NEWS FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11724, 5 August 1901, Page 7

NEWS FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

[from CUR own coerespoxdexts.] '■ ' HAMILTON. THE*usu?,l monthly meeting of the Kirikiriroa Road Board was held on Friday. Present: Messrs. Gordon (chairman); Seddon, Patterson, and Primrose. In consequence of a letter from Mr. Hutcheson calling attention to the dangerous state of the road between Hinton's Gully and Mr. Smith - ,? place, Mr. Seddon was authorised to have what he deemed necessary done. The clerk read the following financial statement:— £283 la 9d; expenditure, £240 53 8d; balance. • *J« 6s Id; subsidy due, £15 10s; rates, 6s 7" = total, £53 12s 6d— accounts to pay, £*' .12s 7d. Assets, £29 Os Id. Mr. R. Johnson; of Hukanui, wrote asking the Board to make a road to give him access to the back portion of his property. It was.decided to instruct the foreman to do this work as soon as he could spare the time. It was decided to call for tenders for gravelling the road from Willis' Hill to Rumney's. Mr. Wallace was appointed : foreman of works for the northern end of the district, ■■ and Mr. Radford for the southern. / It was decided to call tenders for printing and : advertising. Mr. Walter, of the Lake, who takes meteorological observations for • Government, " reports that daring the month of July. rain fell on 21 days. The longest spell of rain was from the Bth to the 14th, inclusive, the heaviest fall having been on the 12th, when it reached 1.31 in. The total rainfall for the month was 7.086 in. There was frost on seven days. ' KIHJJKIHI. " THE usual meeting of the Kihikihi School Committee was held on Wednesday. It was decided to urge upon, the Board of Education the necessity for a grant to re-roof the school there having- been serious leakage during the late rains. : It was also decided to ask for a grant -to rewair j the fence to the schoolground. Mr. Barnes tendered his resignation as secretary to the committee. The Chairman thanked him for past services, and expressed regret at his resignation. Accounts amounting to £7 4s Cd were passed for payment. : ■ ■: • .. ,-' ■ • : WAINGARO. IN consequence-of the almost continuous rain for the last two months, the roads, except where metalled, • are in an almost impassable state. It is to be sincerely hoped that our only outlet to the rest of the world will be metalled during the coming summer. One morning recently two' dogs were discovered worrying Mr. J. K. McDonald's sheep. That gentleman was soon on the scene with his rifle, and succeeded in killing one of them at about 300 yds range. ' On Sunday Mr. Wilson, lay reader, from Huntly, held a service in the Waingaro Public Hall. • Notwithstanding bad weather and bad roads, there was a good attendance, which shows that the service was appreciated. , WAIWERA. ON July 26 the settlers of Waiwera entertained Mr. and Mrs. Patterson and family at a farewell social. Although the weather was anything but propitious, a large number of settlers from Waiwera and surrounding districts assembled to show their esteem for Mr. Patterson, and to give a hearty send-off to the Patterson family, who are leaving the Waiwera Hotel to come to Auckland. After an enjoyable evening was spent in dancing and singing, Mr.'A. J. Hatfield, J.P., on behalf of the settlers of Waiwera, in a happy speech, conveyed to Mr. and Mrs. Patterson and family the good wishes and esteem of the settlers, and wished them long life and prosperity in the new home to which they were going. Mr. W. Patterson feelingly responded, and a very pleasant evening was broueht to a close by the ; company singing VAuld' Lang Syne.'-'. • DARGAVILLE. WE have been experiencing exceptionally cold and rough weather lately, and. the recent rains have caused the largest freshes on theriver and its tributaries, for many years. Considerable amount of damage has been done to bridges. The Ahikiwi railway bridge was badly strained, two of the stringers being smashed. The approaches to the country bridge at Kaihu were partially washed away, and the wire bridge ,at Mangapai was completely carried away. All the mill booms are itow heavily stocked with logs. Tenders are being invited for our new post and telegraph office. It is a brick building, having a thirty-six foot frontage to Vic-toria-street, and a very : pretentious appearance. When completed it will be a great ornament to the township. Efforts are being made to induce ; the Government to erect a tower on the building, the residents providing the funds for the clock, r Referring to the tower, the following reply has been received from. Sir Joseph Ward, Postmaster-General;—"ln reily to your wire re the question of a tower for the Dargaville Post Office, it has been reported upon by the Public Works Department, and I much regret that I cannot see any way to authorise it. The report states that the foundations are very defective. It would involve an expense of about £350. I-think you will find that when the building is finished it will look very well indeed without the tower." The committee appointed for the purpose are pushing on with the military,ball preparations. The men's new, full-dress uniforms are to arrive 'this week, -the smart appearance of which will add very considerably to the general turn out. ..V , Mr. A. B. Wright, Government road surveyor, is visiting the district on a tour of inspection...' . '.---.■.',;■"■-..'.:'-':,.:''. A fatal accident occurred at Mangakahia early this weak, a bushman named Clary losing his " life. No particulars ; are yet to hand. He was employed by Mr. Harris/who is working one' of the Kauri Timber Company's bushes there. Owing to the bad weather most of ' the bush contractors have ; knocked off 'hands until the dry weather commences. The mill booms are now well stocked, so that further timber from the bashes will not be required for a time.—[Own Correspondent.]