COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8926, 15 December 1887, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FHOM OUB OWN cokrkspondents.] Hamilton, Wednesday. _ Thb date for receiving entries for all handi« caps in the Hamilton Boxing Day Athletio Sports has been extended to Saturday »ext, 17th instant, in consequence of the curtail* ment of the distance in the Footballers Race from 250 to 110 yds. Mr. John Knox, a will be seen by an advertisement in another column, will offer for sale, at his mart, Hamilton, on Saturday next, immediately after the arrival of the early Auckland train, the privileges of the Claodelande Racecourse for the first meeting of the South Auckland Racing Club on the 29 th inst. The grandstand is now all but completed. The oourie is immediately adjoining the Bast Hamilton railway station. Great preparations are being made by the ladies of the Roman Catholic congregation in Hamilton for the forthcoming fancy bazaar to be held In the fellows' Hall on Boxing Day. ■ The object is to obtain funds to assist in the liquidation of the debt on the Convent School lnßlding, an institution which has proved of very great benefit to the district, and will ensure for the bazaar a very general patronage and support. Oh a. tiro, Wednesday. Before separating yesterday the Waipa County Council went into the very important matter of allocating the expenditure of the revenue for the year amongst the several ridings on a basis of the amount of rates collected in each, provision having been first made for the permanent county charges, some £450. In order to keep funds in hand for emergencies during the latter portion of the year it was resolved to only spend half the amount during the first six months. The full amount available for expenditure In the year in the several ridings will be as follows : — Pukekura, £315 ; Rangiaohia, £245; Mangapiko, £210; Hamilton, £195; Newcastle, £122 ; and Tahikaramea, £52.

Whatawhata, Wednesday. Considerable progress has been made with county works in the Waipa River district. Heather's Creek bridge and the Te Rore bridge have been, the former rebuilt, and the latter put into a good state of repair. The approaches to Heather's Creek bridge will he finished in less than a fortnight, and the bridge opened to traffic, The works on the Hamiiton-Whatawhata Swamp Road have been almost completed by the contractor, Mr. Kennedy. In order to facilitate the destruction of rabbits in the Upper Waipa district, the County Council have memorialised the rail way department to forward dead rabbits free of charge to the Auckland market. Kihikihi, Wednesday. Horsestealing has been somewhat too prevalent in this district of late and still continues so. Only last week Mrs. Corboy lost a valuable horse* stolen from one of her paddocks, and another resident was complain ing of a similar loss on Saturday. The one policeman policy for so large a district as that around Te Awamutu does not work well, especially when that one man is also clerk of the Court. Of late the civil business of the Court has been so heavy as to leave but scant time for out-door work.

Id addition to the very neoessary works in Whitmore, Lyon, and Monte-streets, let by tender yesterday, the Council has decided on proceeding after the holidays with that portion of Whitmorestreet near the Kihikihi Wesleyan Church, and with a very bad piece of road near the catting at C'ockerline's, on the Orakau Road.

Raglan, Wednesday. Now that the summer weather has fairly set in, people f.om Waikato are beginning to make arrangements for a visit to the seaside, to enjoy bathing and fishing at this popular watering place. Mr. G. Moon, of the Harbour View Hotel, has erected what was very much required for the use of ladies and children, namely, an enclosed swimming bath in the tide, with convenient dressing rooms, etc. Mr. Frank Edgecumbe, the Government District Surveyor, has satisfactorily settled what bid fair to have caused much heartburning at Karioi, in laying off a road which will accommodate both Mr. Pegler's and Mr. Savage's farms, instead of adhering to the old line, which would have cut through the farm of the former gentleman diagonally, taking the homestead, built before the road line was known,along with it.

|BY TKIiKGRAPH. —OWN COBBESPONDKNT.] Cambridge, Wednesday evening. At the sitting of the Native Land Court yesterday Judge Puckey issued orders for eighteen subdivisions of the Pukekura block. The parties in the Puahoe then applied for an adjournment to endeavour to settle amicably the balance of divisions in their block. They were, however, unsuccessful iu the attempt, and yesterday the Court was asked to settle the matter in dispute. After hearing the claimants, Judge Puckey gave judgments in terms of the allocation submitted by Mr. Fraser. Orders were made for fourteen subdivisions. The Court then adjourned. Mr. Gwynneth's application re survev of Maungatautari was adjourned until the lOch January, when a similar application by Mr. A. B. Stubbing for Puahoe subdivisions will also be heard. Some unimportant succession cases were adjourned to the same date. The Judge complimented Mr. Fraser on the manner in which he had conducted the negotiations for subdivisions. At a meeting of the St. Andrew's Fete Committee last evening, it was decided to use the school instead of Major Wilson's grounds, should the weather prove unfavourable. This arrangement.will be much better than the former one. The fete promises to be a grand success, and will doubtless go a long way towards clearing off the church debt.

PAPAROA. The adjourned annual meeting of the Agricultural Society was held after the R. M. Court rose, Mr. Cliff occupying the chair. Mr. Tibbits read the minutes of last meeting, which were confirmed, and the balance-sheet, which showed some £3 in hand. This also was approved. The half dozen members present did not deem it wise to enter into the responsibility of a show this year in the face of so much apparent apathy, hence the following resolutions were carried : " That the officers and committee be re-elected." "That there be no show this year." " That th« secretary be empowered to take up the pens." " That the annual meeting be held at Paparoa in May." " That the thanks of this meeting be given to Mr. Tibbits for his services as secretary." This was also carried, and was replied to by Mr. Tibbits. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting. At its last meeting the Otamatea Council passed a resolution to expend no more money in any riding that was in debt. We cannot but admire and commend this resolve to get out of debt, though it presses rather heavily upon us, as this riding, through what looks very much like the carelessness of the executive of the Hobson Council, is made heavily in debt. As I said before, investigations are going forward which, 1 have no doubt, will result in placing Paparoa in a much less emharassed position than at present. A number of applications for necessary repairs have been set aside in consequence of the resolution of the Council.[Own Correspondent, December 13. J

ARAPOHUE. The fanoy dress ball in the school on the 25th ultimo was a great success, and the varied costumes of nearly 100 ladies ana gentlemen presented an agreeable coup d'osil, Mrs. William Webb, as Starlight, carried off the palm for elegance among the fair sex ; and Mr. Isbister, as a Mandarin, was the most stylish costume among the gentlemen. Messrs. J. Young and R. Masebeld, juu,, made exoellent Darkies ; Mr. R. Beasley, a Jolly Friar; while the characters of Messrs. A. Wrigbill and C. Sills were the most true to nature. The music and refreshments were both tirst-olasß, and gave general satisfaction. Dancing was kept up with spirit till five a.m., and Mr. Berridge made an efficient M.C.

There will be a serious Accident to record one of these days, if somethiug is nqt done by the County Couuoil to a dangerous oorner of the road called Vincent's Deviation. A high embankment at this point shuts out any one going from hence seeing-another coming from Mititai, till the two almost touch. Mr. Gelston was thrown here a few days ago, when hie horse shied at suddenly coming upon a trolly, whoa he had a narrow escape of bis life.— Own Correspondent.] Tenders for the erection of a shed at the Mititia wharf were opened on Saturday, and that ot Mr. Berridge, being the lowest, was aooepted. Wo have had every indication of wet weather for some days, but the rain provokingly holds op, much to the' chagrin of those whose water supply is scant. The chapel folks held another > entertainment for their harmonium fund on the 2nd

instant, bat m there vu no dance to follow, the ftttendanoe was not so large u on former nights when the danoe was the principal attraction.—[Own Correspondent, Deoamber 12.1 _

ARATAPU. Thb first of the Wairoa inter-clab cricket matches came off on Saturday last at Mangawhare, between the Aratapu and Mangawhare clubs. The ground was in very Uit condition, and ft pleasant and olose contest ensued. Play commenced • almost im* mediately after the arrival of the a.s. Zephyr with the Aratapu team and their friends. Mangawhare won the toss and took the wickets, the feature of the innings being the excellent play of S. E. Taylor, who put together 29 ; the total score being 61. The bowling of Falkner and Leggett was very good ; the former secured 3 wickets for 6 reins, and the latter 4 for 9 runs. The Ara' tapu innings closed for 54, 7 behind Manga* whare. Stall worthy, 19, and T. Nield, 10, were the only double figures. H. Taylor and H. Coutts bowled well, the former seoaring five wiokets.

Active preparations are now being made by several parties for visits to the West Coast. Tents have been got in order, and sites for their erection levelled out. Next Saturday the emigration from our settlement begins, and for the next three months the coast will be dotted with enoampments.— [Own Correspondent, December 12.]