NAPIER NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 286, 1 April 1897, Page 3

NAPIER NOTES.

[From our own Correspondent.]

Napier, This Day,

ALL FOOLS' DAY,

I was aroused from my slumbers at an unearthly hour this morning by a sharp rap at the front door. The servant, who answered it. found a small boy with a letter marked " Immediate " for me. With all possible speed I tore open the envelope and found therein a paper with the words " To-day is the Ist of April." I always prided myself on the fact that the man who could take me in had to pet up very early in the morning, and my statement was proved perfectly correct; but I admit that for once I was made a fool of. It is passing strange that old customs die hard. I knew St. Valentine was dead and that Guy Fa<vkes was slowly, but surely, going out of date, and it was but natural to expect that All Fools' Day would sooner or later follow in the wake of past celebrations. However, it still liveth, and yours truly was to-day, like the stranger of old, " taken in." THE CARNIVAL.

The Garrison Band's carnival was opened by Mr R. D. D. M 4 Lean, M.H.R., in the Gaiety Theatre last evening, the attendance being decidedly good. The display altogether is an attractive one, and includes stalls of fancy goods, models, confectionery, &c. The local bicycle factory, the Zealandia, has an exhibition of everything connected with cyclomania, including some neatly - finished and attractive ladies' bicycles. The Chiaroscurama and the phonograph proved big attractions, and on the whole the show w« very well spoken of. The exhibition will be open again this evening. GENERAL ITEMS.

There was glorious weather yesterday, and Napier" spent a very pleasant half-holiday. Mr W. F. Waller, representing a southern bicycle firm, was in town yesterday. According to this genial Christchurch cyclist ail New Zealand will be astride of the wheel in a few years, and it behoves the youth and beauty of the colony and all others not included in this charge to speak early to avoid a crush. I am told that the demand for the wheel is so great at the present time that many of the great factories of the world are refusing thousands of orders. Bicycle works on a large scale are to be carried out in Christchurch immediately, and the trade is said to be expanding at a very rapid rate in both islands. The news that Gladstone has joined the ranks of the scorchers ought tcf make a further boom.

Mr R. D. Mackay, who has assumed the managership of the Hastings branch of the New Zealand Clothing Factory, was yesterday the recipient of a presentation from the members of the Cathedral Choir, with which he has been connected for some time. The memento took the form of a valuable silver matchbox, suitably inscribed. Napier's loss will be Hastings' gain, for Mr Mackay will certainly prove an acquisition to your musical circle. The Harbor Board have decided on materially reducing their staff, towards which end the members of the engineering and clerical staff have received three months' notice of discontinuance of services. The Works Committee has decided to amalgamate the offices of engineer and secretary, and will call for applicants, for the position at the paltry remuneration of £BSO per annum. This false economy will probably mean that the Board will lose the valuable services of Mr J. T. Can - , who had # rendered excellent service in connection with the breakwater. According to the morning paper the Hawke's Bay .Branch of the National Association will meet on Friday to consider the question of the Premier's visit to England. The result of their deliberations will perhaps decide whether Mr Seddon will be allowed to leave the colony ; but I fail to see why any political association should dictate in the matter.

A number of Napier members of the Christian Endeavor Society visited Hastings last evening. Thev report that proceedings were at times decidedly animated.

Three Maoris were yesterday fined Is a head at the S.M. Court for neglecting to dip sheep according to regulations. At the same sitting the Napier Harbor Board was successful in two suits for unpaid rales. The cricket match, Rivals v. Scinde, was concluded yesterday, the alter winning by an innings and 17 runs. Crissoge -station has sent along I*7 7s to the Indian Famine relief fund.