NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1535, 26 January 1887, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

A woman who died at Home the other day left ±10,000 to the Dogs' Home, at Battersea, while to her executor, a poor parson with a large family, was left ±100 as a legacy. There is no mistake in the figures— ±lo,ooo.

A man named John Howard was hanged to a trestle of a railroad bridge at Texarkawa, Texas, by a masked mob, on December 15, for cruelty to his young wife. He amused himeelf by branding her naked body with the letter " H," using the same iron as ho did to mark bis cattle.

The births in the principal boroughs of New Zealand during December last numbered 484 ; the deaths registered during the same time numbered 154. Wellington had the highest death rate 14.42 per thousand ; Thames the lowest 8.72.

Alderman Wilkins, of Chipping Norton (England), who was Mayor of that Borough in the year of the accession of the Queen, and wlio is now eighty-two years oi age, has been selected by the Town Council to again fill the Mayoral chair in the ensuing year, in commemoration of the Queen's Jubilee.

A youth who attended a Scotch revival meeting for the fun of the thing, ironically enquired of the minister whether he could work a miracle or not. The young man's curiosity was fully satisfied by tlie minister kicking him out oi the church with the malediction, 'We cannot work miracles, but we can cast out devils !"

The Registrar- General says that the population of the colony, according to the last censuE, was 578,482 (exclusive of Maoris). Of this number 300,190 were born here, 17,245 in Australia, 238,856 in the United Kingdom, and 19,885 in foreign countries. There are 560,598 British, and 17,884 foreign subjects.

The final meeting of the Stratford sports committee was held on Monday night, when a clear balance sheet was shown. The sports were financially a great success The takings amounted to the sum of ±57 6s 4d, and after paying expenses (amounting to ±48 5s 4d) there was a surplus of ±9 Is, which has been duly divided and forwarded to the New Plymouth and Hawera fire brigades. A special vote of thanks to Mr. Samuel, of New Plymouth, for his kind assistance, and the usual votes of thanks to various officers terminated the meeting. It is to be hoped that sports will be held annually at Stratford hereafter.

A. novel entertainment is about to be presented to the London public on the grounds of the forthcoming American Exhibition. It will be known as the Wild West Encampment, and will illustrate Indian life on the frontier, with real buffaloes, Pawnees, Sioux, cow-boys, bucking horses, herds of cattle, herds of oxen, which are hunted down and lassoed, and the wickedest black mare that was ever crossed by human legs. Mr. Henry Irving, who witnessed the extraordinary performances of Indians aud the white men in an arena coveiing five acres, upon Station Island, New York, predicts that when they are exhibited in London they will take the town by storm.

Another event in the Royal Family which may be recorded is the approaching marriage of Lord Weymouth, the eldest son of the Marquis of Bath, with the daughter of Princess Mary of Teck. Both are young and divinely handsome. The young man is heir to great wealth, and the lady will have ±20,000 and a trousseau from her grandmother, the Duchess of Cambridge — a wonderful old lady of 92 — who lives in St. James's Palace, and is simply adored by all who know her. The duchess still possesses all her faculties. She seldom goes out, but is fond of exercising hospitality, and every day has songs sung to her by the Neapolitan buffo Tosti, or has the Bible read to her by young Mr. Sinclair, the rector of St. Stephen's, Westminster.

There is iv the last number of the Gazette a large number of " statements ot the affairs oi a company," published in accortlauce wilh the law for the infoimation of ihe public. The companies are principally mining companies, and the number of instances in which appeals the depressing line "no dividend pi id "gives a very Rood idea of the proportion which " duffers " bear to the whole number of mining companies floated. There are, however, some brilliant exceptions in the list. The Welcome Company, Keefton, the paid-up capital of which is but ±'3750, has paid dividends amounting in the aggregate to the respectable sum of ±'110,250. The Tipperary Coirmanv, Otago, has divided ±13,500 ; the Wetherstones Company, Otago, ±2966 ; the Keep it Dark Company, Keelton, ±82,166 ; Just in Time Company, lieefton, ±13,666.

The Wanganui Chronicle says that Mr. Watt, wlio has been chairman of tbe Education Board for many years, is retiring from the Board this year, and does not iutend to offer himself ior reelection.

A very severe shock of earthquake was felt shortly after eight o'clock on Saturday night, January 8, at Wirrabarra, Georgetown, Wilson, aud Eurelia, in the northern agricultural areas of South Australia. The walls of the houses swayed, and bells were rung. The inmates of the houses feared that the buildings would collapse. The shock lasted for a minute.

A deputation from the Jockey Club waited on the Hon. Mr. Buckley while that gentleman was in Wanganui, to urge that metropolitan clubs should have some control in regard to tho totalisator. Mr. Buckley agreed (the Chronicle reports) that some restriction was necessary, and hoped to hear further from the various clubs on tho matter.

A new operatic compofer is coming to the front in Italy. He is a Greek, 24 years of age, named Spiro Samara, and he was born in Corlu. He was originally intended for the diplomatic profession, but feeling an irresistible desire to become a musician, he went to Paris, where he placed himself under the instruction of M. Leo Deliber. M. Samara's first opera, "Fiore Mirable," has just been produced with decided success at the Teatro Argentina, in Rome.

The sports committee met last evening for the purpose of settling up accounts. It was found that there was a balance of £5 18s 6d in hand, of this some two guineas were voted to the cricket ground fund and the balance to the Town Band. The latter item may appear small, but it must be borne in mind that on a previous occasion £15 was donated making a total of £18 15s Ocl; and the band have played on two occasions with free lunch each time. It will be seen, therefore, that the sports committee have done their quota in supporting the band. No steps were taken last evening with regard to any future sports, it being left quite an open question for the public to take up. There has been pome talk of establishing a Caledonian Society as preferable to the present system, based on public subscriptions. Should such a society be formed a gymnasium for the winter would be a source of attraction.

The Wellington Post has a leading article on the arrangement entered into between the farmers of this coast and the New Zealand Meat Export Company. After sketching out the past history of the Auckland Company and the nature of the arrangement now made, our contemporary concludes thus :—": — " We have no hesitation in saying that it will be a disgrace to Wellington enterprise and railway management, if Auckland is thus allowed to monopolise the West Coast frozen meat trade. With direct railway communication it ought to be possible to bring the Hawera stock to Wellington more cheaply than to take them by rail to Waitara, ship them thence to Onehunga by steamer, and either drive or take them by rail to Auckland. The stock would be far less knocked about coming here, and would arrive in much better condition, while the freezing and shipping charges here ought to be, it they are not, less than in Auckland." The Auckland Company will not, under this arrangement, monopolise the trade. There will be still ample supplies tor Wellington energy to busy itself with. But it may news to our contemporary to learn that the farmers were practically forced into the arrangement with Auckland by the Wellington companies showing complete indifference to the trade, and practically treating with contempt advances made to them by settlers who wished to get rid of surplus stock.