NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 21, 23 June 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The demand still continu s for land in the Ngaire district. Mr. Whitcombe, Crown Lands Commissioner, informs us that he is still receiving applications for sections in Blocks 1., V., and VI., and that sections 11 and 12 of Block 111. went off last week. V sterday a gentleman from Auckland, accompanied by a Iriend, called at our office, asking for information about land up the Mountain track. Indeed, there is seldom a day passes but visitors, in search of vnral land, can be seen passing to and fro. Our Land Board should take every possible opportunity of secin> ing such settlers for the district. The request made by Mr. Isaac Bayly, at the public meeting on Saturday evening, that a certain portion of the proceedings should not be reported by the Press, because of the assumed offensiveness of some of the remarks to the people of New [ Plymouth, is a thing almost unheard of, and we must say that it was the first time we ever heard such a request made. At meetings of local bodies, matters, which are of a confidential nature, sometimes crop up, and the reporters are frequently asked not to publish them, and the request is almost invariably complied with. Even at public meesings, reporters often exercise their own discretion, and words which are spoken in the heat of the moment are not infrequently allowed to perish still-born ; but to dictate to a reporter what he shall, or shall not, publish at a public meeting is something approaching to an insult, and we trust that we shall never again hear such a request preferred either in Hawera or any place else.

Mr. Humphries, chief surveyor, will pay a visit to Oeo to-day, in connection with the surveys which are now going on. j Messrs. James McCutchan and Gilbert Pearce were the only persons nominated as auditors to the Hawera Road Board ; consequently, they have been declared duly elected. After the parade of the Hawera Light Horse, on Friday next, there will be a general meeting, for the pu pose of electing a finance committee and secretary to the corps. There will be a parade of the Hawera Light Horse at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, and on Satnrday the Normanby Rifles will turn out nt the same hour. The Hawera Itiftcs — "Where are they ? Echo answers, "Where?" We have received a communication, signed " The Wandering Idiot," but as the author, has not sent us his name, we cannot publish it. Correspondents should always send their names, not, if they so wish it, for publication, but as a mark of good faith. Sir G. Grey's Rill for the Repeal of the Property Tax was ordered to be read that day six months by a majority of 41 to 29. As the Government treated the Bill as a want of no-confidence, it shows that the small majority of last session has swelled into a large one. The football match, Carlyle versus Hawera, will be played on Saturday afternoon on the Cricket Ground. Local players are pretty confident of victory, whilst there is a similar feeling amongst their opponents, so that an exciting contest may fairly be expected. Play will commence at two o'clock sharp, and every player ought to be at his post before that hour. The following are the names of the Haw ra team : — Adainson, S., Adamson, W., Baddeley, R., Baddeley, F., Bayly, G., Cavanagh, Goodwin, Green, Heaphy, Lukis, Lysaght, Mason, Skeet, Skinner, Willy, G.,'and Wolner. The committee appointed by the public meeting on Saturday night have lost no time in preparing the petitions. A meeting was held on Monday afternoon, and, in accordance with the resolutions, three petitions were drafted. They have been placed in the hands of Messrs. McCntchau, who will be happy to receive signatures from settlers around Hawera. It is probable that a canvass will be made through the district, in order that every person may have an opportunity of attaching his signature to the petitions. The resolutions have been printed, and copies of them have been forwarded to the Government, and to the members of both Houses of Parliament. We have much pleasure in stating that the first steps have been taken towards forming a Philharmonic Society in Hawera. After the rehearsal of the entertainment in aid' of the Institute, on Friday evening last, a meeting was held, at which 25 to 30 ladies and gentlemen were present. Mr.- King proposed, and Mr. Parrington seconded, " That those present form themselves into a society, to be called the .' Hawera Philharmonic Society.' " The motion was carried unanimously, and a provisional committee was appointed to draw up rules, to be submitted to a future meeting, to be held on Tuesday next. The' following gentlemen consented to act Jn the committee :—: — Messrs. Dixon, R- Dmgle, King, Parrington, and Whittakev. We wish the new society every success. We are informed that the attention of the Government has been called to the present position and operations of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, and the intervention of the Government has been invoked to restrain the Board from proceeding any further with the proposed new plans, and from paying the liabilities incurred. We understand that the grounds upon which this application is made are that the Harbor Board has abandoned the plans prepared by Sir John Coode, approved by the Engineer-in-chief, and sanctioned by his Excellency the Governor in Council, in pursuance of the New Plymouth Harbor Board Ordinance 1875 Amendment Act, 1877, the sanction of which plans was a condition precedent for raising the fuudsaiow in the hands of the Board. It is alleged that the Board cannot lawfully appropriate the harbor funds towards carrying out any plans other than those already sanctioned by the Governor in Council, without a special Act of Parliament, as the Harbors Act, 1878, provides that no breakwater, after the passing of that Act, shall be constructed without a special Act, with the exception that when any Harbor Board has expended money in preparing plans, the Act shall not apply, if such plans, within four months of the coming into operation of this Act (Ist Nov., 1878), are forwarded for the approval of the Gevernor in Council. Had the New Plymouth Harbor Board forwarded their plans on or before the Ist March, 1879, the Governor in Council might perhaps have had authority to approve the same ; but it seems quite clear that the plans recently passed by the Board will have to be sanctioned by Parliament. We need hardly remind our readers that there will be a musical and literary entertainment this evening, at the Town Hall, in aid of the Institute. A long and varied programme has been prepared, and the ladies and gentlemen who have so kindly tendered their services have been very regular in their attendance at rehearsals. On Friday and Monday evenings two very successful practices were held, and if the public performances be as good as the private ones have been, a pleasant evening will be spent at the Town Hall. In connection with the rehearsals, some complaints have been made, in consequence of the readingroom having been given up to the performers. Those who are so ready at complaining would do well to remember that there is still a debt of £4.0 or £50 on the Institute ; that this debt has been incurred in order to render the building comfortable for the public ; and that the proceeds of Wednesday evening's entertainment, and the others which are to follow, are to be devoted towards clearing off that debt. If the rehearsals were held at the Town Hall, there would be a considerable sum to be deducted from the net proceeds, which can be saved by holding them in the Institute. We grant that it would suit the public convenience better to have the rehearsals at the Town Hall ; but those for whose comfort the entertainments are got up ought reasonably to put up with a little inconvenience, until such time, at all events, as the debt on the building i* wiped off.

The meeting of residents at Whakamara, called for Saturday evening, has been postponed for the present. Monday last was the shortest day in the year, and was the fourth anniversary j of the death of the late Agent-Ganeral for the colony, Dr. Featherston. Amongst the passengers by the Wangamu coach yesterday was Mr. Hamlin, M.H.R. for Franklin. We understand that the hon. gentleman has come here on purely private business. Mr. King received a telegram yesterday from Mr. Gibson, stating that the Committee appointed at the public meeting held at Nornianby last week, would be ■willing to confer fco-Moirow evening with the committee from the Hawera Town Bo rd. That is something like practical work. We were shown a telegram recived from New Plymouth yesterday, stating that the amount actually spent up to date, in harbor works, was i'dß,ooo. We were informed that the expenses incurred by Mr. Rees are not included in that sum, so that, if the proposed alterations are assented to by Parliament, i' 38,000 will be utterly lost. A very pleasing entertainment, consisting of musical selections and readings, was given at the Hawera Presbyterian Church last cv ning, and there was a fair attendance, considering that the weather was cold and chilly. The entertainment having been given the night previous to publication, precludes our giving a detailed notice, which we very much regret. Captain Lukis, of the Hawera Light Horse, has received a circular from Mr. F. Steveus, secretary of the New Zealand Rifle Association, stating that it will be necessary to elect a member to the council of the associrtion during the present month. Last year very few districts wre represented, but Mr. Steveus hopes such will not be the case this time, and that gentlemen will be elected who will take an interest in furthering the association. A resolution has been passed, asking for an annual subscription of five guineas from each corps to the funds of the association, and it is stated that A'Blo was distributed in prizes last year, and upwards of this year. Alter careful inquiries, we have learned that the portion of the road which the Maoris have lately persisted in fencing was sown down with wheat some time ago. The natives asked Te Whiti what they should do, and he advised them to continue their work, as they were on the ground first. The Constabulary, however, have carried the road through, and a telegram received yesterday afternoon, from our correspondent at the camp, informs iis that the Ngakuniikunii camp has been shifted on to the disputed portion. That looks like business. There is no vacillation now, like there used to be. The Wanganni Steeplechase meeting came off on Saturday, and was largely attended. There were several "spills," but none of them were very serious, with one exception, young Chamberlain, being so badly hurt that he could not leave the ground without assistance. The Handicap Steeplechase, of 175 soys., for which fourteen started, was won by Higgie's King Don, Keith's Ada second, and Jackson's Old Ireland third. The Maiden Steeplechase, of 75 soys., was won by McAllister's Eclipse, Scott's Abolition second, and Desmond's 'Kangaroo third. The Grand Stand Steeplechase, of 50 soys., was won by Mclvor's Grey Monius, Keith's Hard Times second, and Davis's Matau third. The Consolation Handicap, of 30 soys., was won by Mclvor's Loch Lomond, Keith's Venture second, and Davis's Matau thn'd. ■ A change has at length been made in the coaching arrangements. The coach which comes here from Kai Iwi will stop at Normanby for the night, and will start at eight o'clock the following morning, arriving in Hawera an hour later. It is to be hoped that the small coach will soon commence to run between Normanby and Stratford. It was only last week we were informed that some ladies, who were on a visit to New Plymouth, preferred returning in a bullock-dray from Stratford, rather than trust themselves on horseback on the Mountain road ; and a gentleman and his wife also walked from Normanby to Stratford last week, for the same reason. The time for closing the mails has, of course, been altered in consequence of the arrangements referred to. The mails will close at Hawera, for the south, at 8 a.m., Instead of 11 a.m., and for the north at 2.30 p.m., instead of 1.15 p.m. The mails will close at Normanby, both for the north and south, at 7 p.m. every evening. i This will be a great week for auction sales. To-day, commencing at 11 a.m., the Government Land Sale will take place at the Town Hall. On the following day, at 2 p.m., Mr. W. Murray Thomson will hold a large sale of town and country properties, full particulars of which are given in our advertising columns. On Saturday the sections in the Moa, Manganni, and Huiroa districts, for which two or more applications have been received, will be put up to competition at New Plymouth between the different applicants by Mr. Whitcombe, Commissioner of Crown Lands ; and on the same day town sections iv Inglewood and Raleigh will be offered for sale. On Friday Mr. Jackson will hold his usual monthly sale of stock, &c, at Hawera. On the present occasion the sale is attracting more than the usual amount of attention, in consequence of Mr. Middlemas's stock, a good portion of which is nearly pure-bred, being included in the lots to be offered for competition. On Saturday Mr. W. M. Thomson will dispose of a large quantity of fruit trees, pines, shrubs, &c, from the well-known nursery of Mr. J. Mitchinson, New Plymouth, and also from Mr. Roper's Hawera Nursery. Those who are possessed of what is vulgarly termed " ready cash " will have lots of opportunities of investing it during this week. Some idea of the extent of the tramway system in London may be formed from the fact that upwards of 70 miles of lines have now been opened, and 18& miles additional, making together 88£ miles. Sick headache can often be greatly relieved, and sometimes entirely cured, by the application of a mustard-plaster at the base of the neck. The plaster should not be be kept on more than a quater of an hour. . . '

A gentleman from Taranaki informs us that Friday's mails troru Wanganui did not reach New Plymouth until yesterday morning, and he states that there are many complaints as to the' way the service has been perform d lately. Mr. Freeman R. Jackson has, we understand, negotiated the sale of Mr. Andrew Middlenias's property. The purchaser is Mr. Jonah Iredale, of Napier, who is a brother ef the two gentlemen who recently purchased Mr. T. Middlemas's land.