Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 153, 16 January 1869, Page 3

Local and General News.

A short but smart shock of earthquake was felt here at 7'lo p.m. on Saturday last. The ketch Elizabeth has been put on the trade between Wellington and Blenheim.— Colonist. We are requested to remind readers that the extensive sale of the “.Royal” comes off on Wednesday next. /I'd ess rs. John Allen, and William Jeffery have

been appointed visiting justices of the Picton gaol by Iris Honor the Superintendent. Mr. W. Collie, Blenheim, and Mr- A. Card, Picton, are gazetted as agents for the sale of (General) Government publications. The Assembly. —Well-informedpersonsexpect that the next session of the General Assembly will commence on the 26th of next month. We learn that his Honor the Superintendent has received and accepted the resignation of Mr. Tetley as a member of the Provincial Council, for Picton.

L. K. Horne, Esq. lias received the honorary appointment of Health Officer for the port of Wairau. H. Williams, esq. is appointed public Vaccinator, which may be considered a division of the honors.

Upper Wairau Election'. —The polling will take place on Tuesday next, and the Returning Officer notifies that he will declare the result at 5-. SO the same evening. Messrs. Collie and Paul are the candidates.

It appears that a counter-petition, under the Municipal Corporations Act, has been presented from Wellington, containing a greater number of signatures than the original petition, therefore the latter will not be granted. Civil Service Act. —S. L. Muller, Esq., and the Inspector of Schools are appointed a local hoard under this Act for the examination of candidates for the Civil Service. The regulations are published in the Gazette for Dec. 24.

The Countess of Kintore is now in Auckland harbor, and is spoken of by a contemporary as one of the finest Aberdeen clippers that ever visited Auckland. She is now under the command of Captain Petherbridge, late of Napier. W u learn that the |Dramatic Society have al-

ready commenced the rehearsal of a “stunning” piece which they intend submitting to the public “for the public good” in about a month. S. L. Muller, and J., B. Wemyss, Esqrs. have consented to become Vice-presidents to the society. The fire at Wanganui commenced in a bowling saloon ; nine houses were destroyed in Victoria Avenue and Eidgway-streot. The loss is estimated at £ 10,000. The policies on the stock and furniture of the Rutland Hotel, upon the theatre, and on the bowling saloon all expired on the previous day. S A meeting of the members of the Mutual Improvement Society was held on Tuesday evening last, with the object of re-opening the Literary Institute. We understand that the library will be open on Tuesday and Saturday evenings, Mr. C. J. Rae haviug consented to act as librarian.

eor the Front.— A week or two since Captain Kenny, of the Picton Volunteers, enquired if the Government would accept the services of himself and a corps of twenty-five men selected from the volunteers of this district Last week he received a telegram to the' effect that the Government did not at present require their services. — Prexa. Thr Register of medical practitioners, who are registered according to law, and consequently allowed to practise in the Colony, has been published, from which we learn that the only persons who are qualified in this Province are Lewis Kiel Horne, and Henry Williams, both of Blenheim, registered under the New Munster Ordinance.

Mr. C. Elliott, -of Nelson, announces his .intention of commencing the business of an auctioneer.

Petty Sessions. —The Governor has issued a proclamation, under the Petty Sessions Act, ordering that a meeting of the justices of the peace within the undermentioned districts shall be held at the places named on the fourth Tuesday in January yearly, for the purpose of choosing a chairman, and settling the rota of attendance. Por Wairau, at Blenheim ; for Picton, at Picton ; and for Kaikoura, at Kaikoura.

The Falcon left Wellington at 7‘30 a.m. on Thursday last, reaching the bar at 5p m. On sighting her, the Osprey was despatched to meet her, and towed her up to Blenheim, where she arrived about 10 p.m. We understand that some material alterations are about to be made in the machinery of the Osprey for the purpose of increasing her speed, and that she will be despatched to Wellington for that purpose next week.

Latest from Napier. —Thep.s. Sturt left on Tuesday last for Wellington, conveying 136 men of the Armed Constabulary, who will be despatched to Wanganui on active service. Previously to Col. Whitmore leaving Poverty Bay, Ropata publicly expressed his readiness to accompany the Colonel to the West Coast with all his men, if he required him. This chief brought into Poverty Bay on Monday, 20 men and 40 women prisoners. The Sturt has on board Martha, Te Kooti’s wife, and Nikaru’s sister, and 4 cohorns. Major St. John, Captains Newiand, Tuke, Shepherd, and Gascoigne with 120 constables'are left at Poverty Bay. H.M.S. Blanche has also left for Wellington. Profitable Patriotism. —lt is truly astonishing how patriotic some folks can be—when they are paid for it ! What a sharpener of some men’s perceptive faculties is patronage ; their mental vision can be improved like sore eyes, by the application of “Golden Ointment,” and there are few people to be found who are better acquainted with the practical truth of our postulate than Mr. Stafford and his colleagues. If our fathers never dreamed of the electric telegraph, we may venture to believe that the inventor of the telegraph never dreamed that his invention would be used as a corrupt means of bolstering up a desperate Government, and bribing unprincipled journalists. Our Nelson contemporary the Colonist, has, like ourselves, fearlessly attacked the wrong-doings of the present Ministry Mark the result—telegraphic communications are sent to the Nelson Examiner, who defends it. and in Marlborough to the News, who like the slaves in olden times that vainly exhibited their masters’ collars on their necks, heads the information with “Favored by Government As a “quid pro quo” for this piece of Government favour, our transpontine contemporary last week favored his readers with a very grand flourish about our poor slandered Ministry, and the glorious victory they have achieved, which has been duly and thankfully acknowledged in the Government organ, the Advertiser of Wednesday last Those journalists who feel it their duty to oppose the Government conscientously, have to pay smartly for their telegrams.