COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10405, 1 April 1897, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

PUKEKOHE EAST.

Fine cool weather now prevails. On the 19th instant the monthly meeting of the Band of Hope was held iu the chnrch, Sir. Morgan presiding. There was a fairly good attendance, the programme consisting of addresses, readings, singing, etc. The chairman called attention to the fact that the present year was the jubilee of the Band of Hope movement, the first society having been commenced in Leeds in 1847.

During Easter it is proposed to bold some harvest services, for the purpose of raising funds towards improving the appearance of the church, etc. Weasels have now spread as far as this locality. One was seen and despatched the other day. Ploughing and grass seed sowing are now the order of the day. As for burning off bush it seems likely that the work will have to be postponed until next season. There must be a great glut of butter in the market when the price has dropped to 5d per lb for beat quality.— Correspondent.] MANGAWAI. The nomination of candidates for trustees of the Road Board came off as advertised. There were five nominations, Messrs. Bond, Wharf, Ryan, Eyre, and Duncan Stewart. I understand that the two former have retired, consequently the three latter are returned; that will do away with the necessity for an election. Mr. Thomas Miller has resigned, and an extraordinary election must of course take place. There is a rumour that) Mr, Bond has sold his portion of the land for £6500; another statement is going about that £6000 is offered, and negotiations are incomplete. The rough weather has changed. Our timber men were thinking of abandoning the hauling, but the last few days seem to promise better, consequently they continue. The change of Wesleyan ministers has been ordered, and Mr. Rothwell will be missed ; he was much liked. The management of the goods store at the wharf is not all what it should be. Several things have been lost. The clerk or wharfinger, or whatever he calls himself, refuses to sign for or take cognisance of all goods sent by settlers; but goods forwarded to settlers are signed for in Auckland on receipt of the same, consequently it is hard to trace lost goods. A large number of gumdiggers are now located here, and apparently are doing well. Roads are cut up more by gum carts and provisions for dingers than by ettlers' carts, but settlers pay the rates and diggers do not.[Own Correspondent.] KAMO, The rains caused two heavy freshes in the Wairua, and took away all the kauri logs from Griffin's bush, showing the value of a waterway for timber carriage. The fresh took place on Thursday, and on Saturday the logs were in salt water on the Wairoa, having passed down the Wairua, over the Ruatangata Jails (50 feet), over the Poroti Falls (70 feet), and through a series of rapids. We have not much kauri" in this district, and settlers should not part with it too lightly. The prices offered are but moderate, and in some cases, while the seller agrees not to part with it, the buyer is only pledged to remove the timber within seven years, a small deposit, being paid. _ Besides what is sent by water, Mr. Joe Going's teams are bringing in a considerable number of logs to the Kamo station, and during the summer three to five went in every day to Whangarei from the Kaitara,[Own Correspondent.] WHAREORA. On March 16 the Rev, Roby (Presbyterian) held a service in the church, and preached to a larger congregation than usual. The organ was in charge of Mrs. A. McKinnou. In the Auckland Weekly News of March 20 your Hobsonville correspondent mentions a new kind of kumera, introduced and acclimatised by Mr. A. C. Bernecker, and goei on tnß»y that it is a great improvement on the old kinds both as croppers and keeper, and the Maltese variety is greatly admired for its foliage and the vines spring in bunches instead of single, as other varieties. The above is rather misleading, as the writer does not say positively the name of the good cropper and keeper, or where they are to be obtained, and speaks as if the grower had several kinds, which is confusing to anyone on the look-out for a good thing. I hope my brother 0.0. at Hobsonville will send you more particulars about them. A concert and dance took place in the Huanui schoolroom on Match 19, the proceeds in aid of a fence for the Whareora Cemetery, which is very much needed, as the old one is broken down in several places, leaving the fenced graves to the tender mercy of all the loafing cattle in the district. On March 21 the Salvation Army held a meeting in the church, which was conducted by Sisters Redwood and Vyles, from Whangarei, The contractors for the new bridge at the lord, close to the Messrs. Donaldson's farm. ar ® P" sawing most of the timber wanted. ihe mercury in the glass has been rising and falling m a very strange manner during the month of March. At midday it has read as high as 82 in the shade, and at dawn as low as 48; and what with the late rains and cold nights, the tomatoes have fared very i N'y this y«»r,-{offn Correspondent.]