COUNTY NEWS.

Patea Mail, 17 August 1880, Page 2

COUNTY NEWS.

The Weekly Supplement cannot be issued till Thursday. Arrangements are nearly, completed for improving this department of the Mail and ensuring regular issue. The Race Meeting of the WaverleyWaitotara Club is fixed for November 9th. The Patea steamer left Wellington last evening for Patea. The railway to Carterton was opened yesterday, as telegraphed last night by our correspondent. The \ Clyde Steamer is detained at Wanganui through a slight accident to her machinery. The “Pirates of Penzance” arc coming to New Zealand, in the shape of a burlesque opera company. At the P. M, .Court yesterday, James Caldwell (boiling-down works) was fined 5s and costs for drunkeness. Dr Croft was on the bench. Patea Rifles. —The Gazette records the appointment of Mr John Black, lately captain of Cadets, to be captain of the Patea Rifle Corps. The natives interested in the blocks of land known as Mungairi and Rahui, which lately passed the Native Lands Court at Patea, will be paid in a few days at their settlement near Hawera. The Hunt at Kakaramea is fixed for to-morrow; and Waitotara settlers are also arranging to have a run with the Otago hounds before they leave the district—probably Fiiday or Saturday. The freightage of some jarrah timber from Wellington to Patea is tendered for. It is timber supplied by government in coir nection with the railway contract at the harbor. Tenders closed yesterday. Professor Huxley says there is no difference between the bones of a man and those of a dog except in size, and that their structure, nervous organisation, and moral nature arc alike. McKettrick’s farm at Whenuakura is likely to be taken by Mr John Shield, a gentleman of considerable means, who has had farming experience at Homo, and latterly in Otago. Those who know Mr Shield speak of him as a very desirable settler. It will bo understood that Mr McKcthick is resigning farming to enter on the management of a now hotel at Patea. We are informed that an application will bo made at the next licensing court for a license to the new hotel. The application is numerously signed, and it is notable that Mr Thomas Haywood, of the Albion Hotel, is among those who support the application. Unselfishness of this kind will command a generous recognition.

The Harmonic Society’s Concert at Patea is postponed, one of the principal members of the society being unavoidably absent frtora the district. Probably the concert will be given about three weeks hence. The public will find this rather advantageous, as the splendid cantanta which is to be rendered by the society will go with better effect after one or two more rehearsals. The music of the “ Lady of the Lake” is of a pleasingly romantic character which well fits the subject of Scott’s immortal lay, and has much of the melodious tunefulness which captivates a mixed audience. This new cantata has never been performed in the Australian colonics, and Patea is decidedly favored in having the first rendering through the local society, A stir is being made in Patea about new methods of shopkeeping. This kind of innovation is a sign that Patea is growing big enough to be invaded from without. Another local incident is this. A new hotel is built, and when it has to be furnished, the loco! tradesmen who would naturally expect to have an opportunity of tendering for the furnishing arc shut out from competition in favor of one or two large houses outside the district. Now we must point out that persons who expect local support in business should place themselves in a position to deserve the goodwill of their neighbors. This sending outside for everything that is wanted, and not so much as inquiring whether the articles can be supplied in the place on equal terms with outside dealers, is a policy that must be judged on its merits, and treated accordingly. The experiment cannot be called discreet. Purchasers are entitled to go to the cheapest markets, just as sellers seek the best price; but the policy of mutual support Is the one that succeeds best in a small place, where every new trdesman has to depend on the goodwill of those whose money he expects to turn over.

A Chinese firm of grocers deals with Government House, Sydney.