NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 115, 21 May 1881, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

♦ OAll the five and ten acre sections laid ofi round Okaiawa have been taken up since the sale, though they did not go off at the auction. All the small allotments have also been taken up round Manaia, and more would have been taken up had they been laid off. An emergency meeting of the Masonic Lodge will be held on Monday at 7.30 p.m. As there is some important business to be transacted a full attendance of members is requested. The population of Taranaki County has increased from 4699, in 1878, to 6821, in 1881. The population of the borough of New Plymouth had increased from 2680 to 3326 during the same period.

Several visitors enquiring after, and looking for land have passed through Hawera lately. Mr. Geo. Yickery has opened a blacksmith's shop in Begent street, nest door to the Star office. Dr. Lemon proposes to exhibit the latest improvements in the telephone and microphone at the Wanganui Industrial Exhibition. The improvements at the school buildins at Hawera are progressing satisfactorily, although some delay has occurred through non-delivery of timber ordered by the contractor. There was a good attendance at Sir W. Fox's lecture at Normanby on Wednesday last. The entertainment seemed to be thoroughly appreciated by all present. A fine specimen of sugar-beet, known as Silesian silver-beet, has been left at this office. It weighs 161b5., and was grown on Mr. Winks' property by Mr. Mallcott Richardson. According to the Evening Post, the total cost to the colony of the San Francisco Mail Service is ouly some net ; although a subsidy of is granted, most of the amount is recouped in postage. The train at Kaitoke, on the WellingtonMasterton Railwry, had a narrow escape from a disastrous accident through the malicious altering of the points on Saturday last, the padlock having been smashed to enable the alteration to he made. The business which was to have been transacted at the Hawera School Committee meeting on Wednesday was unimportant, and consequently no one was surprised that there was no quorum. The Chairman was unavoidably absent ; only Messrs. Hobbs and Pitcher attended. The sections of land on the Parihaka block, which were temporarily withdrawn from sale, will be again thrown open on 20th June. The unsold balance of the bush sections in the Ngaire and Kaupokonui blocks, at the back of the Plains, will be open on application on Monday next. There were only four nominations for six vacancies on the Town Board, viz., Mess™. Eastwood, McOutchan, Pulford, and Winks, all of whom have been declared duly elected. The extraordinary election for the other two seats will be held on the 10th inst. Nominations close at noon on Tuesday 31st inst. The West Coast Commissioner, Sir W. Fox, left Hawera yesterday. The bulk of the work here is now finished, so far as it can be, and Sir William is likely to continue the work of individualising the tribal and hapu titles at New Plymouth. There is still a large quantity of work to he done, which must necessarily take time to complete. £ From the Maori census returns between Wahamoko and Waitotara, it appears that since 1878 the boys have dwindled down from 194 to 112, the girls from 180 to 104, and the women from 422 to 305. This represents a falling among the young people of fully 40 per cent, within three years. Among the women the decrease is equal to 28 per cent. With reference to the Tararua disaster, the Melbourne Argus, of the 2nd May, says: — "Since the wreck of the steamer Dandenong no disaster which has happened in Australian seas has created such a profound impression in Melbourne as the loss of the s.s. Tararua." The Argus publishes several columns of telegrams containing details of the disaster, which are said to have cost £150. $ Many of the new settlers on the Waimate are anxious that a pound should be opened at Manaia. It is too far either to go for impounded cattle or to drive stray stock to Hawera, and, on the whole they believe that if a system of pounding became fairly general, it would result in a saving of time to those who have lost stock, and have to search all the countryside for them. Our Opunake correspondent writes :—: — " I hear that Hone Pihama's carpenter has been employed for some time at Parihaka ; and Mr. C. Eassman, bricklayer, from Hawera, is also employed there. — A communication has been received from the Taranalri Education Board, defining the boundaries of the Opunake School District. A meeting of householders, as suggested in the Star, has been convened." Mr. J. B. Dungan, editor and proprietor of the Mauawatu Times, has been committed for trial on two charges of criminal libel, the proceedings being instituted by Mr. Alex. McMmn, the editor and proprietor of the Manawatu Standard. Both journals are printed in Palmerston North. We learn that Mr. Staite has been instructed by the defendant to criminally prosecute the plaintiff. The lawyers in Palmerston North are likely to have a lively time of it. It is said that the Maoris who had a row with some of the A.C.'s at Pugaaehu, carried off the coat aud hac of the chief offender to Tohu. Tohu declined to take any notice of the spoils, and questioned .the honesty of the talebearers. He said — "Why do you bring these thing 3to me ? I cannot do anything to punish an A.C. If one of them does you harm, you should go to Major Take ; he is their rangatira. These clothes appear to have been stolen ; but perhaps you are afraid to wear them, lest you might be put in gaol ?" This is the story as it reached us ; it not strictly true, it is a well-told little romance. There was a good muster at the meet of Mr. Bradloy's hounds at Hawera on Thursday. Some fifty or sixty horsemen were present, and a number of ladies graced the meet, some ou foot, and a few on horseback. The hounds threw off near the new English Church, and ran the- drag at a fast pace down to the Tawhiti stream. About a score of horsemen succeeded in getting over the first fence, though there was plenty of grief. After crossing the Tawhiti bridge, only two riders were to be seen in close attendance on the pack, as they breasted the hill. The hunt passed from Mr. Wilson's farm through Mr. T. Mason's, and into Mr. Colin Cameron's properties, and finally pulled up in the road to ' Normanby, at the Waihi creek. There were said to be only two horsemen close up at the finish, though a number joined the leaders shortly afterwards, though more came by road than across country. There were two short spins taken after the first four-mile scurry, and a very enjoyable afternoon's sport was provided.

A supplementary San Francisco mail, via New Plymouth, will close at Hawera at two o'clock this afternoon. Lieut-Col. Boberts has obtained sick leave, and passed through Hawera on Thursday. There was a good attendance at the Bazaar Dance, on Wednesday evening. Nearly forty couples were present, the Town Hall was well filled, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. Telegraphic reports of pre-sessional speeches by Mr. Bain at Invercargill, Mr. Turnbull at Timaru, and Mr. Tomoana at Gisborne, also further evidence taken at the Tararua inquiry, reached us last night, but are unavoidably held over. One of the gentlemen who carried round the petition in favor of a separate county for signature states, that while he obtained forty signatures in the Ngaire District in favor of the movement, he only met with one refusal to sign. Mr. G. G. FitzGerald, who has come forward as a candidate for the seat on the West Coast, rendered vacant by Mr. Masters' resignation, has pubh'shedan address announcing that he is prepared to give a good general support to the Government. The report of the rabbits shot on the Waingongoro was incorrect, the property where they were killed belongs to Mr. Geo. Bayly ; our informant understood ?hat Mr. Geo. McLean's property was referred to. Nearly two millions were expended out of loan last year, and it is estimated that there is a net balance of about thirteen to fourteen hundred thousand pounds still available for future expenditure, provided that the numerous Native Land Purchases entered upon are not carried out. In the House of Commons a motion authorising the erection of a monument to the late Earl of Beaconsfield in Westminster Abbey was, after debate, carried on a division by a majority of 326. A similar motion in the House of Lords was agreed to without a division. In another column will be found a programme of the third concert of the season to be given by the Hawera Choi'al Society. Great pains have been taken to make the entertainment a thorough success/ and members are particularly requested to attend a full rehearsal on Tuesday evening next, at 7.30 sharp. A number of houses and cottages are now going up in Opunake. Additions are being made to the hotel, and still further additions are contemplated. A really good dray road at a grade of about one in 161, is being made down to the beach, which will be a great improvement on the old track. \ A sweepstakes of £1 each member,, wi.th £2 added by the Gun Club, will be fired on the Hawera Cricket Ground on the 24th inst. The match will be fired at 11 a.m. ; the conditions being, seven birds each man, at 21 yards rise. After the match a handicap sweep will be arranged on the ground. The following are the entries for the match : — H. B. Parrington, F. Riddiford, H. Southey, G. Willy, H. Owen, A. Owen, C. Crombie, W. White, W. V. Young, G. Bayly, F. Lysaght. The Eev. Mr. Sidey, of Napier, having asserted in a sermon, which he preached on the Tararua disaster, that he recognised in the wreck of the Tararua a judgment of the Almighty upon the Union Company for arriving and departing Irom New Zealand ports on Sunday, has probably been surprised at the notoriety which he . thereby suddenly attained* Special judgments are popularly considered to be somewhat out of date. The steamer Oreti has been purchased by the owners of the s.s. Lalla Bookh, and has been placed on the WellingtonManukau trade, calling at all intermediate ports. She has exceptionally good accommodation for passengers, a spacious ladies' cabin, and carries a stewardess. This steamer also having a good depth of hold, is well suited for carrying stock. We are informed her owners intend sending her to Kaipara every third week ; so that with the steamer Bowena trading to Hokianga, we shall now have all ports on this coast open for direct communication. It is understood that before finally locating the railway line between Hawera and Manutahi, another flying survey will be made. Since the line was first; explored, the settlers have done much to clear the country, and it is now much easier to make sure that the best possible line has been chosen than it was before the fern and scrub were cleared off. Besides it is generally admitted that, if an equally good line could possibly be found a mile or two further inland than the present one, it would tap and open up far more country, which is at present difficult of * access. Even though this survey should involve a little further delay, time is almost always well spent in thoroughly exploring a country before finally accepting any line. From a report presented to the Frozen Meat and Produce Export Company at Dunedin, we learn that Mr. Wales, had recently returned from a tour of inspection at the various meat freezing works in Maribyrnong, near Melbourne, Sydne}', and at Orange. He also saw the freezing machine on board the Lusitania. He recommended the purchase of two smaller machines of the Bell-Coleman pattern, though, at the same time, he read an extract from the Australian Engineering and Building News, in which very high professional praise was given to a recently imported machine made by the Huxlam Foundry Company, Derby, and which appeared to embody important improvements. Mr. Wales considered- that i>7ooo capital would be sufficient to give the company a fair start. The proposed by-laws for regulating the conduct of business at the meetings of the New Plymouth Harbor Board are published in full in the Taranaki Herald. ■ In one respect they'-are certainly better than those in use at the County Council and most of the local bodies in this district. The second entry on the order of business is as follows : — " Beading letters received and Considering and ordering thereon." It is certainly preferable to adopt this course to that usually taken of first reading all correspondence, then going on with other business, and afterwards reverting to the letters again. If all the correspondence is arranged by the clerk before each meeting, so that all letters referring to any one subject are collated, and these are read and dealt with forth' with', much time, usually wasted, can be easily saved. Any urgent correspondence should be first .dealt with.

The London Times was first printed; by steam on the 28th November, 18U r nearly sixty-seven years a^o. It is said that there is some speculation in the Southern Cross Petroleum shares at Napier, owing -to the discovery of large quantities ef a material, said by local I chemists to contiin 50 per cent, of pure paraffin. A special service will be conducted by the Eev. J. Luzford in the Hawera Town Hall to-morrow evening, at 7p.m., and a collection will be made in aid- of the widows ane families of the ministers who were drowned at the wreck of the Tararua. The Bailway Department has intimated to the Wanganui Harbor Board its intention to take over the wharf, and to charge 2£ per cent, for collecting the duties, after Ist June. "The Harbor Board/ says the Herald, " has not expressed its assent." Mr. Foreman has Bold out bis business at Manutahi to Mr. Whitham, of Wellington. Mr. Foreman has purchased a farm belonging to Mr. T. Bayly, near Manutahi, and proposes to settle there ; Mr. Bayly has bought land on the Wai* mate Plains. Messrs. Williams Bros., coach-builders, of Patea, having sold out their business to Messrs. Doneghue, Chisholm, and Smith, request that their successors may be favored with a continuance of. the liberal support accorded to the old firm. The new-comers promise to supply firstclass articles in all branches. They are all experienced workmen. We have been favored -by Messrs. Gordon and Gotch with an interesting lit* tie pamphlet on the "Dry Closet System." It is written by Mr. H. Bell, and presents some new, simple, and efficient forms of the earth closet to the public. It is unquestionably tbe only way open to inland towns of dealing satisfactorily and , economically with foecal matter. The new Town Board- would do well to take the question up. At the Christchurch B.M. Court, the Resident Magistrate considered it would be straining the provisions of the Act to pronounce the totalisator an illegal machine for the purpose of betting.' The. totalisator might be looked upon as merely a recording machine or. large open betting book, which all persons could use, and after each race, the whole of the money invested was paid back, less a percentage deducted for the of the proprietors of the machine. The case was consequently dismissed, but notice of appeal was given. The Taranaki News thns .writes of. the New Plymouth people :—": — " In a- community like that of New Plymouth, where the residents .have average intelligence and education, and where their proportion of leisure time is greater than that, of most persons in larger towns, thermatter of having means to profitably dispose, of that leisure time is of importance to each; and every one." The writer is evidently convinced that his townsmen " have got no work to do'-o-o-o," and is honestly afraid lest Satan ' should provide mis? chievous employment. ' " , . ,'..'. No one' expects to find a word, in favor of the Celestial in a Victorian State paper; nevertheless, in a recently issued report of the Chief Commissioner of Excise on., the. cultivation of ' tobacco in Victoria, the following passage occurs : — " I may here state that the Chinese, many of whom I found to speak English fluently, have advantages over the Europeans in their constant supervision and untiring efforts to keep the plants free from insects.". No man can begrudge the Chinamen. their success under such circumstances. The report shows that 514 acres of tobacco are cultivated, and are estimated to yield 250 tons of leaf. There are 22 plots in the hands of Chinese, varying form 2 to 20 acres. Mr. John Sheehan, ex-Native Minister, recently paid a visit to the Cambridge Farmers' Club. There was a debt of £75 due, which troubled the members of the club, and Mr. Sheehan undertook, to advise the members. He recommended them to encourage members to visit, by providing refreshment for both riders and horses. If the large landowners in the district would not put their hands in their pockets and support the club, he 'would have to join Sir George Grey again, and go in for cutting up the waste lands into 100 acre blocks. (Laughter.) They should double the subscriptions, and make it a real club. They must popularise the. club. It was nonsense to say that a mere sum of £75 was a serious difficulty. He would knock down that amount in billiards in the course of a night.