COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10046, 5 February 1896, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[PROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] ] Hamilton, Tuesday. The following is the position of the various : clubs playing in the Waipa Crioket Association Tournament. It shows that Taupiri has 1 a slight advantage in having only two losses ' to the other club's three, but this advantage . is somewhat nullified by their having only ' played fivo matches, whereas Hamilton hrva ( played nine. Alexandra is well up with four wins and three losses. Tuhikaramea lias only a possible show aud Te Awamutu is ; virtually out of it. The following is the position of the clubsHamiltou, played 9, 1 wins 6, losses 3; Alexandra, played 7, wins 4, losses 3; Taupiri, played 5, wins 3, losses 2; Cambridge, played 6, wins 3, losses 3. j Tuhikaramea, played 7, wins 3, losses 4; i Te Awamutu, played 8, wins 2, losses 6. 1 Mr. W. A. Graham has written his impres- 1 sions of the Maungatautari country on his ' return from his visit to it with the natives ! who accompanied the mining inspector, Mr. 1 Wilson. With regard to it from a settle- ' ment point of view, Mr. Graham was much ! impressed with its extent and fertile appearance. Giving a rough estimate, about ' 30,000 acres was fit for farming and grazing, ' chiefly the latter, much of the country being hilly. It is not too much, he thinks, to ' predict that within comparatively few years the fertile slopes and valleys of Maungatautari will pass into the hands of Europeans and become tho homes of scores of hardy settlers. : Mr, J. M. Murray has handed over to the hospital a cheque for £4 13s, the proceeds of the Hamilton West School concert given by ! the children of that institution, with tho request that it shall be expended in the pur- , chase of a cot for the use of sick children. The donation will be increased by the Government subsidy of 24s for every £ subscribed by the public to the hospital fund. Ohaupo, Tuesday. Tho following stock-owners have given their lauds the dressing of lime prescribed - by the Government for the eradication of | anthrax from their lauds, viz., two tons to ; the acre:—Mr. Turnwald,3oacres,6o tons: i Mrs. Martin, 10 acres,''SO tons. The cost of ( the dresssing to the above, including j freight, eartago, labour, etc., will be about ■, £2 10s per acre, which ou a big farm would i come very heavy upon a settler. The Govern- | ment will, howover, assist to the extent of one-third. Kiuikiiii, Tuesday. People here are going in with regular practice at polo. The local club will be ready to • meet their opponents of the Auokland club in the forthcoming match on something like : equal terms. ■ The annual picnic was held in Mr. Parrell's paddock ou Wednesday last, aud was a great 1 success. The ball, which was held the fol- ] lowing night, in the Public Hall, was < attended by about 50 couples, many of ( whom came from a distance. A strong com- i mittee of ladies worked hard in providing i refreshments for the company, and carried ( out the arrangements for conducting the games for the children. These were ably assisted by the secretary, Mr. J. Gardiner, to whom is due much of the success of the day. A large programme of games and races was carried out. and the contests were in many cases well fought out. The committee and their secretary, and those who provided prizes and refreshments, deserve the thanks of all who contributed to the . amusements of the day. Te Awamutd, Tuesday. There was only a small attendance of the subscribers at the meeting of the Public Library last week. The following were elected a management oomniitteo for the ensuing year Messrs. J. P. Vause, L Mandeno, J. P. Andrew, R. T. Millar, and W. Missen. Mr. W. J. Culver was appointed auditor. Votes of thanks were given to the outgoing members, and a special vote of thanks to Mr. Vause for his services in the interests of the Library. Mr. Vause was re-elected chairman aud secretary for the sixth year in succession, Huntly, Tuesday. The annual picnic of the Kimihia SundayBchool children took place in one of Mr. A. Neil's paddocks last Saturday. The superintendent, Mr. Harrison, who had been actively preparing for the day's outing for some time previous, was ably assisted by residents at the mine in affording the scholars the greatest possible amount of pleasure. Prizes, toys, etc., were competed for in games, and all the little ones received something, as a memento of what is to them a red-letter day iu their life. Refreshments were provided ad lib and all present enjoyed themselves. The first wedding celebrated in S. Paul's church here, took place yesterday morning, when Mr. E. W. Tattley was married to Miss Margaret Wear. Weddings have been singularly infrequent occurrences in Huntly of late* • years, and the ladies have consequently had no opportunity of gratifying that peculiarly feminine taste for attending and making the most of the ceremony. The church on this occasion was better filled than it usually is on Sundays. The bride was prettily attired in cream cashmere, trimmed with satin, and wore the oustomary veil and orange blossoms. The bridesmaid, Miss E. Wear, sister of the bride, wore a pretty pink dress and white lace hat. Mr. Harris, jun., acted as best man. The happy couple were plentifully besprinkled with rice as they left the church and precincts. Yesterday wasono of tho most oppressively hot and muggy days we have experienced this season. A lot of rain fell during the day, which was very welcome, but it did not cool the atmosphere much. It is rumoured that one of the oldest established firms in the liquor trade in Auckland arc contemplating erecting a hotel in Huntly. Should this eventuate it is said to be the intention of the holder ot a license in respect of premises lately destroyed by fire nt Te Aroha to apply for a removal of the license to Huntly. I hear that negotiations are proceeding for the acquirement of the necessary site for the building. Cambridge, Tuesday. Much regret was expressed when it became known on Monday morning that Mr. Th way had died tho previous evening, at half-past ten o'clock. Deceased, who was an old resident, had been suffering for some time. He leaves a wife and one sou to mourn their loss. The funeral, which took placo at four o'clock to-day, was largely attended. The weather yesterday was vory boisterous, very severe showers falling during the day, Whanoami, Tuesday, Heavy rain fell here yesterday, putting out the bush fires.