COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8096, 10 November 1887, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

OKAIHAU. The usual monthly meeting of the Mutual Improvement Association took place on the 29th October. The subjeot Was a debate on Freetrade v. Protection. Mr. James Nicholson opened on the freetrado side, and Mr. D. M. Anderson replied for protection. Messrs C. ft. Tolerton and H. Frsser spoke in favour of freetrade, and Messrs F. Reed and A. Nicholson on the aide of protection. On being put to the vote, five voted for protection and seven for freetrade.

Mr. C. Lewis is opening ap a seam of kerosene shale on bis property. He has sent some of the mineral to Wellington to asoertain the value of the deposit. If it turns out to be worth anything it will be the making of the place, as it is all over the district in almost unlimited quantity. Some of the seams are over ten feet thick. The committee of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society are busy preparing for the Spring show to be held on November 23. There ought to be a good show, as the committee have received a good deal of outside support. I hear growers say that the vegetable department will not be very good, on account of the bad weather in the spring,— [Own Correspondent.] MANGAKAHIA. We are just now in good spirits, having received our mail much sooner than usual. This is truly an infallible sign that the summer has set in. To explain : From May to October we consider ourselves very fortunate indeed if we get our mails at shorter intervals than six weeks, but in summer they arrive with unerring punctuality every three weeks. Many people conaider that we are making rapid strides in opening up the country, in spite of the depression now existing. This, however, is an instance to the contrary. Farther, a neighbour of* mine last week received two letters, one from England the other from Whangarei (the distance from the latter place is 45 miles), the one from London was posted two days earlier than the other, and was delivered at the same time as the Whangarai one. A petition was sent to the Chief Postmaster, Auokland, asking for a mail service to this place; and in due time an answer was received, stating that the Government could not establish a post-office here if the conveyance of mails should entail any expenditure on the Government. Attached to the petition was an offer by a mail contractor to carry the mail here for £15 a year. As a matter of fact the postages to and from this particular locality exceed in amount the cost of carrying the mail,—and yet, forsooth, we must do without it- Road facilities and postal communication are two great factors in opening a . new country, and yet both of them are denied us.

Large blocks of Crown lands exist here, the greater portion of which are of first-class quality. The usual spring cultivations and cropping are about over, and the genial warmth and bright sunshine are making the earlier crops give promise of a good harvest, if they progress to maturity in like manner to their present development. An attempt was made last year to grow wheat ; it was not a success, but, the season being considered an indifferent one, it is again tried this year. We all wish it success.

There is no great extent of arable land j here ; it is essentially a grazing district, and when once the lands are settled by the European it will be found a valuable aid to the coastal town of Whangarei and the river settlements of the Wairoa.—[Own Correspondent.] KATIKATI. The first cricket match of the season was played on Saturday last, in a paddock belonging to Mr. B. McDonnell, (Jretara, kindly placed at the disposal of the local club by this gentleman. The game, in which great interest was displayed, was a contest between the Northern and Southern ends of the settlement, and resulted in an easy victory for the latter with 93 runs to spare. Both sides were much out of form, many of the players having had no opportunity of practising for several years. Mr. Lawlor, agent for the Australian Mutual, paid the settlement a visit last week, and spent several days canvassing the district. As it is some years since an " Insurance man" has been amongst us, it was naturally thought Mr. Lawlor'a visit would have been a success. Almost to a man, settlers pleaded poverty as a reason for not insuring. The marvellous stories from Whangamata are attracting great attention here, seeing that Waihi is so close to the former locality, this-latter place being looked upon as the future market of the settlement. It is reasoned that if good stone be found at Whangamata the chances are a similar for* mation of country will be discovered at' Waihi, and this cf course means more people and a larger demand for produce. Waihi being connected w»*-a Katikati by a - good road running through a level open country, communication between the two plaoea is effected with ease and at little cost. -'"'"

Since the No. 2 School has been opened by the new teacher, Mr. E. Mulgan, the attendance baa steadily increased, the/average.

wtek7back mobi ° 8 45, " »gamsU4lw I weeks back. , ".wires || Fish are very plentiful in the waters « 11 the settlement, several large hauls bain* i! cently mads. ~ ~--,- """lire. II