WANGANUI NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 878, 28 December 1888, Page 24

WANGANUI NEWS.

[By Telegraph.] (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wanganui, December 20. The Mayor (Mr Parsons) celebrated his installation by giving a dinner last night to the Councillors, past mayors, and the press. The affair was first-cla3s, and passed off very harmoniously, though both sides in the late municipal contest were represented. This evening the Harmonic Society gave 4< The Messiah," but the concert cannot-be said to have been a save in point of numbers. It was quite evident the Society had not rehearsed sufficiently. The school examinations in town have so far resulted satisfactorily. The infants’ flch ol shows 100 per cent of passes and the girls’school 87*35. Walker and Hatrick, a local firm of merchants, have purchased the schooner St Kilda, formerly owned by the Brunner Coal Company, which they intend to place in the intercolonial trade, produce and timber being taken from here and coal brought back from NewcMtle. There isevery probability that Mr Thatcher’s scheme of improvement for the harbour will nut be gone on with, owing to the diffioul* ties which have cropped up between him and the Harbour Board. Wanganui, December 21. Mr Christopher, aged 99, an old resident of WaDganui, died this morning. At the Police Court to-day Thomas Lloyd, a school-teacher, was mulcted in something like £3 for beating a boy aged 8. This seemed to be very ha*d lines on Lloyd, and-the sentence meets with general disapproval. The circumstances were these : Three boys threw stones on his house, and called him names and otherwise behaved in a very annoying manner. Mr Lloyd told the two elder boya that they were old enough to know what a Court case meant, and he informed the police of' them ; but to tho youßgost boy ho administered ? thrashing, not caxing to drag a boy so young to Court. The two elder boys were fined 10s, and coats 9s each. Wanganui, December 22. At the inquest on the man named Crock to-dav a verdict of accidental death was returned ; no blame attachable to anybody. The town is crowded to-night with visitors for tbe holidays, but at present Edwin’s prognostications of rain promise to be only too truly fulfilled. Business people geuera’ : y vay this is the best Christmas they have ex erienced for many years. Phil Robinson arrived by train this even-

ing, and was mot by Mr Ballance and the Mayor, and is tho gueßt of tho latter. He was taken out for a drive round the suburbs of the town and over the Westmere estate, and to-morrow a select party is organised to take him a trip up the river in a email steamer. Mr Somerville informs me that he has succeeded in securing Martini-Henry rifles for such of the New Zealand team as fired against Victoria and defeated them.