OHINEMURI.

Te Aroha News, Volume XI, Issue 1722, 16 March 1895, Page 2

OHINEMURI.

(By our own Correspondent.) Paeroa, Thursday; ' On Monday afternoon, the 11th inst, there was quite a gathering at the site of the new Railway bridge for the purpose of witnessing the driving of one of the piles of the bridge on the Ohinemuri side of the river bank. Among .< Ihose present were Mr McAndrew, railway engineer, Messrs Thomas Shaw, John Corne’s, E. Edwards, Q, . ; F. Mitchell, Crosby, McVeagh,: Madden, "Wight, Albert Moore and P. Mannix, etc. The pile on which were printed in large letters, ‘The Royal Mail Pile,’ w T as ready and Messrs E. Edwards and C. 'P. Mitchell (for the Gazette and Tribune respectively) : • hauled up the monkey into position by means of the winch. Pakerei te Putu pulled the trigger and themonkey came down striking the first blow. The ceremony of wetting, the ... pile was then gone through. Mr Crosby having provided the materials necessary, after which Mr C. F. Mitchell, the only member of tho old Thames Valley Railway Committee, . said it gave him great pleasure to pro-.... pose the health of the Hon. Richard Seddon and his Ministry to vhom wS are indetted for the railway being at last in actual course of construction and so near completion after nearly 25 years fighting for it, Mr Seddon had promised him that the line would not stop here, but would be carried* on to,, :'; ~ tbe Thames. The toast was heartily responded to. I may add that the weight of the monkey is between 16 and I7.cwt. . It worked very easily, but tbe process of driving the piles with the winch is so slow and tedious that the contractors intend at once working it by horse power, which will be, much quicker f and easier.

On Sunday last, the 10th inst., ! af ter the forenoon service in the P'aeroa school-house, the annual congregational meeting of the Presbyterian Church was held. The report and balance sheet for the last. 6 months, was read and adopted- It showed that notwithstanding the church is labouring under disadvantages from not having a building of their- own, steady and [satisfactory progress has been made, and after paying the Minister his stipend regularly up to date, thereis a balance in hand. The election of. a Committee for the ensuing year was then proceeded with, and it was unanimously decided' to re-elect the whole of tar old Committee, adding -the name of Mr George Buchanan. There is a petition being got up and signed by up Country people,,'asking-'-for the new Court-house to be builteither at Karangahake or Owharoa. It might suit some folks up there, no ■ doubt, but there • is not the slightest chance of such an idea ever being entertained.

There was another long list of casesin the Wardens Court on Taesdsy-vlast. The following summary of the'; ..vorks don© will give you some idea of court business her 9 ;—1 special clai ,n,granted ; 4 special claims, adjourned ;; t>licensed holdings, granted; 15 licensed -'* holdings, adjourned; 7 water rtces, adjourned; 9 dam sites, granted; 1 dam site, adjourned ; 3 machine sites, adjourned • 8 residence sites, granted ; 20 residence sites, adjourned ;1 timber license, adjourned; 3 licensed holdings —permitted to work with fewer men; 4 licensed holdings, protection given ; 2 applications for forfeiture of licensed holdings, adjourned ; 2 applications for 1 surplus ground; adjourned. The railway excursion yesterday toTo Aroha from hero was really the opening of the line, everything worked beautifully—no hitches of any kind. About 100 persons went and all enjoyed the day’s outing-. Ihe Hoi . Mr Jennings, M.L.C., passed through Paeroa tn route for W aihi. He was looking very well.