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Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2740, 4 February 1890, Page 2

Professor Pannell, who will today return fiom Auckland, where he has had a m>st successful season, will resume his swimming classes to-morrow. There is a dangerous hole in a culvert on the Ritdun road, on the mountain side nearest to Whatawhata, and we would warn travllers to be on the look-out for it. With tilis exception this road now is in splendid order. Mr O'Hanlon, who lately completed hi.i contract for the building of the Roman Catholic school-house, Hamilton East, is now otigaged lining St. Mary's Convent, a part of tho work that was held over when thia building was first erected. We beg to call the attention of our readers to thR visit of Mr T. W. Glover, the New Zealand Alliance agont, to Cambridge on Thursday, the (ith inst. He is a powerful speaker and well worth hearing. His Worship the Mayor has kindly promised to preside. The trains from Auckland on Saturday and yesterday were well filled by those returning from the Jubilee festivities in Auckland. To-day is the last day of the excursion tickets, and them will be wire to be a great number on the train, having taken full advantage of their tickets. Mr J. C. Seccombe, the well-known Auckland brewer, with a- party of friends, has lately spent a few days at the Whaingaro Hot Springs. One of the party, a cousin of Mr Seccombe, thinks so highly of the land in that direction, that he has purchased a block of 4000 acres. The annual general meeting of the parishioners of S. Peter's, Hamilton, will be held in the Public Hall to-morrow evening, at 8 o'clock. As this will be an important meeting, owing to the enlargement of the parochial district, a full and practical attendance is specially desirable. The Baptist Tabernacle, at Cambridge was closed on Sunday, and we )earn that it will not be opened again on Sundays at present, as neither the Auckland Church nor the congregation are able to support a minister, the week night services will* be conducted as usual, with the assistance of friend.".

The natives at Otorohanga got word last week from the Native Minister that the Governor was arranging to visit the Wiii'omo caves. Tho date was to be fixed yesterday, and wb understand the natives aro making great preparations for the reception. Wahanui and all the leading chiefs in the district will come in to welcome His Excellency.

Mr Duncan, one of the settlers up the Firewood Creek, came across a seam of coal twenty feet thick, cropping out on the side of a hill upon his property. This valuable find cannot of course be turned to any account until better communication lias been opened up through this district, which is daily becoming of more public importance. In some way or other the native owners nf land on the line of tho main trunk railway had been led to expect something like five shillings per aero for their considerable disappointment prevails amongst them, now that only three shillings and sixpence per acre is being offered by the Government, and under these circumstances it is not expected that many gales will result. Harvest thanksgiving services are announced to be held in St. Peter's Church. Hamilton, on Friday and Sunday the 13th and 10th in.sts. The Rev. V. G. Evans of Te Aroha will bo the preacher at the Friday evening service. Sheaves of the various kinds of grain for decorating the church on the occasion, are needed at once, and are invited to be sent to the parsonage as soon as possible. Mr Charles Barwell has the whole of his fruit evaporating machinery fixed, and has given it a trial. It has beon erected at Mr Sharp's on the CambridgeHamilton road, and on Saturday next it will be open for the public to inspect the whole of the processes, not only of fruit evaporating, but also of cider-making on an improved principle. We trust Mr Barwell will meet with hearty support from fruitgrowers, and that the industry will flourish aud become a credit to the colony.

Messrs Donny Bros-, two Belgian gentlemen, who took up a considerable area of land in the Firewood Creek district at Ngaruawahia some few months ago, have been so woll satisfied with their prospects that they have been joined by another brother (Dr. Donny), and a sister. The parly left Ngarnawahia yesterday morning with several pack horses heavily laden with goods for their new home. The Messrs Donny intend devoting their attention to viticulture.

Mr Spawn, the fruit-growing expert, says it is surprising that more fruit is not eaten by colonists. A plate of fruit should always find a place on the table ; no better article of diet can be found, in his opinion. Children should be supplied with as much as they require and not be stinted in this respect. Parents seemed to think that nothing else but meat should be given their offspring, and accordingly as soon as they got any size at all a mutton chop or a slice of beef was placed iu front of them. Mr A. Dealley, of Te Awamutu. tried the experiment of planting some lapstone kidney potatoes at a depth of twelve inches, moulding them gradually as they grew, till the trench was tilled. The result was most gratifying, the yield being enormous; from one root alone twentyseven potatoes were taken, twenty-throe being very large (much larger than usual), and four larger than ordinary ssed. At the time of digging they were not nearly ripe, and would have grown a good deal more had they been left in the ground. Mr Maunder's flax-mill plant, which has been newly erected at Kaniwhaniwha, narrowly escaped being burnt to the ground on Saturday forenoon last. We have not heard the particulars, but the fire originated in the scutch-house. As there was a bountiful supply of water close at hand the tire was extinguished before much damage was done. Mr Maunder's plant has had several narrow escapes, having caught on fire three or four ditt'eront times during the last four or five weeks. Mr Maunder seems to be very unfortunate in the flax industry, but it is to bo hoped he will have better success in tho future.

The Rev. C- H Garland gave a lecture on " Dry Bones " in the Wesleyan school-room, Cambridge, on Jfriday evenipg. The Mayor (Mr Priestly) occupied the chair, the room being comfortably filled. The lecture proved, as Mr Garland's usually do, a very interesting one ; but as vyo anticipate that it will be delivered in some of the neighbouring townships, we refrain from going into details. Suffice it to say that the "Dry Bones" were of etymological structure. Mi-s Priestly and Messrs MeDermotfc and Hartly enlivened the proceedings with musical selections.

A disastrous fire has been burning on what is known as Dihvorth's property, situated some distauca up the Maungawhara Creek from Taupiri. Mr Louis Hadden, the manager, has been working night and day, assisted by a number of hands, in trying to cut otf the fire, and unless rain sets in, or a- much larger number of men are placed at hia disposal, one of the most valuable Haxfields in this district will be entirely destroyed. The proprietor, Mr Dilworth, has had several offers for tho flax, but as. he has fixed tho price at a lump sum of £1000 no one yet has been found prepared to purchase at this price.