WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5998, 7 February 1881, Page 6

WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS.

[fROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS. J Hamilton, Saturday. The adjourned meeting of Public Hall trustees and the committee appointed at a public meeting met last night, to confer upon the purpose for which the £150 set apart from the church bazaar fund should be expended. After a considerable amount of desultory discussion, the committee-men left the room in a huff', and the three trustees carried the meeting on as one of trustees only, and adjourned until Thursday -week. The members of the committee then returned," called a new meeting, and appointed another chairman. The trustees also returned, and the whole affair became so mixed that business was impossible, and the question resolved itself into one of whether a public hall was feasible, or even required. Mr. P. A. Whitaker pointed out how and where a sum of £500 might be raised between now and the Ist August, and the Rev. Mr. Calder agreed to accept the carrying out of Mr. Whitaker's schema as a compromise.—Mr. Knox 'moved a resolution to the effect that this meeting accepted the scheme of Mr. F. A. Whitaker, and would use their bsst endeavours to carry it out, but that, if not successful in doing so by the Ist of August, that the £150 bazaar money, with interest, should be handed over to the church vestry. —-Mr. W. Cummins proposed, as an amendment, which was seconded by Mr. C. Laishley, " That it was not possible to raise means to erect a public hall at present." —The amendment was put aud lost, and the Mayor's motion carried. Assessment Courts for the undermentioned Highway districts aud townships, in the County of Waipa, will be held as follow : —Rangiaohia district, at Te Awainutu, February 26; Alexandra township Alexandra, February 2S; Ivihiklii township, at Kihikihi, February 26 ; Mangapiko district, at Paterangi, February 2S; Hamilton district, at the house of Mr. C. Johnson, February 24 ; Tuhikaramea district, at Ngahinipouri, March 4 ; Newcastle district, at Whatawhata, March 4; town of Ngaruawahia, at Ngaruawahia, March 7 ; and Pukekura district, at Pukerimu, March 11. -The trip to the Waikato Heads is fixed for Saturday, the 12th instant, when the Delta will leave Cambridge, Hamilton, Ngaruawahia, and Mercer for Port Waikato, returning on the following Monday. This will be an opportunity for many families to take a couple of days' holiday at the seaside, and if the weather is hot aud sultry as now, doubtless a large number will avail themselves of the occasion.

' Oiiaupo, Saturday. The Court of Reviewers sat yesterday in the Waipa County Council Chambers, to hear objections to the property tax assessments. There were a large number of cases set down for hearing, but, on being called, not more than thirty objectors put in an appearance. Reductions were allowed in many instances. Mr. Jolly, of Hamilton, succeeded in reducing his assessment by more than £2000. The Public School at Cambridge is not the only one which has distinguished itself at the Auckland examinations. James McLaurin, of the Ohaupo Public School, has obtained a scholarship, tenable for two years, from Ist of January last, of £30 a-year, and free tuition in the Auckland Grammar School. Piako, Friday. Mr. Tillotson, a settler of Scotchman's Gaily, met with an accident, and had| indeed, a narrow escape for his life, on Thursday night last. He was returning from Hamilton after dark with a loaded dray and two horses, and, on reaching a sandy cutting near the company's property, his horses stuck him up, and to get the dray on it became necessary to take off half the load. This he did, and on making a start the horses commenced plunging furiously, started with a run, and threw Tillotson down, the wheel passing over his arm. Owing probably to the sandy and yielding nature of the soil, the arm was not broken, though ■very seriously bruised and strained. The horses shortly after broke the shafts from the dray and galloped home. Assessments Courts for the several Highway Districts of Piako County, will be held as under : —For "Waitoa district, at Waitoa, March 29 ; for Taotaoroa district, at Mr. Pergussoii's, March 30 ; and for Matamata I district, at Mr. Firth's, March 30.

Te Awamutu, Saturday. Master B. Lewis, a pupil of the Te Awamutu school, is one of the successful compeitors at the district scholarship examinations at Auckland, and has obtained a certificate entitling him to free tuition at the Auckland College and Grammar School. This is highly creditable to our painstaking teacher, Mr. Barge, who is well respected by liis scholars. Mr. Barge was lately married to a Ponsonby lady, and on Tuesday, at the close of the school, the pupils presented Mr. and Mrs. Barge with a handsome bronze and marble inkstand, and a pair of candlesticks and a flattering address. It is satisfactory to learn that the Government have agreed to the request of the local Board, and set apart lot 54a adjoining Lake Kgoroto as a recreation reserve. This lake is a favourite resort for picnicers in the summer, and the reserve, if properly laid out, will conduce much to the enjoyment of the public on such occasions.

The action of the Government with respect to metalling the railway road is not so satisfactory. No notice has been taken of the application made by the Board, and it is feared tlie Government will let the matter go by till the time for doing it is past and the station be again cut off from the township, as it was last winter, by a sea of mud. At a meeting of the Rangiaohia Board it has been determined to call for tenders for the erection of two bridges and other works near Kihikihi, and to lease the public pound by tender for one year. Mr. Breakell lias also been instructed to define the boundaries of the bush reserves, the Government Survey Department being unable to undertake the work at present. This step was considered necessary, as a saw-mill has lately been erected close to one of those bush reserves. ork will at once be proceeded with on the Ohaupo-Alexacdra Road, the tender of Mr. Bertells having been accepted.

Cambridge, Saturday. It will ha learned with satisfaction that Mr. Muir Douglas who lately left Waikato for England and has taken to himself a wife may be shortly expected back again, as he was to have left England yesterday for New Zealand. It is to be hoped that Mr. Muir Douglas, who is a general favourite, will find an opportunity of purchasing a block of land in Waikato and settle down permanently in the district. In the meantime it is understood that Mr. Dougla3 has made arrangements for occupying the house and property of Mr. Herbert Tmne, at Brearley, Tamahere, who is about to leave permanently for England. Mr. C. 0. Montrose, the new proprietor of the Waikato Mail, arrived last night, and will take cliarge at once.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN' CORRESPONDENTS.] ~,, „ Hamilton, Saturday evening. At the Hamilton Highway Board meeting present : Captain W. Steele (Chairman) CHI 1 i Rl . ddlcr > Edgecumbe, and Unbble—the Engineer was instructed to K et the approaches to Stoke's Bridge completed, unless the contractor started the work within seven days. A letter was received 1 from the Pukekura Board asking the Hamilton Board to defray half the cost of the

Mystery Creek bridge and approaches. ' It was resolved only to vote £50, as promised. Mr. . James Williamson's offer to form the Hamilton and Oliaupo Road to llukuhia station, and deduct the cost from the rates, was agreed to conditionally that the work: should be done by contract, and the Board furnished with returns of expenditure.

Cambridge, Saturday eveninr. The Native Commission is still sitting, and is likely to do so for some time. The case of Ngatikauata will be quickly settled in reference to lands about Pukekura, after that the claim on Puahoe, Maungatauturi, and NgamakoNo. 2 will be brought forward. It is understood that the Court will be adjourned to Te Awamutu, to take the evidence of Rewi. No decision will be arrived at by the Commission, but the evidence will be followed by a report, to be laid by the Commission before a Parliamentary Committee. The sitting of the Native Land Court is not likely to commence before Monday, the 14th instant, even if then, as Judge Symonds can scarcely conclude his business in the. Lake country before Tuesday or Wednesday. He lias to visit Tauranga, and come by way of Auckland to Waikato.