COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8161, 24 January 1890, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FMOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

Hamilton, Thursday. Tiid bar of Bright's Commercial Hotel was opened on Sunday evening last, and the till robbed of 15s. Suspicion fell upon one of two men who had been hanging about, but the police have been unable to obtain sufficient proof to warrant a charge. It is supposed that the door had been accidentally left with the key in it. Complaints are being made of the fact that in several parts of the district it is impossible for the public to comply with the railway regulations as regards stopping vehicles when trains are approaching a level cross'ug. According to the Act, the driver of a silicic is liable, when he crosses the ,ilway when an approaching train is within one mile, yet there are level crossings where the railway authorities themselves and others where private owners of land have planted trees near the side of the railway which prevents persons coming along the road seeing an approaching train. Such a case is notorious just outside Claudelands, where the railway passes over the Hukanni-Hamilton road. The railway authorities should not plant trees which interfere with the observance by the public of Sectiou Is2 of the Public Works Act, ISB2, and yet hold the public responsible for its infringement. .'lt is suggested that typhoid fever and diphtheria have been caused in past years by the foul condition of the public school tanks, portions of sparrows' nests, decayed young birds, and other offensive matter having been found in them, and, as a consequence, polluting the only water the children have to drink. It will be well if the school committees would have this matter attended to, and the tanks cleaned out before the schools assemble again next month.

Inspector Emerson^etarn^Tfr"^ sss course, Claulelands, to-day, and fe** Bteeplechas.course includii^'eighti* 1 ,! 1 «* » which will be got ready for t Im JUm P« meeting. J or the autm^' MORRIKSVILLE 'VU, A youth amed Mathew g£i ™?&r. the swamp upon Littlewood's c'oZ, rkln «'U witn a semis accident on Mondav n' m «t using an «xe in cutting the timiL - **» drain, who his foot slipped and i„ i - ln ll >e ing, the bl-w came on his leg j ua u> { * kneecap, nflicting a severe wound i' l * ting to the bone. b He was sent hi o *- ton to tin care of his parents wh milthere. ' no I'esi^ Except n a few isolated cases SdS?*»has foundits way into all parts of A ?* trict, and nearly every orchard i s ;"f dismore or lee. And now another and a ki pest is, it seems, being introduced country. The public in Auckland arid l' authorities awoke smartly enough t« 7* presence cf phylloxera in the vines i e codlin moth »nd similar pests haveV allowed to be introduced and , r " throughout tie country with imr,, here codlin noth was bad in Wai& 7l year, it is worse this, till the whole of ,¥ { fruit in some oichards is destroyed ivi. e it was just to be seen last year from ■> re 50 per cent, of the fruit will be destrovedlv season, and wlnre there was none last J it lias commenced its ravages this. rj^, ear settlers bestow more care upon their f • trees and keep them clean, it will have thorough a hold on Waikato orchards ■' another two years' time as it has had on :h ? of the Ohinemuri district, which have I* completely desolated. Some of the la orchards around Hamilton this season $\ suffer to the extent of half their fruit, and some cases it is stated the pears are as bad! 11 infected as the apples. ? ■u Tk AWAML 7 U ' Thursday Ihe committee for carrying out the Uv kato Horticultural Show, on the 17th March are already beginning to work, and an acta* canvass of the Waikato district is vj made for support, in exhibitions and oth* wise. A number of special prizes haven.*' already promised. The entries for exhiu a will close on the 6th March. Übltt Harvest has set in and crops will fulls come up to expectations. Anxiety i s Ve ' generally felt as to the weather, the seas? being like some we have experienced befor* 1 very unfavourable for harvest operation, but there is far more harvesting uuchinert in Waikato now than then to contend with against a dripping season. There is ever, appearance now of Commander Edwin? telegram of yesterday being correct. U have had the gale and the rain threaten' There is a great dial of grain cut in til fields, very little as y»t b*:ng in stack. The Court. ve--.Mrd.l7. was taken up with the hearing of .% gjw«h against defaulting ratepayers of shft Wripa Count v. Only three or four wee*. iirtt'.»n.l«d, and fudement in each caa* wm siven for plaintiffs'. Others confessed judgment;, others put in no appearance, ieaviaj judgment to be recorded against them. OMAHA. The annual meeting of subscribers to th« Public Library took place in the library. room on Friday night, the 17th inst., Air. C S. Clarke in the chair. The secretary, Mr' Thos. W. Knaggs, read the accounts of receipts and expenditure as follows:— Re. ceipts: Members' subscriptions, £4 9$ (y. donations from two Auckland friends, 15s' total receipts, £5 4s 6d. Expenditure: To purchase of magazines and periodicals, £52slights, stamps, etc., 3s ; total, £5 64d' leaving a debit balance of Is (Md. The as! counts were audited and found correct. The meeting passed a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring committee, especially to .Mr. Thos. W. Knaggs, who has performed the duties of librarian during the last year. On the motion of Mr. Joseph Greenwood, seconded by Mr. Rodk. Matheson, the follow, ing persons were elected a committee oi management for the ensuing year Messrs, Thos. W. Knaggs, Charles S." Clarke, Alex. Kempt, George Knaggs, and Alex. Matheson, Mr. Rodk. Matheson was appointed auditor, At a meeting of the committee held immediately afterwards, Mr. Thos. W. Knaggj was appointed librarian, etc. The Rev. T. P. Hewlett conducted a sen vice in the Hall on Sunday night, the l'Jti inst. There was a congregation ot about 7Q The rev. gentleman took for his text Deii teronomy vi. 6-9, and gave an excellent diicourse on the advantages of family worship and was listened to with great attention.[Own Correspondent.] MATAKOHE. The Bishop of Auckland arrived in Paparci on Wednesday, January Bth, and on Thursday morning confirmed five Maoris, th.' candidates being presented by the R«v.:,' A. Tobin. After the laving on oi hand), ta Holy Eucharist was celebrated, the Bsboi being celebrant. The services were conducted in the Maori language. A capital luncheon was provided forall that attended the service at the residencto: Mr. Skeltou, and about fifty individuals (Europeans and natives) took advantage i the hospitality thus afforded. On Thursday afternoon the Bishop o! Auckland consecrated St. Mark's Churchyard, Paparoa, the memorial for consecration being read by Mr. Tibbitts. A proassion, consisting of the Bishop and the R«v, C. A. Tobin, followed by the congregati* walking in pairs, perambulated the churciyard, while the xlix. and cxv. psalms wen said by the clergy. A short address from His Lordship concluded the servive. On Friday the Bishop held a European confirmation, when nineteen received the laying on of hands. The church was quite full, and after a most interesting and instructive address, the Holy Eucharist w« celebrated, there being upwards of forty communicants. On Sunday morning tin Bishop preached at Matakohe.— Correspondent.]