NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 74, 24 December 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Wo present to our readers to-day a four-page illustrated Christmas Supplement, wishing each and all, in accordance with time-honored custom, " A Merry Christmas."

The Public Works Department appear to have adopted the motto of " Keep it dark" with reference to the location of the Normanby railway station. It has, however, transpired that Hone Pihama, whilst in Wellington last week, transferred a portion of his land, near the main road, beyond McGregor's hotel, to the Government, for the purpose of a stdfcio». A. few people tried to "pump" Mr. Blackett during his visit to this district, but they were not very successful. However, we believe the matter has been definitely settled.

The purchasers of tho land on the Plains do not appear to care much for the idle threats of the natives, and apparently pay little heed to the hundred and one rumors floating about. Mr. Muir, of Auckland, has built his house, and slept in it on Tuesday night. Mr. Hastie, another purchaser from Auckland, is hn'd&ing, and he intends taking a family of seven children on to his holding. Mr. Box has been living on the Plains for some time, near a stream to which he has given the pretty title of " Rosey Creek." There is also a two-roomed cottage at Okaiawa, but we were unable to ascertain the name of the occupant. Mr. Yoxke, Mr. Ramie, and others are busily at work. In less than twelve mouths, if all goes well, there will be several homesteads in the place so long covered with fern.

A gentleman from the South visited the Waitara last week. He had £3000 which he wanted to invest, and the Harbor Board at Waitara wanted exactly that amount to improve its river accommodation. The intending investor was shown over the endowments, and expressed himself highly pleased with the security, stating that the Board could have the money at any moment. He then left for New Plymouth to consult his lawyer ; but when he got to the metropolis of Tara--■Bki, some of the good folks of the quiet city informed him that it would be madness to invest his money at such an out-of-the-way place as the Waitara ; that in less than two years (vide Engineer's report) they would have the coastal steamers laying alongside of their own breakwater ; and then nothing more would be heard of the Waitara. It being a calm day, the would-be investor was invited to visit the Sugar Loaves ; he saw the stiimess of the waters in that (at times) highly favored marine localiy ; and the next morning he embarked in one of the Union Company's boats — with the money in his pocket. "We now learn from the Herald that the Waitara Harbor Board are calling for tender for a. loan of J3DOO, and our contemporary says : " There is a large amount of money lying idle in New Plymouth, and as the security offered by the Board is good, we would imagine that the loan would be subscribed for far above the amount asked for." Perhaps bhe moral is to he found in that short paragraph. " Not caring who sinks so long as they swim," said the Taranaki News, in referring to the action taken by the people of this district a few months back. Really, it looks very like it.

The murderer Tuhi will be hung on Wednesday next.

We understand that Mr. Furlong does not intend returning to Hawera before the end of next year.

To-day is the latest time fixed for receiving applications for the post of clerk to the Ngaire Ro&u Board.

Monday next, and also the following Monday, will be observed as Bank holidays.

Trains will run on the Wanganui and New Plymouth railways on Christmas 3>sy.

One hundred and thirty-nine sections in the township of Stratford will be offered for sale in Hawera on Thursday, the 6th January.

Major Parris has left New Plymouth, and will proceed to Dunedin, for the purpose of selecting the batch of Maori prisoners who are to be liberated.

Mr. Owen has just added a commodious bar to his hotel, and he has one of the new patent gasoline lamps outside. Both additions are decided improvements.

Hone Piljama, who had to go to Wellington to give evidence at the trial of the murderer Tuhi, was introduced to Sir Arthur Gordon, and was very cordially received.

Tenders for the supply of ironmongery for the Armed Constabulary in the P&fcea sub-district, which includes Opunake and all the stations to the south, will close on Tuesday next.

Sunday hours will be observed at the Telegraph Offices, at Normanby and Hawera, to-morrow, and the Post Offices wi]] he o)oseA. J The o£Sces wiil be opened at the usual hours on Boxing Day.

At noon to-day the tenders for the Hawera railway contract will close at the Public Works Office, Wellington. Telegraphic tenders may be sent, but must be presented not later than noon.

We have received a copy of the " Patea County Almanac " from Mr. Alex. Black, Patea. It is very nicely got up, and adv rtiaers have availed themselves of a large portion of the space round the calendar.

On Wednesday, the sth January, a meeting of settlers on the Waimate Plains will be held at Owen's Egmont Hotel, for the purpose of taking the preliminary steps for the constitution of a road district on the Plains.

A cricket match has been arranged to take place a 6 Hawera, on Wednesday next, between the Taranaki and the local team. In order to assist in defraying the expenses of keeping up the ground, a charge of one shilling will be made at the gate. ' The team for Hawera will be chosen from among the following : — Messrs. <Z. Bayly, Betesfoxd, Cunningham, Flint, Fraser, Goodson, lunes, Johnston, Lysaght, Miller, Parrington, Eiddiford, Southey, Thomson, Wanklyn.

The following is a copy of a telegram sent by a dozen gentlemen in New Plymouth to Major Atkinson :—": — " It has been suggested by several persons interested in the settlement of the country that intending purchasers should have the opportunity given them by the Government — say, per Hinemoa — of seeing the wheat now growing after a crop of maize on the Parihaka land before it is cut, the better to enable them to judge of the capabilities of the soil." ,

The excellent programme issued by the committee of the Normanby Athletic Sports will, we have no doubt, secure a large attendance. The sports will take place in the paddock near the Town Hall, and will commence at ten o'clock sharp on Monday next. The chief event is the Normauby Cup, valued at JlO, to be won by the highest number of points in three events, viz., — 100 yards, 220 yards, and 440 yards. . In- the evening the new Town Hall will be opened with a ball, and it is expected that it will be largely patmniseil.

Hawera is at last to have a court-house ! The two shanties near the police-quarters — we dare not say police station, for that would be a misnomer — are to be joined together, and will have to 'do duty as a court-house in future. Te Whiti says that two houses cannot be joined together ; but the Government appear determined to prove that he is once more in the wrong, as they did when he said the roads would not meet. If the Ministry would only sell a small piece of the Government paddock, they could put up a respectable building out of fcbe proceeds.

As showing what a farce some of the applications — and solemnly sworn declarations — for deferred payment land have been, we might mention that one of the successful applicants at Wednesday's drawing applied for a transfer the same evening. An alteration is »ee3es m the Land Act — if the persons for whom the Act intended the deferred payment land to be given should get it. A large number of most desirable persons, who came to the district from the gold-fields of Otago and Westland, have gone away disgusted, whilst the l&ad see apart tor their use has fallen into the hands of speculators. When this was constituted a separate land district, special powers ought to have been given to the Commissioner of Crown Lands. We shall have more to say on the subject in a few days.

With regard to the fences in the neighborhood of Parihaka, the one at the Parapara is substantially put up, and a slip panel erected for the purpose of allowing the traffic on the road to be carried on without interruption. The understanding is that this gate 1b to be abolished as soon as the wheat is harvested. The same arrangement was made with respect to the fence at Pungarehu, and the natives made their appearance one morning to erect it. They made a good substantial fence, leaving an opening in the centre sufficiently wide for the gate. As soon as this was done it was thought by the constabulary that they would return and complete the gate next day, and the A.C.'s consequently retired. No sooner were their backs turned than a number of Maori boys made a sudden rash at the fence, timbe/inhand, and in the twinkling of an eye had the gap left for the gate filled with their fencing material, thus completing the fence across the road. In consequence of this the fence across the whole width of the road was taken down by the constabulary, and the natives now keep a sentry night and day at the gap, to drive away stray cattle which might trespass on the wheat. Sentries are also kept at the Parapara to put up the bars should thoy be left down by any travellers who may have passed- through.

Mr. England has been appointed agent for Messrs. Southey and Willy, ac Normanby.

It is rumored that the Imperial Government propose to introduce a measure to limit colonial borrowing.

A meeting is to be held at Opunake on the 3th January, to take into consideration the advisability of forming a town board there.

The stud horse Papawai is to be raffled for at Mr. Owen's hotel, on or about 10th January. Tickets will be £1 per member* and IOQ members.

A sample of pens, made from fern stalk, has been sent to the Taranaki Herald. Our contemporary says that one of the same kind was in use for six months at the Sentry Hill goods-shed. Is it because there was so little " ink-slinging" required ?

A monster triangular harrow has been made by Mr Cockburn, of Hawera, to the order of Mr Muir, on the Waimate Plains. It is proposed to use it for the purpose of levelling the up-rooted, ground on the plains. If it answers the purpose for which it is intended, no doubt Mr Muir's example will be followed by others.

Our friends at New Plymouth are not content with getting 25 per cent, of the proceeds of the land sold in this district for their chimerical harbor works. They are now going to memorialise the Government to sell the Parihaka block in their much favored city. Can the " game of grab "go any further ? We wot not.

" Carpenter " writes to us : — " Sir, — Can you infoi-m me whether it be true that the Resident Magistrate has let the work in connection with the new courthouse, without calling for tenders ? It is currently rumored that such is the case." We should hardly imagine so. But in these times of "rigid economy," some strange things are done by tbe Government.

A resident in Hawera has had an account rendered to him for £1, being the value of two sheep killed by his dog. The dog seems to have done the damage in rather a systematic manner, for he must have held the sheep down and eaten his fill off tbevn 'while alive, there being a bole gnawed in the hind quarters of each of the animals.

The Auckland Star says that Mr. W. Clarke, who was instrumental m securing the introduction of Sydney capital to work the Poverty Bay oil springs, has &rAvsd in Auckland Iroux GtishocniQ fox the purpose of floating a company to work another valnable block of oil land. The company is to be called the Southern Cross Petroleum Company, capital 48,000 shares of 20s. each. The shares are being offered on very advantageous terms.

At the meeting of tho Land Board, held on Tuesday, a telegram was read from Captain Wray, stating that- although the day selected for the Stratford land sale was Court day at Hawera, that he would make arrangements to alter it if authorised by the Government to sell. He also stated that he did not think he was district land officer now. The Chairman was instructed to write to the Government respecting the matter, and also to obtain a reply to the resolutions passed by the Board on the 4th October, recommending certain lands at Eltham to be thrown open as village farms. Mr. Humphries reported that the whole of the survey staff was engaged in the West Coast Land District; consequently no new surveys had been undertaken in the Taranaki District.

The breaking up of the Misses McCutchan's private school took place on Wednesday, and a concert in commemoration of the event was given, on Thursday evening, by the pupils, assisted by some of the young ladies who attend the Misses McCutchan's music classes. Operatic selections, English, Irish, Scotch, and American popular music* duets and trioa on the piano, and some solo singing, constituted the programme, and the teachers certainly deserve to be congratulated on the high state of efficiency to which they have brought their pupils. The concert was thoroughly enjoyed by those who were present, as it evidently was also by the pupils themselves. Towards the close, Mr. Galvin was requested to distribute the prizes, and in doing so paid a high tribute to the zeal displayed by the Misses McCutchans, and hoped that the young ladies, to whose performances he had the pleasure of listening that evening, would year by year strengthen the ranks of the Choral Society, until it would be able to rank second to no other musical society on the coast.

A beer-drinking match recently took place at Wallsend, N.S.W. A large barrel of b er was consumed by six men in two clays, and the smallest vessel used was a bucket.