Wellinton Items

Bruce Herald, 9 January 1894, Page 2

Wellinton Items

(Fbom Ora Own Cobbbspondknt ) Monday, January 8. Tbe holldeye are at last oyer, and leave a mow of relief in the minds of many ; for luhoagh the cessation from work (and where possible from worry) is very acceptable to the present day business man, the break in the ordinary course of duty is hardly com penaated for by the few hours of doubtful enjoyment. Work is resumed in a half hearted Mod of way, and it requires time and no email effort to settle down in the old grooves again. Bat for all that the rest has tad its good effecte, and in tbat light should we view and accept our holidays. The weather down here has not been very kind to us, either at Xmas or New Year. On Xmas Eve the rain c»me down in torrents, »nd next day, though not actually wet, was dull and inclined to be showery. Boxing Day was better, but not till the afternoon did the clouds clear away and allow Old Sol to show his face. As is usual on Xmas Day, nothing much was done in the way of gaiety. All the churches were prettily decorated and ■peoial services held. The City 1 ram way employees' annual picmo took place at Wa.kanre. and Newtown Park was made merry In the same manner by the Bus Company s employees. Mrs Rhodes provided a dinner for the inmates of the Benevolent Asylum, and at the Home for the Aged and Needy, the Lunatic Asylum, and similar institutions extra good fare was ou tho b. ards, followed in aome instances by a musical entertainment. On Boxlna Day picnioers were in great force both ashofe and afloat. About 1500 patronhed tho Garrison Band at Belmont, and a large number visited Lowry Bay in the iteamers chartered by the C ty Brass Band. The event of the day was the Catholic puuie held at Father Lane's grounds at the ldutt, Snd attended by close upon 3000 people. All kinds of amusements were provided lor tne youngsters and everything done to make the outing the success it undoubtedly was. tfearlv 1000 persons travelled in tbe TaraweVa to Picton and another 300 had to be refused passages. The authorities have become very strict of late in regard to the runJlog of excursion boats. Tickets issued to Intending passengers, are collected by the Castomeatthe veWl's gangway, thus proriding a correct tally of the number on board and preventing anything like .over Browdinß. The last three days of the old »e»r were gloriously fine but no sooner had (he bX rung in the new than the flood gates * Heaven wfre opened and the street, .were Joon in a state of mud and slush. Nor did the rain cease at daybreak but kept perStent? on for the next 48 hour, with an Seasonal lull. The Caledonian Sports, at £Sn Reserve, were held back till 1 o clock Jad then had to be got off in the presence of under 2000 visltorr, It was simply a of last year and resulted ma b.g lo?. to the society. The Taranaki Street Wealeyan Sunday' School Treat to have been held at the flutt, was stopped and the children entertsined, as well as possible, in Si Mount Cook Bracks. Very few private individuals ventured out, and, no Soubt, the finances of both the Manawatu and the Government Railways have suffered I considerable loss. The M.na made one or Jwo trips to Lowry B,y, and the Wauarapa carried between 800 and 900 « cu u rßl , o ™ ta «"s, the Straits. Altogether tho holidays have not been a success and on all sides can be Leaid the quiet th.uirh forcible anathemaUsing of the weather of Wellington Two well-known couples of this city have Utelv been joined by the holy bondß of InatrUny M Karofi Church Miss G. dlon the popular tea -her of the , Girls Hgh School, was married to Mr Hudson of the Poet Office. The wedding waa a quiet one and, after the ceremony, the happy pair left by the Omapere for Lyttelton, en route to Lake Wakatlpu, where they wnl spend their honeymoon. In the same modest fashion Mr Charles Fordham of W and G. IW bull's, espoused MUe Trehair Osborne at her father's residence. Miss Trehair O, borne was one of Wellington's best vocalists and her loss will be greatly felt in musical ■^The'petition against the return of Sir R. Stout, as a member for Parliament for Web Hngton City, is exciting very little interest here. Very few believe that anything will really come of the affair. Still the required 1-200 surety has been found and deposited with the Returning Officer, who is also in possession of the petition. I notice you have published particulars of the affair. It is surprising how easily reports gain currency and are circulated aa facts. A notable instance occurred at Nelson recently. As the Rotorua was leaving on Xmas night for Wellington, a Mr and Mrs Franks, who were seeing her off, in the darkness walked over the side of the wharf into the water »nd but for the prompt action of some Individual in jumping in and holding them op till help arrived, ono or both would probably have drowned. At first it was stated that A. W. G. Burnes, of this city, had done the plucky deed. One of his admirers even went so far as to Buggeat tho raising of a shilling subscription with which to purchase a pieoe of plate for the acceptance of Mr Burnes as a momento of his daring. Luckily the idea got no further. For next we are told that Mr Burnes was not the principal actor in the affair, but simply assisted Mr Barn Diederick (also of Wellington) to whom the whole credit was due, but was too modest to claim it. Now, it appears that neither of these is the right man. Chap. Rurna, a seaman on board the Penguin, admits that it was he who rescued Mr and Mrs Franks and that two other seamen and Mr Diederick lifted them on to the *h*r*Afterwards he received the thanks of both the lady and the gentleman. Naturally, in such a crowd as there was at the time the rescuer might easily slip away unperceived, and none would trouble to find out his name and full particulars, unless, indeed, the übiquitous reporter happened along and saw something good sticking in hia way. At the annual meeting of the Gear Meat Company, the chairman stated that in spite of the low prices ruling in England for frozen and potted meata, the directors weie able to declare the usual 10 per cent dividend; and further, that owing to the strength of the reserves were the total profits reduoed to 6* per cent,, the company would Btill be in a position to pay its shareholders that amount. At present the oapi'al was bringing in 14$ percent Ihe Gear Meat Company seems to be the only institution that is mating money at present. For some time past the police have had an eye on three so called "turf commission agents" who were know to give totaliaator odds on any of the principal races in tho colony. It was decided to catch them if possible at their little game, Accordingly on Boxing Day a constable was told off to vUit these houses and " lay " on the Auckland races— then in progress. Liter on the official visits were made. First to Patterson Bros., Willis St , where some money and betting books were seized; then to J. H. Simmons in the same street, but the proprietor happening to be away no admittance was gained ; and lastly to J. P. Wallace, Manners Street, where more money and papers were found. On Simmons' return bis shop was searched but nothing more than a fe v account books, of no particular value, e^^j ijg uti Informations were sworn in ■^•Jhree instances and the first case— that came before Mr Martin R.M. on Friday. From the evidence it appeared tbat Wallace was not in when the constable oalled, and that his wife had completed the transaction. On this ground the Magistrate decided that there was no proof of his having been guilty of the charge preferred azslast him, and if the wife was the culprit it was for the police to substantiate their charges. The case against Wallace was dismissed.

I c c ? a c 1 i i I t I 1 i t 1 c I I I I i 1 i i i i i i i The old-time superstitious belief that human beings should sleep with their heads • ??* d 'lie uorth '« now believed to be based n- > 50i«oiir> p:sacip'.~ 8 r --'° French j*vants hr-ve :r: '<•■ err-ria^-rt npin w hody of fc ori.-nir.s- v .20 t.ad *...i'- '^;' / ;^' : .' aad these *%».*' ■••.. •-■«;• ■•-:'' -' • body is it- l!i«.h - 'lean. caster/ ,:.:e ajec'rode Uirf rtprescit-d oy we -' i^tbectLer by u'.-. i^i.