NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 133, 23 July 1881, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

A Wellington correspondent telegraphs to us that in Wellington the general opinion is that the Government will be defeated on Mr. Ormond's want of confidence motion. He recommends the people to prepare for a general election. After inquiry, he states that he believes that a sitting of the District Court can be arranged for in Hawera.

Numerous enquiries have been made at this office, asking when the ranger's report on the Waimate deferred paymeut land will be published. We have applied to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, but have not yet received his reply.

At the public meeting to be held in Hawera on Wednesday evening next, three subjects will be discussed, viz., the necessity of a sitting of the District Court in Hawera, the want of a set of standard plans at the Hawera Land Office ; and the desirableness of granting the petition in favor of a separate county. It has since been proposed to appoint a committee also to make arrangements for the railway opening celebration. highest price for land in Hawera has been given by the Bank of Australasia to Mr. J. Davidson and Messrs. Siggs, McLdowie, and Tait. The former sold 30 feet frontage next to his store, and the latter 26 feet adjoining, at present occupied by Mr. F. Osterling. The sellers have secured the right to remove the buildings, which are valued at .£IOO. One thousand pounds is the price, so that when the value of the buildings is deducted, the rate paid will be about 4517 per foot. We are not aware that any land in the township of Patea has been sold at such a high figure : the best price given, so far as our knowledge goes, is .£l2 per foot. The highest price we have heard of in New Plymouth has been £18 per foot. There may be instances where land has fetched more, both in Patea and New Plymouth, but we have not heard of any.

Mr. Chas. Laishley, late manager of the Union Bank of Australia, Hamilton, who has now taken charge of the new branch at Hawera, left many friends behind him at Hamilton. The correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes of him as follows : — " Mr. and Mrs. Laishley will he much missed in Hamilton. Mr. Laishley took an active part in all musical entertainments, was an energetic officer of the church, the chairman of the debating club, and a supporter of every useful movement. It is intended to present him with a substantial testimonial, and subscriptions for that purpose are coming in liberally."

On Tuesday last a public meeting of electors was held at Waverley, which was convened by the county chairman, as the result of his visit to Wellington. The Patea Mail says that at the hour appointed only about a dozen electors were present ; later, however, about thirty or forty electors, including about four or five settlers, put in an appearance. Mr. G. S. Bridge was appointed chairman, and expressed himself in favor of the Waverley portion of the county being joined to the i-est to form one electoral district. A deputation from Patea attended the meeting, and expressed a hope that the Waverley electors would see that it would be to their interest to join the Patea County electoaate. It was finally resolved to adjourn the meeting, so as to give electors from all parts of the electorate affected by the proposed change a chance oi being present.

William Hearn, the champion sculler of New .Zealand, served his apprenticeship on the Hokitika river, where his father and mother are now residing. He displayed a great fondness for aquatic pursuits, and it is recorded of him that when quite a youth he built a scullingboat for his own use. For some years past he has been in the employ of Messrs. Greenfield and Stewart, who are now the largest timber merchants in Wellington, Mr. Stewart being quite an enthusiast in boating matters. As Hearn is well known to many of our readers from the West Coast of the Middle Island, we append a few particulars about him, telegraphed by the Wellington correspondent of the New Zealand Herald on the day of the race : — " The champion is thirty-one years of age, and owns Sydney as his birthplace. He stands 5 feet 8£ inches m his stockings, and weight about twelve stone. His measurement around the chest is 41 inches. That around the bicepß, 13 inches. His first notable performance took place in 1869, at Hokitika, when he defeated his opponent, Chamberlain, by half-a-length. Ten years later, he visited Australia, and defeated Wynn. In a subsequent match with Messenger, however, for £'50 a-side, Hearn got beaten after a hard struggle. In addition to

these performances, he distinguished himself at various regattas throughout the colony. The boat used by him this afternoon is 30 feet long, 2 feet shorter than his antagonist's; 5 inches deep, with a beam of 11 inches, and 15-inch slide. White is seven years younger, is the same height and weight, and measures 38J inches round the chest. His boat has a 27-inch slide."

Major Parris is expected in Hawera today. A number of applications for the post of clerk and collector to the Waimate Eoad Board have been sent in.

The Wakatu, which went ashore at the mouth of the Patea river on Tuesday last, was got off on Thursday evening without being damaged.

Mr. J. Davidson informs us that he saw some rabbits on Mr. Lysaght's land a few days ago. The vermin will never spread on this coast as they have done on the other, but it would be wise to take every precaution against their multiplication, even on a small scale.

Dr. Smith has arrived in Hawera, where he proposes to settle and practice. We hear that he recently sold out his practice in Greytown, in the Wairarapa, to a Dr. Farquharson at a good price. Dr. Smith has been in almost constant practice in East and West Wairarapa for nearly 20 years.

" Kenelin," the New Zealand sporting correspondent of the Australasian, while writing on the Wangauui steeplechase meeting says :—": — " In Mr. Freeman R. Jackson Waugauui possesses a secretary who is certainly what may be called the ' Bagot' of Maoriland. As long as he is in Wauganui the programmes will be good and the racing well managed."

After every rainy day the Chairman of the Hawera Town Board is besieged with applications to have something done to certain " sticking places" in the streets and footpaths. His answer is invariably "No funds." One of the disappointed ones proposes to label the Towu Board office thus — " Hawera Town Board — No Funds."

The Chairman of the Patea public meeting has received the following reply to the resolutions published in our last : — In reply to your telegram of 18th, I hope to have a conference to-day with Mr. D.de County Chairman, on the subjects named by you. I shall be glad as far as possible to promote the objects set forth in the r- solutions of the meeting, in respect of opening up land. — W. Rolleston."

The funeral of Mr. C. J. Anderson took place on Wednesday last. A great many friends of the deceased attended, there being fully 60 persons present. He was interred in the cemetery, the Bey. Mr. Tony reading the service. Mr. Anderson's mother and brother arrived in Hawera yesterday. They hoped to reach here in time for the funeral, but it could not be delayed for so long.

Mr. Ensor has been appointed assistant minister to act with Mr. Luxford, the Wesleyan minister for this circuit. Mr. Ensor is a young man only some eighteen months out from the old country. He will hold three services on Sunday next — one in the morning and one in the evening, in Hawera, in the Wesleyan Church, and one in Manaia, at half-past two in the afternoon. Henceforth services will be regularly held in Hawera, Normanby, and Manaia, upon dates to be announced shortly.

The station contract, at Normanby and Hawera, have been taken over by the District Engineer, and Mr. Bull, the contractor, will leave for Rangitikei to-day. Everything in connection with both con. tracts appears to have been done in a thoroughly substantial and workmanlike manner. Mr. Bull is very favorably impressed with the district, but he states that he got a better idea of the country whilst out on* a few days' shooting excursion than he did for months previously.

It seems a pity that this (Saturday) afternoon should have been selected for the annual meeting of members of the Church of England. It is true that it was publicly announced a fortnight ago ; but those who called the Road Board meeting at Waimate, and the committee of the county separation movement, probably never heard of the church meeting, or they would have arranged their meetings so as not to clash. Saturday being a sale and general business day in Hawera, it is not generally advisable to appoint meetings on that aflesnoon.

Shares in the Opunake Lighter Company are going off freely, and there is now only about one-third of the number to be allotted remaining on hand. We have been informed that one gentleman in Wanganui offered to take up the remainder of the shares, providing the company would promise to manage its affairs as he might suggest, but the offer was declined. The directors are anxious that the people who own sections io Opunake should have a chance of obtaining a few shares. Besides, they are desirous of securing the co-operation of settlers at Manaia, Normauby, and Hawera. So far as we can judge, the success of the company is assured.

Complaints are general of the bad state of the county road between Waingongoro and Patea. On Wednesday night a dray was stuck all night in a mud-hole opposite Mr. I Bayly's residence outside of Hawera. The hill going down to the Waihi creek, on the way to Manaia, has been cut through and worked into deep ruts and holes within the last nay or two. That portion of the road between Hawera and Waingougoro has hitherto been kept in very good repair. Eveu now twenty or thirty loads of clean river-bed gravel or broken stone, if used only to fill up ruts and holes here and there along the line, would be sufficient to prevent it becoming almost impassable before tlis spring. The Council would do well ta attend to it.

Our attention has been called to a curious point which has arisen in reference to the Waimate valuation list. The Eating Act Amendment Act, 1878, requires that when a new road district shall be constituted after January 15th in any year the first valuation roll shall be prepared as follows : — " The Board of such road district shall make up from auy valuation roll in force a new roll for such new district." Now it so happens that there is no valuation roll in force for the Waimate Eoad District. One has been for three or four mouths in p eparation by the County Council, but owing to doubts about its being completed, and possibly, also, as to the compiler being sufficiently well informed as to the improvements inaile on the newly settled properties, the Board d cided to call for tenders for a new roll. The question arises, had they leg il power to do so, or were they bound to await the compilation of a roll by the County Council? We hold that there being no roll actually in force in the new district, the 1878 Act would not apply.

The Government have stated that they view favorably the proposal for getting the law affecting patents amended, so as to lessen the trouble and cost of obtaining them.

From a set of interesting tables, published in the Wellington Prices Current we gather that the imports of soft goods, including boots and shoes and haberdashery, have fallen off by nearly £800,000 during the past year. In 1879 they were valued at £2,134,000, whereas in iB6O they were only £1,365,000.

The Lyttelton Times, whose special correspondent has increased the notoriety of the paper somewhat at the expense of its reputation, some three weeks ago indulged in a little political prophecy, which, though expressed in unduly harsh and hypercritical terms, and painted in strong opposition colors, evinces so much foresight that we quote the extract in full : — " Within the House itself, Ministers are in equally wretched plight. They sit on the Treasury Bench with ropes round their necks. At any moment the signal may be given by a candid friend, or by a leading opponent, and they will be strung up forthwith. To show their utter ignorance of, and their want of accord with, public feeling throughout the colony, we need only point to the manner in which they were about to neglect the vital question of local self-government. Major Atkinson, in his speech at Taranaki, thought it might easily be postponed to a more convenient season. Mr. Hall, at Leeston, omitted to mention the matter at all. Since the session began, strong moral force has been needed to make the Ministry appreciate the importance of the question." It is difficult to say whether Mr. Ormond has played the part of the candid friend or leading opponent.

A meeting of the Waimate Road Board will be held at Manaia, at 2 p.m. to-day.

Mr. G. V. Bate announces a consignment of first-class kauri timber — 35,000 feet T. and G. Also, 200 sacks, seed oats.

The annual meeting of the members of the Church of England will be held at Mr. Bate's office to-day, at 3 p.m.

A meeting of the committee appointed to forward the county separation movement will be held at Owen's Hotel, at three o'clock to-day.

Mr. C. F. Barker announces arrival of a lai'ge consignment of seed oats, seed wheat, and seed barley; also, of feed, oats, from Canterbury.

Notice is given that a rate of 6d. in the £ will be struck by the Hawera Road Board on the 6th August, and that the rate-book will be open for inspection at the office of the Board.

A sufficient number of creditors having failed to attend the meeting called in the estate of Mr. Thos. Cato, of Normanby, Mr. G. V. Bate has been appointed trustee in the estate.

Messrs. R. H. Nolan and Co. will hold their usual fortnightly produce sale at 1 o'clock this day. A consignment of fruit and ornamental trees, from Mr. Hanneke's, Rangitikei, will also be ofEered.

Tenders are called for an office contract, New Plymouth railway station, and close on Friday, 29th July. Also, for the Sentry Hill water supply contract. Also, for 80 chains wire fencing, in the Ngaire.

Messrs. Nolan and Co. announce that their next monthly stock sale has been postponed till Friday, the sth August, at which date also the goodwill of a lease of 26 acres of land, at Hawera, will be ofEered for sale by auction.