WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7655, 4 June 1886, Page 3

WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS.

[FKOM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) Hamilton, Thursday. There is a general feeling amongst policy* holders in the New Zealand GovermentLife Assurance Association against taking it out of the hainls of the Government, and thereby losing the Government guarantee, which, with the majority, is considered no email compensation for the smaller bonuses obtained than are available to holders in that flourishing company—the Australian Mutual. There is no doubt, therefore, that Mr. G. S. Graham, as the candidate for opposing the taking the control out of the hands of the Government, will receive the chief support in this district. The voting papers should be posted so as to reach Auckland on Monday next. Messrs. Zenas Owen and Churns were the successful tenderers for the contract of clearing and ploughing blocks 8 and 9 of the Domain lands, and Mr. F. Crawford for block 10— the former at 19«, and the latter at £2 17 a6d per acre. These, with the former seven blocks recently let for reclama« tion, will comprise about 70 acres of waste lands in the borough under course of improvement fro .1 the funds raised by the £6000 loan. Paterangi, Thursday. The ratepayers of the highway district of Mangapiko, one of the wealthiest and most important highway districts in Waikato, have initiated a reform movement in the matter of local government. A crowded meeting of ratepayers was held in the schoolhouse, Paterangi, Mr. Ryhurn in the chair. After considerable discussion it waa resolved not to merge the Road Board into the county, but to petition Parliament to make amendments in the various looal government; Acts, so that Road Boards be elected at the annual meeting, and the rates be those agreed on as formerly ; that one or more members of Road Boards and Town Boards should be members (ex officio) of the County Councils, in fact form the Councils, and that the County Council, so constituted, be also the licensing committee; that County Councils should strike and collect the rates for themselves, and for the Road Boards also, aud thus save Returning Officer's fees and much other expenditure. A committee was appointed to draw up the petition, and this was forwarded to Mr. Lake, M.H.R., for presentation to Parliament. Mr. Germann, chairman of the County Council, has been requested to call a meeting of delegates of Road Boards to meet at Ohaupo on Tuesday next to discuss the petition with a view to getting all the local bodies to join in a similar memorial to Parliament. I BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Te Awamctd, Thursday evening. It has been raining heavily here all day. Only one Justice could be got for ten o'clock for the great native case, but after a couple of hours Captain Rutherford was captured, and at twelve o'clock occupied the Bench with Mr. Mandeno, J.P., when Charles Beale, Andrew Kay, Pukehnroarau, Mauriohooho, Waniatapaopuo, Wiremu Puke, Arthur Simpson, Nathaniel Harvey, and Scotch Jim were charged by Hori Tanariki, with malicious injury to property in shifting his house on the Maungatautari block. The prosecutor conducted his own case. Mr. VV. M. Way appeared for the defendant Beale. The defendants, Simpson and Scotch Jim did not appear. The charge against Beale was withdrawn by consent of both parties. After some time the question of title was raised, and defendants urged that the Court had no jurisdiction. Mr. E. Hammond, the chief clerk of the Native Office, Auckland, was then in the witness-box, and declared that this could not be the case, as he had the titles to the land with him, and could put them in evidence. The Magistrate!, however, decided that they had no jurisdiction, and left the Bonoh. In all probability this will be the last heard of the case.