COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9435, 5 August 1889, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own CORRESPONDENTS.]

Hamilton, Saturday. Tub saleyards at Hamilton on Thursday last were not filled with as good a class of cattle nor attended by as many buyers as on the preceding sale. Prices had consequently a somewhat downward tendency, except in the case of cows, which were brought forward in considerable numbers, and created fair competition. There were two or three cartloads of pigs, and Hamilton saleyards with proper accommodation 'would be the chief pig market of Waikato, but sellers and buyers are alike dissatisfied with the want of a few pig pens, which would cost but little.

A curious series of nocturnal pranks, which the police, though using every exertion, watching the premises often by night, have been carried on with impunity at a lonely farm house on the outskirts of the town. The head of the family has been away at the Kiokio flaxmill for some weeks, and his wife and family and a young servant boy live in the house. Two or sometimes three nitdits at irregular intervals, the saddle is taken from the stable, a riding horse in the paddock caught and saddled, and taken away, and the horse is found again in the paddock, evidently having been hard ridden over dirty roads, and the saddle lying on the ground at the stable door. Of late the inmates have been alarmed by violent blows against the side of the house. The assistance of the police was sought, but, strangely enough, when the place is watched, even for four or five nights together, the nocturnal visitor absents himself. A box of apples in the stable was broken into > one night, and a spring trap set one night in the apple-bin was found sprung-to, and with blood on it, next morning. Some of the neighbours, quite unknown to the family, have watched the premises at night, but seen no one. Although the attention of the local authorities has been called to the filthy condition of certain of the Hamilton slaughter yards, nothing has been done in the interests of the public health and safety to remedy the present disgraceful state of things, and this even though attention lias been drawn to the matter from the Bench by the Resident Magistrate, whose duties recently led him to visit one of these yards. In one case the piggeries drain down to the well ; the water is fietid, and contains maggots. Yet with this water beet for the market had to be washed in the summer, and autumn, during dry weather, the filth and stench were abominable, and washed with such water the meat would soon turn bad. It . is no wonder that consuming meat so treated in the dry weather people should have suffered in Hamilton from typhoid and throat i disease, which was then so common. It is high time that the Borough Council took a more intelligent view of its duties, and with the means at its command provided public slaughter yards and shut up all private ones.

Now that Mr. J. Ridler, an experienced farmer and miller, has entered into the firm of Knox and Ridler, that firm has gone largely into the grain and produce trade, and are providing a superior class of seeds wheat and oats— rowing purposes.

Cambbidgk, Saturday. The band property was formally handed over to the Borough Council at the Public Hall yesterday. The town clerk was present, and took an inventory of the articles. It is none too soon that the Waipa County Council has determined to erect a new bridge at Walker's Gully, as the present structure is petting more dangerous month by month, and the cause of great inconvenience to those who require to travel heavy machinery for threshing and other purposes. Tenders, as may be scon by reference to the Auckland Wkkkly News, are called for Monday, the 12th instant, and the matter will be dealt with at the County Council meeting, on the 13th; The tenders are alternative, either kauri altogether or a kauri foundation and rimu superstructure, the latter costing some £40 less. None of the old timber is to be used, except the centre piles, which are heart of kauri and as sound as ever. Morrinsvtllk, Saturday. Extensive drainage operations are about to be carried out on the Land Association's property, in deepening and widening existing drains. *

[by TELEGRAPH. — COE.UKSI'ONDENTS.] Cambridge, Saturday. At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Domain Board, held at the borough offices, there were present: Messrs. T. Wells (in the chair), J. Fisher, E. Hewitt, B. Kirkwood, and E. B. Walker. The tender of P. Ham, £9, was accepted for clearing the Cambridge West Cemetery. Mr. Fisher had arranged with Mr. Dunn to superintend the work at a remuneration of 10s. Two tenders were received for lease of lot 17 for twelve months —Neil Johnston £7 15s, and W. Bartlett £11. The latter wis accepted. The Chairman reported that warrants had be*m received from the Governor authorising the bailiff of the Resident Magistrate's Court to distrain upon all who were two quarters in arrears with their rents. On the motion of the chairman it was resolved to send on the warrants to the bailiff for execution on the 9th instant, and that the clerk notify defaulting lessees that such would be done unless arrears were paid in the meantime. A football match was played in the Government paddock, this afternoon, between the Te Awamutu and Cambridge football clubs. An e.vuollciit gariio "wno player) by both teams, which resulted in a win for Te Awamutu by 1 point to nil. Mr. Graham captained Te Awamutu, and Mr. H. Wilson the Cambridge. A meeting of the Waikato Hunt Club was held at Mr. Fawcett's Masonic Hotel, this afternoon, Mr. Pickering in the chair. _ It was decided to hold a meeting at All will's, in the early part of October. Stakes to the amount of £70 to £80 will be offered. The following officers were elected : —President, Major Jackson; vice-president, Dr. Waddington ; stewards, Messrs. Pickering, Park, Grace, Rathbone, Patou, C. J. Storey, W. Taylor, W. M. Douglas, Barwell, J. C. Booth, Hugh Graham, R. Noble, W. J. Hunter, and F. N. Allright; starter, J. McNicol; judge, C. J. Storey; secretary, Arthur Storey.

KAUKAPAKAPA. A t'UBLIO meeting of the residents of the district took place in the old Public Hall on Saturday evening, the 20th July. Mr. John Sinclair was voted to the chair. He stated that the principal business was to receive the resignation of the trustees, and to confirm the resolution re the sale of the hall, which had been passed at a meeting on the oth July, and likewise to open the tenders for the purchase of the building. The minutes of the previous meeting embodying the resolution re. sale of hall were then read, and unanimously confirmed. The resignations of the trustees were accepted. The following was the stiitementof funds Money in hand after paying all liabilities, £1 7s '2d ; in Post Otlice Savings Bank, £S Ss : total, £9 15s 2d. Tenders : The following tenders were received for the purchase of the hall :— J. W. and R. Drinnan, £2;{ 10s ; Robert Sinclair. £25 as. The last-named tender was accepted, which, together with the money in hand, will make a sum of £35 towards the cost of a piano for the new hall. The meeting then dispersed.

A meeting of the Road Board took place in the hall on Monday evening, the 22nd July. Prescut: Messrs. Dye (chairman), Sinclair, Drinnau, ami Lee. The special order notified in the Wkkkly Nkws, delegating to the VVaitemata County Council the power to levyarid collect the road district rate, along with that of the county, was confirmed. After some discussion, a rate of id in the £ was agreed to.[Own Correspondent.]

MAIIURANCI. The Mahurangi athletes have been roused from their dormant state by a challenge from a neighbouring settlement for a football game, and a good team have gone into practice, and when the proper time comes will no doubt be able to give a good account of themselves. The ladies of Warkworth arc also on the qui vii-e, intending to give a social in a week or so, and invitations are being most liberally circulated.

The weather for the last fortnight lias been a great improvement on what has preceded, but our roads are in a sad state ; in fact, they have no title, to the name, and in some places are a sad proof of the incompetence of our County Council. One place in particular, about half-a-mile from the township, on the main road north, is a complete bog, and all from the want of a few shillings spent at the proper time in turning oil'the water instead of' leaving it to run in a channel of its own down the centre of the road. I admit the difficulty of making bricks without straw, but when the spending of, say, five or ten shillings would save a large portion of a road from going to ruin, those few shillings should be found. £50 would not just now put that part of the road in the repair that it would have been had the water been turned to its proper place in the summer months ; but it was just the same last year, and it is a disgrace to the council lor who has charge of this part of the road. The Acclimatisation Society have no sympathy in this part of the province in the attempt to make the game laws more stringent, and the only result will be a more determined destruction of pheasants' eggs and young when they can be got hold of by the settlers.

The Government proposition to compel dealers in artificial manures to sell them with a certificate of analysis will be hailed with great satisfaction by most settlers in this district, for it is a terrible thing for settlers who, purchasing what they deem to be ground bones, find it is mostly Australian soil, and instead of a fair crop of grass, corn, or roots, find only disappointment and loss of labour as well as capital.[Own Correspondent, July 29.]

WHAREORA. Old residents in this district assert that they do not remember a winter for many years when so much rain has fallen as this winter. During the last two months we have had very few fine days, and in consequence little could be done in the way of preparing land for the spring crops. The shooting season, so far, has hardly realised the expectation formed of it. Before its commencement it was thought birds would be plentiful; the fact is, they are scarce.

The sparrow and yellowhammer, though they are birds of low degree, are a source of trouble and expense to settlers. Mitch:.of the grass-seed that was cast upon the ground in the autumn has been devoured by these pests, and never will be returned to the tower. The trustees in charge of our cemetery reserve have awakened at last. They have let a contract for clearing the reserve of scrub, and intend having it fenced, ploughed, and laid down in grass, ant! planted with shelter trees. The lambing season lias commenced, and bids fair to be a good one.[Own Correspondent.]

PUKEKOHE WEST. I find we have a few energetic and persevering men in our midst, who are determined to do their utmost to keep Fukekohc to the front notwithstanding the many drawbacks they have to encounter. Our district would flourish like a green bay tree if our settlers would become united, and pull together for the common good. A meeting was convened at the Pukckohe Hotel, on Monday last, the 29th July, after Mr. Buckland's sale, for the purpose of forming a farmers' club. Mr. fcsaunderson occupied the chair, and, after reading the notice convening the meeting, and stating the business that had brought them together, called on Mr. Chadwiek, who, with Mr. J. H. Wright, had been deputed by the Farmers' Committee to address the meeting. Mr. Chadwick said he thought the present a good opportunity of strengthening the hands of those farmers who had already taken action in the matter regarding the Trades Mark Bill, and therefore he" had much pleasure in moving " That this meeting approves of the principle of the Trades Mark Bill now before the House, and that the secretary be instructed to wire Major Hamlin to that effect, and ask him to slipport it." This was seconded and put to the meeting, and carried nem. ■ con. Several farmers present spoke in favour of the resolution, and thought it was time the Government took the matter of manures in hand, and pass a Bill of this nature to save the farmer from being imposed upon, as one-half of the so-called boned use sold in Auckland was rubbish, and instead'of improving the land it made it worse, Mr. Wright then addressed the meeting on the formation of a fanners' club' and said clubs of this nature would have r a tendency to do a great deal of good in country districts, as he thought they should not be satisfied working hard day in and day out with very little change, but that they

should band together for their mutual benefit having a social evening occasionally, where neighbour could meet neighbour, and thus become by social intercourse firmer and better friends,' throwing over the old order of things and accepting the new. Farming carried out on a proper basis was a pleasurable calling, and farmers should feel proud of it and arouse themselves from their present'apathetic position, and show to their friends that farming is not the life of drudgery many would have you to believe, but that we can ■ enjoy a little social intercourse as well as those filling other positions in life. After several gentlemen had spoken on the subject, it was proposed, " 1 hat a farmers' club be established, to be called the Pukekohe Farmers' Club." This was seconded, and carried unanimously. The secretary, Mr. Wright, then took the names of those willing to become members, with the initiation fee, viz., 2s (id. A good number gave in their names, and it is to be hoped a large number more will join when they see the club in good working order. A vote of thanks to the chairman and to Mr. Millar for the use of his room was passed, and the meeting separated. A great number of fanners have taken advantage of the dry weather, and during the past week several acres of wheat and oats have been planted. There will be a large area in cereals this season in this district, one gentleman alone putting in close on 70 acres.—[Own Correspondent.]

TAIRUA. Nothing but heavy rains and strong winds have been experienced here for some time past. On one or two occasions I might record a score for Captain Edwin. The last gale on the 22nd and 23rd was rather severe, the wind blowing very strong from E. and N.E. to S.E., with heavy rain part of tlie time. One humorous gentleman here says there are about seven of Captain Edwin's "ales due here yet. It is to be hoped they are not all bottled up to burst on us at one time. ■■•-'.-•; Large orders for timber continue to come forward, chiefly for dressed stuff for the Australian market, and assorted lots for coast i>orts and the South. Sailed, the Aratapu, brigantine, with a full load, for Newcastle, on 17th July; the Awaroa, topsail schooner, for Gisborne.on the 19fch July ; the Elinor Morton, for Opotiki, on the 19th July. The Waiapu, schooner, and Fanny, cutter, have been weather-bound since the 20th ; both loaded. The three-mooted schooner Frank Guy arrived on the 20th, and is loading for Melbourne. She will carry 170,000 feet, chiefly dressed timber and junk. 'Die schooner Maud Graham is loading assorted for Lyttelton. The s.s. Douglas took timber in for Opotiki on her last trip down. The search for the missing man Ormond has been given up. An axe was found in the river a little below where he is supposed to liave attempted to cross, and is said to have been his property. It is stated that in addition to blankets, etc., he had six iron splitting wedges and some maul rings in his swag, so that once having lost his footing in a strong current, he had no chance to recover himself.

At a meeting of the school committee on the 15th July it was decided that teaching the principles of temperance from Dr. Richardson s hook shall not be adopted in lie district school.—{Own Correspondent.]

WHANGAREI. Farming operations here are almost at a standstill. There is scarcely any of the land dry enough to cultivate, and it is found that much less winter wheat will be sown this year, which will be a great pity. We are now in the midst of another howling north-easter, and it is growing monotonous. Whaugarei people are anxiously looking out for news about the Puhipuhi tramway. If it goes ahead, the coal seams at Hikurangi will be opened up, and Whangarei will Income the Newcastle of the North Island. It is not generally known that for blacksmith's work, such as welding, this coal is excellent— fact, there is no better to be found anywhere. The old story about gold being found near Kamo has turned up again. A party is prospecting in the ranges, and they are forming a company to test the ground. Tli«re is no doubt the ranges in the north are rich in minerals, and they may And something. At the committee meeting of the North Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, held at Whangarei, on the l!)th July, there were present: Messrs. Thomas Hunter (chairman), P. S. Brown, W. Carter, and J. J. Wilson. The principal business was passing a few accounts, and disposing of correspondence in the ordinary routine.— Correspondent.]

The Port Albert wharf, erected a few years ago at a cost of about £1000, appears to be no man's property or care, not because it is not used. It is used and ill used as well. One of the hawser posts at the corner of the tee is broken clean in two parts, and a portion knocked away, caused, I believe, by one of the steamers trading here. A cross-brace of the longest pair of piles has disappeared. A part of the steps to low water is smashed logs or their owners to blame. —[Own Cor; respondent.]