COUNTRY NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9143, 27 August 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS

[from our own correspondents. J Hamilton, ■ Saturday. At a meeting of St. Peter's vestry held on Tuesday evening, it was resolved to act on the recommendation of the public meeting of parishioners, and bring the expenditure within the limits of £250 per annum. It was resolved to reduce the amounts paid to the verger and to the organist, but the incumbents stipend of £200 was left untouched. The weather has taken up, being slightly colder but dry. This will be favourable for the lambing which is now going on in the district. Ihe lambs are remarkably strong this year, and the per centage ol births is high. Mr. William Cussen, the well-known Government surveyor, oame . down from Taupo yesterday, accompanied by Mr. James Gumming, one of his staff, and who is the eldest son of Mr. William Gumming, now supposed to be lost on the Mercury Bay Peninsula. Both gentlemen left for Auckland this morning. Mr. Cussen, who is a brother-in-law of the missing man, will doubtless take any steps that may be necessary for ascertaining the fate of Mr. William Gumming. Tamaheue, Saturday. The district roads in some parts of this highway district are in a most disgraceful condition, and yet the Board strikes a low rate, and even has funds in hand. The Victoria Road requires a considerable amount of repair in some places, and the tramway road is even in a more disgraceful state. By Broadmeadows it is a perfect quagmire. TATARARIKI (KAIPARA). Some few weeks ago an account appeared in the Weekly News of a cattle wounding outrage which occurred in this district. On the 9th inst., at the Dargaville Court, before Messrs. Norton and Dargaville, J.lVs, two Maoris, named Kahi and lliamona, were charged with committing the olVence. The evidence for the prosecution went to show that both of the accused were seen loitering about the neighbourhood where the cattle were depasturing on the evening of the '21st of June, (the date of tho outrage). A few days afterwards Kahi admitted the fact to Constable Scott in the presence of witnesses; also that he had a gun and a tomahawk in his possession at the time. (It will be remembered that the animal was both shot and tomahawked.) His trousers vc»o covered with blood, which he "*d for by saying it came from a > " back of his hand.

Some other liu.. ... . ..J, not necessary to particularise, tended to i- vilieate both of the accused, but when ben., Hie Court Kahi brought forward " his Ciui*. uul his sisters, ami. his aunt," who swore lu > asleep in his wiutre on that day from dinuu. 'me (noun) till six p.m. ; while his gnuultati. swore he was engaged at the. same time soi.i. ing gum. On this occasion Kahi said the blood 011 his troupers was caused by trying to save some cattle from being injured which his dogs had seized by the ear. The case, which occupied some time, was ultimately dismissed, to the evident surprise of many who heard the evidence, However, the'settle.i s around hoi e are quite satisfied thai the police did everything that could be done to bring the guilty persons to justice. In this case, there were three or four witnesses subpo ned by the police, be sides Mr. (Jlinke, the owner of the injured animal. They had to travel to l)ai'ga\ ille ft distance of about .sixteen miles, some b_\ water, others not so fortunate by' land. Some of those men lost two or three days work, besides being away from their home.-, and forced to incur expenses which otherw would not have been necessary ; yet, when the case was dismissed, they were informed by Constable Scott that the Government would not allow them anything towards defraying their expenses. This is scarcely the way to forward the ends of justice, or induce people to assist the police in putting down crime. Settlement is progressing in this district. Four or tivo new settlers have taken up laud under the "cash payment system" during the last twelve mouths. If the Government would only offer greater facilities in the way of roads, so that settlers in the back districts would not be so completely isolated, they would do a great deal towards solving the question of how to induce people to occupy the land, it is useless to trust to County Councils, the members of which are generally storekeepers or old settlers living in the different townships or villages, and who are only tooanxious to spend the rates iD their own immediate vicinity, while those who take up newly-surveyed land have to wait perhaps for years, until they are numerically strong enough to make their voices heard when it is necessary to elect a councillor for the district.—[A Correspondent, August 14.]

MAHUBANGI. The Warkworth School Committee held a meeting oil Wednesday, the loth inst., when there were present: Mr. N.Wilson (chairman), Rev. H. McKinney Messrs. King, Such, Southgate. and Douse. A memo, was received from the Board intimating that the Hoard's contribution to repairs of school roof had been paid to credit of the school fund. It transpired that members of committee had not had time to consider the report of the Minister of Education re cost of school buildings, and 011 the motion of Mr. Douse the further consideration was deferred till next meeting. The question of raising the school age having been mentioned, and as serious consequences were involved, this was also shelved till next meeting. The following resolution, on the motion of Rev, K. Me Kinney, was carried unanimously : " That the morality of the Government schools of the colony having of late been called in question, the Warkworth School Committee not merely from its knowledge of this school, but also in some instances of other Government schools in New Zealand, desire most emphatically to contradict the iniquitious statement that has been put in circulation. The youths of New Zealand are nearly all educated in the Government schools, and they, instead of being particularly immoral, are about the most moral in the world. This was proved by Sir Robert Stout when, in his speech in Parliament on education in 1885, he showed by statistics that crime among the youths of Mew Zealand was, as compared with other countries, wonderfully trifling." The teacher's report called attention to the state of the road in front of the school, and the great want of paint to the buildings. Mr. Douse having asked the question as to how the charge for pens, ink, pencils, &c., was regulated, the teacher explained that he found it much better for the working of the school to provide these and other requisites, and to keep them in the school, and he only Legan this year to make a regular charge for them ; that after inquiring he found that in Auckland a usual charge of Is per quarter per child was made, and in the Dome Valley he understood the charge was tid for the same period. The charge he had made in arkworth was 3d per child under the 4th standard, and txl for that standard and over per quarter. The charge hardly covered the cost, and it was not regularly paid. On the motion of Mr. Douse, it was decided that the committee should request parents to pay the above sum's regularly. The secretary was directed to ask the Road Board to repair the road and have a few loads of metal laid at the gates of the school, also to call the attention of the Board of Education to the wants of the buildings and ask for a grant to cover the cost.[Own Correspondent.] __ NGAIRE. On Friday, the 17th instant, the entertainment which I mentioned in my lust notes came off in the Ngaire Town Hall, and drew together an audience which filled every part of the building. Arrangements had been made with the railway company to let the mail train stop at Ngaire on the night in question, and a larjje contingent from Eltham took advantage of this convenience. Miss Lena Kspagne started the proceedings by giving selections on the pianoforte in fine style, and following this the drama " Bitter Cold " was produced. It was the most enjoyable piece 1 have as yet witnessed in Ngaire. Mrs. T. 15. Crowhurst as Mary Manvers (the farmer's wife), played the part well. One exception, however: when bidding good-bye to the old home from which she had been driven by the baseness of the Squire, she acted extra well, but, on receiving during her most pathetic periods of regret, a letter revealing his claims to the estates, she read the said letter in a matter-of-fact style, a change too instantaneous to be mistaken for rea' l Mr. J. Sinclair as Sukey, made the mo of a not; very prominent pert, Mr. T. Stanus (first appearance) as Harry Manvers (the farmer), was passable ; the fault of a beginner, hesitancy of manner, being sure to be overcome with practice. Mr. Amoore as Toby Topples (" The Village Tinker)," ii; his sober moments (as Topples) was very good, but during his tipsy period he was apt to forget the part he was acting, and recover his sobriety at times in a miraculous manner. Mr. C. Saunders as an Aged Rustic, and Mr. F. Amoore as a Peasant, filled these minor parts well. Of Mr. T. E. Crowhurst as Ben Dicks (an old soldier), 1 can speak with unqualified praise. I have witnessed many inferior attempts at portraiture by professional actors much thought of in their line. To Mr. D'Arcy Hamilton as Ralph Waters (squire of Bamberry Manor) a meed of praise is due, a», in spite of being the victim of a severe accident two days previous to the performance, he acted very well indeed, and received well-merited congratulations. An original sketch by Mr. T. E. Crowhurst, entitled, "The Irish Schoolmaster," filled up the interval between the first and last pieces on the programme very agreeably. " Egmontina, or the Fairy Spell,' an original musical extravaganza by Mi-. T. E. Crowhurst, came next,

and formed a good proof of the genius of the author, but, as delivered, was decidedly wanting in "go." The audience showed signs of being galled before the end was in view, but exceptions must be + «ken to the general mcdiocrity. All the characters in the piece were sustained by the Robson family, six of whom took part, and of these Miss L. llobsoa and Master P. Robson were particularly noticeable for commendation, more especially considering their youth. Miss Robsou sang very well, and all the characters were splendidly dressed, but as I am not a connoisseur in that line I shall pass it over. Mr. Robson, sen., as scenic artist, must be congratulated, " The Elfin Glade" being particularly well done. An assembly, of which Mr. Arclen acted as M.C., followed, and at least 40 couples took part, the music being supplied by Messrs. Shuttleworth and Robson, occasionally assisted by Mr. Arden.—[Own Correspondent.]

HEREKINO SETTLEMENT. In response to Mr. Thomas, a Herekino settler, I beg to make a few remarks to his, what I term, most ridiculous statement. In the first place, if his statement corresponds with his ideas of the settlement and prospects of getting a living there, why has he gone to Auckland to earn money to buy a horse, lie states that provisions are dear in Herekino, but not nearly as cheap in Kaitaia as they are in Auckland. I wonder which is the wisest plan in a pecuniary point of view, to give a little more for flour in Herekino, or spend two days with a horse in going to Kaitaia and back for stores, which cannot be done in loss time. But on the other hand, why does he want to go either to Kaitaia or anywhere else when there is, as he says, plenty of nikau in the bush and eels in the creeks, which, according to what he says, is good enough for a settler ; and if the pigeons are not fat all the year round, we can only sav to them as the farmer said to the horse, " Live, horse, till the grass grows," so live, settler, till the pigeons get fat; and if you haven't a gun to shoot them with, practice throwing stones with a sling for don't believe there are three guns in the whole settlement. Your reporter asked, Have any of the settlers been starved? Had your reporter asked me that question, I would have said, If you have a day to spare go round the settlement and ask every family if they are satisfied with their lot, or if they have sufficient food, &c., not naming the clothes on their backs or the clothing on their beds during these winter months. 1 would give a reply which would be corroborated by at least three-fourths of the settlers, and that is that they are half - starved, one-third clad, especially the children, anil miserable in the extreme. He also asks, How about die crops'! 1 wonder where they are. I have been over the settlement times out of number, and the crops that 1 have seen wouldn't feed half-a-dozen goats. With respect to the gumtields, it is, as 1 told you before, a partial failure on account of their inexperience, and also having to leave the occasionally for domestic purposes, Ac. To finish up with, Mr. Thomas says the settlement is a success. I say positively so tar it is not. The only sensible remark is the postal communication. As regards the so called amusements, 1 have seen them all, and their notice is not i. h i tie paper they should be written upo.i. This I am only too sorry for for the wake ot the poor people that are there. There is not a person in New Zealand who would be more glad to see the settlements a, success than 1 should be, Were the Village Settleincut Scheme carried on us it ought to be, it is one of the best methods of getting the land under cultivation, but they should not begin at the wrong end first as they have hitherto done, by taking them into the back country where access is a toil, hardship, and unnecessary expense to both Government and settle'-. Herekino is one of this class of settlements. If something is not done in the shape of making it more easy and inexpensive of access, it will ultimately be abandoned. There is a person with his wife at present waiting for the boat coming to Whangape, to return to Auckland, and numbers of the settlers told me they would have been only too glad to have followed had they had means to have done so. In my opinion I don't think it is prudent for either a member of the Government or an editor of a public paper, or any public otlicial, to accept as the truth what certain people say, for they say just what bints their purpose, even if it is contradicted in a eek s time, if their end is served and benefited. A letter appears in a recent issue of your paper respecting honey as a substitute for sugar. Trie settlers have not the means to purchase sugar, and I fear the writer knows nothing about Herekino, for 1 don't believe that a hive of wild bees exists within miles of Herekino, or wild pigeons, or even nikau now, that is within a distance that is worth going for it. Such is the present state of llere ino.—[Own Correspondent.]