Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY) SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1888.

The Premier was absent from tho House yesterday through illness. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Dudley Eyre for embezzlement. Dr Thorpe, of Westport, had injured for £1000 against accident, Dctcctivo Benjamin is in luck. He has been packed off to represent tho N.Z. Polico at the Melbourne Exhibition. A Bill has been introduced in the South Australia! Legislative Assembly extending tho franchise to women, over 26 years of age. Wo understand that the Primnte of New Zealand, will pay a- visit to Wanganui on ] his way South from Auckland, whithor ho has gone to consecrate a church. The Hon Shirley W. Baker, Premier of Tonga, left Auokland for Tonga per s.s. Richmond. It is Mr Baker's intention to return to Auckland in a fow weeks. At St Paul's Church to-morrow tho Rev Mr Doull will officiate, end the Rev Mr Beck takes tho Wesloyan pulpit. A Mr Whytock, from Auckland, wUI probably preach for tho Baptists. Tho Rev Father Smyth, lately administrator at ChrißtchHrch, who iB now on a holiday to recruit his health, will preach at St Mary's to-morrow evening. Ho is reputed to bo a talented preacher. In lecturing to young ladies in Auckland, tho Rev. James Chow, pastor of Beresford Street Church, exhorted them t« learn to cook well, as croBS-tcmpered dyspeptics made bad Christiana. Mr W. A. Cathro, "who was at ono timo foreman on tho staff of this paper, and who afterwards applied himself to the study of tho law, was admitted by the Chief Justice on Tuesday morning as a barristor and solicitor. Mr Cathro intends to pmctico his profession in Wellington. While Dr Maclcod was conducting service in the Park Church, Glasgow, the other Sunday, lie observed a peculiar change in the countenance of a minister, the Kcv. Cowper Thompson, who was sitting among the congregation. On Professor Buchanan going to his assistance it was found that life was extinct. Tho deceased was over 70 years of age, and was known in almost every manse in Scotland. Rabbit preserving appears to have met with greater success in Marlborough than at Woodlands in Southland. The Marlborough works at present employ 54 hands and pay about £500 weekly in wages. The price paid for rabbits is 3s per dozen, and many station holders find that by making terms with rabbiters tho rabbita are almost as profitable as sheep. The trappers are said to average about JB2 per week. The Silver Wedding, or 25th anniversary of tho Rangitikei Royal Rifle Volunteers was celebrated last night by a very successful ball held in tho Drill Shed at Marten, there being about 150 couples present, including representatives from tho Cavalry and Wnnganui corps. 'Die hall was tastefully decorated, and tho supper (laid in a marquee) was all that could bo desired. Dancing was kept up until half-past five this morning. Captain Skcrman, Lieutenant Malier, and Sergeant Parker acted as M.C.'s in an efficient manner. There was a large attendance at the Rink last night, when Professor Durncy gave an exhibition of fancy skating. His movements were all gone through graeofully, and many of them were loudly applauded, especially tho burning hoop skipping trick ; but tho effect of this itom was spoilt by having too much kcroseno on the tow that enwrapped tho hoops. The stilt skating nearly resulted in nvcryawkwardaceidentfor the Professor, as ono of tho screws camo loose, and ho foil heavily to tho floor. The stilt skating howover will be givon again next week. In a caso at Rangioro, Mr Whitefoord, R.M., mode some very trenchant remarks concerning the disposition on the part of peoplo to fly to Government for charitublo assistance. Ho said it was simply becoming intolerable. Persons alleged they could not control their children, and men in prosperous conditions of life also alleged thoy could not support their aged parents. Nearly everyone who had aburdon of this kind appeared to try and cast it on tho State. Some very decided steps must be, however, tasen'to check such a fooling, and curb an enormous expenditure by tho Government on cases whcrc|persons were in a position to restrain their children, and were ablo to maintain their aged parents. This was all tho moro to bo desired in view of tho fast increasing taxation, which was in a measure boing brought about by tho largo expenditure for aid and charitable institutions.

Aftor fourteen days without any cablo news a batch camo to hand last night, a selection from which appears in this issue. Wo aro continually being told by politicians that retrenchment in tho matter of services we have grown neoustomed to look on as necessities must bo carried on much further than has yet been done, and, ftfter going through, this budget of news (?) wo fancy that most people will say that if the newspapers of the colony agreed to very materially raluco their cables thfty would bo acting sensibly. We have many times said that J.ho Press Association wore responsible for sending a lot of trash over tho wires, but wo nover met such a flagrant instanco as in this case. Can it bo that in Europo within tho last fortnight nothing has occurred that is of more interest to newspaper readers than tho Imperial Instituto contract, tho Queensland loan, Pan-Anglican Synod, and Tahiti tariff. Tho stoppage of cablo news altogether is teaching us that wo have been paying for a lot of rubbish that nobody misses. Major- General Maitland, in replying for tho army at tho annual dinner of the loremen engineers at London recently, aaid that 60 years ago, when tho Queen came to the throne, the heaviest gun cost £160, and tho round cost 3s. The heaviest gun now cost £2 ',000, and each round nearly £200. A 25-ton gun designed by himself.and mado at tho Eoyal Gun Factory ,had been fired at Shooburjness to determine tho ballistic: data, the trajectory, resistance of tho air, and to ascertain tlio maximum ranges of bombardments. A shot of 3801 b uns fired with a velocity of 2330ft-s, and a rango of 21,00l)yds, which was just 12 miles. It would bo seen that long ranges were a very serious thing. A warship might bombard a seaport or watering place, and jet, owing to tho curvaturo of the earth, not bo seen. Ho was told that the Fronch turned out 1300 magazine arms per day. Wo had juat got tho puttorn pretty well Bottled, and if I hero was nothing wrong about it tho weapon would bo in tho hands of tho troops in a fow days, and that would bo a stop in advunco. Tho rifle might bo loaded eight timed in a few eoconds, and Mould bo most useful in preventing a rush. A London correspondent writes concerning tho death of " Peter Blobbs:— Tho death is announced, at a comparatively early age, of Reginald Shirley Brooks, son of the Shirley Brooks, and known all over the world ai the " Peter Blobbs" of tlio Sporting Times. He was the first, or ono of tho first, of tho "clean shirt" school of journalists, and entertained a profound contempt for "the Press," us reprcf Anted by tho reporters of tlio House of Commons and the snuffy veterans of tho Savage Club. To bo well dressed and generally conme il faut was, ho considered, as much tlio duty of a "newspaper man" as of a barrister or a parson. Nevertheless, young Brooks lived hard and fast, and was as Bohemian in many of his tnstcs us his prototype Blobbs. Few men could get through moro work in less time, and its quality was invariably good. Ho started many journalistic ventures, tho most promising being "Sketch," but it was not till tho " Bird o1o 1 Freedom " became a big success thut he can bo said to have really settled down. Poor Brooks was never very strong, and, like most of the staff of the " Pink 'Un," burnt tho candlo too bravely at hoth ciuU to last long. He had been suffering from consumption aud rheumatism combined for some time, und was unablo to work; never! heless the end was unexpectedly sudden. At the funeral, which was woll attonded, " Master " (John Corlott) broko down altogether, and the "Shifter" (Mr W. F. Goldbero) was deeply affectcil. Sala, F. C. Burnard, And most of ] the younger /ichool of journalists woro amongst the jtuewipn, and sevoral clubs sent wreaths. Vale*. Blobbs. R.I.P "Buchu-Poiba."— Quick, ,co;npleto cures all annoying Kidney, Bladder, iwl Urinary Diseases. At ch'omists and duvggi^fcs. Kcuipthornc, Prosiser&Co., Agents, W«l> linglon.