LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 630, 19 February 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of the members of the Cook County Council will be held on Friday evening, when much important business will be brought on. Several large tenders for public works will be opened and decided on. On Friday afternoon, the conference committee of the Borough Council will meet County Councillors re rails for the tramway. Both meetings are important, and a punctual attendance of the several members is expected. Mr. Adams' temporary shop, completed last night, was opened for business this morning. Mr. Good's shop, which adjoins, will be finished to-morrow and will open on Friday. Mr. Vaughan's temporary bar and parlor will commence trade tomorrow morning. The building is small, but all that could be conveniently accomplished for the accommodation of the public has been done. Father Hennebery closed his mission last evening in the Roman Catholic Church. The building was crowded, there being the largest congiegation that has yet attended the mission. The service was consecrated to every person present of the Roman Catholic persuasion renewing their Baptismal vows and profession of faith. The ceremony was an impressive one, and there was a large number of persons rose in response to the rev. Missionary's call. Each member of the faith held a lighted candle in their hand. At the close of the ceremonj the candles were extinguished and handed to the receiving Priest as offerings. At the conclusion of the service, the Rev. Father Chastagnon addressed a few remarks to those present. He said that Father Hennebery would not only carry away with him the the good wishes of the Roman Catholic, but those of other faiths. The mission closed with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Mr. W. Good has announced his intention of disposing, after the manner of Art Union, £200 worth of his valuable stock, which was saved from his premises at the late fire. We have inspected the articles, and can pronounce the value of them as fully equal to the amount set down against each. The first prize will consist of. a gold hunting lever watch with locket and chain, valued at £30. The other prizes gradate to articles of lesser value, but, all of their kind, iutrinsically good. The drawing will take place in a few days at Mr. Page's Masonic Hotel. We hope to see the tickets in good demand. Those who know the circumstances under which the drawing is to held, will feel it something like a duty to take a share in the risk, which, however, has very little risk about it, considering the number and value of prizes to be offered. This morning the Bay presented a very lively and somewhat exciting appearance. There was the Hawea lying off, the captain something more than impatient to get discharged, in order to steam for the wreck of the Taupo, to render assistance. Long before her arrival from Napier, there were the steam launch Noko, and the cutter Whau waiting outside to take in cargo for this port. There was the Pearl, the Wahapu and Clara astern of the Albert Victor waiting to take in iron rails for our tramway. The Rosina, from the Coast, was lying not far away ; and altogether the sight was one in our quite harbor the eye is not accustomed to rest on. Many people were down on the beach to look at the cheering scene which preseuted itself. There was a heavy roll of sea coming in, which prevented, the Albert Victor at the time discharging cargo, and the same roll kept the various crafts lively upon the water. At 9. 30. a shift of wind enabled the lighters to go alongside the Victor, and to take in the iron. While we have to regret the absence of of Mr. E. ff. Ward, junior, it it satisfactory to know the large and important business of the firm will be conducted by Mr. E. ff. Ward, senior, who, we are pleased to learn, intends to remain permanently in our midst. Mr. Ward was for a long time Registrar of the Supreme Court of Otago previous to which he ranked high among the leading solicitors and barristers of Dnnedin. We accord Mr. Ward a hearty welcome, believing that he will be found a great acquistion to the community. The Good Templars' Hall, which adjoins the Wesleyan Church, having been found much too small for the continually increasing number of members, has lately been considerably enlarged. The enlargements and improvements having been completed, the brotherhood of the Pioneer Lodge of Good Templars, will meet in the Hall on Monday evening next for the first time since the alterations. The Hall is now admirably adapted for the holding of entertainments, concerts, or social gatherings. The disaster that has overtaken the 24th Regiment at Natal is the second occasion on which that gallant regiment has been cut to pieces in defence of its colors, which in each case has been lost. The first time was at the battle of Chillianwallah, when two-thirds of the regiment fell, and the colors seized by the Sikhs. They have got into the hands of a less worthy enemy now, but no dishonor attaches to the regiment. The natives of Rotorua have erected a monster flagstaff, in two parts, like the masts of a ship, with a cross-yard. It is carved the whole way up, each face having on it about twelve figures of that grotesque design peculiar to Maori carvings, the heads being nearly all at right-angles to their bodies, It is painted or stained a bright red, and is surmounted by a fero-cious-looking carved head, all eyes and teeth, with a mop of feathers. At the base is set a figure nearly life-size, with a Jewish caste of features, and carved all over to represent tattoo markings. It is painted red and white. The yard is red, and has eight carved heads on it. A platform is being built round the base, and the topmast is only raised on particular occasions. The Maoris attach special importance to it, and Bay it inaugurates a new era, when they will take the management of all lands into their own hands.

Says the Dunedin Evening Star : — Just before the Resident Magistrate's Court rose last evening, Mr. Bathgate, in reserving judgment in Largrie v. Hayes expressed the opinion that the defendant's conduct was "shady." This brought Mr. Howorth to his feet, who, in justice to his client, submitted that the remark was not justifiable. His Worship replied that he would not hear the learned counsel, whereupon the latter, throwing on the table two large law-books, from which he had been quoting, said, "If I never come into this Court again I denounce the justice of the remarks of the Bench. Your Worship may decide what you like — ." What looked very much like au approach to a "scene" was abruptly ended by the constable in attendance hastily announcing the adjournment of the Court. A meeting of the committee of the New Zealand Rifle Association was held in Wellington a few nights ago, when prize lists for the forthcoming meeting at Bridgewater, near Nelson, were arranged. The firing is to commence on the 3rd March. Sixteen matches in all have been specified, and prizes ranging in value from £25 to £75 have been allotted to the different matches, the large sum of £600 being the total amount to be distributed in prizes. In addition to this the champion belt for the best rifle shot will be again open for competition, as well as the champion belt for the most successful' scorer among the carbine competitiors. The conditions attached to these belts are as follows : — They become the property of the winner if he succeeds in winning them either in two consecutive years, or if he succeeds in winning them three times at intervals during a term of years. The present holder of the champion rifle belt is Mr. Painter, we believe, and as he is a Nelson man it is not likely that he may succeed in securing the trophy, as a knowledge of the range is generally considered to be a great help to a competitor. In addition to the above prizes a large number of cups and other pieces of plate are sure to be presented by private individuals and firms, so that the support given to the meeting and the inducement held out to competitors is almost sure to secure a good meeting. The entrance fees for competitors are very small, being only 5s and 2s 6d, and in the Consolation Match the entrance is free. A new bracelet, outwardly of a most chaste, innocent, and beautiful design, but inwardly ravening wolf, has just been invented and thrown on market. It has a wicked little secret spring that reaches out and nips a fellow by the cuff the moment he touches it, and holds him there until "pa" can come into the parlor, and gaziug sternly upon the affectionate and perturbed tableau, demands of the young man what are his intentions.