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Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2553, 20 November 1888, Page 2

Admiral and Mrs Fairfax are expected in Auckland at Clirietmas time. Serious bush fires have occurred in New South Wales, and a child was burnt to death. The drought is still severe. We have in our office a very perfect specimen of the Codlin Moth, which lias been forwarded to us by Mr S. T. Seddon. There being no other candidate for the mayoralty of Hamilton, Mr 1. Coates has been declared duly elected for the ensuing term. The Taotaoroa Road Board did not meet on Saturday, in consequence of there not being sufficient members present to form a quorum. Another meeting was held at Cambridge West last evening to discuss the mcltor of the Domain lands,_ of which we will give a report in our next issue. After an exciting chase the escaped Maori convict was captured in the LytteUon Tunnel at an early hour on bunday morning. Artillerymen assisted the police in patrolling the district. We saw some very fine new potatoes on Saturday, grown by Mr George Moon of Raglan. Such capital specimens so early in the season, show very plainly what a genial climate our Raglan friends enjoy. The Heraid says -.-The Auckland Freezing Company contemplate despatching two cargoes of frozen mutton, &c, for tho London market in January next. The necessary preparations are now heinjr made so as to ensure care and promptitude in the shipments. Deer have been seen on Colonel Forbes , land at the Lake, Hamilton, having no doubt made their way across the country i from tho Raglan ranges. Mr Forbes, who saw the deer, says they made off in the direction of Uhaupo and were last to view in the ti-tree scrub. In consequence of the drought in Australia, and the failure of the crops, potatoes are in demand in this colony, and the prices are hardening. Several buyers ■ire purchasing for Auckland firms in the Waitoa and Te Aroha districts. The prices quoted in Kaye and Carter's circular for Derwents are 90.i and 95s per ton, an advance of £1 per ton on last week's, quotations. Mr Frank Edgecumbe is still employed surveying land in the Raglan district, in the neighbourhood of Waitotuna, applications having been made for several sections in this locality. We have heard that a Belgian lias taken up a block of fifteen hundred acres, and has eent for friends from his native country to come out and settle there. It is gratifying to hear of this class of settlement going on. Our readers are reminded of the lecture to bo delivered in the Public Hall, Hamilton, to-morrow night, by Colonel Forbes, for a charitable object. Ihe Volunteer Band will be in attendance, and a few songs and musical interludes will be rendered dnring the evening. The subject, "The Siege of Lucknow" is one of thrilling interest to every Britisher. The city of Lucknow is the most important city in Upper India, and the capital of a densely populated province, which is still to a great extent the nursery of our tiativu army. Cr. Wood has given notice to move at the next ordinary sitting of the Council. "That all goods purchased by authority of the Council or Town Clerk for the use of the Borough all cost or prices of such goods, materials, tools, or any class of merchandise be worded in the form of a bill of cost from the persons from whom such purchases aro made, for the purpose of the inspection of the Council at each meeting of the Council." Special anniversary services were held in Trinity Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, on Sunday, the preacher, both morning and evening, being the Rev. R. Scott West, «f &t. David's, Auckland. The Rev. gentloman has only lately arrived from the Old Country, and is a most eloquent preacher. He was present, and gave a short address at tho annual soiree held the previous Wednesday, and doubtless impressed the audience with his oratory, for the church was crowded at both services, and indeed in the evening there were many who could not obtain admission. A decided curiosity exists, says an exchange, in a little hotel in Eltliem, acountry township fourteen miles from Melbourne. The proprietor of the hotel is old Phil Purcell, otherwise known as " the Pasha." There are in his bar three cobwebs, the value of which he estimates at £1000. The largest web, which looks like a huge side of hiicoti hanging from the ceiling, is four feet in length and three feet in circumference. The other two, which are adjacent to it, are about half the size. Purcell alleges that he was offered by Mr J. A. Froude, tho historian £300 for the three, but he held out for £1000. It is estimated that several hundred spiders are at work in these three webs.