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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5046, 6 April 1878, Page 2

Pursuant to advertisement a general meeting of the Working Mon's Club was held last night in the club premises, Mr Gold, the President, in the chair. Mr Steed, th 8 secretary, having'sent in liis resignation, Mv S pence was appointed secretary pro i&ni. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The chairman explained the reasons why the

fmeetiflg waa no t held on the day first 'appointed, viz., the 18th March. They Were briefly, that the change of employment of the late secretary, Mr Steed, had led to his leaving the books in a less clear condition than could have been desired. The committee had themselves gone through them, and were satisfied as to their substantial accuracy, though they had not been able to prepare a full and complete balance-sheet. He would lay before them a rough draft of receipts and expenditure, and assets and liabilities. This statement showed that the total of receipts for the half year had been about £460, and the total of expenditure about £435. The assets he made to amount to about £218, and the liabilities to about £72. Some particulars were given. It is not necessary, however, further to anticipate the full and accurate balancesheet which is to be produced in a fortnight. A "•.resolution was carried without'dissent, thoroughly approving what the committee had done. Messrs Dye and Spence were appointed auditors — or rather their appointment by the committee was confirmed — and were requested to prepare a balance-sheet to be presented that day fortnight. It was decided that the 31st of March should be considered the end of the financial year. The meeting then adjourned to next Friday night week. The meeting was very largely attended, the public room being completely filled, and the greatest interest being displayed in the proceedings. There is no doubt as to the vitality of the institution, and its financial condition is flourishing. The Fire Brigade, after practice on Thursday night, held a meeting at the station, when the correspondence with the Municipal authorities in reference to the use of the high pressure water supply -was taken into consideration. It was resolved to publish all the correspondence in the Herald. A resolution was also passed "that the Fire Engine Fund Committee be communicated with and requested to apply to the Municipal authorities for an inquiry with respect to the alleged damage committed by the brigade at the trial practice with the high pressure water supply." The brigade unanimously resolved that they would act under no others than the fire inspector and their own officers. Regret was expressed by the meeting that their request for an inquiry should have been treated with such scant courtesy by the councillors at the last meeting. Branchman W. Oatley was then elected junior foreman, and fireman George Robson was elected a member of the committee representing the brigade. A letter from Mr Miller was read, notifying that he had resigned his oiiice as fire inspector for the borough, and regret was universally expressed by the members present that he should have thought it necessary to take this step. The meeting then adjourned until Thursday next, when a statement of receipts and expenditure will be submitted to the brigade. Mr W. S. Gilbert's comedy, "Pygmalion and Galatea," was performed at the Theatre Royal last night. We feel sure that the play must be little known in Napier, or it would have attracted a much larger audience than was present last evening. The comedy is undoubtedly one of the most pleasing ever put on the stage, and the way in which it was rendered by Mr Walton, and the company which so ably supported him, was in. the highest degree creditable. " Pygmalion," the discontented sculptor of Athens, who, after shaping a splendid statue of Galatea, beseeches the gods to endow it with life, is admirably done by Mr Walton. There is a care and quietness about his acting suitable to the character, and the first scene between him and Galatea on her coming to life is very effective. Of the Galatea of Miss Marion Willis, we cannot speak too highly. It is a difficult part to sustain, but Miss Willis lias evidently a thorough appreciation of it. Miss Jenny Nye, as Myreme, sister of Pygmalion, was natural and effective. The other parts were all well sustained, and the piece ran smoothly to the finish. It was followed by the farce, "A Quiet Family," in which Miss Nye, Miss Lawrence, Mr Howard, and Mr Rede took the principal parts. Tt was gone through with great spirit, and concluded one of the most enjoyable performances yet given by this company. To-night the comedy of " Hazard" is to be given, and " A Quiet Family" repeated. We are glad to hear that the Rev. W. Lockwood, who has been unable for some time to attend to his pastoral duties, is now fast recovering, and will (D.V.) conduct services to-morrow, morning and evening, in the church, Emerson-street. A return cricket match will take place between the Sheepfarmers and Bankers, on the Taradale cricket ground, this afternoon. The following comprise the Bank team : — Bourke, Mowbray, Lambert, Ridings, M' Shane, Yon Tempsky, Brandon, Pollen, Pickering, Caldwell, and Vickerman. 'Busses to convey the players to the ground leave the Criterion Hotel at 1.15 sharp. Mr Symons, pianoforte tuner, .is again on a professional visit to Napier. Orders for his services are to be left at Mr Jacobs's fancy repository, Hastings-street. We hear that a case of starlings has been received from the Otago Acclimatisation Society for Mr Thomas White, of Glengarry. The Borough Councillors of Gisborne, headed by the Mayor, Mr Crawford, have funned themselves into a Volunteer Fire Brigade until a regular brigade has been established. The " Vagabond," who has lately been visiting Newcastle (New South Wales), thus sums up his impressions of the miners. He says : — On Saturday special trains run to Newcastle from the adjacent mining townships, and return late. I have seen so many Saturday nights amongst the colliers in Great Britain that I thought I should have a chance of picking up some "character" and information. But — and I am very glad to write that it is so — in this respect Newcastle offers a great contrast to any town in England. The miners and their wives promenaded the streets, stared in the shop windows, made some slight purchases, and went home soberly and : sedately. There was really very little drinking. I thought of the oceans of ale I have seen poured down thirsty throats at Wigan, at Bilston, ond Tredegar ; of the wives sitting by their " masters' " sides, waiting to help them home ; of the rows and quarrels and brutal fights — and I was then thankful that labor in Australia has learned one important attribute of manhood— self-respect. The miners give the police in this district very little trouble ; what drunkenness and rowdyism there may be is amongst the crews of the foreign vessels in port. The drought still continues throughout the districts of the bay. Feed for sheep and cattle is becoming parched and scarce. In the town the want of water is greatly felt. Wells have become dry, tanks empty, and those persons who are fortunate enough to have a little water stored up are greatly troubled by the importunities of neighbors for that which they require for their own domestic needs. — Poverty Bay Standard. In his Home Gossip, " Atlas " says : — ' f lt is the fashion to say that the war feeling has some strength through the country. It might be supposed to flourish at Aldershot in its keenest intensity, but this is not so. At Aldershot the idea of England going to war excites nothing but ■ contemptuous ridicule. A walk round the camp accounts for this curious state of things ; one easily discovers why British officers are not eager for the fray. One vestment, whose total strength is about 700, has 400 recruits, and of these it is believed that about half have fraudulently enlisted. Taking the Aldershot division as a whole, there are more recruits in it than there are efficient men.

The Poverty Bay Standard says in reference to the Gisborne artesian well : — Mr Humphries is making but small progress in driving the pipes for the artesian well. It is not that he is in the least degree relaxing his efforts but having reached a depth of 185 feet he has come upon a very hard bottom, so that it now takes 120 falls of the monkey to drive a depth of one inch. Should the obstruction continue, Mr Humphries, wo regret to say, will have entered upon a losing contract. The population of Melbourne and its suburbs, accovding to the last census returns, is 245,000. After an absence of about a year, Mr Andrew Graham, of the firm of Messrs Graham and Co. , returned to Gisborne on Saturday. He was heartily welcomed, and several flags were hoisted in honor of his arrival. Mr Graham's trip appears to have agreed with him. — Herald. The motion of Councillor Townley, in the Gisborne Borough Council, to cancel the powers for negotiating a £50,000 loan for harbor improvements, in order that a smaller loan might be raised for street formations, was withdrawn, after discussion, on Tuesday night. As Sir J. Coode is about to visit and report upon our harbor in two or three weeks, it was thought advisable to suspend any action until it was known what Sir J. Coode would recommend, and what assistance the Government was likely to give. — Standard. The Melbourne correspondent of the Obago Daily Times relates the following story : — Once on a time there was a very powerful Governor, for whom was built a magnificent palace. Now this Governor, though genial, was prudent withal. He had an eye to the main chance, and never spent his own money when that of the public would equally serve. Moreover, he was a large consumer of gas, both in his discourses and in his large and numerous rooms. On one day he said to his Minister, " By the way, my dear fellow, there is this account of mine for gas. A good deal of it was used in the public state rooms of the House, and as I can't say how much, perhaps you will undertake to settle the account." To whom the Minister replied, "I shall be most happy, your Excellency, to attend to that ; leave it to me." His Excellency, speaking " kinderarily " : " And, my dear fellow, while we are about it, there is the firewood ; perhaps that could be dealt with the same way." But the Minister was not so guileless as he seemed, and after reflecting " the old skunk, he will make me undertake to pay his butcher's and wine bill if 1 don't stop," said aloud, "Your Excellency, I am afraid I don't see any way way of charging the public account for your firewood." To whom the representative of royalty, "Oh, just as you like ; I merely mentioned it for the convenience in housekeeping." A month or two afterwards the Minister was looking over some accounts from the palace, when he suddenly exclaimed, with an ejaculation which I omit, " Ninety pounds for a month's gas ! Why, what does it mean?" For the account set forth that the Governor had, in a month, burned in his palace more than 200,000 cubic feet of gas, for which £90 was charged to the Public Treasury. The Minister took a hansom, after the manner of officials where cab fare is paid by the public, and drove to the palace. The mystery was soon explained. The Governor had had every stove taken out of every room in his house, and had had gas stoves fitted in their place. The Mayor has received a telegram from Sir George Grey, informing him that Sir J. Coode will land at Gisborne about the end of the present month for the purpose of inspecting the harbor and its approaches. Sir George Grey requests that all available information will be given to Sir J. Coode with respect to tides, currents, and other particulars pertaining to the navigation of the port generally. Captain Chrisp has received instructions in this matter, and will have everything in readiness by the time of Sir John Coode's landing. — Poverty Bay Standard.