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Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 521, 18 May 1880, Page 2

Tin', Homeward Mail via San Francisco closes in this district next Thursday, 20th. Coach changes have been the subject of some erroneous gossip. The reported alteration of (be up coach may fake place some day, but that is too remote to bo recorded as a fact. The up coach will conlimie 10 change horses at Carlyle as heretofore. The squally wet weather continues with increasing severity. We have reached the acme of disagrceablcness in respect of Patea weather. A few days of placid sunshine, would be a welcome charm amid our winter wretchedness.

Electoral Forms for the Egmont district may bo obtained gratis at the Mail office.

The Electoral Roll for this district is open for inspection at the Mail office, during business hours every day. Mrs Klaus, a midwife, is settling in Carlyle. She has been employed in this capacity in Canterbury some 15 years.

A pedigree grey-hound, of the same strain of blood as Honey wood, the winner of the Waterloo Cup, has been landed at Lyttelton from London. Tun “message” from the missing ship Knowslcy Hall, is now believed to be a hoax. The Premier of Victoria has decided to take no further steps in the matter.

Tun Pkkmif.k has been unable, through illness, to attend to public business during the past week or two, but is now reported convalescent.

Mu Thomas axd Mu Anduew Middlkmas arc reported to bo about leaving the district. Their resolution has been somewhat of a surprise to residents outside Hawera, as the brothers were understood to be engaged in operations that would take some time to complete. The Western States of America, however, arc large enough to afford ample room for their expanding energies.

The tumble-down shanties on the Government reserve behind the Courthouse, have been too long an eyesore to the town., They arc just strong enough to uproar their battered sides against flic wind ; else it would be a welcome gale that should blow them dean away. Mr Under-Secretary Cooper was shown this dilapidated exhibition on Saturday, and he promised that the shanties shall be. removed. But when ? This promise has been made in official language more than once before.

The Breakwater was visited by Mr Under Secretary Cooper, on Saturday, accompanied by the Chairman of the Harbor Boaid. Mr Cooper expressed surprise at the extent of improvement effected in the bar entrance, and said he had been quite unaware that the Patea river could admit coasting ships, or that any important improvement was in progress. Wc believe this absence of precise knowledge as to the character of the Patca district may be taken as representing the average acquaintance of Government officers with this part of the colony. Yet they all claim to understand the political settlement of the Waimatc Plains, and they are likely to vote quite confidently on the Native Commissioners’ Report 1

Tlie Omani waterworks are expected to be completed in three months. ,

Titk Homeward Brindisi mail was delivered in London on the 13th.

Does have been destroyed at the rate of nearly 40 a week in Canterbury, through non-registration.

Runts for cottages m Wanganui have a downward; tendency, and many cottages arc reported empty. A Hint. —A Quebec merchant says that frozen meat “ comes out better in appearance” when shipped to England in the lull carcase, with the hide on, and removing only the head and entrails.

Railway ’ Extension. —The Greytown section of the Wellington line was opened with some ceremony on the 14th. The wretched weather prevented any holiday uem 011 staat i on.

Mu Atkins, architect, Wangannb has purchased the goodwill of Mr W. Cole’s business, in that town. Mu Nance, jeweller, Wanganui, has gone, to England for the bone fit of his impaired health. A “ brandy raid ” is going on in Christchurch, the inspector having been quietly purchasing samples from publicans, to test the standard strength.

Cricket. —The Australian team liave won a match against IS gentlemen players of Hampshire, the English scores being 110 in the first and 113 in the second innings: : The Australian team won in one innings,, with 21 runs to spare.

Wheat. —The average wheat crop in Victoria is 13-j bushels to the acre. The total quantity in the colony is 50 per cent, more than last year.

“ I,eah” has been performed by the Arethnsa Dramatic Company, n't'"Wanganui, Miss Bateman made a great reputation in the leading character at ihe Lyceum, London; and this play depends for its, power upon the tragedienne who impersonates the Jewess. Mrs Walter Hill took the part at Wanganui, and the local press compliments her highly, “ Formosa” and “East. Lynne,” both dramatised fictions, have been also performed.

“ Corbett” has been (he subject of a lecture by Mr Godwin, at Wanganui. Few characters in English modern history afford more striking and picturesque material for a powerful lecture than the famous ami eccentric genius who was a terror to most of the public men of his era, Air Godwin appears to liave treated the topic in an amateurish fashion. He missed an opportunity.

Football Fixtures. —May 22nd, Carlyle Club, first fifteen v. All-comers. May 24, Carlyle Star Club v. Carlyle Football Club, J5 men aside. May 2b, Wavcrley Club v. Carlyle Club, 15 men aside. Return match : The following players have been chosen by the match committee of the Carlyle Club, to do battle on the 22nd instant against.' 1 the world”; Messrs Coutts, Baggett, Dascnt, D. Williams, Kitchen, Powell, Adamson, J. Chadwick, W. Williams, Turner, Heanan, Sinclaire, A. A. Gower, Byrne, and F. Reid, and the same team will oppose the Star Club on the Queen’s Birthday, Messrs H. Chadwick, 11. Hughes, Taylor, Flood, ami E. Jones being the waiting men. The Star players will be R. Jaccmbe, captain, IT. Davis, M, Locker, W. Locker, J. McCarthy, J. Dwyer, W. Sangstor, M. Bonrke, May, Cockburn, A. Sergeant, Higginson, A. McKcllock, M. Carey, 11. Bayliss. Waiting men : C. Pearsc, and A. Mercer. The Carlyle Club expect their uniforms to-morrow.

Haxdigai’ Stkki’Lkcji vsk. —The following nominations for the Wanganui handicap steeplechase, to be run June 19th, arc .announced:—P. Murtagh’s The General ; J. Gallagher’s To Whelnmarama; W. 11. Gibson’s Otawa; S. Cameron’s Tupapaku, A. Macalistcr’s Eclipse; J. Gardner's Tricatrin ; A. J. Keith’s Hard Times; A. J. Keith’s Ada; A. J. Keith’s Venture; Dr Frazer’s Rangatira ; W. Davis’s Matan; F. Potto’s Raven; J. Biggie’s KingDon ; R. Mclvor’s Grey Mom us; R. Mclvor’s Loch Lomond; P. Butler’s Agent; J. W. Jackson’s Old Ireland

(late Victor); D. Scott’s Abolition ; J. Abbot’s (Sunbeam; —Douglas’s Baron; ami —Douglas’s Harkaway. A Patea Poet has indited eight stanzas “to the Patea Rifles,” and wo arc asked to publish them. Here is the first stanza: It is about twelve nici.t'is ago Since the Maoris'made Hie row, You know we all got such a frigid, We made quite sure Hie Maoris would light. A poet who has shouldered a musket in military drill should know the importance of stepping in time. His poetic feet are rather halting in their march. •Supposing the other seven stanzas to be remodelled into correct rhythm, and the rhyming terminations shaken up afresh, the poem would bo worth publishing. A silver cup, for presentation at the next local show, has been placed at the acceptance of the Patea, Agricultural and Pastoral 'Association, as'a compliment from the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. This company is distributing six silver trophies to agricultural societies in different parts of the colony., and Mr Christie having brought the claims of the Patea society under the company’s notice, one of these large handsome cups has been forwarded through Mr Christie, and the president of the Patea society, Mr Chapman, has officially accepted the gift with thanks. The cup is engraved with a suitable pictorial design, and is a really handsome trophy. It is to be offered at the next show’ for the best ram or ewe, and will doubtless help to stimulate local exhibitors in a very desirable direction. Disquieting intelligence lias been received concerning (lie fidelity of the Maharajah of Cashmere. Grave suspicious have been aroused by (he discovery of facts which indicate that attempts were made by Russian emmissaries to tamper with this; nilei'A and There As reason, to believe the Maharajah to he in some degree implicated in Russian intrigue.

Railway Commissioners. Four members of the Railway Commission have just passed tlirbngh Paten. They arc Mr Oswald Curtis (Nelson), chairman ; Mr E. C. Wright (Canterbury), Mr Pearce (Wellington), and Mr Clark (Auckland). They had arranged to run up from Kai Iwi by special coach to Stratford, and on by rail to New Plymouth. Their arrangements were' peculiar. The special coach was to cJiiing-e liorses at Carlyle, and nifnin at Hawera ; and while this operation was in progress, the Commissioners, or some of them, would shake hands with one or two local officials, ask hurried questions, then cat their lunch, and off again. Their programme is being carried out strictly ns per arrangement. At Carlyle, they were met by the Chairman of the County Council and the Chairman of the Harbor Board, The Chairman of the Town 'Board had not been officially warned of their presence, and although apprised ol it in an irregular way, he declined to participate in any interview so unceremonious. The two local chairmen who did see the Commissioners had a hasty conversation on railway matters affecting this district; but as the Commissioners seemed to have no instruction to rc-opcn or deal with routes or station sites already fixed and gazetted, the local chairmen could not have much new matter to bring under the notice of these flying Commissioners, during the short interval of lunching and changing: horses as per programme. The Patca public will naturally wonder why the four Commissioners should have taken so much trouble to travel through ibis district in wintry weather, when they seem to liave had no particular object in view, except to reach New Plymouth in the least time and with the least trouble. Officials who visit this district arc always going to or from New Plymouth.' They have no particular business with the intermediate district. It seems to be more or less of a surprise to them to discover that there is an intermediate district between Wanganui and New Plymouth. Major A tkinson, who guards and promotes our interests, has never had time to acquaint any of these official visitors with the fact of the existence of towns and settled districts within the boundaries of the Egmont electoral district. Why not ? : Couxtv Gaol.— Mr G. S. Cooper, Under Secretary, visited Carlyle cn Saturday to inspect the plot of land reserved for the erection of a gaol for Patca County. Tlie sand-dune known as Redoubt Hill, cast of the town, is the site reserved for a gaol. The site appears to us to bo very undesirable. Place the gaol there, and the result would be that the most conspicuous object visible from the residential side of the town would ho a prison set on a hill. Do not flaunt crime before the public eye every day. Place that grim but necessary stronghold in a position less offensive. Why cap the most conspicuous knoll in the town with a mocking memorial. Tlie gaol would be much more convenient if placed on the Government reserve behind the Court-house — the very place that convenience seems to require. The Redoubt Mill could he better utilised. To carry out the present scheme would he a standing eyesore, a mistake to bo lamented too late. The Town Board might easily prevent this aesthetic outrage by a timely recommendation to the Government, and the County Council would be equally ready, we expect, because equally interested in placing public buildings in suitable positions. Mr Cooper inspected the Courthouse and police station ; and he was understood to recognise the necessity of having a county prison placed in Carlyle for short-sentence offenders.