COUNTRY NEWs

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6002, 11 February 1881, Page 3

COUNTRY NEWs

WAITAKEREI EAST. A .si'KOial meeting of the ratepayers in the above district took place, according to advertisement, at the Oratia Hotel, on Saturday, 2!) th January, about 3 p.m. The meeting was a rather small one. Mr. Jno. McElwain took the chair. The Chairman briefly stated the objects of tlie meeting : the election of a trustee in the place of Mr. McMahon; the consideration of the boundary question ; and, not the least, the dog tax. Of this latter lie remarked that such a tax was uncalled for in a district like Waitakerei East, where a dog was almost a necessity, and there were already too many taxes.—The meeting generally endorsed tlie Chairman's remarks by several similar observations. The following resolutions were duly proposed, seconded, and passed unanimouslyl. " That the ratepayer of this district register their dogs according to the Act, the registrar to return 8s of that amount to be expended in labour on the public road in some places most convenient to the ratepayers, making the matter, however, optional to pay the money instead of labour; non-ratepayer to pay tlie usual fee."' 2. "That the Waitakerei East trustees, or a majority of them, meet a deputation of the West Board, and define the disputed boundary, in accordance with the resolution carried years since at an annual meeting of tlie west block." j\lr. Archibald Hepburn was unanimously elected trustee in the place of Mr. McMahon.—[A Correspondent.] , MANOAWHARE. Therk was great excitement in this locality when ti-- ..o.vs arrived that the Wairoa men (pulling as an Auckland representative orew) had been successful in both champion gig races; and that the champion yacht of this part of the world, the Mayflower, had come in second in the yacht race against Auckland crack boats. We felt the more pleased because of a certain paragraph which appeared in your paper lately, stating that the Mayilower would not have taken tlie yacht race at the la l e Wairoa Regatta if her rival,'the' Worm, of Dargaville, had been finished. The- • : positiori'of- the -two! boats in the ' Auckland; race plainly showed on which side the super-; ■ iority lay. There is a likelihood of a Boating Club being formed on the Wairoa before long. With our splendid river, offering such facilities for either sailing or rowing at all hours, and the number of men of splendid physique who have all their lives been accustomed to rowing, this river should produce a team not easily effaced. By the help of two of the residents in this place, a cricket ground has been formed. Great pains were taken to make the pitch all that could be desired, it being carefully sodded. Tlie result is very satisfactory Several matches have been played this season by the Kopuru and Aratapu cricket teams on it. They were much pleased with the ground. We, unfortunately, do not possess a cricket team in our midst; but next season, between this place and Dargaville no doubt, sufficient numbers will be found to make a club a success. A terrible drowning accident occurred about a mile from here on Saturday afternoon, by which a man named Nappertlost his life. The body was recovered three days after the occurrence, and an inquest will be held.—[A Correspondent, February S.] PAHI, NORTH KAIP'ARA. -..j O.v the 2Sth ult. a public meeting was held in the public hall, to take into consideration the discontinuance of the second trip per week of the steamer. Mr. W. H. Jaekman • occupied tlie chair, and briefly addressed the :

meeting. It .seemed that the steamer comes to Batley, a place somewhat lower down the river, and that it would be a great advantage (entailing; very little extra expense) if she could come up and take away the mail. There is no road to Batley, except through Maungaturoto, a distance of about 20 miles. : The distance would not be so great, only that Captain Colbeck had closed the road through iis property. Much surprise was evinced that the calling atu Batley should have been included in the. three years' service contract, it being a place of very small importance in comparison with Pahi Action would have been sooner taken, but - the withdrawal had often been spoken about, and yet she continued runningcoiise- ' quentl\ it was considered a settled thing that the service would be, continued. On the motion of Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. McMurdo, it was carried unanimously "That the Chairman, with Messrs. Haines and Symonds, be requested to draw out two memorials—one to Mr. Biss regarding the carriage of a second weekly mail, and ; orie to the directors of the. Kaipara S.S.':Coknpany regarding the inconvenience the settlers in the Pahi district labour under bj the withdrawal of the Friday's boat." A meeting of the Hall Committee was held, • when the balance-sheet for the past year was passed—Receipts, £'28 13s 3d; expenditure, £27 2s sd. Assets : Balance, £1 lis ; du( from school committee for cleaning," £3 ; Liabilities : For cleaning hall, £1 13s. 11 was agreed that each of the committee be empowered to collect subscriptions in aid o: the harmonium fund, the estimated cost o: which would be from £25 to £30.— [Mata kohe Correspondent.] ; 1 BOMBAY SETTLEMENT. A public meeting ■ was held in the Bomba; School, on Monday evening, the 7th instant for the purpose of starting a. cliib Mr. W, Meatyard was called- to the chair Tlie Chairman read a number of rales, whicl were framed by a committee appointed fo that purpose. After coii|idera.blc discussioi some of the rules were amended, and.finalh agreed, to by Dr. Rodgers. A working com mittee was then formed, consisting of Messrs D. C. Sheffield (chairman), W. Sawyer, jun (treasurer and secretary), W. Caie,'- G Balme, and J. H. Parker. A vote of than!;: being accorded to the Chairman for the abl< manner he occupied the chair, the meetinj closed. At a. meeting of the newlv-eleeted.' schoo committee the following officers were ap pointed Mr. K. Proude, chairman; Mr S. Statford, treasurer; and Mr. "W. K Conitlnvaite. —[Own Correspondent.] HUNUA. Our monthly Sabbath evening service waj held on Sunday last, when the Rev. T jSTorrie preached to a good attendance, nsth evening was fine, and the roads now are ge nerally good. Two chiHren were baptised At the close of the service, the annual meet ing of the Presbyterian congregation wa held, the Rev. T. Nome in the chair. Mr O. Hill submitted the financial report for th past year, as follows Sustentation fund £16 3s Sd ; cemeteiy fund, £2 10s. Total £1S 13s Sd. The report was approved of and thanks voted to the committee, wh< were unanimously re-elected, viz.? Messrs M. Wallace, T.Stewart, W. Pollock, and G Hill. Earnest efforts are being made to get thi Sabbath-scliool re-opened, and the new day school teacher, Mr. Read, has been asked tc be superintendent, and he appears willling tc comply, provided that he can get, suitable help in the way of teacliers. An effort is also being made to get the cemeteiy fenced, and it is hoped this will be successful. The roads also have been referred to, ani' although generally good at this season of th< year, yet the track to the Wairoa' falls is in a fearful state, and a paiuful scene was wit nessed a short time ago, when great diffi culty was experienced in getting the remains of the wife of a respected settler,' parti} carried by some of the funeral party, scrambling up the steep and precipitious track, through mud and mire, and partly bj sledging the coffin, sometimes with one horse, and sometimes two, according as it was possible to do so. The feelings of the relatives are much tried, and the solemnity of whole scene is much injured by such difficulties being encounted on such occasions.— [A Correspondent, February 9.] TURANGA CREEK. ; We are to be favoured by another reading on behalf of the Sunday-school, as the Rev. T. Norrie has sent us word that he will give "Jessica's First Prayer," on Monday next, the 14th of February, in the school-room, at 7.30 p.m. Suitable hymns will be interspersed by our local choir. The annual meeting of the Presbyterian. congregation will also be held.—[A Correspondent.] MAHURANGI. A soiree in aid of the funds of the Episcopalian Church of this place was'lield in the Mahurangi Public Hall on Thursday evening, the 3rd instant. In consequence of the unavoidable absence, through illness, of the Rev. Mr. Sparling, the Rqv. R. McKinney presided during the evening. The hall was very tastefully decorated with nikau and flowers. The followingladies presided Mrs. and Miss Warm, the Misses Southgate, Miss Sparling, Mrs. and Miss Pulham, and the Misses Horsley., Tea being finished, the tables were removed; and seats arranged, when an excellent musical programme was gone through. Votes of thanks were warmly accorded to the ladies, who 'presided : at ; the tables, the choir, arid the Chairman. All then joined in the' National Antlioin, which' '"concluded the soiree. The hall was then cleared, and dancing kept up till 12.30 a.m. .-'■■■ The annual meeting of the Mahurangi Cooperative Company, Limited, was held in store on January 24, ISSI. The following gentlemen were elected as directors in place of four oil the late Board who.had filled their term of.office, Viz.;.: — Mesprs. John Trethcrwen," .Thomas' Shell, sJolmjGnmmerjjuul George Moore. '"Messrs. Campbell for tlie current year. A vote of thanks to the directors, and a special vote of thanks to the manager, Mr. James Lowe, terminated the meeting. The balance sheet was as follows : —Capital and liabilities : Amount received from shareholders, £577;. debts owing for supplies of stock in trade, £555 3s 7d ; unclaimed dividends, £1 7s; amount set aside from profit to meet contingencies, £106 16s Sd; disposable balance for payment of dividends, £28 17s. Total, £12(59 4s 3d. — Property and assets: Freehold land,-£2O; freehold buildings, £130; stock in trade, £SIG 10s Id; plant, £20 Ss ; debts (quite good), £222 12s 9d ; cash in bank, £47 4s sd; in treasurer's hands, £3 4s; insurance advance fund, £3 us. Total, £1209 4s 3d.— [Own Correspondent.] The Auckland Turkish Bath Company (Limited) beg 1 to notify tlie public that they have now taken over, and are carrying on the Baths in Upper Queen-street, as formerly conducted by Mr. Sykes. Every attention will be paid to bathers, <tc., an extra ittendanfc being* now regularly employed The Compauy are prepared to issue" tickets, which can be procured at the office of the Company, or at' the Baths. Price : Single baths (gentlemen), 3s ;In sets of eight, £1; shareholders holding not less than live bares,at one-third less: ladies, Is, in addition to a ticket for each bath: children under sixteen, half-price. Bathers are reminded of the advantage derived by shareholders holding live shares and upwards, in taking the baths at a saving of one-third. There are a limited number of shares still unallotted, for which :he director will be glad to receive applications, numbers not exceeding ten.^OK 2 *-U/KAspawos, Secretary- ! ; i