COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8583, 3 June 1891, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FBOM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.,) Hamilton, Tuesday. Richard Esh, the religious maniac com•mitted to the Asylum, was taken down by yestorday's train Auckland by Constable Berryman. He was very violent and had to be handcuffed and tied with ropes. There must be a large amount of money, maintenance fees, outstanding, due now to the Waikato Hospital since its establishment four years ago, and it would;be well-if some efforts were made to get some portion at least of this amount in. Probably the amount will not reach much less than £1000, but of this at least a third will be altogether bad. Of the remainder, however, much will be due from responsible parties, from some of whom the whole amount they owe, or an appreciable part could be recovered. If such a list were prepared, the house committee might be authorised to classify these debts, and from their knowledge of the circumstances of the debtors be able to ax the amount for winch they might be compounded in some cases. At the meeting of the committee of the Hamilton branch of the Waikato Farmers' Club held last night, it was resolved to apply to the Northern Cattle Board for their views on the taxation of stallions. Also to write to the member for Waikato, asking him to bring before the House legislation to make the adulteration of artificial manures a criminal offence. A matter quite as important would be to have the legal position of auctioneers towards their clients put on a different footing, so that the moneys received for the sale of goods of the latter should be held a first charge upon their estates in the event of bankruptcy; in fact, to make the auctioneers liable as bailees for the moneys obtained for their clients' good. Alexandra, Tuesday. At the local option poll here only one man voted, and against an increase in all kinds of licenses. Tho same thing occurred in the Rangiaohia district, but in the Mangapiko district the prohibitionists mustered as many as two votes against none on the other side. Whatawhata, Tuesday. A new sawmill is to be started near the mouth of the Kaniwhaniwha creek, on the Waipa river. There is abundance of fine timber, consisting of totara, tanekaha, rimu, and kahikatea up the former stream. Ohaupo, Tuesday; Messrs. Gardner and R. N. Buttle have, in deference to public convenience, withdrawn the notice that the road from the Waipa to this township across the Rukuhia swamp property would be closed. The closing of this road would have been a serious lass to the Waipa settlement.

[BY ZELEGKAFH. —OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Hamilton, Tuesday. William St. Clair, charged this afternoon on remand, before Messrs. Searancke and Knox, Justices, with stealing a horse and dog at Napier, the property of Mr. Dixon, was remanded to Napier, and will be taken down to Auckland in the morning. JHuntlt, Tuesday. A man named Hatton was fined ss ? and costs £1 14s, for trespassing on the railway line. ■

OTAHUHU. A meeting of the chairmen of the Road Boards in the Mamikau County, and a representative of the Onehunga Borough Council, was held- in the Public Hall, Otahuhu, on Monday, May 26, at noon. Present: Mr. James Atkinson, Otahuhu; Mr. J. A. Goodfellow, East Tamaki; Mr. C. Bailey, Papatoetoe; Mr. C. Roberts, Pakuranga; Mr. M. Kirkbiide, Mangere; and Mr. D. Hills, Onehunga. Mr. Kirkbride was elected chairman. The business of the meeting was to nominate a member of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in the place of Mr. S. Gooseman, resigned. On the motion of Mr. C. Bailey, Mr. William J. T. Bell (Mutual Life Association of Australasia) was nominated to fill the vacancy. According to the provisions of the Hospital and Charitable Institution Act, 1885, the election, in this instance, really rests with the members of the Auckland Hospital Board, who, in the case of an extraordinary vacancy, temporarily appoint a member to hold office until the annual election, which takes place on the fourth Wednesday of November.—[Own Correspondent.]

, . EAST TAMA.KL A SPECIAL meeting of the East Tamaki School Committee was held on Monday evening, tbd 25th instant. Present: Messrs. J. Win*ton, R. Scarborough, G. Brown, J. Wilson, and J. .Cowsill; In the absence of the chairman, Mr. Cov/sill presided. A letter Wiis written to Messrs. Lennox and Mnir for information as to date of their intended visit to the district, and also to inquire if .they would receive a deputation of the committee.' | A deputation of householders, consisting of Messrs. J. White, Hewgill, Baverstock, R. Sutcliffe and <L Cargo, presented the following petition :—" To the East Tamaki School Committee. Gentlemen, —We, the undersigned householders and parents residing in the East Tamaki school district, respectfully request the committee to urge the JJoard of Education not to build the proposed second school in this district for the following reasons:—l. We consider it an unnecessary expenditure of money, seeing that the present school has at considerable expense been lately enlarged and renovated. 2. Wo consider the petitioners for the proposed new school have less cause for complaint as to distance than the people livirtg at the southern end of the district. 3. We consider the present school accommodation ample, as the school is built for 140 children and the average attendance is about 85." The petition was signed by 47 householders and parents. It was decided to forward the petition to the Board of Education.—[A Correspondent.]

POLLOK.

It is refreshing now to see our young men in this place taking an interest in the Road Board, school committee, and' tilings in general, helping the progress and well-beiii" of the settlement, several of whom waited upon me and requested that I should write an explanation to the Weekly News respecting a question and answer that appeared in the paper of the 23rd May. The editor spoke very plain, firm language, although in a general way, every word of which is true to the life in too many cases throughout the country. The young men only want to put the saddle on the right horse. ''Inquirer" dates from his residence in Pollok, although the whole question about the trees arose within the bounds of the Awhitn Road Board, not within the Pollok Road Board. Like Caleb Balderstono in the " Bride of Lammennoor," our young men are endeavouring to support the honour and dignity of their Road Board. A general meeting of the several branches of the Waiuku Presbyterian Church was held in the church at Kohekohe, being the most central place in the church district. The several places in the circuit were pretty well represented. The pastor, the Rev. W. J. Comrie, opened the meeting with prayer and then retired. Captain Makgill was called to the chair, and intimated the nature ot the business for which the meeting was convened. Mr. Hamilton, of Awhitn, got up and made a motion containing several clauses as follows : — " That this congregational meeting strongly object to the translation of our pastor, and for this purpose appeal to the Presbytery on the following grounds: That no reasons for translation have been given ; that, as far as we arc aware, we have complied with all that we promised, when the call was made to Mr. Comrie ; that the session and Mr. Comrie are on the most friendly terms. That should Mr. Comrie remain as our pastor, we would have reason to look forward to much spiritual prosperity, otherwise it is much feared that a relaxing 01" loosening of the ties that bind us as a churge would bo the consequence." At this stage Captain Makgill requested to add a clause, which was subsequently put in the form of an amendment, and carried, "That if the Rev. Mr. Comrie had fully made up his mind to accept the call, that this congregation should not put any obstacles in the way. At this juncture Mr. Comrio re-entered the meeting, and the question was put point blank. He gavo certain reasons for accepting the call, which were, however, not mado quite manifest, although enough could be gathered to understand that Air. Comrie had made up his mind to make the change. Messrs. Brownlee, Alexander, William Douglas Finlay, Hamilton Mclnnes, J. Smith Pye, McEwen, and Captain Makgill shortly'addressed the meeting, inere was tin expression of universal regret that the Rev. Mr. Comrie had made up his mind to leave this charge. The meeting then appointed Mr. James Brownlee, elder ot at. James's Church, Auckland, and Captain Makgill, elder of Waiuku, to atteud the meeting of the Presbytery at St. Andrews on the 2nd June, as representatives of this charge.—[Own Correspondent]

HUNUA. Fkom the number of visitors we had to the falls on Monday, from town and the surrounding districts, your correspondent was inclined to teel that he alone worked, though not as Mr. John Abbott said to mo once. He said, " Is it true, as I have heard it said, there is no Suuday after you pass Drury? Mo we rest all we can upon that-day, and need it, too, after 75 to 85 hours work through the week. How is that against your town week's work of 44 to 4S hours? Last week we had a dozen Maoris over the river in the ranges wild pig hunting. They caught one large wild boar, a real Captain Coolc, but not until he had killed one of their best dogs. They camped out upon the ilat and regaled themselves with pork, pigeons, and quail from the coper Maori. They struck camp in the early morn. I do not think they

were adepts at the &ct, as some saw 19 pigs before the day was past oat on the flat. * We have had some very severe frosts, and growth is at a standstill, everything having a very wintry appearance. After the continuous growfh of last summer, grass is now very washy.■• Our roads are in a bad etate. The contractors have'liad very weather to contend with. Gpttld the : Board arrange with the Government and contractors to postpone works until-December, the saving would be considerable, as the metal at McCraes Hill will have to be carted by Uie contractors, and the second state _of the road will be worse than the first. The metal is specified tp be blinded; I heard a Yorkshireman say once, a layer of fat and a layer of lean. Ido not know who the engineer is that ordered a layer of mullock aud a layer of mud. Upon Bently's Hill the contractors have nearly three-fourths of the metalling done, and no blinding. It is to be hojped that the contractors for the above sections will show more practical skill by blinding to bind only, and not spoil what is atpreseut a good work with mud. — [Own Correspondent]

MAUKU. The Ven. Archdeacon Dudley has been paying a visit to the parochial district Mauku-Waiuku in connection with Church affairs, which have got rather out of order from various causes, one being the district having uo resident minister in charge, but the people are under • a debt' of gratitude to the Rev. W. Roper for taking Sunday duty at our churches, as he has been doing for some time past, for without his kindly aid we should have been in a bad way for services at our various places of worship. But still people require more than Sunday preaching. The Archdeacon had service at Waiuku in the morning, and at Mauku in the evening, and he preached a most impressive sermon at each place, and the universal regret was that we could not hear him of tener. At the conclusion' of each service he held a short meeting with those present to see what stipend could be made up if the Bishop could appoint a resident minister. The meetings resolved to canvass the district; and to inform His Lordship ot the result, but from what I hear it is not likely that the same sum will We made up as previously, namely, £150, for it has only been got after much difficulty. The district has an advantage that few possess, namely, two very nicfi parsonages, one at Mauku and the other at Waiuku. I regret to read that my respected friend and brother correspondent at Tuakau,. takes rather a desponding view of grain-growing in his district. There is no doubt that the trouble and annoyance experienced during the last harvest season is almost enough to deter people from making a venture again, but who cau remember such a season before? So I should say to my Tuakau friends take heart, and don't be discouraged, for it is well-known that the district has grown pood crops of wheat, and oats, and what has been-done before can be done again, and Tuakau has the right stamp of settlers to do it. They have the quality in a deal of their land for grain-growinjj,and the prospect for the price of, wheat looks decidedly better than it'bas done} but,.wliateyer else.is done, settlers having a grist mill within easy reach should certainly grow wheat for their flour, and not have to import from the South. - By a bit of combination and,mutual assistance at harvest and thrashing-time, very little cash is required to be expended, and the flour is obtained by the settler's own labour, and the pigs and poultry come in for the sharps and bran,.thereby producing ham, bacon, and eggs for market, or for home use. I say if possible grow wheat. The early-sown grass is looking well in the district, though we have had rather early frosts, an* 3 things are assuming rather a wintry look. The roads are turnfng into mud. The milk supply at the creamery is much reduced, and is only being delivered every other day. It is wished to run it all the winter months, but I doubt the possibility of it. First, from the feed supply for the cows, which must be well provided to do it; and, second, the roads will not stand the traffic. '; * ... Improvements are visible in the district in one part. Mr. R. L. Garland is erecting a very good and substantial six-roomed house on his farm of 400 acres, next to the Ti Ti HiO, and it is quite an ornament to the neighbourhood. He is also doing a good deal of fencing, all pf a most durable character, post and rails of puriri. -Mr. Garland has a good deal growing on his property, for, unlike other places in the district, no puriri has been cut there for railway sleepers. This property was bought by Mr. Garland at one of the first Government sales of land in this district, over thirty years ago, and has been held ever since, though the owner has been in England until the last few years. SMr. W. T. Wright is also erecting a commodious house on his property, on the road ! from Patumahbe to Tukekohe, which will stand out as an improvement on the line of road when finished. —[Own Correspondent, May2l.] -' ' " ■'

BOMBAY. The monthly meeting of the Band of Hope wad held in the Wesleyan Church on Tuesday evening, May 19th. The attendance was good, the church being nicely filled. The energetic secretary, Miss Butthnore, had prepared a good programme for the evenentertainment. Mr. A. Smith, a temperance friend and visitor, was invited to occupy the chair. The meeting was opened with the hymn " Hold the Fort," and prayer by Mr. Smith. . The following took part in the programme, viz.:—Recitations by Misses J. Brownhill, Buttimore, Gillon, Cuthbert, S. Sharp, M. Bnttimore, S. Strong, and Alice Cornthwaite ; Arthur Landin and Henry Sharp ; solos by Miss M. Buttimore and Mr. J. Gibbon; daet by Mr. Gibbon and Miss Gibbon; action songs (3) by the children ; short address by Mr. Smith. A number of suitable hymns were heartily sung at intervals. The Benediction closed a very enjoyable evening's entertainment. On Monday evening, May 25th, a concert was given in the Bombay Hall, by a few friends of Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford, on behalf of Mrs. Clements, of this settlement. The hall was generously placed at the disposal of Mrs. Rutherford free of cost for the occasion by the hall committee. The attendance was good, the building being crowded. Each item on the programme was well rendered, and several encores demanded, but not all responded to. The first part was opened with a piano solo, " Massa s in the Cold Grouud," capitally rendered by Miss Lynch ; song, "Only Once More," Mr. Cousins; recitation, "The Schoolmaster's Guest," splendidly given by Mr. Kekwick, encore "My Other Chinese Cook;" song, " White Wings," Miss Quinn ; violin solo, "The Harp That Once Thro'Tara's Hall,* Miss Buckland, encored; duet, " When the Wind Bloweth in from the Sea," Mrs. Bartlet t and Mr. Sims; quintette,," Midnight Serenade," Mrs. Bartlctt, Miss Buckland, and Messrs. Bartlett, Sims, and Cousins, encored, and repeated : song, " Old Madrid," Miss Quinn. Second part : Piano duet, " Fairy Queen," Misses Hayles and Buckland ; song, " The Better Land," splendidly rendered by Mrs. Bartlett, with violin obligato by Miss Buckland, encored but not responded; song. " Oh! Oh ! Hear the Wind Blow," Mr. Bartlett; soiQg, "Cupid in Disguise," Miss Hayles ; song, " Dream of Home," splendidly given by Miss Buckland, encore " Oh, How Delightful;" duet, " May and December," Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett, encored but not responded to; violin solo. Miss Buckland. Misses Lynch, Hayles, and Bnckland kindly played the accompaniments. " God Save the Queen" brought a very successful concert to a close. Though Mrs. Rutherford was the chief instrument in getting the concert up, through indisposition she was not able to be .present.—[Own Correspondent.]

PUHOI. I see in the last Weekly News that aPuhoi correspondent is going to alter the Licensing Act next session,' if possible. I use the singular person because the individual in question might do so if ho could. Hβ says a publichouse not needed by the travelling public, should be done away with, I think the electors have this question to decide, and especially those who reside in a district where there is an, hotel. As for these institutions paying, I suppose the owners know best. So long as they pay they will be kept open ; when the reverse takes place they will bo shut up. As there is only one hotel off the main road from the Flagstaff to Warkwprtli, namely, the Puhoi Hotel, this is evidently tho one pointed at. AH I can say is that .man and beast never regret stopping there, and make it their place of call again if itjlies in their way.' I see by your Warkworth correspondent that our fellow-settlers in that district are going in for wine-growing, notwithstanding tlio place is a little nest of teetotallers;' in fact, it is said that some of the Blue Ribbonis te are going into the business themselves. This does not look like closing M pubs" north of Auckland. It certainly would be odd for a man to sell wine, and taste none of it himself. There are no people wicked enough to say there is no representative body in this district. This is simply yp\ir correspondent's ovCft imagination. The Road Board nieetings and elections are advertised as required by law : the school committee election was advertised by the Board of Education; and the licensing election, by the County Council—all as the law requires. If the ratepayers do not attend as they should it is their own fault, and tho settlers either have confidence _ in those that represent them or they think their time is too valuable to be lost by attending to public matters.— {A Correepon-, dent,] ..;,.■• •

MAUNGAKARAMEA. A concert in aid of the fund for bnildinira M public hall was held here on Thursday last The weather was beautifully fine, and so the attendance was not so large as it ought tc have been for such a good object. A hall »' a good thing for promoting social intercourse in districts where the Bettlers are and by bringing people together oftoner makes them more friendly with each * thing often wanted in these country districts in North Auckland. The programme was'a very good one, and consisted almost entirely of local talent, and was a credit to the die. trict. The songs were all good ones, and very well Tendered. The audience, therefore showed their appreciation by keeping good order, and bestowed well deserved appl ause upon each item. Mr. Leslie, of Waipu> ■»« a great 'assistance to the committee, boti for singing and playing. This gentleman also supplied good music for the dance which followed., The programme was as follows — Overturej Mr.Leslie; duet, "The^se Said to the Swallow,": the , Misses Snoll • song "Steering Home," Mr. H. Cook^. sonl' " Jeannette and Jeannot." Miss Lkcv Snell' scng, "Skipper's Fiapr," Mr. Wilkinson; &ong, " I Cannot Sing the Old Sones." Miss Sloane; song, "Let Your Tears Kiss the Flowers on My Grave," Mr. T. Sloane; song " Jessie's Dream," Miss Snell; comic song ' "Tut, tat, tut! Who'd have thought itr Mr. Wilkinson; song, " To-morrow," Miss Sloane; comic sone, "Killaloe," Mr, D O'Carroll; sonc, "I Did It," Mr. Lesli e . song, "Kate O'Shane," Mies Ethel Snell' sonn (comic) " It's All Over Now with the Ladies," Mr. Kysh; v song (comic), Mr, Leslie. " God. save the Queen, terminated the performance.—[Own Correspondent.] f KATUKATI. , O.v Friday, the 15th of May, Katjkati : suffersd from a gale of wind from tho south, ease, but ever since we have had most delightful M-eather. The KLatikati steam flour mill is now in full swinjj and turniug out splendid flour. It Is both stone and roller, and Mr. Gray, the proprietor, deserves every encouragement.~ [Own Correspondent.] • —' • '*

TAHEKE. There has been little: occurring here UtelvX worthy of note. I believe two births hav* taken place since I Jast wrote, and I remi to have to record the death of a native 'too, for his genuine good qualities all round, wai esteemed by-all who came in contact wit! him. I refer to Hori Te Kuri, the Weeleym minister at Taheke. A change of teacaers has been made at the native school, Waima, this week. Air, Hill, who has had charge of the school for some years, has been removed to Aku Aku, on the East Coast, and Mr. J. B. Lee hw been appointed, to fill the vacancy thw caused. I may 1 say, in parenthesis, that i» would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a school, European or native, that v/onlj compare with ilr. Hill's at Waima for,heaKness. Inkstairis ure an unknown quantity and the floor always has the appearance a.; newly-dressed timber. Our own school committee had hardly ' been a week in existence before a special meeting was convened to consider a proposal ; by the lioard to remove the teacher. "A" resolution deprecating the proposed arrangement was carried unanimously, and the Board has since signified its decision to accede to the wish of the committee, and re- ?! tain Mr. Simmonds at Taheke for the

present. I understand that matters were rather lively on the gumfields near here a fortnightago. Some of the gumbuyers had lowered the price from 36s to 32a or thereabouts, bnt a dusky gentleman who has recently launched out in the gum line (whether as principal or agent deponent knoweth not) strolled around and offered 403, and as a very natural consequence ecooped the ,pooL This seems to have riled the aforeeaid buyers" a little, and dire threats of vengeance were flying aboutThe most terrible of these appears to have been that the offen/ling diggers weald not be allowed to deal ".jeith me" in the future.

Competition is ratter too keen now for end a stand to be taker, although it might have some effect half a oozen years ago. i I am glad to learn- that there is a probability of some sections which have been made ,:, -'•', vacant for a considerable time being taken up and occupied. Applications have been made for two, at least, on.the deferred payment arrangement. . ' There has been heavy rain hero during the . last week or so; aad the creeks have beta ' flooded.'" The. utter i uselessneas of the socalled culverts which have been made dating the summer is now becoming ; apparent • Conservation of water is alLyery w,elj.jn jti way, , and our engineers shoula find n genial sphere of v operation in .Erujsto , -!,' Africa or Australia, but* there really it «o need to dam up storm-w:in 1 Hokuap, or, at least, in such parts of it as are, a W& inland. To make two streams travene a road where oue went before seems to be the ... ■ aim of road-mending hereabouts. Tin. l engineers should ' adopt the ancient motto, . " divide etc, etc." They could stop there as they do in practice.— Correspondent] I