LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 2777, 16 June 1875, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Dbluge. — The I'.ev. Mr. Stewart, of Mai'ton, delivered a very interesting lecture on the above subject in the Presbyterian Church last evening. The attendance was, unfortunately, nob as numerous as could have been desired, Smash.- One of the large panes in Mr Jones' window collided with tlie foot <<f a carpenter who was engaged repairing the shutters of the shop, the result being that the glass succumbed to the pressure. Football. — A meeting was held last night at the Commercial Hotel, at which a number of the Club were present. The question to he decided was in reference to the despatch of a team to cross swords with Wellington. We were unable to ascertain what decision the meeting arrived at. Pkihoneh. — Last evening, by coach, constable Dmn'.Uy brought in from Palmers ton a rather notorious character named Patrick Gill, who has been adjudged a sentence of one calendar month with hard labour for certain misdemeanours of which he had been guilty. Pat will do his month in Wanyanni. Investments. — The sections shortly to be offered by Mr Freeman K. Jackson will afford some of the best opportunities to speculate judiciously that are often met with, {situation, extent, and terms are all favourable, the latter especially so, and persons who are anxions to secure a freehold should take advantage of the sale to purchase. The demand for such property is brisk at present, and we doubt not but that there will be a keen competition for every section. The Hospital. — A meeting of the comttiitteo was huid yesterday, and those present were intormed by Mr Pharazyn, that in all probability the work of erecting the proposed extentioti thereto could be proceeded with at once, Previous to tho commencement of the undertaking, the hospital surgeons will report as to the necessary apace required for the various compartments to be added, so that the plans may be dr<i.wn out accordingly. The matter will be submitted to the Council pro forma, and officially recommended and sanctioned by them. Mr Pharazyn will also endeavour to arrange that the necessary funds be p^c^d at the disposal of the Provincial Bub-Trea-surer, resident in Wanganui, in order that payment to the contractors may not be unuecessitrily delayed. It is satisfactory to learn that matters are in such a forward state so far as the progress of tliis work is concerned.

The Green-eyed Monstee. — A wahine belonging to an influential chief of Murimotujately discovered her lord in the act of lavishing endearments, displayed by word and manner, upon the better half of a I well known Wanganui warrior. Stealing stealthily upon her unsuspecting victim, who was reciprocating the illegitimate at-tachmt-nt of her truant lord, in an instant I she seized her rival by the hair, which soon ■ commenced to litter the room of the hotel !in which the affray took place. A jargon of I tongues formed a most appropriate accompaniment, during the performance of the little domestic comedy, which terminated when both were completely exhausted. ! The gushing rangatira disappeared abruptly in the early part of the engagement. ! Palmerston Railway Junction. — "Wo , ('llaugitikei Advocate') understand that i there is being signed at Pahnorsion a re- ' quisition to the Minister oi; Public Works, ! praying that the junction of the main lines j of railway may be in the centre of that township. The reqtrisitionists have, we believe, very good reasons for being sanguine as to the results. Accident. — The River Bank Road is becoming proverbial for the number of accidents which occur thereupon. On Monday a gentleman driving a buggy at a rapid pace came to grief some distance above Aramoho, through the horse and conveyance capsizing. No serious injury resulted, so far as we could acertiun. Who will be the next? Election. — A considerable number of persons who hold qualifications in Ward No. 2, Wanganui-Waitutara Highway District, left town this morning for the purpose of recording their votes in favour of one or other of the candidates, who are represented by Messrs Jas. Moore and John Handley. It is expected that there will be but a very I small majority for either party. I Police. — The two men of the police force whose manner of treating a drunken man necessitated their temporary suapenI sion have been reprimanded, fined, and re instated. The punishment would have been of a more severe nature had the fact, not been taken into consideration that both had but lately joined the force, and probably erred through ignorance of police duty. The River. — Mr Pharazyn has ordered a complete set of diving apparatus, by the use of which an examination of the river bed can be instituted in various places with a view to ascertain the nature of the formation, as a preliminary measure to commence dredging and deepening operations, which late, shipping detentions have proved are so urgently required. That Pesky Hound. — Dead men tell no tales, but the misdeeds of some dogs are not atoned for by their demise. To the truth of this assertion a certain licensed victualler in town can testify, as lie has been held responsible for the destructive propensities of a certain dorg now defunct, but the full tally of whose crimes has not yet been accounted for. What a treasure such a hound would prove were he to select a scabby flock. Over-loading. — We drew attention on a previous occasion to this feature, since when a series of severe gales has raged in the Sfciait and on the coast of the Middle Island, and several craft have foundered. There s now in the river a small ketch so deep in the water that it seems almost a mirae'e a similar fate did n^t overtake* 1 her. How iong before the Legislature wiil interfere and establish the necessary regulations? Dkink. — There is a remarkably severe, [ though evidently imconacimis commentary on the drinking habits cf society contained | in the following brief paragraph which appeared in the latest issue of our young Ran^itikei contemporary : — " Another case of death from excessive drinking is daily expected in Pahnerston." To make good his claim to the title of ' Manawatu Argus,' our contemporary keeps his hundred eyes upon that naturally highly-favoured country, but the result of his close observation is the sad record of repeated suicides caused by excessive drinking— and the business announcement of (.'fliers (1 daily expected." And yet, as if the facilities offered for procuring drink in these vety districts were not sufficiently widespread, the same issue of the journal to which we have referred, contains an attack on the Licensing Oominissiimers of the district for refusing to grant a license to a house at the Oroua Bridge, midway between Pahnerston and Foxton. Of course attention ought to be paid to the convenience of travellers, but if the price of their comfort is to be the demoralisation and death of the drink-en-slaved amongst the people, we would rather that they were compelled to suffer inconvenience. Deaths from Excessive Drinking. — Says the ' llaugitikei Advocate ' : " Palmerston is certainly earning a very undesirable notoriety, by reason of its deaths from excessive drin king. We learn that on Friday morning, two more bodies were found on the roadside, huddled together— that of a white man and Native woman. No further particulars are to hand than that they were found as described, about twenty chains below the Palmerston Hotel. We presume that an inquest will be held, a report of | which will appear in our next." And again, " In addition to that of the unfortunate man Nerrmann, another body, that of i a Maori named Kippia, was found on Sun--1 day morning near the Oroua Bridge. The same causes are supposed to have produced death in this, as in the former case— drink, and exposure to the inclemency of the weather, on that fearful night of the sth of June."