WANGANUI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 810, 9 September 1887, Page 11

WANGANUI.

(from our own correspondent.) September 5. Sudden conversions are, as a rule, viewed with suspicion and aversion, and certainly the right-about-face turning of Mr John Stevens, one of the Rangitikei candidates, is looked on with distrust by many who formerly favored his chances. It was understood that Mi' Stevens was going to pose as the Ministerial candidate for Rangitikei, but on Wednesday night last he performed a complete somersault, and announced himself against the Government. His conversion is a nine-days’ wonder, and forms the subject of much discourse. Politics locally are not very startling, hut Mr Carson’s party are actively canvassing. Mr Ballance has been away in Wellington for the last two or three weeks, but he is expected here to-morrow, and no doubt he will make the most of his time. The Waitotara election is open to greater doubt than the Wanganui, and Mr Bryce’s friends are lending themselves to the work of canvassing in a manner they never did before. Mr Hutchison has made immense headway. Mr Morgan, the third candidate, is plodding away, and, though no one pays any great attention to him, he is determined to go to the poll. In the Borough Council elections there was no contest. Two of the sitting councillors, Messrs Neill and Kitchen, were re-elected, and for third place Mr E. W. Liffiton was unopposed. The latter takes the chair, formerly filled by Mr Spurdle, who was for two years mayor, and who has been a good worker in borough interests. Trade continues slack as ever, though people have given up the continual growl. Imports are small, comparatively, but our exports of livestock continue to increase, the returns for last month showing that we sent away by steamer 405 head of cattle, 2293 sheep, and 245 pigs. The Volunteer officer examination affair alluded to in my last has been put to rights by the reduction of percentages to something approaching the former standard. I have seen a letter from an officer high up in the service, in which confession is made of the fact that the standard had been made too high, and in conversation with another officer, whose name is held in high esteem all through the defence force, I learnt that the Board' of Military Education was simply ruining the Volunteer force by the standard it had set up. At the Education Board’s last meeting a long report was put in by Mr Sanson on the question of offering medals and certificates for regular’attendance.. The recommendations therein; contained".were adopted, and in future all those children who attend on every half-day will got" a silver medal of the first class;; those who only miss three adtendances. will he- entitled to a secondrdass medal'; and! those who come with five'will have at third-class certificate. At: the next meeting the vexed questions of corporal punishment will be discussed. On several? occasions lately there have been ; complaints; that other than head teachers; have-been in the habit of inflicting punishment, and in order- to set the. matter at rest Mr Bridge has. given notice to-move; that the power of using the- qane> be given to all certificated teachers. The tendency that empty- houses have to catch fire is, well-known, and we have had an instance lately in Wanganui that bears out the general 1 theory. An empty office belonging to Mr William Kells, of Waitotara, canght fire at 11 o’clock on Wednesday night, and: after the fire a search made resulted in tho discovering of a quantity of tow soaked in kerosene, and a bottle in which had evidently been a candle. These wore found in a, cupboard just where the fire had been strongest, and of course have, caused no little talk. The owner of the building states that lie had not been inside it for some days, though he pressed it several times on Wednesday, and he is at a loss to acoount for the fire.

1 The Presbyterian soiree was a greatr success on Thursday night, and must rei suit in a great increase to the Church. ' funds. Among the singers of the evening was Mr Wilson, of Wellington, who was encored for his rendering of a duet with Mrs Craig, “ Row well, my hoatie. ” He was also loudly applauded for his solos, “My Nannie’s awa’,” and “Jocko’ Hazeldean.” From the up-river districts comes a tale of a lad nine years of age being in the bush eight days without food. He had attempted to holt, but missed the Maoris he expected to find, and after waiting eight days for them he managed to creep home again in an emaciated condition. The history of the young fellow named Humphries, whom the police are now engaged in looking up for forgery, is a peculiarly sad one. He came out to the Colony a few years back with a large sum of money, and went into farming, horseracing, and all the extravagances it leads to. His money by degrees got beautifully less, his investments turned out to he bad specs for him, and, after assisting in an auction-room and doing a little insurance canvassing, he became a mere public-house lounger, raising money in any way he could, unfit for work, and no good at anything in particular. Had he been sent to the Colony to get his experience first and then had his money afterward he might have done well; hut the experience he procured was bought too dearly, and left him high and dry. The death of Mr H. Churton is one of the events of the past week, and one which will likely lead to important results in the affairs of others whose misfortunes he had become responsible for. It is probable that the .Maori College will have to he closed, at any rate for a time.