COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9460, 16 March 1894, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from'.our own correspondents.]

Hamilton, Thursday. The Hamilton Borough Council has instructed the Town Clerk to write to the Auckland Institute, to see on what terms they would lease, sell, or exchange the allotments at the back of the Borough Cattle Yards, so as to enlarge them. It is to be hoped, should they secure them, they will put them to better use than they have done with the acres on the opposite side of the yards in Victoria-street, granted them by the Government for the establishment of a sheep sale yard, all that they have hitherto done with the latter-being to cut them up by forming a gravel-pit upon them for procuring gravel for the streets. With plenty of expensive work before it which must be undertaken sooner or later it is unsatisfactory to observe that the Borough overdraft is gradually on the increase. It now stands at £103.

Miss Leila Adair, the aeronaut and parachutist, wall make an ascent from Sydney Square, on Saturday week, the 24th instant. Larrikinism is rife in Hamilton East. Great complaints are made of the filthy writings which have appeared on the walls and seats of the pavilion in Sydney Square. The Domain Board should see that these effusions are removed, report the matter to the police, and offer a small rewald, say £1, for the conviction of any offender in the future. The struts from the framework in Seddon's drain have also been cut away and removed, evidently for firewood. Ngaruawahia, Thursday. The polo sports here, on the 17th instant, promise to be a great success, if the weather keeps fine. Many entries have been received from the Kihikilu and Auckland Clubsi.

Cambridge, Thursday. ' Mr. J. A. Poud will lecture on Monday at the Cambridge Farmers' Club on " Manures Suitable for Grasses," and on the following day at Ohaupo on " Milk-testing." The question of the cattle saleyards leasing has been settled. An offer from the present lessees, McNicol and Co., has been accepted to surrender their present lease and take the yards on agaiu for 21 years at £10 per annum or £5 per acre. Tne firm is to receive £50, the value of the present improvements they have effected, if any person takes the lease. Accommodation for 400 head of cattle and 4000 sheep to be at once provided ; stock sales to be held at least ouee a month. The offer was gladly accepted by the Council, and a . committee appointed to carry out the arrangement; The following tenders for painting the public hall have been dealt with : —A. Johnson, £38 ; Hunt and Stewart, £35; S. Kennaird, £28 10s; Wilkinson aud Co. (accepted), £26. Messrs. Wilkinson and Co.'s offer to do the scenery up for £910s was also accepted. The KarapSro bridge is to be re-decked with heart of rimu. The timber has been purchase from Mr. Mellars, of Taupiri, at 9s per 100 feet delivered in Cambridge. Moon's and Reily's hills, which form the approaches to the bridge, are to be gravelled. PUKEKOHE WEST. The weather is scill exceedingly favourable in this neighbourhood for agricultural pursuits, enabling the farmers to prepare and sow down their respective paddocks in grass, turnips, etc., and the occasional showers are keening the pastures fresh and green. The threshing and chaffing machines are now busy at work. - From what I hear the returns are not heavy, but the chaff, as a rule, is very good, although I doubt, at present prices, if it will more than pay expenses. In fact, I dqubt, after a very lengthy experience. if there is much profit in cropping, especially at present prices. " On ' Monday last, the 12th instant,' a very successful sale of farm stock was held on the farm of Mr. John Allen, Hillside. Mr. Alfred Buckland, jun., was the auctioneer, and conducted the sale in a highly satisfactory mauner. The day was beautifully fine, a large number of the geueral public being present. A substantial luncheon was provided and. £ partaken of,' after which, the auctioneer started selling the dairy i cows, about 50 in . number. - Bidding at tne start was not very brisk, but after the first two or three cows were sold, those present seemed to warm to' their work, and cow after cow was sold at prices which were considered by those present to be highly satisfactory. Some of the cows realised as high a figure as £11 15s. _ The : herd of dairy cows, with seven or eight "of their progeny (heifers under two years old), averaged about £6 per head. The celebrated bull Wellington, the winner of several first-class prizes, was knocked down for £5 10s. Mr. Allen stated paid .15' guineas for this bull when a calf. Calves unweaned brought from 6s to 16s, but it was thought Mr. Allen kept back the best of them. Pigs sold freely, and at good prices. The horses offered were not of a saleable stamp, with one or two exceptions, one of those a brown filly, three years old, being sold at £lu. The entire Timor, pony Dandy Tom, imported here' from Australia by Mr. Lacey, from whom Mr. Allen purchased him, drew one bid of £10, but was not sold, £l 5 being required for him. A few of the farm implements as well the dairy utensils were sold, all realising good prices. A large stack of oaten sheaves ; Was offered, but was not sold. I hear, an offer was" made privately for the oaten stack by one of our threshing machine owners,

sale was the Th k ; gfej*""" 1 tor GREAT BARRIER. Iwo brothers, Messrs. Will,'-,™ j „ Cozens, late of Matakana have Tho u ma « time since become settlers on ?, a short since they, came their '-3 been associated with everv »vLt e al wavs which has been held in the neS ?a f herin 2 the way of rendering valuable ° Ur - hood 'a Lately they formed the idea of h S 'u^ nce> public party at their own expense hol( In K a they carried into execution on the - th " Invitations were sent round " ,Q st. When the day arrived, the m 0" : ever y°ne. beautiful and fine, but shortly a ft» roliß the sunshine became obscured CTf ard « which resulted in fitful EL by had the effect of pravent nT'.L considerable distances awav fr eat ing, and the prospect for the ?- m Btart " not very bright. However, as arra,? 6 Was and preparations had been prevW? ment ' it was determined to carry out th« I de > circumstances might permit Th,? p ns « the proceedings was adjacent to the fl? ? house. A tent was erected, alonJl T ol ' tab were placed ,in readiness or victuals. A considerable number „f ttle folks had arrived early in the day l y ° Ut >? withstanding the dampness of the » ot " maintained a lively demeanour the m r as being encouraged by the spirit "? res ° of instrumental music which i Ky ',; e j , ain dantly the while from the tent abu ?" in the afternoon the clouds car 7 «a agata there ™ lasted the remainder of the dav tu party was then re inforced, and ill i e usual pleasures of picnicking and in compauiments were freely indulged in t ' repasts were given during the afi*r« 0 at each of which the abundance of nL t °°; fruit-cakes, which were liberallySf"? diminished rapidly Shortly afS ££$> party was re-assembled and after some sin* mg a call was given for three cheer* ? s ' Messrs. W. and T. Cozens, which were heart responded to by all, and again for three " * for the ladies who assisted at the table? which also received a warm response Th party then broke up, all seeming!, In pleased with the day's proceedings _/rL Correspondent.] 83 '^ 0wd

eawakawa. The weather is still very uncertain now«t passing without a downpour of rain Th of course, hinders traffic very consider and 1 still have good hopes that the arrival of Mr., Patterson will give the sumindust™ a new impetus. ' As I mentioned in a future letter ther. was a considerable spurt in the gum'trad? which I now learn was caused by the shin' menfc of a large quantity to New York one of our most; extensive gum buyers on his own account on the the chance of an im proved market there. This was deemed very inconsiderate on bis part, there bein» always a certain combination of the trade in New York, as in most other cities that en tirely prevents such a venturesome specula, tion succeeding. I understand that by the last week's steamer, the Clansman, two experienced miners—in coal particularly— here. They were sent by a party from Waikato to make a thorough prospecting tour around and near Kawakawa. I suppose this is due to the letters I have lately written on this subject, and that no regular prospecting had been carried out to the extent recommended by Mr. Moody and other experts. I leara that the principal chief of the natives at Waiomio and Kopuru had an interview with the above party on their arrival, and gave them very flattering hopes that, in the Kopuru Valley especially, they could be shown several outcrops of coal on some of the steep banks of the rivers that have not been hitherto examined or known by Europeans. 1 also learn that in the neighbourhood of Opua an outcrop was discovered with a nine-feet seam of coal; so, with all these rumours of findings, and a regular exami tion being made, I still have hopes of a bright future for Kawakawa in the coal line. The principal event of the past week was the deeply-regretted departure of Mr. John Williams and his family, who left en route on Thursday last. For the present I under, stand he will remain at Pallia until his final arrangements are made for settling in his new home. No one has ever left this countj more deservedly and deeply regretted as Mr. John Williams and every member of his family, and we cordially agree with the general feeling of wishing him every success in his Southern home. Mr. Sydney Williams has not yet left Pakaraka. His destination, I believe, is to the Southern island. A regular clearing-out sale of the contents of the two houses and the balance of stock not sold to their successors is to be held in three weeks, which, of course, will keep him hew until after that event.

... A grand farewell entertainment was given Jto Mr. T. P. Moody on the 2nd March. I have not heard what the movements el the new coal syndicate are, but now that the manager of the old compauy has left, and a!! the arrangements made as to the sale of its freehold property, a grand clearance has been made where a few months ago were hundreds of miners and workmen of every description. The contractors for the supply of 700 tons of coal weekly at the railway station are still progressing favourably; and there seems, up to the present, a sufficient supply from the pillars in the abandoned drives to unable them to do so. They still use only their individual labour, assisted alone by horsepower, having no machinery. A tram is laid down to the different workings, and whereever an ascent occurs in the tram line they have to put on extra horses, which serve all the purposes they require.— Correspondent.] OPUKAKE (TARANAKI). Friday, the 2nd March, was au eventful one, as the public gave Mrs, W. W. Middleton a return ball. It is a well-known fact that whenever any public affair is being got up, and Mrs. Middleton's name is mentioned as being one of the management, the universal opinion is that it is bound to be a success. The prognostications are always correct, although on a few occasions the weather has not been as good as desired, but still Mrs. Middleton is never daunted when many a faint heart would back down. The catering was entrusted to Mrs. Kappley, who gave tns greatest satisfaction, the table being loaded with good things, and though there were relays of consumers for about three houis there was still plenty left. The Town riaU was beautifully decorated with flags ana Chinese lanterns. Mr. F. Stevenson at tne piano _ and Mr. Tait the cornet (both ot Manaia) gave capital dance music, ihey were highly complimented. There was 4 very nice programme gone through, ine grand march polka was grand, about ntty couple up. Miss Tait kept the dancing going while the musicians were at supper. Amongst the visitors there were Mr. ana Mrs. Prenter (New Plymouth). Mr. Des Forges led off Mrs. Middleton, o |,r Guest;" Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Rogers- Mr. and Mrs. Eason, Mr. and Mrs. 1. Hick®?: Mr. and Mrs. Twomey, Mr. ana M rl Knowles, Mr and Mrs. G. W. Gane, Me •■ dames O'Brien, Breach, R. Pepp«"l'> phries, Ballard, Cross, Flynn, A. H. Mm< > McLeod, W. Fowler, Moon, Eyes, tvapley, Des Forges. Any omissions is an . ersl " J and equally applies to single ladies gStotlemen, Misses Nixon, Andrews. ?' J. Stevenson, A. Berkitt. A. Mann, fit i Birkett, Treewick, Robinson, la' ;t . ' Jeffries, E. Stevenson, Simeon, K. Jeu 1 Chapman, Simeon Pepnerill, Nellv Vic , er ' Tuke, 0. Tulte, Edmunds, Webb, J. \\ oi ;' Zoe Prosser. Putt, and A. Pepperill; MessrsA. Wills, W. D. Scott, F. Reid. H. ■ J. «* man. Christie, E. Sutton, Cnristie, 1. 1 G. Carter, Berkitt, Simeon (2), Forsyth (A Guy (2), Humphries (2), Olger, Hcju-r > Seccombe, Hickey, West, Chap'"' l "' so „ i ton, Eyes, E. C. Raikes, lait, St- j Stewart, Hickey, Cummmgs, Roge bert, Watson, Hanson, Markham, .r q and Flynn. Mr. Des Forges was a Dancing was kept up to abotit "" e , t hL« Mr. E. C. Raikes as secretary discharge" duties to perfection. t0 be I hear that shortly two churches are t Catholic and English. If sue tuates, the appearance of this town much improved. wharf ComMr. Crombie; chairman ot the J hai. vner3 pany, is convening meetings of stocK• ? to consider the best means of P s heep, accommodation for shipping ot cattle . sflme and pigs from here. It is hop mee tjl)g feasible scheme will be laid before B with fruitful results, so that we can siup beef and mutton direct. \v»]liu"ton, Mr. John Duthie, merchant, Wei" » ofll has visited us. Mr. Duthie 18 , ut i en un shrewd, common sense man, ana a „ caUS ed withal. His appearance here ha j 3 wbe opinions to be formed that busi -- done here yet.— Correspondent.]

■ - , ii To The Live Stock Journal remarks.show the large extent to winch - ing for export is conducted on some & New Zealand estates, it if 8 Vi 0e9 tate colonial paper that on the R ivel '^' mpan y, of the New Zealand Agncultur.ilC 30,000 sheep were recently fee™"? u nips, r " one field there were 18,0 —