COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9285, 12 February 1889, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[prom ouk own correspondents.]

Hamilton, Monday. The last cup match of the season between Hamilton and Paterangi Cricket Clubs was held on Saturday on Sydney Square, and was lost by Hamilton on the first innings. Both teams played short, Hamilton bringing forward ten men, and Paterangi only seven. The following were the scores : —Hamilton : Stevene, c Macfarlane, b Crookes, 3; J. Edgecumbe, b Crookes, 0 ; Browning, c Macfai lane, b Crookes, 2; Sage, c Goodfellow, b Crookes, 4; Gaudin, b Crookes, 5; Kirk, b Macfarlane, 0; Ewen, b Macfarlane, 4; Vincent, b Crookes, 0; Cowper, b Crookes, 0; Peacock, not out, 0; byes, 1 : total, 19. Paterangi : Goodfellow, b Gaudin, 14; Graham, not out, 15; Crookes, b Ewen, 0; Ryburn, c 'raudin, b Ewen, 4; Grierson, c Gaudin, b Barton, 3; Macfarlane, b Gaudin, 1; Richdale, c Ewen, b Barton, 25; byes, 19; leg byes, 3; widea, 6 : total, 89, thus beating Hamilton, whose bowling was disgracefully weak, by 70 runs. Mr. William Cussen is on his way to the King Country to conduct the survey of lands which have passed through the Native Land Courts, so as to enable Crown grants to be issued to the individual owners.

When the representative team of eight of the Hamilton Light Infantry Volunteers came back from their match at Te Awamutu with eight of the Te Awamutu Cavalry they were challenged by a team of eight of their own corps. The match came off on Saturday and though the firing was not completed, six only of the representative team ana four only of the company team having fired, there can be no doubt as to the result. The ranges were 200, 300, and 400 yards. The scoring was as follows : —Representative team: Corporal Tristram, 21, 19, 17 : total, 57 ; Bandmaster Mettam, 20, 19, 21: total, 60; ColourSergeant Pearson, 21, 18, 15: total, 54; Corporal Alexander, 21, 15, 18: total, 54; Sergeant Connolly, 18,16,18: total, 52: Sergeant Hooper, 15, 14, 16: total, 45. Company's team:—Private O'Neill, 20, 13, 12. total, 45 ; Bandsman Munro, 17, 13, 11: total, 41; Private Dent, 11, 13, 11: total, 35, and Private Dellicar, 13,11, 4 : total, 28. oS'garuawahia, Moudav. The rain which fell throughout Sunday, and more heavily .again throughout Sunday night, will seriously interfere with the harvesting of the grain throughout the district. That cut before the rain of the preceding Saturday will scarcely have been ready to carry before being again soaked, while that cut since would still be in most cases in the field. The rain will, however, be favourable for the late potato crops on the Waipa, which promise to be the most remunerative kind of produce this season. Crops of from 10 to 15 tons per acre will be far from uncommon on the Waipa fiats this year. A visit to the special village settlement at and above Firewood Creek, shows that while considerable progress has been made in reclaiming the land and in breaking up for next season's crops, very little land is under crop this year. Some 25 acres would cover the lot. It shows the necessity of what has been frequently urged, the providing some means to enable these settlers to tide over another year, when their successful settlement would be assured, and in no better way, or one more advantageous to the general public. Could this be done in any better way than in enlarging the present bridle track, through the settlement to the Whaingaroa Hot Springs, so as to make it fit for wheeled traffic.

Tamahkbje, Monday. The usual monthly meeting of the Tamahere Highway Board fell through on Friday for want of a quorum, only one member being present, tne remainder being busy with the harvest. Nevertheless it is to be hoped that the executive will see at once to the replacing of the handrail at Ormerod's bridge on the central road. A settler who was in Auckland last week with plums for sale, which he got rid of privately in bulk at 3d per lb, teas of the manner in which orchardists' produce is sacrificed at some of the auction sale-rooms, the big buyers standing out while one of their number buys for them after distribution. He saw plume equally as good as hie own knocked down ; and without dwelling on them, at Jd to |d per lb. Thia ia why Fruitgrowers let their fruit rot under the trees, or feed it to their pigs. Not but that, as more than once pointed out by the Hjbrald, the fruit-growers are themselves mainly to blame for this state of things. Whether it be potatoes or fruit, or almost any other kind of produce, the producers will never obtain a remunerative market till they organise to secure it, and will remain hewers of wood and drawers of water, while the middlemen eat. drink, and are merry; clothed in purple and fine linen.

Ohaupo, Monday. The disposal of the potato crop this year is one of the most important matters for the farmer's consideration. It is only once in many years that such an opportunity for a market occurs as now—in 1865, in 1864, and now in 1889— yet it would aeoin that every attempt will be made to depress the prices in Waikato. Sub-agents tor the purchase of potatoes here for those who will export to Australia are busy predicting £4 as the outside price that potatoes will realise in Waikato, and averring that if they had 100 acres of potatoes they would close at £4 per ton if such an offer came in their way. Potatoes last quoted in the Sydney markets were at £11, and between this price and that now offered here there is a large margin. Of course, with the rush of the main crop into the market prices may fall somewhat lower, but when this colony is relieved of it 3 surplus prices will rise, and thus produce will be scarce and dear. It will be remembered that the seed for the crop of 1856 reached as high as £20 a ton in Auckland. What the Waikato farmers should do is through their local Farmers' Association, or otherwise, establish direct communication with Sydney, Brisbane, and Australian dealers, and bring producer and consumer more direotly together. Business relations with firms of good standing in Australia should be at once established. Assuming the potato crop in Waikato to be 10,000 tons only, the difference between £4 aud say £7 per ton means £30,000 to the Waikato farmers.

KUMEU.

The annual picnic of the scholars attending the Taupaki and Kumeu Sunday-school took place on Tuesday, January 29, within one of Mr. RusseU'a commodious paddocks at

Taupaki station. A laree friends and ffij£%*s& 'of being fine, rendered the pastiCa Jt «. da ? joyaole. The following lwUeT£* T *»• preparing the good tEings for «,*??> viz :—Meadames Boord, Russell Tμ. ble *» Hunter, and Vo.; Mike. BarneffrS Rusaell. Mr, Boord, with hie undertook superintending the sportedwas ably assisted by Messrs. Jones ft?* he Allan and Russell. After ample been done to the good things proS* H games indulged m to their hearts' i' 1 the children were called together tn Dt i the prizes they had duly won. Mks ¥*** Johnston > worthy of special mention ? having gamed two prizes-one for less ml , ** the other for attendance. Second classTkJ"* l Ist prize, Master John Nixon- 2 n T ? 3: Master Joseph Sturch. Infant class i^ pr ! % l Annie Russell; 2nd, Emily Lilly Boord presented the prizes. On the wh I rs most enjoyable day was spent, nor »» - a over at close of day, as a service n( " entitled "The Babes in the BasLr» Ron "> held within the Kumeu Hall, under leadership of Mr. Jones; the soloist* v ?" e Misses Wilkins, K. and R. Barnes \f ,& Mabel Deacon, and Misses Fulljames \? ' Mary Deacon played the accompaniment • a very able manner. The connective re ? ings were given by Mr. E. Allan, while Vr Laura Johnston, and Master Jordan rend i the recitations very effectively. M r deserves credit for the careful training of choir, and the precision with which the ent piece was rendered, and we hope to a*/ e hear the piece. The superintendent of rt school, Mrs. Johnston, was most assiduousher efforts to render everything agreeaW Special thanks are due to the Messrs. Rus ii for so kindly granting the use of th paddocks.—[A Correspondent.] lt

WHANGAREI.

The scarcity and value of the circulate medium has reached to a pitch of absurd latterly in Whangarei, and no doubt all of y the colony—that is, comparing it ,J{ farmers' produce, stock, etc., and we badly in need of a free communication w«f other countries where the people have n» been frightened out of their wita. Of couix we know that it will not last, and that t? tide has already turned, but the disparity I? tween the value of money and everythbi else has been so absurd and outrageous th one could wish to see money ° altogether. There has been a great deal of sports, races picnics, excursions, and dances about hP since Christmas. If little or no account l< them has been sent to the Weekly News ?! was for a very good reason —the would'nt hold them.--fOwn Correspondent]'