erected at ouce. It was put up yesterday at the very conspicuous corner near Mr Taplin’s store, he undertaking to provide oil for the lamp till Christmas, after which the borough may be able to raise a new loan to keep this one lamp lighted. - The lamp is of novel construction, with hanging ventilating flaps to prevent draughty flickering in windy weather; and when the weather is not windy in Pates, there is hardly any weather at all. Persons who have not seen the lamp in full illumination may venture out now without fear of losing their way. When you lose your reckoning in the dark, steer for the public lamp. Pity there is only one.

Revival meetings have been held at Waverley nightly for the past fortnight, and are taking the people by storm, crowded audiences gathering every night, amongst them being many outside settlers who live miles away. The meetings are conducted by Mr Moyse, a stranger to the district, who appears to have gained a number of friends during his short stay. It is stated that a great many persons have been converted by. the fervor of the»e excited meetings.

Rates for Patea borough are coming in slowly, only about one-fourth being paid for the present year; and wo are requested to intimate that summonses will have to be issued against defaulters,unless they pay without further delay.

Pouudkeepers get in a queer fix some times. Such a case happened at Waverley yesterday. Mr D. Williamson, of Momahaki, had pounded a bull which he found running among his purebred cows ; and for damages he claimed £5, The beast was advertised to be sold on Wednesday noon, but nobody seems to have known of the sale except the ponndkeeper and another man. It was advertised in a paper which settlers don’t see, and the advertisement was also sent to the Mail, bnt reached this office too late to be published before the hour of sale, being some hours after the sale. This delay was due to somebody’s forgetfulness, and we are sorry, but can’t help it. However, the result was that at noon on Wednesday the bull was put up to the highest bidder, Mr Seaton, front Momahaki, said “ I’ll give you a shilling.” No one else being there to bid, the big romping bull was “ knocked It. down ” for a shilling. The bull is supposed to have belonged to Mr O’Reilly. He loses his bull; Mr Williamson loses his £5 ; and tbe ponndkeeper loses the cost of keep, and the cost of advertising. The bat will have to be sent round for a collection.

The following report from the Lyttelton Times will be read with interest:— “On Saturday evening, a number of the employes of the Telegraph met at the Commercial Hotel to say farewell to their late manager, Mr J, H. Clayt.on, who is about to leave Christchurch for tbe North Island, where he has bought the Patea Mail. The chair was taken hy Mr Leycraft, who in a brief speech made Mr Clayton a presentation of a handsome gold locket, made for the occasion by Mr White, of Colombo street, bearing on one side the recipient’s monogram and on the other the following inscription:—“ Presented to J. H. Clayton, Esq., by the Telegraph employees, Sept. 23, 1882.” In the course of his remarks, he spoke of the kindly relations which had always existed between the late manager and the employees, and said that the latter could not allow the connection to be severed without some token of esteem and regard being given to the former. He concluded by calling upon all to drink in champagne “ Health, wealth, and happiness to Mr and Mrs Clayton, and their family.” The toast was enthusiastically honored, and acknowledged in feeling terms by Mr Clayton. A number of other toasts were proposed, and duly honored, the proceedings being further enlivened by some excellent songs. Mr Clayton, during his stay in Christchurch, has been on the staffs of the Lyttelton Times, the Press, and the Telegraph, and will take with him to his new sphere the good wishes of all who have worked with him.”—To the above we may add that Mr Clayton was editor as well as manager of the Telegraph until some six weeks ago, when his intended removal to Patea caused him to resign the editorship, and continue to act as manager a short time.

A full quorum of members not being present at last night’s meeting of the Patea Permanent Land, Building, and Investment Society, another meeting is called for Saturday evening. The business is to elect a manager in the place of Mr Dale. So large a quorum as 20 members is not easy to get together, hut the directors are obliged to act as the rules direct. If the quorum cannot be got together, the society’s affairs may he at a standstill.

Messrs York and Cornfoot are changing their mode of working at Wanganui. Logs are to be taken in the rough by rail from the bush to their factory in town, and cut up on the premises. The new machinery is in preparation, and the object of the change is to save expense and delay, by doing all the sawing on the premises.