COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9397, 21 June 1889, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OUR OWN' CORRESPONDENTS. 1 OiiAirro, Thursday. M. _ J. McNicol held one of the most satisfactory sales of both cattle and sheep which has taken place for a longtime. Cattle were in brisk demand, and in the case of steers fit for putting on turnips realised 20s per head over previous sales, while there was a general advance ou all kinds of stock. The fact is the dairy factories have tended much to decrease the quantity of stock in the country, and have been thus indirectly beneficial to the settler, so many hundreds of calves being knocked on the head when born instead of being reared as formerly. About 4000 head of sheep were penned, of which a fourth were locally-owned, and the remainder were from beyond Taupo. The whole were sold readily and at good prices, with the present price of frozen mutton at home in view. Should this continue, and the export of frozen mutton be largely increased, a brisker demand for beef and all kinds of cattle will take place, which is much to be desired, for the wholesale price of beef is far below what will give a fair and a certain remunerative return to the grazier, while the retail price of meat is quite as high in Auckland and elsewhere as it ought be if fat cattle realised .">0 per cent, more than they do.

Mokrinsville, Thursday. he low price of grain, even in what was expected to have been _an exceptionally favourably season for prices, is having the effect of deterring many settlers from preparing so large a breadth of "land for wheat as was expected. Not much, it is said, will he grown on the Lockerbie estate, which is now pretty well used as a pasturage run. A handsome residence will be at once built on the Annandale estate, some time since purchased from its owner by Air. Allen, who then returned to England. That gentleman and his family are expected out in the spring to take up their residence 011 the property, which is now managed by Mr. Buttle. Te AwAMUTir, Thursday. There has been some excitement at lvioKio where Messrs. Coates and Coleman and Mr. Bridgman have started fiaxmills. They commcnced with a price of Ss per ton for green flax at the mill but one advanced a shilling per ton upon the other till the price rose to 15s. This sort of rivalry, though very agreeable to the native suppliers, was so evidently ruinous to the mill-owners, that, by mutual consent, they came to an arrangement, and the price has dropped. Mr. Keast, surveyor, has started on the work of laying off the subdivisions of the Otorohanga and Orahere blocks. Kiiiikihi, Thursday. The Land Court at Otorohanga adjourned on Monday for a couple of days to enable the judge and assessors to inspect the Kukapuka block on the opposite side of the Puniu River, and to lay off the tribal boundaries. It will be remembered that Mr. Rochfort built a house opposite to Kihikihi on what was supposed to be his wife's land some time ago. The Court lately sat on the Kukapuka block, and cut Mrs. Rochfort and her people out altogether,, awarding them no share of the land, but recommending the others to set aside a piece, including Kochfort house. It was supposed at the time the house was built that Mrs. Rochfort's portion would be about 200 acres. The natives agreed to give three acres with the house, but the Court recommended a larger slice, and came here with the object of seeing for itself what would be really a fair thing. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORKKSrON'BK.NTS.] Cambridge, Thursday. The ordinary monthly meeting of the School Committee was held last night. Present :— _ Messrs. _ Sargent (chair), Hally, Wells, Hewitt, Dickenson, and Bond. The headmaster's report was read, which detailed

the state in which the school was , taken over by Mr. Dyer. The rpr J - wheri main was of a satisfactory character the ft be '"V n re ? ard to Standards V c c *- VI., the scholars of which were renni-f i nr ' very backward state. The V^;' n * h rS i S -'gent and Wells rf r Ulnthat they had inspected the L l!ltt!l i found everything in good order. ff V *nd 5 the committee being verv Inn- - nrl s decided to get up an LtertaiiZ'J 1 Messrs bar-out ■ and Dickenson ? an 'l pointed a committee of management 6 ac " , ie . sitting of the Land Court h eluded and the Maun-atautari m lrc ha S l 01 1" been duly passed by the commit;™ rir '* protest entered by the Maoris beinf 5 ' - he unsubstantial. un K quite HO WICK! The residents ef this district were f,, with a most interesting lecture n « Apostle of Burmah, or The Life a J r v The of Dr. Judson," delivered by Pastor Urs on Thursday, 13th instant, in the n( P Ur ? enil under the auspices of the Howiek an i b all > ranga, Literary Society, Mr. Hu«h R r -I kl '" in the chair. The talented lecture' u m ,° u r his subject in a most masterly man* 'f' picking in graphic terms the ma incidents in the life of this «■ , rri! c missionary. He received a most cordial rful of thanks at the close of his lectnil l ot °- hall was well filled with a most am r • 1,6 audience.— Correspondent.'] ativ PUKEKOHE WEST. The Pukekohe Mutual liimrow>m„ <. <■ > held its fortnightly meeting } n f, nt adjoining the Wesleyan Chanel m, \i Vestry evening, the 17th instant. The TV, , on /' a presided. After the usual routine i "• w had been disposed of, the Sew? evening was announced by t i,„ if - ot -be viz an essay, by Mr. James Af,.n ,? lan > " Tlie Life of Cardir,al Don , ald . on McDonald said he was son'T' *^ 1, such a small attendance a* c i to See shown by the members, did st ' at ' , V courage those who were willing n nt! en " to compile an essay to bring bAovc® their mutual improvement, I ,1 ® s " r essay was well compiled, and occuji three-quarters of an hoar in delivery Ti Ut 1 resident, in criticising, pointed out' rn ~ essayist where improvement could l )fi m , , both in the reading and pronunciation hi eulogised Mr. McDonald for the SJf 1 which his essay had been compiled, <4;, " ac * never read such a clear' onti ' of Wolsey life as had been brought WrT them by the essay. Mr. J. H. \YrM,t i spoke, and gave credit to the essayist' f the many incidents in Wolsev's life rt had been very vividly brought 'before th™ and expressed .a hope that Mr. MeDonn i would go on improving, and that on the hp - occasion or his giving an essay, lie won have a much better attendance M r Wright, as one of the veterans of the civ' spoke very strongly on the apathy shown ft the young members, and pointed out thateven at his time of life much food cm 1 obtained by being regular attendants at tl'» class meetings, and he hoped to see much better attendance in the future, for all tho*!! absent from their places that eveuin" jJi missed an intellectual treat.—[Own Corns pondent.]

TE KOPURU. On Friday evening the first mcctin» of t'ie Mangawhare Band of Hope took place in M angawhare Wesley Church. The churuh was fairly well filled. The programme, was furnished entirely by the Aratapu Band of Hope. The s.s. Kopuru, Captain Waters was chartered to convey the members of the latter society to Mangawhare. Quite acrowd went up in her, the night being beautifully fine. Mr. E. C. Carr, president, occupied the chair. The following items were verv well given : — Melody, by all hands; chairman's address; duet. "Warrior's Crave Eva and Nita Corkhill: recitation, " Wise Sayings," Ted Smith ; exercise song, by the girls, under the direction of Miss Evansrecitation, "Band of Hope Boy," Willie Smith ; song, " Balaklava," A. -Souter; recitation, " The Careful Messenger,"' Miss Kate Barker; duet, Sissy Houlihan and Mr. Stevens ; recitation, " Starless Crown," .Mi 4 Evans; song, "Are We Forgotten," Mr. Nield : recitation, "The Wife, ' Lilly Day quartet, Messrs. Nield, Forsdick, Campbell', and Stevens; recitation, "The Signalman's Story," Mrs. Carr; song, Miss' Francis; recitation, " Bridal Wine Cup," Mr. Elliott; song, " Combined we are a Match for the' World," Mr. Forsdick : exercise song, by the girls; recitation, "Hagar," Mr. (;. Smith; " Home Again, Miss Evanssong, "Fisherman's Child," Mr. Stevens;' instrumental piece, violin and piano, by Mrs. Carr, Miss Watson, and Messrs. Campbell and son. At the close of the meeting Mr. Maurice Harding, J.P., was elected president of the new society. Mr. Carr an earnest appeal to the ladies to help irthe movement. Before returning home, Air. F. W. Matthews proposed a cordial vole <k thanks to the Aratapu Band of Hope for the enjoyable evening they had afforded, and the Rev. Mr. Jones invited those who had. assisted in the programme to his house, where a liberal spread awaited them, mid', being a cold night, full justice was done to the tarts, fee. The Rev. Mr. Jones apologised for the absence of a piano, and said steps were being taken to procure a good American organ. It was announced that the meetings would be held monthly. Mr. A. C. Harding, with the assistance of the County Council, has just completed a splendid drain, ten feet wide, through his land from the Okapokapo Creek to Campbell's Point. _He is proposing to cut up the land along this drain (which is of splendid quality) into allotments, and let it 011 easy terms for long periods. Good progress, I understand, is being made with Mr. Matthews' new mill at Tatarariki.

_ t One of our most- successful settlers, Mr. K. Cobbald, has just killed a barrow pig weighing, when dressed, 5141b. The meat was of splendid quality. Why should we, after this, get any bacon from Canterbury? The pig was two years old, and was bred in the district. The North will yet be as famous for its bacon as it is now for its butter.

Winter has come upon us very suddenly. After having beautiful weather up to .May 29, the rain came, and lasted continuously for eight days. Since then we have had some tremendous winds and rains.—[Own Correspondent.]

RAGLAN. The weather during the last fortnight has been unusually wet and showery, accompanied with intense cold. We were visited on Tuesday last by one of the severest hailstorms seen in this district for years; several windows were broken with its force, and the ground was completely hidden as with a white mantle to the depth of six inches and more in places. A great deal of anxiety was felt here for the Rowena's safety during and subsequent to the late gale, and now that the minds ot the Ilaglanites are set at rest on that score, the sooner they see her welcome prow heading for the Raglan wharf the better they will like it, as in consequence of her lion - arrival according to advertisement, our little township is without some ot the necessaries of the present age—tobacco and flour among other things. 1 heard a young fellow ask for the former article at one' of the stores. He was informed that it was still in Auckland, but that he was welcome to a sniff of the board it used to be placed on if he thought it would alleviate his sufferings. A mournful shake of his head was the only response as he took another look at the ashes in ins " diulecn," and, judging from the increasing despair in his face, lie might have been considering whether it was better t"> take a Imp into the future from the old or the wharf. But how fleeting are our joys am dreams ? Within five minutes lie was ia 'V to the seventh heaven of delight by timely discovery of several packages ot t tobacco. P • A Band of Hope meeting was held on r • day, and was a great success, considering wits the first that has been held here. There was a meeting held to decide upon the way the next entertainment s'- o '}' ,ir conducted. A majority of one decided tn. the ladies should have the management ot • I wonder who will be made chairtwojma • Success to " Woman's Destiny " is to be new motto. A step in the right d' rec "' and one that no doubt will gladden the he. of a certain ex-Postmaster-Gencral.—L Correspondent.] ' H ~ IT V