NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 53, 13 October 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Manaia is now in telegraphic communication with Hawera and New Plymouth.

Mr. Gray's new bakery at Normanby is in working order, and the brickwork of Mr. Robinson's new oven, at the rear of Mr. England's store, is finished, and baking will soon be commenced. Mr. Eagles is still at his post ; so that with three bakeries, no person hi the vicinity of Normanby should need bread — except, of course, the bakers.

There were about thirty present ah the parade of the Hawera Light Hors-e on Saturday afternoon. Those who took part in the competition for the Officers' Cup, in the morning, are also entitled to count their attendance as if they were at the parade. The men were under the command of Captain Lukis, who put them through a course of carbine drill for nearly an hour.

During Mr. Bluck's visit to Normanby and Hawera, he informed some of the storekeepers that the freight from the Manukau to the Waitara had been reduced to 12s 6d per ton by some of the trading steamers. If Wellington and Wanganui merchants wish to do as large a trade with this district as they have hitherto, steps will have to be taken for still further cheapening the freights to Patea.

The Auckland merchants are determined to secure a share of the business to be done in this district. They have decided upon building a new steamer, capable of carrying 40 head of cattle and 400 sheep, to trade between the Manukau ami the Waitara. There will also be saloon accommodation for 40 passengers, which, we should imagine, will be more than sufficient for some time to come. Mr. T. Bayly and other well-known graziers have been asked to become shareholders, and as these gentlemen will probably consent to do so, the commercial success of the new venture will be almost a certainty, if all goes well, so far as navigation is concerned.

Mr. John Twigg, Foreman of Works, and Messrs. Robson and Morrison, Commissioners of the Hawera Eoad Board, paid a visit to the lower portion of the Ngaire Block on Saturday ; but the only settler who accompanied them was Mr. T. Mabey. Mr. Twigg states that some of the roads will be rather difficult to make, two of them above th • Mangawhero z-equiring bridges. A special meetin" of the Road Board will be held on Saturday to receive the report of Messrs. Twigg, Morrison, and Robson. The Board appears to take more interest in the making of the roads than the settlers — if what took place on Saturday be a fair indication. As our Yankee friends would say — " Why is this thus ?"

The purchase of the Te Aroha land on behalf of the Lincolnshire party, who sent their delegates, Messrs. Foster and Grant, over to investigate and report for them, hangs in the balance. The Waste Lands Board wants £2 per acre ; Mr. Percy Smith, the Chief Surveyor, rained it ah an average of only 88s. The settlement conditions, the agent for the party, Capt. Steele, is prepared to accept, but his instructions (says the Auckland Star) debar bun from giving £2 for land, some o which Mr. Percy Smith values at less than ss. per acre. The Waste Lands Board let Mr. Vesey Stewart have his land at Te Puke, which was of first-class quality, for 265. per acre ; and it seems strange that the Board should require such a high price for the 12,000 acres required by the Lincolnshire agriculturalists.

Messrs. Southey and Quin went round on Monday for the purpose of obtaining signatures to the petition, praying that the lower N«aire district might be incorporated with the upper portion. There can be no doubt that, if some satisfactory arrangement could be made, the natural boundaries of the new district are those proposed by the advocates of amalgamation. We would suggest, as a way out of the difficulty, that, provided a sufficient number of signatures are obtained, and the County Council agree to the prayer of the petitioners, that the present members of the Ngaire Road Board should resign their seats, 'aud thus afford the settlers in the lower district a voice in the choice of their representatives. If Messrs, (Join, Southey, and the other members, would give a distinct promise to that effect, their work would be much less difficult, and even if successful, such a course would prove more satisfactory to the majority.

A pleasant entertainment will be provided for those who attend at the Wesleyan Church to-morrow evening. The first part will comprise solos, quartettes, glees, &c, and Mr. Charles will sing " The Vagabond" and " The Arab's Farewell to his Steed," during the evening. In the second part, the Eev. P. W. Fairclough will .discourse on " Life in the Eighteenth Century," and the lecture will be interspersed with musical selections. We need hardly remiud our readers that the rev. gentleman has an intimate acquaintance with all that took place duriug that interesting period, and the sketch will, no doubt, be both pleasing and instructive. The entertainment will be given in aid of the organ and building fund, and, independent of the merits of those who have so kindly given their services, that should be enough to ensure such an attendance in the little church as to leave little sitting or standing room.

Mr. Bassett's railway contract to Mangawherois so far advanced, that plate-laying will soon be commenced ; whilst very good progress is being made with Messrs. Berry and Newman's contract, which will connect with the earthwork formation from the Normanby end. In his Public Works Statement, the Hon. Mr. Oliver expressed an opinion that the line would probably be completed as far as Norrnanby at the end of the present year, and it does not at all appear unlikely that such will be the case. We would, therefore, ask the Hon. the Minister of Public Works and the Engineer-in-Charge — Has not the time arrived for calling for tenders for the station buildings at Normanby, and for the construction of the line as far as Hawera ? It is admitted on all hands that the latter work would be a very inexpensive one. Why, then, delay it any longer? Could not the unemployed be more profitably put at work between Normanby and Hawera than at Burkes Hill ? We should imagine so,- and the majority of common-sense people appear to be of a similar opinion. - The..station will have to be built at Norruanby, and it is not judicious to delay ca.YM.ng Sor tenders until such time as the line is completed.

Nearly twenty acres Of ground are enclosed for the Melbourne Exhibition.

The value of wool exported last quarter from Wellington was £45,000. The English mail, via Colombo-Brm-disi, will close at Normanby and Hawera this morning.

The imports into Wellington during the September quarter were valued at about £250,785 ; the exports at £98,850.

Mr. James Mackay, Resident Magistrate at Greymouth, has been arrested for debt, and will probably lose his appointment in consequence.

The Evening Post states that it is likely one of the four District Court Judges in the North Island will be called upon to resign.

The Wanganui Herald states that the telegram addressed by the Government to Major Brown is only a piece of official hypocrisy, seeing the peculiar relations that have existed between them.

A telegram received from Pungarehu states that Mr. Thompson, Native Interpreter, took a number of copies to Pariliaka 0 the Hon. Mr. Bryce's letter to Wiremu Kingi.

A slight shock of earthquake was experienced in this district at about seven o'clock on Saturday evening. We notice th t the shock was also felt in Wanganui, Wellington, and other places.

On Friday last the young trout which had been shipped from Christchurch via Wellington to Taranaki, were liberated in the various streams. According to th Herald, the Maoris are likely to catch some of tli em when fishing for whitebait, unless the Native Office interferes to prevent them doing so.

It is said that since Sir Arthur Gordon took charge of Fiji, in 1875, the revenue increased from £'15,000 up to £70,000, in 1879. The exports having meanwhile nearly doubled, the latest returns show about .£200,000 worth of goods were despatched from the colony. The natives contributed about .£20,000 in direct taxes.

When the Native prisoners, recently liberated, were landed at New Plymouth, on Friday, they showed no signs of gladness, notwithstanding the fact that they were welcomed by about 30 Maoris, who were on shore to meet them. .The old chief, Wirernu Kingi, went on to Opunake, and was accompanied by Major Parris.

It appears that the colony is likely to welcome the Lincolnshire immigrants, after all. The Auckland Waste Lands Board have receded froni their first demand of £2 per acre, and have agreed to allow the land at Te Aroha, applied for by Messrs. Grant and Foster, to be sold for at a price between the 30s. fixed as a limit by the Lincolnshire farmers and the £2 first asked by the Land Board.

A cricket match will be played on Saturday between an eleven chosen from Ngaire, Waihi, and Normanby, and an eleven picked from Hawera and. Mokoia. The following will be the players .--5Novtill — AnJen, Beresforrl, IVAItoB, Fowler, Goodsoa, Gorton, Q-ra-y, Griffiths, Johnston, Miller, Southey. Emergency : Atkinson and Blaker. South — Bayly, G., Cunningham, Hamilton, Hunt, Innes, Lysaght, Mason, Parrington, Kiddiford (captain), Thomson, Wanklyn. Emergency : White, Partridge, Perry, Dingle, E.

The Evening Post remarks that the " Customs revenue during this year of extreme commercial depression and reputed ' bad times ' has exceeded that of the prosperous year 1876-7, and only fell short by some i'Bß,ooo of the still more prosperous year 1877-8, and is within £10,900 of the year 1878-9." It should not be forgotten, however, that the ad valorem duties were increased from 10 to 15 per cent, on 19th December, 18T9, and that the duties on spirits were increased from 12s. to 14s. per gallon. The value of the imports must therefore be considerably less than heretofore.

A meeting of the committee appointed at the public meeting, to take the necessary steps, with the view of" obtaining a separate county, was held on Saturday, at Owen's Hotel. The petit.on prepared by Mr. Parrington was adopted, and that gentleman was empowered to obtain copies of the rate-roll to accompany the petition. It was decided that the following gentlemen should be requ sted to obtain signatures : — Messrs. Livingston and Hunter, Hawera country district; Messrs. Quin and Finlayson, Normanby town and district; Mr. F. J. Gane, Whakamara ; Messrs. Davidson and King, Hawera township.

On Friday next the committee of the Hawera Acclimatisation Society will meet, when, we understand, a balance-sheet showing the state of the funds at the disposal of the society will be laid before the members. An offer of 1000 young trout from the Nelson ponds, at £1 per 100, has recently been made to the Hawera Society by the Wauganui Acclimatisation Society, to whom the offer was first made, The President has been in communication with the Christchurch Society, with the object of ascertaining whether it would not be better to obtain a shipment of young trout from there. The result of these inquiries will, no doubt, come before the committee on Friday afternoon.

He was a runholder in Waitepeka (says the Clutha Leader), and was anxious to show his skill in the art of slaying a bullock. All hands were mustered, the victim was placed in position, ten yards were measured ofl, and the executioner shouldered his rifle. He fired; and the devoted animal fell to the ground without a groan, while the victor, with arms akimbo, regarded his prey with a look of triumph, as if be had just performed a feat which placed William Tell nowhere. He then seized the gleaming knife to administer the " coup de grace " when — horrible to tell — the ungrateful brute suddenly sprang to its feet, cleaved out of the Stockyard, and made for its haunts among the hills, roaring like a dozen Yankee engines in distress, and cai'rying its tail at an angle of ninety degrees. Then there was mounting in hot haste, every available firearm found somebody to wield it ; and the very " wee things stachered thro' wi' guns out owre then* showther." A brisk rattle of musketry was kept up on these hills all the afternoon, and we conclude that the beast must in the end have been killed beyond the shadow of a deubt, for the last time we heard of the Waitepeka Matador he was trying to sell a hide for znakLn'g sieves, and was loudly protesting that the perforations in it were owing to a peculiarity in the breed t

The British Admiralty ba^s declined to give 1 assistance towards the formation of a new dock in Auckland.

The Auckland Herald states thai Mr. Ehrenfried, Mayor of the Thames, who recently paid his creditors 20s in the £, received from his Dunedin creditors an acquittance engrossed on parchment and a silver tea service.

At a meeting of the Waste Lands Board, held at Wellington last week, it was decided that the Kiwitea block, Sandon, containing about 7000 acres, should be offered for sale some time in. November, at the upsefc prices 0$ 21s. &xi& S7s. 6tL for cash, and 30s. per acre on deferred payment.

We now learn (says the Oamaru Mail) that the colt Cashier, sent North the other day by Mr. Holmes, was sold to Mr. Mcßae, of Patea, and that the price was about 200 guineas. Cashier is a three-year-old, by the Banker, out of one of the Hon. M. Holmes' mares. He wasy of course, bred by the Hon. M. Holrries, and last year was a prize-taker at Christchurch.

A co-operative bakery, with a capital of £50,000, of which £25,000 is to be paid up, has been started in Melbourne. Consumers consider that at sd. for the fourpound loaf over the counter (or 6d. delivered) the profit to be made with flour at present prices would result in a saviug to the shareholders of from 25 to 37^ per cent.

The Post publishes a statement to the effect that the revenue for the quarter which terminated on the 30th ult., show a considerable improvement. Customs and stamps show a marked increase, and almost all the other revenue-yielding departments are nourishing, except the railway. In which, however, the deficit is likely to be considerably less than was at one time anticipated.

The Masonic brethren of Wanganui appear determined to advance their Order in that town, and energetic st ps are being taken to establish a Mark Master Mason's Lodge. We have seen the petition (says the Manawatu Times), to which a very large number of the most influential names on the' coast have been attached, and special efforts are being made to have the application for the warrant ready for forwarding by the outgoing mail. No doubt all of those qualified in this county would willingly join the new lodge.

At Catlins River, Otago, a resolution has recently been passed by a public meeting to the effect " That the time has now come when either county councils or road boards must be done aWay with, seeing that subsidies to local bodies are now to cease ; and that w are of opinion the county council is the body that should be done away with. In the meantime, this meeting urges upon the county council to hand over to the road boards their equal portion of rates levied, and allow them to expend it," In this district public feeling seems to tend* in the opposite direction.

The Taranaki Herald of the 9th instant says : — " From a conversation which occurred yesterday, between a native interpreter and some of the natives who had just returned from Dnnedin, there is little hope of the imprisonment of the natives in Dunedin bearing any salutary effects. The interpreter told the natives that he hoped they had learnt a lesson by 1 their recent imprisonment, and that they would now settle down quietly on their land and not interfere with the Europeans, for if they again broke the law they would be more severely dealt with under the new law which had been brought into force. One of the natives said he did not care for the new law, as it was made by the pakeha ; if it had been made by Te Whiti he would obey. He further said that if he were imprisoned for thirty years, he would still obey the commands of Te Whiti."

On Friday night, a few minutes Before eleven o'clock, Mr. Duthie's house in Wicksteed-street, Wanganui, was discovered to be on fire. From the accounts to hand it appears that there was considerable delay in getting the water to play upon the flames, and that, consequently, the only possible chance of saving a large wooden building was lost. It is a great pity, that so fine a structure as the one which was consumed should have been destroyed, within about three j'ears of the date of its erection. It is stated that the house was only insured for £1,250 in the South British, of which £600 was re-insured hi the New Zealand Insurance Company. The fire is supposed to have originated from a crack in the chimney leading from the kitchen range. Mr. Duthie was absent from home on the night of the fire.

The Wairarapa Standard, in a paragraph about Taranaki, which it terms " the land of great expenditure," says :—: — " How blessed it must be to dwell in this happy land. They fascine swamps with bundles of bank notes in this arcadian region. They neither toil nor spin there. They import their labor. A Taranaki man proper thinks it infra c% to doaughi beside wearing quasi military raiment and loot Maori cattle." There is a good deal of political high falutin' about the above extract, and we can assure our readers that if they explore the swamps of the Mountain road in a search after " fascines of bank notes," their exploration will be fruitless, and they will run the risk of sharing the untimely fate which befell a bullock a week or two ago there ; the ox was bogged, and died before it could be dug out. Of late the Maoris have been looting pakeha cattle, as Mr. Quinlivan knows to his cost.

The lovers of the canine species will have to pay dearly for their whistle, after the end of the present year. Under the new Act passed last session, a fee of 10s. per annum for each dog will have to be paid ; the year commencing on the 2st of January. If the fees for first registration are paid after the Ist of July, only half the amount shall be payable. Collars and badges will have to be supplied by fche local bodies to the owners. At the meeting of the Patea County Council, held on Wednesday, it was resolved to call for tenders for the collection of the dog tax in each riding, and also for the supply ot 300 collars. We presume, the reason for advertising for such a small number of collars is that put forth by the chairman, namely, that half the dogs would probably be destroyed, when the owners found that they would have to pay a license fee of 10s. per annum. When will dogs belonging to the Maoris be taxed ? The Taranaki County Council would be able to make up its revenue by taxing all the curs thai Izrfesb Parihaka.

The children at Paribaka are novf better, the prevailing sickness having dis^ appeared.

On Mdnday last the Ohau river was so high that .the horses bad to swim across with the Foxton- Wellington coach;

The Storm-signalling Department will td abolished after the 31st inst. The vote ioc it was not passed- last session:

We have received the new tariff of railway charges, which may be seen at this* office. Passenger rates are unaltered.

Hone Pihama, is going to send a present of three tons of bread to Farihaka. Messrs. McMowie, Siggs, and. Co.', will supply half the quantity, and Mr. Gray, the new taker at Normanby, the other portion.

Mr. "Walter Coker, the representative of Messrs. Collier and ,C 6., music-sellers, "Waaganui, is now on a visit to this district. Those who wish to have . .their pianos 'tuned or repaired will 'have an opportunity of doing so' duridg the reinainder of the week.

Twd df the largest fcattle' sales that have been held for some time will take place this week — Mr. Cowem's, at Kakaramea, to-day ; and Mr. Jackson's, at Hawera, on Friday. The latter advertises 520 head of cattle. Mr. Courtney's sale will also take place at Glenavon to-morrow.

Some time ago the Go.od Templars applied for permission to hold" their meetings in the County Council Chambers, at Carlyle, and it was refused. At the last meeting a similar application came from the Patea Garrick Club, which was acceded to. The latter body, however, promised to give one performance in aid of the county hospital, the proceeds to be apportioned as bhe council rbi^bt de&yft fit. Councillor Bridge, who is a member of the order ot Good Templars, did not oppose the granting" of the ropm' to the Garrick Club, but he considered' that if the council acted consistently* the resolution passed at a previous meeting should be rescinded, and he moved to that effect; but was ruled out of order by the chairman. Councillor Bridge stated that the Good Templars, by their action, kept people out of the hospital, and that was far better than maintaining them when in it. Later on the chairman informed the members that one of the hospital patients had been discharged for drunkenness, whereupon Councillor Partridge remarked : "If the man had been a Good Templar, he would be in the hospital still." At the close of the meeting, Councillor Bridge gave notice of motion in rescind the resolution, refusing the use of the room for the meetings of the Good Templars.