NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 288, 16 August 1882, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Alexandria is now joined by cable to Port Said. Messages are accepted at senders' risk. A special meeting of tho Borough Council will be held this evening. A number of tenders for works advertised havo been received. Messrs. Wilkie and Chadwick have lately bought another mob of about 40 Maori horses, which will bo shipped in the spring either to Dunedin or Auckland. We understand that Mr. W. M. Thomson has accepted Messrs. Scott aud Baker's tender for his new offices at £'784. The building is to be comploted iv four mouths 1 time. The tendering was remarkably close, three tenders being for £784, £785, £787. The other tenders were for £800, £848, £097, and £1,1G7. The successful tenderer stated that unless tho time for completion were extended to four months, his price would have to be raised by 20 per cent, owing to the state of the road leading to railway station.

One of the members of the Wanganui Football Team, W. S. Moore, met with a very unfortunate accident at Palmerston on Saturday in playing against the local team. It appears that Moore was running with the ball, when, owing to the ground being somewhat broken, he fell with his left leg twisted under him. No ill effects were immeiliately felt, but shortly afterwards the pain became intense, and he was taken to the Royal Hotel. A medical gentleman was scut for, aud when he arrived it was found that the left ankle was dislocated, and also a bone fractured. The injured limb having been set, Mr. Moore was kindly attended to by the host and hostess, and having been placed on a stretcher he was brought to town by the evening train. On his ai rival home, Dr. Tripe was sent for, and the bone re-set. The injury, though not very serious, will prevent Mr. Moore from attending to his duties for some time. — Wanganui Herald.

Sir John Hall has made a suggestion which may yet save the spirit of the Elective Laud Boards Bill, if it should not be possible to save the Bill itself. He said : — " I do not wish to limit in the smallest degree the right of any honorable member to propose .amendments in our laws ; but I am sure it will be more convenient for tho business of the House and for our Statute Book if, when the Government iutvodYice Bills upon given subjects, honorable members should propose any amendments they may think desirable iv the Government Bills themselves. -Supposing tbe Bills of tho honorable member for Auckland East were never reported on at nil, even in that extreme case he would not be in any way prejudiced from bringing forward his amendments, and therefore I do not think the honorable gentleman's complttiut has any solid foundation." This proposal would probably embarrass the Government somewhat, because although they did not openly oppose Sir George Grey'ttßill, it is well known that they have no intention of allowing the proposal to take effect, if they can help it. (1

The carpenters have commenced work at the Hawera borough buildings. The French Crown jewels and diamonds are to be sold, and the money be devoted to a fund for the relief of distressed artizans. ■ Beer brewing has become an important industry in Japan, and the Japanese state that they cau brew a better and purer article than any they can import. Settlers on the Plains are well satisfied with their prospects on the whole. The grass has grown fast during the paßt month, and stock generally have wintered well. The first quarters' Customs receipts amounted to £320,000. If this rate of importation is continued, the Colonial Treasurers' estimate will be well within the mark. . Gisborne grass seed growers complain that their business is greatly prejudiced by the practice of passing off inferior seed in other districts as of Poverty Bay growth. The New Zealaud Loan and Mercantile Company quote pelts at Wanganui at 3d. ; at Timarn, at Is. 3d. to 2s. This should offer an opportunity to a speculative man. Statistics just published show that at the end of 1879 the number of miles of American railways in operation was 84,223, which rose in 1880 to 93,671 miles, or by nearly 9 per cent. A thousand immigrants pass through Montreal daily to the North-West. On one day lately, 1100 English agriculturists with 75,000 dollars, passed through en route to Ontario aud Manitoba. Complaints are made in Manaia about the danger of the practice of furious ruling through the town, indulged in by Maoris. The youug man Itangi, who was arrested and fined Is. at Hawera on Monday, is hold to have been far tgp leniently dealt with. * f Mr. Young's Opunake mail coach broke down yesterday about two miles aud a half on this side of Manaia. The front axle broke, but no one was hurt. Mr. Thomas Lloyd sout a bnggy out for the mails and passeugers, which were quickly brought on to Manaia. The coachman then procuied the loan of an express from Mr. Cockburn, with which he consiuued his journey to Opunake, leaving Mauaia about 4.30. We understand that the coach is au old one, and the fact that it ueeded repairs had been more than once pointed out to the driver. Some surprise was expressed iv Hawera at the heavy rainfall recorded last month, which was registered by Mr. Partridge at 755 inches. It so happens that the raiufall throughout the colony was exceptionally heavy, as the following comparative table will show : — July, 1882. Average for July. INCHES. INCHES. Auckland 97 9 4.63 Wellington 867 622 Dunedin 532 2-16 So that both Auckland and Dunedin had more than double their usual quantum, aud both Wellington aud Auckland had considerably more rain than Hawera. The Otago Daily Times has the following: — "By tbe San Francisco mail, Mr. A. C. Begg has received further advices regarding the refrigerating steamer Marsala. It appears she does not come direct to New Zealand, but calls at Adelaide Melbourne, and Sydney, and will no doubt partially load cargo at the latter port, coming on here to load the meat early in September. We understand this is only the precursor of several other shipments of tho same kiud. By the exertious of the Australian Company (limited) the Company which owns tho Marsala, cold storage has heeu provided sufficient to take in meat measuriug 700 tons of 40 cubic feet, in case of it being needful to to hold it for a short time, It is not often that a South Island man says a good word for North Island settlers, but this is what Mr. Driver said on Aug. Ist, in the debate on the Deferred Payment Settlers' Relief Bill : — It is impossible for this or any committee to approach that question and take evidence aud say* whether the deferred-payment settlers are entitled to relief or not, unless they go into the whole question, iv order to see how the deferred-payment settlers are affected iv the North and South Islands, and whether the complaint comes from a fow deferred-payment settlors, and is not sufficient to induce the House to upset the whole system of deferred -payment settlement whicli has hitherto been worked out. Not one complaint has come from any deferred-payment settler in the North. A meeting of persons interested in the formation of a meat freezing company at Wanganui was held on Monday. Mr,. F. K. Jackson filled tho chair. Mr.- C. Cross had collected information on the subject, and stated that there was as good au auchorage iv the Wanganui roadstead as there was at Timaru or other roadsteads. Two gentlemen had already offered to take up shares, one £1000, another £500 worth. On the motion of Mr. Abbot, it was resolved that in the opiniou of this meeting, it is desirable that a limited liability company be formed to carry on the work of preparing meat for consumption in the Home market by the refrigerating or tinned process. Messrs. D. G. Poison, F. R. Jackson, J. Abbot, C. S. Cross, and J. Netman were appointed a committee to carry out the objects of the meeting aud to obtain the necessary information. Ex-Judge Weston should well know what sort of bankruptcy law the colony now has, and the other day he expressed his opinion pretty plainly as follows : — "The time had arrived when all the courts of the colony should be simplified, when they should be made to follow in the wake of the English courts, to the end that justice should be available to all j alike, cheaply and expeditiously. Then, there was the question of the bankruptcy laws of New Zealaud. "How did they stand ? Were they not a perfect scandal to the colony ? Did they uot offer every protection to the vagabond, and did they not frequently involve the honest man in ruin ? What check had they imposed upon the dishonest man ? Absolutely none. He had hoped that when honorable members came ,to the House this session they would be met with some proposals iv the direction of amending the bankruptcy law, in accordance with a I promise made by the Government during the previous year." I The amenities of debate in Parliament | are somewhat strained in the House of Representatives at times. Thus for instance, when Major Atkinson had concluded the speech in which he taunted the leader of the Opposition with being a sham, and of having shown an utter waut of either policy, courage, or skill. Mr. Montgomery characterised the statements as sheer abuse. Then " Major Atliiusoa rose to a point of order and said, If I were abusive, Sir, of course you would at once have stopped me. I submit that it is hardly a proper word for tho honorable gentleman to use." Mr. Speaker replied, " I think the language is stroug, but on the other hand, the lauguage that came from the Treasury bench was also strong." Upon another occasion, Mr. Seddon referred to certain honorable members, and said he was sorry intelligent constituencies should scud such harmless individuals here to represeut them. Mr. Speaker — The honorable member must not address members of the House us harmless individuals. Mr. Seddon — I certainly withdraw it, if it is objectionable, and will say honorable members are not harmless, 'I • A. •

Two females 89 years old each died in Auckland last month. The Maucesfcer Convention has decided to alter the title of the League to that of the Land and Labor League. The parade of licensed vehicles for numbering was fixed for this day week, not this day, as some of the carriers thought. The Forth Bridge Railway Bill has been passed by a committee of the House of Commons. The bridge is to be built across the Forth at Queen's Ferry at a cost of £1,750,000. Mr. Foy, the Borough Engineer, has returned from Auckland, whither he went for the benefit of his health. His health is now good, but he has not yet recovered his strength. He reports Auckland as colder and wetter even than Hawera. In the event of the Land Act Amendment Bill being brought into force, we wonder will any of our legislators see that a third of the reuts from deferred payment lands are payable to the local bodies for roads, instead of a third of the capital value as now arranged. A dinner was recently given to Mr. John Kerr, at Nelson, in recognition of the public spirit aud enterpnze shown by him in goiug over to America and importing some of the best of their breed of trotting horses to New Zealand. The dinner was largely attended, and the guest of the evening was very well received. Two of tho horses will stand at Wangauui ior the season, viz., Newland's Hainbletonitui and Pinole Patchen. A Wellington correspondent reports that Dr. Hector, who has travelled over the route from New Plymouth to Te Awamutu, is of opiniou that the line ' involves no difficulties as to construction, aud the land is iufmitely superior to any it would pass through in the Marton or Napier route. Dr. Hector is well qualified to judge, aud his report confirms that of many others who have personal knowledge of the route. The Patea Mail says that the costs in the recent hearing of the case North v. Williams at Patea as taxed were £120. Mr. North's costs at New Plymouth have been taxed at £180. The two sides have thus spent iv law costs about £300 up to date. The whole estate was sold for £700 by resolution of the creditors, so that nearly half as much money has been spent in legal disputes, and these are to be resumed, we suppose, when the District Court sits agaiu to-morrow week. Iv the annual report ou the New Zealand Goldfields, a comparison is made between the yields of gold from quartz mines iv New Zealand and Victoria during the year, and the result is vastly iv favor of this colony, for while 05,712 tons of quartz iv New Zealand yielded 84,7920z, of gold, or loz. sdwt. 19gr. per tou, 1,041,212 tons of quartz in Victoria only gave a return of 455,9090z., or Bdwt. 18gr. per ton. And yet quartz-mining in Victoria pays. It is especially gratifying to find that alluvial gold-mining does not show any falling off, and that though there has been a decreased yield from quartz mines of about 4000 ounces, the total yield of gold for the year shows the very appreciable increase of 1G,G420z. of a value of £59,244. The figures are as follow :— Ounces. Value. 1880-81 276,587 £1,111,276 1881-82 293,229 1,170,520 How often we hear the remark that the Supreme Court is made for the rich man as the poor men dare not attempt to follow an oppoueut thither. Ex Judge Westou recently spoke out on the subject iv Parliament and said :—": — " The Supreme Court had been practically closed to all but the most wealthy. The poor could certainly not go there, and to the ricli the procedure was not only costly, but very tedious. The first steps in an action were slow to a degree — the pleadings, demurrers, applications, the settling of the issues ; at length the trial ; then applications for a new trial to reverse the decision of jury, then the arguments in Banco; fourthly, the arguments in Court of Appeal, and, if unsuccessful, the final application to the Privy Council in England. The result of all that", Jhe need scarcely say, was that the rich man could completely snuff out not alone the poor man, but the person of ordinary means. In that way the objects of our Courts of law were frustrated, and law became in many instances a solemn farce." Iv the course of a debate on the evil effects of the defective ventilation of the Parliamentary buildings, Hon. Colonel Brett is reported to have said — He wished that honorable members of both Houses might be fully acquainted with the steps taken to improve the pestilential atmosphere of the buildings, which had an effect similar to that of blood-poisoning. He himself had suffered in health during two or three sessions, and bad uearly lost his life, and he felt that it was now time to rise and warn honorable members that they were also liable to a similar fate, which he should be sorry to see. It was generally understood in England that railway travelling would not be rendered safe until a bishop had been killed, and he believed Ministers here would not take any steps until oue of their own body had been carried off. He only hoped some Minister would be sacrificed before half-a-dozen other members lost their lives. A more heart-felt wish for a vicarial sacrifice was apparently seldom uttered ; but it is rather rough on Miuisters. The progress making in hop-growing in New Zealand is beginning to alarm tho hop -growers at Home. The Brewers' Guardian says : — " When the profitable nature of this crop becomes generally known, it is probable the cultivation of hops will be much extended throughout tho colony. Breweries are rapidly increasing in number aud size in New Zealand ; aud if hop-growing goes on there as it has commenced, Kent, Sussex, and Worcester will, in a fow years, have another formidable competitor." Looking to the profitable character of this industry its extension in the colonies is perhaps I only a question of time. Tho export of [ hops to European markets could hardly i be regarded in the light of " sending coals to Newcastle." A lady was lately sued at Paris, by a drapery firm, for sevou thousand two hundred pounds , being for linen supplied to her during tho space of three months. Of the amount four thousand pounds was for chemises alone I Mr. Moss, M.H.E., in a recent speech, told how the money goes. He said that eleven thousand pounds had been expended out of loan in prizes for rifle shooting, payment of markers, and war medals. Russia is at preseut having thirty gunboats constructed at a cost of seven million roubles. Her army aud navy are also being strengthened by two hundred and tZjirty-two thousand recruits.

Mr. Freeman E. Jackson's usual monthly stock sale at Hawera takes place on Friday next. Tho entries are numerous, and comprise about 300 head of cattle. Fred. Osterling makes a business announcement. Hawera Volunteer Rifles are requested to send in old arms and take out new. S. Dixon, painter, of Hawera, has filed his schedule. ' ' Tenders are invited, for building a store iv Patea. Messrs. K. H. Nolan and Co. will hold their usual general Bale on Saturday, when some fruit trees from Rowo'a Nuuery, will alao be disposed of.