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Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2109, 9 June 1898, Page 2

Mr Herriee, M.U.R k (Bay of Plenty), intends touring his constituency before the session.'- . .* . The native land court sitting at Rotorua, Judge Johnson presiding, is still engaged in ascertaining the Relative interests of owners in the Okataina blocks. - . The natives of Galatea and surrounding districts will shortly be employed on road works, ip order, to enable them to purchase food and seed potatoes (writes the Taupo correspondent of the Rotorua Chronicle). The Ruatakuna natives are very dubious about accepting any food or seed potatoes from the Government. The treatment they received in the Makurata case has, made them very suspicious When a witness was being sworn in an assessment, case at Invercargill on Thursday, the Southland Times reports he did not kiss the Bible after the oath- had been administered by- the clerk, and on being requested by Judge Keddell to do so he said he objected to kiss the book, as it was rather dirty. On being informed that, to make the oath binding, he should kiss the book the witness did so under protest, and threw the Bible on the clerk’s table, for which he was severely "reprimanded by the Judge, and told him to treat it with more respect. 1 An enjoyable social function took place on i hursday evening in the schoolhouse at Rotorua, on the occasion of the coming of age of Miss Katharine Marjorie, youngest daughter tof Judge Johnson. The rooms - were tastefully decorated with evergreens' and a number of Chinese lanterns w;ere effectively Arranged. ' • Dancing commenced a few" minutes before nine, and was kept up with spirit till neatly four o’clock in the morning- A most recherche supper was served, and ample justice was done to the good things provided. Songs -were given by Messrs Harp, C. Cross, and P. Samson; and Mr Fordyce delighted the company by dancing a Highland Fling. The music, consisting of piano and violin, was excellently rendered by Messrs Harp and Fordyce (piano), Brady and Thomp - son (violin)., • An exciting struggle between a steamer and a head sea was witnessed at the Wellington Heads on Monday afternoon. The Takapuna had made up her mind to get out after two postponements, and the question was, could she do it ? As a result of a three day’s sou’ easterly gale a tremendous sea was running, and right into this the powerful little steamer directed her head. She had cast off from the wharf amid the confident expectations of a number ®f : people that they would see their departing friends back in an hour. Warnings had come from the Lighthouse that the attempt would be useless or worse. But Capt. Robertson knew his vessel, and, having rounded the point and got a look at the entrance, he determined to go on. For those who re« mained on deck the sight was one not soon to be forgotten. But the issue was soon placed beyond all doubt. With engines working at their full pressure the little craft never, ceased to make headway. The pitching was frightful, and tho strain on the machinery such as only a splendidlyequipped vessel could endure. Within an hour and a half from leaving the wharf she was rolling in a heavy sea off Terawhiti and the pent up emotions of the smoking** room found utterance in an enthusiastic ‘ Bravo, Takapuna 1 ’ Professor Elisha Gray, the inventor of the telephone and the owner of a brain that has been the means of making millionaires of twenty men, is spending the evening of his life in poverty. Professor Gray is one of the three greatest inventors of the century, and at the age of 63 and in the very shadows of the palaces whose owners he has made rich, he is forced to live in a humble house. Professor Gray lacks the sense of thrift, and he knows it. He has been up and down, and when he had any considerable amount of money he always thought it was enough to last him his lifetime. He admits that it never occurred to him to be a scientist for money. He only wanted the fame. •T ’ The Bay of Plenty Times has the following interesting - geographical note: —ln reply to an ifaquiry on the subject we may state - that. Esquimalt, to which place a cabl# in a 'recent issue said the British Government were sending large supplies of coal, is the principal harbour in Vancouver Island, on the west coast of North America Esquimalt has lately been fortified,, and the British Government are evidently pre« paring for whatever might eventuate out of European complicati@ns.

The Gate Pa episode is still causing some little controversy and a report is current among the Natives that Government intend to make some recognition of the seivices rendered to Colonel Booth when wounded and with that intention is enquiring as to the person to,whom the credit belongs. As we already know there are two living claimants -to the honour besides Rawiri Pahirake; the deceased chieftain and we understand that some of his relatives are seeking to establish themselves as his next, ofsikin with a view to obtaining any benefit that may accrue from the chivalrous deed credited to him. If any official recognition is to be made of the affair we hope a most thorough enquiry will be made so as to prevent the reward of a noble action going to an ignoble imposter,

The officer commanding to the Te Aroha Rifles has been notified that the Cominandaut of tho New Zealand Forces. Colonel Pole-Penton, will inspect the Company on Thursday next, 16? h inst It is to be hoped that every member of the Company will be pres nt, and that their uniforms aud accoutrements will he found spotlessly clean and in good order.

Messrs McNicd and Go. have received instructions from Mr R. Vernon Smith (who has sold his farm) to sell at his residence, Te Uku, on W ednesday, June 22nd, at 12 o’clock, the whole of his live and dead stock, etc. Full particulars are advertised in their usual column.

The jury in the Carterton infanticide case added to their verdict the following rider :—“ That, considering the amount of juvenile depravity existing in the colony, legislation should be so amended as to mete out greater punishments to the fathers of illegitimate children.

The Super)euro Generale de Mission Notre Dame, Lyons, France, who is visiting the various houses of the Order throughout the world, and who recently arrived in New Zealand from India, visited Te Aroha. this week accompanied by the Reverend Mother Prioress, Hamilton.

Mr J. McGombie arid family took their departure from Paeroa last week. Mr McGombie may possibly visit Western Australia.

,: From an advertisement in ’another column it will be seen that the services of a smart girl are wanted in a local drapery store.

Slowly but surely the telephone is supplanting the telegraph as a means of communication between business men oyer long distances. The advantages of the telephone over the telegraph are manifest. Not only is "the communication direct and personal, but it saves time and money. Sixpence for five minutes—the standard charge -—will generally save an answering telegram, and be as good as, if not better than, eighteenpence worth of telegraphy. The revenue of the postal department from the telegrams must necessarily suffer, but the expenses will also decline, as the telephone dispenses with operators, despatching clerks, telegraph messengers, and stationery. The “ Pelorus Guardian ” has the following:—‘Since the outbreak of war, a number of papers have joined the Press Association, over £6OO having been received as entrance money during the last few days. Some changes in the tariff of charges a,re contemplated by the Telegraph Department in the direction of an increase.' The exceptionally low rate charged in New Zealand (the lowest rate in the world) has led to very heavy work for the department in connection with press telegrams.’

y For Coughs and Colds take Wood’s A Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6 and 2/6

The station master at Golfe Jouan, France, was seriously injured in trying to save an Englishman who attempted to cross the railway, unconscious of the fact that an express was upon him. The heroic official saved the Englishman’s life, but was himself caught by the buffers of the engine, and hurled for a considerable distance. When picked tip he was insensible, and bleeding from wounds in the back and head. No fears, however, are entertained of his ultimate recovery.

Mr Henry Reynolds, who has recently returned from a trip to the Old Country, is at present in Te Aroha. We understand that Mr Reynolds (who is connected with the Hauraki Development Syndicate), will carry out further development operations at the Great Western mine, situate at Waiorongomai. The mission services at St. Joseph’s Church, conducted by Father Ginaty, continue to attract large congregations. The genial father has a racy style of preaching, in strong contrast to which are his occasional outbursts of invective when he has to deal with what he deems an abuse or a departure from the doctrine and practice of the true Church. ; On Tuesday everiirig the reverend preacher played upon the feelings of his congregation with the hand of a master. His description of a slatternly wife to whom he paid an unexpected domiciliary visit was pitched in a key of the happiest humour. There is, for some of us at any rate, a singular charm in the rapid play of the emotions visible in an Irish con-" gregation. The sincerity of their devotion is as unquestionable as it is touching; but the readiness of their response to the slightest suggestion of humour from the officiating priest is as marvellous as it is captivating. Father Ginaty is a man of wide experience of the world ; broad in his sympathies, a keen judge of men and affairs. Though one may not agree with all he says he is a delightful and entertaining preacher, and we are g'ad to observe the services are being so well attended and such success attending the mission.

A. sportsman once said to a wellknown Scottish baronet : ‘Talking about dogs with a keen .scent, I have one that will compare' favorably with any you have in Scotland ’ ‘ Very remarkable dog, I suppose V yawned the listener.’ ‘ I should think so. The day after I left home, he broke his chain, and, although I had been away for hours, he tracked me and found me merely by scent. What do you think of that V ‘‘ I think you ought to take a bath,’ replied the Caledonian, turning coldly away. Tn a recent ‘ Breach of Promise' case the defendant obtained a verdict because he proved that the girl had always a cold in her ‘ dose,’ as she expressed it. Thus were two souls with hut a single poekethandkerchief, two hearts that heat as one, parted for ever, just for the want of Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, which is a certain remedy for all colds, coughs, or catarrhs. Tie a knot about this, somewhere!

Mr Lawlor, the accredited agent of the A.M.P Society, maybe consulted at the Palace Hotel. Letters will receive his prompt attention.—Advt.

Stores of all kinds are extremely high here just now (writes a Tikokino correspondent). Fodder for stock is rising to famine prices, oats selling at 4s per bushel, whilst chaff is hardly procurable.

A special train passed through Te Aroha yesterday afternoon en route to Paeroa, conveying Messrs Ronagne, General Manager, G. Napier Bell, G.E., also Mr 0. Holn-Biss, District Engineer. Mr Bell, we understand, is engaged in obtaining dsta bearing on the ‘ buckling ’ question in order to submit an independent report on the subject to the House next session. The party returned to Te Aroha in the evening and were to resume their inspection this morning. As an instance of the capacity of the West Coast of this island to turn out beef—as well as butter —the ; ‘ Hawera Star ’ mentions that Mr Martin Baird, buyer for the Wellington Meat Export Company, has, from the land between Hawera and Waverly, sent down in round numbers 3000 fat bullocks since the beginning of the year. This, to®, in face of the fact that other companies are represented, and that there are two meat works in the province. , ■’/. The following is the scale of charges for assays, etc., at the Reefton School of Mines: Assay gold and silver ores, ss; assay tailings and concentrates, 5s ; bullion assays, 5s ; meltings, bullion, 10s; amalgamation tests, under 101 b, ss, under 201 b 10s, over 2Clb £1; cyanide tests, small, £1; assays lead and tin ores, 5s ; assays''copper, iron, antimony, jzinc, etc., 10s; analysis limestones, coal, etc, £1 ; analysis concentrates, £1 10s. It would be interesting to compare these charges with the Thames scale.