WIPAWA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6632, 21 August 1883, Page 4

WIPAWA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Friday, August 17,

A few accidents have taken place in the district since my last, none of them, fortunately, proving fatal. In one case a little girl narrowly escaped death by burning. Her mother was engaged in household duties, and lost sight of the child for a few minutes. The latter toddled into the kitchen, where there was a fire burning, and began playing with the ignited fuel. The u«nal result followed, the child setting her clothes on fire. Her screams brought assistance in time to prevent a fatality, but not in time to prevent the child being severely burned all down one Bide of her body. This accident, which occurred atH.mpden, should be a strong plea in favor of the more general use of fire-guards. The remaining accidents of the week (two) were caused by horses. In one cisc, a lad at Kaikora was riding an unsaddled horse, which shied, and threw its rider violently. Tho latter sustained severe injuries, and was insensible for some time after being picked up. He subsequently rallied, and is now progressing favorably. I suppose this occurrence should teach the obvious conclusion that saddles and bridles are cheaper than human limbs. In the other horse misadventure a man named Lawrence got kicked in the face. He was approaching his horse with a view to feed it, when it launched out its heels, catchins; its owner a squarely-planted blow in the face. Fortunately no bones were broken, but it was a nasty knock, and will necessitate a few days' seclusion. The obvious moral is that the posterior portion of ahorse is less given to deliberation than is his head, and that discussions between hoofed animals and men should take place fane to face. We have had quite a little outbreak of sales lately, reminding one of tho time when trade was a little brisker here than is the case at present, and whpn weekly sales at the Empire yards were the rule. The latter place was the scene of the firet sale, when a splendid lot of Mr P. Russell's draught horses were submitted by Mr Montejth, and brought fair prices. Mr Lyndon conducted the next sale, which was of several sections of land. Two of these latter were in the main street of the town, not a great distance from the banks and the post-office. The two of them realised £525, and as they were small pieces, the price must be considered a good one. Four small sections at Sedgewick went cheaper. Mr B. B. Johnston conducted the third sale, wliich consisted of a miscellaneous lot of surplus railway material, put up on behalf of the Eailway Department. lam not much versed in the value of the description of goods offered at this sale, but it struck me that all the articles offered realised very high prices. A Town Board for Waipawa is again being talked of, as it has been talked of ever since the Town Districts Act was passed. Whether anything will really come out of the talk is beyond conjecture. Several times it has appeared as if we were on the eve of a practical conclusion to the matter, but, just as 1 have been preparing to write a paragraph stating that a town board was an accomplished fact, the whole agitation has suddenly wilted and died off in smoke. With the examples of numerous towns all over the colony, and of two towns in the Hawke's Bay province — Bastings and Wairoa — before our eyes, we have managed to do that easiest of easy thines — J ' let it rip." I trust before many weeks have elapsed to have a different tale to tell. Speaking of suggested progress and improvements, I am glad to be able to chronicle that it seems likely our recreation ground will soon become more than a name. We have a nice piece of land reserved for that purpose, which, while not all that might be, is sufficiently suitable to serve for a decent and convenient place of recreation. The chief want is a little money wherewith to put the ground in order and plant it. An agitation is on foot towards this end, and subscription lists are lying at the store of Mr E. Harwood and at the library, so that those disposed to help in this good work need be at no loss bow to gratify their desire. I learn that Mr E. Harding and Mrs Eussell have promised to give a quantity of trees for planting, so that if we can raise enough money to pay for the necessary labor the ground will be taken in hand before the summer sets in. C. C. Quorum, Esq., appears to have taken my remarks of last week into favorable consideration, for the County Council held its much adjourned meeting on Thursdsy. The most practical topic touched npon, I think, was the straying cattle nuisance. Reference was made at the meeting to this unbearable plague in consequence of the petition I wrote of a fortnight ago from ratepayers in the Kaikora and Patangata districts, in which the Council was asked to appoint a ranger. In support of this request, it was stated that the Hawke's Bay County Council employed twoimpoundingrangers, at a cost of £210 yearly, and I have no doubt the latter body find their expenditure pay. Straying cattle, besides being an intolerable nuisance to every person but those who turn their animals out to graze on the roads, cost the local bodies a considerable sum in mending roads and drains, the latter especially. However, the, Waipawa County Council could not see its way to an organised raid, and the payment of a ranger or rangers, but empowered the surface man in the Kaikora district to impound stock off the roads. I wish they could find a surfaceman to do the same in and about Waipawa. There is very little stirring in the way of news, the chief item that strikes me as I conclude this being the fact that half a hurricane is blowing.