COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6750, 6 July 1883, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

ARARIMU SOUTH. At a. recent meeting of tho District Road Board it was decided to proceed with the spreading of metal on that portion of the road known as Pratt's Hill, of which Mr. Stanley is the contractor. The Board has I made arrangements with Mr. McDowell, another contractor, not to spread She metal on his portion until the spring, as the road at this place is a complete quagmire. The Board has had plans and estimates prepared of about six miles of tbe main road, for the purpose of applying for £3000 under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. Messrs. Boylan and Lundon, of Auckland, prepared the plans, &c. The estitimate of the proposed work amounts to about £3,800. At a meeting of the District School Com-. mittee, held on the 22nd of June, a petition was recei-ed from the settlers who live more than two miles from the new school, or any school, requesting the Board of Education to retain a teacher in the present schoo!. The committe supported the petitioners' req'ueet. Mr. Theo. Cooper was nominated for the vacant seat in the Board of Edu- ' cation.

Considerable correspondence was received from Messrs. Wileon, Wallace, Thome, Trail, and Aitken with regard to a protest sent to the Board by two of tbe committee, namely, Messrs. Kiley and Phelan. This protest went so far as to insinuate that the settlers had applied far a school without just gronnds, and also insinuating that the Board would not get a true statement from the committee. Tbe committee decided to forward to the Board of Education the letter received from the settlers with the following resolution :—"This committee beg to draw your attention to the enclosd communication from the settlere in the bsck part of the district, which corroborates the represensentations already made to your Board by this committee, in regard to the desirability of erecting a >chool on land offered (free of cost) by Air. Thorne." Mr. Phelau apologised for signing the protest stating that the Board woulil not receive a true statement from the committee.—[Own CorresDOnJent, July 2.] MADKU. The annual meeting of ratepayers was held on Saturday, Juno 30. Mr. H. Crispe, Chairman of the Board, presided—jnd explained some of the clauses of the new Ro id Board Act, and then read the report which referred to matters of interest to the district. The Secretary, Mr. Crawford, i-eadthe balancesheet which showed a sm.tll balance m hand on March 31, but since that date there has been heavy liabilities incurred on account of rain and floods doiag so much damage to bridges, culverts, and earth works. Tbe total debt wa3 now over £100, and to meet this there are about £40 arrears of rates to collect. After questions had been asked and answered, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Mr. Crawford as Returning Officer, then proceeded to take a show of hands for the trustees nominated, there being six. The following five were declared duly elected : — Messrs. H. Crispe, Goldsworthy, Johnson, Salisbury, Wightman. There were several oti<er matters talked over, aad discussed, all beariug on the welfare of the district, when Mr. Shepherd moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The new Board met at once, and re-appointed Mr. H. Crispe Chairman, Mr. Crawford Secretary and Treasurer, cheques to be signed by two members of the board. It was resolved to meet on the third Saturday in July, to make a rate of three farthings in the £. on all property in the district. It vaa also resolved to sue f<r all arrears of rates.—[Own Correspondent, July 3]

AUATAPU. The Aratapu news is becoming quite monotonous. I wish othsra would compete with the Rechabite3 in tiie mating business. It seems to have become a settled thing that one of the above " itea" should marry every week. Another was married yesterday, which makes the eighth within a few months.

The event of the near future is the Orange celebration, which 13 to take place on the 13th July. An energetic committee is at work.

The business o? our Improvement Class last night was an essay by 3i. ; r. E. C. Carr, entitled "The Magdalens of our Cities." The criticisms were favourable, both as to the composition and matter contained in the essay. It is needless for me vo add any encomiums, as the abilities of th~: writer as an essayist are well known in this and adjacent townships. It ie a pity thi'-t more of our young men do not avail themselves of the means of self-culture which this society places so easily within their reach.

A deep gloom was cast over on Friday nigbt by the painful death of Mr 3. Kidd, the wife of one of our hard-working and respected fellow workmen. The deceased died in childbirth after liliree day's illness. Dr. Monckton was in attendance, as Dr. Norton was engaged in a similar case on the gum-fields. The lattur gentleman, however, was called in about an hour before death. Much sympathy is feit for the husband, who is left with three young children, and who feels his loss extremely. The n.s. Tangihua was chartered by his eympathisc-rs to convey the body and mourners to Mount Wesley (our burial grou nd), and your correspondent never saw id this district a larger body of persons doing hooour to a decease:! person than that which attended the funeral yesterday.—[Own Correspondent, July 2.]

KAITAIA. The election of members of the district Board took place on Saturday the 23rd instant. The result was as follows :—R. H. Matthews, 22 j Hay ward Matthews, 21; James W. Reid, 21; W. G. Puckey, 20; Isaac Williamson, 17; Cbas. Puckey, 11 ; J. A. Subritzky. 10 ; E. Foley, 9 ; B. Matthews, 9. The five first named were declared elected.

A nnmerously signed requisition has already been senc to Mr. W. G. Puckey, the chairman of the new Beard, requesting him to take immediate steps to put an end to (.he operation of the Counties Act in the Kaitaia Riding. Every one admit 3 that either the Council or the Board should be done a.vay with, and as a road trustee does not charge for his services, but allows all the rates, subsidies, &c, to be spent on the roads, while a councillor claims and receives "expenses," settlers generally prefer the former. Another argument is, that any Government subsidy granted to the county, may be spent in any part of the county, and is not always fairly divided, whereas, were the riding separated from the county, either as a new county or as a road district, the expenditure of the money would be localized. For these and other reasons the Mangonui County Council has very few supporters in this district. A public meeting is to be called to consider the matter.

The Echool site dispute is shelved till the inspector comes. He will examine, and report on the rival sites.

Mr. J. A. Subritzky tells me that the statement that he is busy measuring off the landing that he is going to give to the district, as reported in your issue of the 2nd instant, ib void of truth. With reference to this landing, it is to be hoped that Mr. Subritzky may be able to come to terms with the new trustees withwasting money in legal expenses. He has undoubtedly bought the disputed piece of land, and can afford to bo generous. It is reported that an attempt is to be made to remove the landing some distance down the river, but as the new wharf, wherever it may be built, will considerably increase th& value of the adjacent property. Mr. Subritzky would be wise to assist those who prefer the old landing place to any other.—[Own Correspondent, June 25.1

KAWAK.AA7A. The good folks of Kawakawa are well nigh sick and weary of the continued delay to the opening of the extension railway to the deep water and township of Newport. The contract for this short line, not much over five miles of extension to tho former three miles to the Derrick, as it is named, from Kawakawa, was taken up in May, ISBI, commenced in Judc, and contracted to be completed in twelve months. This time was further extended sis months, then another extension for three months, then a small portion of works necessary to complete it. The wharf had to be tendered for, and so another three months was_ granted. Then it was sopposed, a3 the line was in every particular seemingly complete, the wharf finished, and the locomotive running on the line, that it would certainly be opened for general traffic on the Ist of July. But this hope is vain, for, although we hear "from week to week that it is to be bo, still it remains as it was months ago, Now we see

by the Public -Works Department notiL that tenders are called for station bnUdiaef houses, goods sheds, &c, and, as thaw buildings are neceseary in the proper wor't ing of the line, and, as fully six montra will have to be allowed for their construction we may naturally infer that perhaps another year will pass by ere this railway of eight miles, which should have been finished ten years ago, is completed. Places in the Southern portion of the colony, which have more extended railway communication, have short lines completed under a year, hat the Bay of Islands is left to drag on unheeded. "When two years ago the constituency elected a new man to represent them every hope was raised that this long desired object wonld be speedily attained, and that even some exertion would be made to extend the line acrcs3 the country to Hokianga. B a t hope dies when we read the last report of the proceedings in tbe House of IUp te . sentalive?, when even the native member was urged to request informatioa "When the township of Newport, at the terming ot this long delayed line, was to be pat cp for sale." He was answered in the nsail style—" When it was surveyed." It i 3 a weli known fact that this township was surveyed eighteen months ago, and since then suburban lots on the opposite shore at Russtll have been surveyed, as aD extra in. ducement in the sale of the township. \y e are astonished at this reply, and it is full time some inquiry should be nude cr at least, that tbe above facts of tb« case should be laid before the public.—[Own Correspondent, July 2.]

"WAITETUNA. The ball which was given by the bachelors of this place at the schoolhouse on Friday, the 29th instaut, was well attended, and was a great success. There were visitors from Whatawhata, .Riglao, Te Mata, and Ruapuke. All thoroughly enjoyed themselves it being fine weather, and the dancing was kept up till daylight, Mr. Jerome acted as master of ceremonies.

RAGLAN. I The Northern Steamship Company having y appointed the Messrs. Gilmore thtir ageats" \. intend to send in one of their boars once a V fortnight, if the settlers offer the com- P pany sufficient inducement. The Argyk I s . will be in this week on her first ifrip. .■: It ij to be hoped tbat, now that a good :; company has taken Raglau in hand, our f-j settlers will patronise its new undertakkg, \i) snd help Raglan to move ahead. f>

The adjourned meeting of the Raglan Town Board did not take place on Saturday, as there were not enough persons present to form a new Board.

The mail from Hamilton was about two hours later than usual in arriving at the township, owing to the bad state of tbe Raglan-U'aipa road.—[Own Correspondent.]