MANDEVILLE AND RANGIORA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5552, 25 February 1886, Page 4

MANDEVILLE AND RANGIORA.

To-day the ratepayers of the Mandeville and Rangiora district are to choose their Licensing Committee. Since the famous Woodend Hotel case, the election in this district has been looked upon with much interest, and this year's contest is no exception in that direction. To-day the ballot papers bear the names of eight candidates, five of whom are the nominees of the Temperance party, and the remainder those of the Publicans' party. It is reported that one of the three latter isineligible on account of having an interest in premises where brewing is carried on, but the gentleman referred to declares that his connection with the premises is of so slight a nature that it does not come within the meaning of the Act, and therefere he will not withdraw his nomination. However, the Temperance party are determined that, should he be elected, his return shall not go unchallenged. As some people have an impressson that, should the Temperance people lose the day in this election, the Royal Hotel at Woodend will again receive a license, it may be pointed out that the result of the hist local option poll put it beyond the power of any Committee to grant a new license in the district. It is, perhaps, somewhat hard that the Duke of Edinburgh should be chaffed on his fiddling, at a time when, as we learn on high authority, Hie RDyal Highness, while supposed to be carrying on high jinks with a select shooting party at Eastwell,was in reality sitting with ashes on his head and sackcloth on his back, bemoaning the loss of dear old Mrs M'Boskey, his children'is Scotch nurse, But I have just come across a story so apropos that t must tell it. It seems that George 111., when Prince of Wales, desired to learn the violin, and engaged a preceptor. After some months of practice he enquired of the maestro what progress he had made. " Sir," said the Italian, "there are three kinds of violin players— those who cannot play at all, those whe play badly, and those who play well. Yom Royal Highness has arrived at the second [ stage." The Duke of Edinburgh arrived | there year 3 ago : and there he has re- : mained. | The new German war-ship Oldenburg, i which is nearly ready for launching, |is a broadside ship with ten lOin guns — five on each side, two above, and three below deck, but the whole five can be concentrated on the snme poini with sufficient force, it is estimated, tc disable even the strongest iron-clad. The displacement of the Oldenburg is 520 C tons, and her engines 8000 horso-power, enabling her to steam Id English miles an hour.