NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1111, 12 November 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Star of Patca Lodge, No 236; I 0 GT, hold the usual quarterly meeting for the installation of officers for the ensuing term on Wednesdayevening. The reports of the W S and Finance Committee showed a steady increase in the prosperity of the Lodge, 21 new members having being admitted during the past quarter, and a satisfactory balance to (ho credit in the hands of the W T. The newly elected officers were Installed by, the LD, Bro D Smith, as follows : W C T, Sis B Parnell, re-elected ; W V T, Bro, W Fairweather; W S,Bro L diaries, reelected ; W 'FS, Bro Robert Carey, reelected; W T, Bro W KHowitf, re-elected; W iM, Bo J Kinnear ; W IG, Sis Emily Smith; WO 6, Bib David J Carey; W RII S, Sis H Carey ; WLHS, Bro C Bayliss ; P W C T, Bro P Quinn. The grass seed sown on the bowling green is not coming up so well as might bo expected, some tufts, very few, and far between, being alone visible.

Steps should be taken to protect some of the sand banks in Bedford street, the sand having come down and covered about half the footpath in places. In fact the whole road is in need of repair, wide ruts having been cut by water for a great part of its length,, and .near the Masonic Hotel a large quantity of earth has been carried by water into the-paddock on the south side of the road.

Most of the trees lately planted by the Domain Board are in their last extremity and those that have been established for some time will doubtless also succumb unless some steps are taken to remove the rank growth of weeds which has sprung up around them.

Cannot the police obtain a clue to some of the Patea representatives of the gems larrikin, who have been distinguishing themselves lately by breaking the windows,,and otherwise damaging empty houses. There are some eighty empty houses in the Borough, and a large number of these have had all their windows smashed. At the Oatnaru Agricultural Show r for 1884 will be presented a 100-guinea cup for the largest prizetaker. Several settlers have given ten guineas apiece towards the prize.

It is reported that Mr Rotherham intends making an alteration in the time of the trains running between Hawera and New Plymouth. The Orange Lodge at Hawera have presented their chandelier to the Wesleyan Church. The-chandelier was in use at the church when the Protestant hall was burnt, and the Lodge decided that as there would be no further use for it it might be given to the Wesleyans, The trustees accepted the gift with thanks. Those who happened to be in the immediate vicinity of Bedford - street yesterday morning were treated to the sight of a person proceeding up the street with a basket in which was ensconsed a strawberry plant, the large luscious fruit of which was peeping from among the leaves. The proud possessor of this treasure—for proud he was—was deaf to the moving appeals of more than one person to give them “ only one.”, The plant, which was only a small one, was, however, a sample of what a strawberry should be. It had above a dozen large sized berries on at the time, and fruit had been constantly picked from it for the last six weeks. The grower of the plant was Mr Hobbs. The meeting of shareholders in the Colonial Land Settlement and Endowment Association, which was to have been held on Saturday evening, lapsed, a quorum not turning up k Mr Murray Thomson is likely to be elected Mayor of Hawera without opposition.

Croumbio Browne, journalist, who was recently arrested on a charge of obtaining £2 by false pretences from Joseph Clackley, of Hobart, was brought up at the Melbourne City. Court on October 30, and remanded for fifteen days, as it was slated that several other similar charges were pending against him. Sports will probably bo held at Kakaramea on Boxing Day, a public meeting having been called for Saturday next in the Town Hall. What about the Patea Caledonian Society ? It is time they were making a move if they intend to hold their usual Now Year’s gathering. It would bo a pity to see our only outdoor meeting fall through. The pelvis of a Moa from the cave in the Aniseed Valley, Nelson, is on view at Mr Currie’s shop. This interesting curiosily must bo of a considerable age, judging by the encrustations on its surface. Dr Lemon has received a cable from Mr James, Superintendent of Telegraphs in Melbourne, stating that the cable message received by the Press Association giving the winner of the Melbourne Cup was received in Wellington thirty-one seconds after its receipt in Melbourne, Gradually half a minute before the winner pulled up.

The property tax accounts for the tax due on December Ist were posted on Thursday. The number is stated ,to be; near £24,000.

Mr J. Williams was tiro victim of rather a nasty;accident on Saturday morm ing. It appears that he was coming on horseback from Story town on the. morning in question, when his horse slipped on a grassy slope, fell and rolled on Mr Williams, injuring his back somewhat severely. A few days, however, will see Mr Williams able to work again. The Wanganui Education Board are inviting tenders for auditing the School Committee accounts in the respective districts. The San Francisco mail was delivered in town this afternoon.

Ou account of the holiday in Wellington iho Waverlcy was unable to load. She loaves for Patea to-night, arriving tomorrow evening and sailing for Wellington on Wednesday at 8 a.m. Messrs Stanley and Durbyshiie’s Opera Company will play at Waverlcy to-morrow evening. Lea Cloches des Cornevillc, a pretty and amusing opera, will be performed. ; :

John Sullivan, the patient in the Hospital, who had developed a mania for borrowing carving knives, and who was suffering from heart disease and dropsy, was broughc up at "the U.M. Court on Saturday and committed to the Wellington Lunatic Asylum, on the certificates- of Dts Keating and Croft. To-day another man named Charles Pemberton alias W. B. Kenny was brought up on a charge of lunacy. The man had been working at Mrs Price’s ‘hotel, Waverlcy, and is of eccentric habits. Tho man denied being of. unsound mind, and cerlaihly did hot seem ao beyond his own admission that he was at times cxciteahlc. A, femand till Tuesday, the 20lh, was made.

The time is drawing round for the annual election of Mayor. Nominations for the office must be left with the Returning Officer before noon of Monday, 19th; inst. The Star says that the Rev. Father Walsh, who has just arrived from Europe by the Chimborazo, is now stationed with the Rev. Father Grogan in Hawera’. The Catholics will, no doubt, bo pleased to see Father Grogan relieved at last from a part of. the onerous duty to which he has attended so faithfully for now nearly Tout years on this coast, and their own spiritual wants bet ter attended to. i . A number of notices specifying journals and magazines stolon from the Institute inay be seen posted up in that building accompanied with the superfluous request please return.” The light fingered gentry who had distinguished themselves jn this direction have now evidently ceased their depredations, as for the last 3 or 4 months no fresh.notices have appeared.

-There is an agitation in Hawera tp light the town either by gas or electricity. The committee of,, the Borough Council, to whom consideration was referred, have been unable to make up their minds which system would be better to adopt, and at the last meeting of the Council a month’s extension of time to report was granted. The bridge stands in some need of repaifs. The surface, is very uneven, chinks are numerous, and even some of the planking is loose. It would be well aljio if the placards at each side of the bridge were repainted, and bettor if the persons who have rendered these signs a disgrace to the place could be brought to justice.

The turf placed on the sandbanks along the railway line in the vicinity of the pilot station has grown splendidly, and will make an excellent protection for the sand. An interesting feature in connection with the entertainment by the Musical and Dramatic Society on Thursday evening was the presentation of Messrs Christie and Haywood’s medals to the gentlemen who had been successful in the competition for these trophies. The presentation was made by Mrs Haywood, who, in an appropriate manner pinned the medals on the breasts of their fortunate recipients) Sergt Nutsford and Vol Carey.

Attention is called to the Volunteer advertisement by which it is notified that arms and accoutrements must bo brought to the Inspector to-morrow.