COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8524, 26 March 1891, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

Hamilton, Wednesday. After the Horticultural Show on Wednesday last some of the competitors for the special prize of the best butter, meeting together at Mr. J. Parr's shop, challenged .the keeping quality of the butter exhibited, and two of them, Messrs. T. Dodd (winner of the prize) and Mr. J. R. S. Richardson, offered a prize of 15er for the best sample shown at the show after being kept a week in Mr. Parr's cellar, beneath the store, in which no goods of any kind are kept. Five entered for the competition, namely, Mr. T Dodd, of Tjuiwhare; Mr. J. S.-.R. Richardson, of Cambridge; Mr. J. Forrest, Cambridge ; Miss M. Edgeeumbe, of Hamilton; and Mr. Calder, of Whatawhata (winner of the special prize.for best Jib. : Their exhibits were at once placed in the cellar, and were tested yesterday by Mr. John Knox, who was taken down in the dark, lest as a butter buyer he should know any of the samples by brand or colour. He gave the palm first to Mr. Dodd'a sample, and second place to that of Mr. Richardson. The butter was all in excellent condition, but not quite up to the mark of the previous Tuesday, the cellar being a damp one. A sad accident happened to Mr. T. Kin": on Friday. He was commencing to clear off a piece of ground in his garden for planting purposes with a fork, when he drove one of the prongs right through the centre of the flat of the foot, causing him great pain, and laying him up for some days to come. The number of patients in the hospital has dropped down to ten, little more than half what it has been for some time. Dr. Kenny, it will be gladly learned, has made a satisfactory cure of Mr. A. Furze's injured arm. That gentleman was in Hamilton yesterday, and looking well, though the arm is still in a splint. Ngaruawahia, Wednesday. With the increase of sheep in Waikato, has come the necessity for a local wool-scour-ing establishment, and probably a fellmonkery. Mr. J. P. Baily, late of the firm of J. McNicol and Co., has taken the premises on the other side of the river here, lormerly occupied as a fellmongery by a company, which are in every way suitable to the purpose, sheds, vats, etc., being all ready to hand. Mr. Baily will have the advantage of the services of his son as manager, lately employed on the same work for the Auckland Land Association, and who has had considerable experience in the business. _ There should be a good opening now, which was not formerly the case, for a fellmongeriug and wool-scouring establishment in Waikato, and with Mr. Baily's connection the undertaking will doubtless be a success. Messrs. H. Reynolds'butter factory here is as busy as ever, and the quantity of milk and cream received for treatment is even larger than it was in the earlier part of the season, showing that farmers must have made money this season out of their milk supplies to the various factories. The cream is all received and made into butter here, and there are now some seven hands employed in the factory making the butter and putting it up into lib and 21b tins. Whatawhata, Wednesday. The potato crop is in a few cases a total failure, not being worth the harvesting; in other cases, however, on drier ground, fair crops, and in some, good crops, will be harvested. Mr. Ormiston, of Okete, who was thrown from his dray with part of the load last week, is rapidly getting well under the care of Dr. Bay. The leg was not broken by the fall of a coil of barbed wire upon him from the dray, but the kneecap was put out of joint, and he was otherwise bruised. A serious accident happened last week to , a lad named Percy Hill, whose parents live in Auckland. He was employed by Mr. Lawrence Sutton. He was sent to get the horses in from a large paddock, and mounted one of them to drive the others. In passing through some tall tea-tree scrub at a good pace, he was brushed off the horse by the scrub, and in falling put his wrist out of joint. As it seemed that other injuries had also been received, Dr. Bay was sent for, who reduced the dislocation, but found that the small bone of the arm had been also broken. Huntly, Wednesday. A concert was held in Ralph's Hall on Monday evening in aid of the Church Building Fund. Mr. Harrison, manager of the Taupiri Reserve Mining Company, officiated as chairman. There was an excellent programme provided, but unfortunately the attendance was not large. An overture (violin and piano) by the Misses Tattley (4) was played with the taste and skill that characterises the performances of these talented young ladies. Mrs. Marriott sang "When You and I Were Young" very nicely, and on being recalled repeated the last verse. Miss E. Tattley(aged 13) sang " The Female Auctioneer " in costume ; this clever young lady acquitted herself admirably, and received an encore. " The Jolly Miller " was fairly rendered by Mr. R. Skillern. "Scene 3 that are Brightest" was sweetly sung by Miss White. Mr. Ruston sang " Elsie of the Glen," which was encored. Mrs. Tattley gave " Then Yoivll Remember Me" in her usual pleasing manner. Mr. R. Noble (in costume) danced an Irish jig very neatly, keeping up the various steps in a spirited manner to the last. He received well deserved applause and a recall. Mr. C. Skillern contributed two comic songs in fine style. The second part of the programme opened with an overture, violins and piano, by the Misses Tattley (4), which was well rendered. Mr. Moulusworth amused the audience by his exceedingly funny rendering of "Blue Beard and His Wife," with hair-broom accompaniment. The manner in which he showed Blue Beard riding on his spirited charger to the wars, a long-handled hair-broom acting as the charger, created great merriment amongst the children. " Ehren on the Rhine," was very well sung by Mrs. Melling. " Little Jim, or the Collier's Dying Child," was recited by Mrs. Tattley in a very feeling manner. M"isa G. Tattley, in costume, gave a serio-comic song. This was a really good performance, and called forth an encore. A duet, " The Wind and the Harp," was sung by Miss and Miss M. Tattley, their voices blending exceeding well together. This was one of the gems of the evening, and received fitting acknowledgment. Mr. J. Marriott sang, "I Wonder What Next They Will Do." Owing to a ses'ere cold, this gentleman had to retire before concluding what would otherwise have been a good song. " Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still," was sung by Miss Tattley with fine expression, and received due applause. The National Anthem brought the entertainment to a close. The room afterwards was cleared for dancing, which was kept up until midnight. WAIOTEMARAMA. This district has lately been visited by the agent for the Government Life Insurance, who was well received, and made a. very successful canvass, having insured lives to the amount of some £4000. It is evident that our settlers fully recognise the uncertainty of a bush life, and the necessity of providing for their families in case of accident. Advantage was taken by some of ouij residents to consult the doctor who was accompanying the agent on various matters of ill-health. One case would have probably been fatal had it not been for the opportune visit of a medical man. The want of a dulyqualified doctor is greatly felt in the district. There is plenty of room for one, and work enough if the money were secured. Both this settlement and the adjoining one of Waimamaku, locally known as the " Canterbury settlement," seem likely to increase and prosper. There has been land taken up by new settlers in this part, and there are several more men who are anxious to do the same, and only wait for the land to be surveyed and opened. Our crops are looking well, especially the maize and kumeras. The late fine weather has proved most acceptable; it was much wanted to ripen the corn. Had we only cheaper freights and better roads this part of Hokianga would prove a formidable rival to Opotiki in the cultivation of maize. The roads are being much improved, especially the one from the native settlement of Waimatnaku to Omapere; but at present there is little chance of freights coming lower with all the business in the hands of one shipping company, except what little the schooner Queen can do. Onr usual fortnightly service was very •well attended yesterday, there being over forty present in the schoolroom, of whom nine were natives. A very able address was given by Mr. Porter, a gentleman who happened to be in the neighbourhood on business.—[Own Correspondent.]