NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1521, 10 January 1887, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Mr. and Mr/3. J. J. Wilson, of Hawera, have been appointed to tbe charge of the Patea Hospital.

Messrs Bell, Gully, andlzard have given their opinion that tbe words " actual travelling expenses " in Acts ot Parliament permit the payment of hotel charges.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Auency Company have received the following telegram from their London office, dated sth instant: — "Wool — The market is firmer. The total quantity sold by private treaty since last sales is 1500 bales. Tbe Continental demand is good."

The tol'owing appointments of superintendent collectors of agricultural statistics are gazetted : — F. M. Deighton, for Rangitikei, Manawatu, Oroua, and Horowhenua counties ; Henry Bunny, for Wairarapa, North and South ; Edward J. Yon Dadelszen, for Hutt ; and Garland W. Woon, for Hawera. Patea, Waitotara, and Wanganui.

C. H. Meyenberg's tender for' section 10, block 3, Ngaire, was declined by the Taranaki Education Reserves Board. It was resolved that Mr, Cowern be informed that if Mr. Daniel Leitch agrees to decline the lease of sectious contiiuinp[4^ acres in block 25, Manaia, tbe board will grant him a lease for seven years onlj' at 90s per annum.

Special telegrams to the Melbourne Daily Telegraph, dated London, 23rd December, state that tbe first whisper of the resignation of Lord Randolph Churchill was heard at a ball at Hatfield. The announcement was first made by the Times newspaper, to whom it was sent by Lord Randolph Churchill himself. The premature divulgence was considered a breach of faith.

Great preparations are being made by the natives in the Wellington district (says Lhp Press) to entertain Te Whiti at monster fea«t at tbe residence of the Hon. Mr. Wi Tako, M.L.C., Lower Hutt. The quantity of flour, potatoes, dried shark, and sucking pig provided is something enormous. Also a number of natives from a considerable distance have arrived, and a good many more are expected. The banquet will take place early next week.

The natives at Taiporohenui are in for a race meeting to-morrow ; and mightily excited about it they are. We hear that a good many events are on the programme, and that numerous visitors are expected. There was some talk on Saturday of asking the Europeans in Hawera to make a half holiday, but the idea does not appear to have found favor. There will be rough and ready racing, and if the speed be not great the sport will no doubt be exciting. The natives have a pretty good course out there.

A letter from the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Squadron is published, giving the cost of the Australian Squadron as follows: — Estimated first co^t to the Brit'.sh taxpayers of the vessels composing the Australian Squadron, viz., Nelson, Diamond, Op-il, Miranda, Rover, Avenger, Undine, and Harrier, £840,124 ; estimated annual cost of the above-named vessels, including cost of relieving crews, £237,512. This is exclusive of the cost of administration charges. Six surveying vessels are, in addition to the above, employed on the station. The entire charges of four of them are borne by the Admiralty, and in the case of the other two the cost is shared between the Admiralty and Queensland in one case, and between the Admiralty and Western Australia in the other. Since the return was made out, H.M.S. Miranda (Commander Roke) has been replaced by the Ropu (Captain Musgrave), a more costly vessel of modern armament.

Mr. I. Bayly, chairman of the county, accompanied by Mr. W. G-. Malone, member of the council, went, to New Plymouth on Saturday to s^e about the stone-crusher. They found that the break was a very bad one, but, having consulted three engineers, they found that experts were unanimous in their opinion that the damage could be easily repaired, and that though the machine wonkl not be so sightly it would be as strong and as useful as ever. The manager of the Union Company was then interviewed, and it was pointed out that such a breakage could only have been caused by gross carelessness. Mr. Newman was not disposed to accept this view at all, but, alter conversation, it was resolved that the matter bfi compromised by the company paying cost ot repairs. It will take about a week to effect repairs.

The sale of thoroughbreds which took place at Sylvia Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, under the auspices of the New Zealand Stud Company, was the most successful sale of the land ever held in the Australasian colonies, and the Wellington Post doubts whether a sale giving equal lesults was ever held out of England. The 33 animals offered realised the splendid average of £304, while the young Muskets, of which 22 wove offered, wpnt as high as i'4l3 lO.s apiece. Last year the company offered 32 yeni lings, and the amount realised was £637G, or an average of £199, and in 1885 the 23 offered fetched £3311, or an average of 150 guineas each. On that occasion, however, some of the choicest stock waa reserved for sale in Australia. This year the company determined to offer all their yearlings, without exception, at the Sylvia Park sale, and the wisdom of the step has been made manifest by the brilliant results attained. The only sale in Australia which has at all approached yesterday's in the number and quality of the animals submitted for sale or the prices fetched was Mr. A. Town's sale or the famous Hobartville yearlings in New South Wales last 3 7 ear. At this sale 36 j'oungsters weie put up for sale, and the total rea'ised was £10,505, or an average of £294 9s. The Auckland Company have deputed Major Walmsley to go to England and secure a worthy successor to Musket. According to the Referee's correspondent, Robert the Devil is the horse which Major Walmsley has particular instructions to secure if possible. • ;