WOODVILLE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 24

WOODVILLE.

(fp.om our own correspondent.) October 6. The most important event of the week here has been the sale of the cheese factory. As I wrote yon, the Directors had been authorised to sell it and had called tenders for it, and on last Wednesday a special meeting of shareholders was held to confirm the resolution authorising the sale. Immediately afterward tho Directors opened the only tender that had been received, which turned out t.o be from Mr W. P. Hartstone, offering L7OO for it. The Directors unanimously agreed to accept this offer. It was stated that if no offer for the whole concern was accepted one would very probably bo made by Mr Timmins, of Eketahuna, for the plant only, but the feeling of the Directors was strongly against lotting it go out of tho place, as I believe the feeling of the settlers generally also is. It is well understood that the tender, although in Mr Harts tone’s name, is really from that gentleman and Messrs Burnett (soli citor) and J. H. Monteith (storekeeper), of this town. As there can be no doubt that the now firm will be safe marks for the price of tho milk there will be a largo supply, and very goneral satisfaction is expressed at the prospect of tho factory being at work again this season. Mr Hartstone is an old Akaroa settler, and ha 3 been used to tho cheesemakiDg industry there, so tho concern will be safe in his hands.

The September quarterly meeting of the Methodist C.uuch was held last night. There was the largest attendance of members there has been for come years,

and the business transacted was of considerable importance to the church. Plans for extension of work were discussed and embarked oil. The income was shown to be moro than sufficient fqr the expenditure, the membership to be increasing, and the out-s(ations to be improving. It was resolved to invite the Rev J.. Wrigley to remain another year, and the members warmly expressed their admiration and esteem for him as a man and a minister. In fact, the main argument used by the only dissentient to tho resolution was (and it was used in all seriousness) that everybody liked Mr Wrigley, which was more than it ought to be possible to say of any Christian, let alone a miuister. However, his people liked him too well to lose him, so they asked him to 3tay, increased his stipend, and requested the connectional authorities to antidate his seniority by a year, for which his work had not been counted. Mr Wrigley had excitement of another sort a few hours after, for he was burnt out about 5 o’clock this morning. A block of three houses stood at the corner of Grey and Atkinson-streets, and were occupied by Mr A. S. Wills, Mr A. Sowry and Mr Wrigley respectively, and as the first two were attached to each other, while the last was only four feet distant, when Mr Willis’ house caught there was no hope for the others. The contractors for clearing the streets of timber had been burning off yesterday, as there was a good wind blowing, and last night the fireball rang, and the brigade turned out and doused some of the fires. Consequently, when the bell rang out about 5 thismorning, people wouldnotturn out till they found from the long ringing that something urgent was the matter, When they found the houses on fire, the general opinion was that they had been set on fire by some of the logs about, but this appears doubtful, as the .fire seems to have started inside Mr Wills’ house. It spread with great rapidity, and gave Mrs Sowry’s sister, Miss Wills, who slept upstairs, barely time to escape with her life. From Mr Sowry’s house it spread after a time to Mr Wrigloy’s. That gentleman was able to save all his furniture and books, but Mr Sowry could only save his account books ; and as Mr Wills let the fire “ rip ” in order to wake the ether families, he saved nothing. The three houses were owned by Mr Wills, and were insured for LSOO, his furniture for Ll2O, aud Mr Sowry’s for LSO, all in the Northern office. Excepting perhaps the Union, that office lias been mere heavily hit in Woodville than any other. The Borough Council met this week and went through some work, all routine with about one exception. Last Court day it had a batch of suntmonses for rates heard, for the first; time in the existence of the town—-four years. It resolved the other evening to sue for all rates now due for last year, and in three months’ time it will sue-for all rates for the current year which may be then due. Wellington ratepayers had better beware. By-tlie-hye, the Council had before it some accounts sent in by the Fire Brigade, including one for refreshments at the last fire. This the Council declined to pay, and the Brigade feels badly treated.

Mr E. T. Sturdy, an old identity here, ha 3 been doing a bit of exploring in the Tiraumea blocks, now being offered for sale by the Government. He had thought of buying largely iu them, but as he formed a very poor opinion of tliß land he has changed his mind. Ho describes it as very inferior, and mostly papa. Y/o have a very energetic committee in charge of the affairs of our public library, and its latest move is to got up a calico ball. It is to be held on Friday next, and is expected to be a great success. On the Prince of Wales’ Birthday, the Friendly Societies are to hold their annual demonstration and fete ; and if this is as good as usual it will be a success, too.

Last Tuesday, a young man named Pushar, one of tho unemployed clearing the line near the Gorge, fell over a cliff. From its height he ought to havo broken his neck, back, and legs, but, as it was, he only dislocated his jaw and bruised himself badly. A funeral party happened to be at the cemetery near at hand, and brought him up to Woodville in a trap, and he is now doing well. Last Wednesday fortnight they elected a new Town Board iu Pahiatna. As the people were waiting to hear the result of the poll, the well-known Mr Howlett walked up and asked, “ Who’s going to petition this election 1 ’ adding that; of course somebody would do so. Sure enough he proved a true prophet, for, last Wednesday, a petition was presented against the olection of two of the successful candidates—Messrs A. W. Sedcole and E. Naylor—on the grounds that persons nominated and voted for them who were not qualified to co so ; that Naylor was not qualified to sit; and that a man named Lee impersonated another of the same name, and voted for Sedcole with Sedcyle’s knowledge and consent. I believe tho facts to be that tho chairman of the Road Board, who owns a section in tho township, voted in respect of this, although he had not been authorised to do so by the Board ; and as to the impersonation, it seem that tho Mr Leo who voted actually is a property-holder in town, and as he has been there for some time lie believed himself to really bo the Robert Lao on tho roll. Curious thing—one of the petitioners is brother of Mr Sedcole.

The Pahiatna Acclimatisation Society is launching about 5000 young brown trout in the slreauta and crooks near the town-

ship, so by-and by there will be splendid fishing all through that valley.