LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1154, 22 October 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We received last evening by steamer the first instalment of our line of carrier pigeons, being a pair of magnificent birds — Berlin breed— coming from Mr. H. Brett, of the Auckland Star. These birds will be put in immediate training to fly between the Oil Springs and our office, by which any information of interest and importance will reach within 40 minutes after the pigeon has been started for home. We shall have birds for the East Coast and for bringing racing intelligence from all parts of the district where these are held. The following is a statement of the receipts and expenditure in connection with the late Ball, given by the members of the J Battery. The sale of tickets, realised £66 17s. 6d. The expenses incurred for band, supper, refreshments, and other outgoings, amounted to £39 2s. 6d leaving a balance of £27 15s. which has been handed to Mr. B. K. Brown, Hospital Treasurer. I Holders of tickets in Cameron's £6,000 1 sweep on the Melbourne Cup, having been anxiously awaiting the result of the drawing, which was to have taken place on the 20th instant. The local agents, Messrs. Ilatcliffe and Piesse, inform us that Mr. Cameron has wired them that the result will not be made known till the 27th, owing to delay in receipt of some of the returns from remote agencies. In issuing the new railway tariff, through some inadvertance, no special arrangement was made for newspapers, the result being that a small packet of journals would be charged more than their cost. When this being discovered some ontcry was raised in Auckland, but on representations bein" made to the Government, the previous arrangement with regard to newspapers was ordered to be reverted to. A most important alteration has been made in the Act affecting appraisements and valuations, and also seriously affecting appraisers and valuators. Section 7, provides that every apprasier shall make his valuations in writing within 14 days, "upon duly stamped material," under the liability of a penalty of £50 ; and. section S provides that all persons who shall pay any apprasier without seeing that the valuatiou is in writiDg and stamped, shall be liable to a penalty of £50. It will be seen that in matters of appraisement, care is necessary. An outrage of an exceptional character has apparently recently been perpetrated at the Maori burial ground at Te Ore Ore. We ( Wairarnpa Daily) understand that a native accidently noticed this week that someone had been digging about the graves. A further investigation showed other signs of destruction, and it is assumed that some European or Europeans have been violating a grave, with the object of obtaining greenstone ornaments. The Maoris are now holding meetings, with a view to the dis-' covery and punishment of the offender. They are naturally very excited and indignant at the insult offered to their cemetary, and we trust they will be successful in detecting the culprit. Since the above was in type, the police have visited the spot, and from their investigation are disposed to believe that it was probably a native who committed the oflence. One grave only was apparently dug out as far as the coffiD, but the latter was undisturbed. At present there is a good deal of mystery about the whole affair. Bishop Moorhouse, in a recent address, asked whether, if our politicians were guilty of unscrupulous conduct, it was the duty of the church to stand by. and say nothing, or to say that the church had nothing to do with it, as it was a matter for the State ? Was there one God for the State, and another for the Church ? Could a man lie and be unjust as a statesman, without being responsible to God for it ? He maintained not. If a man lied or cheated, no matter it what position of life he was, he committed sin, and it was the duty of the Chuurch to rebuke sin. Whenever the Church of Christ failed to lift up her voice she would fail to be of use, and the sooner she ended the better. God governed both the chnrch and the state, and offences against His commandment would bring their punishment whether committed by bodies or individuals.