The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 241, 1 August 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1877.

The annual meeting - of the Patea Agricultural and Pastoral Association will be held in the Town Hall, Kakaramea, tomorrow (Thursday), at 2 p.m. It is calculated that about 200 acres of land in the neighborhood of Waverley will this year be put down in wheat. Mr H, Dickcl, having erected suitable premises, and laid in a stock-in-trade, has commenced business as a cooper in Carlyle. Butter kegs, barrels of all sizes, churns? and so on can now be manufactured to order. We hope settlers will patronise this new local industry. Members of tbe Patea Licensed Victualler’s Association met at the Albion Hotel? Carlyle, yesterday afternoon, and, in addition to transacting other business, had an interesting discussion on the Local Option Bill. Attention is called to the altered advertisement of Mr A. Broadbent, of Hawera, who reports having secured some very choice goods—a great bargain—owing to the depressed state of trade in Wellington wholesale houses, and solicits an early call on the part of settlers in and around Hawera.

A petition, having for its object the repealing of rating clauses of “The New Plymouth Harbour Board Endowment Act, 1874,” and otherwise modifying arrangements already entered into by the Board, preliminary to commencing the construction of a harbour at New Plymouth, is being circulated. The petition will be presented to the Assembly. A gentleman for many years resident in Australia, and who may, therefore, he looked upon as a reliable authority, reports finding on land near the entrance to the Patca River, a weed known as Bathurst Burr. The Bathurst Burr is one of the worst pests sheep farmers in Australia have to deal with. The plant, which is a runnei - , may easily be recognised on account of the great resemblance of the leaves to common clover. Wherever the plant shows itself it should be immediately destroyed, or sheep farmers will be put to incalculable expense and be likely to lose greatly on their wool, should the pest get firm hold in the district.

If. Wallett, of Waverley, whose premises were lately destroyed by fire, was brought up at Carlyle on Saturday last, on suspicion of being implicated in causing the fire. The case was adjourned until Thursday. Apples arc being largely exported from America to Great Britain. The refrigerating process, by which American meat is landed quite fresh in the English markets, has proved successful in the transport of several kinds of Unit. The area in orchards, in America, for various kinds of fruit, was, in 1875, about 4,500,000 acres.

As per announcement last week, abiight school was opened by Mr Dyer at the Carlyle Scboolhouse, on Monday evening, a sufficient number of pupils having presented themselves to warrant a start. In Manntahi, Waverley, Ilawera, and other places, Improvement Classes, Chess, and other gatherings for instruction and entertainment are common. The growing youths and young men of Carlyle seem to be asleep or to have no appreciation lor such profitable ways of spending their evenings. Mr Dyer may, therefore, be complimented on this endeavour to be useful, and we trust that others will avail themselves of the opportunity now presented of move profitably filling in time than was previously possible.

Mr F. R. Jackson will hold cattle sale at Wanganui, to-morrow, at 12 o’clock. Messrs J. Strachan Greig and Co., of Hawera, will hold their regular fortnightly sale of merchandise and sundries on Saturday next.

Some time ago Mr Dkkcll, carpenter, of Carlyle, advertised for a horse which had strayed away, being at the time saddled and bridled. Last week the animal was found dead in a swamp near to Mr Hawken’s place, Kakaramea, with saddle and bridle still on.

What a number of people hereabouts have been talking of doing lias actually been commenced in Wanganui. The Chronicle says : —“ Two revival meetings are announced for this week in connection with Trinity Church. We were given to understand that our remarks had been premature when detailing the programme to be considered at the Late tea meeting - , but it would appear that such were correct after all.”

Mr Conyers, who lias lately been appointed to manage the Canterbury railways, is reported by the Canterbury Times to have stated at the parting dinner given to him in Dunedin, that, at the present moment the Otago railways earn some £IBO,OOO per annum. The railways of Otago and Canterbury next year, will earn close upon half a million, and the nett revenue, after paying all working expenses, will pay 5 per cent, on about £2,000,000. From the full report given in the Canterbury Times of Mr W. S. Moorhouse’s address to his Christchurch constituents, it would appear that that gentleman takes a most hopeful view of the present state and future prospects of the colony. Ho said, “The railways of New Zealand are going to pay the national debt of New Zealand, and are going to play with it. There will be no occasion to vex yon with either an income tax or a property tax, and if the Legislature chooses to increase its resources by such a tax, you may rely upon it there rvill be almost a total abolition of Custom’s duties.” "peaking of the condition of the colony in 1869 and 1876, he said, “No portion of the civilised world has increased in the same degree in prosperity —certainly not Europe,” The contemplated Bazaar in connection with the iVesleyan Church in this district is progressing*. Committees of ladies have been formed at Hawera, Manutahi, Carlyle, and Waver! ey, who are now ready to receive contributions of almos every description. A committee meeting will be held at the residence of the Bev. J. Law, Carlyle, to-morrow afternoon at three o’clock. The suggestion lately made by a correspondent from Hawera has been adopted and an Improvement Class has been formed. A meeting for the election of office-bearers will be held in the Native office, to-morrow evening, when it is requested that all desirous of joining will attend,

A gathering of persons (estimated by a correspondent in one of the papeis) to number about five hundred, followed a mounted effigy about the Town of New Plymouth on Thursday last. A speech was afterwards made by Ironsand Smith, and the effigy burnt. The demonstration was against Colonel Trimble and other obstruetori of proposed Harbour works. The News stigmatizes the effigy burning as blackguardism. Correspondents in the Herald are indignant that such a large proportion of the population, including Municipal Councillors and leading people should be termed blackguards.

We have pretty good authority for stating that Court sittings will in awhile be held at Hawcra on every alternate Monday. Captain Wray, R.M., is said himself to be convinced of the necessity of holding more frequent Court sittings; and will therefore be willing to meet the wishes of Hawera residents in this matter

The Mokau squabble is being fought over .again In Now Plymouth. It was time back asserted by the News that steamers entering the Mokau River would be confiscated by the natives, and probably burned, and that barm would befal Europeans settling there. Yet steamers have visited the Mokau, and the people on hoard have been well received by the natives and invited to go again. One set of natives are evidently in favour of opening the river to Europeans. Certain of the King natives are against it. Mass will be celebrated at Carlyle on Sunday next by the Rev Father Pertnis, An adjourned meeting was held a. Waverloy on Saturday last, in reference 1,0 obtaining the. services of a doctor. The matter was fufiy discussed, and a committee appointed to draw up rules and canvass the district, to ascertain the amount of guarantee which could he offered. A public meeting will be held to final*y decide the question on Saturday week. A communication has been received fro u Ilawera, in which Shakespeare is liberally quoted, refening to the la.e treacly assault on a person whom the write) - state- to be an honest and well-intentioned man. The Rhymer is Rhymed particularly hot, whilst the prose which appeared is rcmaiked upon. The writer says: “That, on calm reflection it will he seen that the injustice and shame lies on the Inflictois, and not on the abused.” We cannot conveniently find space for the whole of the communication. At a ‘a.’o meeting of the Taranaki Waste Lands Board, the Chairman stated that ha had received a letter from the Under Secretary for Crown Lands, desiring him to prepare grants in favour of the Patca County Council for ; ‘outh Manntahi Cemetery' Reserve, in accordance with the terms of the resolution of the Waste Lands Board.

A meeting of the Patea Kilwinning Lodge will be held this evening, in the Town Hall, Carlyle. Mr Felix McGuire, Land-, Commission and Financial Agent, Hawera, has removed to a more suitable office in Mr Furlong’s warehouse. In papers just presented to Parliament, wo notice Commissioner’s report of the ship Leicester, which arrived in Wellington on DOth Jauuaiy, to bo a very favourable one. Dr Warren, who is now settled in this district, was Surgeon Superintendent, and appears to have brought out the immigrants under bis charge in fhstrato condition, and to- have given satisfaction both to the passengers on board, and to the Health Officers who inspected the ship on arrival at Wellington. The report concludes. “We have much pleasiuc in recommending the surgeon-superin-tendent, Dr Warren, for re employment, should he desire it, and also that all gratuities should be paid.” air W. Furlong, of Hawera, being unable to devote the necessary time to educational matters, has resigned Ids sect in the Education Board. Gravel may he obtained from .Harbour IN serves at 6d per cubic yard. The Herald of the 19th instunt report< the bolding of the Quarterly meeting of the Taranaki Agricnldva! Society, the chief business of winch was the distribution of medals awarded at the last cattle, show. —Ml- Hately in moving a resolution said he wished to suggest to the members the advisability of having a ring -ailed in at their yards, so that the cattle might be paraded before the judges. They were getdng some very valuable cattle into the place, and it was impossible for the judges to give fair decisions without they had an opportunity of seeing them together.— Mr J. Elliot, in seconding said if they wished thei l, shows to be a success they must do something- of the kind suggested, or they would not get persons, who had been to great expense in imposing cattle, to exhibit. Ey putting them in pens, as they had clone at Patea, it was impossible for judges to give correct verdicts when the animals were so scattered about. It was the custom in places where large shows were held to have a ring, in the centre of which the judges stood, and the animals were walked round. The judges then weeded oul the animals mud ■ 1 they had two W decri-.- on, when ' their judgment.

On Saturday next will be offered for sale by auction by Mr W. Cowern, at Carlyle, the lease of nineteen building sites and five paddocks—the building sites for 21 years, and the paddocks for 10 and 14 years. Some of the building sites are in the centre of the township, and should command the attention of bona fide business men and speculators. Plans may bo inspected and all Information obtained on application to the auctioneer.

The official assay of ore from the Richmond Hill Silver Mine. Collingwood, is given at 507 ounces silver to the ton of

A very interesting arlicie on the Ancient Order of Foresters, appeared in the Canterbury Times of 21st July, from which the following is extracted : —“The returns of the Ancient Order of Foresters in Now Zealand are somewhat incomplete, but sufficient data have been given to show that in the six I istricts into which the Colony is divided there arc more than 60 Courts, and that the membership is nearly 500). The worth of the Court funds is upwards of £23,000, and of the District funds upwards of £3OOO. Over 400 members were admitted daring 1876, and 22 deaths occurred during the same period.

The Taranaki Herald in an article speculating - as the probable work of the session, says :—The Government is asked to giant large endowments to every localit}', subsidise Hoad Boards, and Counties out of land revenue, pay all the charges laid on it, and dually band over to the Counties balances for largo public works, to open up the country for settlement. So far, an attempt lias been made by the aid of Treasury Bills to create a kind of fictitious revenue. But this is justly hooted, as a rotten, system o" finance. There is only one way to set all these financial arrangements straightMake the land revenue Cotouial ; stop all subsidies out of the consolidated fund ; and make all Provincial charges Colonial. Then there will be sound finance without new taxation, but if the present system continues a property and income tax is inevitable. That is the Colonial Government will tax us to give us 'subsidies out of the consolidated fund. It would be much better not to get such subsidies, but raise them by local taxation, if it is desirable to do so.