ALEXANDRA NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2237, 9 November 1886, Page 3

ALEXANDRA NEWS.

On Saturday e\ening about 8 o'clock a duelling-hou^e situated on the outskirts if Alexandra East, the property of Mr John Hinton, a constable, now stationed at Jaiubnd^e, and in the occupation of a labouring man named Giles, was entirely oouhunnid by fire. Mrs Giles and her family >f nine young childien were in the house at the time, several of the younger ones in bed, aid Mr-, Giles and the elder ones taking their tea. The first notice they had of the hre was hearing a roaring sound apparently outside the house, which increasing diew alis Giles' attention, when she saw that the whole back of the house was in flames, o\er where her childxen were sleeping, opening the door of the bedroom, she found it in ;lames, but with the assistance of her eldoat lad she managed to get the chiMren all safely out, but could save nothing but a couple of chairs, the fire spreading so uipidly. As there were no neighbours .hmgnear, by the time help arrived the poor mother was found sittimr on one of the chairs with tlnee young children in her anus, and the other-* surioundmg her with only their nightelothes on, and crying bitterly. A kindly neighbour (Mrs had all the children and. the mother removed to her house for the night. Theii case is a most distressing one as they have literally lost their all. The husband is an industrious man, who has worked hard and continuously to support his laige family. It is to be hoped, they will find friends to help them in their sore need, with clothes and necessary furniture. There is no insurance I believe on the building, so that Constable Hinton is also a serious loser by the calamity. Mrs Giles cannot account for Hre, but thinks it must have been a spark from the chimney falling on the shingles, or from the furze round about, which had been burned off. Judge Mair and the officers of the Native Land Court from Otorohanga, arrived here on Saturday, by one of Mr O'Brien'H punts. It appears that applications was made to the Railway Department for the use of a railway carriage to transport the officers and the records of the court, but red tape stood in the way, and all kinds of difficulties started, that had to be referred to Wellington. So the valuable records, maps, etc., had to run all the ii>k of a water cariiage, no slight one on the Upper Waipa. It is sai<4 a Native Ljand.s Court will sit at Alexandra in March next. The variolas contractors an the Alex-andra-llikurangi-Kawhia road have all completed their contracts, which, however, only makes the road practically useless, as between the Nutunui bridge and Sage's contracts. One creek, the Ngakoaohia, is not bridged at all, why this is so, is simply unaccountable, unless the Government do not want the road to be used, it is the largest creek on the road, and should at onoe be erected to make the road available. The opinion expressed by Thk Waikato Times re Major Jackson's resignation, and the unfair treatment he has received from the Government is heartily endorsed by the whole community. A more unpopular proceeding, in thw pait of tho d'^ttiot, was never before perpetrated by' the present or any other Government than thus practically .superseding the popular Major, "The Father of the Corps."

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