LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 622, 10 February 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. W. L. Rees, M.H.R., will hold a meeting this evening, m the Masonic Hall. What will form the subject of the hon gentleman's address, we do not know ; but Mr. Rees is ever a fluent and, at times, an eloquent speaker. There is generally pith and marrow m what he says, and we are quite sure lie will be found worth listening to. Mr. Rees professes to have the interests of Poverty Bay at heart, and we heartily trust this will be found to be so. We hear certain Maories have taken possession of Mrs. Read's house and ten acres at the Willows ; but it is likely they will withdraw therefrom, as they are acting under a mistake. The road between the Royal Hotel to Read's gate is now, even m the present weather, all but impassable. Parts of it are positively dangerous. It will, after be after heavy, long-continued rains, be quite unfit for traffic, unless it be by double teams of bullocks, very lightly laden. Whether the Borough Council will be m funds, sufficient to make the road fit for traffic before winter, we are uot aware ; but assuredly something must be done, unless communication with the interior is to be cut off. There appears m our columns an advertisement from Mr. Winter, the County Engineer, calling for tenders for the conveyance of 50 tons rail iron from town to quarry ; and also for quarrying 1500 cubic yards of metal Messrs. Barry & Sons have undertaken to furnish supplies of pure water, m large or small quantities, delivered to any part of the town. They have possession of a spring, free from all pollutions, which is situated outside of the town. The water is clear as crystal, cold, almost as ice, soft and fit for all purposes. Mr. Jennings, whose shop adjoins that of Mr. Stubbs, receives orders. It will be seen on referring to our advertising columns that Mr. H. C. Wilson, of Naper, will arrive by the s.s. Rangatira, to-morrow morning. Mr. Wilson's speciality is that of dentistry. Some people excel m drawing deeds, others again m drawing wheelbarrows, m drawing the long bow, m drawing promissory notes and a host of other things, but Mr. Wilson confines himself to drawing teeth, and many of our readers would doubtless, if afforded the opportunity of so doing, join with us m testifying from experience that he is a master of his profession. All who wish to have troublesome teeth drawn, stopped, or otherwise improved, will do well to interview Mr. Wilson as early tomorrow morning as possible, as owing to pressure of business, he is compelled to return by the same steamer to-morrow afternoon. Mass was celebrated for the first time m the Roman Catholic Church yesterday, by the Rev. Father Chastagnon. The Rev. Father Claffey, from Napier, preached an eloquent sermon on the " 13irth of our Saviour," to a large congregation. He announced that Father Heneberry's misssion will commence on Wednesday evening next, at 7 o'clock. We beg to draw attention to an important sale of sheep, which are to be disposed of under the hammer to. morrow, by Messrs. Ferris and Pitt, at the Woolshed, Te Arai, under instructions from C. Evans. These- sheep are from the well-known flocks of Mr. J. R. Johnson, and comprise 2 and 4-tooth, half-bred ewes, fat ewes, full-mouthed ewes ; also fat and store wethers. On Thursday next, the same, firm will sell at Waerenga-a-hika, 150 head of mixed cattle, comprising cows, calves, yearlings, two-year-old steers and heifers, and three-year-oJd steers, from the statiou of Mr. William Cooper. We are requested particularly to call the attention of Volunteers to the notice m our advertising columns, and to remind them that the penalty of £5 for non-atten-dance to the call of the Inspector will be dealt out, irrespective of persons. The Albert Victor, with the firat shipment of the County rails, from Invercargill has left for this port. Fifteen days of her charter will be allowed here for discharging. Lightermen had better interview the County Clerk. Mr. J. Pickersgill, who has been so long and favorably known as the landlord of the Ferry Hotel, at the Big River, has, we read m our advertising columns, disposed of his business to Mr. William Durvill. Mr. Durvill announces through the same medium, that travellers will find accommodation at the Ferry Hotel, which we are quite sure will be the case if it be conducted as well as when the hotel waa under the management of Mr. Pickersgffl.

Messrs. Bourke and Fryer, under a distress warrant, will sell to-morrow, two splendid draught horses hi the estate of v. Turton and Breiugham. The native revolt m New Caledonia has been brought to a terrible conclusion. The savages have at length been starved out and mercilessly slaughtered by the French troops. From 500 to 600, it is estimated, have beeu fatally wounded, and have crawled into rooks and caves to die, whilst 200 taken prisoners have been deported to the Isle of Pines. Horrible accounts are given of cannibalism practised by the natives while they were without food. A young man who has for a long time been collecting alms under the pretence of being deaf and dumb, was arrested last night for sleeping m Coob's stables. He was found possessed of a post-office saving's bankjbook showing he had under an assumed name banked from 10a to 14s per day for some months past, as the result of his begging. Several witnesses said they had heard him speak. He was remaned. During a heavy thunderstorm at the Hakaia, Otago, last week, accompanied by heavy lightning it split up twenty-six chains of fencing and shattered a gate into shreds, scattering it m all directions. This happened not many yards from a dwellinghouse