Untitled

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 925, 14 March 1868, Page 2

Meanee River. — A movement is on foot to do something on the Meanee side of the river towards preventing, near Mr. Alley's place, a similar overflow to that which did so much destruction last year. It is clear that the government will do nothing towards averting such a catastrophe — indeed, nothing of any kind for that part of the country ; and the settlers, in selfpreservation, must see what they can do unassisted. A meeting is convened for Tuesday next, at the Meanee hotel.

The Staff of Life. — The bakers announce that, owing to the high price of flour, bread will in future be Gd the 2lb loaf. — It will be seen Trdrn aclvei'tjsement that there are two new town insolvencies — those of Hudson, schoolmaster, and Haswell, green grocer. Hohse Stealing is becoming a very prevalent offence. On Thursday night a horse,* saddle, and bridle were stolen from a paddock near Havelock. Waipukurau Races. — It will be seen from our advertising columns that Mr. Peters will run a special coach to Waipukurau on Tuesday next, should sufficient encouragement offer. Madame Carandini and company had a most successful concert on Monday night, the last occasion of their public appearance in Napier, they having taken their departure on Wednesday, in the s.s. Taranaki for Auckland. Land Sale. — At the sale of 914 acres of unagricultural land in the Kapuawbara Block held at the Land office on Thursday last, the various lots were knocked down at the upset price 'to the applicants — Mr. William Glenny and the Messrs. Hume. ~ Napier Mutual Improvement Society. ■—In connection with this society, a lecture will be delivered on Friday next, in the Council Chamber, by William Colenso Esq., upon the following interesting subject: — " The earliest visitors to New Zealand — what they saw, did, and said." His Honor the Superintendent, who left for Auckland in the Star of the South to take part in the preparations there for the reception of the Duke of Edinburgh, will probably return by the Lord Ashley upon finding that the Prince's departure from Sydney has been deferred till the 3rd April. St. Patrick's Day. — Tuesday next being St. Patrick's day, will be observed as a holiday at the ofliccs of th,c Provincial Government. It is rather singular that this day should have been selected for the Waipukurau races, but it was doubtless done through inadvertence. The banks, we perceive, will be open on Tuesday, it being the day before the departure of the English mail, but will, instead, close ou Thursday. Hohse Stealing. — Two men, named respectively James Hughes and John Campbell, apprehended at Blenheim on a warrant issued against them at Waipukurau for , horse stealing, arrived in Napier by last trip of the Taranaki, having been forwarded by the Wellington police authorities. The prisoners were brought before the Resident Magistrate on Wednesday last, and remanded till Mouday next— pending the arrival of the constable at Masterston, who bought the stolen animal. Tenders arc invited for metalling one mile of main road between Big Bush and Wahaparata, and for metalling one mile and 23 chains from Wahaparata towards Havelock — these to be given in by noon on Saturday the 21st inst. Also for re-metal-ling 86 chains of the Te Aute road, between Kaikora and Messrs. Sebley and M'Greevy's; for metalling 17 chains near Waipawa, at Mr. Couper's ; for metalling 40 chains betwen Waipawa and Waipukurau ; and for forming about 34 chains of the Porangahau road, through the Motu-o-taraia Bush — these to be given in by noon on Saturday the 28th inst. The Census Returns have been made up ; but, owing to the stringent orders issued by the Stafford ministry to its officers, not to give any information to the public press, we are unable to furnish our readers with an abstrnct of the result. Such abstract we have, on all former occasions, been enabled to give in anticipation of the published returns ; and we are not aware that any detriment to the public service resulted from such information being supplied. Under the Stafford regime, however, secresy must be observed on all matters ; and any unfortunate presuming to break through this rule stands a chance of summary dismissal. How long is such pitiful tyranny to be permitted to last ? The Revenue. — No share of the customs revenue has been received by the Provincial Treasurer for December, January, or February ; nor has he received any land revenue for this year — all being kept back by the Stafford ministry upon various pretexts, but evidently with a fixed determination to force the province into a state of bankruptcy. The Public 1' evenues Act requires a settlement each month between the General and Provincial Governments, but no settlement whatever has, been made for the three months we have enumerated, on account of either branch of the revenue. The partnership in the customs revenue proves, as regards the provinces, to be little better than a swindle. The Turnstile in Church lane was, for the second or third time, forcibly broken off on the evening of Thursday last. To do this, a good deal of force must have been employed. This destruction of property is probably due to certain " fast" members of our little society, who cannot brook the slow motion of the turnstile, forgetting that it was put there to protect women and children from . the risk attendant upon horses being galloped through, which was becoming a constant occurrence. The police are on the look-out, and we hope they will be successful in discovering the perpetrators. We use the plural, knowing that one man could not, of himself, have done the damage.