The Star. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1882. NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 216, 1 March 1882, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1882. NEWS AND NOTES.

We understand that his Worship the Mayor has to-day written to the Colonial Treasurer asking him if there are trust funds available, from which he would make an advance on the security oi borough debentures.

Many of our readers will be sorry to hear that Mr. C. Broadbent met with a painful accicieut on Tuesday evening. He was knocked down by one of the hacks on the mounded road at the time of the half mile race and his leg was badly cut below the knee by a blow from the horse's foot. Mr. C. Days was reported to have had his leg broken on Saturday, but on enquiry we learn that his foot was accidentally bruised but that no bones were broken.

As in other parts of the colony, the weather in this district continues very unsettled considering the time of year. The hot dry summer weather with which last week closed and the present commenced has been succeeded by a heavy rainfall, rather inconvenient to those who are stack-making. Since Monday upwards of two inches of rain has fallen, and last night the fall was exceedingly heavy, registering over an inch and three-quarters. One farmer quite expected the rain, and ou Monday said he should set to work sowing in anticipation of it.

The drill-room committee met on Monday evening in Mr. Nolan's office, His Worship the Mayor in the chair. It was reported that the Borough Council was willing to give the committee their choice of four available sites. Mr. Pinches wrote stating that it would be impossible to put up a circular-roofed building, with the conveniences desired, at the figure quoted as the committee's limit; and Mr. Potts sent in an improved design, the carrying out of which was estimated at considerably over £350. After full consideration, the committee came to the conclusion that their best course would be to personally canvass the town, with a view of seeing what support they could rely upon. If their appeal were liberally responded to, they would be quite willing to go on ; if otherwise, then the matter must drop. Those present therefore divided themselves into two parties, it being arranged that one should go to work next day, and the other in the evening. Accordingly the town was yesterday canvassed, and on the whole the townspeople gave most freely and liberally, the list totalling up about £75. This, wich the Government subsidy of £200, will give the committee £275 ; but it is estimated that to put up a decent building which will be an ornament to the town and useful for large gatherings, a good deal more than that will be required. However, it is for the committee now to consider whether the prospect is sufficiently good for them to proceed.

Wellington correspondent of the Otago Times writes: — It is rumored here, hi well-informed circles, that the Budget will show an indisputable surplus of fully ;£ 100,000, as all branches of revenue are working up surprisingly. There has been a remarkable spurt in the railway receipts. It was thought that the splendid return (i-77,000) for the four weeks ended 7th ult. was mainly due to the exceptional traffic during the holidays, but I hear that subsequent returns are even more favourable proportionately. It is now believed, by those best qualified to form an opinion, that the gross receipts for the year will exceed £890,000, if, indeed, they do not very nearly reach £900,000 ; yet, three months ago, nobody anticipated that more than £875,000 would be the total. This is a great improvement. The working expenses show a steady dr crease, and, so far as can be calculated at present, the year's nett profit will be quite £400,000. It is rumored (but I have been unable to verify the report) that the new loan, to be introduced next spring, will be for five millions— the same as last time. I give this rumor for what it may be worth.

A local branch of the Irish Land League has been formed in Napier.

The petition of Mr. Ballauce against the return of Mr. Watt for Wanganui will be taken this day week.

On Monday last the A.C.'s made a start to erect a lock-up in Manaia, not before it was wanted, as the local constable, Mr. Franklyn knows to hiß cost.

Mrs. Long desires us to express her deep thanks for the kindness and liberality with which the Hawera people have recently helped her.

A buggy containing two or three gentlemen was the other day overturned at one of the bends just on the other side of Patea, and went rolling down a steep bank. Strangely, no one was hurt.

The 200 men to be removed to Waikati from this coast, form companies 3, 4, and 5. Captain Gascoigu will be in charge, and it is eaid that the men are to commence the construction of a road to Ohinemutu.

The steamer Westport which sank in one of the West Coast ports recently has been successfully raised. The steamer was only brought out as a new vessel some three months ago, and it is pleasing to note that she has been recovered.

The young man, Prendergast, of whose equestrian capers our Manaia correspondent gave an account, was to-day charged at the Police Court with furious riding, and fined £1 135., with 7s. costs, this making up the amount of his bail. Prendergast did not appear.

From nearly every country district in Otago come complaints of the scarcity of harvest hands this season. At Kurow, according to the Oamaru Times, the wives of a number of the deferred payment settlers have had to leave domestic duties and help to get the crops in.

A " special " to the Wauganui Herald, from Christchurch, says that the Governor has received since his arrival in Christchurch a telegram from Earl Kimberley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, granting liiui leave of absence to visit England forthwith. Probably he will leave immediately after the opening of the Christchurch Exhibition and before Parliament meets.

An interesting match between two wellknown hacks came off at Mauaia on Tuesday last. The match was £8 to £0, Mr. Danl. Wilkie's Roan giviug tho odds to a grey mare owned bj r Mr. Higginson. Owners were up, and as the grey mare had the best of the weights by nearly 3 stone, no one was surprised at her scoring an easy win. Roan has been suffering from a severe cold and is not looking nearly so well as he was awhile ago.

In case any misunderstanding should arise we have been requested to mention that contributions for the refreshment stall at the bazaar should be sent in on Thursday to Mrs. W. G. White, while donations of produce or stock are not required until Saturday morning. Any sort of produce will be acceptable : potatoes, bacon, cheese, butter, poultry, &c. and there will be an auction sale of such contributions on Saturday afternoon.

People who say that the colony is losing population by the excess of departures over arrivals will be surprised to hear that, according to official figures, the gain during January was 700. Oi course, some allowance must he made for the influx of visitors from Australia, whose return tickets do not expire until the end of the present month ; but, on the other hand, there was a gain on the whole of last year, a period of great depression, of nearly 2000.

The engineer of a train near Montreal saw a large dog on tin* track. He was barking furiously. The engineer blew the whistle at him, but he did not stir, and, crouching low, he was struck by the locomotive and killed. There was a bit of white muslin on the locomotive, and it attracted the attention of the engineer, who btopped the train and went back. There lay the dead dog and a dead child, which had wandered upon the track and had gone to sleep. The dog had given his signal to stop the train, and had died at his post.

Robert Early, a carpenter, residing at New Plymouth, having been adjudged a person who "by exoessive drinking of liquor, mis-spends, wastes, or lessens his health, and endangers or interrupts the peace and happiness of his family," all hotelkeepers in the county have (under section 117, Licensing Act) been prohibited from supplying him with liquor." Early's father, who instituted the proceedings, said defendant was married, and had five children; he was a carpenter and builder, and had been in the habit of drinking to excess for the last plr. years. Prior to his commencing to drink he was the owner of several properties in town, but he has gone through them all, and has since been bankrupt twice.

A severe accident befel a boy of Mr. McGovern's at Manaia on Tuesday afternoon. The driver of Mr. McGovern's horse team had reached the store and had taken out the leading horse. On doing so the shaft horse moved back a step or two, and the driver heard a cry and saw Mr. McGovern's little boy lying underneath the wheel. On going to pick him up, he found the wheel resting so heavily on the child's head and neck that he was forced to lead tin.- horse forward bef>'!>. he could extricate the lad. Tlio di\\y was heavily laden. Dr. Richards, who was in Manaia at the time, examined and prescribed for the sufferer at once, but was unable to say for certain whether the injury was likely to be serious or not. By a later report we hear that the lad is progressing favorably.

It seems that that question about the licenses is not yet settled. The Otago Witness of the 25th February, has the following :— A great deal of telegraphing has been done from Gore and Clinton to Wellington on the question whether town districts will be entitled to auctioneers and publicans' fees. Various opinions have been received, the Hon. T. Dick having first telegraphed that they would not be so entitled, and then that they would. The PopoLunoa Chronicle says on the subject :— " The Colonial Secretary is now confident that both auctioneers and publicans' fees belong to the town district, while the Colonial Treasurer is doubtful about the former. Even these t«vo gentlemen, it appears, do not agree on the subject, and Messrs. Tiiomson, Haggitt, and Stout differ from both. At what conclusion can we possibly arrive, when such a difference of opinion exists among the high auihoritioß?"

Mr. Fantharn, the purchaser of Mr. Perry's farm, arrived at Wnitara yesterday .bringing with him some forty head of valuable pure-bred stock. "

The Manaia Drill-shed hangs fire; tenders have not yet been accepted pending a definite undertaking on the part of the Government to pay over the £200 on the settlers raising £100,

During the past few days the Opunake natives have been enjoying a great carouse in the townßhip. They have just sold a mob of a hundred horses, and they are disposing of the proceeds in this manner.

Messrs. Fookes, Dockrill, Davies, McLean, Hood, and Oldfield, have been appointed a committee to report to a meeting what support can be obtained for a company to purchase the Titanic Steel Co.'s land and plant.

Work baa been started by Mr. T. McGovern at the brickfield at Waingongoro and a goodly number of bricks have already been made and are now drying ready for the kiln. The lessee is confident of turning out a first-class article.

To-day is the last day upon which property tax is legally payable. Many persons took advantage of the extension of time for payment granted up to March Ist. But it seems likely that unless they pay up to-day they are liable to be mulcted for an extra ten per cent added for delay. The Act requires payment of each instalment within 14 days-from the date.

The Government have removed the maintenance road-men from off the main south road on the plains. This throws 20 miles of important and expensive road on the local Road Board, which body, however, will look to the County Council for a substantial subsidy for this road. Pending the next meeting of the County Council, the present maintenance man will be retained at his post by the Road Board. Ratepayers will remember that there are no roads under the control of the County Council, the latter body simply acting as an administering body, leaving all actual road-work and all expenditure of its monies to be undertaken by the several Road Boards. Up to the present the system seems to have worked well and smoothly.

The Borough Council invites designs for Council Chambers.

Mr. Freeman R. Jackson sells stock at the Hawera Yards on Friday.

Mr. McEae sells stock at Manaia tomorrow.

Mi-. Max D. King's advertisement arrived too late for insertion in this issue.

Mr. J. Meuli, saddler and harness maker, announces a cleaving cash sale.

Messrs. H. I. Jouos arid Son publish a new advertisement in another column.

Mr. Robt. Carson, well -sinker, announces that he is prepared to give estimates. Mr. J. Coffey advertises his Hawera shop as to let.

Mr. Cruickshank, of Opunake, undertakes to draw plans and give specifications for any kind of buildings . As the solicitor to the Waimate Building Society expects to have the draft rules prepared by to-morrow evening, a meeting of members and intending members wiil then be held to consider same. It is announced that in consequence of the •' Illustrated Stock Doctor' having been considerably enlarged, some delay has been caused, but subscribers may expect their books in March.

It is announced that in consequence of the •'Illustrated Stock Doctor' having been considerably enlarged, some delay has been caused, but subscribers may expect their books in March. The Opunalre drill-hall is to be opened on Friday, March 10, by a ball. The volunteers drilled in the shed on Saturday eveu-

considerably enlarged, some delay nas been caused, but subscribers may expect their books in March. The Opunalre drill-hall is to be opened on Friday, March 10, by a ball. The volunteers drilled in the shed on Saturday evening for the first time, and it is to be used this week for billeting, until their embarkation, the Constabulary ordered to Waikato.