NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 68, 4 December 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

"We publish with this issue the second number of our supplement. We regard it as a better publication than the former one. The inibrmation is more varied; the serial story is confined within shorter limits, and there are two columns devoted to agriculture. At the request of a number of our readers, we have decided to publish it henceforth regularly every Saturday, instead of on Wednesday, as in the first issue.

The first ordinary meeting of the Ngaire Road Board was held at Mangawhero on Thursday. A full report appears elsewhere.

We hear that the rehearsals of the Choral Society have been very well attended of late, and four new choruses and several trios are under active preparation. The nest Bnterkninraent may he expected to draw a large attendance, as, in accordance with the wish expressed by a number of supporters, the music under rehearsal will be much lighter than what has hitherto been given at the society's concerts.

An attempt was made to put Tuhi on board the Hinemoa on Wednesday evening, but the sea was too rough, and he had to be taken back to the lock-up. While in the lock-up Tuhi was informed that the sessions at New Plymouth would not be held for about five months, but by going to Wellington he would be tried in a few days, and on being asked which he would prefer, said he liked New Plymouth best. Tuhi evidently is not in such a hurry to be hanged now.

Can anything be done for the maintenance of the road between Normanby and Hawera ? It is in a disgraceful state, and will be simply impassable during the coming -winter, if the numerous holes and ruts are not filled up. It will be a disgrace to all concerned, if it is allowed to remain in the condition it ia now in. Our readers are, of course, aware that it is at present a Government main line, but one in respect to which the Government recognise no responsibility. The county council, by a majority of one, decHued to take it over at their last meeting, and the road board also decline to have anything to do with it. While the different authorities are disputing about who should undertake the work of maintenance, the travelling publio have to suffer, and the Hawera folk run the risk of being unable to procure fencing material and firewood at reasonable prices during the ooming winter.

Some of our Wellington contemporaries have been congratulating themselves upon the fact that the Maoris have discontinued the practice of removing the survey pegs in tnß P&Vlhaka bWlr. Upon inquiry, we hear that there is leas credit clue to them than might at first sight appear. The surveyor in eh trge finding that nearly two miles of road pegs had been either taken up or destroyed, determined to sink all survey pe#s below the surface of the ground, and thus render theis discovery difficult. Since this was done, the praoUce has ceased. Guide pegs have, however, been put in, a short distance off the cut lines, and their position indicated on the map, so as to enable the section pegs to be " picked up ", at a later date, when required. In the opinion of the surveyor in question, the soil in the Parihaka block is second to none in the district, with tf« essepttoa of a few patohea of gravelly land of inconsiderable extent. It is being surveyed into 300 acre blocks.

Should sufficient inducement offer, the S.S. Patea will run between Wellington, Nelson, and Patea at reduced return fares during the Christmas holidays.

We understand that the unemployed in this district have received notice that their services as day laborers are no longer required. Piece-work will be offered them, at low rates, instead. This is a move in tlie Tighit direction-

A. large number of M&OMd have passed through Hawera lately on their way to Parihaka. It is a fortnight yet before the ordinary meeting, and no one seems to know why the natives are hurrying there so soon.

The mile contracts for road work on Skeet's line are being taken up on the teraas offered, viz., 25s per chain. We believe that ouly sections with light bush on them are likely to be contracted for at this price.

From a letter written by the Duchess of Marlhorough while her husband was I/ord Lieutenant of Ireland under the Seaconstielcl Ministry, we make the following extract : — " The normal condition of the peasantry hi the West of Ireland is an utter absence of clothing. In Donegal bed clothes or bedding are scarcely known."

We are informed that a couple of handsome prizes have been handed over to the Hawera School hy Mr. J. Davidson and one by Mr. Small. The master, Mr. Mair, also intends to offer several prizes at the forthcoming examination, which will be held about a fortnight hence. The example given is worthy of being followed by others.

The N. Z. Times Greytown correspondent writes:— On Monday, while in conversation with Mr. Hirshberg, who had then just returned via Manawatu Gorge from Wanganui, Hirshberg told me that on the previous Friday, a large number of Maoris had come down the Wanganui river with wool and produce. Some of these had come from 100 miles inland, from the district wherein, as stated, the pakeha Moffatt was recently shot. He entered into conversation with them, and one of them addressing Mr. Hirshberg, said : — " Look here, you pakehas think Moffatt dead. I bet you Moffatt not dead. I bet you in two months you see Moffatt. He alive."

Some of our readers might be surprised at an application being made by the jurors at the Opunake inquest, asking to have an allowance made for their expenses. Although we consider the Government acted rightly in refusing the application on the grounds that it is the duty of every man to lend his aid in securing life and property by acting as a juryman when called upon to do so without making any charge, yet the case in question is somewhat exceptional. Messrs. Coffey and Newman, for instance, were obliged to close then: store during Saturday and Monday because both partners were on the jury. Messrs. Stevenson and Flynn had business to attend to elsewhere, and no douhb many others were put to considerable loss and inconvenience by the delay in the completion of the inquest.

Mr. Vallance, the owner of Mata, has written a letter to the Australasian re the disqualification of his horse from which we make the following extract :— " Having come all the way from Nevr Zealand to take part in the V.8..C. Spring Meeting, I consider it very hard for Mata and his jockey to be singled out for punishment when I feel satisfied it was undeserved. I do not for a moment wish the public to believe that Mata was ridden out in the Royal Park Stakes. He was not. His jockey found he had no show with Progress, and acted as Fred. Archer and other English jockeys have often done — viz., when he had no chance, pulled on. I would also point out to the public that Mata was not backed for a single shilling in the Eoyal-park Stakes. I intend to ask the stewards of the V.E.C. to reopen the case, in order that itmay be thoroughly sifted, when I Seel satisfied ths.t you and the public will exonerate the Mata party from any desire to commit a robbery."

In our last issue we took exception to a supposed error of judgment committed by the building committee for the Church of England in Hawera. We have since been informed that the facts as stated by US war© not Strictly aeenraie. It appears that the design sent in by a local architect did not meet; with much approval at the hands of the committee, a great majority of that body preferring another plan. In addition to this preference for another, and in their opinion, more pleasing d.c« sign, they were thoroughly of opinion that the local architect's design could not be carried out for the money, and this opinion fortified them in their resolution to reject the local design in favor of the one adopted, subject to certain modifications being made in the plan. The error complained of would not have arisen if we had been Savored xvith any official in- > formation of what transpired at the meeting. Press of work prevented us from hunting up particulars, and thus check- , ing the information published in our last.

Persons about to settle on the Plains will be glad to hear that they are likely to find neighbors there on taking possession. Fencing is being erected on five or six sections alongside the main road between the Kapnni and the "Waingongoro. One man, with his wife and family, have already taken up their abode in a neat little cottage near the Okaiawa township, and the proprietors of other sections are now ereoting their houses. Post-and-rail fenoing is very expensive, we hear. One settler reokons that a fence he is putting up, of wire, with a top-rail, will cost him at least £2 per chain before it is finished. The pigs are, in some cases, beginning to root down the newly-erected ditch and bank fences, and the land owners will be bowpeYled to desbroy the offenders, whether they are tame or wild, or " half-and-half." In another column we publish a full sohedule of the land to be sold in the next block. Buyers anticipate being able to secure bargains, as, owing to the Opunake murder, and the fencing and sheepkilling at PungaYebu, tbej> believe bhe market will be dull and in favor of purchasers. Whether their anticipations be verified or not, in the event of further difficulties with the Maoris, we are strongly of opinion th t the Government would do well to sell the land at the prices named, even though nothing above the upset price could be realised ; provided that all buyers, even of oae.li land, were compelled to oconpy their land, either in person ox by deputy, wifcbia say six months of fche date of sale.

Te Whiti says of Tuhi, the murderer: He has bitten like a cur; let him die like a dog.

Mr. E. o 'Donovan has tendered his resignation as a member of the Ngaire Road Board.

A gentleman called upon us yesterday morning to say that he had been trying all around Hawera to find a small cottage for himself and -wife, but liad. been unable to nnd one vacant.

We noticed some surveyor's flags at Normanby, on the right hand side of the road, just beyond McGregor's hotel, and were told thatthatwas understood to be the proposed site of the railway station. We are unable to guarantee the correctness of the information.

The sports committee have decided not to allow the cricket club the right to make a charge at the gates on New Year's Day. They are willing to give the club a donation of £5 for the use of the ground. At a meeting held last night, the cricket club decided to accept the amount offered.

A cricket match has been arranged between an eleven of Waihi and a second eleven of the Hawera club, and will be played to-day. The Waihi ground has been chosen, because just at present it is considered advisable to retain the constabulary at hand, ready to act at a moment's notice, if they should be called upon to do so.