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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 820, 22 January 1867, Page 2

Monster Rankle. — A monster raffle is about to be got up by Mr. Osgood, the chief prize of which is to be the Empire Hotel, valued at £10,000. The price of a ticket — 900 of which will be issued — will be £10 ; and the drawing will be conducted on Art Union principles. Besides the hotel, a number of prizes of lesser value will be given — two of £100 ; two of £75 ,- one of £50 ; one of £25 ; one of £20 ; one £15 ; and one of £10. — Independent. An Opinion as to Superintendents. — Mr. Oliver, member of the House of Representatives for Waimea, has issued an address to his constituents, announcing his approaching departure for England, and that he has placed his resignation in proper hands, to be sent in if he cannot return in time to take his seat at the next session. His opinion as to Provincial institutions and Superintendents is thus expressed:— -"One of the most singular provisions of our most singular Constitution Act invests the Superintendents of provinces, although elective officers, with very large executive powers. The compound body thus created is repugnant alike to the genius or logical development of Anglican constitutional principles. That so anomalous political hybrid should have emanated from a British Parliament is a fact hard to understand-; but the distaste exhibited towards this office, and the unqualified condemnation heaped upon it by leading politicians in England, excites one's wonder at the chapter of accidents by virtue of which an Act, altogether so extraordinary, could have survived the ordeal of its passage through the Imperial Legislature. The Superintendents of Provinces engaged in electioneering contests for seats in the Assembly exhibit a painful, not to say an unseemly spectacle, because the power and influence derived from their office cannot fail considerably to bias our constituencies, even when that power and influence are not used as a direct engine of coercion and intimidation. ' Nor can I perceive that the presence of these officials in the Colonial Parliament is in any respect conducive to the public welfare. Instigators to 'logrolling' — fomenters of disaffection — - the heads and fronts of sectionalism — loyal and discriminating supporters of no possible Executive the two Houses can produce — they, in conjunction with their ' tails ' of provincial officials [unfortunately allowed by. law to sit in the Assembly], sinking into mere delegates, pursue a line of conduct the whole aim of which is to paralyze all attempts at good government, and to embarrass the Ministry of the day, so as to make it a mere puppet, powerless to resist their insatiable demands upon the general revenue." Dkawinw Room Si-tates. — We xindersfcand that Mr. Taylor o£ Lambfcon Quay, has imported from Melbourne a few dozen pairs of these skates, and that a club is already in formation to be called " The Wellington Skating Club," which will shortly be opened, having purchased the skates and evidently meaning to "go in heavy" for practice. Those who are adepts at skating in the ordinary style, will readily accustom themselves to the use of the new kind, which have at least one advantage, namely that they can be used anywhere and in any weather. — Independent. Pedesthianism. — This afternoon Mr. E. Flood, the well-known amateur pedestrian, will essay to run ten miles within the hour at the Red House grounds, Northcote. The match is made for a trophy, value £25, and there is also a bet of £100 a side depending on the result. Mr. Flood has been taking his breathings on the Melbourne ground, and looks in good condition, expressing himself pretty confident as to the result.-— < Australasian, Dec. 8.