TOWN EDITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9036, 3 January 1901, Page 3

TOWN EDITION.

I The date of the Patutahi settlers' bal has been fixed for the 11th. The Gisborne cricketers were taken for ; drive round Meanee and Taradale on Sun day by the Napier clubs. The Public Works Department are set ting between 200 and 300 men at worl on the Otira tunnel of the Midland Tailway Sparrows have done considerable dam age to the barley crops m the Reppngan district,, this season, one settler having his crop completely eaten' out. " There has been a shortage of labor or Wellington wharves, and for this cause the Zealandia was unable to tranship hei over-carried cargo into the Taiune. I Civilisation is advancing ! In the list of provisional patents for last week is an improved means for securing ladies' hats •to the heads of the wearers, also for on improved safety-pocket. Inspector Campbell Thompson, has been busily engaged all the week passing and buying horses for the use of the Government m connection with the Sixth Contingent ' Carrier pigeons belonging to Thames fanciers were liberated m Wellington on Saturday last. One of the birds covered the 6 distance (about 300 miles) m a little more than seven hours. Major McCredie this afternoon received instructions from Lieut. -Colonel Porter to send a draft of 15 members for the Sixth Contingent from' this district. The men will be sent to Napier by steamer ,and thence on by train to Wellington. The Fire Brigade had a very successful steam practice last night at the station. The team selected to represent the Brigade at the annual Fire Brigade Conference continues m hard practise, and should give a good account of itself v^en brought into competition with the representatives of "other brigades. v A peculiar complication has arisen m the matter of tollgates m the Omata district, New Plyniouth. In order to evade the payment of toll, the settlers have purchased land and made a road for 600 yards parallel with the county road, . alone which cattle are taken. A test case was brought against a settler, judgment being reserved. Dunedin business people subscribed a sum of £34 11s, to -De divided equally, without reference to position 1 or salary, amongst the telephone operators at Christmas. Other subscribers to the telephone exchange are m the habit annually of sending Christmas boxes direct to the operators. This year a new departure was made m Poverty Bay cropping. Linseed iiad been tried on a small scale and with mucli success. That fact induced settlers tc plant it extensively, and' it is estimatec that somewhere about 300 acres was plan ted this season. But m consequence o the rain experienced, caterpillars attacket the crops m force,, and to such purposi that the crops %re now regarded as : complete failure. Some settlers whos crops ran to 40 acres m extent now offe the chance of crop for £10, a fact whicl speaks volumes for their chances. ' Thi is the more to be regretted, as fane; prices were offered for the crop almos before the seed was sown.