The report of Mr J. R. Stewart, C. E., o» the damage to the jetty, will be found on our fourth page. Mr Newton King sella stock at his Eahotu yards to-morrow—Wednesday. The Opunake School is closed for a week for the mid-winter holidays. Mr W. D. Scott notifies entries for Awatuna sale for Monday 9th inst. The S. S. Kanieri leaves Manukau to-day for Waitara, Opunake, and Wellington. The pon W. P, Reeves has resigned his position as a director of the N. Z. Times. The S. S. Kanieri arrived at Opunake on Friday at 3p. m., discharged inward cargo and proceeded to Waitara. Mr W. D. Scott notifies entries of stock for his Opunake sale next Friday, also a large assortment of trees on behalf of Mr Mitchinson of New Ply mouth. Mr T. Knowles is about to make very extensive alterations and additions to the Opnnake Hotel, tenders for which close to-mor-row.
Captain Edwin wired at l.lGp.m.to-day : North-west to west and south gale with rain and heavy sea within ten hours from now. Glass rise, with much colder weather. Indications for strong ebb tides in the Straits.
Mrs Orchard notifies that the fortnightly dance in the Town Hall will take place Wednesday week instead of tomorrow, as previously arranged. The alteration has been made so as not to clash with the assembly held at Rahotu.
We are pleased to notice that a string band is in course of formation in the town, Mr Hutchins who has had many years experience in bands of various kinds, besides being an accomphshed instrumentalist, has taken charge, and under his able guidance we anticipate very satisfactory progress will be made and expect to greet their appearance in public at an early date.
The Opunake Dairy Factory 4 has shat down for a couple of weeks for the purpose of effecting repairs and making sundry improvements to cope with the increased supply expect during the coming season. Mr George is determined to spare no expense in order to turn out an article which will maintain the name for superior quality which the Crown brand has obtained in the London market. Our attention was called last week to a splendid carcass which was on view at the Opunake Meat Bazaar. It was that of a three - year - old bullock bred by Mr W. McKeown, of Pihama, and turned the scales at eight hundred and a half. It is one of a mob of fifts4>urchasd from him by Mr G. A. Rogers, and is only an average sample of the lot. .
Messrs Dickson and Go., who were the successful tenderers for the Heimama and Oaonui bridges have arrived commence their contracts. The delay in starting has been owing to their not being able to obtain the timber in New Zealand. They had to send to Newcastle for the long lengths of iron bark specified to bo used in its construction.
We understand that the settlers on the Ihaia Road are getting up a petition to the Parihaka Road Board requesting that steps be taken to raise a loan of £6OO to metal the road nearly as far up as it is settled. This work needs doing very badly, as the road in the winter is simply impassable.
We hear that the Ihaia Road settlers intend entering into a mutual agreement not to supply any firewood on their several properties during the winter months. It is this heavy traffic which does all the damage to the road. The penalty for breach of agreement to be £lO.
Tba,-w"t w 'Mam South' Road with we broken metal from the Waiau is being puslied on expeditiously. The road through to Ijungareha will be in a very passable order \lhen the repairs which are being carried out cp the representation of our representatives, Messrs McGloin and McCullum, are completed. A gentleman who has a considerable knowledge of marine work suggests that the engineer at the Napier Harbor works should be communicated with in regard to the use of turpentine wood which they have been using for sea .works there. The wood is native of the northern districts of New South Wales, and in consequence of the amount of turpentine which it contains is said to be proof against any of the sea worms so far as is known.
An apparently new parasite has started its career in the colony. The name bestowed on this new arrival is the “ Dodder.” In Canterbury it is attacking gorse fences and other trees and plants. It commences operations on the bark, and in some cases completely destroys the plants.
Some little time back, seeing that the Taranaki County Council were taking no steps to replace the bridge at Messrs Stronge and Gane took the matter in hand and went round with a subscription list to endeavor to raise funds amongst the settlers to do the work. Mr A. O’Brien drew the plans and specifications, free of charge, and estimated it would take £3O to do the work. On the representation of the canvassers that there would be no difficulty in collecting £25, the Chairman of the Town Board, Mr G. W. Rogers, offered a guarantee of the amount, and Mr O'Brien submitted the plans and the proposed offer of £25 towards the work by the settlers. The Council agreed, on receipt of the £25 from the settlers, to find the balance and call for tenders at once. So that there should be no delay in the matter owing to the"advancement of the winter, Mr Rogers forwarded his own cheque for the £25 to the Council, and up to the present has only had £lB odd of it refunded. We call attention to the fact as we feel sure when it is known those interested will see that the balance is _ made up without delay, as, were it not for his generous action in the matter, it might have been a month or two longer before the work would be put in hand.
About twenty milk suppliers met Mr J. C. George at the Oaonui butter factory on the 25th June to diccuss terms for ensuing year. Mr George informed suppliers that he proposed to pay on New Plymouth market rates for butter. The milk to‘be gauged by Babcock’s test at 3-6 butter fat and payment to be on a sliding scale. He said he did not anticipate butter would be lower than 8d during the spring and summer months which would meau about Bd per gallon for milk at 3-6 and for milk above that a little more and any milk under that standard would be proportionly less. A sample would be taken every day and be tested once a week. Messrs Horner and Crockett who were factory owner were acting on this scheme. Mr O’Rorke showed from a London Correspondent to a paper that the Crown Factory Butter was considered to be as good as any sent to the London Market. After consultation the following was submitted to Mr George: price of butter to be fixed at 8d for 0 months, September to February; Babcock test 3’G standard, if over to be paid in proportion. March and April butter 7d same test as above; remaining four months to bo on sliding scale as proposed by Mr George for the whole year; but Aucldand prices to bo taken instead of New Plymouth.
There are no less than ten lawyers in the present House of Representatives. Wool imported into the United States is subject to a duty o! about 80 per cent. It is anticipated by some authorities competent to write on the subject ths.t the duty will soon be reduced to 10 or 15 per cent, which, in comparison with the present duties, would mean almost free trade. 9f ; Farmers should bear in mind that turkeys, apart from their value as table birds, are splendid pest destroyers. They roam from one field to another changing their pasture every day, devouring every insect in their track. They are equally destructive to those flying, creeping or stationary in the ground. The traction engine owners in Canterbury are being hauled over in the Court for alleged non-compliance with the law iln regard to their the management. Engine owners have been in habit of placing them ih charge of two men, both of whom ride upon the engine, but who are supposed to get down before reaching corners or crossings to give duo warning. The Magistrate held that there should be a look out forward and aft as well, thereby compelling the employment of four men to pilot an engine. The case is to be sent to the Appeal Court. A horrible case of cruelty was dealt with at the Wagga (Victoria) Quarter Sessions. Percy Thomas, a laborer, s.nd his wife were charged with ill-treating a five-year-old girl whom they had adopted. The girl was one mass of sores, there being no less that 82 distinct wounds, some in an advanced otate of putrefaction. The girl weighed only 361 b. Besides under-feeding and otherwise illtreating the girl, the male accused was proved to have been in the h abit of tying her to a cart-wheel and thrashing her with a whip. The Judge said it wao the most atrocious cruelty he had ever heard of. He sentenced the male prisoner to two years’ hard labour. Mrs Thomas was found Not Guilty.
The discovery has been made, says the Argus, that the New Zealand Woollen mills are paying, good dividends, and are altogether in a healthier v condition than the woollen mills of Victoria.-., They are also obtaining orders from England for their specialities. They earn from 8 to 12 per cent, profit. They employ also far more hands in proportion to the population than are employed in Victoria. Yet the New Zealand Customs duty is only 20 per cent, as against'so per cent in Victoria. These facts are now related as news in the High Tariff press, and it is explained that the Victorian mills languish because they contain obsolete machinery ! According to this account, the duties have been raised from 20 to 60 per cent in Victoria in the interests of obsolete machinery-, and prices have been sent up, and people have been pinched in clothing accordingly,' in addition to which, as the clothing manufacturers have asserted, hundreds of hands have been deprived of employment. The 'acknowledgment that woollen mills can flourish under 20 per cent duties is an argument for the producers who are calling for a reduction of Customs taxation to that standard. Why pay more?
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Opunake Times, 3 July 1894, Page 2
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1,762Untitled Opunake Times, 3 July 1894, Page 2
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