LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 683, 24 April 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The half-yearly meeting of the Bank of New Zeadaud . was held this day at the offices of the Bank, Auckland, when a dividend of 10 per cent, was declared, with a bonus of 5 per cent, added. Beyond this, £25,000 was addedjto the reserve fund, and £9,700 carried forward to the credit of profit and loss, new account. We are informed that the Trustees m Thelwall and Co.'s estate, have accepted the tpnder of Mr Wm. Walsh for the Education reserves at Patutahi. ./ Theheit "quarterly meeting (this time - ecmivalbnt to the annual inepting), of the ,' sljfeensing Court fpivGisborne and Poverty Bay, is notified to take place ou the 3rd June; All applications for new licenses and for renewals must be lodged m duplicate on or before Monday, the 12th inst. Miss Jenny Nye will give an entertainment at the Masonic Hotel on Saturday evening. On this occasion Miss Nye will be assisted by several of our most favorite amateurs, vocal and instrumental. The programme has been very well selected, and will no doubt draw a good attendance. The Napier Board of Education has accepted Messrs Forbes and Skeet's tender for the enlargemeut of the Gisborne School House. • The sum of the successful tenderers is £685. The architect for the School Board is now m town, and nothing 'stands m the way to prevent the building being commenced forthwith. The Gisborne School, when completed, bear comparison wfth most others m the North Island. We notice that tenders are invited for the erection of a schoolmaster's residence at Matawhero. Tenders must be sent to the Education Board Office, Napier, on or before the 3rd proximo. A gentleman residing m Wellington was driving between Evans' Bay and Lyell's Bay a few days ago,' when he met some boys who were carrying a human skull. He stopped to question them, and they stated that they found it on the sand about 50 feet above high-water mark. The boys presented the skull to the gentleman referred to, and he brought it into town and placed it m his office, where it is now on view. The skull is evidently that of an elderly man, and has apparently been ex- ■ posed to the weather for some years. On the right side of the skull, which is m ] tolerably good condition, there is a ] " break," which is supposed to have been J occasioned by a blow. Competent judges < are of opinion that the skull is that of a < European. The skull is to be presented to < the Museum. _ One octogenarian died m New Zealand ( last month, a male aged 84, at Dunedin ; 1 also five septuagenarians, two having at- * tamed the age of 79. t

Private advices from Bristol via San Francisco say that, owing to the failure of the West of England Bank, a inn set m on one of the oldest banking establishments m that city. To meet the demands of depositors the managers telegraphed to the Bank of England, London, for £2,000,000 (two millions sterling). It was sent down by special train at a cost of £122. It was all gold coin, and weighed two tons. Of course confidence returned. The bank transacts its business as usual.

His Honor Mr, Justice Richmond possesses a considerable fund of humor. This morning, says Wednesday's Post, a juryman handed m a doctor's certificate to the effect that he was deaf. His Honor read the certificate, and then said, m a very low tone, " Well, Mr , if you are deaf, I suppose you couldn't hear the evidence, and I must discharge you." "Thank you, sir, " promptly responded the "deaf" man, and as he left the Court, Judge, sheriff, and counsel, smiled at each other.

The Otayo Daily Times contains the following : — A correspondent at Taranaki telegraphs that Mr. Mackay was sent from Auckland to supersede Major Brown, and that his appointment is attributed to Sir George Grey, who is believed to be at variance with the Native Minister. The settlers of Taranaki and Patea are prepared to back energetic measures, and are disappointed at hearing that since Sir George Grey's arrival m Wellington the advertisement of the sale of the Waimate has been ordered to be withdrawn.

Nine " violent " deaths occurred inthe Colony during the past month. These comprised one from "official strangulation " at the hands of the public executioner ; one suicide ; three from accidental drowning ; one from being run over by a railway engine ; one from poison ; one from burning ; and one of -a child overlaid by its mother.