NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7544, 20 August 1902, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Flax is at present bringing £26 10s per ton at Masterton.

The Hon. T. W. fleslop is being asked to contest the Newtown Beat, and he is considering the request.

Mr Harry Smith, a teaoher at the Grey High Sohool, has been appointed Inspector for the Grey Board.

Lieutenant Herd, of Wellington, has been appointed judge of the band contest which is to be held at Mosgiel on the 29th and 30th of October.

The amount of scenery carried by the New Plymouth Amateur Opera Club is 26J tons measurement.

The Wellington correspendent of the Manawatu Standard says he is in a position to state that an amended Railway Superannuation Bill practically concedes every point asked for by the railway men. "I don't think it is a proper [thing to expect a country teaoher to pay for sewing out of his own pocket," says the actingPremier, and he proposes to bring in legislation to deal with the subjeot.

The Church of England social to be held at Normanby this evening has been arousing some interest, and is likely to be very largely attended. A good programme has been arranged. The Palace Car will run from Hawera, returning after the social.

The Hon. Mr McGowan stated in the House of Representatives that it would probably be 12 or 18 monthß before tbe first ton of coal could be obtained from the State coal mine.

"In Wanganui," said Hia Honour Mr Justice Cooper, at the Arbitration Court yesterday, "it was brought under my notice that kauri timber was sent over to Melbourne, made into furniture by Chinese labour, and returned for sale to New Zealand." — Christchurch Press.

Archdeacon Williams has sent the three-year-old bull Royal Duke to Wellington, en route to Victoria. This fine animal has been purchased by a well-known Victorian breeder for 400 guineas. The Napier Herald is informed that this is the first occasion on which a pedigree bull has been exported from that province.

The Clydesdale stallion Royal Stuart, rising six years, owned by Mr H. Saunders, of Waimate, has just been sold to a North Island client for £420. Royal Stuart is by Maddlerig, dam Camellia. The latter was Bired by Conqueror, and the former by Pure Diamond (imported).

A sample of coal got out of the Tyneside mine, Greymoutb, iB very good. The name will be exporting in a mouth. The quartz reef in Mount Faparoa is improving ns it is driven on. It is believed they will be able to form the extent of low-lying reef in a month. If traced to the full extent, it will be one of tbe moat valuable reefs in the colony.

A sawmiller in this district (says the Dannevirke Advocate) has lately secured an order in New Zealand for 970,000 feet of white pine. Orders for the same class of timber have been placed with two or three. other mills in this part of the colony.

A bitch has arisen in connection with tbe Hospital and Charitable Aid District Separation Bill, as the formalities antecedent to local bill legislation have to be gone through, and it is' just a question whether there will be time to get the bill through this session. Miss Cross, teaoher of the cutting-out

class at the Napier District School for the

last five years, has resigned. She complained greatly of the conduct of the girls attending the class, over whom she was not given the control of an ordinary teacher. " Last Wednesday," she wrote, "Mr Morgan strapped 21 girls, and to-day (July 23rd) I was obliged to send for him again. I have tried kindness, praising, shaming, keeping in with extra work, advice, etc., but all of no avail." During the hearing of the " bread cases " yesterday, (says the Dunedin Star), one of the witnesses said that when bread was placed in the oven each loaf weighed 21b 3. z, but those loaves which were near the side of the oven got harder baked than the others. This caused the loaves overbaked to be of less than the 21b weight in nearly every case. Don't you make any allowance for that?" was the question. " Oh, no," was the naive reply. " It's not been the custom in the trade to do it since I joined it, anyway !" The magistrate did not think this sufficient excuse, and the offender waß fined 40s. Other bakers in the court went into the box and confirmed the first witness's statements. The interest shown, in the forthcoming production of " The Gondoliers " by the Amateur Opera Club, on Wednesday evening, at New Plymouth, is almost phenomenal, and a record attendance is already assured. Miss Eatie Connell, in the charaoter of Casilda, we are told is handling the part (which is probably the prettiest in the opera) in a masterly style, and much scope is afforded her bea utiful singing, which will be heard to great advantage. The Club, which is about seventy strong, will probably arrange to pay " The Gondoliers " in Hawera on Thursday, the 28th inst. At a meeting of the Dunedin Savings Bank trustees, held on Monday, the following resolution was passed :—" That the Dunedin Savings Bank, having by investment of its deposits realised profits to at least the undermentioned amounts in excess of 10 per cent on the aggregate amount of its deposits, the trustees of the said Bank hereby, pursuant to the powers in that behalf contained in ' The Savings Bank fronts Act, 1878,' declare that the sum of £6500 shall be paid over to the University in accordance with the provisions of the said Act." Before effect oan be given to the resolution, consent of the Goyernor-in-Counoil is necessary, also legislation. A • meeting of the Townspeople's Committee of the Borough Band was held on t uesday evening, Mr Stevens presiding. The Band's own Committee was also present. The object of the meeting was to devise means of raising funds to send the Band to the next band contest, to be held in Masterton in February next. Bandmaster McConnell said the approximate amount of funds required would be £160. The Chairman suggested securing the assistance of the ladies. He read draft circular, which will be sent out, inviting the ladies to meet on the 27th instant. Among other ways suggested for raising funds were a bazaar, a carnival, and a floral fete, the decision to rest with the ladies. In future, the Townspeople's Committee will meet quarterly. The Wahanui will case, wbioh has been for the past five years before various tribunals, has at last been finally settled by the judgment of the Royal Commission which sat early in the year under an Act of 1901. The judgment is dated March 3, 190 a, but has only just been made public. A sum of money far exceeding the value of the estate has been spent over this case. The deceased's wife's half-brother, Kaahu Huatare, who, under Maori customs had a claim to the estate, wished to over-ride this new-fangled idea of a will drawn out in proper European fashion in favour of Wahanui's wife) and adopted son, and on his contesting the matter before the Native Land Court the probate of the will was refused. This, however, on being taken to, the Native Appellate Court, was upset, and letters of administration granted. Kaabu then took the matter to Parliament, and was successful in getting the matter referred to aßoyal Commission, which has, however, definitely decided against him and his claims. Complaints having been made that a wire stretched across the Wanganui river by the natives for the purpose of carrying firewood was a danger to navigation, the Harbour Board instructed its secretary to write the natives, asking them to remove it. The following characteristic letter (says the Wanganui Herald) was received by the Board in reply: •' Greetings 1 I have received your letter concerning the wire for crossing goods from Rakato, on the Wanganui river, and asking that it be taken down. The wire has been down nearly three months. On the other hand, I should like to explain to you that the steamer could not reaoh the wire if it went during a flood ; and further, a steamer could not steam against suoh a flood as to allow it to touch the wire. That is all. — From your friend, Hoani Timuaki,"