NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 20, 19 June 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Mr. Wilkinson, who was formerly in the Treasury Department, Wellington, has been temporarily appointed Clerk of the Court for this district, and arrived in Hawera yesterday. Mr. Wilkinson will also combine the duties of Registrar with that of Clerk of Court.- This will be a very great convenience to the settlers, many of whom have had to travel about forty miles, and over bad roads, in order to comply with the Registration Act.

A telegram from the A.C. camp at Kaikahu to the Press Association says :—: — " Ten drays loaded with flour, tea, sugar, &cc, and also many natives stayed at Whitiora last night, on their way to Parihaka. Twenty drays similarly loaded have arrived at Parihaka from Ngatiaina, uortli of New Plymouth. A large ine-.t-ing is anticipated, in consequence of this month being the anniversary of the arrest of the political ploughmen."

The Wanganui Steeplechase meeting takes place to-day. According to the sporting contributor (who has been, according to his own statement, a correct "tipster" on preAjious occasions) the Grand National lays between The General, Abolition, and Otawa^ with King Don, Venture, and Eclipse well up. For the Maiden, Black Prince, Kangaroo, and Eclipse are fancied ; and in the Grand Stand Steeplechase, " King Don, Hard Times, and Venture look best on paper."

On Wednesday next the sections thrown open for sale on deferred payments in the Ngaire district, for which two or more applications were received, will be submitted to auction, at ihe Town Hall, Hawera, commencing at 11 o'clock. On the Saturday following, the sections in the Moa, Manganui, and Huiroa districts, will be put up for competition at the Crown Lands Office, -New Plymouth. Sections in the toAvns of Inglewood and Raleigh will also be offered for sale on the same day at New Plymouth.

Hawera must surely, be looking up. There will be two nmsical entertainments during the ensuing week ; and there will be also two land sales and a cattle sale. Of course, comparisons are "odorous," and we only mention them together as an evidence of what some people regard as a return to those " better times," which a conteinpoaary so patiently waited for. A very pleasing entertainment is anticipated on Tuesday evening at the Presbyterian Church ; and the committee of the Institute have been very agreeably surprised by the hearty response which they have received from local vocalists for their entertainment, which takes place on the following evening, at the Town Hall. We hope to see very large attendances on both occasions. Such things as entertainments of the class referred to are sadly needed in small communities like ours, and those who render assistance are deserving of the best thanks of the public.

It was a very common remark at one time that shoemakers never had good boots, tailors good suits of clothes, or editors good pens. Latterly, people have gone a little further, and we hear it said that doctors or chemists seldom or never take medicines, and insurance agents are the last to insure either their lives or their properties. For some time past Mr. McGuire has been agent for the Accident Insurance Company, and although he " carried his life in his hand " (as the " Special " once stated in reference to his own wanderings on the Plains), yet it was only a few weeks ago that lie bethought himself of insuring against such a common every-day occurrence as an accident. Probably, he would not have done so then, had he not been' an eye-witness of three or four futile attempts which the Government steamer Hinemoa made to land at Opunake. That settled the matter, and Mr. McGuire immediately paid M into the Accident Insurance Company, for which he is agent. The company, in return for this sum, guarantee to pay £3 10s a week for half-a-year in case of accident, and in the event of anything fatal happening, i'soo is promised to the heirs and executors. Mr. McGuire had not long insured before he was made aware that it was a wise precaution ; for on Tlmrsday last, whilst leading his horse with a rope, the animal became restive, and tried hard to break loose. A knot at the i.nd caught between the fingers of the I'i^ifc Jmml, and, as khe horse ti-aveiied. along at a rapid pace round the 2'addock, Mr. McGuh-e has causj to be thankful that nothing more serious than a nasty wrench happened.

We have been informed that the Opu- ! nake Hotel has been leased by Mr. Bartlett to a gentleman from Nelson. Nominations for two auditors for the Hawera Road Board will close at noon to-day, at the Hawera school-house. We have to acknowledge the receipt of two or three batches of Parliamentary papers, and three numbers of " Hansard," from Mr. Didsbury, Government Printer. Mr. Fred. Osterling has opened a very neat hair-cutting, shaving, and shampooing saloon, opposite Prosser's Hawera Hotel. At the next meeting of the Road Board, to be held this day fortnight, it is proposed to strike a rate of fourpence in the £, in accordance with a resolution passed at last meeting. Dr. Richards has taken up his residence in Hawera, and may be consulted on and after Monday next at Mr. Prichard's chemist's shop, from 9 to 10 a.m., and 7 to 8 p.m. Mr. Robert Wilson, of Rangitikei, agent for the executors of the late Mr. W. B. Rhodes, has arrived in this district, and will wait upon the tenants on the late Mr. Rhode's property in and around Hawera. On Thursday next Mr. W. M. Thomson will hold a sale of town and country properties, and ten shares in the Hawera Town Hall will also be offered for sale. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns. The usual monthly parade of the Hawera Light Horse will take place at 2.30 p.m. on Friday ; and the Novnianby Rifles at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. The glory of the Hawera Rifles has departed : they are no longer advertised to parade before their commanding officer. Mary and Elizabeth Middlemas, daughters of Messrs. Andrew and Thomas Middlemas, have received certificates from the Education Board for the most regular attendance. They were not absent one single day that the school was open during the past year. Our local teacher, Mr. Mair, has passed his examination in elementary science, which was the subject chosen by him. The following teachers also passed in the subjects required to complete their former examinations : — Messrs. H. H. Dyer, Carlyle ; R. T. Brown, Kakaramea ; and C. W. Lee, late teacher at Manutahi. There will be a large sale to-day, at the Town Hall, of surplus canteen stores, which will be offered to public competition by Mr. W. M. Thomson, acting under instructions from Mr. McGuire. The office furniture and fittings belonging to Mr. McGuire will also be sold by auction today. A meeting of residents in the Whakamara Block will be held at Messrs. Dunton and Barnett's residence on Saturday evening next, at seven o'clock, for the purpose of taking steps towards erecting a school-house. That is certainly a healthy sign of the progress which the settlers have made. We have been requested to state that the reason for holding the entertainment in aid of the Institute at such an early date has been in consequence of the Government land sale taking place on Wednesday, and it is expected that a large attendance will thus be secured on that night. The p ogramme is a very good one, and will be found elsewhere. Mr. A. C. Fookes, of New Plymouth, announces that good level sections, varying from 35 to 230 acres, near Midhurst and Waipuku, may be had from him on more liberal terms than those offered by the Government. Full particulars can be obtained from Mr. James Davidson, storekeeper, who will be happy to show the conditions of sale to intending purchasers. The names of defaulting ratepayers will be published, if they do not " stump up " to-day. There are times when it is a pleasurable sensation to see one's name in print, but as there are certain exceptions, and as the one referred to is one of them, the Town Board secretary's office will doubtless be rushed to-day by persons anxious to escape from the threatened thunderbolt. Mr.. J. Cunningham, secretary of the Hawera Football Club, has received a challenge from the Patea Football Club, for a match to be played at Hawera next Saturday. The challenge will be accepted, and an exciting contest may be anticipated. To-day the match, Town v. Country, will commence at two o'clock sharp. All players should be on the ground at that time.

Mr. Johnston, Secretary to the Marine Department, has forwarded the following reply to Messrs. Breach, Bartlett, and McGuire, in reference to their application for a surf" boat and outhaul buoy at Opunake :—": — " lam directed by the Minister having charge of the Marine Department, to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 22nd ult., in which you ask that a surf boat and outhaul buoy be supplied to Opunake ; and in reply am directed to inform you that lie has consulted with Captain Fairchild thereon, and that he reports that the surf boat at present at Opunake is sufficient for the requirements 5 of the place, and that he hopes to be able to pick up the moorings of and relay the outhaul buoy the next time he goes to Opuuake."

The billiard handicap match was concluded on Wednesday night at Prosser's Hotel. In the second draw, the following were paired off — Lloyd v. Carroll ; Heaphy v. Murray; Parrington v. Prosser ; O'Connor being the odd man. Heaphy and Murray played off on Monday night, and the former won by 14 points. Carroll beat Lloyd by 85 points, and Prosser beat Parrington by 19 points ; neither of the vanquished played anything at all up to their usual standard. In the third draw, O'Connor, who was pitted against Heaphy, beat the latter by twc points, much to the surprise of the bystanders ; and Carroll { beat Prosser easily by 37 points. In the final combat for first place, the game was anything but an even one, Carroll beating O'Connor easily by 20 points. Prosser aud Heaphy then played for third place. The latter, at the start, appeared very confident of victory, but he played "flukey" throughout, and Prosser had the game all his own way, winning by 26 points. The prize money was distributed as follows: — Carroll (first), £5 ; O'Connor (second), £1 7s. 6d. ; Prosser (third), £1. Another handicap match will come off at Lloyd's Empire Hotel on Friday and Saturday next, particulars of whick will he found in our advertising columns. The handicapping in the late contest was, with one or two exceptions, very good indeed, and Messrs. Cunningham and Wanklyn deserve to be complimented.

A general meeting of members of the Hawera Gun Club will be held on Saturday next, at 7 p.m., at Owen's Egmont Hotel, for the purpose of discussing and adopting rules.

The usual fortnightly sitting of the Hawera Resident Magistrate's Court, which should have been held on Thursday last,- had to be adjourned, in consequence of Mr. Wray's absence in Wellington.

A meeting of the Hawera School Committee was held on Wednesday evening. Pres nt — Mr. T. Middlemas (chairman), Rev. Mr. Torry, and Messrs. McLean, Syrne, and McCutchan. The resignation of the chairman, and that of Mr. Andrew Middlemas, was laid upon the table, and, on the motion of the Rev. Mr. Torry, the resignations of both gentlemen were accepted. Mr. McLean moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. T. Middlemas, for his past services, and for the interest he had taken in the school for a very long period. The motion was unanimously passed, and the Rev. Mr. Torry was then appointed chairman pro tern. A letter was read from the teacher, Mr. Mair, stating that one of the pupils, Wm. Douglas, had passed the sixth standard, and was anxious to enter as a cadet. It was agreed to transmit the matter to the Education Board, with a request that it should be sanctioned by them. An account for repairs to the building by Mr. Syrne was passed for payment, and ordered to be sent to the Board, with a request that it should be paid from the building fund.