THE WAIRARAPA MERCURY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1870.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume IV, Issue 172, 5 January 1870, Page 2

THE WAIRARAPA MERCURY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1870.

Me. Davis’ Dissolving Views.— Mr. Davis from Wanganui, exhibited his series of dissolving views, &c., in the Hall, Greytown, on Monday and Tuesday nights. They con" B isted of scenes of the American War, pictures of the Japanese, &0., and also som® comic figures. On each occasion largo audiences attended, and testified by their applause their satisfaction at the entertainment. The scenes exhibited were more lifelike and real, than any we have hitherto seen of a similar character, and we should advise all who have not yet visited Mr. Davis, to take the opportunity either at Carterton tonight, or at Feathcrston to-morrow, which will conclude, we understand, his tour in this district. One figure of a man in the stocks, was with great tact said by Mr. Davis in introducing him to the audience, “The Wizard of the East as he ought to be ” —a statement which met with great applause from the sympathetic audience, nine-tenths of whom had been defrauded in the same room, only the previous week by Mr. Saunders. Altogether, tho exhibition is well worth seeing, and we hope the public will give Mr. Davis the encouragement his enterprise merits. Balbownie. —lt is not generally known that this horse that took tho cream of the prizes at the late Masterton races, was bred by W. H. Donald Esq., at Manaia. It is curious that he should be away so long, and then coming back to the ground where he was born should distance all competitors.

Boiling-down Establishments. The tenders for leasing the Wairarapa Boilingdown Establishment, were opened at the Tauherenikau, on Friday last. There not being a quorum of directors present, no decision was given, but at an adjourned meeting to be held to-morrow, the tenders will be gone through—in the meantime it would be premature to give the names and amounts mentioned in the tender^ Jockey Club Meeting.—ll o call our reader’s attention to the Jockey Club Mectat three o’clock on Saturday next, when we understand the programme for the next race meeting will be arranged. Accident.— On Sunday last, Mrs. Russell was thrown from her horse near Greytown, and broke her leg. She was at once taken to the Rising Sun Hotel, medical attendance procured, and she is getting on favorably. Her horse made back home—some short distance below Mr. Lucena’s—and greatly alarmed her relatives, who seeing her horse riderless, naturally concluded?she had come to grief in the rivers which were then flooded. Their fears were allayed on reaching Featherston. The Wizabd op the East.— We understand Mr. Saunders’has taken his departure northwards. Napier papers please copy. Fencing. —We have heard of a contract for putting up wire fencing being taken at 7s. 6d. per chain. The contractor to find posts and everything but wire and staples. Tbe loan of two bullock drays from the station being had gratuitously. The Advance op Civilization. —The last instance we have of the Maori copying hji s betters, is Wi Malmpuku referring all dunning creditors to “ my lawyer in Wellington.” Rivers. —The incessant rains we have lately had have caused heavy freshets in the rivers in all parts of the district. IICANGAHUA. —The erection of sheds at the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse’s for the boiling down apparatus (which, it is expected, will arrive in the Valley this week) is being proceeded with by Messrs. Baillie and Whybrow.

The New Stamp Act. —We notice that the Postmaster in Greytown has received a lot of stamped bills and acceptances which are rendered necessary by the Act that came into force on the Ist inst. The Stamp Act ha# often been found to be an obnoxious measure before, but never so much as the present arrangements make it. It is no joke now to make a mistake in filling up a form when perhaps it represents half-a-crown. Waibabapa Cavalry. —On the second day Mr. Rockel made the highest score, and so became the fortunate winner of the horse presented by R. Collins, Esq. The different scores made will appear in our next issue. R. M. Court.—At the R. M. Court, Featherston, yesterday, there were two cases Cox v. Transom and Ticehurst v. Smith : both were under Clause 7 of the Resident Magistrate Act, the former summoned and the latterarrested, but neither presented any feature of interest. Mr. Wardell said that the absence of any criminal charges after the Christina s and New Year holidays, spoke well for the inhabitants of the district. Sports.—Wo draw the attention of our readers to the advertisement of the Featherston Sports to celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of ( Wellington on the 22nd inst., the annual Sports at Masterton have been postponed, we understand, to Wednesday the 2nd proximo. The programme will probably appear in our next.