Country News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 219, 20 November 1875, Page 17

Country News.

Tho Hon. Mr. Bowen ancl his opponent, Besvvick, are busy canvassing Kaiapoi. The election of the former is considered safe.

Sweet-bi’iar bushes have so overgrown tho town of Gisborne that the Road Board has had to employ men to cut them down and root them out.

The Gladstone correspondent of the Rockhampton Bulletin says “ Captain Do la Marke informs me that the reported safety of Rastoul and party, who escaped from the Isle of Pines, is all bosh. Hot only were remains of the boat recovered, but also mutilated bodies were found on tho reef surrounding the island.” The reporter who represented the Timaru, Herald at the banquet on the occasion of the opening of the Temuka railway, made a discovery which he thus describes“A word here to the wise : Beer is good, sherry is good, port is good, champagne is remarkably good. But keep order. Don’t drink beer, then sherry, then port, then champagne. If you do you will have a headache, as sure as fate.”

A new duty, it seems, devolved lately upon the orderly of the Auckland Police-court. It was to act as a “ lay figure” upon which to illustrate the meaning of a witness. A female witness, describing the manner in which she had been held, put her arm around the orderly’s neck so as to cover his mouth with her hand. The worthy constable appeared somewhat embarrassed by the novel situation in which he ound himself.

On Saturday afternoon the funeral of the late Mrs. London, of Pahautanni, took place, and was attended by a large number of the settlers, there being about sixty persons present. The burial service was read in a very impressive manner by the Rev. Mr. Newtli, the Church of England minister for the district. Deceased was the widow of the late Mr. Henry London, who died about four or five years ago.

A recent number of the Timaru ITcrald contains an item amusing, even if not of pregnant interest. The item is as follows The best political joke we have heard for a long time comes from Christchurch. Sir George Grey, on his way back from Otago, met the member for Timaru in the Club. ‘Well Stafford,’ said his ex-Excellency, ‘ what do you think of our banquet ? ‘ I think, Sir George,’ replied the arch-abolitionist, ‘that you did well to eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow you die.’ ”

In accordance with a notice issued by the Education Board, a meeting was held at Pahautanni, on Saturday evening last, of the ratepayers and parents of children, for the purpose of electing a Local School Committee. The meeting was well attended. Mr. Goldfinch was elected as chairman; and after he had read the notice explaining the object of the meeting, the nomination of the committee was proceeded with, and the following gentlemen were returned, Messrs. Galloway, Goldfinch, Boulton, Stace, and Jones. Speaking of the member for the Dunstan, and his rumored appointment in the civil service the Mount Ida Chronicle says :—“ Although we consider that Mr. Shepherd as a politician has done all the good that it is now possible for him to do, we are not at all of opinion that he is not entitled to receive a reward for what he had done. Out of all the chaff and abuse Mr. Shepherd has received he has never been charged with political dishonesty.” The Auckland Southern Cross has strong notions in the way of the punishment of crimmals. Of the ca.se of the foolish young man Mackay who recently broke the windows of Government House, our contemporary says : —“ I s “cat” available to punish malicious idiotcy of this description ? If not, it ought to be.” The Cross would punish windowbreakers with cruelty. Perhaps the glass house in which the Cross lives renders it peculiarly sensitive to such offences.

A somewhat summary method of proceeding for debt was observed in Auckland lately in the immediate neighborhood of one of its banking institutions. Some time ago a man arrived from the country, and put up at a hotel in Lower Queen-street. Here (says the Cross) he lived on the fat of the land, parrying the landlord s polite hints for payment with the assertion that by-and-by ho would be able to draw heavily on the bank. Boniface knew him, and was content. The draft arrived, and the “ young man from the country” started to cash it. In the meantime, however, his confiding host had received somewhat more than a hint that his customer had fallen “ under the influence,” as Dr. Carr would say, of a damsel possessed of sundry attractions of the Circean order. Boniface was equal to the occasion, and presented himself near the bank, just in tune to find, as lie thought, his quondam boarder eloping in the company of the person above referred to. An adroit push sent the fair kidnapper reeling away, and seizing his ungrateful guest in his arms, the landlord by main force popped him into a cab, and Circo was “left lamenting.” It is pleasing to learn that this decisive action led to the debt beiim paid. °

The ICaikoura correspondent of tho Marl, borough Times writes under date Novcmber 10:—“The dwellers under tho Lookers’ On were again startled by a second appearance of the Government steamer Luna, which came up into the roadstead last Sunday morning. It soon transpired that his Excellency the Governor was on board, and intended to pay Kaikoura a visit. A considerable number of the leading citizens went down to the wharf to receive the Governor on landing. Tho usual formalities having been gone through, his Excellency proceeded to the church end joined in divine service. After church ho went to Ludstone, tho residence of W. Smith, Esq., and partook of luncheon. His Excellency aft< rwards paid a visit to Jvohai, the favorite home of the Kaikoura rabbits. Then he rode to the extreme point of the peninsula, whence he had a view of scenery unrivalled in New Zealand.

Immediately afterwards, his Excellency reembarked, and proceeded on his voyage to Canterbury. The Governor seemed much pleased with his visit, and he greatly admired our fine scenery. It is much to be regretted that the Lookers’ On were not enveloped in their usual snowy mantle, as the effect upon the scenery is then more striking. Tho visit of his Excellency will bo a pleasant reminiscence, not only to those who came in contact with him, but also to the residents generally. It is the hope of every one in the district that the Governor will pay us a more lengthened visit at some future time.”

The Wairarapa Standard asks: —How comes it pass that Messrs. Fitzherbert and Bunny should think it worth their while to go all the way to Dunedin to attend political demonstrations for the purpose of influencing public opinion, in view of the coming general election, and yet that they should not think it worth while to promote political demonstrations in their own province for the like object ?” We pass no opinion on Messrs. Fitzherbert and Bunny’s line of conduct ourselves. They are the best judges of what is best for their party in this matter, but wo might bo permitted to ask, in the light of recent experience, how is it that the Wairarapa Standard comes to ask such a question of men for whose worth and political sagacity it has lately had great admiration. A meeting of settlers was held at Taita on Monday evening, to consider what means should be taken to stop the periodical encroachment of the Hutt River. Mr. William Beetham occupied the chair, and after some discussion, a deputation was appointed to wait upon his Honor the Superintendent, with reference to the matter. The construction of the railway on the Belmont side of tho river has given the current a strong bias to the Taita side, and every winter an acre or so is carried away from somebody. Mr. Bunny set the example of protecting his property by getting groins constructed at Parker’s paddock, but nothing has been done for the majority of the settlers. Groins were put down at Terry’s Point for the safety of the road, but the water came eddying round and took a large slice off tlie road, which is now narrow and very dangerous at this spot.

OUR RANGITIKEI-MANAWATU LETTER. (from our own correspondent.)

Turf matters are just now engrossing a large share of public attention, so I may as well send you the entries for two of the events that are to be contested at the next Marton-Rangitikei J. C. race-meeting, to be held on New Year’s Day. The nominations closed this evening at eight o’clock. For the Marton-Rangitikei Handicap:—D. Fraser’s New Chum, J. E. Stent’s Exchange, 0. McKelleriek’s Miss Stevenson (late Task), J. Freeth’s Magnet, F. M. Bett’s Phoenix, J. Day’s Cornelia, W. Wilson’s Wildbriar, J. W. Jackson’s Folly, J. W. Jackson’s Flora, J. W. Jackson’s Gainsborough, F. Harrison’s Frowning Beauty, H. N. Harrison’s Zillah, J. Stevens’ Clymenics, J. Palmer’s Ben Nevis. For the Hurdle Handicap : —R. Stevens’ Gazelle, D. Frazer’s Whitefoot, Mcßae and Nicholson’s Medora, J. W. Jackson’s Flora. The Rangitikei people are looking forward to some excellent sport o.t our next races, and as good money will be run for, no doubt there will be some large fields. The quiet little township of Bull’s presented a scene of unwonted animation on Tuesday last, for on that day the Rangitikei Educational Association held their usual half-yearly competition examination of children from the various schools connected with it. The competition took place in the Town Hall, and nearly all the schools in the district were represented. The proceedings attracted a large number of visitors besides the parents of the children and their friends. Some of the papers were rather “ stiff,” and many a university man would have found no little difficulty in “ flooring ” these. On tho w'hole the examinations were very satisfactory, and there can be no doubt that the Association is doing no small amount of good. If there were a few more of them throughout the colony, I am persuaded that beneficial results would follow. As its nature and objects may not be very well known, I trust I shall be pardoned if, in making them more public, I encroach somewhat on your valuable space. It is an organisation supported by the voluntary contributions of the settlers of the district. The funds are applied to the purchase of standard works of high merit, which are distributed as prizes to those children who succeed in gaining the highest number of marks. The society hope by this means to induce parents to give their children a higher class of education than has hitherto obtained, by keeping them longer at school, and thus giving them a chance of obtaining honorable distinction.

The good people of Sandon had a grand demonstration on Thursday night. A public meeting was held in the schoolhouse for the purpose of devising the best means of obtaining a railway between Sandon and Foxton. The attendance was extremely numerous, and Major Mcßaruet had the honor thrust upon him of presiding. The chairman, in his few introductory remarks, successfully corroborated the idea that there would not be sufficient traffic for a railway. Mr. Sanson showed the injustice that had been done to the whole district between the Orouaand Rangitikei Rivers, and extending to the southern boundary of the Manchester block, inasmuch as that while .£120,000 of land revenue has been received from it by the Provincial Government, only some £50,000 had been expended in its purchase, and the prosecution of public works therein. Mr. Lornton read a statement which he had prepared, of the estimated cost of the railway, its annual expenditure and receipts. He entered at length into the various calculations by which he arrived at tho various sums given, which were:—Construction, £20,770 ; annual expenditure, £2396 15s. Gd.; and annual receipts, £5380. As he was corroborated in his estimates of the cost by that of the Provincial Engineer, we may take it for granted that his

estimate of yearly receipts is not far wrong. A balance of £3OOO odd on the receipts over the expenditure, after allowing 6 per cent, for interest on cost, would give a return of over 20 per cent, on the investment. Will not this tempt some of the millionaires of the Empire Oity to form a company for its construction ? The speeches were really very good, being temperate, forcible, and to the point, so much so as to create no little amount of surprise in the mind of your correspondent. I am afraid that the Farmers’ District Club, the inauguration of which was mentioned in my last, has come to an untimely end. A committee was appointed for the purpose of carrying out the objects of tho society, and they were to have met yesterday fortnight, but failed to do so, and nothing since has been heard of them or their doings. This is much to be regretted, as it is the opinion of the best informed amongst us that such a society would have done a large amount of good in the district.

There was a large pic-nic on Saturday at Westoe, the seat of the Hon. W. Fox. It was given by Mr. Retemeyer to his friends, and the tenants and employees on the estate, to celebrate his marriage with the daughter of C. W. Mountford, Esq., surveyor, of Feilding. A valuable wedding present was given by the tenants and those employed on the estate to the bride, and the festivities altogether were to a most pleasurable character.

Typhoid fever seems rather prevalent at Feilding just now. There have been several cases. Some of the patients are convalescent, and others have yet to pass the crisis. Among the latter are the wife of Dr. Johnston—the resident medical man—and Mr. McNeil, the contractor for the artesian well that is being sunk there. Of course during his illness operations will have to be suspended. With sundry gaps, about thirteen or fourteen miles of the Foxton and Palmerston railway have been laid with metals. I learn that Mr. Stewart, the District Engineer, is busy preparing specifications for the remaining portion, and that as soon as the gaps have been metalled tenders will be called for the balance. It is a great pity that the preparation of the specifications have been delayed so long, but it is generally the case with Government contracts, they are never ready until the fine weather is almost over. Had these been out now we should have had the railway completed from Foxton as far as Feilding by the end of the summer ; but better late than never.