COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9151, 5 September 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents. J Hamilton, Tuesday. Complaints have been made by buyers and sellers at the Hamilton cattle saleyards of the conduct of a number of boys the yards are but a short distance from and in sight of the West Hamilton public school—who congregate about the cattle pens and amuse themselves with exciting the cattle into almost a state of frenzy. Two bulls in one pen wer at the last sale worked up to such a state of excitement that a gate was broken, and one purchaser going some time after the sale to fetch away a cow he had bought could hardly get it home in the excited state it was after the teasing of the boys. One settler took the law into his own hands on Thursday last, and administered a good thrashing to a boy thus mischievously engaged. More than usual interest is being taken in the annual borough elections, as evidenced by the fact that five candinates for the three seats were nominated yesterday, namely, the three retiring candidates, Messrs. Knox, Jones, and R. F. Sandes, and Messrs. C. Tippin and E. T. Davey. A strong effort will be made by the party now in power in the Council to re-elcct the three retiring candidates, and an equally strong effort will bo made to introduce new blood by the return of the two new candidates, as if they, or even one of them, is elected the balance of power will be turned against the promoters of tree-planting expenditure, cattle saleyards, baths, and other extraragances. Tamahkkk, Tuesday. Mr. J. J. Barugh has completed the sowing of eighty acres of wheat after a crop of green mustard ploughed in. The crop of mustard was in some i>ortions patchy, which will conduce more to the success of the experiment as an experiment than if it had been an even one, as it will show whether the yield of wheat is proportionate to the mustard crop. The results of last year's experiment on a smaller scale, as published in the Herald and Weekly News, was widely read, and created a large amount of interest, one gentleman in Auckland having had a reprint made of the articles, a large number of which were issued and distributed outside the colony, while others have written to Mr. Barugh upon the subject. If a green crop of mustard ploughed in will give a thirty-bushel crop of wheat, when the same land, unsoiled with this green crop, will only produce seven or eight bushels, with the straw in one case as high as a man, and in the other scarcely more than a foot in height, a revolution in cropping, on some lands at least, will have been arrived at. Turnips as a preparation for wheat are a costly crop, and consume a season in preparation, while often there is little or no profit on the beef they produce. On the other hand, the mustard is a stolen crop, being sown after the season's regular crop is out, in February or March, and ploughed in in the winter for the wheat. The seed can be easily grown and saved, being a great deal too dear at the seedsman's, and a good crop of mustard can be ensured by the application of two, or at most, three cwt. of superphosphate per acre. It is ploughed in when about two feet high, a drag chain being used to draw it neatly into the furrow and ensure its being covered up. Te Awamutc, Tuesday. A general election of Town Board Commissioners takes place on the 19th instant. The nominations for the five vacancies take place on Tuesday next. Harapipi, Tuesday. Messrs. A. S. Sherrett and Jas. McGuirla, of this district, have been returned unopposed for the Pirongia Riding of the Raglan County Council. Mr. R. C. Mathiaa has been returned unopposed for the Te Akau, and Mr. John Brooks for the Whangape Riding. OTAHUHU. For the past few weeks Otahuhu has been kept pretty lively with entertainments, all of which have had tneir attractions, so that it is hardly to be wondered at that the attendance at Mrs. Revitt's concert on Wednesday evening in the public hall was not so good as it otherwise might have been. The items of the programme were contributed by Mrs. Revitt, her local pupils, and a few friends, and I am pleased to notice a marked improvement in the style of singing since these young ladies have been taken in hand by Mrs. Revitt, who is evidently a painstaking and accomplished teacher. Programme : —Duet (piano), " Golden Clouds," Airs. Revitt and Miss E. Revitt; song, " White Wings," Mr. R. Croker ; duet (vocal), "The Wind and the Harp," Miss F. Bowcien and Mrs. Revitt; solo (piano), selected, Mr. A. Shroff; song, Waiting," Miss Shroff ; duet (piano), selected, Mrs. Mitchell and Miss A. Sturges; song, "The Wandering Minstrel." Mr. J. Mitchell; song, Close to the Threshold," Miss Wylie; ballad, " Tit-for-Tat," Miss E. Revitt; song, The Green Shores of Erin," Mr. R. Absolum. Interval. Duet (piano), "II Bacio," Miss A. Yonge and Miss M. Shroff; duet (vocal), The Two Cousins," Misses Shroff and Revitt; song, "The Amateur Yachtsman," Mr. Harrison; ballad, " Esmeralda," Miss F. Bowden ; solo (piano), "Non e Ber," Master A. Shroff; song (comic), "Wedding Bells," Mr. R. Croker; serenade, "Good Night," Mrs. Revitt. The concert terminated with "God Save the Queen." Correspondent.] MAHURANGI. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Upper Mahurangi Road District Board was held at the Board's ollice, Warkworth, on the 22nd August, when there were present: —Messrs. Thomson (chairman), Sainsbury, King, Moor, and B. H. McKinney. Tenders were opened for contract 49, which were as follow —G. Guest, £4 3s ; W. C. Vipond, £4 2s ; R. B. McKinney, £4; H. Snell, £3 10s; R. Hawkins, £3 5s ; W. J. Southgate, £3 ; M. G. Dill (accepted), £2 10s. Contract 50 : W. J. Southgate, £2 10s ; R. B. McKinney, £2 6a; G. Guest, £1 15s; W. C. Vipond, £1 7s 6d ; H. Snell (accepted), £1 Is 6d. Mr. John Baston again waited on the Board re Baston's bridge. After some warm discussion, the specification was produced, and the Board snowed Mr. Baston that the contractor, Mr. A. A. Thomson, had finished the bridge to the Board's satisfaction. A letter was received from Mr. W. Phillips, Dome Valley, accusing the Board of grossly mismanaging the Board's affairs, and threatening to summons the members if they did not resign. The Board, failing to see wherein it erred, refused to comply with Mr. Phillips' suggestion. Letters were also received from Mr. H. Snell and the Warkworth School Committee re repairs to the roads under the Board's supervision. Several tenders were ordered to be called for next meeting. The grand vocal and instrumental concert in aid of the Agricultural Society, the cricket ground, and the recreation ground, was held on Thursday, the 23rd August, in the Masonic Hall, Warkworth, when there was a good attendance, and was presided over by Mr. M. Angove. The chairman stated that the objects for which the proceeds were to be devoted were the laying down of about five acres of ground in grass, and planting it with trees. Mr. E. Morrison, of the Bluff Nursery, had kindly promised to provide, free of charge, as many trees as could be conveniently planted and cared for ; another friend had kindly promised sufficient grass seed; and they had received a present of 6cwt of manure from the New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company. The following peogramme was gone through to the satisfaction of the audience, and alike creditable to the performers and to the district Pianoforte duet, by Misses C. Horsley and Fordham, was well received and greeted with deserved applause. Next was a glee, " Shepherds, Tell Me," by the choir, under the able conductorship of Mr. Harrison, the verdict of the audience beinj' " Well done." The song, " Dreaming of Home," was well given by Mr. Worsley. Solo, " When the Bloom is on the Rye," was sung by Mrs. Bear, who was encored, when the lady kindly sang " Dreaming." The solo, " The Maid of Arcadee," was next given by Miss Fordham, and an encore had to be submitted to, when " The Millar and the Maid" was sung with marked success, and richly deserved the repeated applause. The next song, "Money," was given by Mr. Bridges, and encored, when he gave the song, "Nobody Knows," which was also well received. The next solo, "The Blind Girl to her Harp," was given by Mrs. Macklow, when well done was again the verdict, and an encore was demanded, when she gave, " Tell Her I Love Her So,' which was duly applauded. Trio, instrumental, by Miss C. Horsley (piano) and Messrs. McGuinness and Bradnam (violins), was greeted with ion" and loud applause, and an encore demanded and acceded to to the gratification of all present. Solo, " The Swanee River," was sung by Miss Somerville, and was encored. The sweet voice of this lady was much admired. Miss Niccoll next sang a song with which the audience was so pleased that the lady had to sing another, which was also greeted with loud acclamation ; when the song, " Oh, you Girls," was sung by Mr. Atkinson, and was well received. Solo, "The Wishing Well," was given by Miss Darrach. which well deserved the applause with which it was greeted. The next solo, " You'll Remember Me," was sung by Mrs. Smith, who was encored, when tiie sweet voice of the singer again greeted the audience. The song A Man's Best Friend is His Mother " was well sung by Mr. Bridges, who had to satisfy his listeners with a comic song, and the audience being still unsatisfied, the singer had again to accede to the loud calls of the audience. The instrumental trio, by Miss C. Horslev (piano) and Messrs. McGuinness and Bradnam (violins), was the next treat, and was succeeded by the glee, " See Our Oars," by the choir, and the National Anthem concluded the best concert that has taken place in

Vv'arkworth for many years. The whole, both vocal and instrumental, was rendered by local talent, and fully shows what pleasure can be derived by concerted action and ability. Votes of thanks by the chairman on behalf of the Agricultural Society, and by Mr. Nathaniel Wilson on behalf of the cricketers, were given by acclamation to Mrs. Dibble for the use r> her room in which to practise, and for the loan of the piano for the evening, and to all who had taken a part in making this the best concert ever held in Warkworth. The proceeds amounted to £9 lis. The, hall having been cleared, dancing till the usual small hours of the morning concluded the amusements, and the committee are to be congratulated on the marked success of their endeavours.[Own Correspondent.] ELTHAM. At a meeting of the Council held at Hawera on August 14, the requisite petition from Eltham settlers re pound was handed in, and a motion agreed to that the Council supply the Board of charges, cost of same to be a first charge on fees collected. Numerous residents here agreed to give labour gratis to erect the pound. A very interesting case bearing on the pounding question came before the R.M. on August 16, when Mr. J. Collins, of this place, was sued at the instance of tho late ranger, Mr. Barleyman. for rescuing cattle from his possession while taking them to the pound. Mr. Barton appeared for defendant and Mr. Caplen for pursuer. After hearing evidence on both sides, the R.M. gave a decision in favour of defendant, holding that plaintiff had no legal power to pound in this district; and a question which caused much disquietude hereabouts has thus been satisfactorily settled. Parties had each to pay their own expenses. As a result of an advertisement by Rev. McKay, of Hawera, a meeting to consider the advisability of erecting a Protestant Church at Eltham was held in the schoolroom here on Thursday evening, August 16, when about thirteen persons took part. Only one lady made an appearance, which is seldom the case in church matters. After Rev. McKay had explained the proposal, a start was made by canvassing the meeting for monetary support, and £13 9s was subscribed. Meadames Reid and Lloyd and Messrs. Hawke and Holland were appointed to work the district for support, they having power to add to their number, and Messrs. Holland, Jenkins. Hawke, Turner, and Murray were appointed trustees of building fund. The opinion was expressed by one or two present that, if the Town Hall scheme was pushed forward, it would fill the want of a place oi worship, but the majority disagreed with the propriety of holding religious observances in a building mainly devoted to, in their idea, frivolous pursuits. A football team, the United Club, has been formed here, and practices are beiug held nightly in a paddock kindly lent by Mr. Moir. Tho following have been elected a committee: —Messrs. W. Sanprster, F. Hawke, T. Stanners, H. Henn.andC. Wilkinson (hon. sec.) A match came off at Stratford between Eltham and M gaire combined versus Stratford and Midhurst on Saturday, August 18. Considering the shorttime the Eltham lot have been practising, they gave their more experienced opponents all their work to win. Thefollowwere the teams :—Eltham and Ngaire : Fullback, Chubb; half-backs, J. M. Shorter, W. Harper, S. Hall; threequarter-back, T. Willis ; wings, F. tanners, W. Sangster; forwards, H. Henn, F. Hawke, J. Moir, J. llawke, F. Lee, W. Stammers, W. Bayly, and Maori. Stratford and Midhurst: lullback, C. Robson; half-backs, W. Snooks, 'IVrer, and W. Robson ; threequai ter-backs, V lckory, Malone ; wings, Taylor, Scrivener ; forwards, Darnell, Evans. Amoore, H. Blair. Maori, and two others whose names 1 did not obtain. The play was of a very close description, scrum following scrum in quick succession. Among the Eltham and Ngaire players J. M. Shorter, T. Willis, W. Sangster, F. Hawke, W. Stanners, and W. Bayly were the pick, the first-named collaring in splendid style. Of the opposing team, W. Snooks and Tyrer stood prominent, while T. Taylor also deserves special mention. The result was that Eltham and Ngaire were defeated by three points to nil. '1 he Stratford team might arrange to give strangers a bettor reception on any future occasion. While Mr. Hamilton, schoolmaster, was engaged cleaning a pair of kid gloves with the aid of benzine, on Thursday evening, August 16, the chemical caught alight, and before he was able to rid himself of the gloves, his hands were very severely burned and his face slightly scorched. Dr. Logie, of Stratford, was sent for, and on his arrival was successful in affording much relief to the sufferer. The injuries are now on a fair way to recovery.—[Own Correspondent.]