NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 964, 27 November 1882, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

We have been requested to. publish the following list of donations from the Forester’s Court, Patea, to Mrs Whelan : —J. Donnelly, £1 ;J. Kay, 10s ;J. Kenworthy, 10s ; T. Carman, 5s ; T. Dawson, 13s 6d ; G. Buckley, 10s ; W. Ross, 5s ; H. Cole, 5s ; I. Deane, 5s ; C. Ashby, 5s j H. Hollis, 5s ;R. Beaton, 10s; G. Carman, 5s ; R. Baldwin, 10s ; Forester’s Ball ? Fund, 14s ; E. Holmes, 5s ; W. Jackson 2s 6d. Total £7. The bathing season has commenced in real earnest at Patea, and every fine morning a number of amphibious individuals may be seen disporting themselves at the river. The arrangements are not in good order at present, and some of the bathers propose to have a “ bee ” some fine morning shortly, and all to contribute a.helping hand towards putting things in trim. The promoters of the forthcoming meeting should consider the advisability of holding

aquatic sports as well, as it is believed that many would contribute sums for this healthful and most useful exercise. llere we have all that is necessary —water, and we have never held sports of this nature before, but if they were once set going, they could not help being popular, amongst young and old. It is almost a pity that we have not a more secluded place for bathing, and it is probable that this will also be discussed at the meeting. The Kakaramea people intend to have a days sport on Boxing day, the programme for which appears, in another column. There are fifteen events on the card and nominations are to be sent to the Secrecary Mr E Payne by December 14th. No doubt there will be -a good many visitors to the Township on the day of the sports which are always popular.

A mob of 3000 sheep passed through town this morning on their way to Mr Lysaght’s place They had travelled from Napier and were in good condition considering the distance they had come.

One provision of the new Machinery Act is that “no child shall be employed working or assisting to work at or with any machinery. No machinery worked or propelled by steam shall at any time be left in charge or control, of any person unless a male of at least 18 No young person under 15 years shall be allowed,to work between the .fixed and traversing part of any machine while in motion, whether such machine is propelled by steam, water-power, or other mechanical powei.” The minimum'-penalty on persons offending is £5, the maximum £2O for each offence. :

An amusing incident occurred recently to the Hyperion combination at Bulls. “It is, says a local paper, the cusiom of this company to photograph every town they visit, and add the slide to the collection shown by their dissolving views. Accordingly, while Mr Harry Power was lecturing, a view was displayed which, acccording to the programme before him. ought to have been Cowes in the Isle of Wright. The lecturer proceeded of course to*described;the beauties of this.'fashionable watering place in glowing terms ; but the astonishment of the good .people of Bulls may be imagined when-they saw before their eyes a counterfeit presentment of a store and hotel in their own towriphip ! Mr. Power soon found out that the local slide had been interpolated, and with admirable sang-froid remarked to the audience that it couldn’t much’matter whether, it was Bulls or Cowes—‘it was only a difference of sex.’ So lie got out of the difficulty with flying colors.” Afire took place in Mr Barker's store last Saturday week, which, had it not been seen by (he storeman who lives on the premises for the purpose of looking after them at night, might have been of a more serious nature. Mr Barker was shewing the plans of the forthcoming land sale to Mr Isaac "Wilson and Mr Evans, two gentlemen from Canterbury who were going away eaily on Monday morning ; and they all left the store together about half-past 10 in the evening, Mr Barker lighting .them out with, a candle which, was put on a table near the door on which were some files of old newspapers. About a quarter of an hour afterwards the storeman going home, saw a light, and looking found the papers were on fire. He got a bucket of water and put them out, then went and told Mr Barker, who went to the store and saw'that the fire was thoroughly put out. Beyond the burning of a few old newspapers, the damage was so slight that he did not consider it necessary to report it either to the Police or Insurance Co. Mr Barker feels certain that he put the, candle out, and there seems no clue to the origin of the fire.

We learn from the Auckland Star that the well-known Maori -chief Paul, of_ Orakei, is at prosont on a’visit to Ahipara with his wife, for the purpose of consulting a celebrated female doctor who is causing a great stir throughout Maoridom by her remarkable. cures. • Paul’s wife consulted her some months ago, but being again seriously unwell, has gone back for further advice and treatment. The doctor is a woman, and it is said that her success has been amazing, especially in cases of chronic asthma. Maoris from Waikato, the Thames, and all parts of the North, have flocked to her in hundreds during the past year. She is a Christian, and has an aversion to seeing any patient on Sunday. The natives regard her as a prophetess. She steadfastly refuses to receive any, payment for her services, believing it will cause a loss of influence and power, and she has been almost eaten out of house and home by her multitudes of visitors. In order to avoid this, patients now keep away from her place as

much as possible, stopping at some settlement near at hand. A general collection is now being made throughout the North' to provide her with an annuity. Her inode of treat ment appears to be mainly hydropathic. She enjoins the strictest cleanliness with frequent baths, which in' itself must have a beneficial effect on most Maori patients, and she lays down the most detailed rules for diet. To these cases, her cures, which seem to be tolerably well tested, may be fairly attributed. The following account of an exciting, chase after a whale by. - three boats from Tauranga appears in the Bay of Plenty Timss ;—“At dawn in the morning a large school of whales was seen on the seaward side of Motuiti, and three boats manned by the Patuwai natives, put off. Two of the boats soon fastened to a very large “ Humpback’> and were dragged at great speed in the direction of Tauranga. When just off the entrance, the whale headed out again, and on reaching Karewa it was so exhausted that the men hauled close up and lanced it repeatedly, apparently in a vital place, for it spouted blood, dyeing the waters for some distance round. Owing to the heavy sea, one of the boats by this time was full of water, and had to cast oft. As “ Friday.” the headsman in the other boat, was preparing to lance the fish again, itsuddenly struck the boat with its “ flukes,” and, tearing the line out of the groove, sweeping away the oars and rowlocks from one side, and drawing two of the men over board and filling the boat with water at the same time, the harpoon drew, and the fish which was worth A3OJ. escaped. ’A third boat arrived just too late. The natives were much exhausted, and landed on Karewa to dry their clothes. In the afternoon Captain Baker, who was passing with the Staffa, with his usual kindness gave them a tow in. The man ■•Friday” appears to have been bruised internally, and was in great pain. The boats returned to Motiti last night. The natives report that whales are very numerous this season, the one struck yesterday being the third they have lost lately.

A Bill authorising the practice of cremation is about to be presented to the French Chamber of Deputies.

At Christchurch a witness in Court, who was giving an expert’s opinion as to whether a man was drunk or not, asserted that lie could take 30 pints of beer and not be drunk. Baron Wilhelm Rothchild, of Frankfort, returned his last year’c income at £239,400, while his brother Baron Meyer Carl, confessed to £228,000. The amount of their income-tax exceeded £14,000.

It is not pleasant to hear of deaths occurring in New Zealand from leprosy. Yet we find from the. Registrar General’s report that one death actually took place in Dunedin last month, of which the cause was “ tnrbercular leprosy.

An angler who took a nap the other day, on the banks of the Tweed, near Innerleithen, drew his false teeth into his throat with a snort. He woke up then, fastenough, and ran to a doctor, who pushed them farther down, and so saved him from suffocation. The sufferer was then taken to (lie Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, where he had all done for him that the best ski l ! could do. The teeth, however, could not be got out, and ho died of inflammation.

According to a letter in the Wakatipu Mail , a lady in Queenstown has organised a new. movement. She lias Just got together a number of little girls to attend to the neglected graves in the cemetery, allotting to each a grave, and offering prizes according to results, “ for which she cannot fail to earn the gratitude of at least absent friends of the interred.” Unfortunately, however, her efforts threaten to be thwarted,; as for some extraordinary reason a written notice has been attached to (be cemetery gate to the effect that “ children a - e in future prohibited from entering the cemetery.” Tlie Linseed and fibre industry is making good progress in Canterbury. At a meetting of the Rangiora Company last week the chairman reported that lie had received verbally and in writing some very encouraging reports in response to the circulars issued by the Company, It was decided to procure an American scutching machine without loss of time. A discussion arose as, to the advisability of procuring fresh seed for next season, and it was finally determined to ascertain which were the best sorts and the best place to- obtain them, and instruct Mr Blackett to get them in good time for next season. U will be seen for the above that the industry may be said to be fairly established and our farmers in this district should use their best endeavours to contribute towards supplying the demand which is certain to arise.

The first of the new steamers now building in Britain for the Westport Coal Company (Limited, the s s Kawatiri, sailed from the Clyde for Port Chalmers, via Westport, on the 27th ult. This steamer will be followed from the Clyde by the Orawaiti about Ist Dec, and the Wareatea about Ist March. These steamers are all of the same dimensions and power,~seTng‘ J. 70 feet in length, 2G feeHlafhja lwha7!lh r and 11 feet 3 inches depth of hold. The engines are 90 h.p. nominal, and the steamers are classed 100 A at Lloyds. They are intended to carry 500 tons on a draft of 10 feet, or 600 tons on a draft of

11 feet, and will be employed in trading between Westport and the principal New Zealand ports. We understand it is the intention of the directors of the Westport Coal Company to order several more steamers of a similar class for. their Westport and Greymouth coal trade.

A correspondent writing to the Dunedin Star , referring to the report that the Highlanders, before they charged the Egyptians at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir gave a “wild cheer,” says the statement is a misconception. He quotes from a letter written by an eye-witness of the attack, and gives the “ true ” version, as follows:—“ When the Highlanders.were about 1000 yards from the Egyptian entrenchments every bagpiper in the brigade simultaneously struck up a pibroch. The effect on the Egyptians; was like - that of an electric shock. Officers who were giving the word of command suddenly became speechless ; soldiers who were in the act of taking aim let their muskets fall from their hands ; horror and dismay, sat on every countenance ; and then along the line the cry burst forth 1 The Evil One ! the Evil One ! God has forsaken us !’—and throwing their arms to the ground, and sticking their fingers in their ears, the pell-mell rout began.” ■ The man West-gate,who has accused himself of the murders of Lord F. Cavendish and Mr Bourke, has been removed to a gaol in Jamaica, because of the Fantome having been ordered to Barbadoes. He still maintains that his confession is true. He is closely watched, because of his having threatened to commit suicide. He is troubled with fearful dreams, and awakes raving. The doctors say heisiuffering from intense excitement. Westgate states that after the murdurous affray he went back and stabbed Lord Frederick in the back. On Thursday last, says the Fielding Star the wife cf a settler in town had been sweeping up her hearth after dinner, and had put the dust, together with some ashes, into a bucket. On leaving it standing for a moment or two and quitting the room, a loud report was heard, and the contents of the bucket were scattered in all directions. The cause was discovered to have arisen from a dynamite cap having accidently got among the sweepings of the room, and, of course, exploding when coming into contact with the hot ashes. It was fortunate no person was near the bucket, or carrying it at the time, or the consequences might have been very inconvenient, if not serious. The incident points to the necessitj' of persons who use dynamite appliances for blasting purposes keeping them in a secure place, and so remove the possibility of their getting amongst the ordinary refuse of the house.

In connection with the Peninsula Show this year, Mr Larnach offers a special prize of a unique kind. It is for the neatest-dressed girl whose dress has been made and hat trimmed by herself. There will no doubt be great competition amongst the Peninsula lasses, who have about six weeks in which to make preparations.