NAPIER NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 100, 21 August 1896, Page 2

NAPIER NOTES.

- [From Our Own Correspondent.] Napier, August 21. The promoters of the entertainment in the Marist Brothers' School last night have no cause to regret their exertions for they were rewarded by a crowded house and the programme submitted thoroughly pleased their patrons. Mr Renouf carried off the honors. Father Grogan returned thanks in a felicitous speech. I have not heard what the financial result was, but the proceeds should go a great way towards liquidating the balance of debton the building. The opponents of the breakwater have had such a " set-back " from press and public—the Standard having played no mean part—-that they stand a discredited crowd without a possible chance of ever convincing anyone in either town or country that their conduct has been anything else than that of interested parties seeking to injure a great public work for their own petty purposes. There was a large audience at the Theatre Royal when the Camera Club presented a truly magnificent collection of pictures by the aid of a limelight lantern manipulated by Mr Owen. The effort of memory of the lecturer on the London scenes (Mr C. 1). Kennedy) was a revelation. Whatever Mr Kennedy undertakes to do, he does well. If only he would get out of the habit of dropping his voice near the close of a sentence, he would be ever so much more effective. As it was, however, he delighted the audience with the information he gave them. Looking at those scenes last night, bow can one blame an Englishman if he should be a little priggish ? Certainly he has something to be everlastingly proud of in that mightiest modern Metropolis. I could not help thinking, as we were shown some of the buildings whose beginnings are lost in antiquity, of the take-down a very rich American got from the head gardener at Oxford University. The Yankee admired the lawn so much. " However do you do it ? " he asked. " I will pay the necessary amount if I can get a lawn like that." The money idea set the man's teeth on edge. Money for a lawn like that! " Oh, it's very easy," said the gardener. " You do-so-and-so, and so-and-so (and he rather minutely described the operation of making the turf, &c.) And then—" "Yes, well then ? " queried the Yankee, almost breathlessly. " You wait a thousand years, ami then you'll get a lawn like that! " The American collapsed. But I have digressed. The Rev. J. G. Paterson fairly took the house by storm with his description of the too few Scottish scenes given to his portion of the entertainment. He made the blood of Scotsmen course more freely through their veins than is its wont by his stirring references to the character of the Scottish race. His " pawky "wit and happy manner fairly convulsed the audience and when he described the granite city there was a touch of pathos in many of his remarks, for was it not in that Aberdeen University where James G. Paterson as a young student made his mark ? Mr Humphries described the Waikaremoma scenes and the whole concluded with very good " snapshots " of " unconscious local celebrities." They were all much enjoyed. At a meeting of the Land Board this morning the cases of some of those who took up sections in the Raureka (Frimley) Estate came under consideration. It appears that some of the successful applicants have sub-lei; their sections, and this morning the Crown Solicitor wrote in reply to the Board that this was illegal. The Board thereupon resolved to have all the people concerned in the sub-leaaes called before it at the next meeting, when their cases will be dealt with. It seems a wrong thing, when there are so many anxious to get land, that persons should apply for the sections as a " spec," and then sub-iet them. The Board will, I fancy, declare the leases forfeited,