LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 651, 15 March 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Last night there was a crowded hall to witness " Our Boys," which was played m a style to reflect credit on any company which ever appeared m the New Zealand and Australian Colonies. This evening the comedy of "Checkmate" will bs played, to be followed by the burlesque extravaganza of " 111-treated II Travatore. " On the evening of .Monday (St. Patrick's Day) will be played by the Company the Hibernian Comedy of the "Registry Office," which is replete with fun and rollicking houmor, concluding with the comedy of "Our Boys."

About the time we are putting the Herald to press, two rather exciting events will be on the tapis. The first is where Mr. J. M. Frier undertakes to run Mr. J. Elder a race of 100 yards over four three-feet hurdles. Mr. Frier gives Mr. Elder 30 yards start ; but then it is to be understood that Mr. Frier runs with two legs, while Mr. Elder runs with with only one leg, a hospital surgeon some time back having claimed the other. The match is looked forward to with considerable interest. Mr. Elder (the one-legged) is confident he will win. Mr. Frier (the twolegged) is equally certain that Mr. Elder has fallen into a great mistake. The result will probably be known before the Herald reaches the hands of our readers. The second event is, where Mr. Frier races Mr. Maher 440 yards, the latter receiving from the former a start of 25 yards. The two matches are each for £5 a side. We have been shown this afternoon a very tine sample of rye grown by Mr. M. Hail, saddler, of Gisborne, on ground at the Waikanae. It will give splendid seed for next year, but whether the crop will be a payable one is somewhat doubtful. The poles, of which the scaffolding is constructed, for the pulling down of the brickwork of the Bank of New Zealand, evidences the fact, that no such straight tall, sapling timber, of young growth is to be found m any other part of New Zealand. Mr. Lurwell, Clerk of Works, informs us that he has never seen timber so straight, tough, and more easily handled as that which has been, employed for the workmen. The following telegram from Napier will greatly relieve the minds of the wives, sisters, aunts, neices, and relatives of those who left last night by the Pretty Jane: — " Arrived all safe. Comfortable passage. The cook refused to light the fire and prepare supper at 2 this morning. We only asked for stewed tripe, grilled chops, and. mashed potatoes. Will be reported to the owners. Engineer kept steam up below. Steam was also kept up m the saloon. Napier people glad to see us, and offered uu the odds on anything we liked to back. Every thing read for Monday and the grand events. Bookmakers m attendance. Great deal of talk about a dark horse for the principal event. Calcutta sweep on tonight. The magistrrte at Wellington has fined the owners of the Bonito for putting one of her crew m irons, saying that neither the owners nor the captain had the right to put a man m irons while m port. The will of the late W. B: Rhodes has been dircovered to be very defective m many particulars, and is likely to give rise to very peculiar l«gal complications,

There is an impecunious lot somewhere m Canterbury. The Press states that at an up-country school committee meeting the other day it was found that the Bank balance would not allow of the payment of an item 2s. for carriage of ink. One member suggested that as he had a threepennypiece, the others should contribute an equal amount towards liquidating the debt. A second member ventured to surmise that No. 1 must have had a good harvest.

The following good story is told by the Bay of Plenty Times : — "They shall spoil the Egyptians " was written long enough ago about the Hebrew race, but Egyptians are not Maories, and to judge from the following story are only about half as smart as Maories, or the prophet's speech would have been turned upside down. A few days ago an aboriginal brother met an Israelite to whom he owed a small account of £4 or £5. Having been duly bailed up by the descendant of the two tribes "who were not lost, " the aboriginal, who is really well off, requested his creditor to write out a cheque for the amount, to which he would attach his autograph, This was duly accomplished, the cheque signed, and transferred to the pocket of the representative of the chosen people, who duly "shouted," and each went their way. A short time afterwards, happening to meet a pakehaMaori friend, he told him that he had got his money from his dusky brother, and triumphantly produced his cheque m evidence, when it was discovered that the name at the bottom was represented by the two words " kapai tenei" (Anglice, this is good). The joke was good, and the effect on the recipient indescribable."

Typographical errors (says Lloyd's News) it is well known will creep into the most carefully printed works, but we were surprised to find it stated m the official list of awards made to British exhibitors at the Paris Exhibition, that it was "issued by order of His Royal Highness the Prince of Males !" This cannot be taken as a new French title for the Prince, seeing that the list is sent out by the "printers to the Queen's most excellent Majesty."

The Sydney Mail contains the following highly favorable reference to the hot springs of New Zealand : — " The mineral springs m New Zealand are undoubtedly among the formost wonders of the world, and their curative properties have been testified to by a host of persons who have benefitted by them."

A smart thing was done the other day by a bailiff. He wanted to serve a fraud summons on a disciple of Esculapius not one hundred miles away. To show himself would be of no avail, as his presence was objectionable, and always caused the gentleman wanted to make himself scarce, and " not at home." Stratagem had to be resorted to. The messenger bandaged a white cloth stained with blood around his face and head and Bought advice to the doctor. The medico, anxious to relieve suffering humanity, admitted the messenger to his surgery, where he was duly served with the summons and conveyance fee. The doctor, though a little bit put out at first, admitted that he had been " had this time."

The Auckland Herald understands that the crop of grass seed m the.Taranaki province this season m the largest and most successful ever known, and that the last two steamers of the Union Company — Wellington and Taiaroa — that called on their way South, took away over 300 sacks, • while the Wellington subsequently brought about 500 sacks for the Auckland market.

Anyone desirous of adding a piece de resistance to a private collection of oddities and notabilia can do so by an investment m Invercargill. The perquisites of the hangman who attended on Walsh, namely, the rope and strappings, are for sale m a store there.

Councillor Diver is not an adept at the descriptive. A few nights since he wanted to describe the condition of the footpaths m Wellington ward, which he did m this fashion, — " Our footpaths are pretty good, but they are very bad." Councillor Maginnity, who never loses an opportunity to get off one of his little jokes, replied — " Yes, you Worship, I think so neither." Councillor Logan, who has a soul above rhetoric, but possesses a good deal of sound common sense, is a trifle better at the descriptive than Councillor Diver. He described our footpaths a consisting of " a little concrete, a little asphalte, and a good deal of puddle."