COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8273, 4 June 1890, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM our OWN correspox dents. ] Hamilton-, Tuesday. There was a sharp frost this morning. Great inconvenience is still occasioned by the enforcement by the Railway Department of the regulation insisting on the shutting of the gates into the Victoria-street Station Yards, especially at the time that a train is coining in and leaving. The public have the Borough Council to thank for tltis inconvenience as they do not take the necessary steps to keep cattle off the streets ; but the Department might, it is thought, cause the regulation to be suspended for a quarter of an hour during the arrival and departure of a train. With many horses and in a railway yard with a train on the move, it is not always safe to leave it for the purpose of opening and shutting a heavy gate. At other times it is perhaps necessary to prevent the trespass of cattle to keep the gates closed. La grippe has spread rapidly during the last few days, and in one family, where the majority are down with it, Dr. Kenny is treating a case of scarlatina. The sharp, frosty weather will, however, have the effect of keeping down the latter disease. Local bodies have received notice of the stoppage of rates hitherto received from the Government for native and Crown lands. Concerted action is being taken by several county councils to make some movement towards having the native lands brought under the operations of the Rating Act in force generally in the colony. The Raglan County Council, which is largely interested in this matter, is now communicating with the member for YVaipa, Mr. iirvce, with a view to legislation on the lines of getting: the native blocks of land subdivided, and having one or more owners as the per- ! sous liable for rates on the whole; or, that otherwise the Crown should pay the rates, giving notice as at present, and if the owners do not pay up, at least once in two years, the lands should be let for a term, so that the local bodies should not lose the revenue. This, it is urged, would be only fair, as both Crown aud native lands have been largely increased of late years by the expenditure of money raised by rates from the European settlers, and that Crown and native lauds bear no portion of the liability or cost of the loans incurred for roads and bridges expenditure by the various local bodies. Ngaritavvahia, Tuesday. A clerical error in reference to the Messrs. Vettier's reason for being hindered iu their attempts to cultivate the vine for winemaking purposes—namely, the want of roads —appears in yesterday's letter from this place. The paragraph reads " They are well satisfied with their land and its capabilities for viticulture, but are sadly hindered for the want of funds. The Raglan Council are, however, unfortunately without the funds to undertake such work." The word funds, as italicised, should read roads, as indeed, might be • eadily inferred from the context. Mr. L. B. Harris, jun., of Huntly, met with a nasty accident on Saturday, having broken his collar-bone through a fall from his horse while training it to the hurdles. Ohadpo, Tuesday. Passengers by the train from Auckland yesterday complained bitterly of the inconvenience to which they were subjected in the second class by the insufficiency of room. There was plenty of room on leaving Auckland, but at one of the statious below Huntly a large second-class carriage was taken off the train, and its occupants crowded into the remaining carriage and 3inoking carriage. The regulations of the Sheep Act- with respect to lice in flocks, would seem to have been too rigidly enforced, for the following instructions have been received by Sheep Inspectors, giving them larger discretionary powers in the matter of enforcing section 9 of the Sheep Act 1878 Amendment Act, 1886. Under-secretary H. J. H. Elliott writes that he is directed by the Minister of Lands that interference requires a certain amount of tact, as there is scarcely a flock in the colony on which a louse could not be found, and that it seemed absurd to take proceedings against owners of alieep in such cases ; that prime condition of the sheep should be taken as evidence of cleanness, and that proceedings should only be taken in cases of gross neglect. Te Awamutu, Tuesday. In consequence of the prevailing epidemic, the concert and dance in aid of the funds of St. John's Church, intended to farewell the Rev. Mr. Boler, has been postponed for a month. The horse bridge on the Mangapiko creek, the Maugapiko-Te Awamutu bridge, is impassable, and all traffic has been stopped. MoRRiNSvniK, Tuesday. Mr. G. L. Grant lias been appointed manager to the Rangiuru estate at Te Puke. He will be succeeded in the management of the Waatoa estate of Mr. Lark worthy, which be has held for several years past, by Mr. W, . Main, a son of Mr. A. Main of Hjratevpji,

The natives is the Waitoa settlements are, many of them, laid up with the prevailing epidemic. * The wen-known chief Honi Tuhikarina died at Mangakawa on Friday evening. Tawhiao and a number of natives from various settlements have arrived to take part in the tangi. Tf. Aroha, Tuesday. A public meeting, convened by Mr. W. 4 Murray, of Piako, for the purpose of taking steps towards establishing a Political Reform League in this district, was held in the Public Hall, on Saturday evening. There was a fair attendance, and the chair was occupied by Mr. E. Gallagher, chairman of the Town Board. Mr. Murray was the principal speaker, and submitted a series of resolutions bearing upon local government, the propertytax, the rating of Crown and native lanilu railway management, etc. A somewhat lively discussion took place on one or two of the questions raised by Mr. Murray, whose views were seemingly not in accord with a considerable portion of his audience. At the close of his remarks a resolution was pro posed and seconded, that a committee be appointed to carry out the object for which the meeting had been convened, but it was not i carried, there being a general feeling that the time was inopportune for such a movement. A vote of thanks to Mr. Murray was duh passed, and a similar compliment to the chairman. [by telegraph.own correspondents.] Cambridge, Tuesday. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Farmers' Club was held last night, Mr. G. ]*;, Clark in the chair. Mr. Gane was voted to be vice-chairman. In the matter of meat freezing, the Chairman reported that tin deputation appointed to meet the Ban!; authorities had not as yet proceeded ti Auckland. The secretary was instructed to write to the Opotiki Farmers' Club re weighing in of bags, stating that the deputation appointed at the last meeting to wait on the Chamber of Commerce on this matter had not yet had an opportunity of so doing, and, further, the members of the Farmers' Club! in selling their grain, stipulate for payment of sacks at 7d each. Messrs. Gane and Anderson were appointed auditors to audit the accounts for the past year It was decided to hold the annual meeting on Monday the 30th instant. ''

The second meeting in connection with the Cambridge Band of Hope and Temperance Society was held last night. A good programme had been prepared, but owing to the prevalence of sickness ten out of the fourteen performers were unable to be present, consequently the meeting was not as interesting as it was intended to be. After some introductory remarks from the chairman, Mr. Henson was invited to address the meeting, which he did, and in support of the claims of temperance cited his own case, he having been a total abstainer for over 50 years, and now at 73 years of aige he felt as strong and active aB when a young man of '20. A local duet, " The Old Arm Chair.'' was next rendered by Misses L. Moisley and M. Sharp. Mr. F. J. Brooks then addressed the meeting, and gave a practical and instructive speech, dwelling especially on the object of the society in seeking to benefit those members of the community in the toils of intemperance, and to prevent the young from ever going in the way of temptation. ~ The Rev. W. Evans gave an address in his usual humorous munners, introducing many antedates of an appropriate character. * Miss Gertrude Brooks followed with a recitation in character " Pussy with Pins in Her Toes,' which she gave in quite a taking manner. The Rev. C. H. Garland then came forward and gave a very telling speech, which showed that considerable thought had been given to the subject by the speaker. At the conclusion of the meeting a number of adults signed the pledge.

WAIPIRO (WAIAPU). Since our last eight days' downpour we have experienced splendid weather—sharp southerly, but dry winds during the dav, accompanied with genial sunshine, and very, almost too cold nights. La grippe tor flight at the first breath of the southerly weather in our (Waipiro) locality, but. I am informed by the Ven. Archdeacon William.-, who is on his usual circuit of visitation northward, that it still prevails anions the natives of Waipare, a settlement about 'JO miles south of this. The rev. gentleman, who held Divine service (both European ami Maori) here (Waipiro) on Sunday, and proceeded onward on Monday, informs me that the natives affected with influenza are using the steam of a boiling decoction of ngaio bark as an inhalation. No doubt the aqueous vajwur will be remedial beneficial, but I am afraid the virtues of the ngaio are more than doubtful, the opinions of sundry Maori tohungas (doctors) notwithstanding. An unusual large gathering of Ngatiporou took place on the loth instant at a village called Kakariki, situated about two miles inland of Major Ropata Wahawaha's settlement, and about three miles from the coast line, for the purpose of ventilating Church (Anglican) matters generally, and raising a subscription for the Church Building and Minister's Fund on the coast. There were from -tOO to 500 natives present, and the subscriptions amounted to £6ti ;">s od. The Revs. Eruera Kawhia (Waipiro) and Hone Waitoa (Wiuapu) addressed the meeting on a variety of subjects, among which the | spread of Mormonism on tlve coast was alluded to. Mormonism, by the way, is decreasing hereabouts, several Waiapu natives ; having seceded from that denomination. There were several Europeans present, among whom were Messrs. MiLner, Bonsfield, Hodge, George Walker, Sergeant Villers. Constable Gerrard (Kake, from whom I derive my information), and others. They were greatly pleased with the manner in which the assembled natives did justice v? the wants of the inner man on this occasion, tasteful dishes of curried rice, fowl, stews, soups, pastry, &c., taking the place of the very coarse pabulum which usually characterises such meetings or entertainments. May 'JO : Getting up this morning, 1 was much gratified to see a team of horses dragging telegraph poles along the road past my door, and have since learned that the line is already fixed up eight miles beyond Tologu Bay, and may be expected to reach here (waipiro)—the terminus at present—in about five weeks' time. Meanwhile, the telegraph and post office is in a forward state of completion, and we soon hope to become a minute link in that magnetic chain which embraces the civilised world.— Correspondent, ]