LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 642, 5 March 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We are informed that Captain Gudgeon, H.M., will hold a Court at *Te Awanui on Thursday, the 10th April, and at Tokomaru and Tuparoa on succeeding days. The consecration of the Nesbitt Lodge of Freemasons, and the installation of officers, will take place m the Turanganui Lodge-room on Friday evening next, having been postponed from last night, m consequence of the illness of one of the Fast Masters. Certain persons of the Ngatiporou tribe are said to be endeavouring to sell land at Whangaparoa. This land undoubtedly belongs to the Whanau Apanui ; therefore Europeans will do well to abstain from any dealing with it.

An inquest to enquire into the cause of the late fire, will be held on Saturday next. The official engagements of the Coroner will not admit of his holding an investigation before that day. The twelve fire buckets, belonging to the Government buildiugs have been reduced to eight. Of these eight not one contains water to dash out an incipient flame. A fire broke out m a shed on Mr. McDonald's farm, the " Bungalow," between six and seven o'clock last evening. The shed, which was m the lower part of the farm, was burned to the ground ; and its contents completely destroyed, including a chaff-cutting machine, a quantity of harness, and other valuables. The fire is supposed to be the act of an incendiary, as no lights were m the shed, and no one lived m it. An enquiry is being instituted. The season appears to be opening early for feats of the light fantastic toe. A fancy costume (calico) ball will take place towards the end of the present month. Invitations have already been issued to the gentlemen. A great success is anticipated, and there will be much drawing upon the invention for diversity of costume, where the material to be used for outside wear is confined to Horrock's manufactures. Already it is proposed to get together another cricket team for England. The Australasian is of .opinion that it should consist of thirteen to be chosen from Evans, \D. Gregory, A. Bannerman, C. Bannerman, Massie, N. Thompson Spofforth, Sheridan, Murdock, Garrett and Tindall, New South Wales ; D. Campbell, Blackham, Tennent, Alexander, J. Slight, F. Baker, Allan, Boyle and Horan, Victoria ; Jarvis, South Australia ; and G. H. Bailey, Tasmania. Is it not possible that this sort of thing may be overdone. Whatever could the reporter of a southern contemporary have been thinking about when he penned the following remarks respecting a piece performed at a concert. He writes: — "The chorus 'Oh Hush Thee, My Babie,' was sung so naturally and the ladies looked so pretty and interesting, that it seemed as if ' future events were casting their shadows before them. 1 " We should imagine that the critic had to make himself scarce after his notice appeared. .