COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8477, 30 January 1891, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS. ] Hamilton, Thursday. There is likely to be great interest taken in the coming licensing elections in the Waikato district. The poll for the local option vote and the election of licensing committees falling upon the one day, the prohibition party in Waikato are making a strenuous effort in the several Waikato disrricts, and especially in the towns of Hamilton and Cambridge, not only to carry the local option vote, but to put such persons upon the licensing committees as will close any ill-conducted or unnecessary existing houses at the end of the licensing year. A house-to-house canvass has been made during the last six weeks, to induce people to vote for the prohibitionist party. . The weather still continues showery and unfit for harvest operations. It is feared that there will be a quantity of wheat this year in Waikato unfit for the miller. Fortunately there is not a large breadth sown this season, farmers having gone extensively into turnips and grass for sheep. The Domain Board would do well to sell the grass for removal growing amongst the thickly planted young trees in the Lake Park reserve, or during the next month or two they will stand considerable danger of being destroyed by fire. The following is the programme settled upon for the meeting of the South Auckland Racing Club on the 4t'n April :—Maiden Plate, £20; Hurdles, £30; Autumn Handicap, £55; Welter Handicap, £20; Steeplechase, £55; Claudelands Handicap, £30; Novel Race, £30; Flying Stakes, £20. Kiiiikihi, Thursday. The Baud of Hope meetings held here and at Te Awamutu under the auspices of the Te Awamutu Band of Hope have been a great success, and have awakened many here to take an interest in the coming licensing and local option vote election. A forcible appeal was made by the Rev. Mr. Meikleiohn to put down the use of strong drink, ana the Rev. Mr. Garland, of Cambridge, used some very strong remarks with respect to the drinking habits of the people. Hukanui, Thursday. The inhabitants here now muster a considerable number of "children, and the nearest school is too far away to be of use for any but grown children who could ride to it, especially in winter. The people have sent in an application to the Education Board offering the use of the public hall, which is in a central position for a schoolhouse. The services of a youth or young woman who had passed the pupil teacher's examination would be sufficient for the purpose, at present, and therefore, with the building found the opening of a school here would not be an expensive affair. Ohaupo, Thursday. Mr. W. J. Hunter will hold his first sheep fair of the season here on the ISth of next month. The unsettled weather is causing great anxiety to the fanners, with harvest full upon them. Commander Edwin's predictions for Monday were literally fulfilled. Heavy rainfalls took place along the Waipa and in Upper Waikato, a perfect deluge in some places. This, with the dripping rains which preceded it, and the still unsettled appearance of the weather, is causing great anxiety. Mohrt.vsville, Thursday. The Piako County Council is in a fairly good financial position. The credit balance at the bank is £577 15s 3d, while it is estimated that by the 31st March next the Council will have a balance of at least £700 to work upon. On the other hand the Patetere Riding is £200 in debt, to mee" which, however, a special rate on the riding will have to be struck, and the Te Aroha Riding is behind hand nearly a like amount on its special loan, owing to non-payment of the special rate by a large number of ratepayers. The clerk has, however, been-instructed to take legal proceedings against ail defaulters after the 20th February. Rotorca, Thursday. To-day's coaches (five in number) from Oxford and Okoroire brought 30 tourists. Eleven more are bound to arrive from Taupo to-night. Amongst the arrivals are several Australian legislators, also Mr. and Mrs. A. Nathan, of Auckland. Sir G. Grey is expected here next week. As he comes for the benefit of his health, he will probably make a long stay. One of Messrs. Thomas Cook and Son's representatives. Mr. Angus, has arrived, and will open an office here in a few days. Messrs. Adam, Glenister, Alcock, Bryan, and Smith visited Mount Tarawera yesterday. The hotels are all well filled at present, and with coaches, tourists, and natives about the township is quite lively. DRURY. The monthly meeting of the Drury Band of Hope was held in the public hall on the 21st instant, In the absence of the president, the Rev. T. Norrie, Mr. Dixon (vice president) occupied the chair. The following hymns (Hoyle's) were sung in the course of the evening:—Nos. SO, 114, 43, 104,42. Songs were also sung as follows — Woman's Resolution, Miss Ballard : "111 Take You Home Again Kathleen," Miss Collings ; " Good-by Annie," Miss S. Ballard (encored). Recitations were given by Misses L. Hirst, Ada Dixon, and Olive Dixon ; and a violin solo by Miss Sanders. Certificates won at the recent Band of Hope Catechism examination were presented to Miss Isabella Sanders, Masters Luke, John Ballard, Charles and George Maberly, and Walter Dixon. The meeting was as usual successful, and was especially well attended. —[Own Correspondent.]

TE KOPURU. As inquest was held at the Flaxmill Railway Station, on Friday, January 2, before Mr. T. Webb, coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr. James Trounsen was chosen foreman, on the body of a boy named Philip Murphy, aged 16 months. It appears that Mrs. Murphy (his mother), who has lately recovered from her confinement lOdavs ago, had missed the child for only about half-an-hour, and went in search of it, in which several children joined. Not finding it soon, she became alarmed, and informed some men. One of these, named Hugh Jones, went to search the banks of the creek, and found the little innocent floating in the water, but a short distance away, quite dead. He brought it ashore, and restorative means were used without avail. The jury returned a _ verdict of " Accidental drowning." This is the second child drowned at the flaxmill. Tho creek flows in front of the cottages, but a short distance away, and has here steep banks, very dangerous for young children. In addition to this danger, another one now exists, viz., the railway line, which runs between the creek and the cottages, entirely unprotected or unfenced. If the railway line were fenced, it would at the same time protect children from the creek. Mr. J. Lindley, formerly head master of the Kopuru school, has now fairly established a very successful aerated water factory at Kopuru. The factory is very favourably sitnated. under a grove of pine trees, which afford delightful shade and coolness, 011 the to]» of the Kopuru hill, just overlooking the river. For a supply of water, Mr. Lindley has a set of tanks capable of holding '2000 gallons. In addition to this, he has had a tank excavated in the solid sand rock, capable of holding 6000 gallons, for slop purposes. Before being used in the factory the water passes through a charcoal filter. The machine is one of Hayward and Tyler's, and is capable of turning out 400 dozen a day. The gas is made from bi carbonate of soda, mixed with a little whiting. Mr. Lindley now manufactures lemonade, ginger ale, raspberry ale, pineapple champagne, soda water, potash water, Indian tonic, and hop beer. He finds that he will have to enlarge his apparatus for making hop beer, the demand is so great. Last month Mr. Lindley and his assistant were kept working from five o'clock in the morning till nine or ten at night. Even on Christmas Day he was allowed no rest. Mr. Lindley is well satisfied with his success so far, and is of opinion that he will soon have to enlarge his building. The Maoris are going in for sheep. On Sunday a mob of f>0() sheep went past, bound for} the Heads. They had been purchased from the Messrs. Harding. No doubt the Maoris will find them more profitable to keep than cattle, which have become very degenerate, so much so that they will not fatten on grass, and are very wild and difficult to handle. The jubilee sports have been fixed for February 4. Great interest is being taken in the tug of war, Kopuru v. Aratapu. The tables are expected to be turned this year. The committee have decided that provisions on the ground must be sold at shop rates, so that visitors will not be fleeced, as sometimes happens. Mr. T. Webb's paddock is the one chosen for the sports. The coast is again lively with pionickers. No less than seven parties were encamped at the spot known as Glynch's Gully, last Sunday, in addition to numerous visitors for the day. Messrs. Chadwick and Ba-ssett have erected wooden cottages. The residents here fully appreciate the magnificent beach we possess—sixty miles in an unbroken straight line, beautifully level, along which horses can gallop thirty abreast. What would they think of that in Auckland ? Even the horses feel the exhilaration of the place, and lay their ears back for a race as soon as they set toot on the beach.—[Own Correspondent.] WHANGAREI. Our beautiful climate has been losing its good name lately. It has been raining more or less for the last eight days, spoiling the oaten hay crop. This would not have been so much noticed in former years when we had much wetter summers than this, i>ut the two

' t long winters have made the peor.le sick of rain. We hare, however or p tion in the fact that none of us ' ar ' oD , s °k see anything of the kind again. Th • y Maori about here old enough to rem S such winters as the two last. Some f - f can remember 70 or SO years back a° l ' e!a are more observant of the weather!b white men. The moist weather V i 1 1" most favourable for grass, and sto i better than they have done for nianv 4 Thin animals have positively become a yea - r3, in these parts, and the skeletons w*h : art? to disgrace our northern runs would Z have almost disappeared. U 111 to The township of Whancarei is evi» irapidly towards Kamo. Lots are bein , n ? and houses erected aloug both sides* 3 f •' main road, and the demand is in eyce** ttle supply. Kamo will be a fashionable siihn v 6 Whangarei by and by—a kind of VVVt p j A meeting of the Whangarei Lit era ,• stitute was held on the 22nd. Mr. Mr Hi librarian, reported that during the ye- 011 '"' 1 ' library had been open 74 days and 3" • " ings, in which time 1450 persons had vU\ B ,' the library, and taken out 2534 books fr also stated that 29 new subscribers l, 5 joined within the last eight months, —in Correspondent.] WAIPU. Harvesting operations have been very m- - retarded by the continual showers of r • 3 that have been sprinkled over the during the past few weeks, awl rust K made its appearance amongst the crop; • consequence of the moist muggiiie.ss ofY'' weather. Four reaping machines are travel" ling the district, but are not able to cut th crops with sufficient rapidity to meet th pressing need for their services. Many fJl " s settlers will be compelled to resort" to th scythe and sickle this year if they wis), £ garner their grain, because between the ii e h! caused by wet wont her, and the greater'n tent of land laid down in crop this year, th« limited number of machines will notbe'abi« to complete the harvesting. Some of 0 „'," farmers report having been very successful In growing wneat this year, but from persirti observation I know of two cases in whir? this crop has been a total failure, not even returning the seed that was sown. Miss Grace Airey has arrived, to tike charge of the Cove School, tree Miss French who lias resigned her engagement uudo.-tC Board of Education. Miss French proved herself to be a thoroughly capable teachp during her mistresship of the Cove .School and if all the lady teachers under the acquit themselves as well as she has rio> !t when placed in charge of schools, the wisdom of the Board's action in appointing ftmaie teachers to take charge of country schools will be fully established. The Rev. Mr. Worboys, of Avondale, his just paid up a visit and conducted the services in the Presbyterian Church last Sundaymorning and evening. On Monday evenin» the reverend gentleman delivered his now famous lecture on Love, Courtship, irj j Marriage. Unfortunately the night turned out quite wet, so that the attendance at the lecture was rather small. The steady down, fall of rain prevented many from avuilm» themselves of the pleasure of hearing a discourse on so fascinating a subject.fOwa Correspondent.] WAIMATE NORTH. The annual treat of the Sunday-school took place on Wednesday, 21st January, in th* show ground. A good number of adnii friends responded to the invitation to join, and there seemed to be no lack of enjoy! ment. The ample dimensions of the snow building now adds to the pleasure, as if affords shelter either from sun or rain. Ithe evening the resident minister, the Rev. P. Walsh, held a service in the church, which was well attended. One the very old settlers, Mr. K. A. Fairburn, is removing with his family to Howkk. On Thursday last Mr. G. F. JD'ickeson sold the furniture, horses, etc., by auction. As usual in country sales, good articles, for the most part, failed in realising value. Other articles sold well. The committee of the Bay of Islands Agricultural and Horticultural .Society (Okaihaaj have issued their schedule and list of prizes for their forthcoming show on .March 11th. The well got up little pamphlet, with its :-Kj items for competition, indicates that those who have charge of the oldest of the societies in the North are determined not to be outdone in enterprise.—[Own Correspondent.] KATIKATI. The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association held its last meeting for the present on the evening of Thursday last, in th» Public Hall. Owing to the small attendance at the weekly meetings during tjje summer months, the meeting reluctantly came to the foregoing conclusion. There has always been a very large attendance on the ladies evenings, which takes place monthly, showing that here as elsewhere the influence ci the fair creation is paramount. The Summer Meeting of the Katikati Jockey Club takes place on Saturday, the 7th February. As the course is a good one, the prizes valuable, and the events numerous, a large attendance is expected. Our public schools re-open after the Christmas holidays on Tuesday, the third day or February. No doubt the teachers and pupils will bring renewed vigour to their duties in preparing for the annual examination and Government inspection, which is expected to take place early in the month of March. Death has been in our midst: last week. An aged lady, one of the first settlers, Mrs. Margaret Mulgrew, passed away. She leaves several grown-up sons and daughters, and a number of grandchildren.—[On Correspondent.]