WAKEFIELD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1717, 25 January 1905, Page 25

WAKEFIELD.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

At the Richmond Borough council meeting last Tuesday a letter was received from the chief engineer stating that a copy of all by-laws dealing with heavy traffic and other matters must be sent to the Minster of Public Works within one week after such by-laws have been made- and that the Minister has the power of vetoing the same at anytime within one year after receiving such copy. Members expressed the opinion that this was an arbitrary encroachment upon the legitimate powers of local bodies and practically rendered any bylaws inoperative for twelve months. The clerk was instructed to inquire into the matter more fully. It was resolved to ask the Agricultural Department to place the plant known as the "BHip Weed” upon the schedule of noxious weeds, with a view to its eradicati ui. It was decided that Thursday afternoons be the woeklv half-bolidav for slmns and olfi°cv3 and Saturday’s for factories.

The usual monthly meeting of (he Wakefield. Branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held in the Oddfell Mvs' Hall, the president, Mr E. S. II uilt, in the chair. A long discussion us to th© appointment of a veterinary

surgeon took place. It was resolved that a veterinary surgeon be appointed, provided the salary is guaranteed. It is well kmwn that the present courthouse at Brigh.twa.ter is iu an unsuitable position, Wakefield being regarded as more central. It was resolved that the member for the district be written to, asking him to use his endeavours to get a courthouse erected at Wakefield. Major Franklyn explained the reason why the Wakefield Pige>n Valley cart bridge is to be made narrower. This is to save another row of piles costing ,£IOO. A recess is to be provided in the centre for foot passengers.

A sad accident happened last Sunday in tiio Motueka river, whereby Mr W. F, Bettany, sin of Mr James Bettany, storekeeper, Brightwater, lost his life. Mr Bettany was a promising young man, a chemist, and resided in Motueka. He was one of a party, and wishing to secure a canoe which was on the other side of the river tried to cross, when he was swept away by the strong current. His body was recovered shortly afterwards. It was brought to Brightwater and buried yesterday in the churchyard there. The weather is extremely hot and we are suffering from strong south-west winds. Harvest is progressing, and the fruit is ripening fast. A slight shower fell yesterday. A disastrous bush fire lias been raging on the Dovedale hills, and a lot of valuable forest has been destroyed. A lamentable accident took place on tbe Wangamoa road whereby a son of Mr George Rutherford, of Brightwater, lost his life. The young man, John Henry Rutherford, was only thirty years of age, well known among us here, and greatly respected. lie was driving a sixhorse team and timber waggon up the hill about a quarter of a mile beyond Newman’s Happy Valley stables, when Mr Charles Turner, a farmer residing in Happy Valley, met him with a cart loaded with firewood. Mr Turner took the hill side of the road, which is the recognised thing with a load. Mr Rutherford and a young man named Herbert Vincent Chapman, who was getting a lift, drove carefully past. Unfortunately one of the horses forming the team was a young animal that was being driven in the team for the first time. This horse shied, forcing the pole horses over the bank. Young Rutherford either jumped or was pulled by the reins down the bank, some fourteen feet, with the six struggling horses on the top of him, all tangled up in tlie wire fence. Another wap-goner, George Snowden, who was ahull 201 vards behind, ran up and assisteu Turner and Chapman, but the ho’fms kicked so and the wire was so t’-oub'eso e tlmt it w«s some fifteen minutes before tliev got Rutherford •out. Chapman pot a kick on the leg from a horse. Rutherford lived only a few minutes after his release. Dr Lucas, who happened to come along about five minutes afterwards, pronounced life extinct. The jurv at the inquest returned the following verdict: “Deceased was accidentally killed on January 7th; no

blame was attachable to anyone. That Turner and Snowden did everything tnat was possible to extricate the deceased. They added this rider: “That when more than one waggon is on the road they shoulu try to travel in company as much as possible." Everyone here deeply sympathises with Mr Geo. Rutherford and family.