NEWS FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13117, 5 March 1906, Page 7

NEWS FROM COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

[FROM OUR OWN* CORRESPONDENTS.] j HAMILTON. Mr. Rokaxkb, of the Railway Department, lias stated that the repairs to the Hamilton railway bridge will be commenced shortly. He is of opinion that if those interested in the Claudelands footbridge . apply to the Department their request to have the bridge joined to the railway bridge will have every consideration, in accordance with Ministerial promises. It is expected that the repairs will take 18 months to make. It is understood that the movers in the footbridge scheme will rest on their oars for the time being. TE AROHA. A meeting of the Te Arolm Borough Council i was held on Wednesday. Mr. V. Gilchrist, solicitor, wrote stating that Mr. Thomas Leadbetter, deceased, had left a will bequeathing his property for the purpose of providing a treat yearly for the school children on New Year's Day, but that so fai he thought there was very little, if any, property left. Mr. Gilchrist advised the Council to request Mr. H. Poland, M.H.R., to urge the Government to complete the purchase of the balance of Lipsey's block in the borough without delay. The town clerk was. requested to communicate with Mr. Poland, the secretary of the local Druids' Lodge called attention to the necessity for establishing an- emergency ward in Te Aroha, and assuring the Council of the co-oper-ation of the lodge. . The Burgesses' Association asked that the engineer appointed by them to examine and report on the •> hydraulic ' section of the electric lighting plant should have permission to run the same for about an hour; also, that he might have access to all plans and specifications in connection with the work. On the motion of Mr. Waliis it was resolved that the association be referred to Messrs. Steuart and Perm on the first matter, and that every facility be afforded to the association to obtain information with regard to the work. The association also requested that the proposed fairing of the interior of the reservoir be deferred until their engineer had an opportunity of testing the thickness and quality of the concrete used. It was resolved to reply that the Council's engineer had instructions to do all that he considered necessary to put the reservoir'in working order. , The association must obtain his permission for breaking through concrete or other-work, and must bear any expense , resulting from their action. Messrs. "Steuart and Fenn wrote stating that Mr. Steuart, when in London, obtained prices from the Brush Electrical Engineering Company and from the International Electrical Engineering Company for Cassell wheel and alternator combined. The tender of the former was £621 and that of the latter for wheel £295. and for alternator £242, a total of £538. The Council accepted the lower offer. - Duty at 20 per cent, ad valorem and freight, exchange, etc., added 33$ per cent, to this amount. The Tourist, and Health Department announced that the. Cabinet had decided to grant to the borough certain blocks of Crown lands required for recreation purposes. The town clerk was instructed to communicate with the - Railway Department urging that facilities for conveying passengers by the freight trains now running between Hamilton and Te Aroha should be accorded at once. A petition numerously signed by settlers in the district, praying that permission be granted to leave vehicles in the public road outside the livery stables until eleven o'clock on Saturday nights, was presented b.v the Mayor. It was resolved that the concession be granted, provided that the livery stable keepers gave a guarantee indemnifying the Council from any loss on account of accidents that might happen, and that the disposal of the vehicles be subject to the direction of the local police. KAWHTA. THE Roads Department are actively engaged repairing old work and laying of new, especially in the Kinohaku and Marakopa districts. A slight shock of earthquake was fell here about a-quarter to eleven a.m. on February 19. Whilst, fishing with a net the' other morning some Maoris secured a Stingarqe measuring sft 6in across the back. The extraordinary nature of the weal her that has prevailed lately was clearly shown on Wednesday morning (February 21), when the ground was covered with frost. ; The. 'settlers at Kinohaku are going in largely for sheep, and already a number have stocked their sections. ; The grant of £150 for snagging the Marakopa River has been authorised, and is to be expended shortly. ~ .•• • „, ■ • , Mr. McCarthy beat Mr. Pet tit by 55—53 for the final of the lawn tennis tournament. The latter beat Mr. Hones by 50—43 for second place. During his visit to Kawhia Mr. H. J. Greenslade, M.H.R., was waited on by several residents regarding various matters of local interest, amongst them being the necessity of a courthouse-, thai the Government should he requested to allow a dairy expert to visit the Kawhia district for about a week and advise as to the establishment of «the industry; the importance of the Mahoe and other blocks of native land being made available for settlement; that steps should be taken to protect the pohulukawa trees on the foreshore; that as the leasehold titles of the native townships arc so unsatisfactory they should be offered under the optional freehold tenure; and that at the next session of Parliament he should nee his utmost endeavours to assist the Railway League in respect to railway communication. Mr. Greenslade promised to sapport* the wishes of the residents.