NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1056, 6 July 1883, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of A H Pyemont was to have been held yesterday morning, but at the appointed hour the debtor was the only person in attendance. The annual meeting of the Patea Agricultural and.Pastoral Association is called for Thursday, the 19th.

The County Clerk’s salary is to be allowed to remain at £BO. He declined to act for £6O, and that did the business. After the? business of the Court wasconcluded this morning, the Kesident Magistrate intimated that he would be away ink Wellington for about ten days, and x 'h'e ’ thought that during that time it would be better to have a weekly sitting of the Court. Mr flamerton concurred, and suggested that civil cases should always be put down for Fridays. His_ Worship _ thought .thjat course'would be a good one, and promised to give it his consideration. ■ A fairly good, house, considering the; counter attraction in the shape of the Fancy- Dress Ball, greeted the. reappearance of . Mr F. M. WiUmott’s Combination in “ Struck Oil ” on Tuesday. Mr James ?Wilkinson r who assumed the character of John Stofel'in this drama, which is founded on incidents occurring in the Civil - War, succeeded as usual, in'keeping the audience in roars of laughter. ..Especially. '.was- t.his.-lhe capei when John, as a recruit, was being diHied • 'to his going to "the front. The folSs of Lizzie Stofel and Mrs;Stofel , were sustained by Misses;-Johns and Nelson respectively, and that they succeeded in winning the sympathies of the audience was apparent from the frequent applause. Mr Hesford as Deacon Skinner earned his meed of praise as did also the various other characters engaged in this piece. Last evening the Hall was filled almost to overflowing on the production of “The Colleen Bawn.” It is needlessto individualise any' of the characters in this piece as all were ably filled by those gentlemen and ladies to whom they were allotted. The company play at Wavorley to-night. Last evening those who happened to bo in the immediate vicinity of Egmontstreet south, were startled by the cry - of I’’r-which, upon investigation, proved be at Mr Adamson’s, house. It was not, however, serious, and the timely application of water soon dispelled any fears as to the.safely' of the house. The fire-bell was rung, and the brigade turned out to find, fortunately, that their services were not required.

Mr G.'ltasmusscn, bootmaker, of WaverJey, is extending bis in ,th|a direction, and has taken those premises next the Albion hotel] which he will open for-business, next week. ,Mr Rasrnusapn intends to keep the Waverley shop-going in 'connection with the new business. ]Mfr Barclay, who will succeed Mr Dean, the Cleric of the Court here,-arrived from Wellington by: the Waverley this morning. The Court held a ,: 'short ! sitting this morning, only .two or three civil cases of no public interest being dealt with. —'AlTKougli' tire •CgTrmy-tnjnncm -necniretr to call a , public meeting re Hospital, as requested by the Borough; Council," they have signified their willingness -to attepd and discuss the matter' if the latter body will convene a meeting. , : ..At Wednesday’s meeting the County Council gave a well merited recognition of the valuable services of, the Chairman by voting him an honorarium of £SO. -Mr Barraclough ? s butchery is.just no,w

a ;i ivery‘ pleasing eight'being filled with' a selection of prime’meat which would be -difficult to surpass,; -The •centre of the shop is occupied by the whole carcase of a’splendid two-year-old heifer, which was bred by Messrs.-Patterson Brothers, of Kakaramea, and ranged on either side, are specimens of sheep, calves, dairy fed and bacon pigs, which are a credit to the breeders, Messrs Patterson, Horner, add Honeyfield. The window contains > a selection of nicely, dressed;, saddles of mutton, tongues, calves heads, and other delicacies which are displayed in tempting arjray. We must give Mr Barraclough credit for the well killed and dressed appearance of everything in the shop. The place will be lighted up tb-night, and as an evidence of ...what the district can produce, the show is worthy of inspection. Mr Shephard, a Nelson member, who is the unlikeliest man in the House to joke, got off a bon mot the other afternoon. After Mr Fish had made an eloquent denunciatory speech against the Government, Mr Shephard rose, and at the commencement of his remarks alluded to Mr Fish as the member for Dunedin'East, Mr Fish.cowected him, sayinghe did not come from Dunedin East. “Oh; well,” said, Mr Shephard, “ all the wise men come from' the East, and I may be excused for the mistake.” Mr Fish Collapsed, and the House was convulsed.

The colonies are not bestirring themselves too soon in the matter of annexing the New 'Hebrides. A significant note has just been sounded in the XlXme. SiScle, which publishes a long article extolling the climate, soil, and other advantages of the New Hebridies, and dwelling on the benefits that would accrue to France from their ''acquisition,': ;It winds up as follows :—“ And now, if it be asked why we are not masters of this' archipelago that belongs ;to ho one —the islands, of course, arc nobody’s—and why do we hesitate in taking possession of it 1 I reply, that the English would not show the same scruples if they were in . our place. A despatch has just informed us that they have annexed New Guinea. If we do not make haste, they will do the same thing with regard to the New Hebridies, and when that takes place we may as well recognise as certain the fact of New Caledonia becoming ah.lSngish colbriy. ’ What a people are the Mr , ft. Aldridge, of Kakaramea, met ’with a nasty fall from a horse yesterday. He was jumping over a ditch arid bank fence with a rail on top, arid the horse striking the rail fell and threw its rider, who also received a kick on the leg from the animal. Fortunately no bones were broken. Mr Churchill, who was riding to Kakaramea yesterday, also got a spill on the road through his horse falling, but he was also fortunate in escaping injury.

' Should the weather continue fine, the Patea Band will hold an open-air practice this evening, on the vacant ground by the Church of England. The County’ Council Intend to .strike a rate of in the £ upon the property’ tax valuation.' This will/bo'equivalent to an eightpenny rate inadodri'-the ordinary way,We are requested to state that the Rev. J A Luxford, on Sunday evening, in compliance with a request from several members of his congregation, will preach on thefollowingsuhject:—‘‘T he Authentic! tyof the New Testament.” Amateur gardeners'and others will have' an opportunity of adding to their plantations to-morrow, a choice, selection of trees being advertised for sale by Mr Gowern, at 2 p.rn. The varieties are numerous, and besides the' ornamental shrubs and plants, there are some capital fruit trees. The whole are from the Caledonian Nursery, New Plymouth; and W Mitcliinson’s name is a guarantee that they , are,well grown and healthy. No doubt there will be a large attendance at the sale. yr. .