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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7932, 22 December 1887, Page 2

On the fourth page will be found an artiele entled." Power of Sea Waves.", The fire police will muster at S o'clock to-night in uniform for practice drill. A good attendance is requested. ' Captain Edwin wired at 1 p.m. yesterday:—"Every indication of unusually low tides for twenty-four hours." At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr J. H. Martin, J.P., two female inebriates were discharged with a caution. > The large number of books to be sold by Mr Uarker at auction to-day at the Athenaeum hall will be on view prior to 11 o'clock, the hour of sale. Among the books presented as piizes to the district school pupils yesterday were three parcels severally given by Messrs Crerar, Craig, and Sruythe. The House sat yesterday morning till 2.50. The business done after the telegraph office closed was passing the Mining Act Amendment Bill through committee. The annual distribution of prizes to the pupils attending the Spit district school will take place at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Parents and friends are cordially invited. We have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a' cordial Christmas greeting from the. officers of , the PostmasterGeneral's Department, Wellington. In return we beg to tender the senders " The compliments of the season." We are requested by the matron of the Women's Home to state that the girls' class in connection with the Women s Christian Temperance Mission, will in future meet at 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoons at the home. Next Saturday prizes will be given for the best worked button-hole, and the best' specimen of knitted work. There was a special presentation at the Theatre Royal yesterday, the Misses Fanny Glendinning, Isabel Cross, and Mildred Ryder each receiving from hia Worship the Mayor- a handsomely engraved silver locket for excellence in singing. The lockets were presented by the chairman of the committee, Mr 'P. Sidey. Saturday's supplement to the Herald will contain an original Christmas story from the pen of our able contributor, Mr H. H. Murdoch. It; is entitled 'i Out of the Beaten Track," and deals with a gruesome adventure which befell an artist in the Tyrol. It involves a physcolojjical ', problem which believers in spiritualism may be able to solve. The story ig written with dramatic torce, and we predict that it will be widely read with interest. The finance committee of the Hawke's" Bay Board of Rabbit Trustees met at Porangahau on the 17th instant. Present — Messrs Handyside (chairman), A. H. Price, and T. Crosse. The meeting was called for the purpose of opening tenders for draying about 30 tons of fencing material from Danevirke on to the rabbit line. Only one tender was received, and that an informal »ne. The committee therefore extended the time for receiving tenders till noon on Saturday, the 31st instant. Mr E. P. Mountforb, who has been teller at the Napier branch of the Bank of New South Wales for nearly sis years, has been promoted to a similar position in the Wellington branch, and will leave this district early in January. Mr Mountfort has been on the executive of the Musical Society ever since it came into existence and a member of St. John's vestry for four years. He has made himself a general favorite by his courtesy, and when he leaves will take with him the good wishes of a host of friends. After the installation of his Worship the Mayor yesterday he entertained the Councillors, several ex-Councillors, and representatives of the local Press at luncheon at the Criterion Hotel. His Worship presided, supported on his right by the Town Clerk, and on his left by Cr. Graham, Cr. Neal occupying the vicechair. After doing justice to an excellent lunch the toast "The Municipal Councillors " was proposed by the Mayor in a eulogistic speech, and responded to by Cr. Neal, who also proposed the health of the Mayor, which his Worship suitably acknowledged. The remaining toasts were "Ex-Councillors," "Mrs Swan," "The Press," and " The Town Clerk." ' The open-air concert by the Garrison Band in the Rotunda last evening at-, trncted a largo number of townspeople, although it was remarked that on occasions when collecting boxes wore not at the gates the attendance had been larger. The selections played were highly enjoyable, and ono of the items, "Sweet Chiming Bells," was so appreciated that a deputation representing a large number ot tlio ladies present waited upon Mr Tankard, the bandmaster, and asked that the piece might be repeated. The request was acceded to, and after another number had been played the desired item was repeated. The total amount collected at the gates was £5 16s 6d, . or about half what will be necessary to provide the niusio stands_ required. Mr Charles Palmer has kindly consented to act as honorary treasurer, and any subscriptions forwarded to him will bo duly acknowledged. Our Waipawa correspondent writes as follows under yesterday's date : — ln addition to the local temperance bodies all the public school oluldrou and their

parents are invited' to Mr J. Harding s fite dutrnpitre. —At last Sunday's service at the Oddfellows' Hall a lively scene took place throngh a silly person putting a live eel into the hat going round for contributions after the service. _ Much amusement was occasioned in diving for the eel under the forms.— There have been two cases of imposture detected re the charitable aid funds, of which more will be hoard.— Between the Court, school distribution of prizes, and auction sales the town was prettv busy to-day. Mr Kecliab Harding and" Mr. E. Bibby were present at the presentation of prizes to the school children. The usual amount ot praise was awarded to the head-master and the teachers for the progress made among the scholars during the past year, j The second of Professor Chainey's recitals^from the works of Shakespeare and Dickens was given in the Athenaeum hall last evening. The first portion of the programme consisted or the recital of what the Professor styled the greatest tra«edy of the greatest dramatist the world has ever seen— " Hamlet." The rendering was heard in complete silence, and it was not until its' conclusion that the audience burst forth into applause. The fine voice of the reciter was heard to great advantage, and his dramatic and finished style was very effective in such items as the famous soliloquy of the unhappy Prince of Denmark, " To be or not to be," while the low comedy of the grave-diggers was given with _ much Sumor. After a short interval, Dickens' " Christmas Carol " was read in a, manner which kept the audience in a simmer of laughter. At its conclusion, Professor Cliainey announced that on Sunday evening he would lecture upon his religious experiences, and Mrs Chainey would also speak on " Christmas and the 19th Century Christ." Our Hastings correspondent \vdtes under yesterday's date :— A meeting of the Borough Council was held to-day for the purpose of installing Cr. Ellis as Mayer. Present— The late Mayor (Cr. Wellwood), the newly elected Mayor (Cr. Ellis), and Crs. Foreman, Tong, Luckie, M'Ewan, and Stock. Mr Wellwood having taken the chair, Mr Collinge handed Mr Ellis the usual declaration which he made and signed. In vacating; the chair in favor of Mr Ellis,- Mr Wellwood, thanked the members of the Council for v their cordiality to him during his term of office. It being the first time he had held the office of Mayor he was liable to mistakes and he admitted that he had made mistakes, but' the councillors had kindly overlooked them. He now resigned the chair to Mr Ellis and had no doubt that they would work harmoniously together. ("Hear! hear!") Cr. Ellis on taking his seat as Mayor thanked the ratepayers for the honor that they had done him in electing him, and added that he hoped to execute the duties of his office faithiully to the ratepayers and with credit to himself.— The Council then proceeded to consider the tenders for sanitary appliances and it was resolved that the closet-pan 14 A, as. represented in Morrin's plan, be accepted by the Council, subject to' Mr Hallett's approval, and a sub-committee was appointed to confer ■with him upon the subject. ' The ." Hawke's' Bay Almanack and Business Directory" for 1888 has now made its appearance. The . publishers have made a practice of inserting each year some special articles supplementary to the information usually found in almanacks, and this year is no exception to the rule. A long article will be tound on vine-culture on the American system, condensed ' from a Parliamentary paper prepared by Mr G. K Alderton, of Auckland, after a visit to America. Mr Alderton reports that there are dozens of ' American blight-proof vines, yielding the finest of fruit both for table use and winemaking. The only American vine now foundin the colony— the Isabella— isin the States considered so inferior that it is not grown, except on a small scale for imparting a, special flavor to wine. The climate in and around Napier, we are told, is exactly what is required for the successful culture of some of the best of the American vines. Another special article is one on domestic brewing, written by Mr H. H. Murdoch, of Hastings, who has practiced that which he essays to teach. The apparatus recommended by Mr Murdoch is simplicity itself, costing only a few shillings. The irrepressible humor which bubbles up in all Mr Murdoch's writings bursts out even in a grave description «f how to make " home-brew," and a hearty laugh will reward a perusal of the article. We may, however, add that the humor in no way confuses the directions given, which are couched in the plainest language. The directory this year is the fullest which has yet been published in Hawke's Bay, and all the general information has been corrected to the latest date. Our Wallingford correspondent writes : — I see the handicaps are out tor the sports to be held on Boxing Day at Porangahau. The prizes are good for a country township, and I believe the sports will be well attended, as lam sure the committee — Messrs Hunter, Morgan, Block, Cropp; Cooper, Tipene, and ■ Hales— have used' their utmost endeavors to make the sports a success, if the day is fine. The handicappers have also done their best to please everyone, and I believe have been pretty successful. My tips for the sports are as follows :— For the Mile Handicap (£8 Ist prize) there are nine entries. Ot these I would choose Mooney Ist, Jarvis, 2nd, Peck 3rd. Hurdle Handicap, five entries, M'Donald Ist, Alabaster 2nd, Jarvis 3rd. Porangahau Cup (£lO first prize), three heats, distance 100 yards, 220 yards, 440 yards, 10 entries, Jarvis Ist, Brady 2nd, Keep 3rd. The other races are to be entered for on the ground. Should I attend I will send you a summary of the day's sports. With regard to tlie tips I may mention two outsiders who might cause a serious boil over, viz., Bird in the clip, and Ryan in the mile. — We had a case of suicide in Wainui last week. M. M'Callum, storekeeper, drowned himself in the Mongamairi creek. I believe he had threatened to do sc some time ago, but for. this I do not vouch. His body was found last Saturday.— l hear that the employees at Messrs Hunter's station are giving a ball in the woolshed this week, which, I believe, will be a very grand affair. The half-yearly meeting of the Loyal Napier Lodge of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, was held last evening in the lodge-room, Tennyson-street. Ihere was an exceptionally large attendance. One new member was received and three others proposed. The election of officeis for the ensuing half-year resulted as follows :— Grand Master, Bro. T. Sidey ; N.G., Brc. F. W. Eobjohns ; V.G., Bro. J. Scott j permanent secretary, Bro. F. Bee (re-elested) ; minute secretary, Bro. A. H. Wilson ; B.S. to N.G., Bro. C. Stevens ; L.S. to N.G., Bro. L. Howard ; B.S. to V.G., Bro. R. W. Neal ; L.S. to V.G., Bro. W. H. Essex; warden, Bro. J. Croucher (re-elected). The district officers paid an official visit to the lodge and Pro-Grand Master W. H. Cooper conducted the installation of the newlyelected officers in a most efficient and impressive manner. Past Masters' emblems elegantly framed were'presented'to" Past Masters P. M'Cormick, J. Croucher,. T. Sidey, and H. Mogridge in recognition of services rendered to tlie lodge. The usual votes of thanks to the retiring officers were passed. A large amount of routine business was transacted,, the money for contributions received amounting to £71 18s 2d. It was remarked that the lodge is progressing rapidly, both ps regards accession in niembershin (mainly attributable to the low rate cnarged to those joining) and from a financial point of view, it maintaining its position as the wealthiest friendly society's lodge in the province. A social re-union was held after the lodge meetisg, at which the usual toasts were done full justice to, the meeting closing at midnight. At the lown Hall yesterday Mr G. 11. Swan, re-elected unopposed to the position of Mayor of the borough, was formally installed in the presence ot Crs. Faulknor, M'Vay, Cohen, Welsraan, Neal, Graham, Smith, and Cotton. After making the statutory declaration his Worship retnrned thanks for his re-election, taking the opportunity to compliment the Council and their officers npon the satisfactory manner in which the borough business was carried on. The principal reason that had induced him to accept another term of office was his desire to see the Marine-parade made into an esplanade for the town, and . he hoped this work would be completed before the year was out. Cr. Neal welcomed the Mayor back to office on behalf of the Council, and presented him with an elegant silver cradle as a memento of the fact that bis family had been increased during the previous year of office. Cr. Neal said that the position of the borough precluded the services of the Mayor being rewarded by money payment, bat he was so generally esteemed that it had been decided to make the presentation to show the appreciation in which he was held and to serve as a memento of the event already alluded to. His Worship suitably returned thanks, assuring those present that the memento would be gratefully cherished. He must say that the design reflected the highest credit on those who had charge of the beautiful gilt. On the one side he noticed a white swan, and representing the cradle half a barrel. Anything more appropriate to his calling as a brewer and his name could not have been thought of. He could only thank them most heartily and sincerely on behalf of Mrs Swan, and he could assure (hem a,s long as representatives of their families remained it would be among the most honored of their belongings. The proceedings then terminated^ The cradle, an elegant specimen of the silversmith's art, was supplied by Mr S. E. Cooper. Here is a chance for some of the great cocoa manufacturers. Details have come to hand of the sufferings of the ship-

wrecked crew of the Colorado, a Glasgow •- vessel, wrecked at Cape St. Vificent, on c July 5 last. The officers and ■crew, fifteen i men in all, escaped iri^the boats; and, t after enduring great privations, were J rescued on August 19. "They kept them-' j selves alive," says the chronicler, " with- ] cocoa." Mural design: Shipwrecked crew 1 bivouacking on the sea shore, each man with a cup and saucer in his hand ; bil- ' lows rolling in the background; a box in the centre of the gronp, labelled " X's > Cocoa." There is a fortune in the notion. , -The Parisian police are investigating a ' singular society of an international character, with branches in all the l capitals of Europe and' in New York. ' The "promoters" have for aim. to ] purchase all private letters of a com- i promising character, and making the persons interested in their suppression pay heavy blackmail. It is not certain if . the central office is in Paris or at London. Servants are encouraged to steal the confidential papers of their masters and mistresses. ■It appears to be a far mdre money-making business than floating a bubble bank or salting for a mining company. In the matter 6f dividends, beyond all doubt vice pays a higher rate than virtue. It having' been alleged that the Nationalists cut the telegraph wires f^om Woodford, the Pall Mall Gazette says :— We hope that this is untrue. There lias been no more pleasing feature in the Nationalist movement than the honorable neutrality of the postal service throughout Ireland. A high official of the Irish Post-office some time ago was at Woodford itself, and in discussing a postal matter with an audience of Nationalists, was at once able to carry the meeting with him, by saying, "Sure, boys, don't .we carry the threatening letters for ye as safe as we carry the' eviction notices ?" It would be a great pity if the understanding embodied in this humorous sally should not be adhered to. The Roman soldiers who built snch wonderful roads, and carried a weight of armour and luggage that would crush the average farm hand, lived on coarse brown bread and sour wine. They were temperate in diet, and regular in exercise. The Spanish peasant works every day' and dances half the night, yet eats only his black bread, onion and water-melon'. The Smyrna porter eats only a little fruit and some olives, yet he walks off with hia load of a hundred pounds. The coolie, fed on rice, is more active and can endure more than the negr» fed on fat meat. The heavy work of the world is not done by men who eat the greatest quantity. Moderation in diet seems to be the preTequssite of endurance Scientific American. The "pious founder " is not dead in England after all, or rather being' dead, he yet speaketh, Mr Richard -Quain's legacy of £70,000 to Uniyersity.College, London, is worthy of English founders in the Middle Ages, and even of American millionaires of to-day. Two things about the bequest are especially remarkable. One is the stress which this eminent man of science lays on literary education ; the bequest is to be divided between modern languages (especially the English language and composition) and natural science. The other is his selection of University College— a college which is u'nsectarian and which meets a more extended clientele than Oxford and Cambridge— as 'the recipient of the gift. Snch a gift meets Hie needs of the times, and let us' hope will turn out to be characteristic of them. One of the simplest of barometers is a spider's' web. When there is' a prospect of rain or wind, the spider shortens the filaments from which its web is suspended, and leaves things in this state as; long as the weather is variable! If;- the insect elongates its threads, it is a sign' of fine, calm weather, the duration of winch may be judged of by the length to which the threads are let out. ' If the spiderfremains inactive, it is a sign of rain ; but If, on the contrary, it keeps at work durinfc a Tain, the latter will not last long, and will be i followed by fine weather. Otherjobservationshave taught that the 'spider makes changes in its web every twinty-four hours, and that if such changes' are made in the evening, just before sunset, the night will be clear and beautiful, 1 If it be true that nothing interests either sex so mubh as "what individual members of the other race think pf it, the' young men of New York will [try very hard to get possession of the' ''hair albums" which are the latest erase among the young ladies of that city. Ijistead of collecting photographs, autographs, or postage stamps, these. young ladies are now said, to beg locks of hair from their-, ■ male friends, which they fastei.into an album, writing over it "name, age, color of eyes, date, pf receiving the memento, and general remarks as to personal appearance." It is understood that in all cases the /'real truth" is entered in these albums as it strikes the owner, the album "never to be seen by any other than feminine eyes; 1 ' This being so, the albums are pretty sure to fall into masculine hands."' "' ...-._ _ .