NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 110, 4 May 1881, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

We understand that Mr. Berry, of the firm of Berrry and Newman, came into Normanby to-day for the first time with the contractor's locomotive ; but ifc seems the line will not be opened into Hawera for general traffic until the end of August. It has been suggested to us that some means might be devised to enable the contractor for the permanent way to run a passenger carnage from Hawora, when, we understand, we might have direct railway communication between Hawera and New Plymouth in about a fortnight or three weeks. The Opunake people are indignant at the way they are treated by the Taranaki Education Board. There are now over fifty children fit to attend school, and 3 r et the Board has not given the necessary accommodation. The shooting season commenced on the first of May, and many sportsmen have been out in quest of game, but up to the present time only a few brace appear to have been bagged. There are still a great many young pheasants about, and it would bo as well if sportsmen would 6pare these till near the end of the season, when they would be worth Bhooting. On Friday next, at eleven o'clock, Mr. F. R. Jackson will sell by auction, at the Waverley yards, the whole of Mr. J. Lupton'B stock, which inoludos nearly 400 well-bred cattle, 40 head of draught stock, 50 hacks, two pure-bred shorthorn bulls ; also, the draught sire, Lord Derby. The auctioneer's instructions are to sell the above stock without reserve, as Mr. Lupton is clearing the lot, to ro-stock with sheep.

The price of timber at the Manawatu saw-mills has been raised from 4s. to Bs. It is reported that another butchery is to be opened at Hawera shortly. Two special coaches lef*- yesterday, one from Hawera, and another from Patea, conveying witnesses to the Supreme Court I trials now going on at New Plymouth. A meeting of the Ngaire Boad Board was to have been held on Monday, but again laps.d, sufficient members not being present to form a quorum. Applications will be received np to Monday, the 16th instant, from persons willing to act as clerk to the Ngaire Road Board. A dance in aid of the projected Church of England bazaar will be held in the Town Hall, Hawera, on Wednesday, the 18th instant. The trial oi E. C. Wilkinson, late clerk to the Kesident Magistrate's Court at Hawera, will take place at the sitting of the Supreme Court, now being held at New Plymouth. The Hawera Gun Club intend holding a pigeon match on the Queen's Birthday. Members wishing to compete must send in their names to the secretary before 8 p.m. on the 17th. The number of marriages at the Auckland Kegistry Office are increasing. Out of a total of 379 certificates issued last year, the Begistrar performed the ceremony for 130. At the meeting of the Town Board held on Monday night, it was resolved to levy a rate of 9d. in the £ for the year. Owing to pressure on our space, a full report of the meeting is held over. Mr. C. F. Barker will hold an important sale to-day, at 11.30, of stock, implements, and household furniture, the property of Mr. Thorn. Soutuby, at Appleton Park, near Kakaramea. Our Opunake correspondent writes : — " A day or two ago a fire occurred near Punehu. A large whare, three guns, some powder, and .£2B in cheques and notes were burnt. One of the cheques was for £'20, for cattle sold." Mr. J. S. Adams, draper, Hawera, was the successful tenderer for the stock advertised for sale in the assigned estate of Mr. G. H. Armstrong ; and Messrs. R. H. Nolan and Co., for the lease of the premises. Until the last day or two, we heard many complaints of the dry weather interfering with the growth of the grassseed sewn on tho Plains. The receut rains will do much good, and stop all further complaint. The absolute necessity for an efficient drainage scheme for Hawera was well exemplified during the recent rams. Almost all the side streets — notably Princes, Eegent, and Wilson streets — were flooded in places with water nearly a foot deep. The Nelson Colonist says : — " The hop crop of this year bids fair to be a maguificent one, although rain is beginning to be much wanted. Outsiders have very little idea of the importance of this industry, but we may state that we have learned upon reliable authority that the value of the crop in the immediate neighborhood of the town is estimated to be between £80,000 and £35,000. The expenditure upon this crop alone, without the expenses of cultivation, &c, is set down at from £1400 to £1600. In tbe annual report Si the "Wangarmi Education Board, published in the Star on Saturday, there is a passage in which the Inspector stales, regarding the Normanby school : — " This is an important school, and I hope the master (Mr. W. A. McCutchan) will succeed in getting a certificate in January next." Since the above was printed we have been shown a copy of the Government Gazette, dated April 4, 1881, which states that Mr. McCutchan passed his examination in Class D, he is consequently entitled to his certificate. To-morrow, Messrs. E. H. Nolan and Co. will hold their opening sale of live stock, &c, at their new yards, adjoining Prosser's Hotel. There is already over 300 head of cattle, and 200 cross-bred ewes entered ; also a number of draught horses, ploughs, harrows, &c. The auctioneers have gone to considerable expense in fitting up the yards, having had them thoroughly overhauled. Tftey are well and securely fenced, with broad cappings along the top. The sale will open with a luncheon at 12.30, and we trust it will be a success. A correspondent sends us the following item of news from Eahotu : — " Tho Duke of Manchester and the Commissioner A.C., accompanied by Mr, Carrsugton. Government Interpreter, and an orderly, visited Parihaka on Friday last, for the purpose of seeing Te Whiti. A native on horseback passed them on the road, and reported in Parihaka that the Governor was coming. Te Whiti consequently concealed himself, and was not to be seen. Mr. Parris has wired to Kahui that 171 prisoners are now released. The natives openly boast here that they will start ploughing and fencing again as soon as the season comes." A very severe accident happened to Mr. H. B. Cockburn, a day or two ago. It appears that Mr. Cockburn with three friends went out pig shooting on the Waimate Plains. Soon after starting the ' party separated, each going in different directions. When close to the beach Mr. Cockburn saw a large pig, and started to run towards it, but in doing so tripped, and in trying to recover himself he must have touched the trigger of his carbine, causing it to go off, the ball going clean through his right foot. He did not feel that he was wounded, and continued to run after the pig, till happening to look down he saw blood spurting out of his foot. He then sat down, pulled off the boot, took off a piece of his shirt, and bound it round the wound, thus trying to stop the bleeding. He then managed to drag himself along for some distance, and continued firing off the carbine so as to attract attention. After firing the fifth cartridge he fainted from loss of blood ; but the firiug had fortunately attracted the attention of one of the settlor's sons in the neighborhood, who had him conveyed to Lloyd's hotel. From there Mr. Cockbum was brought on to Hawora, when Dr. Bichards was soon in attendance. Hi dressed the wound, and removed the pieces of broken bone. We are glad to state that Mi 1 . Oockburn is now progressing favorably though it will be some time before he will be able to get about again.

Mr. "\Y. J. Furlong announces a number of properties for sale and lease. The Receiver of Land Eevenuc will be in Hawera to-day, to receive all monies due to the Department. Tenders will be received up to the 12th instant for the erection of a stationmaster's house at Normanby. Mr. Cunningham announces that he will close his establishment on Saturday next. The attendance at the Melbourne Exhibition on Easter Monday was 22,000, being the largest yet recorded. A special meeting of the -Ngaire Road Board is called for Monday, 10th instant, at 2 p.m., at Mangawhero. The city rates in Wellington for the current year have been fixed by the Council at 2s. 3d. in the £ in all. Mr. R. A. Proctor is about to get married to a blooming widow with two children. The learned lecturer has already six, so the Sydney Bulletin thinks the happy couple start life auspiciously.