The Patea Mail. Established 1875. MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1883. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1072, 13 August 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1883. NEWS OF THE DAY.

By a letter in this issue, it will be seen that the Mayor has tendered bis resignation of office.

•Notwithstanding the assurance of Ministers that Sir F, D. Bell docs not contemplate retiring from the Agent-Generalship, says the Dunedin, Star, it is considered, in well-informed circles, pretty certain that he will shortly be succeeded by Sir John Hall.

Messrs York and Corn foot are expecting a cargo of Brunner coal by the Napier wliich is due this evening. They notify elsewhere that customers will effect a saving by taking delivery at ship’s side. Reports of the meetings in connection with Meat Freezing and the Opening of the Railway appear elsewhere, , Mr Cowern’s sale of paperhangings, &c., on baturda}', was . very successful. Although bidding was kept up spiritedly throughout the afternoon, there is still a large quantity of goods undisposed of. The Early Closing movement will be initiated th’s evening.

A good many Natives passed through town to-day on their way to Parihaka. Next month the meeting will be a very large one, over five hundred visitors being expected at the pah. The Wbennakura Natives arc making preparations to entertain the visitors as they pass through. We notice with pleasure that Mr W. Dixon has once more resumed business upon his own account. There was a very poor attendance at Mr F. R. Jackson’s Kakaramea stock sale on Friday, There were only 50 head of cattle and 150 sheep. No demand for cattle ; a few yearlings only being sold for £1 17s 6d , ewes, Bs. When meat freezing commences we shall: not have to record no demand and poor prices. Our Kakaramea correspondent writes ; When crossing the road to Mr Whittem’s store at Mauutahi, a man named Patrick O’Neil was attacked by a large black dog and severely bitten on the hand. It is hoped that by this time the owner (Mr J. Sweeney) has destroyed the dog, as he has attacked persons on several occasions without provocation. We learn from Wellington that a considerable number of members and others visited Tcrawhiti by the Hinemoa on Saturday. The first crushing is finished, and the result will be known on Monday night or Tuesday morning. A New Plymouth telegram states that a well-known chief named Kemino died yesterday. Great preparations are being made for a tangi. The diamond excitement in Canterburj’is much the same. It is stated that dealers in gems are at Alford Forest buying only common stones for £ I each.

There was some excitement in Egmontstreetthis morning over a horse and buggy which had been seized by Mr W. Williams. From what we could gather, the facts of the case are these : Some time ago Mr Williams obtained a judgment against Uru Te Angina, and the bailiff was sent to Waitotnra to sell, amongst other things, a horse and buggy. The natives there would not allow the buggy to be taken away, and being more numerous, the law had to take a back seat. “ Every dog has his day,” and'Mr Williams had his to-day. This morning he was driving his children down to Waverley, and when near Mr Hair’s farm he espied the identical buggy which was being driven by some natives towards Patea. The inmates of the vehicle “ chaffed ” Mr Williams at not having obtained possession, but that gentleman observed an astute silence, and resolved to make an attempt to get the laugh round to the other side. Accordingly he sent his children on in another trap, and turning his horse made after the Maoris. They had the advantage of half an hour’s start, but by dint of whipping up, Mr W. arrived in town a few minutes before the unsuspecting natives. When therefore the latter reached the Post Office, they were surprised to see Mr Williams rush out, seize the horse’s head and turn the buggy round. Of course the dusky occupants of the chariot set up a yell, and soon had a crowd of their companions around. Equally as a consequence there was quickly a gathering of “ white ” men to see fair play. For some time it was a case of “ pull devil pull baker,” and a breach of the peace appeared imminent. But happily that was averted, and in the end Mr Williams obtained possession of the buggy, which was towed off in triumph at the rear of an express, the erstwhile occupants, looking considerably crestfallen. The allotment of shares has been made by the directors of the Auckland Frozen Meat Company. Small applications wore allotted in full, and largo ones reduced. There were over 240 applications for shares.

A meeting of the Committee of the Kakaramea School was held on Thursday 9lh insl ; members present : Messrs S Clover (Chairman), Williamson, Drury, Stanford, and Pa}’no. The action of the Chairman and Secretary in arranging for fixing tank and spouting for the sum of £2 13s 6d was approved of, the work to be completed by 23rd inst. The Secretary was empowered to pass and pay for the work when completed. Mr J Williamson was authorised to arrange for cutting and repairing the fences round school paddock, cost not to exceed £2. The offer of Mr Payne to find money to buy books immediately for prizes for the school children in December, on condition that he keep the books until the Committee pa}’ him for them, was accepted. Messrs Pa3’ne and Williamson were appointed to select the books. Accounts passed for.pa3’inent, J Kenworthy, 17s 9d ; T Delamore, £1 ; R Slattery, 16s 7d. The Customs revenue collected in New Zealand for the month of July, 1883, amounted to £111,056 as against £105,824 for June. The beer duty realised £3998, as against £4136. Mr Bryce's Native Land Bill passed the second reading, in the House, on Frida}’ night. The football match on Saturday between Hawera and Patea resulted in favour of the latter by two tries to one. The visitors had the best of it towards the end of the game. A punt containing twenty-eight head of cattle, brought from Napier by the Southern Cross for Mr Bnckland, capsized in the Auckland harbour on Saturday morning. Only three head got ashore ; the rest were drowned. At Christchurch on Saturday night a man was stabbed in the thi’oat with an oyster knife. The wound is serious. I hear (says the Opunake correspondent of the Star) that the Natives near Parihaka have been planting potatoes on land to the seaward of the Main South road, nearly all of which has been sold or offered for sale by Government. Colonel Roberts went up on Frida}’ afternoon.