NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 371, 19 December 1882, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Property owners who have neglected to fill up their valuation papers should do so at once, otherwise they are liable to a heavy fine undor the Property Tax Act ; to-morrow is the last day.

It is remarked as a curious coincidence that Sir Julius Yogel should have landed iv New Zealand the very day after our three years' period of pledged abstinence from borrowing expired.

By Gazette proclamation a notice must be published in a newspaper circulating in the district at least ouce in throe successive weeks setting forth the object of any local bill to come before Parliament, before such bill can be read a second time.

Complaints about the scarcity of labour are so general that some of the local bodies are doubtful whether in the interests of the ratepayers they should not postpone issuing tenders for large contracts for road work, until bush-felling, shearing, and harvest is over.

An accident happened to My. Crawford yesterday. He was riding a young horse, when the girths broke and. the rider was thrown heavily to the ground. Fortunately, Mr. Crawford was nob severely hurt and managed to escape with a shaking and some bruises.

It is reported that a pugilistic unbeliever visited a well-known Evangelist at Norrnanby on Suuday ; but the former went to scoff, and not to pray. From words he proceeded to blows ; but the man of peace was equal to the occasion, disabled the intruder and punished him for the offence.

Gisborne is to the front again. Sixty passengers from Poverty Bay landed on Saturday, all more or less interested in the civil and criminal business of the Supreme Court. Gisborne would be lost without its litigation, and for a session to open without a case from Poverty Bay would be a more astonishing phenomenon than the big comet or the transit of Venus. — Hawke's Bay paper.

There appears likely to be some difficulty (says the Gisborne Herald) in obtaining labor for the grass seed harvest this year. Many of the natives, who on previous years engaged themselves for the work, will not do so this season, their minds being greatly exercised in the disposal of their lands. No doubt sufficient labor will be obtained, but it will probably be at a higher rate than grass seed owners will be able to pay.

The railway returns for the four weeks, ending November 11, have been published and show a slight falling off in the number of passengers carried on the New Plymouth line, but an increase in the goods receipts. 212G tons of merchandise were carried as ; against 1208 during the this period last year. The gross receipts were i!l30 c J as against 1208 during the October-November period last year. On the Wauganui section also, the number of passengers were less, but the totalreceipts ibr the four weeks were i' 4022, as against £3730 this time last year.

Mr. Levin, in addressing his constituents, said, it was estimated that the cost of Parliament w,is LSOO a day. If the session could be shortened a few weeks and the L 15.000 or L 20.000 saved thereby spent iv public works the country would be vastly the gainer, (applause.) He advocated limiting the time for each member's speech to 20 or 30 minntes, but would except from this rule the Ministers of the Crown and the leader of the Opposition. If a speaker had any arguments to offer and could not condense them into that space of time he was not worth listening to.

In a telegram under the head of Mail News, a contemporary publishes the following : — During the performance afc the Globe Theatre of Tennyson's new drama, "The Promise of May," the Marquis of Queensberry twice arose and protested against Tennyson's representation of the principles of freethought, which, he said, was a travesty on the sentiments of freethinkers. The drama is conceded to be the worst play that has been brought out for many years. Mr. Tennyson holds up a freethinker to public odium as the motive of his play. The Marquis promptly denounced the Laureate during the first act, and on the fall of the curtain made a violently impassioned harrangue to the audieucc. It made a great sensation, but his Grace was put out of the theatre. The affair has become the occasion of a widespread discussion in pvinfc and out of it. Freethinkers are gathering to his lordship's support. Mr. Tennyson is abused more than he was by the dramatic critics, and we are having it out according to the new Queensberry rules.

The friends of Mrs. Cockbnrn, wifo of H. 13. Cockburn, blacksmith, late of Hawera, will be sorry to learn that she has recently shown such symptoms of a deranged mind as to cause the constabulary at Manaia to arrest her this morning. Family trouble is said to be at the bottom of the miscbief. Mr. Cockburn, who is away in Auckland, has been telegraphed for. In the meantime what is to be done with the large family of eight destitute children is almost a puzzle to the police. It js understood that the patient will be removed at once to New Plymouth, as the new Lunacy Act makes it imperative that all medical examinations and orders shall be personally directed by a Resident Magistrate.

| The London correspondent of a contemporary sayß :— " Immediately after the arrival of the last San Francisco mail, a letter appeared in one of the London papers re the Maori mission, detailing Sydney Taiwhanga's character in its true colors. It created a profound sensation in London society, and those who vied to entertain the Maoris are bitter iv invectives against Mr Chesson and the Aborigines' Protection Society, who, they urge, should have ascertained the precise status of the Maoriß before bringing them out. My belief is, it suited Chesson and Co to take up with the men. Unless an institution like the Aborigines' Protection Society comes before the public frequently people won't support it."

A twelve-sided fight between American cow-boys recently occurred on the plains, in the vicinity of Denver. Two herds, owned respectively by Keely and Howard, got slightly mixed, and neither being willing to restore the other his bullocks, it was agreed that the quarrel should be settled by a fight between the employes, twelve on a side, on horseback. At the first five, fouv men "were instantly killed, and then the Howard party fled the camp. Keely then rode up to Howard, and proposed they fight it out, but he declined. An equitable exchange of the mixed cattle was then made. The dead were buried by the other men of both parties, and the herds and those in charge separated for their different routes. -

Mr. H. Sinclair, builder and contractor at Manaia, has secured tho contract for the additions to Mr. Lewis' Manaia Hotel. The contract price for the additions is £890. >

The crops south of the Rakaia, in Canterbury, one of the principal wheat growing districts in the colony, are looking remarkably strong and healthy. Grass also is plentiful, and wool a good clip.

Two bullocks shown by the executors of the late Hon. Niel Black at Camperdown recently, although only five years old, were estimated by competent judges to weigh I,Boolb. each.

At the recent exibition at Belfast a pen of three pure Lincoln wethers was Bhown by Mrs. Knight and Lydiard, which averaged 3161b. each, the heaviest weighing 3301b.

A remarkable patent has been taken out in Germany for s gunpowder engine, in which the piston is driven backwards and forwards by small charges of gunpowder, ignited by a flame of gas.

Efforts are being made at Makanui and Willowby to induce the directorate of the Ashburton Cheese Factory to establish branch factories at these places. The milk fiom 300 cows was promised at Mokanui. Q

Several of the bush' settlers are anxious to cut cocksfoot seed ofl the bush roads iv the Wairaate district. We are requested to state that applications for the right to cut grass seed on bush roads will be received' and dealt with by the board on Saturday next.

The Wairarapa Daily says : — " There is great reason to believe that illicit distillation is carried on to a large extent both in North and South Wairarapa. We recently heard of a local firm which was aslted to buy two hundred gallons of ' mountain dew ' at a low figure."

The Rothschilds are virtual owners of one-fifth of the fertile land iv the Delta of the Nile. Their share in Egyptian bonds is popularly estimated at £12,000,000. An envious anti-Semite calculates that the income of Baron Wilhelm Rothschild is about £28 per hour, or 9s. per minute. At a special meeting of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, held in Sydney on the 22nd ult., the chairman of directors is reported to have stated that the profits of the society during the three previous years were as follow, viz. :— £174,632 in 1879, £224,518 in 1880, and £207,365 1881 ; being an average annual profit of £202,171.

The rapid diminution of the Bheep of tho United Kingdom is attracting attention, and is viewed as decidedly serious in consequence of the staady simultaneous growth of the human population. In 1874 there were nearly 35,000,000 sheep in the kingdom, while now there are 28,000,000. The decrease in Ireland last year was over 300,000 head. New Zealand will gladly supply the deficiency.

Mr. Arthur Cooper, a younger member of the well known New South Wales sporting family of that name, has been presented by Fred Archer, the celebrated jockey, with a saddle weighing only 20 ounces, on which Archer rode Dutch Oven to victory for the St. Leger, and also the whip he used. These souvenirs are now en route to Sydney.

Dick Turpin's famous ride from London to York has been excelled lately by a bicyclist. Mr. Reynolds, the winner of the B.C. Bath race, started from Regent's Park, at midnight, on 29th June, and reached York at 10.43 next night. The distance is 19flJ miles, and the state of the Yorkshire roads is described as awful. However, Mr. Reynolds rode 77 miles next clay, and 80 the day after.

In addition to Davin accomplishing a high jump over 6 feet, Mr. J. W. Parsons, of Edinburgh University, holds two undoubted records of G feet jumps, one at West of Scotland sports, and one at the at the Glasgow Academical sports. Both these records ■were made in 1881. Mr. Parsons won the championship in the high jump at Lillie Bridge, in 1880, with a jump of 5 feet 9£ inches in bad weather, and he has several records of 5 feet 10 inches and 5 feet 11 inches.

Mr. J. Coffey, bootmaker, publishes a business announcement.

F. R. Doneghue, Chisholm and Smith, coach-builders, have dissolved partnership. Mr. J. Read will discontinue Wednesday afternoon closing after 20th inst. Traffic over the Tawhiti bridge, on Casey's road, has been stopped until 23rd inst.

Mr. H. G. Gibson requests buyers to give the cash system a trial at Gibson's cash warehouse, Princes-street.

Single railway tickets will be available as return tickets from the 23rd December to the sth January. Mr. Harrison requests payment of subscriptions promised to Hawera sports. Mr. Max. D. King makes grand annual distribution of Christmas presents The new term at the Misses McCutchans' Hawera Young Ladies' School commences on the 20th January.

Mrs. J. Mason wants a married couple; and Messrs. McCutchan and Co. a good station cook.

Messrs. G. and F. Homer will sell a growing crop of oats and general merchandise at Manaia to-morrow.

Mr. C. F. Barker holds an important sale of properties, situated at Waverley, Manutahi, and Kakaramea, to-morrow. The sale will take place immediately after the Government land said

During the coming week we expect to see crowds of parents buying Christmas Presents at the cheapest market* and that is without doubt at H. 1. Jones an,d Son's. Their Shilling Table contains many articles for which half-a-crown each is charged in some of the general stores. We have never seen such a splendid display of fancy goods and toys suitable for Christmas presents as IL I. J. & S. are now showing. — Advt.

I understand there is a large area of land in this district under crop this season. I would, therefore, remind farmers that the cheapest and quickest way of harvesting them is by a Deering Twine Binder. I have still a few undisposed of, and the price is _G5 f.o.b. Wanganui. I have always a good stock of extras on hand. I hope the farmers of this district will pay me a visit, and inspect the largest stock of agricultural implements on the coast, comprising Duncan's 2 and 3-furrow ploughs, which have taken first prize two years running at the Wanganui show, Reid and Gray's ploughs, horse hay rakes, hay makers, horse-powers •with, intermediate motion, winnowing machines, chaff cutters, turnip cutters, harrows, &c. My stock of turnip, swede, and clover seeds have just arrived, ex Mercia, and open up splendidly. They may be relied upon as being new, and true to name. Before purchasing anything for your farm, compare my prices. R. C. Holckoft, Victoria Avenue, Wanganui. — Advt.