NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 63, 17 November 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The sculling championship of the world was decided on Monday, and Edward Hanlon, of Toronto, Canada, proved the victor. He is 24 years old, stands sft. B^m. in height, and weighs in hard training lOst. 121b. His opponent, Edward Trickett, hails from Sydney, and is in his 31st year, and is so well known in this part of the world that any description of him would be superfluous. It ■will be remembered that in 1876, Edward. Trickett went to England and rowed against Sadler, who was then champion of England, though considerably past his prime, and was easily beaten by the Australian. Now we x hear that Blackman has been matched to row Trickett for i>soo, although the former was quite recently easily disposed of by Laycock, an old opponent of Trickett, but against whom the latter prevailed in their last match. Trickett's defeat was nob quite nnexpe ted, as it was known that the English climate did not suit him, and that he had been suffering from influenza. The San Francisco mail will arrive hi Normanby and Hawera to-day. The City of Sydney arrived at Auckland on Sunday afternoon, three days in advance oi contr&eb &me. The Hon. the Premier and the Native Minister arrived at Opunake yesterday. Eumor hath it that they intend to be present at the Parihaka meeting to-day, but we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the report. A public meeting has been called to urge upon the Government the necessity for erecting a bridge over the Waingongoro to connect Normanby' with the Waimaie Plains. The meeting- will he held on Saturday next, at 7.30 p.m., at Mr. Gray's store, Normanby, and all persons interested are requested to attend. It will be remembered that it was in reference to this bridge that a deputation waited upon the Native Minister when he was passing through the district, and that Mr. McGregor promised to lend £500 for the purpose, ox even to expend that amount if he were allowed to levy a toll. We believe that nothing came of the offer then made, and that this meeting has been called with a view of pushing matters forward. It is said that the cost of the cartage of timber on to the Plains would be reduced by about 50 per cent, if this bridge were erected. A young gentleman, who was for some 1 years ia New Zealand^ bat who ie now oa I a visit to England, writes to us, in reference to the great Int mational Cricket Match : — " I went to see the great cricket match between England and Australia. Everybody says it was the finest exhibition of cricket ever seen in England, and that the all - England eleven w,as the strongest team, in eveiy way, that England could produce. The excitement was very great. I got a ticket for the grand- \ stand for three days for 15s. I was lucky, because some of the five shilling seats were afterwards sold at a pound per day. I never saw such a crowd before at a cricket match. The Australians, who played a magnificent up-hill game in the second innings, received as their share of the gate money." The statements of our correspondent are borne out by articles in the Times, Field, Standard, and other English journals, all, of which give great praise to the Australian* for the gallant manner in which they fought out a losing game.

Eich gold has been struck in the prospectors' claim at the new gold-field, 'IV Aroha. It is probable that a'few surveyors from the Wellin'-^on provincial district will be sent to the Parihaka block to assist Mr. Humphries' staff. A meeting has been called at Normanby to prepare for the usual sports to be held on Boxing day. A comrntttee is to be elected, and all interested are invited t^ attend. Captain Skeeb wIU scon, be finished with the survey of the five 1000-acre reserves on the Waim .te Plains. As there is timber on most of them, they will prove a great conveni nee to settlers. [ The Wanganui Gas Company have published a statement of profit and loss for the six months ending 30th September, shewing a profit of £364, or 3.6 per cent. on a capital oi £10,000. To-day the monthly meeting at Parihak takes place. Whilst large numbers of Europeans can be seen riding through the Plains in all directions, a Maori is seldom met with. Most of those who are able to perform the journey have gone to Parihaka. We Lave been informed that a race has been arranged between "the cob" of a, •weU-known medical gentleman and a. colt , belonging to a young military officer near Hawera. There is much speculation, and both horses are said to be pretty evenly backed. A cricket match between teams chosen from the ftangitikei and Wanganui counties, was played at Marton on Saturday. Wanganui -won by seven wickets. There were no less than thirteen duck's eggs on both sides, and Cross was the only player who managed to getinto double figures. Kauri gum has risen £2 per ton, and large quantities are cominginto the Auckland market in consequence. The Waste Lands Board, however, propose to recommend Parliament to impose an export duty on Kauri gum, and issue licenses to diggers similar to minera' rights. The first number of the Kaikoura Star, and North Canterbury and South Marlborough News, has reached us. It is nicely printed, and though the sheet is rather small, it will probably be found to answer all the requirements of Kaikoura for some time to come. We wish the new journal every success. A correspondent asks : — " Can you inform me what necessity there is for having four " bosses ' over eigbteen wen ? I hear on reliable authority that this expensive absurdity prevails at the unemployed camp, on the road between Normanby and Manaia." It what our correspondent asserts be true, the sooner such a disgraceful state of things is put an end to the better. The construction of the Manaia-Nor-znanby road is proceeding at a regular snail's pace. It may be finished twelve months hence, but a good many persons are doubtful. Yet it was announced in the semi-official ministerial organs that the road would be ready for traffic by the end of the present year. If the roadwork were divided into small contracts, and let to the unemployed, the Government would get better value for its money, and* 1 the settlers would have a road to travel over much sooner than if the present system is continued. A warrant for the arrest of Moffatt's murderers has been issued by the Government. Commenting on which, the Wanganui Chronicle says: — "Whatever may be the intention of the Government with regard to this outrage, the issue of the wa'mmt gives no indication of what their action will be. We have no doubt that, in order to put matters in train, an oi'clinary information was sworn before a magistrate, and the warrant followed in due course. The execution of it is quite another affair, and involves very grave considerations. It is not the only document of the kind which has been issued against a murderous Maori, but which is now lying in some pigeon-hole, whilst the person to whom it relates is still at large and Yikely to remain so." i It"i£f "generally understood that the effort which was made a short time smce to place certain Waikato lands in the London market, at prices ranging from £5 to £8 per acre, has resulted in failure, although the lands in question have been j improved and partly cultivated. The reason given £or this failure is understood | (says the N.Z. Herald) to be the great I disinclination on the part of the British ! farmers with capital to give more than from £1 to £2 per acre for any land in this colony, and the strong preference i that they show for unimproved land at low prices. The competition for ■ migrants of the farmer class is now so great throughout Britain that the chief cities are actually placarded with large illuminated posters setting forth the great advantages of Canada and the United States in the way of cheap and fertile lands for people who desire to leave the mother country. The passage to America is short, and the rates of passage money low, whilst the land is freely offered at a dollar per acre. We cannot shut our eyes to these facts, and if the colony is to secure a share of the right Mud of people to settle the waste lands of the country, we must be prepared to offer some better attraction than is offered at the present tune. On Friday, we learn from the Taranaki Herald, the Chief Surveyor (Mr. T. Humphries) and his party, commenced surveying the confiscated land at Parihaka into | sections, preparatory to the land being offered for sale. The natives had received 1 d«e notice of the intention, of the (xovernment to siirvey the land, and when they witnessed the surveyors' flags flying all over the district, and the surveyors and men busy at work dividing the land into blocks, they looked more surprised than annoyed. The Maoris witnessed the work of the surveyors without evincing much concern, and did not in any way offer obstruction. Instructions had been given to the survey party to avoid all native cultivations, bo that the natives will be unable to. make out any special grievance. Affairs at Parihaka are assuming a more favorable aspect, and it is not anticipated that the natives will make any active opposition to the sale and settlement of the confiscated land. We learn from Mr. Humphries that the land is of curious formation, consisting of small tumuli dotted hi every direction: and between these, seaward of the new road, the natives have large areas under cultivation, and the crops, from present appearances, are likely to be very prolific.

Mr. Bailey's coach will leave the Empire Hotel for the Patea races on Friday, at 8 a.m. During the month of August last, no less than twelve inches of rain fell at Mongonui, the average fall for the month being about four inches. The message announcing the opening of the Melbourne Exhibition went home to England in about five horn's, thus averaging 2500 miles an hour all the way. The following tenders have been sent in to the Town Board for the supply of gravel'. — G. Tait, 8s 6d per yard; R. Dingle, 6s 3d; May, 6s. The lowest tender has been accepted. An electrical stonebreaker is the latest American invention. An electrical-magn-etic chopper delivers from one to two thousand blows per minute, the power being supplied by a dynamo - electric machine, , ' Judge Richmond arrived here on Thurs1 day from New Plymouth, on his way to Wanganui. Had his Honor travelled over the Mountain road a few weeks sooner, he would have been able to give a graphic account of it when he reached the Empire City. The New Plymouth people have sent a , telegram to the Government, complaining that the wants of the public are not properly provided for by the Railway Department at the present time. The mayor has decided to call a public meeting on the subject. The winners at the Waverley-Waito-tara races were paid last Saturday, as Mows; — D. Scott, d£l7o; T. Rowe,> > £100; A. Johnston, £60; J. H. Pollock, £30; T. Quinlivan, £25; A. J. Keith, • £15 ; B. Higffie, £10 ; R. Mclvor, £3. The railway last week had a heavy . consignment of wheat for Master ton (says the Standard). "Canterbury hopes to i supply the Wairarapa with cabbages yet as well as potatoes. There is no use ; pleading poverty in this district, at all events," adds our contemporary. A return cricket match has been arranged between Carlyle and Hawera, which is to com' 1 off on Saturday next. We understand that the Hawera eleven i will be chosen from among the following: i ' — Bate, G. Bayly, Cunningham, Fraser, Flint, Gorton, Gray, Gudgeon, Hamilton, Innes, Johnston, Lukis, Lysaght, Mason, Parrington, Partridge, Riddiford, Southey, Wanklyn. : As the Hawera coach was passing through Waverley yesterday, Mr. A. . Aiken's house -was seen to be on fire, and : it was, we believe, almost totally consumed before the coach left. It was not ; known whether the house was insured or not. The fire was supposed to have been i caused by the heat of a stove-pipe which passed through the roof. An immense diamond, weighing 225 : carats, has been found in South Africa, i In its uncut condition, if the weight is i given correctly, it is larger than the i famous Koh-i-noor, or " Mountain of t Light," belonging to her Majesty the > Queen. The latter gem, having been re- . peatedly cut and re-cut, now weighs only , 123 carats, although originally it is said to have weighed 900 carats. The Koh-i- , noor is valued at £120,664. , ' ■ The Frozen Meat Company, in Melbourne, report that their machinery is working most satisfactorily. The cari cases for shipment are now undergoing . the process of refrigeration, ;nd the tern. perature of the snow pit being reduced to ' 30 degrees below zero, the carcases are t being thoroughly frozen in two hours, i The temperature of the chamber is kept • about seven degrees below freezing point. ( The following tenders have been re- i ceived for the villa residence (labor only) 1 desigued by Mr, O'Neill for Mr. Isaac 1 Bayly : — Mace and Bassett, Carlyle, £380 ; 1 Goodfellow, Hawera, £273 ; Duffill Bros., 1 Hawera (carpenter's work only), £260; Rosinsky, Normanby, £247; Broderick and Scott, Hawera, £212 ; Thos. Robson, 1 Hawera", £177 ss; Tourner (accepted), 1 Stratford, £152. Mr. J. Hall, plumber, Patea, hue \nsb fitted up a large lamp with the new \ patent gasoline apparatus for Mr. Owen, \ of theEgmont Hotel. The light is much more brilliant than that obtained from kerosene, and it is, Mr. Hall states, quite as inexpensive. It has the additional ' advantage of being much cleaner, and there will be no broken lamp-glasses to pay for. "We regret to hear from the Post, that Mr. S. S. Griffiths has been obliged to call . together a private meeting of his creditors, to whom he presented a balance-sheet r showing liabilities of £6800, and assets £6900. It was arranged that the estate ■ should be handed over to Messrs. Levin, Krull, and Capper, who would carry on the business for four months, and in the meantime would endeavor to find a purchaser or form a company. Two new papers are announced to be started in Wellington — a daily and a, monthly. Another is about to be started in Palmerston North by Mr. Alexander McMinn. The prospects of the new ventures must be far from encouraging in the Empire City» judging from the prevailing dulness in commercial circles. As to Mr. McMinn's chances of success, they are simply nil. He will have to contend against one of the best up-country journals in New Zealand, the editor of which (Mr. J. B. Dungan) has had a long and varied experience in Great Brirain, the United States, the Australian colonies, and New Zealand. We cannot understand why Mr. McMinn's better judgment lias noi sboTsm him th& folh> of starling & second paper in a place like Palmerston. He will be almost certain to drop his capital. An accident happened to Mr. Dale on Monday morning, near Kakaramea. He was driving a buggy towards Hawera, having for his companions the Rev. Mr. McNicholl, and Mr. J. C. George, architect, of Naw Plymouth. A bullock-dray was passing at the time, and the driver having cracked his whip, on« of the hoises, which Mr. Dale had borrowed from the livery-stable, became restive, and the buggy got on to the embankment, capsizing Mr. Dale, who received several bruises, one on the hip being rather severe. The Rev. Mr. McNicholl and Mr. George clung on to the side of the buggy, and after a little time both of them managed to get out at the back, without sustaining any injury. The tail-board of the buggy got smashed, but • the party managed to get as iar as Hawera without any further mishap.

Mr. Dale announces a large sale- of freehold and leasehold properties to be held at Carlyle next Saturday at 2 p.m. About 500 Lead of cattle are advertised for Mr. Freeman Jackson's Hawera sale on Saturday next. Notice that the county rate of 6d. m the £ is payable on December Ist, is published in our advertising columns. The rate-book is bow open for inspection. Mr. Anthony Nathan's tender haa been accepted for the gravelling contract between Stony river and Opuuake. Tne^ price is, we believe, over i»250. The following story comes to us from Cape Egmont : — Some short time ago a member of the Constabulary there stationed got into difficulties, and the appearance of a bailiff was hourly expected* The menaced one, however, procured a " pass," and proceeded to a town not 100 miles distant for the purpose of arranging matters. When the- bailiff arrived in camp, he found that his man had left, and had to hunt up a guide who should identify the man he wanted. A comrade and fellow-constable offered his services, which were eagerly accepted. JJoth. parties started after the truant, and found him in town, but fortunately for the latter he had obtained the required timely assistance. An effigy of this modern. Judas who acted as guide and betrayer was suspended in front of one of .the -.largest- whares- in camp, and after' hanging a considerable time, cut down and carried in procession to a bonfire prepared for the purpose (a leading 'mem" ber of the band playing the " Bogne's March,") and ignominiously burnt amidsfcshowers of stones, groans, and hootings. Great regret is felt in camp that owing to the flooded state of the river, ducking, without drowning, woula be next Jto an impossibility.