COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9463, 6 September 1889, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from our own correspondents.] Hotjtly, Thursday. With reference to this place, there is a want which is very much felt, and that is a Bank. Huntly is becoming an important place, and is likely to become more so. What with its large deposits of coal on both Bides of the river, and other mineral deposits, such as ironstone, hematite, fireclay, &c., which sooner or later will be utilised, and be the means of giving employment. There are also several flax-mills in the district in full working operation, the industry having every likelihood of being permanent There are also three coal companies who pay their _ employees. One company pay 3 every fortnight, the other two companies every month. With reference to the latter, it would be much better, both for the miners and the business people, if all the companies paid every fortnight. With all theao industries going ahead, and with the steady increase ot settlement, Huntly is destined to be a large commercial centre, and the Bank of New Zealand, or some other Bank, should consider the advisableness of at once establishing a branch Bank, as there Is now a fair opening for doing so, there being no other Bank nearer than Hamilton or Auckland. It has been reported, and I believe with some truth, that Mr. Schlinker has .offered -an' 1 allotment of land in a good position to the Bank of New Zealand if they would establish a branch here for the transaction of business.

There is a good opening here at present for a person with a little capital and who understands pottery work in all its branches. He could either rent or buy the present pottery works, which have been recently erected at considerable expense by Mr. Metcalf, and are composed of iron-roofed buildings, machinery, etc., which have been imported from England. Mr. Collins, the present owner, would deal liberally with any person willing to open up the business. There can be had on the spot the finest clays suitable for pottery work. The site is an excellent one, having a railway siding running into it, also water carriage, the Waikato River being only a short distance from the works.

The School Committee held their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, when it was resolved to ask the Board of Education when the successor to the head teacher will be appointed, as they consider Huntly is entitled to a higher certificated teacher than the present one.

Hamilton*, Thursday. At a meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board yesterday, a very long and general discussion took place on the alleged extravagant management of the Hospital, and the attempt made to influence public opinion in condemning the Board on this charge, by a tabular statement compiled from Dr. McGregor's report, published by Mr. Hally, and intended to show that as compared with other hospitals that of Waikato cost proportionately 30 per cent, more. Mr. Chepmell took the statement, and clearly showed that more than a third of what was set down to annual expenditure 5 was extraordinary expenditure which would never occur again. It was shown, too, that Mr. Hally, for the sake of comparison, had selected only nine of the hospitals in the colony, and those nine the ones with which the Waikato Hospital would necessarily compare most unfavourably, as they were all hospitals which had been worked for years, while that of Waikato was a new one. It would be impossible, in available space, to go item by item into the discussion which took place at the Board, but statements are being prepared for publication which will show that, fairly stated, the cost of each patient in the Waikato Hospital, instead of being, as stated, about lis per diom, is only about 6s. _ A serious expense which does not occur in town hospitals is that of the travelling expenses of five of the members to attend meetings, which last year amounted to a sum of over £50. Injustice to Mr. Hally, it is only fair to correct a statement made by the chairman of the Hospital Board in his capacity as chairman of the Waikato County Council, and of which as reported Mr. Hally complains, namely, that during last year, when Mr. Hally was a member of the Hospital Board, he drew regularly 15s for every attendance at the Board's meetings as travelling excuses from Cambridge. This was not the case, for the sum actually drawn by Mr. Hally for eleven meeting was only £6 13s Bd. The Karioi Road District and the Raglan Town Board District, have been merged into the County Council. Churchill, Thursday. It is satisfactory to find that the County Council have determined to stop the interference of certain natives with the surveyed line of road near Mr. Kinnon's. Instructions have been given that the road, as surveyed by the Government, must be kept open, and that the Council will hold the natives responsible for any expense incurred through their fencing or otherwise obstructing the road. Morrinsville, Thursday. At the Railway Reform League meeting in Auckland the other day it was stated that the high fares acted as almost prohibitory of passenger traffic to Lichfield. One day lately the train passed through with one passenger, and he was a deadhead. Ohaupo, Thursday. In deference to the feeling occasioned by the calamitous termination of the late hunting season, the usual race meeting in connection with the Pakuranga Hunt Club has been abandoned.

KiHiKim, Thursday. ■ A concert anil dramatic performancej in aid of the Anglican Church funds, Kihikihi, to be followed by a dance, will be held in the Public Hall to-morrow evening. A large amount of amateur musical talent and the services of the Alexandra Dramatic Company have been secured. Truly the old order chaugeth, when our Church of England congregations have to be kept together with assistance from the stage, and a public performance to conclude with a dance.

• Whatawhata, Thursday. Owing .to want of judicious advertising, there was only one tender received for the erection of the creamery buildings, and that M - as too high in amount to be entertained.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Ngaroawahia, Thursday. Yesterday was a great day here. The Town Board and a number of settlers and others, amongst whom was Mr. 11. Reynolds, met to turn the first sod of the Ngaruawahia creamery, which was done by the chairman. Te Awamutu, Thursday. Since I wrote concerning the water supply for the creamery here, only as late as yesterday afternoon, in fact, pure water was struck at a depth of 33 feet, and there will now be no obstacle to the making of butter here instead of cheese.

PArAROA.

On* Saturday, the 31st ult., a second meeting of ratepayers was held, to discuss the levying of the separate rate on this riding by the Otamatea County Council. Mr. Cliff occupied the chair. Messrs. Skelton and Parsons reported attending the Council meeting as a deputation from the ratepayers, requesting that the proposal to levy a separate rate be withdrawn. The chairman, hawevor, informed them that as the Council meeting was a special one, their request could not be considered. Some discussion folio wed,after which the following resolution was proposed by Mr. O. C. Humes; and seconded by Mr. J. Wright, and carried without a dissentient, "That Messrs. Cliff, Parsons, Wilson, Tibbits, and Skelton be a committee to consider the matter of re-forming the Road Board, and to report at a public meeting to be held on the oth October, and also to confer with our representative on all matters affecting the ratepayers." I see the Waipa County Council has roused the opposition of some districts within that county by a well-meant, but not well-received, proposal for additional rating contrary to the wish of the ratepayers. The Counties Act, as at present worked, is felt to be very expensive, and -there is no wonder that opposition is making itself manifest. Some rather unusually high freight bills have been received here lately. We arc wondering whether it is the railway authorities or the steamboat company, which is responsible, or both? No doubt, as Mr. Vade shows, the Railway Commissioners have directed that higher charges shall be made, and the other company follows suit. At anyrate, 3s 9d on a couple of ploughshares, worth half-a-crown, is a rather heavy charge for freight from Auckland to Paparoa.

Tho Mutual Improvement Class has had great difficulties to contend with, many members being away from meetings on account of severe colds, and the bad roads, both consequent on the inclemency of the season; yet the meetings have been sustained and good work done. At the last meeting the exercise was impromptu speaking, the members being allowed live minutes' time for preparation, and to speak five minutes. Six young members, Messrs. C. and E. Pen wick, T. and H. Skelton, and E. and R. Wilson, had the courage to come and face the ordeal for the first time, and they accredited themselves very well. The subjects were generally difficult. Thov were : Liberty, Havelock, Scott (as a novelist and poet), Rent, John Bright, Kindness to Animals, Milk, Paparoa, Football, Land Nationalisation, Sporting, and the proverb, "He gives twice who gives quickly." At the previous meeting the president, the Rev. G. T. Marshall, read an excellent paper on " The Rise of tho Papacy." —[Own Correspondent.]

WAITJKU.

The adjourned annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Waipipi Highway District took place on Saturday last, in the Commercial Hall, at 3 o'clock p.m., Mr. E. Constable in the chair. The secretary read the minutes of the last annual meeting, which were confirmed. Mr. Mollsop, the, secretary -and vol-

lector, theirTead the ■ * n li„J! J=^i=-5 S ST 8 SbfifewisS fptz { BahX in Kenera rates, 1888 2 * lit general rates, 1887 and m S\* W and native land V/f' ;W1 ll» oil'.Government surSd/on fijf ** publicans' licensr. ,T„ rawa », xl] o % /V BlaughterhoCu^nsTir^ oo ' & tion, £14; publk^ nd iJ' ta 4og.regi 8 g! vehicle license, £1 lto-Tr* la . x ' £1 ia to; per Registrar ' Supreme *%&?*&&s grass on road sold, 10, . totol* -*» 18b & Expenditure : Salaries Lam ' £+17 *« Old' office expenses and rent, £9 &**«> St advertising and legal kxpe,£s%?W hospital and charitable aid 7 « election expenses and rnipo^dwV^ Si ba s^ teroßt & roads, bridges construction W , 13 ? «; ance), £313 .5s lljd ; tSX? grant account, £10 Os 2d • tranTn and sinking fund account, m?u3*** ance 31st March, 1889, £30 l ] L M > U £447 4a OkL Tho 2L ! mously adopted, and .the meetingW^ l -{Own Correspondent.] * "'Parated, MAUNGATUROTO. A correspondent, referring to tI, P , a meeting held at Maungaturoto JS* 0 " 0 * postal matters in that settlement wh?? port appeared in our issue last wit. 1 re " 'I desire to say a few words regarding" Snellmg is reported as saying ' thX ' Mrfar the most of the settlers used th P Mb ? Maungaturoto office,' but if such is tf reseilt it is because it happens to be a sto* **! the majority of the settlers cannot »?' letters for the simple reason that if • r acknowledged fact that the great hnii- i 8 an letters come to the office at Rowspll'. ° f th all events, should do if put into the $ *• bag. He also says, ' besides bans u»F r ° m the centre of the population of the W • ' Highway District' Everyone who Ir&B Maungaturoto will think that Mr Sn»ir°2 imagination is very elastic, as Mr fV n V store is most decidedly on the confin« * J populated part of the district Th,» ' only about ten families who live K»i? Great North Road, so far as it a«3 ** this district, and the balance of the & fa about forty in number, live on or „Jft' road running from Paparoa to WatonT centre of which is about one and a-half m £ from the present Maungaturoto office w? as Plowsell's office is close to thp road M Spelling keeps out of sight the fact thai mS of the settlers, as also the local bodies now suffering from the inconveniences wii he imagines would fall upon him anH hi, colleagues should the names of the offices k! changed. A number of those whosienj IK paper against any change being made w» boys in their teens, whereas over twenty «« those who had signed the petition in fvo» of it were not at the meeting, owing to th distance at which most of them lived from the schoolhouse, bad roads, etc., consequent the document, as representing the views If the settlers, was valueless. Had Mr CulU when this agitation first commenced, offer*} to meet the difficulty, as lie now does, mu'h of the bitter feeling which has arisen 'would have been avoided, and the matter would I am sure have been settled to the safe faction of all parties. RAGLAN. The weather of the last few weeks, in this district at least, has been a nice and pleasant contrast to the unusually "'heavy rain and cold bleak .winds which we had to accent and put up with -nolens volens during sonic ct the winter months. It has now all the an. pearance of genial spring, and is allowing the settlers a grand opportunity for sowing and planting their fields and gardens, which same they are doing with all possible expe4i. tion. The sparrows and other small bird' are very numerous, and very voracious iftci their long starve, and will no doubt do hill justice to wheat, oats, and other cereals - [Own Correspondent.]