COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8585, 5 June 1891, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FKOM OUR OWN COBBESPONDENTS.J ...... Hamilton, Thursday. ONE"of the first mischievous effects of prohibition victories at Dunedin, Oaiharu, and; elsewhere has been to lower the_ value and. security of hotel properties. A circular was| received from an insurance, company of high; standing by its Hamilton agent yesterday,, stating that in all probability through the: above causes hotel properties, which had been depreciated fully a third in value, would become very dangerous risks, and cautioning him to be exceedingly careful as to the amotint of risks taken and"to lower! existing ones on such properties. ; When it becomee known that the Waikato Hospital Board have granted relief to the young woman Annie Fraser to to the extent of 12s per week till her re covery, as having no friends and being unfit to go to work, there will be a rush of such applicants to the Charitable Aid Board, for they are very numerous , in the district. The Board felt they were bound to assist the girl, as she had no friends, and was practically destitute. The young man who, she stated in her letter of application, was the father of the child, had gone to Sydney, but even if .here, nothing could be done against him till the child was born. It is to be hoped, however,.not only in the interests of justice, but jn their own, that the Charitable Aid Board will put the necessary legal inachinery at work to bring the father back coNew Zealand, and make him pay the cost of his acts. It is not known that the treaties between the colonies allow of such scoundrels being arrested and returned to the colony where the offence was committed. It is only a few months siuce that a Hamilton youth made the Australian slope, having left, it is found, some three or four prospective pledges of affection behind him : and the son of a respectable settler in Ohaupo has also fied the country as recently, after ruining the happiness of two families in Hamilton. This is a state of things which cries aloud for a remedy, and the Charitable Aid Board will do well to bring back those absconders which leave such trouble and expense upon their hands. The football match, Hamilton v. Pateraugi, takes place on Sydney Square, on Saturday next. The Hamilton team will be chosen from the following:—Boyd, Bright, Craig, Schofield, Bayly, Jolly, Hopkins, Quick, Gillett, Peacock, Clarkiu, Green, Odium, Harvey, Hume, Mayes, Wright, Scott and Hammond (captain). Ngakuawauia, Thursday. The Raglan Council is prepared to do what it can for the firewood Creek road from here to the Whangaroa Hot Springs, and has voted a sum of £25 to mend the worst; places. Other parts of it will be attended to further on, funds from "thirds" being available to some extent. Halfpenny rates have been struck in the Pirongia, T'e Akuu, Karamu, and Onewhero ridings, and rates of fd in the Kerioi, and Whangape ridings of the llnglan county. Mokrinsviixk, Thursday. The following tenders for road maintenance for twelve months have been accepted by the Piako Council. G. YVattain, £IS6. The only only other tender that was formal was that of H. Kelly, £147. Mr. W. M. Hay having given as his opinion that the county can legally hand over to Uoad Boards unexpended moneys, providing the moneys were spent within the ridings, the Council has handed over the unexpended balances to the Waitoiv and Taotaoroa Road Boards.

HoNTLY, Thursday. At tho public library committee meeting, held in the schoolroom on Monday night, a reply was received from Mrs. Fisher stating her willingness to continue tho custody of the books, and issue them to subscribers every Tuesday and Friday up to eight p.m. The subscription was fixed at 3s per halfyear, paid in advance. This will bring it within the range of all classes. Subscriptions will be received by the members of the committee, Mrs. Fisher (the custodian), and the secretary. • A number of people are laid up with a mild form of influenza. The changeable weather we are experiencing no doubt has a great deal to do with it. Steps are being taken to raise money to put the cemetery in order, there being no funds in hand. It is estimated it will cost something like £40. WAITAKEREI. So far the weather has been very mild for the season of the year. The roads, however, particularly in the bush, are very sloppy, and in some places tax horses to got through. Indeed, unless something is done, the settlers in one locality will be cut oft" from those nearby, unless a journey of miles, round Iβ undertaken. I nave known NVaitakerei many years, but I have never seen tho roads, i.e., some ot them, in such a deplorabb state before. The other day it took three men and three horses to get a horse out of a hole on tho road near Wasley's. This is the third that has had to be extricated within a short period. It is a marvel how the horses escape without broken legs. The owners declare that in tho case of serious damage the Council will be sued. The road from George's to Wasley's is a disgrace to any local body. On Monday last a 'nan fell out of tho train between Waitakerei and Swanson. He was sober, and providentially escaped without

injury but it should bo a warning to people SSLlyhangiiiß about the platform of the CagC ßoman Catholics of Swanson and neighbourhood are about to erect a chapel an Swanson for their worship. , A lumdigger (or. rather climber) named Daniel Joy, met with a'nasty accident the other day. He was up in a kauri tree chopnine at a lump of gum on a branch. A strong S was blowing b at the time whichcaused I suppose, a swerve in the branch, but the St P that he cut the end of his thumb clean off, and cut the forefinger also. The situation was precarious, and to make mat-. worsl, the rope he used in climbtng fouled, necessitating a further climb of L. feet It speaks well for the nerve of Mr. Joy that he succeeded in reaching the ground in safety. The wound was immediately bandaged, and a neighbouring settler afforded every assistance.—[Own Correspondent.]

KAUKAPAKAPA. The first annual meeting of the Kaukapakapa branch of the South Kaipara Medical Club took place in the haU on Wednesday evening, the 27th ult., Mr. R. Sinclair in the chair. The chairman stated that since the last meeting he, in company with Mr. ifeale, of Helensvillo, had had a conference with Dr. Gault on the subject of the resolutions that were agreed to at; the preliminary meeting, and he was pleased to be able to state that the resolutions in their mam features had been agreed to on the part of Dr. Gault. The rules or the club as they now stood were even more favourable to members in many respects than was bargained for in the preliminary resolutions, and he considered that districts such as Komokoriki, Wainui, and Wade, or any other district situate at a distance from the doctor's residence, will have advantages under the club's rules such as they have not had hitherto. For instance, rule 11 provides that on payment of an annual subscription of two guineas a member of the club living in any district is. entitled to the professional services of the doctor when necessary to him-, self, wife, or family within the financial year without furthet payment; or anyone may become a member, by paying an annual subscription of one. guinea, which entitles him op nis wife and family to two visits of the doctor within' the financial year, or eight consultations; or by paying i«i annual subscription of half-a-guinea he v vill be entitled to owe visit, or four consultations, and further attendance at; rates very much below the ordinary charges fixed by the New Zealand Medical Association. A practical example of the advantages that members of the club enjoy over non-members occurred here the other day. The child of settler, living at Kaukapakapa, -while at play, fell on a stump of tea-tree, which penetrated the inside of the throat. The wound was of a serious nature, and it was necessary to have the doctor. The house of the settler is about eight miles from the doctor s residence, and the ordinary, fee, including mileage for such attendance, was two guineas.. The settler in question was wise; his name was on the preliminary list of numbers, and he is, therefore, entitled to the services or the doctor when required for twelve months for that sum. Whereas, had he not been a member, he would have had to pay two guineas for the one visit. Mr. Beale had kindly drawn up the rules in proper form, on the ba-sis we had agreed upon at the conference" with the doctor. The rules were then read and discussed, when it was found that some slight amendments had to be jnade in reference to management. After which they were unanimously adopted by 1 hie branch of the club. The next business'-was the election of a treasurer and a trustee for this branch of the club. On the motion of Mr. M. C. Henley,* seconded by Mr. Dawson, Mr. 6. W. Murray was unanimously elected treasurer, and Mr. B. Sinclair, trustee for the current year.: Several gentlemen paid their subscriptions in the room, and I learnt that up to Saturday over £30 had been received by way of subscriptions, and banked by the treasurer to the credit of the district branch, and I have little doubt that before many days pass, that amount will be doubled. It is to be hoped that the other districts interested -will take this matter up in a; proper spirit, so that we may be able to re-, tain the services of Dr. Gault, who, besides being a good and able doctor, will, I have no* doubt, prove a very suitable man for. the: district.—[Own Correspondent.].

RAGLAN. j On Thursday last the s.s. Glenelg called into this port on her way from Wanganui to the ■, Mauukau. She left again the same tide. # i A very influential chief, Kereopa Tuwai-J ranga, died at the Maori pa, Te Kopua, on;; May,.29, ...There jyill .be a large tangiheld*! here next week. " . 1 LandsVCourt "has again been \ postponed for twoniohthe. At a meeting held in the Wesleyan chapel on Monday, the Ist instant, ifc waa resolved, that « society be forttifedk) be "called the Raglan Mutual Improvement. Rev. R. J. Williams was elected ; Mr. J. Henry, secretary; Mr. F. Sewell, treasurer: committee: Messrs. Wallis, Rendell, and Harris. Meetings, are to be held on alternate Wednesdays, commencing from the 10th inst. Rev. E. Walker, of the New Zealand Alliance, is to day us a visit. On Sunday next he will hold" service, and on the following Monday will hold a meeting in the Wesleyan chapel.—[Own Correspondent.]