Local Intelligence.

Masonic. — Festival or St. John. — The officers and brethren of Scinde Lodge, 419, assembled at their Lodge rooms, at the Grolden Fleece hotel, on Monday the 24th inst., at hi^h noon, according to ancient custom, to celebrate the festival of St. John the Baptist. The W.M., Brother Murray Anderson, having been unanimously elected" for the next half-year, to instal the following members for the ensuing six months :—Brothers Alex. Kennedy, S.W., V. Janisch, J.W., W. Lechner, S.D., Wm. Rich, J.D., J. A. Smith, Treasurer, W. Eoutledge, Secretary, aad Thomas Murray, T.G. After the closing of the Lodge the brethren adjourned until, 7 p.m., when they sat down to a most sumptuous dinner; provided by Mr. Ferrers, to which the members of the Lodge, as well as the visiting brethren, did ample justice. The cloth having been removed, the W.M., as Chairman, gave the following toasts : — The Queen and the Craft, the three Grand Masters, the Provincial Grand Masters, the Past Masters of this Lodge, Masonry all over- the Globe, and, finally, all poor and distressed Masons, all of which were drank with Masonic honours. The health of the W.M., proposed by Br. Fitzgerald, was next drank in bumpers with due appreciation and Masonic honours. Hereupon the W.M. vacated the chair, which was then filled by Brother Fitzgerald, P.M. During the remainder of the •evening the following toasts were proponed and responded to : — The Officers of the Lodge, the absent brethren of the Lodge, the visiting brethren, the Treasurer, the prosperity of Scinde Lodge, and, last but not least, the Ladies, who were remembered in appropriate terms by Br. Harman, and responded to by Br. Routledge. Harmony was conspicuously mingled with the toasts, and some very excellent songs received due applause. The final toast of the evening, that of Mr. Fer* rers, the landlord, .was given by Br. Fitzgerald,

11 ■ and met with well deserved appreciation, as the arrangements for the evening were faultless throughout. Hilarity was kept up to a late, or rather an early hour, and every one left the house highly pleased with the entertainment. Napieb Mixitia Regulations. — The following appear in a N. Z. Gazette published in Auckland on the 21st inst :— " 1. The Napier Militia District shall not be divided, but the Militiamen resident therein shall constitute one Battalion. 2. Such Battalion shall be divided into three classes. 3. The first cla3s shall consist of all unmarried men and all widowers without children between the ages of sixteen years and forty years, both inclusive, who shall be called the first class service men. The second class shall consist of all married men and widowers with children between the same ages, -who shall be called second class service men ; and the third class shall consist of all men between the ages of forty years and fifty-five years, who shall be called the reserve men. 4, The men of each class shall be formed by the Senior Officer of the Battalion into one or more Company or Companies, he having regard in such formation to secure, as far as possible, contiguity of residence of the men in each Company." We may add that the Superintendent has issued an address to the natives, explanatory of the object in view in the enrolment of the militia.

The Nomination for the vacant seat in the House of Representatives, took place on Thursday at noon. Mr. A. Kennedy proposed, and Mr. J. J. Kelly seconded, Mr. John Tucker ; Mr. R. M. Skeefe proposed, and Mr. Martin McNalty seconded, Mr. J. "B. Ferguson ; Mr. Thomas Edwards proposed, and Mr. J"ohn Begg seconded, Mr. Hemy Bowman Scaly ; Mr. Samuel Fit-tall proposed, and Mr. Peter Searle seconded, Mr. William Coleuso. Messrs. Tucker, Ferguson, Scaly, and Fittall, then successively addressed the meeting — the latter in explanation of Mr. Colenso's absence. We had hoped to give an outline of the speeches, but the constant Row of questions on one hand and " chaff" on the other, led to so many interruptions that the task of reporting proved' futile. The Bhow of hands *was declared to be in favour of Mr. Colenso, whereupon a poll was demanded by the other candidates, to take place on Monday next. A Pboyincial Government G-azette, published on Wednesday, contains a proclamation to the effect that the powers conferred by the late Superintendent upon the Land Board are again hauded over to the Commissioner of Crown Lands ; also, a notification that Mr. C. W. La Serre has been appointed Inspector of Police; also, an abstract of revenue and ex-penditure for the finßnciai year ; and customs returns for the quarter ended 31st March. Another, published en Thursday, contains original and litoral translation of the iettjr to the natives elsewhere referred to.

Oveeland Mail to Wellington. — An advertisement appears in this morning's issue, requesting tenders for the conveyance of maila between Porangahau and Castle Point, which place is the terminus of the inland mail on the' Wellington side. The establishment of this branch will thus give us regular overland coinrnjmication with the sister province.

Public Meeting.— We call attention to the public meeting- convened by advertisement for this evening, upon the subject of the representation of the dist ier.