COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9366, 24 November 1893, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS. J Hamilton, Thursday, The elections are the chief topic nowadays, aud the chief amusement is what is known as the "pricking of the rolls." It is certain that for Waikato there will be a very close fight between the Hon. A. J. Cadman and Mr. Isaac Coates, and in Waipa a far closer contest than was anticipated between Mr. Lang and Mr. Peacocke. In Waikato Mr. Coates will have a very large majority at Hamilton. At Cambridge it is confidently expected that he will have a majority of from 100 to 150. Majorities for him are also looked for from Hukerenui, Morrinsville, Waihou, Turua, Waharoa, Lichfield, Oxford, Tamahere, Tawhare, and Taupiri. On the other hand, Mr. Cadman is certain of a very large majority at Huntly, Taupo, and Tokaanu; a majority also at Te Aroha East and West, and in the settlements below Huntly, and afe the Gordon settlement. In the Waipa electorate Mr. Peacocke, it is expected, will poll heavily from Mercer downwards, will take a fair share of Hamilton West votes, arid split Kihikihi and Te Awamutu, but the bulk of the Upper Waipa, including Cambridge West, Pukerimu. Ohaupo, Alexandra, Paterangi, Te Rore, and the Waipa settlements proper, will almost to a man vote tor Mr. Lang, who also stands well in the Raglan district. Otorohanga and Te Kuiti will probably favour Mr. Peacocke owing to his more views in favour of licensing hotels in the King Country, and to the fact that many of the men employed in the co-operative works will vote there. At any rate there is likely to be a somewhat close contest in either electorate, but generally the defeat of the Government candidates is predicted. At a statutory meeting of the Borough Council yesterday Mr. Jones was re-elected to represent the Borough of Hamilton on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Friday, the Ist of December, has been appointed by Captain Jackson, Resident Magistrate, as the date of holding a court of enquiry as to the validity of the Waikato County Council election, a petition having been forwarded to him to have the proceedings declared void. Mr. James Shirley, late of Okoroire, has taken over Heaney's Hotel and store at Lichfield. At the statutory meeting of the Waikato County Council yesterday Mr. Primrose was re-elected chairman. Mr. Moren attended at the Waikato County Council meeting yesterday, and presented the petition from Huntly, praying that a portion of the Rangiriri outlying dis-. trict, including the town of Huntly, which is one of the largest townships in the county, be proclaimed a town district. The petition was signed by ratepayers, and accompanied with schedule and plan showing the proposed boundaries. The chairman said there [ was no doubt that the petition was in due form and that it would be granted, but suggested that the matter be held over for a month. This suggestion satisfied Mr. Moren, and the motion by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Seddon, that the matter be held over for a month was put and carried. Mr. Moren said that he had handed to the clerk two letters from medical men in reference to the sanitation of the town of Huutly, which ought to have been read. The chief object in seeking for a local Board was to drain the town and render it more healthy; not a year past but deaths from typhoid fever occurred. He pointed out that the reason why the proposed areaof the new Board was so small was that the people of Huntly did not wish to absorb the rates of a large district in providing principally for the wants of the town. The chairman said that the matter would be fully discussed and the letter referred to by Mr. Moren read at the next meeting. Dr. Brewis has reported three cases of diphtheria, one at Claudelands and two at Ngaruawahia. The engineer of the Waikato county, Mr. Fairburn, has agreed to the modification of the Onoke Pa Valley road made by Mr. G. Mclnnes, of Miranda, and Mr. Mclnnes' tender of £75 to do the work has been accepted by the Council. Cambridge, Thursday. Mr. J. S Bond, the Mayor of Cambridge, has been re-elected to represent the borough on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The Hamilton Amateur Dramatic Company were well received by a Cambridge audience, last night, in the Oddfellows' Hall, when they appeared in the interesting drama '"The Ticket of Leave Man." They have played this piece so often that they are thoroughly well up in it. Captain Reid, the manager, had mounted the piece in a thoroughly efficient manner. The acting was excellent throughout. Half the proceeds go to the Oddfellows, to be expended in painting scenery, which will render the new nail an attractive theatre for amateurs and professionals visiting Cambridge. Ngaruawahia, Thursday. The body of the unfortunate woman Jane Young, drowned at Cambridge three weeks or a month ago, was found yesterday by the Maoris, who gave notice to Constable Cavanagh. An inquest was held on the body this morning at the Delta Hotel, before Mr. Coroner Searancke, and a jury of six, of which Mr. Overton was chosen foreman. The body was identified by the husband, who promised to pay all expenses. A verdict of " Found drowned," was recorded. / —' DRURY. The monthly meeting of the Drury Band o. Hope was held in the Public Hall, on the 22ud November, and had the usual success. The Rev. T. Norrie, president, occupied the chair. The following programme was well rendered and appreciated; — Hymn 187 (Hoyle's), prayer, chairman's remarks on the present position and prospects of the temperance cause; anthem, "Temperance Bells," choir ; recitation, " Teetotal Dick," Ada Dixon; hymn 186; recitation, "Categorical Courtship," Mr. H. Hockin ; duet and chorus. "Golden Bells," Misses S. J. Cossey and Crispe, and Messrs. J. and W. Dixon; Scotch reading, by the chairman; song, " Vacant Chair," Mrs. Roland, recitation, "You Cau't Come In, Sir," Olive Dixon; address on temperance, Mr. J. Dixon ; hymn 196; song, "Won't You Buy My Pretty Flowers," Mrs. Roland; anthem, "Awake, O Heart of Mine," choir ; recitation, " The Water-drinker's Experience," Eva Cossey ; solo and chorus, " The Sinner and the Song," Misses Cossey and Crispe, and Messrs. J. aud W. Dixon. Hymn 42 and the Benediction brought a pleasant evening's entertainment to a close.—[Own Correspondent.] BOMBAY. On Sunday, November 19, the anniversary services in connection with the Wesleyan Church were held by the Rev. Mr. Walter, morning and evening. On the Monday evening following, the annual soiree was held, tea being served in the hall. Mrs. W. Lindsay, and Misses Allison, Cornthwaite, L. Carter, and A. Carter presided at the tables. The after-meeting was held in the chapel, the Rev. Mr. Griffith, circuit minister, presiding. Addresses were given by the chairman and the Rev. Mr. Walter. A number of beautiful pieces from anniveisary gems were sung by the Paparata choir, Mr. Worsley and Mr. T. Wright accompaning on the organ and clarionet. At the close the usual votes of thanks were accorded to the ladies, the speaker, and the choir.— Correspondent.] ARARIMU SOUTH. A most pleasant evening was spent with Mr. R. Munro on Tuesday, the 21st, at Mr. Pollock's stables, when he pave one of his class lessons for the breaking in and handling of young horses. The animal that he handled was a three-year-old filly, belonging to Mr. M. Sinclair, which was taught to obey in a very short time, and the way the animal was brought under subjection, and that without the use of a whip or the usual harsh treatment being employed, was most interesting, aud those having to deal with young horses would do well to follow the principle upon which Mr. Munro acts. Shearing is about finished, but the clip does not come up to last year, although I was shown a sample which measured 14 inches long, which belonged to Mr. Pollock, one of our settlers. In taking his wool out to-day, not taking the bad state of the roads into consideration, he put about two tons and a-half on one load, and found to his sorrow that in some places his wheels sank to the axle.[Own Correspondent.] WAITAKEREI. Everything is just now looking verdant— fields, gardens, and the electors also. For a small population this place is well supplied with the views of M.H.R.'s to be or not to to be. No fewer than five candidates are soliciting the votes of the electors—two for Waitemata, and three for Eden. Each has a party or coterie in his particular favour, so honours are likely to be divided as far as this district is concerned. A little less speechifying and some practical manifestation of worthiness of support, would be of much more benefit to the neighbourhood. So far as I have heard the wool clip in this district has been very, satisfactory. I hear of more settlement taking place, and inquiries are made for suitable places. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe, of Swanson, were summoned hastily to Auckland on the 22nd, to meet a son who had met with an accident at Coromandel whilst in the employ of Messrs. E. and H. Smyth, of Spring 'Hill, Waitakerei, who are engaged in a large timber contract at Coromandel.—[Own Correspondent.]

WADE. The announcement which appeared in last issue of the Auckland Weekly News that Messrs. Baker Bros, were to sell at public auction Mr. T. Smith's fruit factory site at the Wade, came on this district like a thunderclap, after all the hopes held out to fruit-growers to be able to dispose of their surplus fruit locally. It is to be hoped that someone will buy it who will carry out Mr. Smith's proposed plans. Mr. Thos. Lees, of the Wade, has often expressed his intention of ultimately starting a fruit factory here himself. It is to be hoped that he will put that expression into practical shape by purchasing this splendid site for a fruit factory, and upon which Mr. Smith has already expended a large sum of money, besides having constructed at his own expense asplended road and metalled it to the entire satisfaction of the County Council. Every year sees new orchards springing into existence, and old ones being enlarged in this district, and it is quite plain to any practical observer that in the near future fruit will be the staple produce of the Wade and surrounding districts. The county elections are over for another three years, and it speaks well for the present management of county affairs in Waitemata that all the members who again offered themselves for re-election are returned. The following, I believe, was the result of the poll taken on the Bth inst., at Wainui : — A. J. Hatfield, 77 votes; Francis Poynton, 58 votes; and James Inelis, 40 votes. Mr. Hatfield, of Waiwera, is therefore the member for Wainui in the Council. He is a young and promising politician, having been several years chairman of the licensing commissioners and late road board, and has always been very popular, having as yet never been defeated in au election. The Council and district will find him an able and energetic member and a credit to the district.lA Correspondent.] MAHURANGI. On Saturday, the 11th, the Warkworth Race Committee held a meeting for the purpose of deciding whether or not a day's amusement by horseracing should be held in the district, and after discussion it was decided unanimously that a day's racing should be held on January 19, the programme to be the same as last year. On Monday, the 13th, a meeting of the Warkworth School Committee was held in the schoolroom, when there were present: Messrs. Nathaniel Wilson (chairman), J. Harrison, C. Thomson, W. Shaw, T. Warin. and G. Wilson. The secretary reported that the Board of Education had refused to grant the cost of a concrete water tank, but that | after some correspondence with the chairman, had consented to the erection of two additional iron tanks, and on the motion of Mr. Nathaniel Wilson, seconded by Mr. Thomson and carried, the secretary was instructed to employ Mr. Horsley to fix them in their places. The treasurer was instructed to pay sundry small accounts for work done, and for stationery supplied for school use. The report by Inspector Crowe of the late standard examination was laid before the committee, and showed the number on the roll to be 91, and of these 60 were examined, 49 passed, and 11 failed. The inspector in his remarks said he considered the results very satisfactory, and that the discipline, order, and tone of the school had much improved. During the past week the weather has been simply grand for growing crops, and there is now abundance of feed for all stock. The rain on Friday and Saturday must have been a disappointment to all concerned in the Agricultural Show. A goodly number of visitors had gone from this district.— Correspondent.] WAIPU. Mr. Field, the secretary of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Alliance, paid a visit to this district last week, and addressed a meeting in the Library Hall on the evening of the 15th instant. The principal object of the address was to point out the obnoxious features in every clause of the Alcoholic Liquor Control Bill, as viewed by the leading temperance reformers, and to get the electors to take an antagonistic attitude towards the Bill, and thus influence the voting at the coming election. A large and influential meeting was held on the 18th instant, and a strong committee was formed to support and secure the return of Mr. Thompson. This committee have determined to use every legitimate effort in their power to get a block vote for their candidate in this part of the electorate, as they argue, very rationally too, that if their man is returned to Parliament the requests of a large united body of electors will receive due con- i sideration and attention. The greatest and most important question for YVaipu in the future is to get an outlet by tramway or metalled road, for after forty years of residenc#»in the colony, paying its taxes during all the periods of prosperity and depression that have occurred, settlers in this district find themselves in the very inconvenient position of having no proper road, so that they may send their produee to market with proper facility; and so long as they suffer under this disadvantage, the composition of the Upper House, or the election of a Governor, is of very little importance to them, nor will a member's promise to support the Direct Veto Bill compensate struggling settlers for the i want of good highways and means of rapid transit for produce to market. A great deal of rain fell last week, which i nterferod with sheep - shearing, and the weather still appear a little unsettled.[Own Correspondent.] ! HUKERENUISOUTH. | Saturday evening brought Mr. Long to our settlement, who held a Bible reading amongst the settlers, and held services in the school in the morning, and then went to the Ramarama Valley in the afternoon to hold service there. Mr. Long found a disappointment, as his letter did not reach Mr. J. R. Lambert in time to give the settlers notice. Mr. Long returned and preached to the south end in the evening to a good audience, who listened very attentively. The weather is as usual— all flooded in the low places. Mr. Long has done a good work nere, and appears to have got the goodwill of all whom he has met. The Auckland people deserve our grateful acknowledgment of such effort, as settlers and gumdiggerß in isolated places have not the privilege to hear a sermon,—{A Correspondent.]