NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 983, 12 January 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Rev B. W. Harvey was expected to preach at St George’s Church on Sunday, but he' has been unavoidably prevented from coming until the following week.

Services in the Wesleyan Church on Sunday next will be conducted by the Rev. T. F. Jones, who will also hold a service in the Old Town Hall, Waverloy, at 3 p.m. The Wairoa Highway Board announce their intention to take certain lands, part of the Okotnku block, for road-making purposes.

Tenders, to be received at the Public Works Office, Hawera, up to the 25th instant, are invited for the painting of the Patea railway bridge. Specifications can be seen at the Public Works Office, Hawera, or at tha Patea Post Office,

The Star esstimates that the value of cocksfoot grass seed to be saved in Hawera district this year is not far short of £20,000, The main road between Manntahi and the Manawapou is not in a good state of repair, and this fact was brought under the notice of the Borough Council by Cr Barton on Wednesday. He said that if the road were not metalled before winter came on it would be impassable, and traffic would be diverted to Waitara in consequence, We hope that the .CountyCouncil will look into this matter at onoe. The opening of the railway to Manutahi will greatly increase the traffic upon the road between there and the boundary of the county, and it is important that no obstructions should exist. Perhaps the comity Engineer will report at the next mooting. The groat Masonic consecration ceremony will take place at Hawera tin’s evening, the Hon. the Premier appearing as chief actor in the ceremonies. The Hon. Major Atkinson will also be .present, ami - as ho is likely to pass through Patea in a day or two it would bo a favourable opportunity to ‘‘ buttonhole him and bring some l of our wants and grievances under his notice. At the R.M. Court this morning a civil case Clagnc v De Banks was decided in favour of the former. An assault case was dismissed and a ease of shooting pigs was withdrawn as there was nothing to connect the accused with the alleged offence. Captain Wray R.M. occupied the bench. The date of Mr Cowcrn’s sale of miscellaneous goods has been altered from Monday to to-morrow, and tbc locale from his warehouse to Dale’s timber yards.

The public meeting to consider the suspension of the Counties Act will be held in the Schoolhouse, Whenuakura, this evening, at 7.30. Consideration of the water supply scheme, published on Wednesday, has been deferred until the next ordinary meeting of the Borough Council. A Eeuter’s telegram received from London this afternoon records the successful floating of the million loan for this colony. This is peculiarly gratifying in the face of the recent failure of the Victorian loan.

The Waihi is expected from Wellington to-morrow morning, and will leave on her return trip the same tide, sailing at noon. A correspondent of the Auckland Herald states that having I’ead in that paper of a big kauri tree at Hikurangi said to be 15ft in diameter and 90ft to the branches, he spoke to several of the settlers in that neighbourhood, but none of them had seen or heard of it. However, he heard of a large kauri in the Opowhanga district, 18 miles from the Whangeroi wharf, and this tree he made a point of seeing. It measures 43ft Gin in circumference, and is about| 40ft to the branches, with scarcely any perceptible taper. It is perfectly fresh andjvigorous, and without any sign of decay. Another kauri that he saw measured 23ft in circumference, and was not less than 90ft to the branches, and as straight as an arrow.

Canadian newspapers just, received are full of accounts of the destruction by fire of the Poor House at Halifax, at midnight on November 6th. The building was of brick, and was five stories in height, and contained 320 inmates, of whom 46 were in the hospital (or sick) wards. Strange to say these 46 helpless persons wei'e placed in the most inaccessible part of the building; and 31 of them, of whom 23 were females, perished miserably in the flames. Some of the ' victims, both men and women, were seen at the fifth story windows, and were urged to jump out upon beds, &c., placed below, but the attempt looked hopeless, and as the fire crept up around they dropped back into the terrible furnace, out of which only two (of the thirty-one) human trunks., a few ribs, and a thigh bone, have since been recovered. The firemen rescued one person from the fifth story, and they and many volunteers worked nobly during the fearful night. One gentleman asked repeatedly to be shown to the sick wards, but found none to direct him where they were, and smoke and fire soon rendered the stairs impassable. The building was insured for £IO,OOO (50,000dols). It was valued, with effects destroyed, at nearly double that sum. The R.M. Conrt was occupied yesterdajT in hearing the charge of forgery brought against Mr W. Dale, by the Directors of the Patea Building Societ}', of which ’he was recently Manager. Mr Samuels appeared for [the defence, and Messrs’ Fitzherbert J 'and Bartori for the prosecution. Defendant was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, bail being allowed, himself in £SOO and two sureties of £250 each. Considerable interest was manifested in the proceedings, the Court being crowded throughout most of the day.

The Borough Council have fixed the fee for dogs at ten shillings. At the last meeting of the Borough Council Or Barton was elected chairman of the Finance Committee.

The Georgia Minstrels will give a performance at St, James’s Hall to-morrow evening commencing at ,8 o’clock. The programme of the entertainment is given in an advertisement in this issue.

Rather a curious thing came out at the meeting of the Borough Council on Wednesday. The Mayor, referring to a paper before him, said that it was a security bond for the dog tax collector, and, although it purported to bo dated a year back, it had only been • signed during the last month. Several councillors seemed anxious to know whose duty it was to have looked after the proper execution of the bond, and the Mayor replied that he thought the head of the Council should have done so. As there were errors in the document it was decided to have a fresh one drawn up. A full dress rehearsal of Pinafore will be held this evening.

A somewhat singular mishap occurred yesterday to a man who was driving sheep for Mr C. F. Barker. In cracking his whijj his right arm was dislocated at the shoulder. Dr Keating who was applied to obtained the aid of one of Mr McLaughlan’s workmen, but found that a second strong assistant was requisite before the desired restoration could be effected.

The consideration of the water supply report sent in by the Borough Engineer has been deferred until the next ordinary meeting of tbc Council.

At last meeting of the Waitara Harbour Board, a letter was received from Mr Keogh stating that he had given the late chairman (Mr Halsc) £IOO to invest in Harbour Board debentures, which he had failed to do, and asking the Board to .assist him. Consideration deferred until next meeting.

The New Plymouth Borough Council, Avhich is not on the best of terms with Government at present, is demanding a quid pro quo for interference with vested rights. It lias de-lennincd-to charge £l5O a year fox the use of the upper part of the Town Hall as a Courthouse, and also requests payment of backrent at the rate of £SO a year for the old Police Station.

The English costs in the Rhodes will case have now been taxed down to £2,810, which is to be paid out of the estate. These arc in addition to costs incurred in New Zealand .

The Rev W. J. Habens, Inspector-General of Schools for this Colony, is about to leave New Zealand shortly for England on leave of absence. Mr Hi slop,, the Secretary to the Education Department, will have returned to New Zealand before Mr Habens takes his departure.