COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9831, 28 May 1895, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

—nr •■■,-- «•.:« w [FBOM OUR OWN COBBfrpoNDENTS.ff HamiiW Monof gc Dr. Brewis, it will be learneWith pie pre, Q is about again, as usual attending tffhis w patients. Beyond a certainWeneimd re stiffness he is quite recovered ; Ipm hi late P accident. ' ,: ..' .... A ,J i tV A large number of invitations tk Aftsoni " ball, to be held on the 27th pro% / nd| » the auspices of Lodge Beta, at theVjlunte* J.' Hall, have been issued to membersW W* » kato lodges. ■ X I The borough by-laws are more nA o urej in the breach than in the observant at; the people of Hamilton are almost altcfetW left without police protection. FornWW j there were three police constables, and me . we were left with the services of awl* Constables Forbes and Cahill. _ * oW ri '"|L have lost the services of one of these, i-;0«J. stable Cahill having been removed th'K month or six weeks, and stationed at O<<oroa, honga, and the whole work has been shit tear on to the shoulders of Constable Forbes. 1* is the duty of the Mayor and Council tc| draw the attention of the Minister of Justices to the state of things prevailing, and to askH for adequate police protection for cue* borough. , x.' . iL^i During the last month or three weeks the weather has been showery, and we have had very few frosts, nothing such as we might have expected during the month of May. The open weather has been favourable to the 1 growth of grass, which, as well asfclover, is looking well in all sheltered situations, late sown turnips are also turning out a good crop. The carrying of the feed into the winter and absence of frosts and consequent destruction of the grass is already beginning to show in the increasing value of stock during the past fortnight, which is not only observable in the case of large well-conditioned bullocks, but in the better market obtainable for more backward stock, both sheep and cattle, which are more saleable than they were. People in Hamilton are not generally aware that the acre, lot 55, Hamilton West, on which the post and telegraph offices and postmaster's residence is built, is a hospital endowment. At the Hospital Board meeting on Thursday last it was resolved to write to the Postmaster-General asking him what rent he was prepared to pay for the use of the offices and buildings, making no demand for the use qf them the Government has had in the past. Ohacpo, Monday. The balance-sheet at the annual meeting of the Pukekura Road Board showed receipts £480 and an expenditure of £191 5s 7d. At the first meeting of the new Board held subsequently Mr. R. Reynolds was reelected chairman and Mr. Hugh Fitzgerald clerk and collector. On a ballot being taken as to which of the members should retire at the end of the first year the lot fell to Messrs. Allen and Scott. Messrs. Scott and Caley were authorised to supervise road works west of Walker's Gully, the Chairman and Mr. Allen to perform the same office at Pukekura and Cambridge West, and Mr. Walker from Gray's corner to Mr. Tuck's. Whatawhata, Monday. The people of Waitetuna and Te Uku, now that the winder is setting in, are desirous of establishing a public library, and have already got the machinery of one in working order. At a meeting of the library committee held on Saturday last, the subscription for the ensuing year was fixed at 6s. Those desirous of subscribing to or otherwise assisting the library by donations of books, magazines, etc., may forward the same either to Mr. E. B. Hill, the hon. secretary, or to Mr. E. C. Moon, the postmaster at Te Uku, as soon as possible, as the committee are anxious to lose no time in ordering the books. I . Kihikihi, Monday. The second annual reuuion dinner of the old settlers and their friends was held on the evening of the Queen's Birthday, at the Star Hotel. A fairly representative company assembled, which consisted of the following, viz., Messrs. A. Armstrong, W. Ashley, K. Bell, A. J. Bertram, R. Cunningham, J. T. Edwards, W. H. Grace, T. Gresham, J. Farrell, T. Holden, A. Henderson, W. Johns, G. Maunder, H. Moucrieff, W. Qualtrough, , W. Reynolds, Captain Rigg, H. Roche, A. Ross, D. Ross, Colonel Shepherd, C. J. Storey, W. Thompson, J. Weal, and T. Weal. The floral decorations of the diningroom and table were most effective. Mr. W. Johns, of Te Rahu, occupied the chair, and Mr. J. T. Edwards, of Ohaupo, was in the vice chair. The toast of the evening was " the Health of Her Gracious Majesty the Queen and all in authority uuder her," which, on being proposed by Mr. Johns aud prefaced by a few appropriate words from him, was drunk, the company singing the national anthem. Dinner and dessert over, the tables were rearranged so: that "close order" was taken, when all. settled down in a free and easy manner to' songs, interspersed with racy anecdotesan occasional toast dropping in—reminiscences of the early days of settlement, thrilling hair-breadth escapes by "flood and field," and the multifarious recollections of campaigning in India, Mew Zealand, and other parts. • It was not till an early hour next morning that the company broke up, but before doing so the host and hostess were highly complimented for the sumptuous dinner given, and by which the landlady, Mrs. Maunder, well sustained her reputation for taste and finish. By an arrangement made during the night, some new members were added to the committee appointed last year to continue the meeting annually, so as to bring all old identities more in sympathetic accord with one another.

Noaruawahia, Monday. The annual sports took place on Friday last, the Queen's Birthday, on the Recreation Reserve. There was a large attendance of the public, and the keenest interest was evinced in the various events. The committee spared no pains in making the meeting a success, and their efforts were amply rewarded by good fields and good finishes. The performance of D. Wiley, who won five races, and thus secured four events, elicited much praise. Appended are the results :— 120 yds Handicap— first heat: Wiley, 1: Carlyon, 2, Second heat : George, 1; F. James, 2. Final : Wiley, 1; F. James, 2. Time, 12 l-ss. 150 yds Amateur: W. Paterson, 1 ; Baker, 2, Time, 16s. Half mile Handicap : Wiley, 1; Clout, 2. Time, 2m. 16s. Rowing Club Cup : F. James had a walkover. The cup is now the property of James, this being the second occasion of his winning it. High Jump : Kenny, sft, 1; Dick, 2. 440 yds Amateur : J. Gillett, 1; G. Roper, 2. Baker came in first, but a protest that he ran inside a post was sustained, and thus Gillett secured first place. Hurdle Race, 220 yds : W. Lovell, 1; W. Wilson. 2. One Mile Handicap: Wiley, scratch, 1; Clout, 2. Time, sm. lis. Bicycle Race, about two miles on road : E. B. Davies, 480 yds, 1; A. J. Simmelhag, 10yds, 2. Davies won by about 300 yds. Quarter-mile Handicap : J. McDermott, 1 ; George, 2. Time, 625. Two Mile Walk : Wiley, 1 ; Parker- 2. Huntly, Monday. The newly-elected Huntly Road Board held its first meeting on Saturday last. Present : Messrs. Bailey, Collins, Harris, Hooton, and Hubbard. Mr. J. P. Bailey was unanimously elected chairman of the Board. The Minister of Railways wrote stating that the Government would put in a, proper railway crossing on Church Road, if the road was properly formed from the Great South Road to the railway. The Taupiri Extended Coal Company offered to form and make the road on both sides of the line.' The offer was accepted, and the Minister of Railways will be replied to accordingly. The clerk to the Wangamarino Road Board wrote asking the Huntly Board to co-operate in requesting the Waikato County Council to delegate its power to th* Boards to collect county rate, and thus save expense of collection, and also to transfer control of all bridges over 30 feet span within the road districts to the Boards. Letter received. The Survey Department having approved of plans for contracts Nos. 5 and 7, the tender of Geraghty and Co. was accepted for the firstnamed and that of J. Annerson for the latter, subject to the receipt of the deposit, which had been returned within 14 days. Messrs. Bailey and Harris were deputed to confer with the engineer as to suggested alterations in the specification of contract No. 8 by the contractor. A schedule of thirds accruing to the Board was received from the Receiver of Land Revenue. The matter ; left with the clerk and Mr. Hubbard to attend to. Lots were drawn to deoide whioh two of the members should retire next yeSir. The lot fell upon 'Messrs.. Harris and Hubbard. Fourteen days' extension of time was granted to Mr. F. W. Hubbard in which to complete his contract for road work. It was resolved that the improvements to the Kimihia Road ... decided upon by the late Board, be deferred until September next, a surfaceman; to be employed on it as occasion requires. The chairman and Messrs. Collins and Hubbard were appointed a committee to open tenders and let contract for making the Kimihia swamp drain. Resolved that the Board give the necessary notice of its intention to strike a rate of Id in the £ on all rateable property within their road district. The clerk was instructed to have printed, and issue, notices statin* the Board will add an extra charge of 10 per cent, to the amount of all rates overdue. It was resolved that tenders be invited for repairing and gravelling the road leading to the Huntly goods-shed. This is a much needed work, as the road is largely used, and unless attended to will become impassable during wet weather. . - ; Two large pieces of greenstone, in their . rough state, weighing about ljcwt, were '■■ brought down by train on Saturday for Ma;i huta, the young King. ' " f T ;I '/ ' ] ' ? | A watch and chain, lost from one of the , (Ee Arohft excursion traina by ft passenger

'0 or three weeks Ago, was found by Ganger ooney last week near Tole's Hih, Ohine»i. Te Aroha, Monday. The entertainment in aid of the public hool funds held in the public hall on the aeen's Birthday, was highly successful in cry way, 'and the promoters have every ason to be satisfied with the result. The iblic hall had been charmingly decorated r the elder scholars and other friends, under ,e direction of the teachers, with ferns and >wers and evergreens, and the effect was lally very pretty when the lamps wer» shted and the well-dressed audience fill« te room. * \VZ TKLKQBABH.—OWN COBBKSrONDKNTS.] Paeboa, Monday. A man named George Coyle was brough, p at the Police Court to-day and charged a illows :— (1) With being drunk and di* rderly at Waihi on the night of the 24tl lay : (2) malicious injury to the property ol it. J. L. Stevens; (3) assaulting Mr. J. L, tevena, licensee of the ■ Sterling Hotel, Taihi; (4) refusing to leave the licensed presses when requested to do so; (5) using 3scene language in a public place ; and (6) •sisting Constable Bern in the execution of is duty. Defendant pleaded guilty to each large, and was respectively dealt with as >llows : —(1) Fined ss, or 24 hours' imprisonient; (2) fined ss, with costs £4 4s 6d ; (3) twa lonths' imprisonment; (4)fined £1, costs2s; B three months' imprisonment, sentences I run concurrently. Constable Bern had lite a lively experience in arresting the de. bdant, who hit and kicked with all his feht. It appears that he slipped one haud tough the handcuff, and eventually Conable Bern had to tie his prisoner's hands * legs with rope, and owing to there being clock-up at Waihi Coyle had to be k*pt in Rable all night. A man named John Galwas also fined os, with costs 2s, or in diult 24 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenn« at Waihi on the 25th inst. Messrs. Mandrew and Mitchell were the presiding jtices. . I WHANGAREI. Rhiesentatives of the Anglican and Weslea communions recently held a meeting at Hjftrangi to consider what steps should be ta|jji towards erecting a church. It was resoil that the Wesleyans should build as so%s possible, both bodies to assist in finding thiecessary funds, and both parties to have th«se of the building, according to arrangemey until the Anglicans are able to erect a chish for themselves. The meeting was a he&one, and the greatest cordiality prevaif between both ministers and people. Of May 19, in the Wesleyan Church, Wbfgarei, the Rev. J. T. Pinfold, F.G.S., comfenced a series of sermons on the " Cation of the World." The subject of the $t discourse was, " Is Matter Eternal ? M -^Aforrespocdent,] 1 ONEWHERO. Ope strict seems to be making steady and Bubstttial progress, notwithstanding the low phe of stock, farm produce, general bad thes, and the universal depression in tradeJidging from the many new buildings being tot up. There is now in course of progrej in building two new stores and a butch* shop. Sites for building purposes appearflso to have been in great requisition by theifficultv experienced by soma people in tryig to purchase. The creamery site appear! o be the attractive point to which trade btldintrs are drawn. Besides the two stores king built for Mr. J. Logan and Mr. S. Crawsrd, it is said that another site has been acdired for a public house. Whether this wilfce an advantage to the district or not, remlns to be seen, some people asserting that a ptblic house would be the ruination of the ditrict, while others hold that no place cauVoperly go ahead till a properly conducted btel has been started. The Creaoery Association have decided to sell the cAamery plant and goodwill of same. Thefleclinein the butter trade, and the low prie it has been bringing in the home markits, has had rather a depressing effect untiUiilk-suppliers. What apieared to be a bright meteor was witnessed hit Saturday night. It seemed to pass close tj the earth, and lit up the whole surrounding/, going away from the earth in a south -westerly direction, and at an angle of about fify degrees from the horizon. It was at first thought to be a comet with a tail about jive degrees in length, and for several mhut<;s it was thought to be stationary ia the heavens, but it gradually disappeared in the direction named. It 'is often asked when the school committee are going to have the school grounds fenced in. The school site is rather a . pretty one, and contains about eight acres of rich land, and if it was fenced the children riding three or four miles from Pukekau, or other long distances, would find a safe place to put their horses during school hours. As it is at present, it is in a very neglected and unbecoming condition. Great dissatisfaction was expressed In the districts around here whejfi it became known that twenty-three " unemployed " frem the South had been sent up by the Government to work on the roads on the co-operative system. This seems rather strange, seeing that there k a surplus amount of labour in these country districts at the present time. When these unemployed were put on the works, they were put on day wages at 6s per diem, till the co-operative contracts could be let to them, But they very soon struck for 7s per day ? wet or dry, or a shilling an hour for the time the? worked. This happens while twice that 'number of men within a radius of 10 miles, and as good labourers as the imported sample, could be got to work for 5s per day. What are our M.H.R.'s doing to allow the South to flood their unemployed upon us this way ? A slight epidemic of colds nave been going round the districts the last few weeks.—[Ow» Correspon dent.]