COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10125, 7 May 1896, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[PBQM OUR OWN COEBEOiOSDEKIg.] Hamilton, Wednesday. Me. Coawi arrived yesterday, to take up the duties of accountant at the Bank of New Zealand it Hamilton, made vacant by the removal ci Mr. Vou Sturmer to Te Awamntu where he will take charge during the absence of Mr. G. J. Taylor in England. The Borough Council has notified that cattle and horses must be kept off the streets of the towu between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. daring the months of May, June, July, and August, instead of, as now, from 6 a.m toS p.m. The regulation for keeping cattl< off the streets during the night has worked well and not been felt in the least oppressive; but while agreeing with that part ol the altered regulation which provides that £ p.m. be substituted for - 6 p.m., it is very reasonably felt that in the other pare of tin regulation 8 a.m. is unnecessarily late, and that if the hour were fixed at 7 a.m. instead I of 8 a.m. it would fully meet the requirement! of the case.

The dispute between the Waipa County Council and the Hamilton Borough Council as to which body is entitled to receive the auctioneers' license fees for the district is, after all, to eventuate in a lawsuit At a meeting of the legal committee of the Borough Council held on Thursday evening last, it was decided to authorise Mr. Swarbrick, the borough solicitor, to take steps to recover the amount of license fees (£I9J) paid by Messrs. McNicol and Co. to the Waipa County Council, which they claim should properly have been paid to the Borough.

Cambridge, Wednesday. There can be little doubt but the ftev. Thomas Scott will receive an almost unanimous call to till the vacancy at the Presbyterian Church here, eaused by the retirement of Mr. Evans. On both occasions, this Sunday and the preceding one, he preached eloquent sermons, and those wb< heard him express themselves well pleased with what they had heard, and as needing no further trial. A Church meeting wi'l b« held to-night to decide and settle the matter of the appointment. Ohacpo, Wednesday. Silver weddings are common enough, but it is not often we have occasion to chronicle a golden one, A golden wedding, however, has just been kept at Ohaupo in th» persons of Mr. and Mrs. Prince. Some twenty people took part in the celebration, old friends and relatives, including three sons, and Mr. Gee, a brother of Mrs. Prince, of the firm of Gee and Potter, of Auckland. At the dinner Mr. J. T. Edwards took the head of the table, with the bridegroom on his right hand. After a number'of congratulatory speeches had been made. Mr. Prince on behalf of himself and his wife replied in a feeling manner xo the kind remarks of his guest*. Mr. Prince came out to the colony in 1872, and settled iu Alexandra, where for seven years he carried on his trade as a blacksmith. He then removed to Ohaupo, and has carried on his trade here for the last sixteen years, retiring from business in favour of bis son, Mr. Thomas M. Prince. When passing through Ohaupo on his visit to Waikato some years ago Mr. Prince was introduced to the Marquis of Mormanby, the former making the remark that if the one v:as the " Marquis of Normanby," the other was "Prince ot Ohaupo,'' a joke at whi:h the former was heartily pleased.

ALBANY. A vert pleasant entertainment was held hera in aid of Mr. Ryan, who is just recovering from a serious illness. The ladies and gentlemen of the district, assisted by a few trien is

from town, Rave the musical items, sodss, recitations, and readings, and also provided the refreshments. Mrs. Ryan requested that the thanks of herself aud husband be conveyed to the committee and friends for the kind and timely aid rendered to them.-[Own Correspondent.]

DAIRY PLAT. The Wesleyan minister, Rev. 6. H. Bridgman, who has had charge of the Wade circuit for the past four years, has left for Whangaroa. While here his labours were untiring, and the well wishes of the settlers and others follow him. This circuit has been taken charge of by Mr. Holdsworth. On the afternoon at the 16th April Canon Haaelden held a service in the Dairy Flat schoolroom. In future Church of England services are to be held here on occasional Sunday mornings. A very successful concert in aid of Mr. Bridgman's travelling expenses was held on the evening of April 29. The concert was in place of the usual Mutual Improvement meeting. The proceeds, which amounted to about £2, will he forwarded to Mr. Bridgman. The following is the programme The first part was opened by Mr. Brooks playing "The Champion March;" comic song, "Mr. Doo'ie's Geese," Little Peter (encored), song, "Dream Faces, Miss McArthur, with violin obligate by Miss E. McArthur; reciu*:ou, Mr. Frost; song, "Anchored," Mr. lurry; song, Miss L. Stevenson; recitation, " Lady Clare,' 1 Mrs. Frost; comic song, Little Peter (encored); recitation, "Guilty or Not Guilty," Miss Palmer; song, "The Anchor's Weighed," Mr. Milward; song, " Sweet Marie," Mr. von Ameln. An organ solo by Mr. Milward opened the second part of the programme. Song, "The Village Blacksmith," Mr. Foreman; recitation, "The Rosegirl," Miss I. Frost; song, "The Monks of Old," Mr. F. McArthur; soi/g, "The Wondrous Seed," Miss Green ; 3ong, " Little Sister is Gone to Sleep/ Mr. Frost; " song, " 1 Borrowed It," Mr. Brooks; song, " Heavenly Rest," Mr. von Aineln; song, Mr. Foreman (encored); duet, Mr. and Mrs. Frost; instrumental duet (violin and organ), "Dancing Fairies," Miss E. and Mr. F. McArthur. The National Anthem was rendered, and the meeting separated.—{Own Correspondent. 1

HIKURANUI. We are having a spell of cold dry weather. The roads are keeping eood, but there is not much growth in the grass. A large area of burnt land is being seeded down with grass-seeds this season. A good many people ire obtaining their seed from the Government, but most of the settlers had obtained their supply from the dealers previously, and did not take advantage of this source of supply. I notice that the valuator under the Advances to Settlers Act is much more active than he has been for a long time, and vigour seems to characterise the department just at present. I wonder if the approaching elections have anything to do with this ? The ballasting on the Whakaparu railway extension has betn going oil satisfactorily; but the men are now eugaged in stripping the earth from the ballast pit, and the waggotu are stopped for a while. The Kauri Timber Company, having bought the Puhipuhi timber, are, it is said, about to erect a mill in Puhipuhi. Representatives of British capitalists, it is said, are making inquiries about Puhipuhi as afield for investment. I shall expect to hear of developments in that quartet' shortly. Close on £39 has been collected here for the Brunner relief fund. Many of the miners Here had either friends or relatives who lost their lives in the pit. The local bodies here have been getting scoria ash from the Railway Department to put on the roads, but it is doubtful if any more will be got, as the railway charges art much higher than they need be, and so much time is lost by the men and teams waiting on the railway people for trucks. This oujhs not to be, and is a reflection on the management, in which there is certainly room for great improvement. Our local representative of St. Crispin his started the clogmaking industry here, having imported the necessary machinery from the old country. He is getting orders from various parts of the country. Clogs are said to be very suitable for wear in th< mines, as the minerals do not affect them. I do not think that Government officials are usually worked too hard ; but the Hikurangi stationmaster is certainly an exception, as, besides being kept busy all day, he works at the books two hours every night and half a day on Sunday, so he gets his half-holiday out of the seven. He has to do the postal work as well, and should certainly have a cadet in the office.—[Own Correspondent.]