TE AROHA. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Tx Aboua. Monday. The dwelling-house on Mr Downes'i farm at Wairnkau, about four miles from here, wai, on Friday afternoon, burnt to the ground. No person was living on the promise* at tho time, and nothing has yet been ascertained a* to how the fire occurred. Mr Downes had not been on tho premises since the Monday previous, and from that time until the disaster occurred no one had been seen about the place. The house stood a short, distance from the road to Shaftesbury, and people pauiag that way half-an-hour before the blaze was first observed saw no smoke, nor any sign of tire. Mr Craig, who«e residence is not f.ir distant, was the first to notice it, and two of his sons hnviug horses at haud immediately hastened to the spot, but before they could reach it the roof had fallen in, Hnd there was no possibility of saving anything in the main building. They succeeded, however, in preventing the flames from extending to a whare near by, which contained a quantity of fanning implements, and these were the only thing) that were left unonsumed. The loss amounts to nearly £300, none of which was covered by insurance, consequently Mr Downes suffers severely, Sergeant Emerson visited the spot on •Saturday, but obtained no clue to the origin of tho fire. Nothing has been discovered to lead to the suspicion of foul play, but it is likely an enquiry into the circumstances will be held by Mr Kenrick, R.M., on his arrival here to-day or to-morrow. The Rev. Oliver Doau, the newly-ap-pointed Wesleyan clergyman for this district, officiated fur the first time in the chapel yesterday, and delivered an impressive discourse to a good congregation. Bishop Luck, who is here on a visit, also preached in the Catholic Chapel.
Wednesday. There was only one case beard at the sit- j ting of the R.M. Court yesterday, W. McClear v. W. Moon, in which plaintiff sued for £9 I(>3 3d, due to him for wages. Th* defendant did not appear, and judgment was given for the full amount claimed, with 14» costs. After the ming of the court, Mr Kanrick, R.M., assisted by a jury, held an inquiry legaiding the circinnjtances of the recent burning' of .Mr Downes premises at Wairakau. Two or three witnesses were examined, but nothing was elicited to throw any further light upon the matter than what has already been published. The jury, however, had misgivings as to the tire being accidental, and gave an open verdict to the effect that the house had been burnt, but that the evidence was not sufficient to enable them to form any opinion as to the origin of the fire. A well attended and very pleasant tea meeting took place in the Wesleyan Chapel hist night to welcome the Rev. Oliver Dean, who succeeds the Rev. T. J. Wills, as palter of this district. Addre*3es were delivered by the chairman (Mr J. Ilott), the Rev. Mr Marshall (Church of England), Mr Lavery, and the newly inducted clergyman. The roceeding* were agreeably interspersed with musical lelec-* tions, and altogether a very enjoyable evening wu ipent. ' j , At the development of the mines at the Tui creek progresses, fresh discoveries continue to be mad*. On Monday list a new vein running parallel with, and a short distance from the main reef, was struck in the "Keep it Dark" claim. This vein, on being stripped of the surface earth, showed a strong body of almost pure galena, which has already been followed some fifteen or twenty feet, and averages nearly a foot in thickness. The find is a valuable one, and sharohold-irn are to be congratulated on their good fortune. Operations in the other mines in that district continue to give most satisfactory results, but until a furnace is erected in the neighbourhood, the reefs can be worked only at An immense disadvantage, as the co»t of sending stuff to the Thames for treatment is simply ruinous. This is the only drawback to the successful working of the claims, and as soon as it is overcome things may be expected to go ahead with rapid stride* and a considerable population will become settled in this locality. Messrs Lane, Harris and Winter, of the La Monte furnace staff at the Thames, have been here during the week and have visited the principal mines at the Tui. They ex pi ess themselves as being most favourably impressed with the appearance of tilings there, and regard the ores as more suitable for the furnace method of treatment than any they have yet seen in th* colony. The building which it haJ been proposed to erect for the Church of England will now shortly be proceeded with. It will b* a neat but unpretentious structure and wilt occupy a good uosition on a lino between the public school and the domain, but will have the fault of being much too small. It is to be regretted that those who have the matter in hand could not see their way to erect a larger edifice at once, for assuredly before another year or two is over the one about to be built will have to be enlarged.
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Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2148, 15 April 1886, Page 2
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876TE AROHA. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2148, 15 April 1886, Page 2
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