WEDNESDAY, 11th AUGUST, 1880. NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 35, 11 August 1880, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, 11th AUGUST, 1880.

NEWS AND NOTES.

The latest news from the camp is to the effect that the fencing across the road is still earned on, hut is as quickly taken away by the A. C.'s, aria placed on the sides of the cultivation^ A telegram, dated New Plymouth, August 9, in the "Wanganui Chnonicle of yesterday says: — " The natives have stopded fencing, none having come down since Friday last. It is not known yet whether the natives have left off fencing by Te "Whites order, or ■whether they have refused to he made fools of any longer, seeing that 70 of them have been sent away." [Since the above was put in type, we learn from a gentleman, just returned from the camp, that two more arrests were made on Monday. Some of the natives say that the only waythat matters can b : settled will be by the Governor going in person to Parihaka. There are no natives left at Otakeo, and only two or three at Opoua and Kaupokonui; whilst at Oeo only Hone Piharna is left, his wife and daughters having gone to Parihaka. A valuable horse belonging to Mr. Quinlivan got into the cultivations, and one of its legs was severely wounded, as if from the blow of an axe, although some were of opinion that it might have been caused by a kick from another hoi'se. A good substantial road is being made all the way, and drain-pipes are being put in the culverts in large quantities. Major Tuke's men are gravelling as they come along, so that we shall have a good road to New Plymouth in a short time. The men at Major Goiing's camp are going on with their work just as if no arrests were taking place, about 20 of them being told off to do the arrests whenever necessary.]

At the request of our numerous Mends, we have altered our mind since the last publication of the Star, and intend issuing it as heretofore. We have received another poet card from Mr. Charles Allen, which we shall also be glad to hand over to the subscribers for the frame. The contents are as follow : — " Normanby, Saturday, August 7/80. Sir — You so suitably occupy • Cowards Castle,' and may pervert, subvert, and suppress, that I decline controversy with such as you. — Charles Allen." We know of only one editor in all Christendom (and we are even doubtful of him), who would care about entering into a controversy with Mr. Charles Allen, and that is, the Editor of the Police News.

The Otago hounds, which were to meet this afternoon at Patea, will not do so until to-morrow, in consequence of some accident having occurred. On Monday a start will be made at Hawera from Lloyd's Hot 1, immediately after dinner. Already, coats and spurs, and jackboots, and all varieties of hunting costumes are being got in readiness for the event, which is looked forward to with a good deal of interest.

The proceedings at the last sitting of the County Council were of such a longwinded nature, that the representatives of the two county journals took leave of the meeting, long before the members did. We find that Mr. Moore Hunter gave notice of motion to the following effect before the close of the meeting :—": — " That this council take over that part of the Mountain road beginning at the junction with the county road, and ending at the commencement of the bush." We have no doubt that the motion will be carried. All the members can see the injustice of leaving the . Hawera-Normanby road in its present deplorable condition, and most of them expressed a wish to see it repaired.

We were very much surprised to hear that another meeting of the Normanby School Committee had been held, without any intimation whatever having been sent to our office. In most districts, school committees and other public bodies are only too pleased to have the representatives of the local papers at their meetings, and why it should be different at Normanby we are quite at a loss to understand. One of the committee (Mr. McDowall) during a visit to Hawera on Monday, informed us that a meeting was held on Saturday night, at which there were present — Messrs. Quin (chairman), Richardson, Gibson, Hunger, Sisley, and McDowall. Mr. Hill having sent in his resignation, the committee proceeded to elect a successor. An application was received for the office from Mr. McCutchan, who was strongly recommended by the chairman, and his appointment was approved of by all the members of the committee, with the exception of Mr. McDowall, who contended that the matter would have to be dealt with by the Education Board, and that the committee had no power whatever to elect a teacher. We believe Mr. McCutchan to be a very eligible and capable gentleman, but we are inclined to take the same view of the matter as Mr. McDowall. If we mistake

not, the Act says that the committee "may recommend" the appointment of a teacher to the Education Board ; but so far as we are aware, they have no authority whatever for appointing a teacher.

The estate of the late Hon. Nathaniel Edwards, M.L.C., is said to be worth £140,000.

The natives are still going to Paribaka. Every day buggies and horsemen can be seen riding towards this Mecca of the Maoris.

The meeting of residents in the Ngaire district, for the purpose of electing commissioners to the proposed road board, will be held on Tuesday, the 24th instant, at Brett and Johnston's hotel, Normanby.

At a private meeting of Mr. T. Rogers's creditors, held yesterday at Owen's Hotel, it was resolved that an extension of time should be given, as Mr. Rogers stated that he hoped in a short time to be able to meet his liabilities.

The surveys on the Plains are going ahead without the least interference. There are conflicting rumors as to when the laud is likely to be offered for sale, but from reliable sources we learn that it will not be before the Ist of October.

The quadrille assembly, which had to be postponed last week in consequence of repairs to the Town Hall, will be resumed this evening. A ball will blso take place in about a fortnight hence. One result of the early closing movement is, that our young men have a little more time for enjoyment.

The Royal Commissioners, in thenfinal report, recommend that the couutry lying between Waitotara and Stoney river should be constituted a separate land district. The suggestion does not appear to be a bad one, but in these days of rigid economy we are doubtful whether the recommendation will be acted on.

The English mail, via San Francisco, closes at Hawera at 7 a.m. to-morrow. The latest time for registering letters and obtaining money orders will be 4 p.m. to-day.

Bartzutsky, gnnmaker, was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Napier, last week, with a breach of the Arms Act, in selling 1 a large quantity of ammunition ■without a permit, a»d was rem&nAei, pending preferment of other charges o£ s elling to natives.

The second concert in aid of the Institute has been deficitely fixed for Tuesday next, and as there will be moonlight, a large number of our country friends will be able to enjoy the entertainment. A very successful practice was held on Monday evening. There will be quite a novelty at the next concert, in the shape of a new musical instrument, which Mr. Whittaker intends introducing.

We understand that the proceedings at the last meeting of the Road Board were unusually lively. " Liar," and other like terms of a parliamentary character, were rather freely used. Our reporter was unwell, and we have had to copy what appears from, the secretary's minute-book. It seems a pity that common-sense men cannot do practical work, and do the best they can for their particular districts, withou'u bringing parliamentary practices into the board-room. We would ask them, in a homely sort of way — " Is the game worth the candle ?" We should rather think not.

The Hinemoa left the roadstead at New Plymouth, at 8 o'clock on Friday morning, with forty-four Maori prisoners. These (observes the News) with the twenty-six taken on a former occasion, make a total number of seventy prisoners deported. Fresh prisoners are coming in at the rate of four per day, rendering another visit of the Hinemoa necessary.

Two important discoveries of coal have been made in the Middle Island during the past week. A landlip on the face of one of the hills close abutting on the Picton harbor, has revealed a 14 foot seam of good merchantable brown coal, which, when tested, proved to have fair steaming qualities. Two new seams of coal were discovered at Malvern Hill, in Canterbury, which were respectively nine feet and three feet thick.

Our district (remarks the Taranaki News) is not what some would make the world believe — an old and effete region, whose virgin power of fecundity has long since been exhausted — but a province whose resources are only on the eve of development, and which manifests signs of inexhaustibili I th t

ty. . . . n c eas, crn portions of oar province, or impinging on our northern boundary, there are open lands of a very extensive character, whose excellency, combined ■with extent, throw the Waimate Plains into the shade. In a very few years these inland plains will be open to British enterprise, they will be connected with New Plymouth, and New Plymouth will be the port at which their exports will be shipped and their imports landed.

At the meeting of the Land Board, held last week, an application was received from three men belonging to the Public Works Contingent, for permission to occupy sections 2, 4, and 6, block 37, Opunake township, subject to regulations, until such time as they were offered for sale ; but that, if they could be purchased on deferred payments, it would suit the applicants better. The Chief Commissioner said that nothing could he done in the matter, as the Government had not removed the restrictions from the sale of lands at Opunake. On the motion of Mr. Standish, seconded by Mr. Crompton, the chairman was instructed to write to the Governor, recommending that sections in the township be offered for sale.

The Wanganui Herald is very severe on the Railway Commission, and we quite agree with our contemporary's remarks as to the helter-skelter manner in which the commission went through the country- Our contemporary states that the Stratford-Hawera section wall not even pay working expenses, and accuses the commission of suppressing the truth as to the section between Waverley and Hawera. Of course, we need hardly remark that we should very much like to see the whole of the line gone on with immediately, but we must recognise the state of the public purse. It is a very old saying that " you cannot knock blood out of a stone," and neither can you extract hundreds of thousands of sovereigns from an empty exchequer. We entirely disagree with our contemporary as to the Sfcratford-Hawera section not paying working expense?.'' We believe that it will be the means of opening up a very large trade between this district and Auckland and New Plymouth, and that it will pay handsomely. That is the opinion of most of the settlers here, but, of course, they may be_ wrong in holding such views. '-In a short time, we hope 1 to be able to prove that our views are right.

Wellington has lost one of her best citizens in the person of Mr. George Hunter, who died on Friday last. Mr. Hunter represented the city for many years in the House of Representatives, and took an active interest in every public movement. There was scarcely anything with which his name was not connected, from life insurance to racing clubs. He was a man of unostentatious charity, and was quite an enthusiast in farming and cattle-breeding.

The last Friday of the month (telegraphs the correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle) is reported to be the day for prorogation, but by the end of the month any way, if it can be managed. A Cabinet meeting to-day decided that all Government officers in receipt of salaries, pay, and wages (that is the working) are to be reduced 10 per cent., the reduction dating from the first of the present month. A circular to this effect was telegraphed all over the colony on Monday evening. Since then, however, another Cabinet meeting has been held to rediscuss the matter, and, though the result is not yet known, it is thought probable that the Government will endeavor to effect the same saving by the abolition of some of the higher offices, and amalgamation of others. The Government printers have threatened to strike in a body if they are reduced according to the first circular. Telegraphists are not at all satisfied with late arrangements, and in all probability a number will take themselves off to other colonies and the United States of America.