WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7785, 3 November 1886, Page 3

WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS.

[TBOM OUR OWN OOBREBEOWDBNTS.] Hamilton, Tuesday. * tea monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present: .The Mayor, ind Councillors Edgoumbe, Tippln, Bell, r Von Stunner, Barton, Dey, Soott, and Jones. Mr Hay' a opinion re the closing in of the Hood-street drain going through private, property, was read, showing that the borough had a perfect right to use the drain, and were not compelled to cover it in; but in the case of an accident to anyone having a right to be on snob private premises, and falling into it through not knowing it was there, the borough would be liable for damages. Mr. Vinoent'a application to have that portion of the drain passing through his property covered in, was referred to the Legal Committee for reply, with power to aot. The Waikato Coal and Shipping Company wrote, repudiating one of their leases as not being bound by the act of the old company, but were willing to retain possession of another lot leased. The letter was referred to Mr. Hay for a legal opinion before taking action. A letter was read from the Premier's department, notifying the 17th Instant as the date of holding the election of members to the New Waikato Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, and that if the Mayor of Hamilton is elected to the Board, that His Excollenoy will be advised to appoint him Chairman of the new Board. The first meeting of the new Board is fixed for the first Wednesday in December. The request of Mr. E. Wilson, asking to be employed as permanent workman to the borough, was deferred for consideration to the next meeting. On the motion of Mr.' Edgeoumbe it was resolved to rescind the resolution whioh arbitrarily closed the Bitting. To enable the storm water more easily to clear away, it was resolved to take up the pipes across Anglesea-street and lay them in a straight line from Mayes' gate to Monro's corner. The half-yearly accounts as audited were adopted, showing a credit balance at bank to current account, exclusive of loan appropriations, of £345. Applications for the office of valuer were received from Mr. T. G. Sandes, and also from Mr. Gaudin. A ballot was taken, the result being that six votes were given for Mr. Gaudin and two for Mr. Sandes. The former gentleman was appointed. The fees for using the night commonages by the resident owner* ot cattle was fixed at sixpence per head per month for the unimproved commonages and 2s 6d per head per week for the grassed commonages. A committee consisting of Messrs. Tippin, Von Stunner, Jones, and Edgoumbe, was appointed to bring up a report to the meeting of the 17th instant, as to the best means to be taken for securing and paying for the services of a ranger. A somewhat serious accident occurred yesterday to a little boy named Riohard Hope, son of Mr. E. Hope of this place. His elder brother Walter, some ten years of age, was catting tea-tree brandies with a tomahawk, and as quickly as he cut them on a block the younger boy ran in and snatched them away. Running forward too quickly he received the blow of the tomahawk, intended for the wood, on his head. His woollen cap was cut through, and an incised wound of about two inches in length inflicted on the skull.the force of the blow stunning him for the time, and bleeding freely. The little fellow was carried to Dr. Carey's surgery, and duly attended to, and no serious result is anticipated, though had the tomahawk been but a little heavier his skull would have been fractured. . J . The question of fencing in the strip of land from the traffic bridge along the river bank to Webb's corner, was brought up in the Council last night. The banks have been planted with willows, which are being destroyed by the cattle. If the foreshore here were enclosed as far inland as the roadway, and planted throughout with ornamental trees, it would form an attractive feature in the centre of the town, and be an agreeable reoreation ground for the inhabitants. The matter was left in the hands of the Works Committee, with power to aot. Cambridge, Tuesday.

Some time since a correspondence took place in your columns showing, on the one part, that nothing bat disappointment could result in growing tobacco for a ohahce market; and, on the other aide, that pur* chasers were always willing to give a fair price for a fair article. Your correspondent stated at the time that such was not always so, and he has now another case in point. Last year a settler on the Cambridge-Hamil-ton Koad cultivated an aore and a-half of tobacco plants and harvested, when dried and well cured, a ton of tobacco fit for market. He was encouraged to go into the cultivation of this plant by the offer of Is per lb. for his crop. Six months ago he sent it to Auckland but the dealer offered a far lower and quite unsatisfactory price. This was refused, and the tobacco stored in bond at, of course, a weekly charge for storage. A week ago this settler went down to Auckland to try and arrange a sale, but found it impossible to do so, the price offered being not only too low, but no prospeot of a cash payment, without which our friend refused to part. The grower is in the hands of the dealer his tobacco is eating its head off in bond, and doubtless he will have to come to terms and part with his produoe at any price. This sort of thing, this want of a certain market, prevents many a new industry being started. Our lands and climate will grow semi-tropical produce successfully, but when it comes to a market the producer ia at the mercy of the dealer* [BY TELEGRAPH.— own COBBESFONDENT.] Tk Awamutu, Tuesday. The General Manager Mr. Maxwell, and Mr. Hudson, the Traffic Manager, visited Te Awamntu during their recent offioial visit to Waikato. A promise was made that on two days in the week the train leaving Auckland at twenty minutes to twelve should come through to Te Awamutu, but leaving it to the settlers to recommend on Which days of the week this should be. The public school standard examination has turned out most satisfactorily to the committee and to the head teacher, Colonel T. H. Smith, eighty-seven per cent, of those presented for examination having passed the several standards. The Inspector, in his report speaks highly of the discipline and good conduct of the pupils.