The Patea Mail. Established 1875. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1883. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1038, 23 May 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1883. NEWS OF THE DAY.

The new township of Richardson is not making very rapid strides. One of the settlers in the vicinity has fenced it in, and the town is to be converted into paddocks, Mr Nicholson, a farmer near Waitotara contemplates giving the hop culture abilities of this coast a test shortly. Mr Nicholson has had a deal of experience in this line at Nelson, and'no doubt his efforts will be watched by a good many, who are not yet initiated in the culture of this crop. A number of farmers have been sorely disappointed with their seed purchases lately made. One farmer bought a large quantity of grass seed sometime ago, which bearded beautifully, and he had a good field of grass, but now he finds that he had purchased annual seed, and much to his disgust he has had to plough up the ground, but this time he will take care that he knows where the seed is grown. This is not the only case we could mention as regards this, and it is a great pity that an example is not made of the seed sellers who are the culprits Another case that has came under our notice is this : A farmer bought a quantity of turnip seed as he thought, which he sowed, and the seed grew, but he has now discovered that it was not the true seed, being known as a Maori turnip, which, when once rooted-into the ground is a very difficult job to get out. It is viewed by the farmers with as much disgust as the couch grass, and is even worse than it. We should advise settlers to beware where the seed is grown, as it is a matter, of much importance. Rather a narrow escape happened at the Patea bridge the other day. Mr John Hair of Waverley was approaching the bridge from the other side of the river with a mob of cattle, and following the mob closely was a German woman, who was wheeling a perambulator containing a baby, one of the bullocks happened to turn a little unruly, and rushed back. The drivers tried to stop the beast, but in vain, and the female noticing the animal approaching her, with true womanlike bravery, left the perambulator and child in the way of the infuriated animal, and made tracks herself. The bullock unfortunately happened to strike the perambulator, smashing it to pieces, but the child escaped uninjured by a miracle. Mr Hair returned and offered to pay for the damages, but the woman either misunderstood him or didn’t want to understand him, would take no recompense, and now threatens Mr Hair with legal proceedings. The heavy rain of Sunday night has made the road to Waverley rather bad, and several large slips are noticeable in the cuttings.

Springs in the principal streets of Patea are not very common ; but there happens to be one in Bedford street, near Oclgers’ Hotel, and it is testing the efficiency of the new gutters. Now that pur city fathers are looking out for a water supply they should keep their eye on the spring. The addition to the town school will now be pushed on apace, as the contractors have commenced work. Patea bridge has been undergoing a sort of renovation in the shape of a clean sweep. That large snag in the river, which (he wharfinger called attention to lately, has not been removed yet. The Harbour Board should see to it, or it may do some damage to our fleet of steamers by being swept into the channel. Hop-growing in this district is by no means at a standstill. The Napier, on one of her late trips, took away a large quantity of bops. Volunteers will fire for the McGuire Cup on Saturday morning next, at 6.30, A man named Montgomery, who is working for Mr McLoughlin, met with a painful accident this morning. He was engaged in carting gravel from the Heads, and he brought up one load all right, but when at the pit for the second time a fall of earth occured and buried him up to the neck. Fortunately he had a mate with him and he dug him out and conveyed him to town. Although no bones are broken Montgomery is very badly bruised, especially from the nips down to. the ancles.

Fine weather alone appears to be wanted to make the Volunteer sports to-morrow successful. The entries are numerous for all the events, and great interest is^ being taken by the Volunteers generally in the gathering. The Maories, too, have been gettirg a strong team together for the “ tug-of-war,” which will be one of the features of the day. They have men coming from Waitotara and Hawera, and seem determined to “ pull ” off the prize. The bayonet competition should also be interesting. The Sports commence.at 12 o’clock. “ Tod ” sends the following tips -100 yds, W Kitching, Stretch Tururangi ; 440 yds, Stretch, D Patterson, Pearce ; 200 yds (Vol. race), Kitching or Patterson (say Patterson), I Baxter ; 880 yds, Stretch, Pearce, Kitching ; 200 yds, Kitching, Stretch, I Baxter ; Hurdles, Patterson, Stretch, Tururangi. Mr Barker’s horse fair yesterday was suocesssul in all but one thing, namely, the presence of buyers. Notwithstanding the wretched day, settlers came in great force, and at one time there must have been 300 people present. The prices were not encouraging to vendors. There were large numbers of good serviceable horses, but the few that weie sold went .at extremely low rates, there being in fact, but little demand. Over 100 horses had been sent to the yards, and the number might have been increased, but the Auctioneer advised his clients not to send their stock forward. It is evident that the demand for horseflesh on the Coast at present is exceedingly limited, and the supply far exceeds requirements. One little filly was killed by rushing at a gate in the yards, which she struck with such force that her neck was broken. Mr Cowern wielded the hammer on behalf of Mr Barker. The road to the Momahaki Block from where it branches off the main south road below Waverley, is in some places very bad at present. At the bottom of some of the gullies the mud is nearly. a foot deep, and extending for some chains. The contractors who have road work in hand are energetically pushing on, but the broken weather of late has been a great drawback. Settlers on the Momahaki Block are advocating a road to Waitotara, which is within threft miles or so of this land, which will be a greater convenience than at present, besides being a much superior road, the deep gullies being obviated. The settlers are at present nine miles from Waverley, and about the same distauce from Waitotara.

The Napier sailed at 9 o’clock this morning. On this trip she proceeds to Picton first, leaving there for Wellington. We notice in the Wellington papers that the Waverley is announced to leave Wellington for Patea on the 26th, We have been requested to return thanks on behalf of the Caledonian Society to those gentlemen who assisted at the recent entertainment in aid of the Society’s funds. The amusement to-morrow evening will be the Foresters’ Ball in- the Harmonic Hall, which will be under the patronage of Captain Taplin and the Volunteers. There is little doubt that the attendance will be large, and a pleasant evening will be spent. Messrs Nolan, Tonks, and Co. will sell at Mr Barker’s yards on Friday some goods in the estate of James Hamilton, particulars of which are given elsewhere. The Volunteers will meet for Government inspection at 10 a.m. to-morrow. To-morrow being th©'Queen’s Birthday the Bunks and Post ahd Telegraph offices will be closed. The only nominations for Borough Auditors to-day were those of Messrs E. C. Horner and T. E.Hamerton. A difficulty in Mr Horner’s case lias arisen throngn his absence from Patea, it being necessary that be should consent to the nomination. He has been telegraphed to, and no doubt will reply in the affirmative. Manaia is following the footstdps _ of Hawera, in establishing a Mercantile Union. Native pigs are a nuisance to settlers on the Waimate Plains. It is rumoured that W Dale has been traced to New Caledonia. “Kudarz,” a conjuror whose performances in Wellington and Wanganui are spoken very highly of, will appea»»at St James Hall 10-morrow and Friday evenings. If all we hear about this illusionist be true, he is exceedingly clever, and well worth seeing. A meeting of influential citizens was held in Wellington on Monday afternoon, when resolutions were carried favourable to the establishment of a woollen manufactory in Wellington, with a capital of £IOO,OOO in £5 shares. The name of the company is to be the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, Limited. Messrs G. R. Johnson, M.L 0., W. H. Levin, W. Hutchison, and 0. J. Johnson, M.HR’s, and Jacob Joseph, James Smith, and J. B. Harcourt were elected as the provisional directorate. It was resolved that the diretors prepare and register the memorandum and articles of association so soon as £25,000 worth of shares is subscribed. The Post says:— Good accounts continue to'come in from all the native disticts. The progress of settlement on the West Coast is, we believe, most favourably reported by the Royal Commissioner, Sir William Fox, who is now in Wellington. Some of our fanners have been busily engaged threshing during the last week ; and the results have proved very satisfactory. Mr, Connet, of Bell Block, has secured a return of about 1000 bushels of first -class grain from a little over thirty acaes—a return which completely disposes of the idea so prevalent hitherto, that the soil of this district was not suited for grain. We also learn that he has obtained a splendid crop of turnips from 25 acres, showing that the soil is alike adapted for roots and grain, and only requires judicious management.— Herald. Bather a good story is reported from a district south of Patea, and not far from Waverley. We are informed that a young man, stimulated with the ambition of collecting accounts, made a start there one day this week, and called on a number of debtors, who “ stumped up ” with such alacrity that he was beginning to think a collector’s lot was truly a “happy one.”: At last, about dinner time, he arrived at the residence of a reputed sure mark, and demanded payment of a small debt. The debtor, however, absolutely refused to pay, and after a short colloquy threatened annihilation of the canvasser, which ended in the young man turning his horse’s head and making for the nearest gate. The debtor, on foot, started in hot pursuit, and bounded along with the agility of an antelope, but finding he was losing ground fast he dropped a email agricultural implement known as a pitchfork, and maie a beeline for the road, probably for the purpose of blocking the way, so that there would be no chance of escape from the land of bondage. The mild canvasser did not, however, attempt to dispute his right to stand in the roadway and make alarming gestures,but went the opposite road, thinking that he would escape the jaws of death, but again fickle fortune was against him. Instead of the road leading to another, it came to an abrupt termination, and the only thing left was to face the passionate debtor. After a short time the poor canvasser decided to return, this time fortunately only- to see his commercial friend gesticulating in an alarming fashion. The equine and running demonstration was capital, our informant ad ds, and it was a pity that it was left for your contributor and the two actors. We have since learnt that the young man intends to try bushfalling, as a much more industrious and less dangerous occupation than canvassing, and here the little drama ends.