COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9041, 21 November 1892, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[fkom OUB OWN (CORRESPONDENTS.] ' Hamilton, Saturday. The Railway Department have 1 decided to erect a ." loading bank" at Hamilton East station, and the work is to be proceeded with at once. This will supply a long-felt ' want ; of the settlers in the Hukanoi and Kirikiriroa districts, who have hitherto been obliged to go round and through the streets of the .town to the/Hamilton west station with. cattle, and to' ship or receive goods, machinery, etc.. „ Mr. W. Jones, for many years a member of the Borough Council, appears to be the choice of the burgesses as Mayor, and if he could be persuaded to accept the office, the honour 'would doubtless be well bestowed, and the burgesses faithfully and honestly served. The nomination takes place on Wednesday next, 23rd instant. The shearing season is now in full swing, and from every direction is, heard the universal satisfaction expressed at the weight of the fleeces, even in the case of sheep the breed of wnich is usually considered to be more productive of meat roan wool. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday Captain Jackson- save judgment in the case Esb v. Lawson. This was for value of a horse sold bv defendant, and claimed by the plaintiff, Esh. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £10 (the value of the horse), and costs £5 14s. The Maori King Tawhiao was in Hamilton yesterday with two of his wives and a few attendants. His Majesty is looking very old and shaky, and will, probably, not be a receiver of Government bounty for a very long period. Rangibiri, Saturday. Mr. W. J. Hunter's usual monthly sale, held here on Thursday last, was one of the largest ever held in the district, and large prices were realised for stock of all descriptions—steers realising from £4 to £7 13s.

MAUKU. The monthly meeting of the Band of Hope was held on Tuesday, November 1. Mr. H. Aspdin, vice-president (in the chair), opened the meeting by a short address, and the following contributed readings, recitations, songs, and musical pieces daring the evening : —Misses Fin lay,' Gearon, Hunter, Goldsworthy, Mesdames Fuljames and Howe. Messrs. Irwin, Adolph, Gillon, Wright, ana Lyon. Miss Finlay presided at the, har[tnoniam. The Rev. Mr. Walter gave a lecture in the Wesleyan Church on Monday evening last, his subject being, " The Model Mother." The Rev. Mr. Carr opened the proceedings, and introduced the rev. lecturer, who said the power of woman on the destiny of the world was very great, and her influence for good or evil stamped the human race, and woman could rule, though oftentimes many did not think it. It was one mothers hand and life that moulded the child. The hand that rocked the cradle guided the world. He gave the instance in the life of a nobleman, the Earl of Shaftesbury, who, he said, had a mother fond of balls, theatres, cards, etc., but who handed her child over to the care of a good Methodist girl, and her influence on the child was for good, she being a God-fearing woman, so she moulded the future man who turned out so noble. If the mother was God-like the children would get the same image. The mother should be a Christian, kind and firm, and bring up her children to obedience, and then a happy household would follow. _At the conclusion of the lecture Mr. H. Crispe proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, and Mr. Carr closed by the benediction. The above place of worship has just been renovated inside and out by being painted, which has much improved its appearance. There has also been &dded one of the new patent lamps, and the inside has now a very bright look. All the funds for the undertaking have been found by voluntary help, and no liability has been incurred, and without the aid of bazaar, lottery, or lucky-bag, and the committee of management desire me to express their hearty thanks for all the kindly help from willing friends in so good a cause, ana assisting them to make the House of God what it shouid bright and comfortable.—{Own Correspondent],

KAITAIA. Mb. Subritzky is getting up what people in this district have never before witnessed, that is a masquerade ball, which will be held at his hall at Awanui shortly. The young and old of those invited are getting ready for the onslaught, in the way of dress, etc. Those lucky enough to receive an invitation on this occasion are to maintain their masks till the hoar of twelve, after which hour to remove the disguise. It appears that the stumps of the willows left in the Awanui River have pulled off large sheets of copper from the schooner Medora, thus compelling the owner to take the damaged sheets off, for to leave them on not only made the vessel look untidy, but checked the speed, thus being detrimental to the owner's trade. It is a great shame that things of this kind are overlooked like this. The few people who live at this place pay sufficient rates to maintain the road to the Awanui shipping rendezvous, and if of such money collected half of it were spent on this road, people would be less likely to use. bad language. As it is anyone who brings a good load up. has to arm himself with pick and shovel £0 contend against_ the bottomless county road holes, almost- pits. A man was put on a few days ago to Bee to these holes, and filled iu a few of the less troublesome ones with clay. After the first shower of rain those holes clayed up will be loose enough to engulf any vehicle. Mr. Carr, family butcher and boardinghousekeeper, nearly had his three children poisoned with tutu last week. The children followed him to his work, and got to the trees without the jwrent knowing. They partook of & quantity of berries, and then returned and told the father that they felt sick; thereupon Mr. Carr sent the children home to their mother. The poison took effect after getting home,, and Mr. Carr was sent for. The first thing he did was to cut the ears and arms of the children. This is what is done by the natives to bullocks when affected. I presume Mi. Carr carried out this on his children, there being no doctor at hand, and as no time could be lost to try to remedy the evil. lam sorry to learn that one of the children is in a precarious state, but the other two, I am glad to say, have recovered. The weather has been so bad, and floods so prevalent, that I fear the cropping will be Eut back. The rain fell last week in six ours five inches. It is now November, and the roads are as bad as they were in midwinter. It is to be hoped a change has now taken place to enable farmers to resume maize-planting. The early planted has been lost by being under water so long.—[Own Correspondent.]

OMAPERE (HOKIANGA HEADS). The Omapere Cricket Club held its first meeting tnis season at Opononi, Mr. G. F. Webster in the chair. There was a large attendance of old members, and the business transacted was principally of a routine character. Last year's accounts were audited and passed, and the following officers elected : President, Mr. John Webster; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. B. G. Howe and J. Marriuer; secretary and treasurer, J. JJ Maxwell; captain, G. F. Webster: executive committee : Messrs., Webster, Bridge, and McKay. It was decided that practice should begin at once, and that the committee should make arrangements to prepare the Club's ground at Pakanae for the season's matches. It was also unanimously decided that _ the Club should open the season with a picnic and a dav's sports on tb 19th November. There has bee a slight revival in the timber trade, three ships having cleared outwards this week with baulk kauri, viz., the barquentine Yolande, for Melbourne ; the scow scout, for Townsvillo (Queensland) ; and the schooner Zior, for Lyttelton. The barque Killarney is wind-bound outside the bar.[Occasional Correspondent.]

MANGOMUL A very successful Band of Hope meeting was held in the MangonUi Hall on Wednesday, November 2, though, owing to the inclement weather, many were unable to attend. After a short prayer by the president (Mr. Prosser), the following programme was rendered Hymn 140; chorus, " Here's a Health to All Good Lassies," by the choir. This was not such a success as it might have been, through the absence of our principal alto. Hymn 179. Recitation, " The Drunkard's Wife," was fairly given. A song by Miss Rosieur, was, as usual, received with applause. Chorus, " They That Wait," by the choir ; hymn 80; recitation, " Courage, by Miss Houston, an excellent Eiece admirably rendered; chorus, *' Have ourage, My Boy, to Say No," the solo of this selection being taken by Miss Prosser; hymn 150; song, "Maggie's Secret," was fairly sung by Miss Wrathall; recitation, "The Fisherman's Wife," by Miss Mercy Kingston, very nicely; song, " The Maid of the Mill," by Mr. G. Garton; chorus, " Merrily Through The Land," by the choir, was highly appreciated by the young people. A very pleasant evening was closed by all singing hymn 10 from Hoyle's Temperance Hymnbook.—[Own Correspondent.]