LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume 5, Issue 412, 11 April 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Bank of New Zealand closes on Good Friday, Saturday, and Easter Monday. We learn that even the Waihenga settle rs are dissatisfied with the recent mail changes and that the Chief Postmaster has become a butt for execration throughout the district. Yesterday the Provincial Engineer and the Waiohine Board of Conservators wore to have inspected the river, but owing to a fresh it was decided to defer the trip up the river till this morning.

A gross error occurred in correcting the proof of our last leader. For United States at the commencement of the article, read United Kingdom. To-morrow evening the Town Hall, Grey' town is to be the place of skulls which will be manipulated by the well known phrenologist, Dr Carr. We are convinced that there are craniums in the township which are well worthy of examination, and we look forward with interest to the seance on this occasion.

The News says:—Several gentlemen have combined to form a club in Masterton having for its object the destruction of rabbits. It will combine amusement with utility in assisting to abate the rabbit nuisance. We understand that the “ Babbit Club” has sent to Melbourne for four greyhounds.

Mr H. Lucas sale of a town acre at Carterton on Wednesday next will not take place, the property having been privately disposed of. Mr R. Lucas will sell to morrow at 12 o’clock noon the remainder of Mr Rc rans’ stores consisting of clothing, ironmongery, crockery &c. &c. On Saturday last the business of the Nativ® Land Court which consisted of a number of succession claims was concluded at Greytown and the Coert adjourned. Judging from the cheerful and animated demeanour of the natives assent pled the feeling of joy in succession was more predominant in their minds than that of vain regrets over deceased relatives.

A frightful accident in a saw-mill is re ported in the Re; digo Advertiser. It says:— A man named Ewart was working at one of the circular saws, cutting up timber, and when in the act of shifting the belt on the drum ( for the purpose of stopping the saw, we presume), his fingers got entangled in the belt or rope, and before he could realise his predicament he was jerked off his feet, and carried up with a cruel velocity. The rope by some mischance got round his neck, and in a minute more his head might have been torn from the shoulders but for the timely stoppage of the machinery by one of the men who witnessed the appalling occurranee. He was dreadfully mutilated, but not killed. The Star thus comments on Sir Julius Vogel’s insinuation that Sir G. Grey is losing popularity:—“ This insinuation is quite current at Wellington, and has had admission into Government papers. To anyone in Auckland we need not give such insinuation con tradiction flat. Never in his life was our Superintendent so esteemed and respected as at the present hour. He is in the very zenith ot his popularity, and the coarse insolence which he is at present enduitng at the hands of jumpedup Ministers, who are not worthy to wipe his boots, serves but to rally around him an enthusiasm which, if put to the test (and who can tell what is coming), may cause some astonishment. We had indeed thought that Sir Julius Vogel on his return would have shown himself superior to the paltry tactics of his confessedly inferior colleagues, but the conjunction ot great elevation and low origin has asserted itself, and the newly-made knight cannot resist the unwonted temptation of having a man of the distinction of Sir George Grey to snub.” The following letter addressed to Mr RWakelin, dated Superintendent’s office Weilington, April 7, 1876, was received on Saturday. A letter of a similar import, v/e understand, was also received by Mr Case!berg, Mr W. Anderson, and probably by others :—“ Sir, —I have tbe honor to inform you that I have received a declaration from Mr Tuliy. the returning officer for the election of five settlers to represent the Greytown Local Board, held on tbe 7th of April, 1874, that no Commissioners were elected. In reply I have the honor to inform you that the opinion of the Provincial Solicitor is that the new Board must now be appointed by tbe Superintendent under the provisions of tbe Local Boards Act. I should therefore be glad if the ratepayers of Greytown would express an opinion at a public meeting, duly advertised, as to the gentlemen who should be appointed to compose the Board. On receipt of the names of tbe gentlemen who moy be chosen, I shall be prepared to consider the names, and if satisfied to make the appointment, and the Board so chosen and appointed will, in the opinion of the Provincial Solicitor, be legally constituted. I have, Ac., —William Fitzhebbebt, Superintendent.” Agreeably with the above suggestion a meeting of ratepayers has been convened at the Town Hall, Greytown, for Tuesday evening next, at half past six o’clock, for the purpose of nominating and recommending to the Superintendent five fit and proper persons as Commissioners for the Greytown Local Board. We shall have something i more to say on tbe subject in our next. I

Wo have received, too late for our present J issue, an interesting report of Dr Carr s lee* | ture on the soul at Mnstcrton. The following tenders were received for building the Odd Fellows’ Hall at Fcathcrston D. Cadenhccd £4OO, accepted. A. R. Wallis £ tSO, declined ; Leadon, Donald A Boyd £487 17s Cd, declined Last week we noticed nine of the finest Romney Marsh rams which we have ever seen passing through Grcytown en route for Mr Biaithwaite’s station at Waihakcke. Wo understand that thev were bred at the Hutt I and are, for size of frame and closeness of wool, about the best specimens of the breed ' ever introduced into the Wairarapa. A Mr Frederic Olsen of Kaiwaiwai in riding round a sharp corner at the junction of No. 1 line and the Kaiwaiwai road came to grief yesterday. Ilia horse fell with him, and the rider sustained a fracture of one of his legs. The sufferer was promptly conveyed to the Wairarapa Hospital, when the broken limb was set by Dr Spratt. There is now in the Hospital, a Mr Fulcher from Mastcrton, who is suffering from internal inflamation, and who, in spite of the unremitting attention of the medical attendants of the institution is sinking rapidly, and is not expected to outlive the day. The Rangitikei Advocate publishes the census of the Manchester Block. From this we learn that on the 31st December, 1875.there were at Fielding 449 males and 429 females ; at Halcombe 38 males and 2 females ; and elsewhere 39 males and 25 females, making a total of 576 males and 456 females, or a grand total of 1,032. These are all bona fide residents. Had the floating population been included, it is estimated that the grand total would be increased by 300. The totals, we may remark, include children, of whom there are 425—namely, 209 males and 216 females.

A serious fire occurred in Featherston last Friday morning. At half past six Mr Anderson, when going to his stables to feed his horses, discovered a fire on the top of a lot of hay. The alarm was given and in a short time there were at least fifty men on the spot; but the fire had got such a strong hold that it was impossible to stop it. The whole of the stables and large goods shed were destroyed. Fences and outbuildings were pulled down and wet blankets placed over the surrounding luildings. Nothing but the active exertions of the neighbors, and the morning being quite calm, saved Faber's hotel and Anderson’s store, and if they had caught the whole of the street mpst have gone. Barlow’s circus, which is now at Carterton, is doing very well in the Wairarapa. The marquee is large and roomy, Jio arrangements respecting seats, &c., are good, and the programme varied. There is a considera* ble number of trained dogs attached to the circus, whose performances are almost marvcllous. The performing monkeys are also interesting. Three handsome and admirably trained ponies go through a number of clover tricks. Athletic feats, aided by the quips and Jest of the conventional clown, go to make up the evenings amusement. Altogether the performance is a great treat lor young people, and in many instances we observed that older persons appeared equally to enjoy themselves. Since the Gourlay Family visited us some years ago, we have never seen a troupe with equal talent till last Saturday evening, when we had the pleasure of having the Wheeler Star Comedy Troupe. The entertainment of the latter strongly reminded ns of the former n ith this difference that the one represented Scotch characters while the other reproduces Irish traits. Both however are genuine entertainments, in which there is nothing vulgar or sensational and in those claptrap days it is an unusual treat to obtain an opportunity of witnessing, in a country district like ours, a performance of so admirable and unexceptionable a nature. Mr Ben Wheeler both in singing and acting is extremely amusing, and possesses the rare advantage of being comic without being coarse. Master Bennie has a nice voice and is a clever mimic, while Miss Elsie de Courcy is a charming young lady who acts in a pleasing and ladylike manner, and possesses a very beautiful voice. Spite of the counter attraction of the circus, the Wheeler troupe were well patronized both on Saturday and last evening, and of those who attended the performatce the verdict was unanimous,one and all expressing satisfaction with the treat which had been enjoyed. This evening the troupe appears at Carterton.and on Thursday evening at Masterton Our local amateur Christies would do well to study Master Bennie’s Negro delineations which are extremely clever. It was significant that the Wheeler troupe Lad a larger house on the second night than on the first and yet on the latter evening the weather was execrable and it was almost suicidal for people to turn out. The attraction at tho hall was too strong and settlers went “ weather or no.” We learn from a correspondent that at a meeting held at Gladstone on the 25th ult., to consider tho desirability of joining the Taralahi Highway District, Mr H. K. Bunny took the chair, on the motion of Mr Buck, seconded by Mr Catt. Mr G. Buck addressed the meeting at some length on the jnjustico which the district sufferred at the hands of tho Masterton Highway Board. A resolution was carried, on the motion of Mr Kemble, seconded by Mr Yile, “ That this meeting considers it desnable that No 4 Ward of the Masterton Highway Board separates from it and join the TaratahUCarterton, district.” Mr Kemble spoke in support of the resolution, giving many reasons in favor of it. Mr Buchanan opposed the resolution, objecting to small Boards like the Tarata.,i-Oarterton one, and giving bis experience of them in the other Island. Mr J. Yile replied to Mr Buchanan, and objected to his remarks on the Taratahi-Caiterton Board, and instanced as a sign of tho satisfactory manner in which it worked that while it had spent over £9OO on roods, the working expences of the Board only amounted to £2B 7s. He thought that if Mr Buchanan compared tta result with 1 that of the Masterton Board he would be convinced of the superiority of tho smaller Board. Mr Buchanan said he thought the Taratahi-Carterton Board ought to be proud of such a champion as Mr Yile. A committee was appointed to take the necessary steps to carry out the resolution, consisting of Messrs H. K. Bunny, Kemble, and Vile, and the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.