COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9114, 24 July 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from OUR own correspondents.] , ' Hamilton, Monday. Several allotments in the town, borough reserves, six in number and an acre each in extent, were Ist by auction on 14 years' leases at 7s 6d per acre, the borough having the right to resume at any time by giving three months' notice and the compensation fox outside fencing. -1' * It is understood that up-country coaches between Hamilton and Cambridge and Te Awamutu and Hamilton will be put on the road between these places as soon as the proposed new railway time-table comes into force, and a tri-weekly railway service is all that is available above Hamilton. As a daily train will arrive at and leave Hamilton, the coaches would give the up-country settlers daily communication with Auckland and each other, and would doubtless receive a subsidy for carrying the mails. ,■ "{•The case of the Waikato Hospital v. Armstrong, which was heard on Friday, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, is one that has some little interest for the people of this district. Defendant's child met with an accident to his leg, and was 130 days in the hospital, for which the father was sued for £26, or at the rate of 4s per diem. The father Is a cottager, and would himself be glad to earn as much as 4s per day. People are asking, what is , the regulation charge made for patients at'the Hospital, and is each patient paying this amount, which for a mere lad of ten or twelve years of age, seems excessive? If every patient that has been received has paid 4s a day, the Hospital finances, they say, should be flourishing—but are they? Ana, again, if suoh a. charge is to be made how are the. working classes to avail themselves of the advantages of the hospital for themselves or children, although they pay directly through the rates, and indirectly through the Government subsidies from the consolidated revenue for the maintenance of the Hospital? Surely the use of this institution is not going to be allowed to become a matter of class privilege ! Cambridge, Monday. - The chief matter discussed at Saturday's meeting of the .Cambridge District Board, was the difficulty of obtaining a title for the new , road made at Arnold's corner. Mr. Thomson emphatically denied having any knowledge that the land was held in trust for Mrs. Arnold, or that it would require action in the Supreme Court to obtain a title. A motion was proposed by Mr. Thomson and seconded by Mr. Smith, "That the Board consent to pay one-half the Supreme Court expenses, Mr. Arnold paying the other half." This motion was strongly opposed by Mr. Forrest, but was carried, Messrs. Thomson, Smith, and the chairman voting for it. The clerk was instructed to advise the Board's solicitor, Mr. Dyer, to at once take the necessary steps to enable the Board to dedicate this portion of the Cambridge-Hamilton road to the Crown.

At the Taotaoroa Road Board meeting, on Saturday, there were present Messrs. C. M. Brunskill, H. R. Brunskill, and Kallendar. The returning officer reported that Mr. Samuel Seddon had been elected in place of the late chairman, Mr. N. Hunt, resigned. On the motion of Mr. H. R. Brunskill, seconded by Mr. Kallendar, Mr. C. M. Brunskill was elected chairman. The chairman reported that since last meeting Mr. Kalleudar and himself had inspected the Oxford Road, and had employed three men upon it during the month at a cost, including some culvert timber, amounting to £24 12s Id, which would carry them through the winter, when steps may be taken to make improvements of a permanent character. Tamahere, Monday. The road between the Tamahere store and the Narrows Bridge is getting into a deplorable state. Mr. Forrest has undertaken to draw the attention of the local authorities to the matter,- and something should be done at once to keep it passable during the winter, as there is a large traffic upon it between Piako and Ohaupo on sale days. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Paeroa, Monday. ' Professor Brown, of Auckland, is here on a visit of inspection. He takes Waihi to-day.