LOCAL & GENERAL

Wairarapa Standard, Volume 2, Issue 112, 1 October 1873, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL

Masteeton School Hons*.—We have received a letter, on the above subject, signed “ Masterton Settler,” which, as the writer.haa omitted to furnish us with' his name, we cannot insert. . He states that the plans for the new school house give a schoolroom 26 feet xlB wide. The idea of a schoolroom this size for a,-place like Masterton is, so preposterous that we believe there must be some'-mistake in the matter, and that the plan sent up is intended as & design for the guidance of the local Committee, not in the matter of size, but merely with respect to arrangement. Eccentric as, the Board has 1 been in many of its actions, we do not credit it with the absurdity now attributed to it. Local Boaeds.— In addition to the Boards which have been established on the West Coast under the Local Boards Act we notice that another is about being established in the Kaiwarra district... The people in fact in most of the townships, other than those in the. Wairarapa, see the advantage of escaping from contributing rates to Highway Boards, and of possessing the local power of effecting those sanitary and other improvements which are necessary for the health, safety, or convenience of the mhabitarits. When will t lie same amount of public spirit■'•Jje exhibited here ? The election of Commissioners for the district of Kaiwarra is fixed for the 6th inst., and Mr. Alexander , Cameron has, been appointed Returning Officer. .. Highway Wabdenb. —The election of a Warden for Akitio Ward, vice Mr Reid ; of another to supply the place of Mr Uyniock, WhareamaWardj - and of another to supply theplaceof Mr Guttirie,'Tihui Ward, all in the Castle Ppii)t X)istriot, will hake place at each of the abave places,"oh’the 17th, 23rd, and 20th. days respectively of the present month, at Which ‘Mr William Everett will be the presiding officer.

' PeoTincial Rb venue.— The Provincial revenue for the June quarter amounted to the unusual and handsome sum of £44,245, and the Governifiant -pn the 30th of that month had a balance, in hand amounting to £21,231. This is lather different to what it was when the present Executive took office ; hnd though the change-may not all be due to the policy they have adopted, and the energy with which the'affairs-of the Province have on the. whoje, been administered, there can be no doubt that much of the present flourishing condition of the Provincial chest may be ascribed to the above causes.. Aet Union,— The , prizes for the Art Union which Comes off on Saturday next, are now on viewat the Foresters Arms, and are well worth a visit. . They .consist of really good' oil paintings, some capital oleographs, a quantity of engravings, and fancy at tides of every d.escriplion;v;- The oil paintings and oleogrnphs are well framed,.and wiU be prizes wqrthi. venturing for. As t;.e amount of the tickets is only 10s fid each, and as there are no .blanks but all prizes, they maybe expected to be rapicTy taken up. . • : N ational Insueance Co.—lt will be seen • ,by an advertisement that this Company, for which Messrs Johnston &. Co. aye agents, is now prepared to Effect insurances; ■ 1 ■ " Few Zealand Ison. r— A telegram from Meiboqrne States.thjit; anpthby.successfiil has been made at the Melbourne Rolling •Mills of Few-Zealand-iron. The quality of the metal is-said. to beiSplendid. This news, we think, is as any we have yet 'beeri able to' publish.-'.e'There .is ; a'- brightfuture for this' Colony yet;' whatever croakers may say on the matter.-\ : WO9L. —A telegfam from London, under date August 8, informs tis that good New Zealand combing r wopls command keen competition’! and'thaj greasy'cdmbing is also in great demand.- -Tbe: prioefl are said ;to be about the same as those Of Fehiuary, 11372. The William Tapscqtt - Case.— This extraordinary case, ;j»hiqh). has ) uxcjted; so much interest in .Wellington, and so much sympathy in favori-of-the three prisofaers, King, Lewis, and Fulton, was finally disposed of on Friday last, when judgment was given to the effect that the Court could see no ground: upon, which to release the prisoners, who were remanded beck to gaol until such time as they!can be fotwarded.to the United States for trial. ■ u, . . . . ■ ,1 ;

Steel and .leok Company. —We ars glad’ ‘to leapn that the contractor for the '.erection at New Plymouth of the blast- furnace for this company left Wellington for Taranaki on Thursday last, and we have no doubtithat if only- sufficient capital be forthcoming that at IgstUlle attempt to utilize, the stool sand which Tics in such abundance on the Taranaki Coast will be crowned with success, . •

Small: Pox. — The ship Bougies, . which! 1 arrived on Thursday last in Wellington ,f Harbor, has been placed in quarantine, there ' having been several cases eternal! pox and : scarlet fever oh hoard.; Shefhad ; on board 312 in families) 36 single men; and 40 single women, and is the largest and finest immi- { grant ship yet dispatched,' Pastoral AssooxatkA —The silver and bronze medals, ordereil some time ago in Melbourne for'the use of the Wairsrapa Pastoral Association have now been received. ’ Inspectob ob Schools.— The; Education Board has at length done what it, should have accomplished twelve months ago, viz., advertised for an Inspector of Schools. We are sorry that it _ somewhat, low salary, as we can Hardly expect a really competent man to undertake .the duties'at the amount of remuneration' offered b” the Board ; the only hope we have is that a qualified Inspector it in the | prospect of an increased salary after the first 1 year. -The salary offered is £450, from which must be travelling expenses, leaving only £3OO, which 1 will, we imagine, be considered a very small . inducement by anything like an able In-;

specter. | Hbbttown . Scj^ooii—-Ifri;: seemsi tpretty evident in spite of the nuinerous meetings held bn the question-of-a new site’ that the buildings will have to be erected oh the old ■ one. If they are put up,on the back part of the section and tHp present playground is boarded iri, drained;- the pre'•<ehf'si6e' VHII‘ nnWeP Middslras well as any that can be obtained, and in, course of time some land belongihgLto;the.Gtreytwwn Trustees . which adjoins the?sehoel.ucte could be addol to ft to eplarge {he playground. I ' i CABTEBXoa.-r-We- afe glnd to : notiee that a meeting,is .about, to he: held to„ establish a Foresters’ Court inCiirtfcrfon.’andtrustthatno ■ difficulty , will r.be exjtenieneed in’, getting ■ the requisite number .Of rocmbcrs'to start ■ it. , ,■ I ; HoeSb SHOW.f-We dxpebted to have been I enabled, to announce through our advertising columns .the day. fixedhfor tho iong. talked I of show of.entire horsei wliich it was intended; to hold in.the Wairampa.- , We. observe-that ; there were no less thamferty-nine entries for the show which took pjaee at; Christchurch on Saturday under the auspices of the Canterbury Agricultural and; Pastoral Association. ;■ . / ... Hoeticultue&l Show.—We still Continue .to receive enquiries whether there will be a show of. this kind, thia’.soason at G reytown. and whether the Agricultural Association

will take the matter up. We are.not in a position to answer either query, but so sure are we that such a allow would be self-sup-porting that we would: not object to incur .the risk of getting one up; provided only we could influence the .clerk of the weather to look favorably oh an effprt so well calculated to promote the Innocent enjoyment of the settlers cf the district, and to insure its material and social progress. We repeat that we Shall be happy to insert any communication bearing dn tiffs'subject with which we may bo favored. i Postage on Newspapers. —Tt appears from the report of the Postmaster-General that the half-penny newspaper stamp has not been taken that advantage of as wis anticipated. The truth is the revenue from this impolitic impost is ifbt equivalent to the trouble, annoyance, and -mischief, which it occasions. If a truly national public opinion and a really united colony are desired the Government will not allow the present session to close without abolishing this improlifio and unwarrantable ;tax. . We notice that Jin New South Wales a Newspaper Postage Abolition Bill has been wisely passed. . '