LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1386, 30 July 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. A. Y. Ross does not appear altogether in a favorable light with the public. He was employed by the Council as road overseer, or in a capacity of a like kind. He eees things done which should not have been done, or left undone what should have been done ; but he makes no complaint, uor prefers any charge, until some while after his services have boou dispensed with. His accusations of wrongdoings (if there had been any) should have been laid at the time, he made the discovery ; but he failed to do this, and therefore the charges lie has chosen to prefer must be received with considerable caution. The Council were desirous of knowing what was the precise nature of the offence of which Mr. Ross alleges their officer had committed, Mr. Roas states his readiness to explain matters, and invites the public to be present — a thing he had no right to do. The Council does not usually shut its doors against the public. When in committee it has the power to do so, and this right it exercised yesterday afternoon. Mr. Ross has now called a public meeting for this eveniug, in order to suable him to make bis statements. But, at the best, they will be no more than ejcpartc. Both sides will not be heard, and the discussion of only one side of the question will carry no weight, and will probably end in disorder. It will be remembered that the Council on previous occasions gave Mr. Ross full liberty to make his charges with the public present. On these occasions Mr. Ross refused to avail himself of the concession, and the Council, deciding that it would not submit to be played with, refused yesterday to givo Mr, Ross a public bearing, and proceeded with the investigation independent of him. the result of which appears in our columas.

Mr. Matthew Hall has played aa unpardonable hoax upon the reporter of this journal. He called at the office yesterday morning, his countenance radiant with smiles. He rubbed his hands in a manner aa if he were washing them with invisible soap in invisible water. He chuckled immensely. He said he had become the owner of a splendid horse, by Mauuka out of Kauri, own brother to Totara. He was a pure strain from the Kahikatea breed, and would compare favorably with the Oclabrated Ti-tree. Mr. Hall was going at great length into the pedigree of what ho callid the most magnificent animal in the colony, when he was stopped by the reporter mentioning that he should like to make a personal inspection. Here Mr.. Hall laughed a mysterious laugh, and saJfl, "Come along." And the reporter went ; when, to his disgust, the horse exhibited was a wooden horse made purposely to display the beauty and proportions of a set of harness which Mr. Hail had made to the order of Messrs. Kennedy & Bennett. Mr. Hall is scarcely likely to be able to delude his victim a second time with a pedigree concerning a wooden horse.

We are given to understand, in reference to the property purchased by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency from Mr. W. Adair, that the exact price per foot which was paid for it was £26 10s, and that the total of the consideration was £2,185, instead of £2,400, as previously stated. We omitted to mention yesterday, while on the subject of pupil teacher's examination, that James Haughey, of the Gisborne school, passed the first year's examination with credit, having scored 395 marks, as against 396 obtaiud by the first — a resident of Napier. Mr. Morgan the principal of the Gisborno school, under whose tuition all the pupil teachers in connection with the school were enabled to pass, is certainly deserving of compliment for the successful results, which have been achieved. We are requested to call attention to the alteration in the date of the Art Exhibition. The Committe think owing to bad weather and other causes, it is advisable to postpone the same to September. The departure of the a.s. Oreti, n posY poned till Monday next, at noon. Mr. Birch calls attention to the prizes to be given away for the highest score in any six shots at the match to be fired at his shooting gallery, commencing at 7.30. p.m. this Saturday evening. The prizes offered are a gun, valued at £3, and a handsome pip«. All ties are to be shot off. — [AdvL]