The Wariroa Bell AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23rd.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 177, 23 December 1892, Page 5

The Wariroa Bell AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23rd.

The Contractors’ and Workmens’ Lien Act 1892 comes into force on the Ist day of January next. It makes better provision for securing the payment of money due to workmen and contractors. Workmen can, by giving notice to the owner of the property upon which they are engaged, and also to the person directly responsible to them for their wages, establish a lien upon such property ; but the lien of a workman in respect of one contract can not exceed thirty days’ earnings. The liens and charges of workmen for wage 3 receive priority, and a claim for wages may include the claims of any number of workmen whose primary claim is against the same person. Those engaged in working for contractors or sub-contractors who are slow in making payment of wages will do well to look up the Act and make themselves acquainted with its provisions. The Act was passed specially for the better protection of those engaged in bush- felling and other contracts, and gives such a claim upon the owners of the property upon which they are engaged as well as upon the contractor by whom they are employed. Certain steps however must be taken to establish the claims.

The holiday season has again come round and many persons will be travelling on the Kaihu Valley Railway. The Minister of Public Works will be glad enough to receive the proceeds when they reach him and take credit for them, but he must have a tough hide if he can enter them up without feeling some qualms of conscience as to his neglect of the line. The manager has, we are informed, made many applications for pressing requirements hut without avail. The permanent way is falling into disrepair and the sleepers are so rotten in some places that it is unsafe, or rather impossible, to draw ballast from the pit for repairs ; and as our Maropiu correspondent pointed out some time ago, every day's delay is making the cost of repairs greater, for the constant export of railway sleepers from adjacent lands is making that article a scarcity in the close neighbourhood. The rolling stock is in a most unsatisfactory state and those travelling down the line next week will have to herd in open trucks like cattle. Perhaps when a fatality occurs some steps may be taken to improve matters. In the meantime we would suggest that a monster petition be got up asking the Hon. Minister of Public Works to pay this district a visit, and that a trip on the Kaihu Railway be got up for his instruction and amusement. Care being taken that a large crowd of natives and others be on hand to ac company him (some of them fresh from the hotels), and that he take pot luck with the rest. A photo might be taken on the occasion and an explanatory footnote added, “ The Hon. Seddon’s Government control of railways.” We do not wish to he hard on the Minister of Public Works for we think a good deal of him and his work. But we would advise him to say no more about placing the railways under direct Government control until he has shown that such control ia capable of making the Kaihu Valley Railway something better than the wreck it now is.

Christmas 1892 will have passed and gone before our next issue appears, ar.d we take this opportunity of wishing all our readers, contributors, and friends a merry season of sober enjoyment. The remembrance of the birth of a Saviour for fallen men should fill all hearts with joy and gladness, and we trust our readers may be happy and merry.

Messrs Broad and Dufaur of the Kauri Timber Company were in this district last Friday and Saturday. Mr Cooper held an auction sale at the residence of Mr J. A, Raymond, Olrahu, yesterday. There was a good attendance and the sale was altogether very successful. The subscriptions for the relief of the families of those who were drowned in Wangarei harbour by the upsetting of the yacht, Minerva, reached the good round sum of £293 16s 4-d. Our readers will he delighted to learn that our Tatarariki correspondent has again taken up liis pen and intends to be heard more frequently in future. Don’t miss his notes this week ; they are racy and clever. The s s. Minnie Casey made a special trip from Helensville on Wednesday for a cargo of wool principally from Mr M. Harding’s Horehore flock. That gentleman’s clip amouuted to thirty-three bales. The shearing was done at a rapid rate by experienced hands. The N.E. pt, Section 44, Oltahu district is gazetted as open for sale or selection. It contains 44ac. lro and the cash price is £22 ; the perpetual lease rent 8s lOd per half year. The land is described as mixed forest of fair quality ; situated about six miles inland from the Wairoa river. Ernest Dormer, son of Lieutenant Dormer, of the Auckland City Guards, died at the Auckland Hospital from typhoid fever on Tuesday. Theyoung man is well known here, having at one time resided at Te Kopuru. He was accorded a military funeral yesterday. The Auckland Education Board by a vote of five to three decided against placing the Inspectors under direct Government control, so that it still remains for them to find a way of restoring discipline amongst their servants so that the work of examination and inspection may go on smoothly and thoroughly. The Migration returns for the month of November show 2,011 arrivals and 896 departures ; a gain of 1,115 to our population Victoria 659, New South Wales 621, United Kingdom 501 and Tasmania 134 make up the arrivals. The departures were as follows, New South Wales 56.9, Victoria 143, Tasmania 38. As Christmas and New Year’s Days fall on Sundays this year, Monday the 26th instant and Monday the 2nd prox. are to be observed as close holidays ; but on the 27th (for Boxing Day) post offices are to be open in all branches from 9 a.m. to 10a.m. On the 27th instant mails close at 10 a.m. Mr McDougal’s strawberry beds at Tatarariki will bear a greater strain than has yet been put upon them. The fruit is large and clean, being quite free from sand. Those who have visited him have been well pleased with the fruit and the ride. Mr MoDougal is in a position to supply thirty or forty quarts a day so that families driving down can he sure of a plentiful supply of fruit and cream. Mr Mathieson and his friends held an open air evangelistic service at Corcoran s corner, liargaville, last Saturday evening. Rev. Joseph Blight was present and assisted in the service, and a goodly number of persons gathered round to hear the un usual sound of prayer and praise in that locality. The gentlemen taking part are to be commended for their earnestness in a righteous cause and we hope to hear of good results. We omitted to mention the Bachelors’ Ball at Arapohue in our last issue, It was largely attended, the Hall being well filled with a gay throng of ladies and gentlemen. Those who were present declare it to have been as successful and well managed as it was possible to be. Messrs Lambert and Davy provided the music and Messrs Masefield and C. Webb were the M.C’s. At the R, M. Court, Whangarei, on December iOth, the North Auckland Charitable Aid Board sued the Mongonui County for the sum of £44. The R. M. announced that he hail received a telegram from R. M. Houston, County Chairman, that the summons issued had not. been served in time to permit his attendance at Court in defence of the action. The hearing was adjourned to the next sittings of the Court. Mr Baynes, while driving out on Sunday afternoon with his wife and some members of his family, met with a mishap when near the Kopuru cutting. The buggy was capsized, the occupants thrown out, and the horse received some slight injuries about the legs. Fortunately none of the passengers were injured. Mr Baynes secured

Mr John Harrison’s buggy for the return journey as his own was damaged in the capsize. The services at the Mangawhare Church last Sunday were well attended. The morning service was a floral one conducted by Mr F, W. Matthews, The children with bouquets of flowers were ranged on a platform, and the sermon had special reference to flowers. The Church was finely decorated with ferns and nikau. After morning service the flowers were added to the decorations, so that the church looked very pretty at night. The evening service was conducted by Rev, Joseph Blight who spoke on “ God’s great gift, His only begotten Son.’ The building was packed with hearers in every part. We this week paid a visit to Mr Bow maker’s workshop in Monk-street, Aratnpu, and were pleased to find that he had plenty of work on hand. Mr Bowmaker has had a very large experience in the cabinet making trade; he was apprenticed to it in the year 1839 and has spent the greater part of the intervening fifty-three years at the trade. His work will bear close inspection for it bears testimony to his long experience. We saw some articles in course of construction and were struck with the strength and neatness of the joints, all articles are made to combine strength with beauty and no scamping was visible. Several very handsome pieces of furniture have been turned out from this workshop and Mr Bowmaker is quite willing to turn out as much more as is wanted. The N. Z, Heald says—“We are informed by the Kauri Timber Company that trade with them is now really booming. They are working at the mill every night to seven o’clock, and even then are not able to keep abreast of the orders pouring in. They find a difficulty in getting sufficient experienced men to do the joinery work required. Also no time since the formation ot the company has there been such a pressure of work. They have recently chartered a batch of vessels for the conveying of timber to Australia, and two ships to load for the home market. On all hands they are met with demands they are not very well able to supply, and it is the opinion of the management that, so far as the timber trade would give an indication, trade distinctly shows signs or a general revival. On enquiry at the Council Chambers as to how the rates had been coming in we learn the following particulars : Riding. Total rate. Amt. paid, Aratapu £282 £ll3 17 11 Dargaville 357 12 10 5 Kopuru 151 58 9 8 Wairoa 126 42 4 11 Okahu 178 93 17 3 The Dargaviile Riding with the largest amount due has only paid £l2 odd. Those in that Riding who have responded, being so few, deserve special mention. They are Asher, O. Anderson, R. Brydon, W, Davy, Fi!hy. Frost, Langton, Passell, M, Lockwood, Public Library, McGregor, B N.Z., Masonic Hall, Rhodes, Sherman, Short, Smythe, Vail, Kjer, and J Wilson. Summonses are to be issued against all whose rates are unpaid on January Ist, so the Court officials will find business brisk in the new year unless a rush of rate payers sets in,