COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9056, 17 May 1888, Page 3

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents.] Hamilton, Wednesday. At the statutory meeting of the Borough Council last night tho burgess-list was confirmed, and signed by the Mayor. The sum of £21514s 2(1, rates due, still remained unpaid. The usual monthly meeting was then held, a full Council being present. An application was made by Mr. H. Cowper to rent a reserve. No. 407, and a committee—consisting of Messrs. Knox, Jonea, and Sandes —was appointed to inspect the land, and report to next meeting of" the Council. The Mayor declared the poll for the bringing the Borough under the Public Libraries Act, 1869, carried. The Clerk stated that a protest had been entered in contequence of the advertisement referring to the Act as 1879 instead of 1869. It was resolved to take another poll. Mr. Pannell, lessee of the public baths, asked a reduction of rent inconsequence of the unfavourable character of the past bathing season. It was resolved to accept £8 as rent for the year ending October 31st. The Mayor's action in giving the use of the saleyards to Messrs. A. Buckland and Co. for tne 31st instant was affirmed, but members of thq Council expressed an opinion that cattle sales 'should not be held oftener than once a month. The clerk was instructed to inform Mr. W. M. Hay that he was retained by the Council. The Council then went into committee to consider an application from the sureties of the contractor for the cattle saleyards to forego the excess of cost of construction from £5 to £10 entailed by the Borough having to complete the work. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Jones, Knox, and Coates, was appointed to go into the saleyards contract accounts and report to the Council. The Public Buildings Committee brought up no report, replies to the clerk's letters to Wellington and Taurauga not having been as yet received. On the motion of the Mayor, it was resolved to fence in the reserve in rear of the saleyards for the accommodation of buyers and sellers at the monthly cattle sales. The advisability of shipping their wheat home to the English market has occupied the attention of many of our Waikato fanners, and the freight and probable charges have been variously estimated. The Melbourne Age, of the Ist instant, contains just the information farmers require. Referring to the loading of one or two vessels with this cargo for home, it says :—" According to the most recent sales in London, 33s 3d has been obtained for Australian wheat, which would give the following result at to-day's prices: ' Eight bushels of wheat at 3a 6d, f.o.b. 28s; freight, 5s 4d; charges, Is 3d: total, 34s 7d. It will thus be seen that to induce shipments considerable concessions will have to be made to leave operators even a slight margin ; in fact, 3e 3d, f.0.b., is the outside price to ensure safety. Te Awamutu, Wednesday. An interesting case, in which the Maori Court of Tawhiao clash with, and have been appealed against in our own Courts, has occupied the attention of the Resident Magistrate and two Native Assessors during the last few days, and was adjourned on Monday until next Court day. It appears that Rangimoeakau had been sued as defendant at a Maori Court, of which Hemi Kokaku was the judste. Hote Thompson the sergeant of police, and Te Ngahiri the policeman. The judgment of the Native Court.was that the cattle, the subject of the action, belonged to the plaintiff (Tongariro), and they were handed over to him. Rangimoeakau, in defiance of Tawhiao's Court, re-took the cattle, and they then, in accordance with the king's law, made a muru upon Rangi's stock, and seized thirteen head of cattle for his contempt of court. The action heard at Te Awamutu on Friday, Saturday, and Monday was for detention of these cattle. Mr. Gresham appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. W. M. Hay for the defondants. At the conclusion of plaintiff's case, Mr. Hay raised an objection that plaintiff had not put into Court the proclamation showing that the native clauses of the Resident Magistrates Act had'been brought■■ into force in the Waikato district. Captain Jackson said that as it was the first case of the kind that had come before a European Court, he would, although he acknowledged the validity of the objection, put in the proclamation himeelf, rather than see the case go off upon a technical point. Counsel went on with the defence, but before it was concluded it was arranged to adjourn the further hearing till next Court-day. HeIENSVILLE, Wednesday. . The local option poll here resulted in a decided majority against increase of licenses. Paeroa, Wednesday. The result of the local option poll at Paeroa is: Publican's license—for increase, 17 ; against, 8. New Zealand wine—for, 13 ; against, 9. Accommodation licenses—for, 14; against, 8. Bottle licenses—for, 12 ; against, 9. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Hamilton, Wednesday. A meeting to-day re the establishment of a Waikato Board of Agriculture lapsed. Only four persous were present. The Waikato Hospital Board completed the purchase of the Hospital buildings and land to-day, taking half the purchase money from the current account, the Government finding the other half, and thus saving £90 annual rent. Mr. Spragg, of the Auckland Freezing "Company,' meets the milk suppliers to the Hamilton factory to-morrow to arrange terms of supply for next season, and goes to Paterangi ji.ext day for the same purpose. The niilk suppliers will have to keep up a larger and more regular supply of milk, as the smallness of the supply this season rendered the operatious of the company too costly in proportion to the returns.