COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8584, 4 June 1891, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.J v ....-Hamilton*, Wednesday. ; The Public Library Committed lias appealed to the Hamilton Dramatic Company to ; give an entertainment in behalf of its fwiids, which are at a very low ebb. . The Dramatic Company, at a meeting on Monday evening, were very little inclined to agree to the proposal. many of them being of opinion. tliaj the library is not a, public institution pro* perly so called, that it is placed beyond the reach of the bulk of the ratepayers by its exorbitant amount of ;subscription"(lo3 per annum), and that the proper means of procuring funds is not resorted, that of striking a library rate.; After some consideration, however, the Dramatic Club came to the conclusion of putting a new piece: 011 the stage, and playing it twice, and dividing the net profits of the two performances with the library. Colonel Goring is expected up by train to inspect the Hamilton Light Infantry Corps to-morrow (Thursday) evening. A full muster will, it is to be hoped, put in an appearance. ! Ngaruawauia. Wednesday. The annual licensing meeting of the Commissioners was held here yesterday. Mr. Hay applied for a new license for the Waipa Hotel, on behalf of Mr. Joshua Smith, which was granted. The renewal of Mr. Simonhagg's license for the Delta Hotel was also granted. - " ' A gentleman passed through here by train 011 Monday, with eight tins of young trout, intended for liberation at Otorohanga, and other streams in the Upper Waipa district. Considering that it is now years ago since the then town clerk of Hamilton liberated from 1500 to '2000 well-grown trout in the river below Hamilton, it is strange that nothing has been seen of them, excepting tho largo trout netted about .18 months ago near the Hamilton traffic bridge. HuNTr/r, Wednesday. :In the case S. A. Hearn v. A. McGlynn, claim £10 14s, arrears of rent, judgment was given for £3, and costs £1, the amount to be paid off at the rate of £1 per month. ,■ , r , ... . OiiAUX'O, Wednesday., ■ A well attended meeting was held .vasterday of those interested in getting Uj> the Pakuranga hounds for a season's sport., A representative committee was elected, and Mr. Storey was appointed master ■ of the hounds, with Mr. Pilkington to represent Cambridge and Mr. WeatherillTo Awamutu.

MAHURANGI. Ik my last week's letter, in writing of tho plentifulness of pheasants, and recording the splendid bag made by Mr. Lushington and party, I wrote they woro accompanied with •' a stalwart gillie," which is printed stalwart On Saturday, the 23rd, the Warkworth Race Committee held ft meeting in the Wark worth

Hotel; when arrangements were made JfoldinK tlieir proposed and ball, the secretary HMtrucrtabns to cqmmumwte with" instrumentalists and vocalists of the . district with a view to secure their services f °A t meetlng l ofs«tfclers at M atakana called by residents fof that district with a view of j amalgamating the resources of the districts of •, MaSa, Omaha, and .Mahuranm. for the purpose of holding an - agricultural show in alternate years in each place, seems likely to lead to Ultimate success so far as Matakana and i Mahurangi are ;concerned. _■ The Omaha representatives are of opinion that the great distance would prove au effectual barrier, and prevent quantity of either hve stock., or produce being sent to or from that locality, The adjournment of the meeting . to Wark.worth should rouse the dormancy that has so long prevailed in this settlement into some--thing like life and action; ; and give proof that there is still some public spirit left in the district.—[Own Correspondent.]

WAIPU. A meeting of the committee of the Waipn Presbyterian Church was held ont the 18th May, the i. primary i object of which was ,to receive an expression of . the wishes -of persons desiring the; re-establishment of Gaelic services in connection with the church. A meeting had been held previously, and resolutions drafted to be ; submitted for tfte consideration of the church committee, ■ • Several delegates were in attendance at the church committee meeting, and presented ; the em- • bodied resolutions as an ultimatum from the people desiring Gaelic services. _ After giving the resolutions .Sue consideration, the committee decided tq reject them in the r. form presented, but a motion was .passed deciding to -ask the Auckland Presbytery; to make arrangements, if possible, ' whereby - the divinity student, N. R. McLennan, would be • enabled to give '• Gaelic services. in., the Wainu church once a month- . . . : The favourable ' news in;connection with the crushing at Pnhipuhi is filling ; the minds of many of our residents with hopeful visions of a bright future, and several persons have expressed: their- intention; oi hieing P.uhipuhi.ward, arid . casting themselves into the stream of prosperity that they expect shortly to' ensue. The WaipuSilvermining Association have increased ' their holding tin Puhipuhi to 25 acres, and '.have' been ) granted a lease at the last Warden's Court. Ihe present - shareholders are : favourable to .an amalgamation with ' 60_me of the ; adjoining claims, and the formation of a strong company with' adequate' capital to develop the ground, and with this object in view they are sending a representative to Whangarei to a meeting •of representatives of several adjoining claims for the purpose of discussing the question, and determining the most feasible arrangement for obtaining, money to erect machinery.— Correspondent.] -;

MANGONUI. The Band of Hope held their monthly meeting 011 the 18th mst., in - Prossers Hall, Mr. Proaser in ' the chair, and Miss; Houston presiding at the harmonium. The attendance was very good, considering the counter attraction, namely, a rinking practice j; which unfortunately, falls on tho same night as the Band of Hope meeting. It is to be : hoped the patrons of the rollers will see . their way clear to alter the one night in the month clashing with the Band of Hope. _ A considerable : amount of amusement was given to some by a man who was like the Irishman, a little the better for liquor,' but who at the close enrolled as a member of : the Band of Hope, and donned the ." bit of blue." The meeting was opened, in the usual manner by , singing , hymn No, 47 (Hoyle's), and prayer by the chairman who also made a few remarks suitable for the occasion. Recitation, Arthur Ballance, "William Tell." This - was well rendered. Recitation, Letitia Irvine, "An Orphan ! Thoughts of her Mother." Hymn. 189. _ Re- j citation, Mercy Kingston, ', Which Love Best." Mr. R. Shepherd spoke |on 4 : the ] drink bill of New Zealand, showing the j amount spent on liquor as against the neces- ;| saries of life.. Hymn 121. Readiug ;by Mr. J. Goodison, which caused some fun. Ihe meeting was closed * by singing • hymn No. 10, anil the Benediction, pronounced by the !chairman. * , ,VI ; A very severe storm visited this place last j week, accompanied with heavy rain. The i gale appeared to be at its worst on Friday. 1 night. A heavy sea was on, and the logs in the dock at the mills were tossing about in a remarkable s manner. , The'; booms broke in two or three places, when the logs rushed out in all directions. The malinger, Mr. Horsley, had men -out fall A night, but could j do very little. The wind had moderated; considerably on Saturday morning, when men were sent out to look after the logs that had gone adrift. As the wind was blowing up the t harbour, the - timber,: was kept from eoing- to sea. A good number of .logs were got into the booms'again on Saturday afternoon. The steamer Yankee Doodle was sent round : from Whangaroa. on - Sunday ' night, Mr. G. Williams having ridden over on bunday afternoon for the purpose of bringing i her round. She is now engaged in gathering up all logs as fast as the rafters secure them together.. The manager, has been so prompt at the work it is thought that there will not be many lost.—[Own Correspondent.} ,

. . AIM ATE NORTH. Messes. Barton and Vox Sturmer, judges of the Native Lands Court, with their staff (five gentlemen in all), arrived here on Wednesday, May i 13,; and left, for; Rawene on Wednesday, May 20. Through some , error, it seems, 110 business litis been done here. According to the statement of a native chief j the Maoris from a distance refuse to attend sot far from their homes. : That same chjef, too, states that the Maoris are thoroughly sick ;of , the whole business ill connection with these Courts. What with hearing and rehearing, they lose their, lands, and get nothing.- for them. He proposes that the natives themselves shall be enabled to; try the cases, anil that the Court' with/the pakeha shall merely ratify the decisions.— Own Correspondent.]

ELTHAM. The only excitement we have had lately has been the bankruptcy of C. A. Wilkinson, storekeeper. The bankrupt started business a little over eighteen months ago,, with : a capital somewhat over £400.His ; liabilities now amount. to £2640: odd. No one pities the wholesale merchants, who knew his position months ago, but several small farmers arc among the sufferers. The meeting 'of creditors was held in New Plymouth, thirtysix miles off, at which place the bankrupt elected *to tile. r - This caused ! great ; dissatisfaction, as there is a court-house at Stratford, seven miles r off, and a D. O. A.' at Hawera, , twelve, miles ; distant, and within easy > reach ot;,the greater proportion of creditors, who.were unable to attend at New Plymouth. The stock was sold by auction, and realised good prices, and would amount to a good sum. It was estimated at '£700. Mr. Buckridge, who has been a Government surveor, bought the store and a large quantity of the stock, Mr. Wilkinson bidding on his account throughout, which surprised many, but their wonder was soon at an end when they beheld it notice 011 the store door on the second day of the sale announcing that the business was to be carried on under the name of Buckridge and Wilkinson." Mr. Wilkinson's bankruptcy will not therefore affect him much. : " Mr. Buckridge is a general favourite, and doubtless he will be well patronised. umbers' of houses have gone up s lately, and the frames of several more are being erccted. <■ If we had the political dodgery at our back which supports Stratford .people would see the folly of preferring that place to Eltham. A good criterion of the size of a place is the number on the ichool roll, and I find that there are about one-fifth more at the latter place. Mr. Morgan," our local saddler, has taken a shop in Hamilton's buildings, and started store-keeping. This makes four general stores here now. Rumour has it that Mr. Hamilton has sold a section in the township s with five shops and a dwelling-house for a handsome sum. This much ;is .known : that he has bought a sawmill, and gives up teaching at the end of, June, to the great regret of tlie inhabitants of Eltham. Several building allotments changed hands last week at 'considerably advanced prices, at the rate of £100 an acre for back sections. Mr. Corlett, commission agent, .; reports several land sales at a high figure.—[Own Correspondent.] . :