WAIUKU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5494, 26 June 1879, Page 6

WAIUKU.

Ix will be remembered that about three months since a lad named Samuel Kidgley met with a serious accident at Mr. Hanfling's flax-mill, Wsipipi. The lad was removed to the Ancklaud Hospital, where he had his arm amputated at the shoulder. Public sympathy was felt at the unfortunate accident, and Mr. John Crothy, a neighbour of Mr. Ridgley'e, got a subscription-list opened, and nearly every one in the district responded to the call. The result wae, that close on £50 was collected for the lad, including the £5 handed over by Mr. Watte, the treasurer of the late .No. 1 Company Waiuku Rifle Volunteers. This amount has been handed to Mr. Bent, who ie appointed treasurer of the fund ; and Messrs. E. Hamlin, M.H.R., W. J. Harris, and R. Bent, have been appointed a committee to invest the money for the benefit of the unfortunate lad. It is not decided as yet how the money will be invested, but the committee will meet during the present week, and I have no doubt will decide on Rome profitable investment. Mr. Ridgley Mr. Crotby, the collector, desiree to return thanks for the liberal manner in which all those who were solicited responded to the call. The weather is] very rough, and during last night (Sunday) the wind blew witu tremendoue force, uprooting trees and shaking many houses, although 1 have not heard of any having been blown over. It still oontinues to blow very hard from the S. W., and is bitterly cold. The cattle are feeling it acutely. The rain is not much—occasional squalls, when the wind blows with double force. The Otaua Saw-mills here, belonging to Mr. J. S. Gibbons, have been the means of keeping employed a large number of hands for the last six years—sometimes as many as thirty-five men have been working in the mill and bush. lam now informed that in consequence of the depressed etate oE the timber trade in the Waikato, Mr. Gibbons is about to make a considerable reduction in his force. He now holds a large stock of timber on his wharf, which has been cut in anticipation uf a continued demand by the Waikato aettlere. Orders, however, are coming in so slowly, and so few barges are being sent for timber, that the proprietor feels compelled to take the above course. The mill is capable of cutting, when in fuil work, 30,000 feet per week, bat for some months past trade up the river has been so bad that it has been worked at about onethird power only, and even then the supply has largely exceeded the demand. In consequence, some hands have been already discharged, and if no improvement in trade takes place very shortly, several more will be aent away, Mr. Gibbons retaining only the most experienced hands as a nucleus of his staff. During the last three weeks no orders of any consequence have come forward, and at the present rate of business the mill is not paying its expenses. This is much to be regretted, as the employment given to men at this mill has been the means of circulating in the district a considerable amount of earnings.—[Own Correspondent, June 23.]