NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1009, 14 March 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A circular has been issued by Colonel Reader, head of the Constabulary, awarding to non-commissioned officers and constables in the force what is known as long service pay. The rate will be 6d per day for 5 years service, and Is for 10 years. We are glad that this step has been taken as it will be an encouragement for the men to remain in the force, which at present is not over paid, although one of the most efficient bodies in the world.

About half a mile of a gap exists on_ the line near the Heads and this is being rapidly reduced. Ballasting is proceeding vigourously from the Waverley end, and already over two miles have been metalled. The Caledonian Society are organising a miscellaneous entertainment to pay off a small debt and enable them to start clear for next year. This society is one of the most popular of our local institutions, and the annual gathering has steadily increased in importance, until it may be said the chief athletic festival on the coast. We hope that the public will respond to the invitation for support about to be made, and award the society a bumper house.

The Taranaki Provincial team of cricketers will commence their tour by playing a match at New Plymouth on Friday next. They then leave for Auckland where they will encounter a first-class eleven mainly composed of those who made such a successful tour round the colony. We don’t mean those who came to Patea. Besides the above match our men will go to Waikato to play there, and will also play a country match at Auckland. Patea will be represented by Messrs Fulton and Read, and we hope to see the team generally, and the local men in particular, give a good account of themselves.

A mgfgtmg of the Fire Brigade was bold iiS-Monday night, Captain Dixon presiding. A letter was received from the Wanganui Fire Brigade offering 20 second-hand helmets, at 7s 6d each. Resolved, “ That the Captain accept tlie ofEur.” Caplain Dixon banded in his resignation owing to business difficulties, but the Brigade declined to accept it, and the letter was ordered to stand over till next meeting. The Treasurer reported a credit balance of £lO. A sum of £2 17s was handed over by Mr Haywood, of the old Brigade, which was received with thanks. The meeting then adjourned. It is intended to make an effort to recruit-the ranks of the Brigade, which, at the present time, are rather low in point of numbers. Several active young men would be wel,corned as members, and they could not join a more useful institution. We hope to hear soon that the Brigade has been raised to its full strength. Buildings in Patea are gradually getting closer, and there is no telling how soon the services of the firemen may be called into requisition in saving life and property. Their full usefulness will not be manifest until we have a water supply, but in the meantime the efficiency and strength of the Brigade ought to be maintained. It is just as well for the master of the Elibank Castle {says the Grey River Argus) that he is a muscular Christian with a formidable pair of biceps. Quite an interesting little scene was enacted on her deck as she was being towed across the bar. Some of the crew seemed to have had a parting glass or two with their friends before leaving, and treated the captain’s orders with a nonchalance not usually tolerated on shipboard. These pot-valiant fellows seemed to have their own ideas as to what ought to be done and who was in command of the vessel, and after an apparent difference of opinion upon these matters, advanced in a bod}’ towards the captain with threatening brows and in a fighting attitude. -In a very short space of time all were busily engaged picking themselves up from different parts of the deck, all having been knocked down one after another. Captain Grant weighs'lsst., and apparently knows how to hit out when necessary. Before the tug boat got out of sight, the unruly members of the crew of the schooner had setted down to their work quite cheerfully. Hawera will in future not be represented upon the Patea Harbour Board, at any rate until the district has been redefined by the Government. It appears that since the constitution of the Board Hawera has ceased to form a riding of the Patea,County, and consequently, so far as the .Harbour Board is concerned, has gone out of existence. We hope soon to see provision made for a member for Haweia, because people there are, to a large extent, interested in this port, and will be more so as soon as we are connected by rail.

The channel alongside the breakwater is now 120 feet wide and of great depth, There was a lengthy sitting of the R.M. , Court yesterday, most of the day being taken up with the case, Barker v. King, the evidence in which was of rather an intricate nature. His Worship reserved judgment for a week. One of the outside blocks of the breakwater has become loose, owing to the wash of the Sea. It i« intprwtofl tn fill in "between th , e~ , CTev r tew~wiTli cbncreteas a temporary measure to prevent further damage. The Victorians won the match against the Englishmen by an innings and 73 runs to spare. Mr Reeves has withdrawn his candidature for Inangahua, and Mr Gr Shaw, of Wellington, has announced himself, and will contest the seat with Mr Wakefield. Typhoid fever is prevalent in some of the Aucklands suburbs. It is stated that at next session of the Assembly a Commission will be moved for to inquire into the Otago dummyism question. Mr Service, the new Premier in Victoria, will address his constituents to-inorrow. Considerable interest is attached to his speech, because the recent amalgamation of parties in Victoria is one of the most striking events in the political history of that colony. Advices have been received in Dunedin that three large steamers, of 5000 tons each, have been ordered by the ShawSaville and Albion Company from Messrs W. Bentley and Co., of the Clyde, to be employed in the New Zealand shipping trade. They are to be fitted up in the best style in the passenger trade, arid will have the electric light, &c., and will be fitted with refrigerators for carrying meat in large quantities. They will do the voyage in 45 days. The privileges of the Waverley Race Meeting were sold on Saturday, as follow: Gates£4o, Mr 0. Brewer; Cards £ll, Mr H. Hollier ; Luncheon Room £4, and Refreshment Booth £2 10s, Mr W. Williams ; Horse Paddock £1 2s fid, Mr H Hollier. The publicans booth was not sold at the time. The club retain the grandstand lawn and saddling, paddock. The Waverley School Committee have resolved to recommend; the appointment of Miss Williams, of- Foston, to the post of Assistant Mistress.

At the last meeting ot the Harbour Board a letter was read from the Bank of New South Wales offering £SOO overdraft upon mortgage, or the personal security of the members of the Board, Those present at the meeting on Monday did not look with a very favourable eye at the latter alternative, and eventually it was decided to keep the Board’s account where it was lest they should get.out of the frying pan into the fire. It is gratifying to note that the Board’s financial position has improved of late, the overdraft now being something under £3OO. The Engineer’s report upon the works necessary at the Heads was adopted by the Harbour Board on Monday. The report has already appeared in our columns. The Steward of the Hospital begs to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of half-a-dozen shirts from Mr Herbert,, for the use of the patients. The Hawera County Council have asked the Patea Council to have the approaches to the Manawapou bridge gravelled as soon as possible, as it is feared traffic will be completely stopped if the work is not done. They also forwarded a cheque for £SJ on account of the construction of the bridge. The Government has granted £SOO to repair the main road, and part of the money will be expended upon' the work. Mr Stewart, the District Engineer, and the chairman of this Council will make an inspection of the road in a few days to see how the money can be laid out to the best advantage. 1

At the last meeting of the Harbour Board Messrs Jay and Haynes, the con* tractors .for.' the Munutahi station, wrote, asking fora refund of wharfage on goods used in the construction of the station buildings. As the gpoods hnd beon landed and stored in the usual' way tiie application was not granted. At the same time , it. was pointed out by the Chairman that unless a certificate were produced by the Government engineer that the goods had actually been used , .upon Government contracts, there was nothing to prevent contractors importing and disposing of coal arid miscellaneous goods 1 , and avoiding the wharfageJvdufes ahogether. The unanimous opiniom-of ’the Board seemed to, be that the Government ought to pay the wharfage in cases’ where contractors obtained exemption. An inspection; paradeiof |the-.Fa.tea Rifles was held last overling. Major Stapp was debarred from attending but deputed Captain Taplin to take charge. There was a good musterj 47 men lout of {6O being present. After the inspection the com- 1 pany. were taken into the barrack yard and put through sword bayonet exercise by the captain, and field exercise and marcbpast by Drill Instructor Kearney', all of which were executed in a satisfactory manner. Mr W Cowern will offer for sale tomorrow the goods and property belonging to Mr W Dixon, particulars of which are given elsewhere. Sale at 2 p.ra. Captain Taplin has received intimation that his request, that a special train to convey those of the Volunteers who are going to attend the Wanganui Encampment, from the Heads to Waverley could not be acceded to. The quarterly summoned meeting of Court Patea, A.0.F., will be held tomorrow evening at 7.30 at the Council Chambers, Hr F. R. Jackson’s Hawera sale will take place on Fridaj* at 1 o’clock. The entries, are numerous,.and include some capital importations from Auckland and Canterbury. . Mr Mace is spoken of* as a likely candidate for the vacancy-in the Borough Council. The body of a map was discovered in a water race at on Monday . At the inquest the jury returned a verdict of “"Found drowned.” Deceased’s name was George Quayle. ;