Local and General.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume 5, Issue 492, 2 June 1877, Page 3

Local and General.

With to'day'B issue of the Bat of Pienty Times we present our readers with a gratis supplement containing two maps of the immediate theatre of the War in the Eaßt. We regret to learn that the natives in the vicinity of filaketu and Botoiti (Arawa tribe), having recently lost, by supposed witchcraft, a young man of great rank named Te Eupe, are threatening to appeal to the old Maori custom of having utu by taking the lives of the three men who are supposed to have makutued him, namely Mita Tahoka, Fikiao, and Toi. Although much excitement is felt, as^Ar committee meetings have been held on tlvft question, still we trust that it will eventuate in the carrying out of a native proverb, " Se Tc6hv.ru Jcua raagona haore Jcau he tikanga. Se Icoliuru Tcaore e rangoua Tea mate te tarigata." The literal translation of which is, ~" A, threatened, murder being made known, the woald-be perpetrators fear to carry out their intention ; but if kept dark the act is more likely to ensue." We are glad to learn that Herbert W. Brabant, Esq , R. M., is recovering from his recent- very severe attack of indisposition. The acceptance of the resignation by. Mr E.G. Norm, of his seat in the Town Board, is announced in another column. All efforts to float the Go- Ahead have beenabandoned. A judicial enquiry into the cause of her atranding will be held at Giaborne.. ■ . The sitting of the Revising Court for the East Coast Electoral District,, notified to.be held on Wednesday, 6th inst., is-postponed> to Saturday, next, 9th inst. , We are pleased to see that the management of the Mecnanics' Institute have erected a substantial lamp opposite the door of. the Heading Boom, a want much needed on dark nights. Rumours of the existence of grave differences between Ministers are current,. and a telegram shown us- yeßterday, received from, a- trustworthy source, says that- enough is know-n to shew beyond doubt that serious differences do exist. 'Ihia is not a matter of astonishment when it is borne in mind that, with one or two exceptions, Government departments .are in a. woeful state of muddle.-

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Mr Bodell advertises that in accordance with itistru lions received from V. E. Hamlin E*q., who is leaving the district, he will sell household furniture belonging to thut gentleman, including a cottage piano, on Monday next. ■ The Native Lands Court opened at Grahamstown on Wednesday morning before Judges Heale and Munro, and Matabe, assessor. The natives take no interest in the proceedings because they say Mackay should be there to pay them money, and until they receive it they will not care to see the land put through. Mackay is not expected for some days. The Court will be adjourned to Ohiue' muri at the -request of the Ohinemuri people. The late severe rains have transformed Spring Street into a sea of mud, a slough of despond, and, seriously retarded all the road contracts under the Town Board ; doubtless the several contractors will take advantage of the return of fine weather, and push on the works. Messrs Redmond and Stewart are proceeding in an exceeedingly workmanlike manner in the Cameron Boad repairs and improvements, and we understand that in a few days, should the weather continue fine, Spring Street will be out of the Contractors hands, when we trust it will receive a good layer of shell without delay. 'ihere is some hitch we hear in the Harington and Willow Streets works, which will doubtless be enquired into now that the Chairman of the Town Board has returned from Auckland* We understand that Mr W. H. Bennet, late proprietor of the Phoenix Bakery, of this town, intends applying at the next sitting of the Licensing Court for a license for a hotel, whioh he proposes erecting in twelfth avenue, on the eastern side of the Cameron Boad opposite the road going to Judea. The bouse is to be called the Junction Hotel, and the plans represent a two-storey building with a frontage of forty-six feet, ten bedrooms, and a eitting room upstairs, and on the ground floor, the bar, two sitting rooms, dining room, kitchen, 3 private bedrooms, and an entrance hall. Mr W. tf , Bennet has already appeared before the public of this district in the r&le of landlord) when he rented the Tauranga Hotel, some few years ago. We believe he has the qualities whioh contribute to making a good boniface. The Davenport Brothers were bowled out last Tuesday evening in the Theatre Boyal, Auckland. His worship the Mayor and Mr Hesketh, the solicitor, tied them so effectually that they left the stage amid the greatest uproar. The knot that "did the trick" is termed a " fool's knot," and was suggested to the Mayor and Mr Hesketh by Mr Tunny. The determination to fasten both brothers with the same knot was preconcerted and practised for some time in the afternoon. On a previous occasion a sea captain bad tied William Davenport in the same way, but Mr Goodall, officiating on the other side, had not done so, and the manifestations proceeded. Had the brothers owned themselves beaten with a good grace, they would doubtless have risen in public estimation, as it is, they are for ever undone. The following is a brief description of the towns of Olti and Diarbekir referred to in the European telegraphic news we published last issue. The message stated that the left wing of the Russian army was advancing on Dian bekir, and thut the vanguard was at Olti : — Olti is a town in Asiatic Turkey, cap. of the Daikh country, pa9h. and 70 m. N.H). of Frzeroum,and U beatifully situated among gardens, on the banks of the Olti, here croßSfd by a stone bridge. It is a very ancient, but decayed place, defended by a citadel, partly surrounded by i dilapidated wall ; and once the residence of the atabegß who ruled the country. Numerous ruins, attest its former magnificence. Pop. about 1500. Diarbekir is the capital of, and near the oentre of the pash. of the same name, lat. 37deg. 57min. N. ; long. 39deg slmin. E., on a high bank overlooking the Tigris, between which and the elevation on which the oity stands is a tract of meadow ground, forming one extensive garden, watered and tilled with the greatest care, and fertilised with the richest manure. 1 iarbekir is aur< rounded by a lofty thick wall, constructed of rectangular blocks of a black porous stone, regularly laid. The streets aro paved, but narrow and dirty. The best houses are built of the same material as the walls, which is quarried near the city, sometimes intermingled in building with a white limestone ; tno ß t of them, however, are of rough stone, overlaid with a plaster of mud and straw. Pome of the mosques are variegated in the manner above mentioned, the main body of the edi&ce being constructed of the black stone, and the minarets of the white. A part of the bazaars, and several handsome khans, are also built with the black stone. Extensive manufactures were formerly carried on here in iron, silk, copper, wool, cotton, and leather, but these as well as the general trade of the city, have been latterly much deteriorated. It has still, however, some commerce with Syria and Aleppo, taking from the latter annually goods to the amount of £8000. Pop. about 13,000 or 14,000. r^he following note, picked up in the street at Hokitika, recently, is a manly exposition of what narrowly escaped being a greivous wrong : — " Dear Jane, I hope you ain't mad because I didn't laff at you when you lafft at me last evening at the post offis. I ain't proud, but I have got a bile under my arm, and I can't laff as I used to, as Heaven is my judge.— Yours truly, Hbhey."