PATEA MAIL Established 1875. CIRCULATION nearly 600 COPIES. Average circulation last year, 510. Friday Evening, Oct. 6,1882.

Patea Mail, 6 October 1882, Page 2

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

Friday Evening, Oct. 6,1882.

Delivered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings by mounted messengers— at Havvera by 7-30 o’clock, at ISTormanby by 8-15, at Manaia and Waimate Plains by 8-30, and Southward at Waverley (for train) ,by 6 o’clock.

The ; Cemetery reserve is to be released for seven years, and the late lessee has paid the rent through a solicitor. Illustrated periodicals which are accumulating in the Patea Library might be reduced to some advantage, by the occasional present of a batch of these papers for use of patients in the Hospital. The Institute Committee agreed last evening, at the secretary’s suggestion, to authorise the occasional presentation of illustrated papers to the Hospital.

The case* of Keohone, a Hospital patient, is pitiable. He was almost burnt to death in the Normanby bush by falling into a camp fire while alone in a fit. Lately his arms and chest, which were cramped by the sinews being burnt, have been ranch relieved by a surgical operation, and he seemed able again for:light work. On Monday, however, he had a recurrence of fits, which continued at short intervals during the day. He had five fits in 24 hours. He has been better since, and is to have another operation to-morrow, to release the sinews.

A Maori patient in the Hospital, named Thomson, was suffering from violent displacement of the spine, as if caused by lifting au excessive weight. He was treated by Dr Heating according to a new remedy ; his chest being encased with plaster-of-paris, which hardens like a stiff coat of mail, and has to be worn some time until the bones can re-set in a natural position. The Maori has gone to his pah during this period of rest, and will return to the Hospital to have the plastef-monid removed, when the experiment should show a beneficial result.

The Cemetery Trustees’ at-e disposed to expend more liberally than hitherto in keeping the Cemetery ground in trim and presentable condition. The extensive planting done a year ago is showing a good return, the yonng trees*"'''" being a pleasing addition to a spot which was lately more dismal than it need be. The street approaching the Cemetery looks neat and trim since the sides were fenced and planted. The main avenue through the burial ground is also much improved in appearance ; and now that the trustees have agreed to get a lawnmower, the care-taker will be able to keep the place in a highly .creditable condition. :

There are 11 patients in the Hospital at present, and the average for some months has been 9. | This average is about double what it was two years ago. Most of the patients come from the northern district, very few being connected with Patea Borough. The patients at present are :■ —Leslie Charles, •paralysis ; Joseph . Eoberio, do.; William Brown, ulcer; Henry Williams, rheumatism ; James Keohone, burns; John ; Adams, ttlcerafiohs ; John Sullivan heart disease ; Thomson/(Maori), disease bf the spine; George Kennedy, typhoid fever ; Patrick : Dougherty, iritis; John Dougherty, ulcers.

A significant resolution was carried at the County Council meeting on Wednesday, on the motion of Mr Bridge, namely, “ That it shall be the duty of the Collector of Rates, or any Collector of County Revenue, to lay before the Council on the last day of March, June, September, and December respectively, a list of all persons who have refused to pay their rates or other taxes.”—There is a remarkably large amount in arrear at present, as shown in the last balance sheet and it is understood that the County Council are unable to ascertain what is the total deficiency as between their late Clerk and the Council, until the large amount reported to be due from defaulting ratepayers has been tested by sending out notices. The Institute Committee met last evening, there being present Messrs H. F. Christie (president), Taplin, Houghton, and Wilkinson (bon. see.) The financial position was discussed with reference to the application which is about to bo made for part of the Parliamentary grant of £6,000 set aside for public libraries. One condition of tbo . grant is that each library will be ento share in proportion to its infrom subscriptions and voluntary contributions.. The debt at the. bank which the. Committee took over at the beginning of the year had been reduced by about £2O. A considerable sum had been spent in new books and additional periodicals . during the nine, months. Further accounts were now passed for payment, leaving about "£57 : overdrawn. It was considered desirable to purchase a further considerable stock of now books, in order to carry out the intention with which the Committee took office. To enable this to be done, and the . overdraft to be paid off, the following resolntion was passed on; the motion of Mr Houghton, seconded by Mr Taplin :—“That the secretary confer with (he president, and ascertain from the,present mortgagee the terms on which he will terminate the mortgage on the Institute section and building, with a view to a new mortgage for a larger amount on easier terms ; and that if the above be impracticable, enquiry be also made as to the terms of a further mortgage to terminate concurrently with the present mortgage.” No change will be made in the present mortgage, until a general meeting of members is called to approve any new arrangement that may be recommended by the Committee. There being no treasurer authorised to receive moneys on behalf of the County Council, after Mr J. Black was suspended, and his resignation being sent in at a later date, the Council have now appointed Mr Harden, their Engineer, to act as treasurer, pending further arrangements. In agreeing to advertise for a new Clerk and Collector, the Council would have done wisely to invite applications from persons who can supply office-room—not for bolding Council meetings; but for receiving rates. Such a plan would enable ratepayers to pay rates any day, whereas the recent plant has: worked so badly as to be a daily grievance, and a reproach to all concerned. The Council offer £BO a k year, and say nothing about the office, ■ except that the Clerk is to attend during certain hours on two days a ■week. If also stated that this attendance mKvonkl suffice'i| the new Clerk engaged to have his nsnu 1 office .open for County business at those ,times, there would be no difficulty in the Clerk also receiving rates at any other time, without being bound to attend every day. This would make the position worth having by some good accountant in town, who could do the .County work along with his other business. If a Clerk is to have only £BO a year, and leave his other employment on two days a week, the Council will fail to get the right sort of Clerk. It is not long since the Council paid £250 for a Clerk and Treasurer ; and although the Hawera district was then included, the routine work was not so much larger as to account for the difference between £BO and £260 a year. However, public bodies often go from one extreme to another.

Pick-aml-shovel men are wanted for street works in Patea, and for railway formation near Manutahi,

Ben Allah, the ventriloquist, who has lately travelled through America with success, will give an opening performance this evening in St. James’s Hall, opposite the Institute. Wesleyans in- Hawera intend holding a bazaar, about Christmas.

Tenders are invited by the Patea West Road Board for road formation.

Tenders for further street improvements are invited by the Borough Council. Leicester street from Gibson’s corner to a point near the flat is to be formed, partly gravelled, and kerbed ; Dorset street being also graded to suit the new level. This work will be paid for out of loan. Other works to be done out of ordinary revenue are also to be tendered for, namely Lincoln street from the corner of new banks to the end of Mr Cowern’s cattle-yards; also Victoria street to be kerbed and finished.

The Rev. R. J. Allsworth, of Wavcrley, had a narrow escape on Wednesday. He was driving a new pair of horses with a bwgtry, and they swerved at an awkward part of the road, upsetting the buggy down an incline, and throwing Mr Allsworth. out with violence. He escaped, however, with only a shaking. Tl io vehicle was damaged, but not broken.

Mr Bryce’s recent visit to Parihaka and the West Coast has impressed him favorably as to the friendly disposition of the natives, since the Te Whiti craze was put at end to. The only matter requiring his interference was that some natives from other parts of the coast had been assisting to plant potatoes at Parihaka, and Mr Bryce directed that this cannot be allowed, as those natives may cause trouble by returning on tlie plea that thby want to reap what they had sown. Old Timoki, the chief now in power at Parihaka, said this order was quite right, as there had been trouble enough with strangers. The letter to Mr J. Black, suspending him from duty as Clerk and Treasurer of the County, was written by Mr R. Horner, Chairman of the Council, and not by the auditor. The letter was sent to Mr Black on Saturday evening, after the Executive Committee had considered the auditor’s report. The error in our report occurred through hearing only, part of the Council’s proceedings on Wednesday. The auditor’s report is to be further considered by the Executive Committee, and we would suggest that, as the nature of that report is pretty well known, and cannot be kept from the knowledge of County ratepayers, there should be as little delay as possible in carrying the inquiry to such an issue as will enable the press to publish the report. It should be understood also that the law gives to every ratepayer the right of inspecting the County books on demand. 'We believe the Executive Committee are sensible of the duty which lies on them in this matter; and our remarks arc intended rather to let ratepayers see that the press is reasonably vigilant in protecting public interests: Mr J. H. Clayton and. family reached Wanganui last evening, from Christchurch, and will arrive in Patea tomorrow. . The,passage from Wellington in the Huia steamer was very rough. The Wakatu will sail for Westport at five o’clock this evening, with stock sent by Mr McMaster. Several attempts have been made to get away with this consignment, and loss has been caused by delays.

• Mr Cook, managing director of the Colonial Land Settlement and Endowment Association, informs ns that shares are being taken up in Patea to an extent which is encouraging. There is an impression that shares are intended only for members of the Catholic Church, but wo are requested to say that this is, not so, there being no such restriction. Settlers who have not been called on by Mr Cook are requested to secure shares through the local agents, as advertised.

It is stated that there are 4,389,065 acres of unoccupied land in the Hawkes Bay district, so that there is plenty of room for new settlers.

Wanganui is not the only place celebrated for lunatics, for a few days ago seven inmates of the Napier lunatic asylum had to bo transferred, owing to crowdedness, to the Nelson institution. There arc at present 28 lunatics in the institution.

Mr 0. F. Barker will to-morrow sell building materials, farm gates, &c. Messrs Symcs arc selling a largo number of stock through Mr F. R. Jackson, at Wavcrlcy, next Thursday, The Clydesdale horse Sir. William Wallace, and the thorough-bred horse Redeemer, arc to travel between Manaia and Whennaknra, as advertised by Messrs Wilson Brothers.

The lease and goodwill of the Patea Meat Bazaar are for sale through Mr Cowern. Messrs Horner’s Manaia stock sale is next Tuesday, Mr Felix M’Guiro is removing from Hawera to Auckland, and his farm stock and lease are to be sold next Wednesday by Messrs Nolan.

Mr W. Brown invites attention to new stock of clothing for men and boys. Captain Barry announces that he will give his popular lecture “ Fifty years of Colonial Life,” in the Harmonic Hall next Wednesday, and at Waverlcy on Thursday, At Washington, the place in the railway station where President Garfield fell is marked by a little silver star.

ST. GEORGE’S SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Wo have pleasure in copying from the Church Chronicle of September Ist a communication from one of its -correspondents. It cannot but bo gratifying to the many friends of a Patealady, to read the following.: “In our last we promised to say something of the good works of Mrs' Dale. To talk with this larty on the early days of Patea is like reading a novel. Some 15 or 16 years ago Mrs Dale came to Patea. At that time., life here was % T ery insecure. Unfriendly Maories infested the place, and terrified the few Europeans who had settled in the district. The only religious priveleges of Patea at that time were the semi-annual visits by the Rev, Mr Browne of N*w Plymouth. This veteran Christian clergyman visited the settlement with extreme difficulty and danger, riding a distance of more than 100 miles, swimming the rivers, and struggling through swamps and bogs as best he could. Mrs Dale deplored to him the Jack of Christian influences among the settlers, and offered to open a class of instruction for children, if ho would provide her with a few manuals of Christian teaching. Her difficulties in this work defy our pen. With an energy only equalled by her love for Christ, she solicited the use of one of the barrack sheds for a schoolroom. Here some ten or twelve children gathered upon Sunday, and observed our sacred day. The room was shortly required by the troops, and in some thirty different and indifferent places did Mrs Dale successively uphold our Church and its school. Her efforts were respected both by the soldiers and their officers, and one of the officials was so influenced by her example that he consented to act as an unauthorized lay-reader. The ordinary prayers of the Church then began to solemnize Sunday ; and the mustard seed thus planted hy this lady has now thoroughly taken root. Her zeal is still as warm as ever, and she has endeared herself to'so many members of the old and rising generation of church people, that a mention of church interests here would be incomplete without con sidenable reference to her work, and love for souls.”