Local Intelligence.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 10, Issue 632, 1 August 1866, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

Wanganui Gaol.; —Return of prisoners ip the Wanganui Gaol for the week ending Saturday, July 28 . Under sentence of hard labour... 10. , Awaiting trial . ... v ,2 Total , ... ... ..... ... —l2 “ New Zealand Punch.” —W.e have re-, ceived lrom Canterbury, the first number of a' periodical so-called. It is a very wishywashy affair—rneither joke nor. earnest,' neither sense nor nonsense. The publisher had better wait until Momus or whatever other deity he means to invoke is propitious. Laying of the Telegraph Cable. — On Friday night this important operation for connecting the New Zealand islands was commenced. The s.s. Taranaki took the Weymouth in tow, the latter having the cable on board, the s.s. Sturt accompanying these vessels to pay out the shore ends. A rumour is in circulation to the effect that the cable lias broke We have learned no particulars, but if it is so, the case is one deeply to be regretted. Emphatic Announcement. —ln the c Inverness Courier,’ we observe the letter of an old jSoldier, a native of Ross-shire, who wks in the 42nd*. Regftpeiit driving the Crimean war. He 'sends the followlngtlrief bnt pithy despatch‘to his former lairtFanclP master: —“ Auckland, New Zealand, 4th Feb. 1866. Seaforth, Honoured Sir,— Since the departure of General Sir D. A. Cameron from this colony it has almost sunk to the very verge of hell itself. Excuse haste. Ever your Honour’s pbdt.:' aert., —: ———. ” We hope the writer• c6#j i fines his remarks to Auckland. " He had been under General Cameron in the Crimea. Native Submission.— lt is very pleasant to learn that, as time moves on, the necessity of any fighting with the disaffected natives becomes “small by degrees and beautifully less.” Latest accounts from Patea tell us of the submission of another lot of Hau Haris, and that the general disposition everywhere is for peace; ' Therebels have at last discovered that the power arrayed against them is too mighty to be coped with, and, naked arid famine-stricken, they yield to the force, of circumstances. They will find in so doing that they have made a wise choice, arid th.at the ■ utmost kindliness and forbearance will be extended towards them by the Colonial authorities. Major M‘Donnell is now at the scerie of action, and will no doubt exercise the large powers bestowed .upon him with a salutary discretion. Wanganui Bridge. *- We understand that Mr. Stephenson, engineer, has written to his Honor, the Superintendent, by last mail that, in pursuance of the instructions sent to him, he had prepared the requisite drawings and proceeded to seek tenders for the iron work of the Wanganui Bridge. He had not advertised for them, but had contented himself by applying to half-a-dozen leading English firms, believing this to be' a better plan than .throwing the matter open to general competition. Tenders were to be sent in to Mr. Stepenson’s office by the 7th June, and. he hoped to be able to announce the result to his Honor by next mail..

Wanganui Literary Society. —On Monday evening last the ureal weekly meeting of this society, was held, when the Grammar School :w as crowctedjhjr-jnembera. The President occupied theuhair, and after the ihiriutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, the consideration of a notice of motion made a fortnight previously by Mr. G. Taylor for the admission of ladies to the discussion, of the society was taken up. The subject was entered into .with great, spirit, by the irieetirig ; the 'motion having been supported by its mover and seconder was met by a direct negative, and afterwards by an amendment to the effect that the ladies be admitted on special occasions to be fixed by the Committee. Much eloquence was displayed pro and con. and ultimately the debate was adjourned for fourteen days. A very courteous offer of the Mechanics’ Institute for the meetings of the society was acknowledged with thanks, and the matter referred to the Committee. The “ literary” business of the evening was then proceeded with,, being an Essay on “Proverbs” by Mr. 0. Burnett. The manner in which the subject was treated elicited unqualified approval. The business for next evening was announced to bo a debate by Mr. H. Green and Mr. Geo. Beaven ; subject—“ Has Great: Britain attained to the;zenith of her greatness Dr; ' Feltheßston) And the ’ ; NATiyE^ % rr' The ‘ Wellington Independent”" says In the. papers laid on the table’of the. Assembly relative to the Manawatu Block, some very amusing incidents are described. Of the negotiations that led to the purchase the public generally have, from time to time, had particulars placed before them for perusal ; and we do not think that the narration of a few incidents that: occurred while the negotiations were carried on will now prove uninteresting. At a meeting at Maramaihoca (Rangitikei) on the 4th of last month, one of the chiefs, Wi Pukapuka referred to a caricature in which they (the chiefs) were represented as pigs. In reply, his Honor, said that he had something to say about the “pigs.” “ He'was aware that a caricature had been sent to them by an anonymous correspondent in Wellington, in which he arid Mr. Buller were represented as driving three pigs with men’s heads, Buppoßed to. represent the three tribes concerned in the dispute. They surely were not so foolish as to suppose that they were pigs because, some unknown person had chosen’ to call . them :so ? One . thing was very certain ; if they allow .themselves to be made pigs of, he was as much a pig "as any of them, inasmuch as he had made himself a patty to the whole transaction . 'After the threats they had been using it was pos-. sib}@ fibat* another caricature would be received representing himself and Mr. Buller with sheep’s heads, and the chiefs of the three tribes attempting tq firive them off the 1 md.”

DISTRICT COURT.-: This Court was opened here '.to-day by his Honor, C. R. D. Ward, Esq. • The Jury, -being sworn,: were Briefly addressed by his Honor, after which the case of James Stewart against Thomas Cluny for alleged- theft of S bank deposit receipt for £45 was called. ' nThe particulars were given in the ‘ Chronicle’ of 16th May last. The case was abandoned in consequence of the non attendance of the:prosecutor, who had left the country. ■

The next, and only other case wis that of Alexander M'Cannp contractor*'Wanganui, charged with embezzlement; ' It was at hearing when we went to;press.