COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8374, 30 September 1890, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Hamilton, Monday. The funeral of the late Mr. John Hill, which took place yesterday was largely attended by settlers from all parts of the district. Mr. Hill, who travelled the wellknown Clydesdale stallion, Lowden Tarn, had many friends all over the Waikato, who were very sorry to hear of his sudden death, which took place on Saturday morning. The Rev. Mr. Hendry, Presbyterian, officiated at the grave, the burial taking place in the Hamilton West Cemetery.

The young man Taylor, who was brought in from Rotorua on Friday to the Waikato Hospital, having met with a severe accident to his foot, is progressing favourably, and Dr. Kenny, who at first thought that amputation would be necessary, now expresses hope of being able to save the foot, though he cannot speak positively to that effect, as the injury is a very severe one. Cambridge, Monday. Travellers between Cambridge and Oxford cannot help being surprised at the luxuriant growth of oats on the Te Rau block, near Oxford. From the appearance of this crop it is safe to infer that early sowing is likely to prove successful in Waikato. The proper way to break up new land of a light character is a matter on which there is considerable difference of opinion among agriculturists, but the plan adopted by the manager of the Paparamu estate appears to have been particularly successful. Near the Oxford station is a piece of land belonging to this estate, which was sown with soft turnips and mixed grass. The turnips were fed off by sheep, the natural manure from which was assimilated by the grass plants instead of being wasted away. Moreover the turnips wore a shelter for the young grass during the frosts of early spring. Wiiatawhata, Monday. An enjoyable social evening was spent in the schoolroom on Friday evening last, when about forty couples, old and young, met together by invitation. There were visiters from Hamilton, Raglan, and Ngarua\va|iia. .Songs were rendered by Mesdames Pf.iti, Sutton, and Dawson, and Miss Calder; also by Messrs. W. Shepherd, Howden, and Bloomfield. The accompaniments were played, in her usual brilliant style, by Miss lvversen. The dance music by Messrs. S. Calder (violin) and T. Bloomfield (accordion) was all that could be desired. Mr. W. McCutcheon made a most efficient M.C.

Our butter factory is now in full working order, and the supply of milk increasing, at present having readied '200 gallons per diem. It is reported that the natives at the Blue Nose settlement (where they had the fever so bad last year), have a bad attack of the itch, and the neighbouring Europeans are afraid of its spreading. Owing to the small prices obtained for wheat and oats this past season, our farncrs are putting in small crops this year, and are going in more for sheep, which they hope will pay better than grain. Tithikaramea, Monday. The attontion of the Waipa County Council should be drawn to the main road from the Tuhikarainea boundary to Whatawhata. In some places the pipes across the road are stopped, and the water is flowing over. At other ports near the Whatawhata end there are some very bad holes. A few days with a surface man at work would put this road in a fair state for the ensuing summer. \Yaitoa, Monday. After all it would appear that the railway drain is to be completed. Mr. Cooin, the railway engineer, finds he was labouring under a misapprehension as to the size of the drain required, but after conferring with Mr. Pavitt, and finding it is only a three-feet and not a six-feet one that is wanted, ho promised to recommend the Government to nave the work done.

LichkiKlu, Monday. The following letter has been forwarded by Mr. F. D. Rich to the chairman of the Piako County Council with reference to certain remarks made at a previous meeting:—"Sir,—ln the report of the proceedings of the last monthly meeting of the Pinko County Council as published in the Waikato Times, of August 26, you are reported to have said with reference to my letter of August 10, ' The I'atetere people did i not appear to know what they did want in the matter of roads, or where they wanted them. Many councillors did not know the lay of the country, and they had been completely humbugged. He (the chairman) did not know how the otheis felt, but he was thoroughly sick of the whole business.' These remarks being most offensive and untrue, and I emphatically deny your Council have been ' humbugged,' as vou term it. or in any way misled. The letter under question contained three " applications, all of which were granted by the Council, apparently without any objection. I must therefore express my surprise that any chairman of a county council could' have used such language and charges against the largest ratepayers in the county, who have paid in rates over £2000, and for which only a very small percentage has been spent within the boundaries of the Thames "Valley Land Company's property. I await an explanation or justification for your very uncalled for remarks.—(Signed) F. D. Rich. P.S. —With respect to the remark that " many of the councillors did not know the lay of the country,' I may say Messrs. Hanmcr and Williams, and the county engineer, who were all present, are quite familiar with the localities."

MANGAWAI. The wharf still occupies the attention of settlers. A meeting is to be called shortly to decide on some move or other. The delay causes loss to all, as the shipping of perishable goods is being discontinued. The last letter to the Auckland Harbour Board re the wharf from tire local Road Board met with a pertinent reply. It was evident from that that the Auckland Harbour Board wants no further correspondence upon a matter over which they have no control. The Auckland Harbour Board recommends the local Board to consult their solicitor. It seems remarkable that no application has been made to the Marine Department, from whom the Board receives the limited authority they have. Any alterations in charges must he authorised by the Marine Department, but this appears beyond the capacity of our local members, who appear to shun any contact with Government officials. How long ratepayers will submit to these crooked ways is at present unknown, but it surely cannot be long. Heavy showers fell Saturday and Sunday, delaying late planting, but doing good to grass and growing crops. The strike no doubt will awaken us to the fact that if settlers and storekeepers do not keep a fair supply of food on hand we are likely to have to smart for the neglect. Land will be prepared this season for more wheat, maize, and the like than has been done before for many years, and I suppose the Waipu mill will get an increase of work next year; consequently that road wants looking after.

KAWAKAWA. Serious floods have again appeared. It is quite disheartening to the settlers, who have to stand still and see the potato crop that has already been planted spoiled, and the soil on the flats and hillsides that had been in course of preparation to receive other crops washed away into the creeks. The roads, which had dried up considerably, are in a worse state than ever.

At the mines all the work that has been done was the supplying of '200 tons of coal to the U.S. warship Mohican, on the completion of which the men again " came out." In the meantime the company have to bear the expense of keeping out the water from the workings without realising anything with which to meet the expenditure.—[Own Correspondent.]