COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9261, 15 January 1889, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents.]

Hamilton, Monday. Mr. J. Knox held a sale of country sections, by order of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, forfeited for non-payment of rates. Had these lands been sufficiently advertised, the result might have been different. As it was, the greater number of the lots, probably as good land as any in the country, owned by absentees, was passed in without a single bid for it, though the upset price did not average over 3s per acre. Section 101, Tuhikaramea, 50 acres, was knocked down to Mr. John Haddock for £30; lot 296, Taupiri, 50 acres, to Mr. Moss, for 3s Cd per acre, and lot .'302, Taupiri, 50 acres, to Messrs. Mowbray and Long, of Auckland.

It is reported that a motion will be brought forward at the next meeting of the Waikato County Council that Messrs. Hurst and Co. be invited to send a sample of their furzo destroyer for trial by the County Council, and if they comply a public trial will be made by the county surface-man in the presence of members of the Council and settlors who may choose to attend. If the stuff will really kill sweetbriar and gorse Messrs. Hurst and Co. will do a thriving trade with it in Waikato. As will be seen in another column the Waikato Hospital Board are calling for tenders for supply of furniture to the new hospital buildings, receivable up to 26th inst. Cambridge, Monday. If one thing more than another would serve to show the injustice of the attempts to underrate the value of the Auckland Freezing Company's superphosphates it is to be found in the last balance-sheet of the Company, which shows that on an output of 1900 tons of this manure the net profit accruing was only £144, or Is (kl per ton. Had the manure been as worthless as represented the profit must, have been far larger. < It is understood that a Queensland merchant has taken the whole of the cheese to be manufactured during the present season at the Matainata (Waharoa) factory, at a very satisfactory price. KnriKim, Monday. The appointment of the railway commissioners is spoken of favourably, for the chief commissioner, Mr. MeKerrow, enjoys the good opinion of the general public. It is to be hoped now that the appointment is made, settlers, leaving fads and wild schemes alone, will place an intelligent and concise exposition of their requirements before the commission, and especially as regards the cattle traffic of Waikato. That settlers should prefer to send their cattle a hundred miles by road to the Auckland market instead of trucking them by railway speaks for itself of the necessity for reform. What is needed is a special cattle train which going through to Auckland without further stoppages than for the loading of cattle, shall avoid the innumerable stoppages and shuntings which cause the cattle to be so seriously knocked about and damaged in their transmission by the ordinary Wednesday passenger trains. It is a notorious fact that fat cattle borne seaward to Auckland arrive less knocked about and damaged than they do by a hundred-mile journey by rail from Waikato. It is true that at present a large number of fat cattle are being driven by road to the Auckland markets from Waikato, but though this may be all very well while there is feed along the road, it cannot be practised when winter sets in, and the railway will have to be depended upon for cattle transit. It should be the i duty of the Waikato Farmers' Association to take up this matter, bearing in mind that the chief requirements with respect to cattle transit by rail are, first, special cattle trains. and secondly, cheaper freights and padded trucks, or trucks built so that they are wide enough to allow the beasts to stand across them. '

[BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENTS.] Cambridge, Monday. The store formerly occupied by Messrs. Lewis and Simpson is being reopened by Mr. J. M. Stacpoole, who is now busy unpacking his stock. Business at the upper end of the town is looking up. Mr. Stacpoole opens on Thursday, and it is rumoured that other vacant premises in the same neighbourhood will shortly be occupied.

Paeroa, Monday. The Ohinemuri County Council authorised the following works at their Saturday's meeting :—Komata swamp metalling, £150 : with draining, £100. The plans for the Waihi bridge will be in this week, and the work of construction will immediately commence. The Council agreed to advertise the old Paeroa wharf as closed, maintaining only the Ohinemuri township wharf.

MAUNGATUROTO.

The annual sports took place on Friday, the 28th ult., on the grounds belonging to Messrs. Campbell and Russell, which had been kindly granted to committee for that day. The early part of the day was fine and sultry, but in the afternoon a drizzling rain set in, which somewhat interfered with the day's programme. It cleared up later in the day, however. There was a fair attendance, and good order was observable throughout. There were some very creditable horses on the field, and of the high jumps some were very surprising. There was to have been a concert in the evening at Davies' Hall, but enough singers could not be got together, so it was abandoned, and a ball was substituted.

On the 26th ult. Mrs. Davies gave her annual entertainment and tea party, and had a Christmas tree in the hall.

The weather has been splendid for harvesting the hay, of which in this district there has been above an average crop. The pastures are looking well, and give abundance of feed. Potatoes and other crops, such as oats, wheat, etc., are looking very well.— [Own Correspondent, January 3.]