NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 112, 29 January 1881, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Change of Sittings. —m consequencj of the increased circuit which Ins Honor Judge Hardcustle has under his jurisdiction since be has taken charge of Taranaki, he has been compelled to alter tlie dates of sitting of the District Court at Palmerston. To that end, therefore, he has written to the clerk, Mr. Forster, instr'icting him to make km»wn that m future the District Court will sit on tlie third Tuesday m March, June, and September, and the second Tuesday m December. Still Another Bolt.— On Wednesday evening about six o'clock a horse attached to Mr. En<j*6 bak-r's cart, which hud been standing m Broad-street, took it into his head to start for home, which it did m double quick time. The animal raced up Broad-street, turned into Rangitikei Koad, then round the corner to Cuba-street, until it came to Mr. Eng's back entrance, where it quietly came to a stand-still, and allowed itself to be captured. 'Although the pace during flight was pretty stiff, no damage was done to either horse or conveyance. Break Down of the Mail Coach. — An accident occurred to the coach with the Napier mails on Wednesday evening. When travelling along tlie Stoney Creek road, close to Mr. Kenneth M'Kenzie's, on the way to Palmerston, the wheel came off, and as the nut was not to be found, it was impossible to proceed. In this dilemma Jones, the driver, transferred the mails on to the back of a horse, and despatched them into town, but the delay which he had experienced caused them to miss the train to Foxton, as they were delivered to Mr. Inneß just after it s departure There was only one passenger m the coach at the time of the accident. Breach of the Arms Act.— The man Jumes Hamilton Lowry, who was arrested on Tuesday for a breach of the Arms Act, was brought up on Wednesday morning before Mr. Piers E. Warburton, and upon the application of Constable Brosnahan, remanded to Waipawa. The accused, * fine Boldwly^eo&ing fellow, close unpn

fifty years of of age, has been a number of years m the army, md has passed through the Crimean campagn and Indian mutiny. Although there is >retty good evidence that he was fully aware he was guilty of a misdemeanour m repairirg the arms, tb« Act is one which we belitve is often broken unwittingly, and perscns leave thomsolves liable to a fine of „50(", or two years' imprisonment, without having the slip-htest idea that they have been dohg wrong. Distressing Accident.— We learn with regret that Vlr. Hayns, the County Engineer, bad a very valuable draught borse staked on Monday. The injuries received were of the most serious nature, and although no time was lost m procuring veterinary assistano", il is scarcely probable that the beast will survive. The loss to the owner would be a heavy one, as the animal is good value for £40, and even should it recover it will be a considerable time before it w.ill be fit for use Where is the Ranger P— Several persons have complained to us of the ravages done to their fences, Sir. , by vagrant horses. On Wednesday a bull, belonging to a Maori, was roaming at large down the Foxton Road, and m its travels broke down a lot of wire fencing upon Mr. M'Neil's land. Beside the damage to property, the danger of allowing such an animal to be at large is very great, and could be severely punished as a breach of the Highways Act. One for his Nob.— Some amuse-,w»o»t-i—-_b_A__.caased by an announcement that, a " weakly' r pap cv wouldappearon January 4. This is rough upon the unfortunate journal, which, has no-. Te t seen the light of day. The paper containing the blunder was not The Times. Like the piece of blow about the County Council report, the pseudo sarcastic writer began hollerin' before he was out of the wood, quite oblivious of the " beam " and the " mote." A man with so many holes m his coat, should not brag so grandly. BraVO, Otaki. — It is somowhit singular that since the establishment of the District Court m Palmerston, the number of criminal cases have not been a sixth of those committer* for trial previously, and at last sitting there was actually neither a civil or criminal case on the calendar. Otaki has, however, come to the rescue, and at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, Frank Christie, charged with burglary; Henry Archer, vith lnrceny of a watch j and George Wright, with uttering a valueless cheque, were all committed for trial at the nexlt sitting of tie District Court. Eureka. — long threatening comes at last, and the auction of tbe new Court House is to be an estu Wished fact. In another column sve publish the notice calling for tenders. We have been such chronic grumblers at th» architecture of the Public Works Department, that we really feel unwilling to make mother attack, but, en passant, if the plan be carried out, we must say that the Government will be able to boast of having erected the two ugliest looking buildings on the coast — tbe new Post Office and the proposed Court House. Imagine two unsightly-looking gables fronting the Main street, one much higher than the other but there, we will say no more, as we suppose we should be thankful for small mercies. Tom Pepper turned Joe Miller. — The " Journalist of Repute " has come out m a new character, and although it must be confessed a change was most desirable, yet he is by no means so much at home m his new as m his old role ; for, while the one was m tlie nature of the man, a jest or smile from such a source -ould be only paralleled by the donning of the cap and bells by a professional mute. No, Pepper, you have made i reputation m your own particular line, and m it you can safely defy all-comers ; but don't attempt the witty or sarcastic, for the jester's smile upon your saturate countenance is, to use a quotation, like the silver mountings on. a black coffin. An Explanation.— ln our report of the school electioa we stated that the Key. Mr. Wright did not act upon the suggestion of Mr. Linton, atd explain his exact position. This is of course true, but we have since learned tha; the rev. gentleman had previously left ths room, and therefore not hearing Mr. Limon's invitation could not accept it. We make this explanation m justice to Mr. Wiight as some may think — as we certainly did — that he was m the room and took no action m the matter. The building was so crowded at the end where the meeting was held, that Mr. Linton may be pardoned foi not observing Mr, Wright's departure, as we happen to know that few were aware that h« bad left. The New Time Table.— On and after the first of lext month there will be a complete change of trains upon the line. There will be time trains each day bet ween Palmerston and iialcombe, north and South, while the first train will leave for Foxton at half-past eight m the morning and for Wanganui at a qiarter to seven. In addition to this, a train will arrive at Palmerston at a quarter to lour from Wanganui, and leave Palmerston for Halcombe at twenty minutes past twelre. Tiie alteration does not effect the evening trains either from Wanganui or Foxton, which will start from their respective ends at the old hour. There can be no doubt the change is one greatly to the benefit of Palroa-ston, Feilding, and Halcombe, but tho weak place m the arrangement is that the first train from Foxton is at 10.50, and from Wanganui, 11 a.m. The corrected time-table will appear next issue. Still Another Industry. — Some little while ago we gave a description of the monumental aud flagging works which Mr Hanlon had established ut Terrace End. We now learn to suoh a perfection has he brought his concret flagging, that he can afford to sell it at a cost very little m excess of common gravel for pathways. We understand that Messrs King Bros, the Ready Money Store* the Banks and a nura bci of other property owners around the Square have given him orders for flagging m front of their premises. In addition to the clean and nice appearance which it will piesent, the material of which it is composed makes it positively everlasting. We trust that every ratepayer on the Squure will follow the example of those genlleinen whom we have named, so that there would be thorough uniformity throughont. " Liberty."— We have to acknowledge the receipt of a number of the new Society paper, Liberty, published at Chnstohurch, by Mr. Joseph Ivors. Like all the journalistic productions of that gentleman, the new one is most creditable, both m its matter and the manner of its get up. It is demy I folio, of eight pages, printed on toned paper, and m keeping with the class of literature of which it is a representative, its columns, are sparkling records of the movements of the " upper ten " not only of Christchurch. but the colony. Amongst the various item' which has been enscrolled upon its bannei, we notice " Protection," " The Abolition «f Capital Punishment," and " Anti Chineie Immigration." It is published weekly, aid as the price is only threepence, we haveno doubt it will command a large circulation Manawatu Racing Club. - A meeting of the above club was held »t the Royal Ht.tel on Tuesday night to consider certain protests which had beJn lodge* aga.insf »o,me winning horse* f it tbt Anni-

versary Races. The first protest considered was against the owner of Uncle Tom for having practised at the hurdles before the meeting. Mr. J">. Knight proposed, and Mr. Hayns seconded, " that tlie protest be not entertained, but that the protest fee of £1 ls be returned." -Carried. The protest against Skylark, for running for the Ladies Purse under a wrong uame was next dealt with. A letter was read from Mr. Young, also one from Mr. W. Hodder, the latter stating that he had br<*d the horse, which had never run before, and had not been named until this season. Mr- Hayns moved, and Mr. T. King seconded, "That tbe protest be not entertained, but that the protest fee of £1 Is be returned."- — Carried. Another protest against the. same horse m the Manawatu Handicap wat'dealt with m the same manner. The protest lodged by Mr. Thomas Lawton against A. Campion, the rider of Aurora m the Ladies' Purse, on the ground that he had ridden for money m previous races, was then discussed, but as a letter was read from Mr. Campion stating that he had never received money for any race m which he had ridden, the protest was not entertained and tbe money returned. The most important case was a protest, lodged by Mr. James Robinson, against Aurora, on the ground that she was not the bond fide property of a resident m the Manawatu District, caused considerable discussion. Mr. T. Fraser was called, and stated that he had purchased the mare from his brother, Mr. Donald Eraser, some months ago, and that it was bis property. It was eventually decided that the case be adjourned for a week. The passing of accounts for payment concluded the business of the meeting. Keeping the Name Vp. — The Mayor and Borough Councillors of Palmer» ston have made' a name for themselves as deputationists, and it is a suggestive fact, that, after his first experience of the Palmerston City Fathers, Mr. Bryce gave the town a wide berth as long as he bore the charmed prefix " Hon." Evil-minded persons have hinted that Mr. Rollestone's change of route was owing to a frieudly hint which be received from the late Native Minister, otherwise he would have taken the West Coast m order to join Sir Arthur Gordon. If such be the case, and if Mr. Bryce did really warn him against the champion deputationists, he will now be m a position to admit that the senior member for Wanganui did not speak without reason. When a Palmerston man wants a thing he is bound to have it, and if the " Mountain won't go to Mahomet, why Mahomet must, go to the mountain," and so he did. If Mr. Rollestone fluttered himself he could escape the effect of his tergiversation, he was very much mistaken ; a Nemesis was on his track for his Worship the Mayor crossed the borders, and run him to earth at Kopua. My. Linton has been away since Wednesday night, and consequently did not know that the tenders had been called for, he yesterday tackled the Minister of Justice, and this is the result, as forwarded to us by a telegram : — "Kopua, noon. — Interviewed Mr. Rollestone re Court-house erection, stated building fully authorised, and surprised that tenders ] have not been invited. — James Linton." If the value and size of the building should be assessed by the amount of trouble txpended to obtain the erection, the people of Palmerston should be fairly entitled to a building to rival the Melbourne Exhibition. The Fire at Halcombe.— We are pleased to be able to state that there is no truth m the report that Mr. Lash's mill at Halcombe has been burned down j it was not even on fire. There was a fire m Halcombe, but it did not. touch the mill, being bet ween thirty and forty yards from it. New Hotel. — We have been shown the plans of the new hotel for which Mr. Coombes calls tenders m another column, and certainly the structure, if erected, would be a great, improvement to the Square. The building, which is to be two-storeys, has a neat balcony with fancy iron railings and zinc roof running along the two sides, seventeen bedrooms above, exclusive of two parlors with sleeping rooms attached, and all the latest improvements of a first-class hotel.