SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1885.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 112, 25 July 1885, Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1885.

! We are obliged to hold over till next is.°ue a report of the very successful Band of Hope meeting held in Te Aroha Public Hall on Tuesday evening last ; the list of visitors to the Hot Baths ; leading article) and other matters of interest. The Herald correspondent writing from Cambridge states :— " The infornation that Messrs Rich and E. B. Wilkes had been successful in disposing of a considerable poi tion of the Pntetere block has been confirmed. A portion, consisting of 100,000 acres, bus been roM on satisfactory terms to Melbourne capita'ists, and another large portion at this end of the block lus been disposed of at home, leaving the more valuable central portions still in the'hands of the company." In the House on TuesJay evening Mr Stout, Minister for Education, stated that the value of books imported last year wai £115,246, which was exclusive of magazines, newspapers, and book* coming by post. The numb r of newspapers published in the colon}' was 49 daily and 1)1 weekly, bi-weekly, and tri-weekly, besides 32 others, making a total 172, or one news paper to every 3281 of tho population. Mr Stout added th.it in England and Wales the number of newspapers was 1962, or one to every 13,828 ; in Ireland, 152 newspapers, or one to every 3-!,585 ; in Scotland, 184 newspapers, or one to every 21,013; and in th* United Rtnte*, 10,771 newspaper*, or ou<3 to very 4606 of t!u» population. By the R.M. p.s. Zealandia which arrived in Auckland on Monl.iy night, til New Zealand Smelting Company (the new compan}* recently formed to work the La Monie ore paving process), ieceiv-d 110 packages machinery. This includes the whole of the plasit u-jiidiid to atouce make a stait. The Auckland Herald statei that "there are vast quantities of wealth, in a certain sense, wasted, on which money has been spent to extract from tho depths of the soil. .Recently, Mr It. K. D ivh obtained a sample ot some minorah from ono oi our mines in the Upper Thames district which has been kept aside as conipaiatively worthless, and submitted it to Mr Galbraith, analytical ehemi t,for examination' Mr Davis asbuiii-d Mr Gaibmith that it appeared to be a fair sample of at lea«t a thousand tons of similar stuff that waa cast aside. On analysis, Mr Gnlbraith found that the sample given him contained at the rate of 775 ounces oi silver, and 3 ounces of pure gold to the ton of ore. Tue Sunny Corner Silver Mining Company of N*w South Wales, where La Monte'a Water Jacket smelting furnace is used, get for the silver 5s per ounce in the London market. On the assumption that the silver from the Upper i Thames, now neglected, were worth the same amount of money, the stone which | Mr Davis supplied to Mr Galbniith would be worth at the <-ate of £193 15s per ton for the silver it contained, while the throe ounces of pure gold would add probably another £12 to tho above amount, or in all, £205 15s per ton. These arc large figures, and if the samples given for analysis is a fair average of the quality of the thousand or more tons of rejected mineral matter there is, wealth upwards of £205,000 lying in that heap unutilised. With a careful and honest system of working, and the adoption of ii method suitable for the class of base minerals in connection with the gold, the most of the silver and gold contained in the. stone should be recovered and put into circulation. If the La Monte sybtem of smelting realises the expectations at present entertained of it, a great future is in store for the goldfiolds in this portion of the colony." The Battery Company appear to have got hold of the Canadian mine also, as tenders are being culled for by them fur the breaking out of 300 trucks of quartz, on terms very similar to those in connection with the Colonist mine. Mr Hannah, over<oer of Government works, bo long stationed in this district, hns been removed to Napier. A letter box has been erected ut Messrs Brigham and Harris' store* The stone breaker, which weighs . some three t'>ns, was this week lowered .safely into position at the new battery. All tht>

pnrtfl nnd together with tho Poitor-wnter-wheol, aro also now in position. Messrs Pyke, Duncan, Gore, nnl sewnT other M.VsII.R., have expressed their in tontion of visiting Te Aroha at the close of the ppfHion. Mr Kcnrick, R.M., hns proflW«d v«lu able assistance towards the estnblishing of u local debating society by offering thr use of the Court house once weekly for the use of the members. Thi* thoughtful act of kindness on his part will, we arc sure, he heartily appreciated. Mr John Renney, late mine minngorof the Canadian mine, Waiorongouwi, took hie depaiture on Tuesday morning for Coromandel, having 1 been recently appointed manager of the Tokatea mine at that place. It was intended to entertain him at a supper at Stnard»n's Hotel, Waiorongomai, on Tuesday evening last, and to present him with a purse of ' sovereigns upon his lenving the district ; tho supper was accordingly held and largely attended, but o*ing to Mr Benney Jiaving loft the same morning, tho presentation could not take place. Mr 11. 11. Adams (with whom, we are informed, the movement originated and who subscribed the handsome sum of £5 occupied the char, and Mr Hy. Buttle the vice-chair on tho occasion. Mr Me Liver, in proposing the toast of the evening the " Health of Mr Benney," spoke in very high terms of that gentleman, and referred to the regret expressed tit his departure. The proceedings were enlivened by songs from the Chairman ("The slave's dream")/ Mr Gordon (" For he's a solid man"); Mr McLiver ("As long as tho world goes round"), and several others. We understand the money subscribed, will be forwarded on to Mr Benney at an oarly date. The settlers in lower Waitoa district who are within the Ohinemuri Riding are very indignant at the proposal that they should be subjected to additional taxation for the benefit of the proposed Thames Harbour Board scheme ; and have wired to Mr J. B. Whyte to that effect. It is also the intention of these settlers to shoitly call a public meeting for the purpose of considering the questions involved by the alleged Ohinemuri sepenilion. We understand that Mr F. Strange is making arrangements to cut up a portion of his, property Lower Waitoa, and to offer earns in blocks as may be required for leasing,with a purchasing clau6e,on mobt reasonable terms. Much of the land referred to is of excellent qu.ility, and the terms proposed ought prove nio^t acceptable to parties with very limited capital, ft is a well known fact many fanners have been ruined through investing no.uly the whole of their money in the purchase of of the land, which, tluough lack of capital, they have afterwards been uunbie to wurk to any advantage. A poll of ratepayers was taken at the Thames on Saturday last to decide the question as to whether or not the proposed Th nines High Level Water Race bhuuld be made, for which it was intended to bonow £630). Eighty-two votes were polled in favour of the proposed scheme and 2 agciin->t. As however it is neceas.iry that at least twe thirds of t'.ie entire body of ratepayers must sanction tho woik by recording their votes in favour I thereof, the result is a^ against the proposal ; nine more vote>i would, however, have sufficed to carry the measure. We tcknowledge the receipt of the July number of tho New Zealand Schoolmaster, and which concludes the second year's issue. A journal such as this, especially conducted in tho interests of school teachers and with reference to educational mutters generally, deserves to be widely supported. The j urnal referred to is conducted with ability, whilst the printing and general get up is excellent. Birthday cards have bocom.3 such an established mode of conveying friondly greetings to one'H friends as their birthdays come round, that any novelty in that direction is sure to be welcomed. We have this week seen some really beautiful cards of this class, containing, in addition to " Happy Returns" etc., excellent views of Te Aroha, Coromandel, Albert Park (Auckland), North Shore (Auckland), Queen street wharf (Auckland), K<uiuranga Creek (Thames), etc., around which appear very tastefully arranged various New Zealand ferns. Those cards are well worthy of inspection, and are sold at the very moderate price of .I* each. They may be obtained in variety at Mr Robson'a Te Aroha. • Messrs Wills and Gardiner's tender of £1119 for Punui Cart Bridge contract has been accepted. Mr Stewarts Bible Reading in Schools Bill has been thrown out, the motion for the second reading having been lost by 18 votes to 50. Mr Fallon, contractor for tho peim-tnent way of the line from Morrinsvillu to Oxford, on the road to Oliinemutu, is pushing on his work. In a very few months the line will be open to Oxford, and, by the end of the year, travellers will be able to go by rail to Lichfield. The Hue passes through sevt-ral lar^e estates — Mr Firth's, Matamatu ; Ihe Auckland Agricultural Company's, Okoroira ; and Patotere. Tho Owners of these estates are bestirring themselves, and are cutting them up 'preparatory to selling them in small sections'. Taurunga Advertiser. * - <

Under the proposed Lorrnl #o«rd Finnne.o \vA Powers Bill tlie *nb«idy to the Piako^ County would omrunt to £8164. At a meerina^pf the Local Exhibition Committee, Thames*, held in the Borough Council Ofmmben, on Monday hM, Mr Wimlon K<«nriok»preeidin«', the following special committee was appointed for To A rob ato arrange*; for local exhibits: — Messrs O. Wilson, H. Orninp, J. Goldsworthy, H. McLiver, 0. Ahier, and H. H. Vlan s. Also special committees with regard to mineral waters : Messrs L. Ehren fried, G. Wilson, and Ahier. Flax : Meß*rs» J. Gibboni and J. Watson. Tho matter being left in such good hands, we may expect satisfactory results, and tnift all who in any wav can will help forward the movement, so that this difltrictmay be creditably represented. Mr 0. Ahto has purchased the mineral water «nd cordial mannfacturidg business established here by Mr E. Peel. We are glad to know, however, that arrangements have been made whereby Mr Peel is not Mkely to be h>avin«r Te A rob a, at least not for Rorno time, but will have the carrying on of tho business for the new proprietor. The result of Mopsrs C. Gould and Jus. Mills' visit to Hamilton on SittmUy last to interview Mr Be^re, Resident Govern ment Engineer, re temporary Approach to the railway bridge, in that Mr P. Quinlan made a fresh start on the work on Thursday last. The Government have agreed to relieve Mr Livingstone, the contractor, from responsibility arising" from the use of this portion of the line. The Advertiser announces that Mr J. Darrow, the widely-known contractor, has rosolved to take advantage of the bonus offered byGovernmentft r the first creosoted 50,000 railway sleepers, if ho caa obtain a Suitable site for the works in the vicinity of Thames. It is stated that even kahikatea, when properly creosoted, becomes an exceedingly durable wood. It is sincerely to be hoped Mr Darrow's enterprise in this matter will be crowned with success. Mr W. A. Graham, of Hamilton, has started a company for the cultivation of sugar beet. Fifteen members subscribed £10 each. It is intended to rent some ten to fifteen acres of suitable land for growrng the beets next summci-, and a careful record will be kept as to cost and manner of cultivation. In another column will be found some interesting particulars respecting fanning in the River Plate Country, which district has of late been attracting considerable attention. Capit.il and skill are being brought to bo.ir in improving the vast flocks in South America, it is foreseen that in it a dan^erou* rival is coining forward* both as regai ds supply iu» wool and moat. The Captain Baldwin referred to in the article resided in N. Z. for a number of years, and has a thorough practical know ledge of its capabilities. He has travelled extensively, and so recently as 1882 made a round trip via Melbourne and Suez to Kgyj't, up the Nile, visiting- the P^-ra.mids. Rome, Venice Nnples, etc., etc., reaching London via Paris ; and having spent bomo timo in travelling through England, Ireland and Scot'atul, proceeded honuwaroS to D.medin via America, vuiting en rouc3 Now York, Boston, Manitoba, Chicago, Nia^aty, Salt Likti City, etc., otc. II 3 is a native of: Ireland and brother to Mid llutt of Te Aroha. • The report of the recent Piako Comity Council will bo found of great interest to our rewdsi.s. It will be ob>ervod that Mr J. C. Firth's long-chorished idoa of relieving tbo Council of its heavy load of debt by the raising of a special loan, i* stateJ to be quite impracticable. In the House on Tuesday last the following amongst tho bills read for the third time and passed were the Rating Act Amendment Bill, the ImpounJiug Act Amendment Bill, whilst the motions for second reading of the School Committees Election Bill, and Licencing Act Amendment Bill were carried. |