NEWS AND NOTES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1819, 4 January 1888, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES

Native rent is due to-day, and Mr. i^Bennell is down paying over the cash to the numerous grantees entitled.

Mr. G. W. Woon has been appointed to take tbe-Agricultural statisce lor Hawera, Patea, Waitotara, and Wanganui Counties.

Mrs. Travers, wife of the well-known Wellington barrister, has just died. She was aged 67 years, and had just completed the 46th year of her married life.

At Inaha during December, rain fell on six days, the total fall reported amounting to only o*B7. This was the driest month during tb.6 past two years. For the year 1887 the total rainfall was 34*61 inches. The average rainfall for the past fiveyears has been 42*64 inches, so that although the rainfall in 1885 was six inches less than that in 1887, still the latter was decidedly below the usual record.

Wells' Haib Balsam.'— lf grey, restores to original color. An elegant dressing, softens and beautifies. No oil nor grease. A Tonic Bestorative. Stops hair coming out} strengthens, cleanses, heals scalp— B*

George Julian died on Saturday at New Plymouth, owing to injuries received in a wrestling bout. An inquest has been commened, but adjourned for the evidence of a man named Loveridge, with whom he was wrestling.

Our readers will notice that Mr. Glover the agent lor the New Zealand Alliance will give a Temperance lecture in the Town Hall, on Thursday evening next. Mr. Glover was here some twelve months ago, when large numbers attended his lectures and all expressed themselves as pleased with the style of lecturer, and no doubt tho3e who heard him then will be glad to avail themselves of the opportunity of again hearing so talented a lecturer, while to those who did not hear him we guarantee an evening will be well spent by attending on Thursday. A further attraction will be the singing of a number of the popular Fisk Jubilee songs by a large choir under the conductorship of Mr. S. Dixon. We anticipated a crowded a crowded house will greet Mr. Glover on this his second visit to Hawera.

41 A lady in the bush " writes :— " Your bush correspondents are very quick in telling you all about the weather, grass, and bush-felling, but they don't always tell you all aboutthe jolly parties we have. One in particular was held on the 28th December, given by Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, Hastings road. A large number of ladies and gentlemen attended, and we had quite a pleasant evening — and morning too, — for dancing was kept up till daylight. Songs were given at intervals by ladies and gentlemen, and we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Of course there was a belle— no ball or party is complete without one, the palm being given to a young lady from Eltham. Music was provided by local amateurs, and they kept good time indeed. I must not forget to say that a large summer-bouse had been erected, where we enjoyed a sumpfcuons supper."

Another disastrous fire occurred in Wellington on New Year's morning. It broke out in Bullock's stationery and

fancy goods shop, Lambton Quay, and spread to Orr's City Buffet Hotel, and to Carpenter's fruit shop, all three of which places were totally destroyed: and Nelson, Moate and Co.'s tea warehouse, and R. Gardner's ironmongery establishment were also injured. The fire broke out about half-past one a.m., and raged for several hours, but the brigade, by means of a splendid water supply, the pressure averaging 160 to 1701bs to the square inch, conquered it within a reasonable distance of starting point. The City Buffet was a fine large hotel, and house and furniture was estimated to be worth of which £8000 was covered by insurance ; Bullock estimates his loss at £4000, JJ2OOO of which was covered ; Carpenter's loss will be considerable, as he was insured for only JE2OO or £300. Strangely, tbe scenes of the whole of the disastrous

fires with which Wellington has been

visited during the past twelve months are situated within a stone's throw of one another. In connection with the refusal to alter

the train time for the convenience of persons who might wish to attend the sports on Monday, Mr. Bate telegraphed to Major Atkinson on Saturday, and on Sunday the following reply came to hand : — " Wellington. — Regret the train cannot be delayed to-morrow. The local manager was not aware tbat sports were to be held at Hawera till a few days ago, when it was too late to make any alteration, ac there was no time for tbe publication of the alteration. If I had only known sooner, arrangements would have been made as far as possible to meet the views ot Hawera people. — H. A. Atkinson." Evidently, if the committee had made application in time there would have been no difficulty in getting the concession desired, though we understand that in previous years the committee had not found it necessary to make application. However, so far the fault lies with them ; but may it not be said on the other hand that if a private firm were running the railways they would make it their business to know what was going on along tbe lines on holidays, and time their trains to catch and serve probable traffic ?