COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10430, 30 April 1897, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[?BOM ODR OWN CORRESTONBENTS.] Hamilton, Thursday. AN accident happened yesterday afternoon to a little boy about six years old, a son of Mr. T. M. Hall, who has lately purchased Hibbs' farm on the Ohaupo road. The little chap was riding home from school, when hi« pony bolted, throwing him off at the bottom of the Hospital Hill, near Mr. Walters' gate, breaking his arm. Mr. C. LeQuesne, who was passing at the time, saw the accident, and conveyed the little sufferer to the Hospital, where the broken limb was at once attended to by Dr. Kenny. MoßßiNsraiiE, Thursday. The monthly meeting of the Waitoa Road Board was held here on Saturday last. There were present: Messrs. Chepmefl (chairman), Fanner, and Horrell. E. Voysey's tender was accepted for clearing and claying the Te Kawanu Road at 10d per chain for clearing, and 10d per equate yard for claying. The clerk was instructed to take legal proceedings where necessary for collecting all outstanding rates. Accounts amounting to £62 were passed for payment. Whatiwhatihoe, Thursday. Some three months ago the natives here smarted a co-operative store with a small capital in £1 shares. A meeting of the shareholders was held recently, when a dividend of 6s 2d per share was paid. The Otorohang* natives have started a store at that place on the same lines, thinking evidently that the game is a paying one. Pateranoi, Thursday. The annual meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society was held on Monday evening. Mr. Roger K»y presided. Mr. Wm. Macky was elected president for the ensuing year, and Messrs. F. Germann and R. Kay vice-presidents. Messrs. Alcoek, Kay, Legertwood, and J. Ryburn, jun., and senr., were appointed a committee, and Mr. S. Macky, lion, secretary and treasurer. Ohaopo, Thursday. The committee of the VVaikato Agricultural and Pastoral Show met on Tuesday last for the purpose of revising the schedules and other business. The president, Mr. James Hume, was in the chair. Messrs. Allen, Anderson, Barugh, Coates, Fisher, Park, and Shepherd were elected an execu- 1 tive committee. The McNiool memorial cups were allotted as follows for the next Show, to be held in October:—First, be»t weightcarrying hack up to 13st; seoond, best pen of three-grade shorthorn heifers, special class; third, best English Leicester ram. Mr. Martin Butler was re-appointed secretary and treasurer.

WHAKAPIRAU. At a public meeting which was held in the rahi Hall to receive the balance-sheet and auditors report from the last Pahi annual regatta, and eports held here on the 16th February last, the balance-sheet, which showed a small credit balance, was adopted. It was further resolved that Mr. H. G. Gray be custodian of the regatta properties, pending the appointment of a new committee. At the harvest thanksgiving aerrice, held in the Anglican Church; the building was tastefully decorated for the occasion by lady members of the Church. Mr. W. fl. Jackman preached » most impressive sermon, appropriate to the occasion. The congregation wiseneof the largest since the opening of the Church,-[own Correependent.]

NORTHERN WAIROA. We have not yet recovered from the effects o! the bifrh tide of Easter week, but our troubles sink into insignificance at the thought of the Hawke'a Bay disaster. While ourfeUow-colomsts lost thousands of sheep and cattle we are simply losers of a few fowls and household effects. The tide entered several houses on the river banks, and left a Rood coating of mud behind, which entailed a good deal of cleaning. We have not had such a high tide eince 1881. The schooners Annie Hill, Maud Graham, and Hum, all went out from the Head« on the 14th April, and so experienced the full forei of the gale of the 15th »nd 16th. Some of the Aratapu Christian Endeavourers, who were forced to travel to Hueneville lut Sunday week, owing to the detention oflthe s.s. Wairoa, gave the passengers a pood hour of singing and scripture while the steamer was fait on the sandbank. -[Antapu Correspondent. J

KAUKAPAKAPA. A preliminary, meeting of the Literary and Musical Club took place in the hall en April 28 There were 16 Udiea and gentlemen present, It was unanimously decided that the Club should be returned, and continued during the winter months, but that they should meet on moonlight nights only. Mr G. W. Murray was elected president, and Mr. Carr vice-president. A programme for the first three nights has been fixed, but thai for the remainder of the session will be arranged ata fotnre meeting. Since the hall hat been lined it looks comfortable, and will greatly conduce to the pleasure of the ertniagi.— [Owi Correspondent.!

PAPAROA. Oki important werk effected by the late icnool committee was an arrangement made •nth the trustees of the Homestead Weitorni Chapel, by which they forego any rent tor the use of the building a> a wheal for

sevenyearn, »nd the Board of Education ki, agreed to the expenditure of about that »„„ in needed repairs to the buUding, and £ - shelter shed and outbuildings. Mr \V ' Litherland is the contractor at £35 ' At the last meeting of the Mutual imniW mentSociety Mr. Josiah Hames read a n -r*r on "Single Tax." The essayist dealt • general principles, not having time to full* work out the details of the scheme, hikm from the criticism given it would appear th» the proposal of single tax is but imperils!, understood, and it seems daring enongh to '*> takeaway one's breath, that is from a count n •xeeholder's stnudpoint. The essaviat rl eived a vote of thanks. "A public meeting of those interested in the Jokatapu road was held on the 22nd \ D ril iy. Uerrand iu the chair. This meetir,'- W tie outcome of another convened at* ilAtiells, to consider the final settl-meiii fiiancially, when it was decided to dc pot* ticnue the County Couucil to assist t v (h> parment of £10. This the Council deJin-id to do, as the promoters of the scheme ~'udop to* to hand over the road with the ccr.i >»- saton fully paid. The public meetbj m therefore called, but no decision was i, •■•,., ,) at. Twoeentlemen, however, offered i' « C r, if the business was concluded within a m>>'. [Urn Correspondent], POKENO. What might have been a very dest ■■~ fitu occurred at Mr. Geor K e Elliott's, ] \-o Villey, very early on the 22nd April, f is no doubt that had there been any v ' ■ all the family dwelling, besides otb' tinhouses, and stacks of hay and straw, wold have gone. As it was, thn impleme!' sued was burned down, and Mr. Elliot I ,J the misfortune to lose his mowing and .<wn« machine, chaff cutter, and several oth -.- f.rm tools. The origin of the fire is , nUs » mystery, as everything seemed s&- • ■ ] secure when the family retired for th< ;.i >r,r, —[Own Correspondent.] WOODSIDE. On Good Friday evening a well-aK>.M<t * service was _ conducted in the AnsH-i-i Church, and it was pleasant to see n.tmUr of the other denominations joining iu Uw so! emn commemoration service of that ga The church was tastefully decora ! u the easter services, which were coui -V by the Rev. M. Kirkbride, and t •• ly reader, Mr. Lupton. On the following Tuesday a most ei..., *|', concert was held in the schoolroom r on nection with the Woodside Band o. K -pc The programme was provided by a .<•.:■.. :': v association from Otara, aud prov 1 wtli instructive and entertaining. It was i .Vfllselected and judicious mixture ot aurti, secular, and humorous items, ant 5 i'v. ; :y piece was well rendered and well r<; ved. The Rev. J. Steele occupied the chvr. and cave a clear and practical address, tne mah object of which was to show that tMBi-eraiwe conduced to longevity, and was t! -.ifota highly desirable, as the duty of man was u> Kve as long as possible.—[A Gorrespotibii;. j

MANGAWAI. THK Road Board with its three new membert are expected to do somethiup: brilliant during its term of office. I would commend to theit attention a more direct route to Auckland, and the less use of the tidal river at Mauga. wai would, or ought to be, the result. Owners of spring carts and the like call out bitterly about the springs and iron work o) their vehicles rusting so badly from the sail water. A more inland road can eaeily be found.

A wish has been made by many that the post office wa» nearer the wharf. A more expeditious delivery of the mail would be the result. This was applied for a few years ago. I believe the constabulary would also like the removal of the lock-up and courthonse to some site nearer the wharf. Aβ the constable is living there, it would be most beneficial to him and all requiring his aid. The court-house is most difficult to get at in its present position, and i heliove a saving to the Government of mileage would be the result on its removal.

The residents on the flat are, I understand, about to agitate for the honour of providing accommodation for the local agricultural show next year. They, as far as garden stuff goes, are excellent producers, and could eaeily compete with any district. The sale by auction at Mr. Bond's waj satisfactory. The prices realised were in some instances high aud in others low; the average was on the whole good. A few of the American wheel hoes and hand ploughs are finding their way up here. To gardeners and small occupiers they are an immense saving, especially in loose light land, and the little drills get over a big bit of ground iu a day.—[Own Correspondent.] J J UKEKOHE WEST. Marriages have been the order of the day here lately. First came one of our old settler's sons, Mr. McNally, who after a short probation decided to run in double harness with a daughter of Mr. Fraser, of Pukekohe Hill, a gentleman trom India who has lately settled in our midst. The Rev. Mr. Pindlay, Presbyterian minister, tied the indissoluble knot, and the young couple left for Rotorua to spend the honeymoou, after which they will come back and settle down here. The next was Mr. Stevenson, an employee in the Pukekohe Butter Factory who, feeling tired of a life of single blessedness, was determined to throw in his lot with Miss Pollock, a daughter of one of our old and respected settlers. The Rev. Mr. b'indlay in this case also performed the marriage ceremony. The young couple with their friends left the church amidst the well wishes of those present, and retired to the residence of the bride a parents, where, with many friends, the occasion was celebrated amidst much rejoicing. Than we have the two .laughters of Mrs. wll, who were married last week; one to Mr. Oldham, of Tuakau, flax-miller and ropemaker; the other to Mr. F. Warren, headmaster of the Tuakau school. While the young are marrying, the last enemy is still at work, and has taken from us the relict of the late Mr. Jones. Mrs. Jones has been residing with her daughter, Mrs. Ralph Young, since her husband's death. The old lady had reached a good age, and her remains were interred in the Pukekohe Cemetery on Monday last. The Board of Education has had the school, school attachments, and the teacher's house freshly painted, and these ere put out of hand by the contractor in a thoroughly workmanlike manner. - [Own Correspondent.]

WHANANAKI. The Baptist miesioner. Mr. H. Long, paid us his four-weekly visit in the schoolnouse on Sunday. The bcow Thistle, with food for our storekeeper and others, was here on Monday last, J

The e.g. Ohinemuri also was heie on Wednesday. She came right up to the wharf at half-tide, discharged cargo, and was away clear of the harbour before full-tide. This is now twice in succession she has come up to our wharf, although for two years past it haa been persistently stated to be impossible to do so on accountof bars and other hindrances. Some say the storekeeper's scow must have cleared the channil for the steamer, but my opinion is that it is a case of " where there is a will there is a way." The boy Jlackie who broke his »rm a week or two ago is progressing favourably. The excitement which Ips been latent in the bosom of our lady friends here for the last week or so culminated on Monday evening last in a tancy dress ball, etc., which wa« really a pleasant surprise to all who attended. The dresses were true to character, and showed great taste as well as a knowledge of the characters represented. To try to individualise would indeed be insidious, il it were not too difficult. Suffice to say il was a fancy dress ball and soiree which could not be surpassed in much larger and more pretentious places. About 130 adults were present, visitors coming long distances, so widely are the character ana quality of oui entertainments known. Dancing was kepi up until daylight next morning.—[Own Correspondent.]