NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 207, 6 February 1882, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Parliament has been further prorogued till the Itn of April.

Report of educational meeting at Manaia; an interesting letter from our Stratford-Ngaire Correspondent ; correspondence re elections, &c, will be found in this day's supplement.

An accidental transposition in a leaderette, which appeared in our last ipsue, reversed the sense of one sentence. Tho figures as printed would lead to the conclusion that the Custoitn revenue for 1880 was greater than that for 1881, whereas the larger total applied to the latter year. The figures for 18R0 were £L,258!'3G2; those for 1881 £1,4^1,014.

The moyoral election takes place tomorrow, at tho Town Hall. The poll will open at 9 a.m. and closo at 6 p.m. There are about 180 or 190 voters orf the roll, and each will have but one vote. Th" election of councillors takes place on the following day, extending over ths same hours ; and the auditors' election dn Thursday.

The cricket match, Manaia v. Hawera, on Saturday, was decided on the first innings, and victory fell to the former by 10 runs. Each side have thus won a match, and the conqueror will be played at an early date. The scores made on Saturday are held over.

Mr. Bailey, chief inspector of sheep, says that, having regard to the number ot sheep now in the Patea district winch have occupied accommodation paddocks in which the bcabby sheep from Wanganui were lodged iv passing up the coast, besides the risk of passage aloug the high road, it is urgently desirable that a dip should be erected at each salo yard, and that all sheep should be put through the dip before leaving the yard. If this were continued systematically for several months, the risk which now exists would be overcome. It is better to spend tlireopence a head in dipping before sheep leave the auction yard than it is to risk a loss of hundreds of pounds through infection developing after sheep are removed.

A petition in favor of the erection of a suitable Post and Telegraph office at Maniiia is now in course of signature at Manaia. The present sub- postmaster complains that the work is more than he can readily perform ; at the same time tlie small amount of salary given by the department does not justify the employment of an extra clerk to do the work. We assume, therefore, that the petition will meet with no opposition. The petitioners urge that if greater facilities were offered to the public, more especially iv respect to the telegraph accommodation, there would be a large increase iv the revenue derived. Seeing that there are more than 50 resident householders iv the township itself, besides a numerous rural population just outside the town boundaries, there appears to be ample justification for the petition.

The Hon. Col. Whitmore went through from Wellington to Napier overland, the other day (says the Kangitikei Advocate). At Tahariti, the little great man was engaged in conversation with a friend, when the coachman shouted, " all aboard." He took no notice of the warning, never dreaming that the Jehu would dare to start without him. Crack went the whip, round went the wheels, and away -went the coach. The Colonel stared in astonishment at the retreating vehicle, and at last, set-ing it was really off without him, lip started to run in pursuit. After doing 800 yards at (to him) bursting speed, and nearly splitting liis lungs with shouting, tho fiery Colonel managed to overtake tho coach. As he took his spat amongst tlie giggling passengers, he felt a whit more humble than usual.

Some few days ago the Nonuanby petition in favor the town being declared under the Town Districts Act, was forwarded to Wellington. It has since been returned for a statutory d< clarntiou before a J.P., to be made attesting t lie correctness of the siguatuses. The Muniiiu petition has been also signed, 43 householders out of a Dossible 51 having? <leclsire<l in favor of the change — a change which we have consistently recoinmemlel as tending to procure more efficient, because more local, administration of rates and other monies levied. The latter notition has been sent to Mr. 11. It. Purringlou, who will no doubt see that the required declaration is made beiore the latter petition is sent to Wellington to the Governor.

The correspondent of the London Tablet writes from Rome, under date 12th November, as follows :—": — " On Thursday, the 10th, his Holiness received iv private audience Dr. Patrick Moran, Bißhop of Dunedin, New Zealand, and Monsignor Kirby, Bishop of Lita. Dr. Moran presented to the Holy Father tho sum of £100, being Peter's Ponce from the bishop, clergy, and fnithful of Dunedin. Leo XIII. conversed for a considerable time with Bishop Mornn, asking details concerning progress of religion in New Zealand. Bishop Moran also presented to tho Pope an addrosß from tho Bishops of Now Zealand, nmnifoßting their sorrow for the scandalous occurrences of the 13th July, aud offering to the Holy Fathor their coudolcnco and sympathy.

Wo hear th.it it is the intoutiou of tho volunteer officers at Maniiia to prooood with the erection of tho drill-nlicd without much further dolay. It in moro commonly spokon of by tho oll'icpi-h thornselves as the Town llall, and judging by the lack of vitality in tho voluntoor uiovoment, it sogiiih probilblo that (liih will bo the end uud aim of tho proinolorn. A comtuittco of gtmmntorH to find tho £100 to cover tho liability of tho volnntoimi baa been formod, and provided Unit tho Government pay over tho £200 without demur, the building is likoly to bo undertaken and proceeded witli at ouce. Tho contractor, Mr. Drquhart, lias not formally withdrawn his tender, but the bond and contract had not been signed up to Saturday afternoon.

An enormous black shark was caught last week in the inner harbor nt Napier. Tho Telegraph says that two new nets wore broken in landing the monster, and tho third one used would probably have mot tho Rame fate hud not the shark become ontangled therein by floundering about lifter trading itself captured. The meu, after successfully landing their prize, opened it, aud fouDd in its stomach a hat (rather suggestive), two sinkers, three hooks, and a bone about teu inches long (also suggestive).

A report of Hawera Road Board meeting is unavoidably held over.

The infant daughter of Mr. Wilfred Waters, of Bonny Glen, Rangitikei, died ou Wednesday from the effects of sucking the heads of matches.

The assessor of property in Wellington took a note of all empty tenements, and gives the total as 329, the majority of which are of a poor description.

A party of surveyors have commenced a prospecting survey of that portion of the back country known as the University Reserve, Patea.

At a meeting of the Hawera Land on Friday evening au invitation to the Friendly Societies picnic was received aud accepted. ft

The new cricket ground at Manaia is looking well, aud the A.C.'s deserve credit for having spent so much of their spare time in atceuding to it.

The Putiki chief Mawae died on Saturday week morning at a ripe old age. He was uncle of Meiha Keepa, and was one of the natives who sold to the New Zealand Company the land ou which the town of Wanganui is built. He had always been a staunch supporter of the Europeans.

A parcel of quartz weighing 80lbs, from the Imperial mine, Boatmans, S.W. Nelson, was crushed a few days ago. The gold when retorted weighed loz. 19dwts., thus bringing the yield per ton at the rate of 120ozs. This atone waa procured from some of the larger pieces of quartz, the result of a blast.

The Wanganui Chronicle says the best instrument (at all events iv theory) ever devised for a danger signal at rifle shooting is a very light cavass-eovered screen which works in grooves in the sides of the target, and cau in a second be dropped over the entire face of the target, and almost as easily raised again.

The following gentlemen will compose the Hawera team in the match Hawera v. United A.C.'s to be played on Wednesday and Thursday : — Messrs. Moore, G. Bayly, Parrington, F. Bayly, Riddiford, Beresford, Cunningham, Southey, Booth, Ranson, and White. Fraser is unable to play, business engagements standing in the way.

Messrs. R. H. Nolan and Co. have sold Mr. J. L. Perry's farm, between Hawera and Normanby, to Mr. Fantham, a wellknown cattle breeder, recently of the Waikato, at a price which has not transpired. The purchase may be said to be of great advautage to the district, adding, as will do, another to the number of breeders of pure stock on the coast.

The drill-shed committee met on Saturday evening, and received plaus and estimate for the building. It was resolved that as the committee's functions were confined to obtaining the plans, a public meeting of volunteers and others interested should be called for next Saturday evening, at Owen's Hotel, for the purpose of approving one of the plans.

At the R.M. Court to-day, James Hamilton was charged with assault in High-street on Saturday, and being convicted was fined 10s., 24 hours in default. He accepted the latter alternative, and will bask in the sun in the police paddock till night, when comfortable quarters inside will be found for him. William Eckmate waa charged with being unlawfully on Mr. F. T. Bailey's premises on Saturday night. Convicted, and ordered to be imprisoned for a month.

Speaking with reference to the scabby sheep lately driven into this district, Mr. Bailey said, " It is hard to account for this case occurring, supposing proper inspection to be exercised. I certainly say that some of those sheep have been diseased more than three months. There was one sheep, to my certain knowledge, with a patch of scab on it as hard as a board, and us big as this paper (holding up the Mail folded to one-fourth of a page). I have also heard that somebody said in the saleyaid that the buyer would get something more than the sheep. Whoever that gentlem. n was, he did not act rightly to hinaself or to the public at large." .}

On Saturday, a special meeting of the Wainiate School Committee waa called to choose the site for the new school building at Mauaia. Messrs. Hughes, Martyn, Glenn, and Yorke were present. It was resolved to build on Block XXVI, sections one and two. The site is high and dry, well open to both wind aud sun, and not likely to have the view of the sea bnilt out. The Committee flagged out the whole of the reserve, containing about 3 acres, and also marked off the site of the proposed building. It was agreed that tho Chairman should request Captain Gudgeon to allow a detachment of A.C.'s to assist in clearing the site last chosen.

On Saturday evening there arrived from Nolson, on routo for Opunake, the Mossrs. Wagstaff find family, the purchasers of Mr. Breach's flax mill. The party was a large one, consisting of tho Messrs. Wa::.tafr (two), with their wives, four sons, four daughters, and son-in-law. Thoy crossed tho Straits in the Patea, bringing with them their waggons, enrts, horses, &c, together with their plant. Tho party rosombled, on a small scale, ono of those emigrant parties which are constantly making their way west over tho prairies of the States, aud their progroHs was an interesting sight. The Messrs. WngstalT have beeu connected with tlio flax industry from its foundation in Nolhou, and aro therefore quite aufuit in ovnry brunch, aud as there is plenty of tlio raw material thoy have an excellent prospoot of making their entorprise suenoHttful. We aro sure the Opunake people will givo thorn n cordial welcome, and wiuh thorn tho fullest reward for their industry.

Programmes of tho A.C. sports at Pungarohu, and tho Friendly Societies sports at Glenavou, will be found in our advertising columns.

Phosphate of Lime is an essential constituent of all grains. It is an important nutritivo principle, and recent experiments have proved that it is an indispensable element in the construction, not of bones only but of all the animal tissues. _ A deficiency of the phosphate of lime in food i* a common cause of illhealth of defective developeuient and retarding growth. Messrs. Sharland and Co. have solved the great problem in the invention of the Moa Brand Baking Powder — The Auckland community have realised the fact that there h no equal to it in the colonies. — [Advt.]

Speaking at Kutnara recently, the Hon. Mr. Rolleston said the Ministry "were brought face to face with the fact that the colony must go on with its public- works without extraneous aid. It would bo im-^ possible to go on with the system of borrowing."

The Nye and Fisher Troupe write to us to say that they have delayed their visit to Hawera till the 13th inst. They aro doing very good business along the coast, giving an entertainment at Parihaka to a large audience. The troupe claim to have been the first who played at Parihaka. This brings to memory the circumstance that a troupe visited Parihaka just before Te Whiti was taken and asked permission to play. The old prophet freely gavo permission, and expressed the pl-asure it would give him to visit the entertainment, but added slily that the people would not expect to pay for admission 1 The troupe did not play.