COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9369, 20 May 1889, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OUR OW>- CORRESPONDENTS 1 Hamilton-, Saturday U>"DER the energetic management of Hsecretary, Mr. G. H. Carter, the South Auct land Racing Club has been one of the m -» marked successes of the kind started '"' Waikato. Scarcely two years ago the Cam bridge grandstand was purchased and ' erected on credit, costing between £200 ami £300. Last night, at a meeting of the club called for particular business, a large numl of the members about Hamilton met at iT Commercial Hotel, when it was nrnrr- I that the remaining £100 liability due on th. grandstand should be wiped out. Five norni coupons had been prepared, and cheques Za money to the amount of £90 were then Inf there handed in to the secretary in er change for the coupons. ' ' A proposal has been made which willonce dispose of the difficulty of cost and -! the same time ensure the satisfactory man--' ment of the Hamilton Public Library % Joseph G. Panned is prepared, if the'l'fbrarv is removed into the huge room adjoining hi stationer's shop, to keep the same opeiTas* reading-room, and attend as librarian from nine a.m. until nine p.m. clailv foramen nominal remuneration. The position is cent-"' and convenient, and the arrangement i= on* that should be specially acceptable to til Library Committee in its present low state a funds. Without the cost of a librarian th« funds might be expended on what is moa necessary to make the library new books.

Had Councillor Knox's motion to redaea the clerk's salary to £80 per annum been in order for discussion last Tuesday evenin» one of the Council had handed in the following amendment That the clerk's salary be £50 per annum, with picking and that no guarantee be required from thholder of the office." The present salary amounts, with other duties, to £162, and the councillors generally are of opinion that the opportunity,of a change of the officer holding toe appointment should be taken advantage of. The general impression is that a sum";' £40 a year night be saved. Certainly the sum of £102 is too large a percentage on the revenue of the borough for its mere clerical administration, but it is quite possible to-o too far in the other extreme.

„. T „ .. . Ohaupo, Saturday. ine aikato Farmers' Association is no: gone burst At the recent meeting, which was unreported till now, Mr. R. Salmon resigned the position oi secretary, in consequence of his leaving the district to resume business in Auckland,' and Mr. E. Lake the chairmanship, for private reasons o{ his own. The financial position of the Association was laid before those present, and found to be in a flourishing condition. It was resolved to carry on the business of the Association from three local centres instead of from one onlv, namely, from Hamilton, Cambridge, and te Awamutu. with a chairman for each central committee, and one secretary over all, meetings to be held when required. A meeting will be held at, Ohaupo on Tuesday to elect a chairman in place of Mr. Lake, arid a secretary in place of Mr. R. Salmon. Before rising the meeting of Tuesday last passed i resolution thanking Mr. Salmon for the way in which he had successfully worked up the association, and regret at his leaving. Kinixini, Saturday. Great improvements are being made in the streets of Kihikdhi by the Town Board, in the matter of draining and footpaths grading etc. The rates are small, but the three publicans'licenses of £40 each, yearly, are rinding the principal means. Many men lately have been through here on the tramp, looking for work, but the railway sections, all except the tunnel, are conpletcd, and there are far more applicants tor work at the latter than there is work to give, and this will be the case until the Mokao section is commenced, connecting the Waitki section, now finished, with the tunnel.