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Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 13, 14 August 1894, Page 2

Taranaki Land Board and Education Board reports will be found on fourth page. Letters from “ Civis,” J. Stewart, and W. J. Wells ore unavoidably held Over till next issue j .as well as other interesting reading '■matter., Mr Newton King sells stock at Stony Elver to-morrow. Coal is being landed at/New Plymouth breakwater from Newcastle for 20s per ton. Mr Simmonds notifies that his monster cheap‘sale of drapery, in the Foresters’ Hall, wIE positively close on Saturday next. Several sections in Makaks village were disposed of at the sale on Wednesday last at New Plymouth. Ten purebred Eomney ewes and three rams have been imported from England by Mr Matthews, of Wairongamai.—Herald. The well-known chief Hakaria has been seriously ill from influenza, and Dr Psirman had to be sent for on Saturday last to attend him. We hear he is now improving. The Harbor Board decided to forego rent till November from petroleum syndicate. A company is being formed to take over the spec. Miss Jury and Miss Carter have opened up a dressmaking establishment in Messrs Brightwell and Son’s premises, where they have taken rooms, and are prepared to execute dressmaking in all its branches. The sand has increased considerably in the channel at the New Plymouth breakwater during the past month. The dredge only succeeded in getting in two days’ work owing to bad weather and broken gear. Mr Naismith, of Kaponga, has accepted Mr Quin’s challenge 'to shoe a horse against him. As they are both well-known workmen a great deal of interest will be taken in the contest. One day last week when Mr Humphries was carting gravel from the beach road his horses turned the wrong way, with the result that they went over the cliff a distance of about thirty feet. They took three complete turns down the hill, and then landed in an upright position. Nothing was broken, so that the driver had only to get into the cart and drive them round the beach up the road to where he was loading. Wo have to acknowledge receipt of the first number of the Eltham Guardian, a biweekly paper, which is to be published at Eltham. It is the property of Mr Joseph Ivess, and is very much on the same lines as the Egraont Post. It is spiritedly written, and will no doubt meet with the support of the district which it has undertaken to champion. We wish it success. We regret to hear that Mr George Taylor has been seriously ill for a few weeks past. His illness is the result of bronchitis, and the weather of late has been very trying for people with anything wrong with the chest. It is to be hoped that the spring weather, which shows signs of approaching, will pull him round, and that he may quickly recover his accustomed vigor. It is his intention to take a trip to Scotland for the sake of the sea voyage. 5 We are informed that very considerable damage has been done to the New Plymouth breakwater by the gale of a week or so ago. At the outer end a great many blocks were washed out from underneath, which caused damage to the upper ones. The amount of damage is roughly estimated at £BOO. On Friday evening next a concert and social will be given in the Theatre Royal, Rahotu, in aid of the funds of the local Rifle Club. A very varied programme will be presented to the audience, and a good evening’s entertainment may be looked forward to. The Opunake Brass Band will be in attendance, and enliven the proceedings by their . inspiriting strains. On Thursday evening last, during the violent thunderstorm which passed over the district, a very peculiar incident occurred about two miles this side of Kaponga. A very large red pine tree was struck by lightning about 40 feet from (he ground. The lightning cut off the top and split the trunk into four pieces, so that the top part of the stem holding the branches intact dropped down between the divided parts of the trunk, and there it remains. The lightning travelled down the trunk apd into the earth, making a very large hole in the ground. Some of the small branches were driven chains away from the tree by the stroke.

Messrs Nolan, Tonks and Co notify entries for their Opunake sale on Tuesday next.

We remind builders that tenders for erection of the Anglican Church close on Thursday next. Messrs Carroll and Artindale have commenced building the Roman Catholic Church, and anticipate having it completed in two months’ time. Messrs Sydney Hoekau and Tarai Kamo have opened a billiard saloon and hairdresser’s shop at Parihaka. MrW. D. Scott will hold an unreserved sale of drapery and clothing in the Foresters’ Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday next. For several weeks past cattle could not be shipped from the cattle race at New Plymouth breakwater owing to damage to the race. This has now been repaired. Messrs Nolan, Tonks and Co will sell a quantity of furniture at Mr Stitt’s residence on Tuesday next at 3 p.m. consisting of some very choice and superior articles which are almost new. The Opunake School Commissioners meet this evening to consider applications for post of assistant mistress vacated by Miss Grainger. We were shown a piano supplied by the Dresden Piano Company to the order of Mrs Orchard, for use in the Foresters’ Hall. It is a very handsome instrument, possessing an extremely rich tone. Mr E. G. Raikes is the local agent representing the Company in Opunake, and it is through him the instrument was procured. We notice the Waimate Witness is taking a quiet rise out of its readers. In its supplement of August 10th it has instituted a novel competition for a guinea prize. The “ novel" feature is that competitors must have their contributions in Wellington on August 10th, being the same day the supplement is published in Manaia. As no one outside the Witness office could know of the competition in time, we suppose the Witness devil has scooped the pool. In the libel case, the eight Gisborne hotelkeepers against Mrs Dunlop, the jury, after three hours’ deliberation, returned a verdict for the plaintiffs, with £SO damages. The defendant, on being asked why she wrote such an untruthful letter, said she did it on high moral and religious grounds, and partly to influence the elections. She still believed the charges to be true of the hotels generally ; but had no intention of reflecting on the publicans of Gisborne. Her husband, who held a wholesale liquor license, saw the letter, and advised her not to publish it, but she differed from him in his opinion. His Honor commented strongly on Mrs Dunlop’s action in writing such a letter. We remind our readers of the social and dance which is to be held at Awatuna on Friday next to celebrate the opening of the Public Hall. It is a very musical locality, but in order to make the opening as auspicious as possible, a number of performers from a distance have been pressed into the service, and a really first-class programme has been prepared for the occasion; Given a fine night, a very large audience will be sure to be in attendance, as tickets are moving off freely.