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Manawatu Times, Issue 34, 14 February 1877, Page 2

The Tui leaves Foxton for Wellington on Thursday next at half-past seven m the evening. Messrs Duigan and Trimble have built an addition to their brewery here. We are glad to see that the present depression does not affect everyone. The flood m the Rangititei is said to have been the highest known for the last seven years. The wheat m stook throughout the district is m most instances quite spoiled. Mr Walter Johnston, M.H.R., has telegraphed to Mr Snelsonthat the Karere road contract was let on Monday last. Bergersen and Co., of Palmerston, are the successful tenderers. We understand that the Feilding Medical Aid Society is about to put an end to its existence, and has given notice to Dr Von Mirbach that his services will be discontinued. A public meeting of settlers on the Rangitikei road will be held at the residence of Mr McNeil on Saturday next at 3 p.m., to consider the best means of providing a public school for that locality. The meeting at Sandon on Saturday evening last was numerously attended, and a deputation was appointed to convey the objections to Palmerston and lodge them m the office of the Manawatu Highways Board. A public meeting of settlers on the Rangitikei road will be held at the residence of Mr M'Neil on Saturday next at 3 p.m., to consider the best means of providing a public school for that locality. The polling for No. 6 Ward m the Manawatu Highways District on Saturday last resulted as follows: — Dalrymple, 23; Brightwell, 1. Most of the electors seem to have come to the poll, for the total number for the Wai'd is about 30, more or less. The Hawke's Bay County Council has rescinded the resolution previously passed by it for taking only the restricted powers under the Counties Act, and resolved to adopb the whole Act. Mr Dalrymple requests us t6 state, for the information of those who subscribed the money for the benefit of S. Neilson, who lost his leg by accident while m the employment of Mr Nees, that the doctors have expressed an opinion that a cork leg would be useless to Neilson. Some other way of disposing of the money must therefore be adopted, and Mr Dalrymple pro* poses to invest it m a section of land for his "(Neilson 's) benefit. Wanganui is not the only town m the Colony which is said to have reason to complain of the state of its accounts. In Auckland the Corporation accounts are said be m sad confusion — so much so, m fact, that the books would seem to have been kept m a merely hap-hazard sort of way during the year ending October 31, 1876. Since then things have been improving. The Church of England Synod at Nelson on Saturday last appointed a Commission to consider, during the recess, the best method of digesting the existing statutes into the shape of canons, and remodelling the whole system of legislation. The Commission is to consist of the Primate, the Bishops of Wellington and Dunedin, the Dean of Christchurch, Archdeacons Williams and Hanmer, and W. H. Quick. The Bishop of Wellington's bill, providing that notice be given before the meeting of the Synod of intended legislation, was lost on the second reading. A resolution was passed expressing sympathy with Dr Dolh'nger and the Old Catholics, and the Primate was requested to send a copy of tbe resolution to the leading men of that movement. The "Rangitikei Advocate" has received complaints that letters and papers for Halcombe, posted m Marton m time for the Wellington mail on Thursday, do not arrive m Halcombe till the • following Tuesday. The " Advocate " says it has discovered thfct it is either the Palmerston or the Feilding Post-office that is to be blamed for the delay. The "Chronicle" says the Wanganui river has opened a new channel for itself through the South Spit, or rather that it has resumed its old course, for, according to Maori testimony, the new channel is that through which the river found its way into the sea forty years ago. William Mather is said to have been the real name of the man known at the Thames some years ago by the soubriquet of " Red Bill," for the murder of whom Rodgers is now m custody. Mather was a native of Manchester. The coal produced m the United Kingdom has averaged for the last seven years £22,000,000 per annum. The total yearly value of the mineral products of all kinds for the same period has been £37,000,000. The yearly value of the flour imported into the United Kingdom is estimated at £30,000,000.

Mr Crocker has taken the Criterion stables at Bulls. The Auckland "Evening Star" euspecfa that the recent demonstrations of -hostility between the Te Aroha natives and those of Oliinemuri were mere pretence, and that a secret understanding existed between the hostile campß " with a view of extorting another windfall from the Pakeha." We ("Wairarapa Standard") hear that the "hangman" who recently executed Woodgate, has arrived m the Wairarapa and is looking for a job. We are thankful to Bay that there are not many who want hanging m this district, though possibly one or two individuals might be strung up with advantage. We could name a few who want " more rope," and ought to be accommodated. The . Hokitika Hospital is hopelessly insolvent, and has been reported as such to the Government. 80 acres of wheat were burned on the farm of a Mr Gardiner, at Irwell, m Canterbury, recently. It is stated that the fire was caused by sparks from the engine attached to the mid-day train, and this seems all the more probable from the fact that there had been no fire m or near the paddock, which, it must also be observed, was to leeward of the railway line. At the same time it must be borne m mind that smokers are sometimes very careless. The Wellington "Argus" says :— lt is stated that the Wanganui cricketers have paid £100 to get out of the Wanganui cricket match, m consequence of a disagreement amongst themselves, but Wanganui men m Wellington deny this, and say the fault rests with the English Eleven. Between Waimate and Waitaki m Canterbury there is a great quantity of wheat, one field being stated to contain not less than 2,000 acres, which must no doubt be the largest m the Colony, and reminds one of the American style of farming. The "Canterbury Times," of February 3rd, says " Labour is very scarce m the southern parts of Canterbury. At Ashburton and other districts £3 per week and board have been offered for harvest hands without avail. One cause of the scarcity is that the shearing is later than usual, and men have thus been delayed for harvest work. The " Wairarapa Standard " says : — Mr W. It. Hastwell has taken into partnership m his coaching business, his senior driver, Mr James Macara. The travelling public will no doubt congratulate both Mr Hastwell and Mr Macara " on an arrangement which is calculated to maintain the confidence which has for so long a period been placed m this line of coaches. A recent telegram from Balclutha says : — " The inhabitants of Balclutha were startled this morning to read m the Dunedin papers, the report of the sale by Government yesterday of 100 acres of land m the township of Balclutha. Not one individual here knew of the sale, m consequence of the advertisement appearing only m the " Gazette." It is reported here that the Government have lost as much revenue by this one sale as would pay the advertising m 'the district for many years." The licensed victuallers of Melbourne (says the "Age") met at the Atheneeum on January 12, and cor vm populo came to a solemn pledge and resolution that they would strictly carry out the law which forbade Sunday traffic m liquor. The authors of the resolution signed an agreement ,to abide by it, and then appointed a vigilance committee, at the instance of Mr Carter, the chairman, to see that they did not shrink from their obligations. Their motive for taking this step is to induce the public to kick against the law and get it repealed. One noteworthy result of the movement is said to be the absence of the usual drunken case 3 from the police courts on Monday mornings. A large black fish was washed up by the tide at Taumutu, Lake Ellesmere, recently. The weighs proved over 30 cwt, from which the fishermen anticipate a good yield of oil. This is the first specimen ever seen m the locality. The rapid progress of settlement at the Ashburton has for some years been of a remarkable character, and promises exceedingly well for the future of the district. 'A lull has often been predicted, but the fulfilment of the prophecy seems as far off as ever it was. Land continues to be taken up with astonishing rapidity, and a notable instance affecting only one part of the district may be recorded. During the past eight months no less than 35,000 out o£ 40,000 acres have been purchased on Mr Moore's run for bona fide settlement m blocks of 200 acres and upwards. One of the purchasers, a Mr Martin, has obtained a good flow of artesian water at a depth of 60 feet, some four miles back from the sea beach,., thus settling the very important question of water supply, at least, for a considerable portion of the land. The soil is very good for. wheat growing, and should produce heavy crops. — " Canterbury Times." Referring to the case of the Holden family, and to the death of a second child by small-pox, the " Sydney Morning Herald " says that the undertakers who had buried the first victim of the disease m the Holden family, and who are still on the floating hospital Faraway, refused to have anything to do with the burial of the second one, and there was great difficulty m finding anyone who would see to the. interment of the corpse, although (it having been covered with quicklime) there was no danger of contagion. Eventually, however, what have been described to us as to very respectable men were found to undertake the duty, and the body was buried at the quarantine ground, Spring Cove, on Sunday afternoon. A bright contrast to the cowardice of the undertakers is afforded by the conduct of the nurse on board the hospital ship Faraway — Miss Eucker, of the Infirmary Nightingale staff of nurses. This young lady, immediately on hearing that a skilled nurse would be required on board the ship, volunteered her services. The Auckland ."Herald" states that thirty-one fallow deer have been shipped for Auckland by Mr T. Bussel m the ship Thurland Castle, which left Gravesend on Nov. 3. They were obtained from the wellknown herd belonging to the Marquis of Exeter, Burleigh Park, Stamford. The son of the head-keeper of the Marquis comes out m charge of them.