LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 1, Issue 16, 9 January 1858, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Wairoa. — On Saturday last three whales were captured in Hawke's Bay, by the boats' crews of the northern fisheries. This information was given by Capt. Hunt of the "Zillah" to Capt. Anderson of the "Spray." No further particulars have reached us, but three sperm whales would doubtless prove a good haul. Shakespeare Road. — No tenders have been received for the metalling of this road — ea:ily accounted for by the paucity of laboring men within the District. We trust that, under these circumstances, the Provincial Government will send up the necessary labour, and complete the work on its own account. The Spit is now being covered with stores and other buildings ; and means of communication by dray with the township and the interior is a sine qua non to the profitable occupation of these buildings, as well as to the general advancement of the port. Pilot Service. — "We recently chronicled the arrival of a whale boat for the pilot service at Napier — a four oared boat. But what is use of it without hands ? To the pilot, being by himself, such a boat is valueless ; and the advantages which misht otherwise accrue to the port are utterly lost. On Wednesday morning the Spray was seen coming up to the mouth of the harbor with flood tide ; the pilot was utterly unable to go out to her ; no gratuitous assistance was at hand ; and no funds provided for the payment of a crew in such an emergency. Chance at last favored him in a volunteer for the occasion, otherwise the vessel would have had to wait outside till slack water. As ths grand panacea for this and a hundred other evils, we trust that, -when the Council is called together, a bill may be speedily passed, giving necessary powers to a Napier Harbour Commission. The Annie, a new fore-and-aft schooner, was to leave Auckland for this port on Saturday last ; the Glance, cutter, was to sail on the 12th. The Land Purchase Department has just received an accession of strength — 3 gentlemen having arrived by the Dolphin to form, or to increase, (we scarcely know which) the survey staff in connection with the department. Presbyterian Church. — We remind those of our readers who feel interested in the establishment of a Presbyterian Church in this District, that a preliminary meeting will be held at the Royal Hotel, this day at noon. Graziers' Society. — We call the attention of oar readers to an advertisement in our supplementary issue, convening a meetting for the 30th inst, with the view of forming a society under the above designation. Masonic. — It will be perceived from our advertising columns that a meeting of members of the Masonic body U convened for the 2nd prox., with the view of taking steps towards forming a Masonic lodge in this District. Brethren of the "mystic tie" residing throughout the District will no doubt promptly respond to this invitation ; while, in clue time, those who are not so privileged, 'will doubtless dssire to avail themselves of the many advantages resulting from such an institution amongst us.