NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 17, 9 June 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The tenders for the Waingongoro Railway Contract have not yet been decided. We received a telegram from Mr. John Knowles, Under-Secretary for Public Works, 3'esterday afternoon, to that effect.

To-morrow evening, at half-past seven o'clock, a meeting will be held at Brett and Johnston's Imperial Hotel, Nornianby, for the purpose of discussing tho question of a combined municipality for Hawera and Normanby. As the people of Hawera are invited to the m eting, we trust to see a large attendance. The more discussion, and the more light there is thrown upon the matter, the better. But we hope to see the question fairly argued upon its merits.

In answer to questions, it was st ted in the House on Friday that the time authorised by Parliament for the disposal of the Maori prisoners had not expired. Before the time expired the Government would make a statement on the subject, but, in the meantime, it would be injudicious to do so. Chinese immigration was under the consideration of the Government, and if not dealt with this session, it would be dealt with next session.

Tho threatened challenge from Carlyle has had the effect of slightly waking up our somnolent footballers. On Saturday, a match was played on the cricket ground between teams selected from Mokoia and Hawera ; but the play did not last long, as a good many had to attend the parade of the Hawera Light Horse, which was advertised for 3.30 p.m. The game resulted in a tie, eacli side scoring two points. Another practice match will probably be arranged for Saturday next.

Mr W. Cowern's monthly sale at Kakaramea will take place to-day at 2 p.m., and Mr. Freeman R. Jackson's Waverley sale will be held on Friday next, at 1 p.m.

The opening match of the Normanby Rifle association will take place ou Monday next, at the Waihi range ; the distances being 330, 400, and 500 yards.

Messrs. Webster and McKellar notify that their new flour-mill, on the banks of the Te Whiti, has been erected, and that the building is ready to receive mac2rinery. They also state that they will be cash purchasers of large or small samples of good wheat.

As a proof of the improvement which has lately taken place in mon tary matters, it might be stated that Messrs. T. K. Macdonald and Co., the well-known auctioneers, held a sale of properties last week in Wellington, and nearly £10,000 worth was sold. Six months ago it was difficult to get even a bid for property in the Empire City. A man named John Taylor Thomson was charged on Monday, before Captain Wilson and Mr. Ward, J.P.s, with breaking a pane of glass in one of the windows of Mr. Owen's Egmont Hotel. The defendant was fined £1, 15s. damages, and 7s. to>ts; or, in default, to be imprisoned for twenty-eight days. We received the following telegram from our Carlyle correspondent last evening: — " A member of the A.C. Force appeared at the R.M. Court to-day in response to a judgmeut summons, and in the con* se of examination the defendant stated that his pay was 7s. 6d. per day. To this the presiding J.P. laconically replied : ' Yes, d d good pay too. The Bench decides that you must pay within one week, or take a fortnight's gentle exercise.' The defendant (interrogatively) : * Exercise ? ' The Bench ; ' Yes in Taranaki Gaol ! ' " The first division of the session took place on Thursday, on Mr. De Lautour's proposed amendment in the Regulation of Elections Bill, to enable any person, whether registered or not, to be nominated for election. The Premier opposed the amendment, and Sir George Grey hotly supported il. On the voices being taken the first time, the Speaker gave it against the Government, but a division being call id for, Ins decision was reversed by a majority of twelve. This result appeared to take Sir George Grey by surprise (remarks the N.Z. Times), for he expressed in bitter terms his regret that the Government " had the power to compel such an assemblage to follow them into the lobby." He caused great amusement to both sides of the House and the Strangers' gallery, by declaring that " this was only another attempt to create a landed aristocracj' in New Zealand."

"We learn from the Taranaki Herald that sections have been allotted to the following persons in the Ngaire district : —Block 7 — No. 1, 58 acres 2 roods, £1 per acre, John Claridge ; No. 6, 60 acres, J. McLaren ; No. 7, 80 acres, W. Brice. Block 10 — No. 46, 58 acres, £2 per acre, T. Reynolds ; No. 50, 81 acres 2 roods, .£1 10s. per acre, E. and J. Kerr. Block 14— No. 2, 78 acres, £ 2 per acre, G. C. Turner. The following sections, having been applied for by more than one person, will be put up' to auction : — Ngaire district—Block 10— Nos. 44, 47, and 49, three applications ; No. 41, four applications; Nos. 36, 37, and 48, six applications ; and No. 40, seven applications. Block 13— Nos. 12, 24, and 25, two applications each ; Nos. 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 28, 34, three applications each ; Nos. 20, 21, and 29, four applications ; Nos. 26, 27, and' 32, five appl cations ; Nos. 22 and 31, six applications ; No. 35, eight applications; No. 33, nine applications ; No. 36, eleven applications. Block 14 — No. 3, three applications ; Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, four applications ; No. 7, five applications. Hawera district — Block I—No.1 — No. 44, eight applications ; No. 43, ten applications.

There is nothing fresh to report from either camp. At Major Goring's, the men are cutting drains, as the ground is rather wet ; indeed, some of the men, of a facetious turn of mind, have termed the locality the " Venice of the Plains." At Ngakumikumi, whares are being built, as if the force had made up their minds to remain there for the winter; but as to whether they will have to make another shift, does not appear to be yet definitely settled. The roads are progressing surely, if slowly, and the working parties are now close to the road which leads into Parihaka. One notable feature during the next few days will he a presentation of food by Te Whiti to the road parties. Great preparations are being made, and supplies for the purpose have been sent to Parihaka from Kaupokonui and other places. We regret very much to hear that some potatoes and pigs belonging to the natives have been stolen, but as yet none of the petty thieves have been discovered. "When Te Whiti is about to act in such a hospitable manner, it conies with a very bad grace from the " superior race " (as we are fond of terming ourselves) to set such a bad example. The upright men belonging to the A.C. Force and the Public Works Contiugent should keep a strict watch on any backsliders amongst them.

In a letter to the New Zealand Times, the ex-Colonial Seer tary, Colonel Whitmore, says: — "In your condensed report of my speech in the Legislative Council, I think you must have misunderstood the meaning of my remarks. I did certainly commend very highly Mr. Bryce's fearless reductions in his department, aud endeavor to stop the paternal rule of the natives inaugurated in 18G9, and I approved of his addressing himself as he has dove to the "West Coast troubles, and promised the Government all the support I could give them to a native policy conducted on colonial, not party, principles. And by this last I explained that I understood from Mr. Hall's speech at Leeston that it was intended to abolish, as soon as possible, all distinctions between tha races, and that the exceptional legislation exempting the natives from rates and taxes, enabling them to compound felonies, and so forth, was to be repealed. I shall be prepared to sivpport such a policy, heart and soul, if it is carried out in a conciliatory spirit on the one hand, but with firmness on the other. But though I approve of a firm and national native policy which it may be possible for all future Governments to continue, I certainly did not promise my support in other respects to the present Government. I stated that I entirely disapproved of their finance, and especially their Property Tax Bill.""

Mr. Bate, assessor under the Property Tax for this district, states that he will ba prepared to give every assistance to parties wanting to fill up the necessary papers. Persons owning property, however small, are requested to apply to the assessor .for forms. Owners of unregistered dogs had better look out. Two persons were, fined £1 and costs last week for not complying with the Act. In all future cases we are informed that it is the intention of the police to ask tor the infliction of the highest penalty allowed by law, viz., £S and costs.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hawera Lodge, S.C., was held on Monday eA-ening, at the Town Hall, the R.W.M., Bro. C. Finnerty, presiding. Three members passed the third degree, two were initiated into the mysteries of the craft, and three new members were proposed.

There has been on view a1;a 1 ; Me. Watt's cabinet-making shop, during the past few days, a very handseme chiffonniere bookcase, which has been much admired. The glass doors of the book-cose are mounted with honeysuckle, and the effect is very pleasing ; whilst the bottom doors have chaifer.'d panels, veneered with totara knot, and honeysuckle mouldings. The outside of the drawer, composed of totara knot and honeysuckle, is a handsome piece of work. Those who have been in the habit of sending for their furniture to "Wellington, Wanganui, and other places, would do well to pay Mr. "Watt's shop a visit. They will then be able to judge of the quality of local manufacture. It appears that during the visit of Mr. Kees to England ho made arrangements for the charter of a vessel to proceed direct to New Plymouth with the new plant of the Harbor Board. The vessel is to leave England in about a month. Several merchants in town (says the Herald), on hearing of this expected arrival, expressed regret that they had not been informed of it sooner, in order that they might have availed themselves of the opportunity' of importing goods direct to New Plymouth. The necessity for having a post office has been urgently felt by the settlers along the mountain track, and we understand that a requisition, asking . Mr. Chancy to use his influence to ' have a branch office at the Mangawhero bridge, has received a large number of signatures. The extra cost will be more than recouped to the department, not to speak of the convenience which a post office would afford to a large number of people, and we hope that the postal authoriti s will comply with the request of the settlers. The Hawera Light Horse mustered on Saturday alternoon, to the number of about forty to fifty, under the command of Captain Lukis, and were put through the usual course of diill. In future, it is intended to enforce fines for non-attend-ance. There are ample powers given by the Act, for it was only last week that a. volunteer was brought up at New Plymouth, charged wich being absent from the parades of his corps, and a fine of 40.-*. and costs was inflicted, or, in default, twenty-eight days' imprisonment. It is hoped that there will be no necessity for adopting such an extreme course here, and the officers are anxious to avoid anything of an arbitrary nature; but it is felt that some steps must be taken to ensure a more regular attendance at the monthly parades. " • ' During the tune the four 'members' of the Town Board were waiting for a fifth man to form a quorum, a conversation took place in reference to the continuation, of High-street. Mr. Twigg, foreman of works, stated that to form a dray-road from Mr. McLdowie's house to the end of the town boundary would cost about is 120 ; but a deviation dray-track by the side of the gully could be made for iso to £(50 ; whilst a bridle track could be formed for about £'20. To plough the road leading up to the cemetery from High-street, and to re-form it, might be done, Mr. Twigg thoxight, at a cost of about A conversation took place as to making a charge for burials, and taking some steps towards keeping the cemetery in proper order ; but of course nothing could be done, as there was not a quorum present. At the meeting of the Taranaki Land Board, held last week, the application -of Eichard Holliday to purchase allotment 73a, Block 1., Ngaire, containing 60 acres, was granted. The chairman stated 'that on the 7th May an application ior land in the Ngaire district came before the Board signed Charles Score Sanders, with the usual declaration appended to it, signed by Henry Score Sanders. The Board sold the land to Henry Score Sanders* as he Lad signed the declaration, believing that the application had been made by his brother on his behalf. At the meeting of the Board on the 10th May, an application was made for the substitution ot the name of Charles Score Sai ders for Henry Score Sanders. This was done ; and now came another application stating that the brothers wished to. hold the laud applied for conjointly. It was moved by Mr. Crompton, seconded by Mr. Syme, and carried — " That the resolutions of this Board of the 7th and 10th May granting license to Charles Score Sanders and Henry Score Sanders, r spectively, be cancelled, and that a license 7 to occupy conjointly allotment 27, block G, Ngaire, be granted to Charles Score Sanders and Henry Score Sanders." The meetings of the Town Borrl are not remarkable for their regularity. During the past two months two meetings lapsed for want of quorums. On Monday evening the ordinary monthly meeting should have been held, but fell through for lack of attendance. "When our reporter went to the board-room, he found that Mr. Cockburn was the only member up to time. Presently Mr. King dropped in, and then followed Mr. Stevenson, a few minutes afterwards. The trio waited for some time, and n.t length it was suggested that a sear h should be made for the missing members. Accordingly, Messrs. King and Wanklyn (the secretary) started in pursuit, bat they only managed to bag one of the four (Mr. Duffill). In vain did the quartette wait for a fifth man to complete the quorum, and after losing about two hour.3 our reporter left the room in' disgust, vowing that he had not dropped across such an inattentive lot of " City Fathtrs" during the whole course of his reportorial career. One good effect of an amalgamation, he thought, would be that a more regular attendance would be insured. The people of Hawera and Normanby would both see that their lepresentatives attended more regularly to their dutiesduties, too, which they voluntarily undertook to perform.

Incrediblfeas it may appear, the amount annually paid by England to foreign ■countries for onions alone considerably exceeds .£400,000.

A football match, between the A.C.'s •who have been statioued nt Waihi and Opunake, against those at Oukura and the White Cliffs, is talked of, and will prolably come off in a week or two.