LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 921, 14 October 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The wool season has fairly set m, and as the roads now are as good as can be expected after such a winter of rain, numerous drays laden with the golden fleece are daily arriving from the stations, giving a fair prospect of money coming into more active circulation from the sales or adfiances being made on it. The country is m splendid condition, aud the potatoes nipped by the late frosts are showing signs of recovery. , The Borough Council will hold its fortnightly meeting, m the Council Chamber, this evening, at the usual hour. We had understood that arrangements had been made by the business people of the Gladstone Road to secure the services of a watering cart, but as yet we have seen no -sign of one ; but we hav£ seen all the dust m full operation, which the movement was intended to keep m subjection. Twelve thousand pounds it is expected will reach Gisborne Sy to-morrow's steamer to be distributed among the Maories m payment of lands, the titles of which have been completed. The money cannot come too soon. It is wanted alike by the Maori and European. R. Beetham, Esq., formerly KM. at Napier, it is reported, is to supply Mr. Kenrick's place on the Gisborne bench. Those persons who are subscribers to,the Australian SketcJier will have from time to time seen a series of very clever sketches taken from Maori life. The drawings are at once truthful and spirited, and give to the stranger of Maoridom a very amusing and at the same time a very instructive insight into-ffMaori Jiife as \it is drawn by one who has seen it m all its various phases. The artist who Biakes- these admirable sketches is Sergeant Htjfddleston, of this town, who is drill instruct6r to the Volun-' teers, and is also conneoted with the office work of the Native Department If we* were to look forward for a year or two, we should we think tosee Sergeant Huddleston filling a very much higher sphere than that, honorable as it is, he is engaged m. The Hudson Surprise troupe will arrive here from Auckland to-morrow morning, and will open with a full programme at M 'Farlane s Hall to-morrow evening. The company have' been playing to orowded houses, and have met with most enthusiastic receptions. , ■ . It will be seen from a 'telegram received by us this day at noon, that the Maories charged with entering upon Bond's land, have been sentenced to doe day's imprisonment, and have been bound over to preserve the peace for six months. Referring to the .desire of the Bank of New Zealand to terminate the existing agreement with the Government the New Zealander says : — "The step taken by the Bank is solely owiflg to the fact that the terms' on whioh the agreement is based are not considered of a sufficiently remunerative character to the institution m question, as compared with the facilities and ad- I vantages afforded to the Colony by the existing arrangement. Though the step taken will not m any way affect the financial arrangements of the Government for the time being, nor for a period . of six months to come, yet it becomes imperative on the Legislature to deal with the question fully and carefully at its present sitting, as the matter is a most important one m connection with the financial arrangements of the Colony m time to come."

A creditor m a bankrupt estate was hailed the other day m the streets of Lawrence by the trustee m the* estate, and asked to call for his dividend. This_ (says the local paper) was a welcome invitation m these dull times, when the very colour of money is hardly to be seen. Our friend accompanied the trustee to his office, but we need not say his heart was not greatly rejoiced when a 2d stamp was proffered to him as his share of the estate. The captain of the ketch Clematis,, which arrived m Hokitika on the 6th inst., reports that when about 25 miles south- of Cape Foulwind, the vessel being hove-to m a gale of wind, at about 9 a.m. a heavy sea struck the ketch, and swept off the mate, Richard. Parris, a passenger named Stenhouse, and the captain's son, a lad seven years old. Stenhouse caught hold of a rope hanging over the side, and m doing so had to let go of the little boy, whom he was supporting at the time. Stenhouse was hauled on board but the lad sank and was seen no more. The ships m harbour hoisted the flags half-mast high, and much sympathy is expressed for the father. The London correspondent of the Auckland Evening Star sends to that paper an account of an interview he had with Sir Julius Yogel. Amongst other matters the correspondent asked the Agent-General his opinion on the aspect of native affairs m the colony. . Sir Julius Yogel replied promptly that he considered the Govern-, ment would act very foolishly if they allowed themselves to be led into a war with the natives. Every effort should be made to keep the peace, though the expenditure might be increased thereby. Every year there was less chance of collision with the natives. Persons living near the frontier were naturally inclined to aggression, but they ought to be restrained and all possible efforts made to conciliate the natives. ".What" said the Agent-General, "can repay us, or what would be a satisfactory revenge for a Maori raid m which the settlers' houses are burned, their wives violated, and wholesale murder committed ?" The same correspondent says that Sir Julius has become deaf, and this, m the opinion of some people, will prevent his taking a very active part m political life. An English paper says : — "An Essex labourer, working m the fields, hearing cries of * Murder' proceeding from a neighbouring cottage, left his work and' found a man being murdered by a lunatic, who was m his charge. The murder was prevented, but by rendering assistance the labourer absented himself from his work for one hour and a-half. For this, of course, he was summoned by his master, and the Mistley Bench decided that he must pay a fine of five shillings. It is really surprising on what trivial grounds people leave their work. We have heard of a man leaving turnip hoeing to jump into a river merely to save a life. In this case the surprise is that the miscreant should have escaped with a fine. We wonder they didn't make it penal servitude." Some of the insurance companies publish neat little almanacs, full of little stories showing the folly of non-insurers, and the liberality of the companies^ The following incident would appropriately fill an otherwise vacant corner m one of these valuable annuals : — Mrs. Mclntyre, the woman who saved a fire m Castlereagh-street, Sydney, and an insurance company over £1000, has been rewarded with 40s. In quenching the fire with counterpanes and blanketing, Mrs. Mclntyre was 26s out of pocket. If Mrs. Mclntyre lives long enough she will learn that " virtue is its own reward." A very curious way of administering justice is mentioned m the Oamaru Mail where- an old Resident Magistrate named Parker presides m the Lower Court. It appears that a plaintiff who was sueing for a Bmall amount was non-suited. Some hours afterwards a solicitor went to the Resident Magistrate and arguing the case over again, managed to get him to alter his decision m a totally different direction. In the absence and unbeknown to the defendant he entered another verdict, giving.the plaintiff, outside of the Court, judgment for his claim. The plaintiff securing, a distress warrant immediately had it served upon the astounded defendant ! Comment on such an outrageous way of doing things is utterly useless. An eminent American writer gives this advice, which people m electoral districts through New Zealand might very advantageously lay to heart : — "Politicians need not quarrel. Whoever quarrels with a man for his political opinion is himself denying the principles of freedom — freedom of thought, moral liberty, without which there is nothing m politics worth a groat ; it is therefore wrong upon principle. You have on this subject a right to your own opinions, so have others ; you have a right to ' convince them, if you can ; they have the same. Exercise your rights, but again I say don't quarrel." One of the most interesting and curious, perhaps, of the incidents m connection with the recent fire m Dunedin was .that related by Lieut. Oarmalt. He : stated that, m order to rescue two young women from the upper storey, a ladder was procured, but that on its being, placed against the building it was found to be too short. It was thereupon raised upon a stalwart constable's shoulder, but the young women could not be persuaded to descend until Carmalt had ascended some distance to demonstrate to them that the ladder was -perfectly -safe. Oa^eachmg the ground one of the girls, oblivious to the fearful death *fl*hich she -had so narrowly escaped, requested with charming naivete to be allowed to return for her clothes. '•One of the servants, m her evidence, told alse of a man who, while hanging to a window^ sill, Bhowered forth expletives more forcible than polite, beoause a ladder was not forthcoming ._to facilitate his. descent. Finally he dropped down, and on reaching the ground, asked with the most consummate coolness for a .light for his pipe, aud then deliberately walked away. He was a "shell-back," and haying served his apprenticeship to danger, probably did not see enough m the Catastrophe to disturb his ordinary disposition of cool indifference. A surgeon has published a treatise on i a method of curing *** port wine-marks." In many cases, probably, 'port wine marks could be effectually got rid of by simply leaving off port wine. Holloway's Pills.— -A certain cure for Headaches, Bile, Loss of Appetite, aud Lowness of Spirits.— These Pills can be taken without danger from wet oi cold, and requiries no interruption from business or pleasure. They act mildly on the bowels, strengthen the stomach, and promote a healthy action of the liver, whereby they purify the blood, cleanse the skin, brace the nerves, and invigorate tho whole system. They effect a truly wonderful change m a debilitated constitution, as they create a healthy appetite, correct indigestion, remove bile, giddiness, headache, and palpitation of the heart. _ Plain directions tor the use of this medicine, at once so mild and efficacious, are affixed to each box.