NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1035, 16 May 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The s.s. Waverley is advertised to run a trip to Wellington via Nelson, leaving hero on May 24th. We understand that the trip will bo an excursion one to celebrate the recommencement of running, and that the fares will he fixed at the nominal sum of £2 for a return ticket. The time for electing Borough auditors is coming round again, and the Town Clerk is now calling for nominations, which must be suit in by noon on the 23rd just.

The election for a member of the Assembly to represent Inangahua took place on Monday and resulted in the return of Mr Shaw by a majority of 46. The Auckland Star records a lusus natural in the shape of a child with six toes on the left foot, which was taken to the Hospital in order that surgical skill might correct the redundancy of Nature s gifts. The youngster is only some 17 months old, and so far has experienced no discomfort or pain by reason of its unusual number of pedal digits, but no ordinary boot will admit the foot. It seems that the sixth toe is an outgrowth of the fifth or little one, and no difficulty is apprehended in the operation of removing it. On Monday evening Mr S. Hemus gave an impressive address to the children on Temperance, in the Wesleyan Church, when a number of them were initiated in the mysteries of “ the army.” Some of the juveniles have been seen parading the streets the last day or two wearing their “ blue badges.” The lecture last night was fairly well attended ; Mr Ensor, of Opunake, presiding. The lecturer spoke on temperance for a considerable length of time, and was listened to attentively throughout. The committee inform us that there have been about 100 new pledges taken, and 148 have donned the blue ribbon. Mr Hemus’ visit will long be remembered with feelings of gratitude and pleasure by the temperance party in Palea. At the second Newmarket Spring Meeting, Splendor, the property of Mr G. G. Stead, of Christchurch, won the Champagne Stakes. Lithograph plans of the land to be sold next mouth have been received at the Laud Office, and may be obtained on application. Mr W. H. Cooper, Under-Secrctary for the colon}’, was in Patea to-day. We understand that bis visit is in connection with judicial matters. Mr McKerrow. the Surveyor-General, passed through here yesterday. “ Observer” writes to us—“ Can nothing be done to remove from the centre of the footpath those old verandah posts belonging to the empty butcher’s shop at the top of Bedford street. They look in a particularly ricketty state, besides being dangerous to passers-by at night.” The Otago University’s revenue for the year was £9222, of which £6620 was derived from endowments. A gentleman recently advertised in the London Daily Telegraph for a *• Clerk and Bookkeeper” at a weekly salary of £3. In answer to this one advertisement upwards of 1950 applications were received. We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Normanby nursery catalogue for the current, season. A glance through its pages is sufficient to show • that Mr Rowe, the proprietor of the nursery, has succeeded in getting together a thoroughly well selected stock of fruit, ornamental and forest trees and flowers. No doubt settlors on the plains will take advantage of the facilities offered by Mr Rowe, either for ornamental or useful planting, especially as be evidently makes it his business to consult their wants.

The annual meeting of the Patea Cricket Club will be held at the Albion Hotel on Saturday evening nest at 7.30. Mr Bowron, who has recently been taken into the Government service, intends to meet the settlers at Hawera in a day or two, to give them information about butter and eheese factories. His services will _do übtleß%l>^ v ' a il d bl a,f or,. Patefli-J f-S&ttiSKSt working of a factory. The examination of James Hamilton was brought to a close shortly after we went to press on Monday. Nothing of importance beyond what has already been published was elicited. The election of trustees resulted in Messrs J. Gibson and R. H. Nolan being chosen to fill the office. Commenting upon the political situation, the Oamaru Mail says : —“ A dissolution of Parliament is, it is rumored, amongst the probabilities of the early future. It is stated that the Ministry have, in some measure made provision for defeat during the session. They intend—so runs the story as told by one who isfgenerally well informed—to meet Parliment with some policy that they can go the country upon, and, if they are defeated, as they have reason to anticipate they will be, they will ask for a dissolution. It is even stated that they will appeal to the country if they meet with any factious opposition. Messrs Nolan, Tonks, k Co will hold their monthly sale at Manaia to-morrow. Mr F. R. Jackson will sell at the Kakaramea yards, on Friday, stock, etc. ; as advertisement. At the Harmonic Hall to-morrow evening the Amateur Nigger Minstrels will make their appearance in a miscellaneous entertainment in aid of the funds of the Caledonian Society. This popular institution happens to be slightly in arrear with its payments, but a good house to-morrow would yield sufficient to meet all claims. A capital programme has been prepared, and we have no doubt it will prove attractive enough to accomplish the object for which the entertainment is given. The conundrum competition will he the feature of the evening, and we hear that the local wits have been racking their brains for the last week to evolve “something” which shall more than pass muster amongst the crowd. The G.W.V.T. Bro. A J Bennent, accompanied by Bro E GAllsvvorth, D.D., arrived in Patea to-day. They will attend at a special meeting of the Good Templars this evening, for the purpose of conferring the Grand Lodge Degree on those qualified to receive it. Both gentlemen proceed to Taranaki to-morrow visiting Hawera and Opunake en route. The Borough Council have authorised the Engineer to give the contractor for Bedfordstreet If days notice of their intention to take over the work and complete it at his expense. If a little push and energy were shown by the contractor this unpleasant task might be saved the Council as with anything like fair weather the contract ought to be out of hand in a fortnight.

The Auckland Herald's Christchurch correspondent, writing to that paper concerning the purchase of the Christchurch Telegraph by the proprietor of the Globe, says : —“ The moral of this affair is plain enough, and may be interesting to some of your readers. It is, that no newspaper, however enterprising, well conducted, and powerfully backed, can be made to pay unless there is room for it, and business to support it in the place in which it is started. The Telegraph owned amongst its shareholders some of the soundest and strongest capitalists in Christchurch ; it was lavishly fed with money, was well printed and written for, and well edited by Mr Twopcny, (late of the International Exhibition). Yet the only result of the year’s struggling, pushing, and lighting, is that its shareholders have lost their money [between, five and six thousand pounds in one year] and Mr Twopcny returns to Adelaide, a sadder and poorer man. There was not the business to be got quite requisite to feed the Telegraph, so it was simply starved to death. Any of your citizens who may at any time contemplate speculating in fresh newspapers might do worse than remember this.

The usual weekly parade of the Patea Rifles took place last evening, Captain Taplin in charge. The men were put through the bayonet, manual, and firing exercises in good style. About 40 men were on parade including the band. A Church Parade, accompanied by the band, will be held next Sunday at 10 30, and a Government inspection parade will take place on the Queen’s Birthday, at 10 o’clock sharp, which will be duly advertised. After parade the Sports will immediately commence. A committee meeting was also held last evening, but nothing beyond ordinary business was transacted. The Rules have at last been accepted by the Governor, and will be duly printed and enforced. The Borough Council held a special meeting last evening, a report of which appears elsewhere. The Thames Advertiser states that Mr William Wilkinson, late proprietor of that paper, and the Rev David Bruce, ex-editor of the New Zealand, Times have purchased the Observer, the Auckland society journal. Two Wellington gentlemen went deer stalking recently, and brought down four bucks, one weighing 2301b5. Messrs Dixon and Paul were in attendance at the Borough Council last evening, and having made the usual declaration, took their seats. At a sale in Wairarapa there was sold a box containing a human skull and different bones of the human body, which appeared to be objects of general interest and competition. Attention is directed to Mr S. Taplin’s new advertisement in this issue. Mr Taplin has built himself a fine store and he thinks there should be fine things inside. Hence stock has been sorted, up and heavy additions made thereto in anticipation of an increase in trade. Mr Taplin makes some remarks about cash and credit and as we are all interested in that our readers had 1 otter study the advertisement for themselves. The contract for the Manawapon wo.k was signed on Monday, Mr A. Nathan being the successful tenderer at £19,103 17s 6d. So far as we can ascertain the other tenders were Jay and Haynes (Foxton), £19,410 17s 6d ; Dickson (Patea), £29,320; Danagher (Auckland), £27,000; Mace and Basset (Patea), £28,000 ; Berry and Newman (New Plymouth), £31,511. The contract time is eight months. The Governor left Auckland in the Hine* moa yesterday morning for a two days trip among the islands and harbours in Hauraki Gulf.

■ If the Ministry are really in earnest about the North Island main trunk railway (says the Auckland Star ) there is no obstacle to the immediate commencement of this line from Taranaki end, at any rate ; and the people of Auckland will prefer to see the work going on towards the Mokau, which is the roughest and most difficult part of the route, rather than have it delayed until the balance of the Three Million Loan is spent, with the risk of having the North Island Trank Line dished up again as Auckland’s share of any future borrowing. “ Anglo-Australian ” in the European Mail writes “ One of the most suggestive sights of the University Boat Race, apart from the event itself, was the wonderful launch Electricity, which ran between Putney and Chiswick, and excited, as this extraordinary vessel always does, universal curio dty and interest, I have already some time since drawn attention to this marvellous triumph and latest success in the effective storage of electricity, It marks, in all probability, the dawn of a new era in navigation which will far surpass anything that has been accomplished by steam.”