The News. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1880. NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 18, 12 June 1880, Page 2

The News. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1880. NEWS AND NOTES.

The public meeting which was called at Noi'manby, on Thursday evening, to discuss the proposal of an amalgamation with Hawera, for the purpose of forming a combined borough, had to be postponed until Thursday evening next, in consequence of the small attendance. The rain came down in torrents, and the only wonder was, that even a dozen people could be found to leave their homes on such a night. As a few people app art d to be under the impression that the advertisement convening the meeting had been inserted in the Star by somebody in Hawera, it is only fair to state that the notice was forwarded to us by Mr. C. E. Gibson, and before doing so several residents in Normanby were consulted on the matter. Indeed, the feeling in Hawera is anything but vmanimous in favor of amalgamation, and when the time comes for a public meeting, there will doubtless be strong expressions of dissent with reference to the proposal. Mr. M. D. King, as one of the committee appointed by the Town Board to make inquiries in reference to making Hawera a borough, attended the meeting. The majority of those present, however, appeared to think that the meeting should be exchisively confined to residents of Normanby, so that the whole thing might be discussed from their point of view before any steps were taken towards appointing a committee to co-operate with a similar body from Hawera. But Hawera friends had been invited to attend the meeting, and the solitary individual who came from there, and the representative of the Star, were complimented upon pluckily braving the weather on such a night. When the meeting comes off next week, we would suggest that no person living in Hawera should speak, unless specially invited by the meeting to do so.

Referring to Mr. Blackett's report on the harbor works at Timaru, and which has recently caused a burst of public indignation in that locality, the Timaru Herald says :—": — " Mr. Blackett has been altogether too zealous — and too zealous men are led into frightful mistakes. His own pro'ession blinded him. He was a railway man. The railway was his god, and he shut his eyes to aught but the railway. Unfortunately for his reputation, he closed them too closely, refusing to see anything that could possibly throw doubt or discredit an the work iia was called •QpDX> tc> Ao. Ibafc work has "been completed, but, unhappily for its creator, it is scouted by those whom he sought to please. Ministers laugh at Mr. Blackett, and will have nothing to do with his report. The Timaru breakwater is not to be blown up, and the present coast line probably will not be entirely swept away."

A musical entertainment, with lecture, will be given in the Presbyterian Church, Hawera, on Tuesday week.

It is notified by the secretary of the Town Board that unless defaulters pay their rates on or before Saturday next, the 18th instaut, their names will be published.

An election of two auditors for the Hawera Road Board will take place this day fortnight, at the school-house. Nominations must be in by 12 o'clock noon on Saturday next.

The opening match of the Normanby Rifle Association will take place at the Waihi butts on Monday next. The firing will commence at 9 a.m. ; the distances being 300, 400, and 500 yards.

The new Licensing Bill makes the fees uniform at i'4o, abolishes the bottle licenses, and applies the local option system to new houses. Mr. Hamlin has given notice of motion for a return of the correspondance between the Defence Department and Public "Works with reference to road work on the west coast of Taranaki. Over 500 persons attended a meeting in Dunediu to consider the property tax, and a resolution was carried almost unanimously in favor of a repeal of the tax, as being unsuited to the colony. At the last meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, the Town Clerk read a long and very interesting paper from Mr. C. D. Whitcombe on the iron sand as an exhibit at the Melbourne Exhibition. The Dvmedin Chamber of Commerce have earned a resolution recommending that the property tax should be repealed, an alternative proposal, that personal effects should be excluded from its operation, the schedules simplified, and the exemptions reduced to £200, being negatived. The Lyttelton Times correspondent says the rumor prevailing at close of last session, that Mr. Sheehan would join the Ministry, is renewed, and many consider it not at all improbable. It is well known that Mr. Bryce is pretty sick of the Native Department, and during the recess Mi. Sheehan has been under the direct influence of the Whitaker faction. A meeting of creditors of Mr. E. J. Cudd, draper and chothier, New Plymouth, Avas held on Monday at the Institute, for the purpose of assenting to a deed of arrangement. Mr. H. "Weston was voted to the chair. The statement of assets and liabilities was laid before the meeting, in which the liabilities were set down at £4424 15s. 10d., and the assets at £7275 Bs. 7d. The deed was assented to, and Messrs. Weston and Davies were appointed supervisors.

The negotiations which had been going on for some weeks past between Mr. L. E. Prichard and Messrs Wakefield and Hogg, of "Wanganui, for the disposal of tlje former gentleman's business in Hawera, have fallen through, and we are glad to be able to state that Mr. Prichard intends staj T ing amongst us. He is thoroughly satisfied with the future prospects of the district, and we feel confident that he will have no reason to regret remaining here, as he has made many frienilc Ctivvng his

Since the last sitting of tie Tarauaki Land Board, held on Monday, applicat'ons have been received for the following sections in the Ngaire district, which will probably be allotted at the next meeting : Block lll.— Sections 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9. Block Vll.— Sections" 2, 3, 4, and 8. The land sales in this district are progressing, but there is a general. wish expressed that bona fide settlers, as distinguished from speculators, would be successful iv obtaining holdings for themselves. To a great extent the progress of the district must depend upon the permanent occupation of the land.

The Evening Post, which is generally looked upon as a semi-offcial organ of the present Ministry, does not approve of Colonel Trimble's speech. Id says : — " The Government cannot be congratulated on the result of their choice in respect of the mover, of the Address in Reply. Colonel Trimble made a speech which, to put it mildly, can only be characterised as a most injudicious one. Nothing more calculated to provoke acrimonious debate could well be conceived, and it is much to the, credit of the Opposition members that they did not pick up the gauntlet thus obtrusively thrown down and plunge into a protra ted wordy war. If the Government enjoy much more support of this kind they may well exclaim, " Save us from our Mends !"

Among other papers laid on the table of the House of Representatives, is a copy of a letter of instruction from the Hon. the Premier to the Agent- General, referring to a reduction in that rfficer's staff, and directing that further reductions should be made with as little delay as possible. From the letter it appears that the emigration agents employed during the past year were — Mr. O. Holloway, at £150 a year ; Mr. G. M. Eeed, at i'GOO a year ; Mr. A. Clayden, at £'250 a year ; and Mr. District Judge Bathgate, at r>or >o a year, involving an expenditure of .£1350 in salaries, besides tau ellin^ and incidental expenses. The Premier expresses the wisli of the Goveri ment that this expenditure shall be redur ed as soon as possible, consistent with absolute engagements, and that a sensible reduction should be also made in the large staff employed in the London office, looking to the large diminution the suspension of emigration operations must effect in office work.

In reference to the proposed modifications in the Property Assessment Tax, the correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle telegraphed to that journal on Monday night :— " There was a caucus of Government supporters to-day, and the intentions of Government regarding the property tax were made known to those present. It is understood that the proposed modifications will tak • this shape : The exemption of personal effects, as distinguished from personal property, from which an income or profit is derived ; and the substitution of a reduced scale of exemption, together with a simplified form of collection. At the same time, it is clearly understood • that Government will not agree to arrp xaohincationa which would reduce the net proceeds of the tax, every farthing of which is absolutely needed ; and they will only consent to an extension of the exemption in the direction mentioned, conditionally on its reduction in other directions, so that the tax may not yield a less sum than that necessarily counted upon."

The following jokelet, concerning the low price of oats, is current in Canterbury agricultural circles : — A farmer went into an hotel the other to have a drink. After putting away bis liquor he poised the glass in the air and intently gazing at it, mornfully remarked : '* Another half bushel of oats gone."

One of the defeated auditors for Wellington city thus unbosoms himself to the electors :—": — " You have rejected me for the office of city auditor. I thank you ; because, had I been elected, I am certain that I should have made more enemies than friends. At the same time, I would wish to record my thanks to the 149 electors who voted for me. — Charles H. Ellaby."

The following quaint advertisement appeared in Saturday's issue of our Carlyle contemporary :—": — " To the ratepayers of Carlyle, — Please accept my sincere thanks for the very liberal and faithful manner in which you rallied around me at the polling yesterday. Next time I solicit your support, I trust it will be as councillor or mayor. — Faithfully yours, Sam. Taplin. Carlyle, June 4."

The residents in the Whakamara block are go-ahead folk. They have worked hard in getting roads made through the bush, and now we learn with pleasure that efforts are to be made to get a school erected. We are informed that there is a sufficient number of children in the block to justify a school building being put up, and we trust that the Education Board will " help those who have helped themselves." The settlers of Whakamara have certainly done so.

Dr. Wallis aspires to be the wag of the House (remarks the Wellington Chronicle) . He is a sly dog, and he knows it. It is not sufficient for him that the Government benevolently send a steamer to Auckland to bring him down to Wellington — where, if speaking has anything to do with it, he undoubtedly earns his " honorarium " — but he objects to the bunk which worthy Captain Fairchild allotted to him, and actually, in the most childish manner, devoted a quarter of an hour to relating his woes. It is, no doubt, interesting to the general public to know that Dr. Wallis was sea-sick — ill-natured people wish that the mal de nier lasted during the session — and that he was placed " too near the keel," but the taxpayers who pay for Dr. Wallis' whistle have reasonable ground for protesting against so garrulous and absurd an old gentleman.

In the Legislative Council, last week, the Hon. Mr. Whitaker moved the first reading of a Bill to m ike Provision for Native Eeserves, a Bill to prevent Improvident Dealings and Frauds upon the Alienation of Land by Natives, a Bill to repeal certain Acts relating to Native Lands, a Bill to extend the Jurisdiction of the Native Lands Court in the Estate of Deceased Natives, and a Bill to amend and consolidate the law relating to the Native Land Court. He explained that it was contemplated to place the Native Land Court on a footing similar to that occupied by the ordinary law courts, making it independent of the Executive. The Attorney- General pointed out that there would be three Bills on kindred subjects "which would come up from the oth r Chamber. The whole eight Bills might be put into one code, and would comprise the entire law on the subject of native lands. The five Bills were then read a first time.

A correspondent states that the following incident occurred not a hundred miles from Invercargill some years ago : — A thrifty, but near-sighted, Scotch woman went into a bank in the place. Inside the counter thtre happened to be an elderly gentleman, who was employed as clerk. Time had dealt ruthlessly with his " flowing locks," with the exception oitwo small patches, which grew in rather a bushy fashion around the tars. He had just come in from dinner, and turned to read something on a high desk in front of him, his hands in his coat pockets, and his back turned to Jeanette. The old lady, like a good many more quid wives, was of a rather inquisitive turn of mind, and after a good look at the gentleman referred to, she exclaimed : " Guidness ! how ha 1 ye lost yer nose ?" Thus addressed in a rather unceremonious fashion, the man of gold and silver turned round towards his interrogator, which had the effect of startling the old lady, and in tremulous accents she ejaculated, " Gude preserve us ! The man he ha' gotten twa faces." Accordingly, she left iv haste for the other bank across the street, and inquiring for the manager, a bland gentleman came aud invited her into his room. " Eh, Meister Mau-a-ger, but I had a most awfu' fricht. Auld Nick, he ha' ta'en possession of that ither bank. I just saw a mon wi' twa faces inside the counter." Our correspondent vouches for the accuracy of this rather good story, and, although it happened some years ago, it is certainly worth recording afresh.