COUNT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8879, 16 May 1892, Page 6

COUNT NEWS.

[from our own correspondents. I

Hamilton, Saturday. Mr. K. S. Brook field, accountant of the Bank of New Zealand here, is to be removed to the Dargaville branch. Mr. Brooktield, who has been here some four and a-half years, is much esteemed in Hamilton, and will receive tioin bis many friends a hearty farewell entertainment, and a handsome souvenir to hold t hem in kindly remembrance. The fact that Mr. Brooktield's removal is a rise in his professional position, being to the charge of an agency, will be at least some consolation to his friends. Mr. Buckleton, lately from the Bank of New Zealand, Sydney, takes his place. The breaking up and sowing down of Sydney Square witii proper grasses need be no obstacle to the playing the Waikuto matches of either football or cricket in Hamilton, for there is a far better ground for either game obtainable on the Claudelands Racecourse, without depriving the inhabitants of Hamilton of the use of the Square as a recreation or pleasure ground in their midst from which purpose it was set apart as a special reserve. It is only 11 acres in extent, but could not be properly planted on account of the interference of the various sports held in it. By this time it ought to have been a beautiful rural retreat for the citizens, but private influence has caused its true purpose to be set aside. No better nor more convenient site for sports of all kinds could be found than the Claudelands Racecourse.

A Maori woman, Aretakupu, was received into the hospital, yesterday, in a very critical condition, the result of a murderous assault of her husband, To Miri Ruigi Toheriri, a chief of the Ngutiwhairangi. Dr. Kenny is fearful that blood poisoning may supervene. The husband was arrested at Kiliikihi, where the occurrence took place. Bail was refused by the police, .and the prisoner will be brought up before the Te Awamutu Bench this morning. ma ii re, Saturday. •Six tenders were received for clearing and ploughing the tramway road, varying from los b.l to :<s per chain. The latter tender, that of Mr. Chas. Crouch, was accepted. The following estimate of the financial position of the Piako County Council was placed before the members at the last ordinary meeting. The estimated receipts are calculated as follows - General rates now due, collectable, £ 150 ; subsidies, £250; dog registration, .Clio ; slaughterhouse licenses, £11; tramway revenue, £70; goldfiehls revenue, £90 : gold duty, £80; repayable by Patatere Riding, £221 10s Sd ; publicans' licenses, £110 : total, £l.'(. Ids Sd. Estimated expenditure for year ending March :51, 189:): Overdraft at bank, £*2S!); administration (salaries, etc.), £MSO ; Hospital and Charitable Aid rate, £49.'} Jos : converted debentures, £•">(> 15s ; balance due on Government grant, Cambridge Taupo Road, £1 19s ,'Jd ; balance due Te Aroha Riding account, £11 His; accounts standing over from March .'ll last, £80: sundries, £20: total expenditure, £I.'{(_)(i os ,'sd. It will be thus seen that there is only a credit balance of £50 ;'3s 5d left over for expenditure on public works in the county. Hence the necessity of making such a general rate as will raise a sum of about £1000 for that purpose. As it is proposed to expend £100'; on works, it will probably be necessary to strike a rate which will raise more than £1000, to allow for non-collectabdity of a portion.

Hiintly, Saturday. The apathy shown by the County Council in the matter of defective drainage in this township is disgraceful. Time after time • has this matter been laid before them by the | resident property-owners, who have stated ! their willingness to bear a fair share of the cost, and although public attention has been repeatedly called to the Council's neglect, through the medium of the press, nothing of importance has been done to stay the typhoid scourge that annually plays sad havoc in our midst. This year the dire visitant has been unusually severe, prostrating many, and ! carrying off two of our most respected resi- : dents. It is to be hoped that the members \ of the County Council will wake up and face ' their responsibilities, and act in conjunction with property-holders in carrying out the drainage scheme. That was planned a considerable time back, but unfortunately for the Huntly people it was laid aside. In the interim the County Council have recklessly i squandered the ratepayers' money in useless

litigation, and have so crippled their resources that thev will not have sufficient funds to undertake really necessary works for some time to come. Such is the wisdom of our rulers.

MAKETU (GREAT SOUTH ROAD). Our local creamery closed its door last week for the season. Its working has given entire satisfaction to the suppliers of milk, though they would naturally like a better price for it, which it is to be hoped the company will be able to give next season. Tenders have been called for the cartage of timber to the new site for the Ararimu creamery. Mr. 1). McPherson. draper, of Newton, who has lately leased Ins business there, has purchased the Springfield Farmland is setting vigorously to work to put it in order. May he be as prosperous at the farming as he was at the soft goods is the wish of your Own Correspondent. POLLOK. On Sunday, the first of May, the Rev. Mr. ]sarr preached in Pollok Church. His text was taken from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter xxvii., "Paul's Voyage to Rome." The preacher vetted the attention of his hearers. There seemed to be no one inclined to look at his or her watch, to use snuff or smelling bottles; the snuiTappeared to be in the sermon, which was most impressive, interesting, instructive, and entertaining, fraught with the essence of Christianity. Any person present having a knowledge of the geography of the Holy Land, the Mediterranean Sea, the islands therein, and the kingdoms and republics around its shores, could not fail out to be much interested. The preacher gave a graphic account of the landing of Paul and his shipmates at the island of Malta from the wreck of their snips, containing in all 276 persons. The kindness of the natives on shore, although barbarians, was of a Christian character. Would that, all professing Christians would act in a similar way to their fellow man when in distress. —(Own Correspondent.] PAPAROA. Tenders have been received for the formation of a mile of the worst part of the road between Paparoa and Matakohe. This will be of great benefit not only to the residents, but to the travelling public. Tenders ranged from £90 to £l.'iM. The successful tenderer was Mr. Simpson, of Matakohe. Four months is allowed for this work. At the last meeting of the Mutual Improvement. Society a debate was held on " Ought the New Zealand Government Sell the Railways?" Mr. G. Wilson took the affirmative, and Mr. O. C. Haines the negative side of the question, and they were supported by eight other gentlemen, who spoke on the subject. At the close a vote was taken, when seven voted for selling, and ten for retaining them the property of the colony. Mr. W. Davidson has become the purchaser of the house lately owned by Mr. J. P. Evans. The house is furnished, and open as an accommodation house, and will be presided over by Mrs. Cross, Mr. Davidson's mother. This will meet a long-felt want. There is a small paddock attached to the house, and a stable will be erected immediately.[.Own Correspondent.]

WELLSFORD. After the election of a school committee on April '25 Mrs Jackson requested the householders present to remain a few minutes, as she would like to say a few words about the Wellsford Cemetery. Mrs. Jackson stated slu'had six pounds in hand to be spent on the cemetery grounds. As she was a newcomer in the district, she did not know how matters stood re the cemetery trust. Mrs. Jackson was informed by gentlemen present that trustees had been elected by the settlers. Those trustees were gazetted in the year ISS7. Since the year 1887 a number of people had been buried. They had been interred just where their friends took the whim. Things had been carried on disorderly, and the cemetery was a disgrace to a 29-year-old settlement. It was suggested that the trustees be approached, and informed that Mrs. Jackson had six pounds to spend : would they please say what had best be done with it? It is to be hoped that the trustees will move in the matter, and be true to their trust. I may here inform you that a meeting is to be held on Saturday next to try to revive the Wellsford Band of Hope. May success attend their efforts.—[A Correspondent.] MAHURANGI. Ox Tuesday, Mav ,'ird, a general meeting of the Malmrangi Fruit - growers' Association was held in Bowen's store, Warkworth, Mr. James Harrison, presidentof the Association, in the chair. The meeting had been convened by the standing committee for the purpose of considering the proposed legislation on the cocllin moth and other fruit pests. After some preliminary business had been gone through, the chairman called on the secretary to introduce the subject on which the meeting had been called, and he made a brief statement, showing that Mr. Hanlon, the recently-appointed Government expert, j was working up information for the Government, so that a Bill might be brought before Parliament to deal with fruit pests. Mr. Hanlon made several suggestions, and asked for the ideas of this Association oil the subject. After considerable discussion, it was concluded that a Bill to be of use should be of a very stringent character, and be enforced over the whole colony, as a permissive law would be only a severe tax on the districts that adopted it, leaving an adjoining district with permission to breed and distribute the moth if they chose to do so; also that the law should be administered by a responsible Government officer, with assistants, where possible, in other Government otliees, nut whose time might not be wholly occupied with their ordinary duties. On the motion of Mr. N. Wilson, seconded by Mr. H. Melvinney, and carried unanimously, the following resolution was directed to be forwarded to Mr. Hanlon That the regulations under the Tasmanian Codlin Moth Act, 1888, be the recommendation of this Association to Mr. Hanlon." Also a resolution was unanimously carried that Mr. Hanlon be requested, when the Act is prepared, to send copies to the various associations of fruitgrowers for opinions before it become law. Two new members were admitted to the Association. Mr. Nathaniel Wilson called the committee's attention to works published by the State of California, showing how the fruit industry was there nursed by the Government. Further correspondence was also read from Mr. Hanlon re natural enemies to the codlin moth, and also information as to the best sorts of pears to plant. A letter was also received and read from Mr. Cheeseman, secretary to the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, informing the Association that the Society had resolved to make inquiries as t.'> the possibility of introducing the English bat, and it it appears there is a chance of success, a consignment would be ordered from home.

That precocious son of Venus, Master Cupid, has been shooting his darts to some purpose in this district during the last few months, for scarce a week passes without two loving hearts being united together, and so by Love's process of addition are made into one. Last week there was a very great assemblage at the residence of Mr. Robert Phillips to do honour to, and witness the ceremony in connection with, the marriage of his daughter to Mr. Joseph Phillips, jun., her cousin. After the ceremony a goodly company drove along with the happy couple to Warkworth, where they embarked on board the Rose Casey for the honeymoon trip, and if good wishes are worth anything, that pair ought to have as much happiness as falls to the lot of few during their sojourn here, where life does not seem only a dance and song, but is usually made up of much sterner stuff.—[Own Correspondent.]

KUAOTUNU. Our roads are in a very bad state. The recent rain lias converted all the hollow places into mud-holes. We are at last to have a recreation ground. The Warden lias agreed to reserve about 10 acres in the big swamps. There was a meeting held in Lorain's Ilall on Saturday evening, the 7th May, to consider the best way of having it vested, also to arrange about having boundaries defined. After some discussion, 011 the motion of Mr. Richards, it was resolved that the names of five gentlemen, Messrs. Thomson and Lorain of the lower town, Blair and Jones for the upper town, ami Mr. Richards for Pumpkin Flat, be forwarded to the Warden, with a request that the necessary steps be taken to form them into a Domain Board. Messrs. Turner Brothers agreed to define the boundaries free of charge. The surveyors have been actively employed for the last three weeks making a preliminary survey of the tramway. Unfortunately, owing to the death of Sir. Alexander (who had charge of the legal work), there is a delay, hut we still hope to see the tram running before next spring. Mr. Lorain's Hall was in great request on .Saturday, the 7tii May. There were no less than four meeting notices to come oft'. The bachelors of Kuaotunu held a meeting on Saturday. It was decided to give a ball shortly, and a committee was appointed to arrange matters. Last Friday, 6th May, the lona could only land the mails, it being too rough to land cargo or passengers. However, on Sunday morning it had calmed down sufficiently to admit of their being landed. The result of the last crushing of ore from the Black .lack resulted in 16oz of bullion to 'Ah tons. The previous crushing gave 14oz for 'J(i tons, and there was no di re nee in the quality of the ore. The'U tons were roasted, and put through the pans "in charges; lienco

the greater saving of gold. Of course, the value of the bullion is not expected to be anything like the value of the last lot, as the roasting would free a lot of silver.[Own Correspondent.]

KATIKATI. At the regular monthly meeting of the Tauranga County Council, on Tuesday, the 30th of May, Captain Macmillan gave in his report of what had been done at the Conference of County Councils held in Auckland lust month, and received a flattering vote of thanks from the Council for his action'at the Conference, all the Councillors expressing themselves as highly pleased with the manner Captain Macmillan had represented the Council, as reported in the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Weekly News. At the same meeting the chairman and Mr. John Kill en, P., were appointed to interview the Piako County Council as to the making Thompson's Track into a road lit for wheel traffic, and it is to be hoped that all parties will work together to get this done at oncc.

The weather for the last two weeks has been very changeable, from mild with pleasant showers to cold dry weather, the wind varying from west-south-west, to east-north-east. Feed for cattle promises to be plentiful all through the winter months now approaching.—[Own Correspondent.]