COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9104, 12 July 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents.] Hamilton, Wednesday. At the meeting of the Borough Council held last night—present: The Mayor and Messrs. Jones, Von Sturraer, Missen, Wood, Salmon, Knox, Sandes, and Bell—a letter was read from the Colonial Secretary acknowledging the election of Mr. I. Coates to the office of Mayor. A letter was read from Mr. W. A. Graham demanding the expense of defending an action against Mr. J, O'Dea (£36 6s 3d) while Mayor. Mr. Knox moved, and Mr. Jones seconded, "That the letter be received." The clerk stated, in answer to Mr. Knox, that the Council held a receipt in full from Mr. O'Dea, and that Mr. W. A. Graham was sued not as Mayor but as a private individual. The letter was ordered to be Received. _ It was agreed to meet Mr. Pan - nell's views for the arrangement of the rent of the baths of last year. The mattor was left in the hands of the Mayor and the clerk. A letter was read from Mr. Hudson, stating that in accordance with the request of the Council, that on the market day, Thursday, Saturday rates would be charged from all railway stations to Hamilton station. A letter was read from the Public Library Committee announcing their resignation and readiness to hand over . all' accounts and papers. On the motion of Mr. Knox, seconded by Mr. Missen, a committee! consisting of the Mayor and -Messrs. Salmon, Sandes, Von Sturmer, George Edgecumbe, Parr. Pannell, and the mover was appointed to take over the Public Library, and ac t as a Library Committee. The poundkfeeper's report stated that during last month 38 head of straying cattle had been pounded and seven dogs registered. A rate was struck of one shilling in the £ for the current year. It was resolved to alter the grade of the water - table opposite the Commercial Hotel, so as to render it more safe. On the motion of Mr. Knox, a committee wai appointed to report on the best means o conveying the water from opposite the ban! property and the Royal Hotel. The follow ing statement of accounts was read General fund account, £340 debit; specia fund account, £39 10s credit; at fixed de posit, £4000. Mr. Jones moved, "That « poll of the burgesses be taken, to decidi whether £1000 of the loan shall be used t( wipe out the overdraft, and the debenture: of the balance of £3000 be taken up." Th< motion was lost by five to four, as was also i motion to pay an additional £5 to Mr. F Gaudin, for last year's valuation. The motioi for reducing the Town Clerk's salary to £12i was lost by five to four. Mr. Jones with drew his motion for reducing the wages o. the foreman of works. Last night there was a parade of the Lighi Infantry Volunteers, when the new arms the Snider, was issued to the corps. Thii will have a salutary effect in checking th< Chinese invasion panic. A settler named Moore, who had come it from Whatawhata to attend the skating rink had a very narrow escape on Monday nighi from injury when crossing th'<s footpath oppo site thfe Commercial Hotel, where there is a steep dip into the water-table. He fell heavily, and it at first appeared as though one of his arms was broken. Fortunately this was not the case, and in a short time he was able to join the rinkers. The Borough Council, warned by this accident, has taken steps to render the path less dangerous. The additions to the Waikato Hospital, referred to in my letter of yesterday, will comprise two new wards, each 30 feet in length, one room of 20 feet, and another of 15 feet. The whole cost is not to exceed £600. The architect is Mr. Richardson, of Cambridge. Morrinsvxlle, Wednesday. The Waitoa Board has decided to make a rate this year of only one farthing in the £. This will be good news to the settlers, many of whom have not been blessed with the best of harvests, both oats and wheat as a rule having threshed out light. The caterpillar has done a considerable amount of mischief among the latter. Under the able management of Mr. Mark Harrison, the Lockerbie estate is in a vastlyimproving condition, and is giving incontrovertible evidence that farming, properly so called, will pa v even in these times. Some seven or eight double-furrow ploughs, working on contract, have been going daily for some time past, and 1 200 acres of winter wheat ■ have already : been sown, while 300 acres more are being got ready for spring wheat: A noticeable feature in Mr. Harrison's management is the keeping of a large number of sheep upon the farm. There are 9000 head of sheep there at the present time. Mr. Isaac Coates, who has had two machines on the ground, will if the weather holds up, finish threshing the last year's harvest to-day. During the time he has been there, exactly five weeks his big machine has put through 17,000 bushels, and the smaller one nearly 4000 bushels, travelling from one field to another where the stacks had been built. The yield of wheat is a very good one, running about 27 bushels to the acre. Ohatjpo, Wednesday. The monthly meeting of the Waipa County Council was held yesterday. Present: The Chairman (Mr. Laing), and Messrs. Finch, Smith, Farrell, and Dawson. The engineer was instructed to see to the repairs of the Cambridge bridge, and to make a report to next meeting, on the state of the NewcastleYVhatawhata road between Stones' corner and Ngaruawahia, which was stated to be in a dangerous condition. A letter was received from Messrs. Fox and Foxall calling attenton to the state of the Hamilton-Whata-whata. road, and offering to assist the Board in putting it in order with the loan of their teams. Owing to want of funds, no action was taken by the Council in the matter. A letter was read from the chairman of the Raglan County Council, pointing out that much damage was being done to the Waipa Bridge, on the RaglanHamilton Road, by persons driving sledges and dragging timber across it, and recommending the Council to pass a by-law to prevent this. The Council held that the notice already issued was quite sufficient but resolved to offer £1 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone driving sledges or logs across the bridge A letter was received from the public auditor stating that as the excessive overdraft had been the legacy of a late Council and the present Council had reduced it below the legal limit, no action would, be taken against them. The overdraft at the present time is £946, and £1007 of rates have been paid since March last. The following are the i Sim? *° counts : —Rangiaohia, allocated £122 Is Bd, expended £116 8s; Mangapiko, allocated £105, expended £141 9s 10s ; Tuhikaramea, allocated £26, expended £23 33 6d ; Pukekura, allocated £152 10a, expended £194 3 ,J 2c U Hamilton, allocated £52, expended £15 18s 6d; Newcastle, allocated £61. expended £60. [by telegraph.—own correspondents.] Cambridge, Wednesday. The usual monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present: His Worship the Mayor, and Messrs. D. Richardson, J. R. 8. Richardson, Webber, Bach r ergusson, Gillett, and Bond. A letter was read from the Town Clerk of Auckland Quoting the section of the Act under which dogs were destroyed. It was resolved that all unregistered dogs be either destroyed or impounded, at the discretion of the registrar, Ihe petition to Parliament re the abolition of the totalisator was ordered to be at once returned to Ghristchurch, from whence it emanated. In deference to the wish of Mr Priestley, who is unable to attend the evening sittings of the Council during the winter, it was resolved to hold Council meetings at 3 o'clock till Ist November next. The Council gave authority for clearing the gorse fronting the Borough endowments in King-street. The Finance Committee were requested to bring up a report at the next meeting re the leasing of town endowments at present unoocupfed. C. Crouch tender for work in Grey-street was accepted at £3 17s 6d. Nine applications were received for the office of surface-man. A ballot was taken, with the result that H. Preece was appointed. The Finance Committee's report was read, and showed an improvement in the state of the Council's finances.

Mr. J. S. Buckland held a' clearing sale at Howie's farm to-day. j Dairy cows Drought up to £5 ss, well-bred young horses from £5 5s to £7 15s, ,young stock from 21s to 345. The prices realised for .' implements, etc., were also satisfactory. '/ <«'< - -w-i;s< ~ A very enjoyable social gathering in connection with the Good Templars' Lodge was held on Monday night in the Oddfellows' Hall. The lodge is now in a very flourishing condition. v .

The Pakuranga Hounds meet at Cambridge on July 18, at Hautapu on July 20, and Gwynnelands on July 21. - . The old Mission room at Cambridge West has been converted into a public hall, and the following trustees appointed :—Messrs. T. W. Hicks, C. Jarrett, S. Fletcher, A. McKinnon, and J. HalL ' The Jubilee Testaments for this district have arrived, and will be gratuitously distributed as soon as arrangements can be made. ■ . - ■.. •, , The following players will represent CamBridge at the football match at Hamilton on Saturday :—Fullback,, L. Bull; threequarters, C. Bull, Lusk, and Walker; halvee, Pritt, and Light; forwards, Wilson (captain), McCann (2), Preston, Lawsou, Box, Chambers, Hannon, and Rutherford. Paeroa, Wednesday. The Paeroa Police and Resident Magistrate's Court was held to-day. A large amount of business was disposed of. In the criminal case, Franklin v. Cribb, for menacing letters, the defendant's action was justified, and the case dismissed.