COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10836, 20 August 1898, Page 3

COUNTRY NEWS.

[TROIT our OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Te Kuiti, Friday. A most successful ball was giver.[ by the ladies of To Kuili on Thursday night. It was tendered as a return to Mr. and Mrs. Hctit, for the splendid entertainment they gave some few weeks back. The secretary (Miss Bond), and tho ladies of the committee deserve great credit for tho manner in which they carried out tho arrangements, more particularly with regard to the supper and decorations. Mr. Mayo acted as M.C. in an efficient manner. The sitting of the Land Court has been adjourned for about 10 days. A police constable has been stationed here. There are four gangs of Auckland unem- j ployed working at our end of the Te KuitiAwakino Road. These gangs were supposed to have started work at the other-end of the road, but the roads were too bad for the men to be readily got out there. I hear that the Poemako settlers are to be knocked off work so soon as their present contracts are completed. It is to be hoped that this is not the case, as their struggle is a hard one, and they will require almost constant work for some time if they are to get a good start on their sections. Eotorca, Friday. Tho Taheko block case is still dragging slowly along at the Native Land Court. The idea of forming a rifle club here lias been abandoned, so little interest was manifested in it. The sulphur shed at the railway station is now open, and has 200 tons of sulphur stored in it. Bicycle road races have been of weekly occurrence lately. Another takes place on Saturday week, for a gold medal presented by Mr. £. Reynolds, of Auckland. Much distress exist* amongst the natives in the settlements lielween Atiamuri and Taupo. They are absolutely without flour or potatoes, and are eating karaka and tawa berries, pikopiko, etc. Work at the sewage collecting tank is now going on rapidly. The bottom has been asphalted and cemented, and a start is being made with the sides. No further trouble is anticipated from the inflow of water. Mr. Keaney, district road engineer, leaves to-morrow to inspect the work in progress at Galatea, Te Whaiti, and Ruatahuna. He will be absent for about a fortnight. Meanwhile a deadlock takes place as far as town board meetings, are concerned, as there are only two members at present here. The Hon. R. H. Brand, accompanied by Mr. Barry, arrived at Whakarewarewa yesterday from Wairakei. They travelled by the new road, crossing the Waikato River in canoes. Mr. C. H. Biss, district engineer of railways, was here yesterday. Some improvements are contemplated at the station here before the season opens.