COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8326, 5 August 1890, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

MAHURANGI.

The weather during the last week has again been wet and stormy, and the saturated ground, in seafaring phraseology, may be described as soft-by-soft, half soft, and is in a state that forbids cultivation of any kind— at least that is the state in this neighbourhood. Lambs coming into the world are also having a bad time of it, and a percentage will be lost. To the large quantity of rain that has fallen may also be attributed the stoppage of the main road north, through a bad landslip just over the crest of the divide of the watershed. This will 110 doubt be interesting to Mr. Gubb, the member of the Rodney County Council, who is so angry with the Warkworth correspondent for" iiis many complaints of the sins of omission of that august body. An item of intelligence that will be good news to most settlers in the Morth, that the Government intend to ask Parliament for a grant to complete that road, will have an opposite efl'ect on the same gentleman ; but it may be some consolation to him to know that the sum of £5000 (his estimate between Warkworth and Wellsford) will hardly be needed to make the road good and passable during the whole year, when the settlements of Wayby and Wellsford will be enabled to have better and cheaper communication with Auckland than they now have via Port Albert. , I understand there was some difficulty in finding a member to fill the extraordinary vacancy in the County Council caused by the resignation of Councillor Angove. No one seemed to be willing to take to the work that may have been left undone. However, the difficulty was got over, and one gentleman's name given in due form to the returning officer, and the owner of which was with proper solemnity declared duly elected. I notice the school committee have obtained a grant from the Board of Education for the purpose of improving the school ground, on the understanding that the district contributes a moiety sufficient to complete the work. The amount will be easily raised, either by subscription or an entertainment of some kind. Tree planting in the ground has been done, and a live fence is 011 the way, but gravelling will have to wait for better weather.

In Mr. Gubb's letter of a fortnight ago he wishes the people of the Albertland district to agitate for the railway to be pushed forward to that settlement. Perhaps it might help it 011 if he published the annual tonnage that might be expected of imports and exports from that settlement, and whether they could load a train weekly or would require a train once a year.—[Own Correspondent.] WAIUKU. Ox Monday last the lately-organised WaitiKU Mutual Improvement Class held its first meeting in the Temperance and Public Hall. There were about a dozen members present. The greater part of the evening was taken up by the president's address (the Rev. W. J. Coinrie), which brought plainly before those present the great benefit io be derived from such mutual classes, provided they were properly managed, and he trussed that all who joined would take an interest in it, anil he felt sure that great benefits would be the result. At the close of the address two or three readings were given, and some criticisms took place. The meeting was then adjourned until that evening fortnight, August 4. The Waiuku Library has been removed from its old site to a room in Mr. C. Lewis' residence, and lias been reorganised ami properly classified. The annual subscription is fixed at as, payable in advance, and a librarian appointed. It is intended, when the weather gets better, to give a literary entertainment in aid of the library funds. The lambing season has come round again, and there are several to be seen skipping about the fields. Although the weather has been very unfavourable, there are but few losses as yet. The weather has been cold, and wet for two or three weeks, the wind being principally from the east. The settlers are busy preparing their land for crops as far as the weather will permit,, but some of the land is too wet to do anything with. The recent wet weather hat been the cause of making the roads in all parts of the district in a bad state. La grippe, I believe, has disappeared, but something else has come to take its place to a certain extent. Mr. J. L. West has been laid up for over a week with a very severi attack of rheumatic fever; and from accounts 1 heard to-day is 110 better, being unable to move without assistance. Mr. Constable is also confined to bed through having scratched his leg with a barbed wire. From what the doctor says, it will be some time before he will be able to get about again. The Waiuku Cavalry Band is progressing very well under their new master, Mr. Bachelor. They are having three practices weekly; but, through the distance some have to come and the state of the roads, the attendance is not very regular.—[Own Correspondent.] WAIPIRO (WAIAI'U). Hitherto, since their commencement our summer and winter sports have always been remarkably free (considering the nature of the various competitions) from accidents of any kind, but we were not quite so fortunate on the last occasion. Mr. Ryan, of Waipiro Station, dislocated his kneecap while wrestling, which, howver, was soon put to rights by Dr. Scott, who was on the ground and Miss McGuire, Tokomaru, came to grief in a quicksand into which her horse floundered at the mouth of the Waipiro Creek. The young lady, who fainted, was for a short time in a rather dangerous position, from which, however, she was happily rescued by a young man named Hilman, who fortunately happened to be present, and is none the worse for her rough experience. With the exception of two line days, we have had 110 fair weather since my last, gale succeeding gale with exasperating regularity, and hardly a glimpse of sunshine between. The s.s. Australia, bound northward, just looked in on Saturday last, landing Messrs. Bold, Telegraph Inspector; O'Meara, Government surveyor; and another, and cleared out again immediately. It is well thut she did so, and I hope she had attained the Boy of Islands before the exceptionally heavy storm of Sunday morning (1 a.m.) broke upon us here in thunder, lightning, and terrific bail. I have been 35 years in New Zealand, but I have never before experienced so severe a storm, of such long duration. It is still blowing and raining in heavy squalls from E.N.E. '('2oth July), but 011 Sunday morning the wind seemed to veer round to every point of the compass in turn —at any rate from S. to S.E. and E. to N.E., while the tremendous detonations of the thunder and vivid forked" lightning as nearly realised descriptions I have read o;! typhoons in the Chinese seas as maybe. By recent Southern Cross at Tuparoa and s.s. Australia here (Waipiro) we have had two mails direct from Auckland. I am informed that this excellent arrangement is but temporary, but for the life of me I cannot see why it should be so, being, as it is, so great a boon to and so much appreciated by the coast people generally. The alleged Gisborne murderer, William Black, was for some time working at his vocation (fencing) hereabouts about two years back. He was always considered as being eccentric, consorting much with Maoris, and a perfect lunatic if drunk. July 22. — The telegraph wire arrived here to-day, and Mr. Bold is expected to open the office officially this evening, or tomorrow morning. Advance, Waipiro.—[Own Correspondent.]

" TIIE WORLD IS FULL OF TROUBLE

said the preacher. Quite right, brother ; but you failed to add that a great portion of this trouble, which comes in the form of rheumatic and neuralgic pains, could be easily removed by the timely uae of that old and reliable friend, "St;. Jacobs oil," which acts quickly and surely. An outward application which conquers pain, so sure as the sun shines. It acts like magic. It penetrates deep, reaching the seat of the disease, which all other remedies fail to reach. St. Jacobs oil treats the cause of the disease by penetrating to where the disease lies, hence its superiority to all other rheumatic and gout remedies. St. Jacobs oil is totally unlike any other remedy. It is peculiar to itself. The drugs from which it is made are gathered from the four quarters of the globe. A million bottles are sold every year. It has the largest sale, is the most popular, and does the most good of any medicine on earth. St. Jacobs oil is endorsed by all classes of the community, in every part of the civilised world. Statesmen, judges, eminent divines, men of letters, leading and representative citizens, noted travellers, celebrated athletes, and the public press of America, Great Britain, and Australasia have testified their approval of this remarkable remedy with a unanimity truly marvellous, and which could only be based, as it is, upon a foundation of the most sterling merit.