COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9084, 19 June 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our owk correspondents.] Hamilton, Monday. The Jreport that it was proposed to make the Hon. Mr. Mitchelson chief commissioner of railways has been received everywhere with lively satisfaction as a solution to the difficulty of railway management, as with that gentleman's extraordinary business aptitude the lines would be worked to make the most of them in every way. That this is .not the case is painfully manifest. Instead of looking for business, gathering it together wherever possible, the department at present turns it away. A striking instance of unbusinesslike neglect occurred during the late football match at Auckland. Had an excursion train been laid on from Te Kuiti fully 200 persons from Waitete and that place would have joined the train which left Te Awamutu. Now instead of increasing traffic by giving facilities for travelling, it is proposed to make the lines pay better by reducing these facilities. Better sell the lines to a syndicate that will work them to pay all parties. The price of flax has given quite a boom to the Raglan district. Eight mills are now hard at work producing the manufactured article.

Alexandra, Monday. The new library committee has been elected, as follows : —Messrs Aubin, Finch, Miles, Smith, and Sage, the first-named gentleman being chosen as chairman and treasurer. A committee consisting of Messrs Ogilvie, Sage, and Miles, has been appointed to arrange for the first of a series of musical entertainments to be given in aid of the library funds. Hukanui, Monday. Power, the young man who mysteriously disappeared from Ngaruawahia, recently, may be seen at the native settlement here, indulging the dulce far niente in true Maori style. Oxford, Monday. The Patetere Company, which is pushing work along vigorously, have obtained several concessions from the Piako County Council, which on the plea of impecuniosity has had to refuse to undertake many much-needed works. A sum of £20 has been voted to render the Thames Valley-Tauranga Road to enable the packing of stores to bush-falling contracts on the estate during the winter. The road up the Thames Valley ie also to be started at once, and contracts let for making this road from the Cambridge-Tauranga Road to the Orakau Creek. An offer made by Mr. Rich to clear, form, and grass eight miles of road from Lichfield to Clark's Letter-box, if the County would contribute 3s per chain, has also been accepted.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Hamilton, Monday. The polling on the question whether the Public Library Act shall be introduced into the borough, will take place on Wednesday next. The Hamilton Football Club play an Ohaupo team at Hamilton on Saturday next. Mr. John Mullins, who sustained concussion of the brain on Wednesday last when preparing a truck for loading cattle, has so far recovered under the skilful treatment of Dr. Waddington that he has regained full consciousness and is able to leave his bed already. Te Awamutu, Monday. The sixth annual meeting of the Te Awamutu Cheese Factory was held in the Public Hall on Saturday. Mr. Bridgman, chairman of the company, presided. The report and balance-sheet were not of a favourable nature, and after the same were passed the three retiring directors, Messrs. R. Burke, C. J. Storey, and J. Walton were re-elected. A vote of thanks to the directors was passed, and the meeting terminated. It was afterwards decided that a meeting of shareholders should be held in the Public Hall on Saturday next to consider the company's position, and as to winding the same up. Cambridge, Monday. Mr. C. H. White, draper, has assigned his estate to Messrs. Owen and Graham and Woodruffe, of Auckland, who are now in possession. MAHURANGI. The route of the North Auckland Railway seems to excite more interest in the House_ of Representatives than it does here, but with all due deference, I would suggest to the engineer the advisability of making a deviation near here, and instead of going up the Hoteo Valley (a very crooked one, way), crossing the watershed at Bears'

Swamp, where the northern ranges terminate, running up the valley under the Dome, and with a short tunnel under the range at Gathercole's, and so down the valley again to the Hoteo River. This would save a number of bridges over the Hoteo, and would tap what traffic might be available at Matakana and Mahurangi. I regret that an error occurred in the last paragraph of my last week's letter, where you print "Mr. G. F. Such, Warkworth, desires," &c, which should have read " Mr. G. F. Such, of Warkworth, deserves." I exceedingly regret the error, or rather misprint, for I am quite sure Mr. Such was animated by most disinterested feelings when he gave himself the trouble of obtaining the signatures to the petition.—[Own Correspondent.] VICTORIA VALLEY. Things are very dull at present. Gumdigging is almost at a standstill, owing to a glutted market and the wet weather beginning. The summer saw most of the farmers on the field, but, as they could barely make a living at it, the universal opinion is now that nothing will do but working the land, which is throughout the district in an almost uncultivated state. The new idea is for growing large fields of wheat, and for starting a flourmul in Kaitaift, which would be very central for the surrounding districts. It is stated that upwards of 150 tons of flour comes to the North annually. If this could be crown and supplied by tne district, it would be the means of keeping a large amount of money circulating in the place. One hundred and fifty tons at, say, £9 10s per ton, would give upwards of £1400, which, evenly distributed, would be the means of keeping many farmers continually on their land. I think a suitable mill could be erected for the moderate sum of £150, which would do ample service for the district. The best way would be to form a company with small shares, say, £3 each. lam quite certain that there are 50 influential men in the North who would be willing to become members. The first thing to encourage growers is the guarantee of the mill. While passing from Kaitaia to Awanui the other day, I observed no fewer than eight teams at work, and already a great many acres have been turned over ready for winter sowing. The new school in Takahue is almost completed, and will be opened in June. Mr. Fidler, school inspector, paid his usual visit lately, and was well satisfied with the progress of tho schools. Fern Flat and Fairburn's Road are both agitating for schools respectively, but, as they have not the required number of children at either places, I do not think the Board will grant them in these days of retrenchment. The maize crop is below the average this season, and potatoes do not seem to be a success.

On May 18 the ladies of Victoria Valley gave a supper and ball, which was a grand success. This was in return for one given by the young men on April 6, which also was a perfect success. As there were no subsidies to local bodies last season, very little has been done in the way of repairing roads. It is to be hoped that Government, during the present session, will be more liberal. There is a prospect of the roads in Victoria Valley and Okaihau being connected, This will be a great boon to the North, as it will be a direct road from the North to Russell—[Own Correspondent.] LUCAS , CREEK. A petition signed by forty residents and ratepayers of Dairy Flat was forwarded to the Waitemata County Council on Friday last, pra.ying that the Volkner deviation road be made passable at least for foot and horse traffic. It is hoped that the County Council will do something in the matter at once, as the road is now almost impassable aven for foot traffic—[Own Correspondent.]

_ . , OPUNAKE. I see by the Rangitikei Advocate «. 4. . sensation has been caused in Bulls dat , 4 tikei, by the announcement of the fwt fff' well-known res dent, Mr. Levi NeSS,£ °u a just become the heir to a baronet n, *""" £40 000. The news was quite the happy individual as it was to the rX to Mr Newman goes home shortly £ aS? 0 " matters. Mr. Newman ie a brother of 7 John Newman, who died in Ran e itiW Mr - October 6th, 1883, leaving a widow « n f. on daughters one being married to M r a% r bane, of Rahotu, and another to Mr AW * The two other sisters are still uW° r S a ?- living with their widowed mother , Rangitikei. # carton, As I mentioned some time ago Mr Pα was away up to your hot springs' C B ?™ health, He has now, after three month'* absence, returned. He has recovered * he is in good health. No doubt if invaHds woS try tne springs, they would do them m2 good. Mr. Rogers says he was never ; better health than now, and his looks him out He has gained upwards of a «ta£ in weight. wne Mr. Yettigrew has returned from Auckland after a long stay. He is greatly irnproted since he went north, although not v > fully recovered.—[Rahotu Correspondent.] OPOTIKI PUBLIC HALL. A special meeting of directors of the Publi Hall was held at Mr. Litchfield's office on Friday, June 1. Present: Mr. R. Wrbht (chairman), Messrs. A. Parkinson, Tho Dawson, Jno. Connelly, and S. Mood*' The chairman explained that the obi et* of the meeting was to consider a letter received from the Rev. Jno. Gow, offering £20 per annum for the use of the tan tor one night per week, for meetimm of the Opotiki Gospel Temperance Society, and one day for musical practices without use of lights. The chairman then read Mr. Gow's letter, and also read a state ment of the s,ctual cost of maintaining the" hall, and the manner in which it had Vim let formerly to the Presbyterian Church when the hall received £13 per annum clear of all costs of lighting and cleaning expenses Mr. Arthur Parkinson proposed, Mr' Connelly seconded, '"That the price for'the hall decided upon by the shareholders at their meeting of May 21, and tendered in writing by the secretary, be adhered to." Mr Moody proposed as an amendment, and Mr' Dawson seconded, " That a meeting of share". holders be called to discuss the question of Mr. Gow's offer of £20 per annum. For the amendment, 2 votes; for the original pro. position, 3 votes. The original proposition was carried. The secretary was instructed to see that the hall is not injured by larrikins during the Maori dances. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman.[Own Correspondent.]