COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11058, 9 May 1899, Page 7

COUNTRY NEWS.

Kihikihi, Monday. Monday, May 1, was a red-letter day for some of the old people; it was the flrit payday under the Old Ago Pensions Act. Some ten or a dozen drew a month's allowance from the local post office. Thero has been quite a fusilado in this district since ihe shooting season opened, notwithstanding the fact that very few licenses have been taken out. The best bag I have heard of is 12 brace of pheasants to one gui in a day. It appears to me that it would pay the Acclimatisation Society well to have 8 good ranger in this locality. Hie harvest festival was .held in Christ Church (Anglican) on Sunday. The little church was beautifully decorated on Saturday afternoon, and the members of the church who arranged the somewhat limited supply or fruit anil farm produce, due to the season toeing rather too far advanced, are to be much commended. The Rev. F. Latter preached a forcible and appropriate sermon. The series was semi-choral, and was well rendered. POLLOK. I THE Government Engineer (Mr. Wright), accompanied by Mr. Massey, M.H.R., visited ! our district on the Ist inst.. for the purpose of inspecting the roads where the grant of £2:0 is to ho spent. They were met by the Road Hoard on their arrival by the s.s. »eka. The whole part}' made a most careful inspection of the roads in question. The Board ami engineer quite agreed on the matter. Mr. Wright stated that a man would ho sent to Pollok in a week or so to spend a few days in laving off tho work on the roads A variety entertainment was given to a i fair audience in the Bchoolhouse on April I 20. by a company touring round the country districts. A most amusing programme, was gono through, consisting of Songs feats of legerdemain, etc., concluding with a very laughable farce, which wakeenly appreciated by all present.—[Own Co. respondent.] PORT WAIKATO. SPORT has been very good during the past week, and some good bags were obtained. Ono party of five guns have for their week's i sport the respectable total of 43* brace of pheasants, 127 pigeons, 8 couple ducks, besides some land rails and kakas.-[own Correspondent.] WAIUKTJ. THERE was a good muster of ciille at Messrs. A. Bnckland and Sons' nion.hly sale on May 6, nearly all of which c) unfed hands. Late on Saturday night, May 6, Constables' McOovern and Parker arrested two young men named James Murray and Clements Crook, and lodged them in the Waiuku gaol. The former is arrested on warrant from the Auckland Court. Both of the accused will be brought before the Pukekohe Police Court on a charge of false pretences in that district. Prisoners were removed in charge of Constable McGovern, to the Pukekohe lock-up. on Sunday morning.-[Owu Correspondent.] TUAKAU. A CONCERT in aid of Anglican Church funds was given here on 26th nit. The whole affair was promoted and carried out by a committee of ladies, Mrs. Ludlow being president, and Mrs. G. Hunter secretary. It is needless to say that success crowned their efforts, and the" committee were well rewarded by the full house and satisfactory results. For a few Saturday nights past the neighbourhood about the station has teen edified (?) by a sort of vocal musical parade, commencing about nine p.m. and ending about 11 p.m. The singing is often more vigorous than musical, and interspersed with sundry yells which would be no disgrace to any uncivilised savage. Any surplus or spare tune is filled up, as a rule, with obscene and blasphemous language. One would tuinK some of this pent-up energy might be expended on the football field, or in some way. not so offensive to the peaceable inhabitants. -{Own Correspondent.]