HASTINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1206, 12 April 1895, Page 16

HASTINGS.

Owing to the representations made through these columns the request for a Sunday train to Napier has been refused, and the train which for some time left Hastings at 6.30 on Saturday evening does not leave now until 9 o'clock, returning at 10.15. t ; Having just finished a tour of the principal cities I was rather > disappointed on returning to find that onr popular and obliging stationmaster was not decked out in raiment of blue cloth ornamented with gold lace, in the same fashjon as his confreres in the larger cities. This must be seen to at once. With the splendid station and extensive promenade that we now have (asphalted the whole length, too) we must have our most imposing railway director up to date in the matter of togs. ,'. ■. At • The awful mumbling style in which the business of the B.M. Court is conducted here is most annoying to pressmen and others whose business it is to find out what is going on, and when to this is added the shuffling of a hundred pairs of hobnail-covered feet on the bare board floor, one may cease to wonder that errors sometimes creep into the published reports; of Court proceedings. Many of the lawyers and the majority of witnesses mumble in a j style that is quite inaudible only a few feet away. , We managed, however, last Friday, during the hearing of a list of over 60 cases, in which seven or eight lawyers were engaged, to catch one or two grains of wit which fairly convulsed the Court. Here is one. A Maori witness had given some evidence as to a judgment summons. "Tell him," said the Magistrate to the interpreter, "that I am not satisfied with his answers, and think them most unsatisfactory." "Well," remarks the guileless native, "what does he want me to say?" (Laughter.) " Tell him," says Mr Turnbull, "that he will have to pay the money at once or go to gaol for seven days. ' On this being explained, the native mumbled something. "What does he say ?" queries the beak of the interpreter. " He says that is a very short time to be in gaol!" ■ It ought to be a condition of getting an interpreter's license, one would think, that the applicant should be able to speak English fluently. Some that we have heard in the Hastings Court at times made us think we were back on the goldfields in the sixties listening to the broken jargon of a Chinaman who had been making gold with the solder out of jam tins. Our Court certainly holds the record for indistinctness !of speech. . The splendid work done by the fire brigade and fire police last Thursday evening has been the theme of general admiration ever

since. Faulknor's coach factory was one of the oldest established businesses here, and although the buildings were old they contained all the modern ideas in the way of machinery and other appliances, besides a large number of vehicles in all stages of construction. The fire was seen quite twenty minutes before the bell rang, but those who saw the light imagined ifc was only the hands working late with big fires in the forges. It therefore had a big hold before the alarm was given. Within four minutes of the bell being rung the brigade had water playing from the manual, and a few minutes later the steamer was " going at top" as the classical people put it. Six or seven jets of water were pouring into the fire which presented a magnificent sight as the tins of paint and other combustibles fed the flames A lot of cartridges also lent their aid to the fire, which, however, was completely under control. While the brigade were battling with the flames the fire police were doing excellent work, not the least of which was keeping the crowds of people back. It is perfectly wonderful how intensely inconsiderate and thick-headed the public do get on such occasions. Close to the factory was a four-roomed house—so close, in fact, that one of the eaves had to be cut off because it overhung the adjoining property. This took fire, but with the exception of the roof and the outer wall at one end it was saved bj the brigade. The whole of the contents —down to the mantelpieces, register grates, and even the doors—were removed by the fire police. The water for the steam engine was derived from the main sewer fed by artesian wells, and although it is estimated that more than one hundred thousand gallons was poured on to the fire, there was a depth of fourteen inches in the sewer when the engine stopped working. The thinking public are quite satisfied that the engine has in this one instance saved its cost half a dozen time 3, f as without it we should have had a repetition oi the 1893 incident.

• II may be mentioned that notwithstanding this practical proof of what our firemen and fire police can do, we still pay as high as £7 per .£IOO insurance premiums on one building in the town, 75s on others and 50s on ordinary shops; while in Auckland the rate is as low as 5s 6d per .£IOO.

During the progress of the fire, a member of the brigade" asked a bystander not to tread, on the h ose. Instead of doing as requested, the individual became abusive and put himself in a fighting attitude. In less time than it takes to write this, he found himself sprawling in the gutter in several inches of water, from which he was afterwards rescued with a fire-hook. The Glass Ball Club had another handicap contest for the cup on Wednesday afternoon, when Mr Thomas Stewart, who shot remarkably w©il, secured the right to have his name engraved on the cup. As the shooting season starts on the next regular day for the cup match it will be held on the previous Wednesday. St. Matthew's Choir are studying the music of the "Crucifixion." The choir of St. Patrick's will have the assistance of the Napier choir and orchestra in addition to that of several local musicians in the musical services for the church opening, which will take place soon after Easter. The Town Hall Company are making an effort to place some more shares. The Wesleyans are about to experience a Frost. The Rev. W. 3. Elliott has been farewelled, wept over, presented with a purse of sovereigns, and having every possible thing done to him to show that his stay amongst the people has given them every satisfaction. Mr Elliott goes to Christchurch, and his place is to be taken by the Rev. Mr Frost. His arrival just at the beginning of winter may be only a coincidence, and there is no doubt his reception Will be as warm and cordial as that accorded his predecessors. Knowing Mr Elliott thoroughly well, I am in a position to endorse all the kindly remarks that were made in wishing him farewell. Messrs- Nelson Bros, gave the fire brigade five guineas and paid the cost of horses for taking the engine 10 Tomoana when the fire occurred there a short time ago. The Rev. J. Hobbs continues his open air lectures after church on Sunday nights. The Hastings Rifles had a good muster on parade on Friday, and will be fully represented at the camp at Feilding. Corporals H. J. Morris and A. F. Cook presented themselves for examination by Captain Chicken and Lieutenant Stubbs (both of Napier), who expressed themselves as quite satisfied with the way the candidates went through their work.