The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1882. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 960, 17 November 1882, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1882. NEWS OF THE DAY.

The entertainment to be given by Mr in aid of the funds of the Institute, has been .fixed to take place on the 23rd inst. ' A meeting of shareholders in the Palea District Land and Building Society will, be held this evening, at 7.30., to elect directors and auditors.

We remind bur readers that Mr Cowern will sell to-morrow, at the Lincoln street Yards, at 2 p.m., four first-class draught horses and other plant belonging to Mr H. I. Davis. These draught horses are well known in the district, Mr Dayis having had an extensive carrying business during many years ; and the attention of intending buyers is particularly directed to this sale.

■ We regret to have to announce that, after a. lingering illness of some weeks, Major Nathaniel George Morse died at his residence yesterday morning about 4 o’clock, in the 61st year of Ms age. Anybody suffering from toothache or any of its kindred disorders will have ample opportunity of being attended to next week. We notice that Mr Skeet, dentist, of -New Plymouth, and Mr -Crosse of Wanganui, are announced to arrive on the 21st.

• At the New Plymouth Harbour Board it was asked when the railway to the harbour works was going to bo constructed. The Chairman said, from a conversation he had had -with Major Atkinson, he understood that the Board would have to make it, and then the Government would work it for (he Board. The Rev, Mr R. J. Allsworth’s ; lecture at Waverley was not delivered on Wednesday evening, owing to the stormy night. The lad Atkinson, who was accidentally shot near Upokorigaro on Friday last, by the lad Dainty, when out wood-hen shooting, died at the hospital from the effect of the wound. Deceased was 18 years of age, and a quiet steady lad. A special uneoting of the Borough Council was held last evening to consider a letter from the Government offering to take up the Borough, loan upon certain terms, A lengthy disu-sion took place in committee, and the Council ultimately resolved to postpone their decision for a week.

The members of the Wairoa Light Horse who went to Dunedin, have returned to their homes somewhat discomfited; They complain of the arrangements made for the convenience of shooters, and say that they never will go back there again. One member of the troop was so disgusted that he left his comrades to shoot,, and he enjoyed himself immensely at the Christchurch races.

- Measles'have been prevalent at Waveriey of late, principally amongst young people. Nearly every family has some of its members “ down,” and the attendance, at the public school has been greatly lessenedin consequence. The committee resolved at their montlily meeting on Wednesday night to ask the inspector to defer his inspection until the week before Christinas, owing to the small number .attending, and doubtless he will accede to their request. The team to represent the Volunteer Rifles and Fire Brigade in the match with the Patea Cricket Club, are as follows : Messrs Taplin, Dixon, J. Kitching, W. Kitching, W. Harden, C. Harden, Carey, Doneghue, Gibbons, Barton, and Haycock. Emergency men, Hyams, Whelan, and Abrams. Umpire, George Brown. After the match on Saturday a committee meeting of the P. C. Club will take place, to take into consideration the Hawera and Auckland matches, and other business.

At the Resident Magistrate’s court this morning a batch of first offenders were brought up charged with being drunk and disorderly on the Waverley Race Course on Thursday the 19th Inst. They pleaded guilty, and were fined 20s each with costs 75., A further charge of assault was preferred against one of them, and a fine of, 5s inflicted. A first offender charged with being drunk, was fined 5s and costs 7s, or in default 48 hours imprisonment! and in a civil case an order was made by the Bench for the defendant to pay the amount claimed within a week. The presiding Justices were Dr Croft and Mr Tennent.

The Standard says that in Rangitikei great difficulty is at present experienced in obtaining men for bush-felling. It is expected that many hundreds of acres will remain unfelled this season, owing to the scarcity of labour. The same complaint comes from other districts. The price of firewood in Wellington has recently advanced from the fact that the cost of cutting has been increased, owing to the scarcity of hands who will do the work.

Two strong-minded females at the Thames have entered into partnership as brokers for the sale and purchase of mining stock, and have secured an office in the principal business quarter of the town. We believe this is the first instance on record in the colony of women having entered on such a line of business.

Some curiosity was created among visitors to the steamer Manapouri at Wellington on the 4tb instant, by the appearance of a stalwart dusky maiden who wore a large gold ring in her nose, several on her toes —her feet being, of course, otherwise bare—while no jewellery of any description adorned her fingers. Inquiries elicited the fact-that, she is a Hindoo girl, atttending an Indian lady who is travelling for the good of her health.

Messrs Macfarlane and Swinbourn are progressing favorably with the Whenuakura Station.

The Canterbury have 4606 Sunday scholars, with 460 teachers.

The cost of the ‘‘ bookmakers ” to the country is set down by the N.Z. Herald at £40,000 a year. A striped hyaena, which escaped in June last from a menagerie at Tala, in Russia, has been making havoc" in the neighbourhood of that city. It tore to pieces in August a shepherd and several children. ■

Country people (says the Southland News ) may not be aware that “ tying tightly and carry ;poultry head downwards ” has been decided to be an offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

: The Kaiapoi Woollen Company have introduced a gas engine into their Christchurch factory in order to work the sewing machines, arid relievo the operatives of the labour.' ,

A fish known among the, Maoris as a “ wheki ” came in contact with one of the divers at the Sugar Loaves recently, and before the diver was aware of the presence of the fish, he was firmly encircled; by, its numerous-suckers. The fislu was about five feet long. The only release possible for -the diver,-.under the circumstances, was to kill it, which he accordingly did by cutting it in two, one lra-|f*o£ which he brought up with liiin to the surface as.a,trophy. The ninth annual meeting of the National Insurance Company was held at Dunedin on Wednesday. A dividend of 10 per cent was declared, making together with the interim dividend, 2p per cent'for the year. The sum of £5619 was carried forward.

Bishop Luck had an enthusiastic reception from the Catholic community at Auckland. Father Dewney handed to the Bishop a- beautiful bouquet of red geraniums and white roses (episcopal colours) which had been arranged by Bishop Cowie and despatched by him through the Misses Heaty and Dignan for presentation to his fellow prelate in this diocese. A crowded public meeting was held in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the evening when addresses were presented to him byAhe clergy and laity. We ( Post) mentioned recently that the result of the Victorian Derby was received in Wellington in less than five minutes after the winning horse had passed the post. This telegraph feat was far surpassed on the Cup Day, when, according to a Melbourne paper, Keuteris message giving the result of (he Cup was handed to their agent at Wellington in rather less than one minute after despatch from Flemington Racecourse at a quarter-past 4 p.m. Such an instance of rapid telegraphy, it is said, is without, parallel. We learn from the agents of. Messrs Shaw, Saville and Co,, that that firm has entered into combination with the Albion Shipping Gornpany in order to form a new company, with a capital of one million pounds in £lO shares. The first issue -will .consist of 35,000 shares, and it is proposed to float debentures to the amount of £IBO,OOO. The present partners, it is said, will retaia a largo interest in the concern, and act as managing directors in London. Among the other directors are Messrs Denny and Galbraith, the wellknown shipbuilders. The new company, it is expected, will tender for the direct steam service.— Post.

A sort of deadlock has occurred between some of the volunteers engaged in the recent colonial prize-firing and the New Zealand Hide Association. The position of affairs is this ; —At the last Nelson meeting the association found themselves short of funds, and unable to pay their liabilities in full. ~ Only a portion of the money prizes won on the occasion was therefore paid away, a promise being given the recipients that the balance would be handed over as soon as the association were in a position to do so. Half of the money thus retained was paid over some months ago, and it was ex pected that the remainder would bo voted by the council of the association during the recent firing at Dunedin, as they were then in. possession of a considerable sum of money, but this they have neglected to do. Lieutenant Purnell (Wanganui) and Lieutenant Paynter (Nelson) have consequently declined to give up possession of the cups won by them at the previous meeting unless the amounts duo to them are paid, and have taken the trophies back to their homes. What the association will do in the matter remains to bo soon,

The Wellington correspondent' of an Adelaide paper is responsible for the following A novel method of raising Church funds has lately come into force in New Zealand. It rriay bo 'suggestive to your people to go and do likewise, which I hope they will not. This is oyster and rump steak suppers at a high tarrilf of charges. The waiters are young lady waitresses, attired smartly as waitingwomen, while the cooks are young ladies, the customers young gentlemen, with a sprinkling of grey-haired old ones (moro shame for them). The calls of,, the waitresses to the cooks for “ One steak and oysters,” “ Two scollops,” “ Three stews,” and “One in the shell,” may bo heard through the hours of the evening. I do not like this sort of thing myself, more particularly ns it is encouraged by the clergy, who appear in those present days indifferent to the way money is obtained for altar cloths, surplices and church decorations. The lady-girls like it ; the men like it. The thing is a novelty. Bnt propriety steps in and says —“Shame upon you all for such indecent doings.” If there be sufficient vitality in religion, it should surely support its ministers withont devising such extraneous resources.