COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5125, 20 April 1878, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

NGARUAWAHIATiie weather has at last assumed \ winter aspect. A3 yet very little rain has fallen. The Waikato River has not been as low for several yeara a3 at present. The potato crop in this district is turning out generally satisfactory : one farm has turned out 11 and another 13 tons per acre. The Delta Hotel having changed ownership, the present proprietor, il r. Harris, at the end of his lease has decided to open a working-man's club, similar to that now b Auckland. He intends to fit up a first-class establishment, and his intentions are backed by most of the townspeople 33 well as the settlers round about. If carried out properly, it is bound to be a success, as such a place would always be preferable to a hotel » CHURCHILL. The settlers in the Whangape district are pleased to find that the Waste Lands Board have sent Mr. Hosking and other surveyors to lay off the Government lands at the back of the township of Churchill into farm sections for settlement, and to survey a main road from Churchill to Te Akau station, on the West Coast; thus making a good, easy road to Raglan over a level conntry. This will open up some first-class Government lands for sale and settlement. Several parties have been up looking at the back country in this vicinity daring the last six months, and I hear that applications have been made by parties for these lands, -which has no doubt induced the Waste Lands Board of Commissioners to at last do something towards opening up this long-neglected district to intending settlers. And as the Government have a township laid off at Churchill, with school and chnrch reserves, and allotments for sale, there is no doubt, when parties settle on the lauds now to bo opened up for sale, that this township will become one of the most thriving villages on the Waikato River. A considerable business is carried Oα it Churchill. About fifty people are kept in constant employment at the tlax-mill, which has been kept constantly at work for the last seven years by it present proprietor. A general store, where all kinds of goods are kept for sale, a post-office, bitcher's shop, and blacksmith's shop are kept open for business at Churchill. The Waikato Steam Navigation Company's steamers call regularly at Chnrchill every trip, to receive freight and mate. Mails are made up and received every Tneaday and Friday. The township of Chnrchill is only feur miles from tiie railway station at Rangiriri, over a level road, on the banti of the Waikato River. Parties intending to make new homes on cheap Government lands, should take a look at the country now being surveyed for settlement in this district, as it is in the vicinity of very valuable hot springs, that will shortly, we hope, be utilised.—[Correspondent, April 17.] _» PAPAROA. The dry weather experienced ilurm b ' the several past weeks, and more or less throughout the whole summer, seems at la3t to be breaking up to the satisfaction of everybody. If this is the case, settlers will be able to get their grass seed in early ; aud, as the bums were late, this will do much to secure clean pastures. During the continuance of the dry season, dignified by some iuto drought, our hilly pastures have all retained their verdure, while the less broken ones of Eome other settlements, whose owners have often congratulated themselves that their laml3 are not as ours, have been as brown as hiji having less subsoil. The annual meeting of the Paparoa Band of Hope was held recently, when, after the usual varied programme had been exhaasteo, the office-bearers and committee for the ensuing year were elected. The otlicers are :— President, Mr. Trounson ; secretary, Mr. L Hames; treasurer, Mr. C. Bottrill, Jun. The present year seems likely to be one 01 marked advancement with this institution, as the committee are both taking step 3 to render the meetings more attractive. The chief Government insurance agent has recently perambulated our district, with less success than usual, 1 believe. Farmers don I take so kindly to that sort of thing as 0» some other classes of people.—[Own Correspondent.] • PAPAKORA. Tub anuual meeting of the Papakura Presbyterian congregation was held ia the chnrCfl

311 the I:2th inst.,—the Rev. T. Norrie in the chair. The report for the year If-' jr submit ted as follows :—Stipend fuml, «, -* 3Jd ; special collections for schemes ol tn« church, £1 3s 2.1; building fun>l, iu . "? 7d ; cemetery fund, £1 ; Daysurmg ftm*, collected by Miss E. C. Norrie, 10s, and oy Miss Jessie Runciman, 12s 6d : total, ~i~ Cd; Sabbath-school fund, £1 4* 1 i>l : , ' e ]~{. £7C 2s Sd. The report from the brMcu station at Papakura Valley was also - u tnitted as follows .—Stipend fund, ±»» oid ; special collections, Ss 01: i4 r:iQ , tj , £86' l& 7Jd. The reports were sutopta* and the thanks of the meeting were gn» ' the committee, the Sabbath-school tea« * ' and to Miss Norrie and Miss De Carteret for playing the harmonium respectively at J y kura and Papakura Valley clmreUe, "_ following gentlemen were mittee of management for IS/ S •"„",], D. McClymont, J. B. Hay, R. - McCullough, A. McNeil, J. B. Young, and Thomas Allen Norrie, secretary and treasurer. suu " t mittee for Papakura Valley:—!"®*-. Muir, E. Elsmore, and S. H, Reid.