COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9048, 8 May 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents.) Hamilton, Monday. The polling for the election of three new members of the Hamilton Highway District Board resulted yesterday in the return of Mossrs. J. Atkinson, W. Jones, and Maunder. Messrs. Fitzroy Peacock and John Knox being rejected. The contest was a very active one between opposite ends of the district. The old Board held its annual and monthly meeting on Saturday, when the balance-sheet as read was adopted. This, beyond passing of) accounts, was the only business. The book debts in Treewheellar's estate some —were knocked down to Mr. J. Edgcumbe by public auction for £11. It is not true, as stated in the local caper on Saturday, that Captain Steele has sold 100 acres of his farm to a Mr. Davis, and another 100 acres to Mr. Isaac Coates. The land sold did not belong to Captain Steele, but is Ensign Shelton's grant, and was the property of Mr. Henry Steele. The price realised, and to an old "Waikato settler like Mr. Coates, shows a returning confidence in the value of Waikato lands for farming purposes, while the quality and position of the land itself are a guarantee of success to the purchaser. Mr. Davis intends to build and live upon the land, and Mr. Coates will farm his in conjunction with his present farm, to which it is adjacent. The meeting of school teachers, called for Saturday, for the purpose of establishing a Waikato branch of the Auckland Teachers' Institute, fell through for want Of a quorum, Messrs. Murray, Hyatt, and Edwards alone attending. It was decided to make a third attempt, next time at Cambridge. Lieutenant-Colonel Shepherd is expected to arrive in Hamilton to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, to inspect the Hamilton Light Infantry volunteers. A section of the Hamilton burgesses opposed to the site proposed for the public buildings are agitating for the adoption of a petition Bo Parliament not to place the vote of £1000, which lapsed on the 31st March last, again upon the estimates. Cambridge, Monday. The Cambridge Highway District, more fortunate than the borough, finds itself able to reduce its annual rate by one half. An amusing incident, showing the manner in which petitions are generally signed, and their consequent value, occurred at Saturday's annual meeting of the ratepayers of that highway district. A very strong expression was given effect to that the Board should reduce the rate this year from $d to £d in the £, and some discussion ensued as to the propriety of the Board incurring the expense of opening the road through the Fencourt Estate. Messrs. AUwill and Brook argued that the opening of the road was altogether unnecessary as settlers had a good road to Cambridge now, and although it was about half a mile further round than the proposed road, that did not form a sufficient reason for an expenditure which would , necessitate the levying of a halfpenny rate. Much amusement was caused when Mr. Forrest, a member of the Board, twitted Mr. Allwill with being one of the thirty rateEayers who signed a petition praying the oard to open this road. Mr. Allwill admitted the soft impeachment, but said he had signed the petition, as petitions usually are signed, "as a matter of form." It was afterwards decided to defer the question of opening the road through the Fencourt estate until next meeting. As the Piako County has for some unreasonable reason declined to allow the Taotaoroa Board to make and collect the county rate, the sum put by for that purpose, and now lying without interest at the Bank, will be available for road work in Taotaoroa instead of at WaiorongomaL As this is the case, no rate will be struck this year in the Taotaoroa Highway District. The work of repairing the bridle track through the " French Pass," Maungakawa, will be at once proceeded with.

[BY TKLF.GRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Hamilton, Monday. The workmen on the Waiteti railway contract have acted nobly and generously towards the Waikato Hospital. There have been several accidents from these works, and though the patients may have been paying ones, the men felt that they should express their appreciation of the benefits of the institution. On Saturday last they sent with a very appropriate letter a donation of £37 as a subscription to the Hospital funds. This, with the Government subsidy of 24s to the pound, means a subscription equal to £81 Bs. The Hamilton Borough Council provides free paddocks to settlers sending cattle to Wednesday's sale at the new yards, which will be opened with a free lunch by Mr. J. McNicol, on Wednesday.

MAHURANGI. An entertainment ot a varied character in connection with the Mahurangi Band of Hope was held in the Masonic Hall, Warkworth, on Monday evening, the 23rd April, when an interesting programme was most successfully gone through. The hall was nearly filled, and the meeting was presided" over by Mr. Douse. A hymn was sung bv the choir, and the Rev. J. J. Mahters, Wesleyan Minister, engaged in praver, when followed an instrumental piece by Mr. Bradnam, violin, and Miss Bradman organ, which obtained richly deserved applause. A song by Miss Moncur, of Auckland. This was loudly applauded, and an encore called for, but as the fair lady's name appeared on the programme three more times, the chairman requested the audience not to be too exacting, and consequently they had to be content. Duet by Misses Lease and Florence Wilson. Mr. F. E. Hanison, from Auckland, next amused the audience by his mimicry of an amateur concert which he had heard about ten months ago, and several other comical allusions, giving abundant evidence of his cleverness and ability. Misses Williams gave a recitation. The Rev. J. J. Mather next an gave address on temperance : Miss Moncur gave a recitation, "In the Workhouse on Christmas Day." A hymn was next sung by the choir, Mr. F. E. Hanison personated the " Wandering Minstrel," which was thoroughly amusing. A song was next contributed by Mr. Samuel Phillips. A recitation by Miss Moncur, " The Life-boat, " next claimed attention, and elicited loud applause, which was well deserved by the talented lady. Mr. John Dawson gave a recitation. Mr. Worsley a song, Mr. A Camphell a reading, Miss Lease a song, and Miss Moncur was again called on for a recitation, when"BeautifulSnow*'delightedtheaudience. An instrumental piece by Mr. Bradnam, violin. Miss Bradnam, organ, was given, when " well done'' was the unanimous verdict of all present. Mr. F. E. Hanison gave another specimen of his mimical abilities, and an address by Mr- Douse concluded the programme. The choir then sung a hymn when the Benediction was pronounced and a most agreeable and pleasant entertainment was brought to a close. A most hearty vote of thanks to Miss Moncur and Mr. Hanison was carried by acclamation. The annual meeting of householders passed the following resolution : — " That in the opinion of this meeting the time has arrived when uniform reading books should be adopted in all primary schools throughout the colon v." The committee at its meeting after the election, instructed the secretary to forward a copy (the committee endorsing the meeting's opinion) to the Minister of Education as well as to the Auckland Board. If the object sought could be brought about, a manifest saving of parents, purses would result, and the caprice of members of Boards would have greater difficulty in bringing about the oft repeated changes we have hitherto had to put up with.-—{Own Correspondent.]

PORT ALBERT. The annual meeting of the Port Albert Band of Hope came off on Monday in the Temperance Hall. A large number was present, and it was, on the whole, very successful. Various out-door amusements were provided for the young people in the afternoon. An excellent and abundant tea was laid in the hall, free to the juvenile members of the Band of Hope. The evening programme Mr. Coupland occupying the chair as president— was of exceptional interest, though of few items. After a brief introduction from the chairman, and a song by Mrs. Waters (Wharehine), whose contributions are always received with favour, the secretary (Miss F. Cray) read the annual report, which favourably reviewed the work of the past year. It noticed the innovation of the boys and gills reading original essays at each monthly meeting on a given subject, announced a month previous by the president. The latter then proceeded to distribute the prizes —or, rather, presents, as all but one received an attractive, interesting book the youthful essayists. Miss Moncur (Auckland) recited "The Lifeboat,"and was heartily applauded. The longest piece of the evening, " The Little Captain" (service of song), next came on. Mr. Wra, Armitage conducted the music, with Mrs. Armitage at the piano, and Mr. A. Rcid giving the narrative. This was received with marked interest and the stillness of absorbed attention throughout, the naturally-painful interest of the story being relieved only by the Cold Spring Volunteers comical ditty, "There was a Mouse." The whole service suffers sadly, however, from the utter absence of anything like poetical justice on the brutaliscd husband and father. Miss Moncur then recited " The Workhouse Christmas." The pathos of this piece could hardly be realised by happy young people growing up in New Zealand, where the pauper problem is still in embryo. A song by Mrs. Water — warmly applauded it is •needless to say— the last item of the

evening, save a cordial vote of thanks to all who had assisted at the tea or at the evening entertainment. This was carried with acclamation. The meeting closed about half-past nine o'clock.—{Own Correspondent.]

CLEVEDON (WAIROA SOUTH). ! A SOIREE in connection with the Presby- i terian Church here, and the anniversary of the opening of the new church, Was held in the Wairoa Public Hall on Thursday evening, the 26th April last. The hall was beautifully decorated with evergreens and flowers, and the word " Welcome," printed in large letters, was suspended above the stage. There were four tables loaded with cakes, buns, and fruit, presided over by the Mesdamesand Misses Matheson, Bell, Wilson, and Sutherland. After full justice had been done to the good things provided by the ladies, the tables were cleared away, and an excellent programme was creditably gone through. The Rev. Thomas Norrie presided over the meeting, and after praise and prayer, the Chairman gave an opening speech, which was followed by an anthem. "He That Believeth," choir report of the Sunday-school, Mr. James Bell; song, " The Lime Trees by the River," Miss M. Bell: speech, Rev. John Macky; song, "Silvery Rhine," Miss Henderson ; song, " Powder-monkey Jim," Mr. Warren; recitation, "The Station Master," Mr. E. McLennan: song, " Moray's Fairy Glen," Miss A. Bel?: speech and reading from Dickens, Rev. D. K. Hewlett; song, "The Little Hen," Mr. Warren song, "Tomorrow," Miss Henderson ; song, " A Vision, Miss M. Bell; duet, pianoforte. Misses A. and M. Bell. Captain Crawford proposed a vote of thanks to the ladies who Srovided the tables, to the committee that ecorated the hall, and to the singers and speakers. The votes were carried by acclamation. The singing of the National Anthem and prayer by the chairman brought a very pleasant meeting to a close. A poll of the ratepayers was taken here in the Public Hall on Saturday, the 28th April, as to whether publicans' licenses should be increased in the district. Thirteen votes were recorded for the increase, and 18 against. It will be noticed by advertisement that the Licensing Committee for the Wairoa Licensing District will meet in the Public Hall, Wairoa, on June 2nd next, at the hour of noon; and the election of three members of the Road Board tak?a place on Saturday, the sth May. The annual meeting of ratepayers will be held on the same date, at two o'clock in the afternoon.—[Own Correspondent, April 30.]

ARATAPU. One of the most successful concerts that we have had for a very long time was given in the Aratapu Hall on Friday last, under the conductorship of the Rev. Father Kehoe. The concert was arranged by the North Wairoa Brass Band, as a benefit to their painstaking and able leader, Mr. W. G. Philpott. The hall was packed. The programme, which was in two parts, comprised the following items : —Selection by band; song, by H. Tucker, "Man the Lifeboat;" glee, by Strollers, " The Sabbath Call ;" song by E. H. Hardy, " To Be Once More Safe Home with Thee:" vocal duet, by Father Kehoe and F. J. Morath, "We'll Laugh the Hours Away;" song, W. J. Phillips, Come Back to Erin ;" flee, by Strollers, "Come, Drink and Merry Be ; cornet solo, W. G. Philpott (encored); selection by band; song, by Miss Stehr, "Killarney," and for encore "The Blue Alsatian Mountains;" glee, by Strollers, "Old Bacchus :" song, by F. Turney, "Speak to Me, Oh, Speak;" song, by F. Morath, " The Last Watch ;" selection by band. The most noticeable features of the programme were the remarkable improvement in the music of the band, and the rapid development of Mr. F. W. Phillips as a vocalist. This gentleman has a splendid voice, and under the guidance of Father Kehoe is learning to use it with excellent effect. At the close of the concert Mr. Austen Xicholl, who for a long time has been the mainstay of the band, thanked the performers for their assistance and the audience for their patronage, and announced that the band were willing to supply dance music as long as the audience were willing to dance. The dance was kept up with spirit till half-past two in the morning. Sports are to be held at Maropiu on the Queen's Birthday, and horse-racing for Maori hacks at Mangonui on the same day. Steps are being taken with the object of merging the Dargaville Town Board in the county. The indebtedness of the Aratapu riding to the rest of the county is continually being harped upon by some councillors, who seem to forget that almost the whole of our expenditure has been upon the main road, which has benefited other ridings as much as our own, and who not long since moved and carried a resolution to add £75 to our indebtedness in opposition to the wish of our councillor and the people he represents. A keen contest was played out on the football field last Saturday. The game was Captain v. Vice-Captain. The Vice-captain's side seemed to be the stronger, and it kept their opponents well to their twenty-five during the greater part of the game. Two tries were secured for them by C. Paton and W. Barber, but no goals resulted. The Captain's side defended their lines toughly, and once or twice pushed up to the half-way flag, from which position they played into the hands of their fast man, W. Legge, who made three good runs, an each occasion reaching the goal line by outstripping every opponent. Once, however, he was shoved into touch-in-goal. From his tries one goal was kicked just as time was called. The Captain thus won by one goal and a try to two tries.—{Own Correspondent, April 30.]