The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY. MAY 19, 1881.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3737, 19 May 1881, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY. MAY 19, 1881.

Mr. Habens, Inspector of Schools, will shortly visit New Plymouth on official business. In the Colony of New Zealand there are 63 County Councils, 3 16 Road Boards,6s Boroughs, 9 Cattle Boards, 12 Evlucation Boards, 13 River Boards, 11 High School Boards, 10 Waste Land Boards, 25 Harbour Boards, and a practically unlimited number of School Committees. Te Whiti has given permission to the natives who were recently released from gaol to return to their own hapus. A number of them passed through the town this morning on their way homewards, after an absence in some case-, of nearly two years. We are requeste 1 to state by Mr. Creagmile, of the Auckland Clothing Company, that he has decide 1 to keep his shop open till 8 p.m during the great clearing sale of men's, youths', and boys' clothing, blankets, rugs. ice, which has just commenced. It will bo seen by a telegram in another column that the blind man Hudson, who was ! sent to the Ciiristchurch Hospital by the Patea Couuty Council, is recovering his sight. The sight of the left eye has been completely restored, and hopes are entertained that within two or three weeks he will be able to see with the other one. The purchasers of land on the Waimate Plains (says a correspondent to the Auckland Herald), are not allowing the land to remain long idle. The new district is already dotted with small cottages, whilst in several instance-* ; large and commodious farmhouses have and [ are being built. Manaia, the new township. ! boasts of its public-house, two general stores, and a blacksmith's shop. At the meeting of the Harbour Board Committee yesterday, a letter by Captain Holford 10 the Board was consideied. The letter stated that Captain Holford intended to refer the matter as to his duties at the Harbour Works to the Marine Department. The Committee considered that Captain Holford was under the sole control of the Board, and they requested Captain Holford to withdraw his letter, which he agreed to do. "A First Geography for the Schools of New Zealand and the Australian Colonies" is the title of a little book that has been sent us by Mr. Henry Wise, bookseller, of Duneiin, and which, we consider, is well adapted to the requirements of the schools in the Colony. This text-book is by Dr. M.A., Inspector of Schools, Otago, who has succeeded in bringing within a small compass a considerable amount of information, the subject being treated from a colonial point of view. The book is very neatly got up, and is an exceedingly creditable production. Professor Haselmayer is always meeting with some adventure. During his recent visit to Hawera a Maori woman came up to him and asked for a match to light her pipe with. The Professor took the pipe, looked into it, and then pretended to empty the ashes from the bowl, when to the woman's astonishment instead of dust, a number of threepenny pieces rolled into the palm of his hand. The eyes of the woman opened with surprise at what he bad done. The Professor thenrubbel the threepenny pieces between his hands, as men rub up tobacco, and when he expssed the coins they were found to bo halfsovereigns. This seems to have so startled the wahine, that snatching the pipe from his hand, she fled from the Professor screaming " Taipo ! " Tawbiao's meeting at Hikurangi does not seem to have gone off very successfully. The Auckland Herald says : — A damper was thrown on the whole proceeding at the beginning by the defection of Te Wetere, of Mokau, and his people. For some years Te Wetere has been anxious to have his land opened, but has hesitated to take any extreme step, which might estrange him from the friendship of Tawhiao. At the present meeting, however, Wetere stood up and declared his intention to have titles to his land, and as Tawhiao would give him no encouragement, he marched away with all his following. The wedge which is to break up the King territory will evidently come from tho western side. The Government should Jet Wetere have a Court if he desires it. and as the Crown already owns a large block of land in the Mokau district, settlement operations might easily be commenced. A woman named Elizabeth Spiers charged a man named George O'Brien in the Auckland Police Court with following her about night and day, and vowing he would either marry her or break her neck ; and he had already given, her two black eyes, which she exhibited, by way of promise.