NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 40, 28 August 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

We understand that the Hon. the Native Minister does not intend paying an official visit to Te Whiti.

On his return from the Plains, the Hon. Mr. Bryce will receive a deputation, who will urge the necessity of forming the road from Normanby to the Plains, recently surveyed by Mr. Skeet, jun., with as little delay as possible. The interview will probably take place on Tuesday next.

Mr. McKerrow, Secretary for Crown Lands, and Surveyor-General, after ten or twelve days' visit in this district, left by coach for Wellington on Thursday morning. He was very favorably impressed with this district, and appeared quite sanguine of the future before it.

A ball was given by the Hawei'a Quadrille Assembly on Wednesday night, at the Town Hall. There were about thirty couples present, and dancing was kept up till about four o'clock the following morning. The company thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Mr. Cowern will hold the first sale at his new yards, at Kakaramea, on Wednesday, the Bth September. A typographical error occurred in the last issue of the Stab, by which it was made to appear that the sale would take place on the 3rd September. It should have been the Bth September.

We learn that two applications were received from Hawera, at the Crown Lands Office, New Plymouth, for section 85a, block 1., and section 67, block VI., Ngaire, but were set aside as not coining within the provisions of the Act, the applicauts already holding land on deferred payment, but not contiguous to tbe sections applied for. Detached sections cannot be held by one person on terms of deferred payment. Two applications were received too late, one of them only arriving on Monday afternoon. The whereabouts of the Boylan road are not as well known as the Mountain road. When the locality was mentioned to the Hon. Mr. Bryce by a member of the deputation that waited upon him to urge the importance of metalling the Mountain road, the hon. gentleman, in a half-astonished manner, inquired ■where the Boylan road was. Mr. Hunter was equal to the occasion, for he produced a map of the distnet, and the " fog " was thus easily cleared up. Some time ago, whilst riding up the track in company with Mr. Finnerty, that gentleman informed us that the Boylan road was preferable to the continuation of the Mountain road," because the grades were very much easier. The Boylan road runs through a large portion of the Ngaire land recently sold in Hawera, and the purchasers are anxious to have it metalled, in preference to the Mountain road — that is, from Te Roti, where the Boylan road effects a junction with the Mountain road.

Parliament will probably be prorogued next week.

Dr. Lemon, Commissioner of Telegraphs, arrived in Haw. ra last evening.

The tenders for the Normanby Town Hall will close on Wednesday next.

The monthly inspection parade of the Normanby Bines will take place at 2.30 p.m. to-day.

The contractors have finished the lining and varnishing of the Town Hall, and it has quite a comfortable aj)pearance.

A meeting of residents in the Whakamara block will be lieM at seven o'clock this 6V6m»», at \lessrs. T>unton and Barnett's house, on the Ingahape road, for the purpose of electing a school committee.

Several of the Plains natives, including Titokowaru, have returned from Parihaka. The old fighting chief was seen in a " glorious state,", near Opunake, on his way back ; so we have been informed.

We are glad to be able to state that Mr. Prichard is recovering from his late severe attack of illness. There are, however, we regret to learn, two or three fresh cases of fever within the past week.

Tranter's six-chambered double-action revolvers were distributed to the cavalry yesterday. The " toys " are quite new, and were an object of curiosity, especially to outsiders, during the evening.

The negotiations for the purchase of two blocks of land near the Patea river, between Stratford and the Ngaire, have fallen through, as the natives could not make definite arrangements amongst themselves.

Miss Bligh, who attempted to commit suicide, whilst in company with the unfortunate man Henderson, has quite recovered, and took her departure from Wellington a few days ago for Christchurch, where her parents reside.

Etlwartl Hawldus, charged with embezzlement, at the Eesident Magistrate's Court, on Thursday, was remanded for a week, bail being allowed in his own recognisances of i'loo. Our report of that and the other cases is held over till next issue.

Messrs. Webster and McKellar write as follows: — "In reply to your inquiries, we have much pleasure in statiug that we have received advice of the shipment of mill machinery from New York and London. The mill will be completed so as to receive next season's grain."

The profits froni the last entertainment amount to nearly £20. The Institute has thus been freed from debt at a time when the withdrawal of the subsidies makes it very necessary that it should be so. Great credit is due to the committee, and to the ladies and gentlemen who have so kindly given their services.

One or two of the Natives who have returned f om the last Parihaka meeting state that Te Whiti, in his speech, told the Natives assembled that if the Constabulary would use their own fencing, and not his (meaning that placed across the road), on the side of the cultivations, he would not interfere with it. A telegram received yesterday from our correspondent at the camp informs us that the fencing has been recommenced atParapara, where the first contingent of the Parihaka natives were taken prisoners. There must now be about 130 of Te Whiti's own chosen people in her Majesty's gaols.

Messrs. Whittaker Brothers' handsome building had a narrow escape from fire on Wednesday night. During the eveningsome friends were assembled, and just aa they were about separating, smoke was seen to issue along the passage. Upon investigation, it was found that, through a defect in the building of the fire-place, one of the joists underneath had caught fire. Mi*. Bartlett was present, and his carpentering knowledge and cunning did a great deal towards saving the building, Had Mr. Whittaker gone to bed as early aa usual, it is probable that something very serious might have happened, not alone to his premises, but to all the buildings on the block, as the fury of the three days' gale had not spent itself at the time the fire was so luckily discovered. This occurrence points to a moral, and it is this : the necessity of having a Fire Brigade. What is technically termed a ladder-and-blanket corps might easily be formed. Time could be spared for practice, as it need not interfere with ordinary work. We, therefore, trust that the matter will be taken up without delay.

It is with feelings of regret, that we have to announce the death of Mr. Eobert Wilson, which took place at Wangauui on Wednesday last, the -cause being bronchitis and congestion of the lungs. Mr. Wilson was one of the earliest settlers in this district, and it was he who first started the Ketemarae saw-mill, which he disposed of about two years ago to Messrs Morrison Brothers, from whom the present proprietors, Messrs J. and T. Eobson, purchased it. Mr. Wilson then came to reside at Hawera, and afterwards removed to Nelson. He was the chief means of starting the saw-mill at X .karamea, and procured all the necessary plant for it. Mr. Wilson took a keen interest in local politics, and represented the Hawera Eiding in the Patea County Council, and was also a member of the Hawera Road Board. As a proof of his liberality, it might be mentioned that, whilst carrying on husiness at the Kakaramea saw-mill, he made a present to the Hawera Institute of the timber required for lining the building. He belonged to the Wesfeyan persuasion, and by his death that denomination will lose one of its most respected and liberal members. Mr. Wilson, who was father to Mrs John Douglas and Mrs T. G. L. Nicholas, was on a visit to Hawera about a week ago, and was on his way home to Washington Valley, Nelson, when he was taken bad at Wanganui, and died after a few days' illness, in his fifty-eighth year. Those who met him during his stay here say that he looked remarkably well, and appeared as if he would survive for many years to come. But strange to say, he told one of his most intimate friends that he had a presentiment that he would never get back to Nelson; but little notice was taken of the remark until his death became known. Messrs. Douglas and Nicholas (sons-in-law of the deceased) and Mr. A'Courfc, a very intimate friend of the late Mr. Wilson's, left for Wanganui yesterday to attend the funeral. There was a very general expression of regret when the news became known in Hawera, as the deceased gentleman was very much respected.

A telegram to the Wanganui Chronicle stated that there was a probability of the Property Assessment Bill being abandoned this session.

Only about 80 of the corps attended the monthly inspection parade of the Hawera Light Horse, which took place yesterday afternoon. Major Noake, the officer comnianding the district, was present, and the men were put through sword exercise for about an hour, and they appear to have improved considerably. After the parade 18 persons were sworn in. This brings the numerical strength of the corps up to about 100, so that, if considered desiiable, it can now b& divided into Wo troops ; "but in view of the poor attendance at the parades, many appear to be doubtful as to the wisdom of such a step. There can be no question as to the necessity of getting as many persons armed as possiblej-bufr we confess we have always had doubts as to the advisableness of a second troop, and on a previous occasion, as we then explained, we only deferred to the opinions of those who ought to have been more competent to form a correct judgment. It is to be hoped that the subject will receive earnest consid ration froni all who desire to see the volunteering spirit kept up, and for that purpose it might be desirable to call a general meeting of the corps, so as to get a thorough expression of opinion.