NEWS FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12267, 11 May 1903, Page 7

NEWS FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

[fkom ouk own coeeespondents.] HAMILTON.

A MEETING of the Claudelands Committee, set up to get footbridge accommodation between that suburb and Hamilton, was held on Thursday evening. A letter was read Horn the Minister for Railways promising to give tho matter consideration. it was decided to petition the Minister to authorise its construction forthwith, and to wait upon the Premier on his promised visit to the town. The applicants for the work have guaranteed the cost, and all thai is required is permission to utilise the railway bridge for the purpose. A meeting of the Hamilton Choral Society was held on Thursday evening. The hon. secretary, Mr. R. F. Sandes, submitted the accounts in connection with the complimentary concert to Mr. T. H. Bosworth, the corichiw 101 '- The total receipts were £22 10s 6d, and r£ e expenses £2 lCs 6d, leaving a balance of £2?- which was handed to Mr. Bosworth, who' Ranked tho members for their kindness. At a meeting of the tti^ 80 " 10 Lodge Beta, held on Thursday evening. B»""ther J. S. Colhoiui was elected W.M. for the ending year. The installation was fixed lor v. June 25, which will as usual be followed by a ball. Extensive work is being, carried out on the , Ngaruawahia and Hamilton railway bridges, the object being to-reader them safe for the passage of the heaviest class of railway engines in use in the colony. The work on the Ngaruawahia, bridge is' extensive, and will i emplov 40 men for some time The Department has erected a blacksmith's shop to facilitate the work. PUKEKOHE. THE annual meeting of ratepayers of the Pukckohe West Road District was held in tho Masonic Hall, Pukekohe, on May 2 last. fThe chairman of the Road Board in his report for the year ending March 31, 1903, stated that during the year the Board had carried out various works, including some 10 culverts, wood and pipe, as well as numerous repairs to culverts and bridges; several jobs of earthwork, ranging in cost from £5 to £50; metal jobs, totalling 584 cubic yards, had been completed, the metal costing on the average 8s per cubic, yard. Works authorised and in progress, and in several instances Hearing completion at the date of the annual meeting, were stated to be:—-Earthwork at Rogers' Hill, to cost £50; formation on Beattic's swamp road, to cost £15; formation and grading beyond Kelvin bridge, at a probable cost of £70; filling on Cameron Town Road; formation at Attewell's; cutting at entrance gate to Lawrie's farm, etc. Metal works were reported in progress to the total of 3064 cubic '-nrds; also the sinking and fitting with a pump and hor?o-trough of a public well at a suitable place in the village. The scheme for lighting the Pukekehe village was stated to be in abeyance, the village rate '•vers not having presented the necessary petition to the Board m order that a special rate might be levied for the purpose of the maintenance of lighting. The Buckland subdivision loan of £ityS had been raised, and works to be paid for out of loan are progressing. Charges hospital and charitable aid. together-with share of cost of proposed infectious diseases hospital, were stated to have reached the sum of £190 annually, the hospital and charitable aid levy absorbing one-third of the -literal rate, and with the additional tax for the Health Department's Point Chevalier hobby, came very near to relieving the Board of its subsidy. The section of land in the parish of Puni known as the stone reserve was reported vested in the Board, and loosed bv the Board to Mr. Fred. Lucas for a term of 15 years at a rental of £10 10s per annum, permanent, improvements to be made in addition. In closing his report, the chairman referred to the' desirability- of something being clone in the wav of putting the principal roads in the Pukelcohe village in gool order as regards metalling. fTadintr. footpathforming, tarring and sanding, kerbing and channelling, draining, etc. He said that visitors coming into the place invariable expressed surprise at the backward state of tho village in these respects, and he recommended that the more progressive residents approach the Board with a view to having an engineer report on and estimate for the works suggested, hoping that the result would be that, the ratepayers of the village subdivision would see their wav to agree to a loan being raised for the purpose of brintring their village up to date in these matters. After the chairman's and treasurer's reports had been adopted, on the motion of Mr. Pollock a hearty vote of thanks was passed by the members of the Board for their services during tho year. OHINEMTTHI.

A MATTER of importance to meat consumers at Waikino camo before the Ohinemuri County Council on Thursday, John Rawelk, a butcher, having applied lor a renewal of his slaughterhouse license. This the Council refused, and it.now practically means that the meat will have to be slaughtered at the county abattoirs at Mackaytown. There was a little difference of opinion at the Council meeting as to whether the slaughtering of the meat sit the abattoirs will affect the price of meat at Waikino, but .most of the members considered it would not make meat any dearer than at present. The Ohinemuri County Council have decided to erect a wider bridge ovei the Ohinemuri River at Paeroa than was first intended, and a contract has been entered into with Handyside and Co., of Derby. England, for the ironwork of a bridge 14ft wide, costing £730. , In vcw of the Bradford memorial ceremony at. Paeroa on Saturday next, the Ohinemuri Rifle 3 No. 1 have decided to hold a church parade on the day following. The service is to be held at the Criterion Theatre, and the ministers of the three Protestant churches are invited to take part, so that the service may be a united one.

On Saturday afternoon a horse and trap were seen coining down the street at a fast pace, and when a point opposite Delaney's Hotel was reached the animal swerved and took charge of the footpath. Fortunately the path was clear at the time. When Evans' store was reached, near the railway station, the wheel of the cart caught two of the verandah posts and dislodged them. The cart wa-s also smashed up, but fortunately no other damage occurred. WAIHI. The following telegram has been received by the Miners awl Workers' Industrial Union:—"l am directed by the Hon. the Minister for Justice to inform you that it has been decided to appoint a coroner at Waihi, and that Mr. Max D. King has been asked if he will accept the office.— am, etc., CHAS. E. MATTHEWS, Private Secretary." At the last meeting of the Waihi Rugby Union Committee letters were read from the secretaries of the Waihi Brass Band and the Martha Brass Band, offering their services to play at matches during the season. The union has decided to accept both generous offers, each band to play on alternate Saturdays. The secretary of the Miners' Union reports the following accidents:—James Warren, injury to back: Frank Fugel, injury to hi» hand; Peter Merlo, injury to his arm. These men are in receipt of the usual allowance to members who are incapacitated from following their usual wos-k. lam informed by the secretary that these accidents were the outcome of the ordinary avocations of persons engaged in mining work. The entertainment under the auspices of the united Bands of Hope in tho Miners' Union Hall en Thursday, was largely attended, and the rendering of an interesting programme went off without a hitch. * the first annual meeting of the Waihi Chess and Draughts Club was held, in Mr. Meyers' club rooms. Mr. A. T. Ken rick, president, in the chair. The committee's annual report was received and adopted. It stated that the results were in every way highly satisfactory, the interest of the members being well sustained during the season. Two handicap tournaments and one local championship were held, the winners being Messrs. McConachie and Fov in the first two events, and Mr. Konrick in the latter event. In September last trie club held its first telegraphic match against a Hamilton team of 10 a-side, their opponents winning by 1\ points to 4?.. The committee tender their thanks to Mr. Holmes for acting as auditor to the club, and also to Mr. Wathen for his generous gift of four chess tables. The balance-sheet showed a credit, of £4 7s Id, the total receipts being £29 Is 6d and the total expenditure £96 lis sd. Tho balance-sheet was adopted. It was decided to join the New Zealand Chess Association. It was resolved to reduce tho entrance and membership fee from 15s to 10s. The following officers were elected:—President, Mr. A. T. Kenriok; vice-president, Mr. W. M. Jackson; secretary and treasurer. Mr. Geome J. Foy: committee. Messrs. K. B. Oanwell, Geo. Barron, J. W. Grav, E. W. Cave and Crean; auditor, Mr. R. S. Ready. During the meeting the names of five new members were handed in. The secretary of the Advance Tent, No. 12, Rechabites Order, Mr. W. F. Sermotir, writes to the hospital secretary as follows:—"I am instructed to inform von that the Advance Tent will do all in their power to assist in. making the demonstration in connection with the onenintr of the hospital a success. I have also to inform vou that thoucrh we are rot verv strontr mimcricalW, we hope to he able to endow a cot in the hospital." Mr. Max O. King, secretary of the Waihi Hospital, acknowledges the receipt of £5 from the Waihi Church of England Sunday-school, per Mrs. A. Scott.

COR.OMANDEL. ME. ARTHUR CHAPMAN left for the Thames by the s.s. Falcon on Friday. On Thursday evening a large number of friends met him in the County Social Hall, when Captain Swindley presented him with a memento of esteem in the form of a Russian leather wallet. On Thursday the steam launch Falcon proceeded to the sTa.nite quarry and towed a large barge-load of stone to Coromandel for Mr. R. 0. Hooper, the contractor for the erection of the obelisk to be erected on the triangle in front of the Government buildings. The stone is of excellent quality.