LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9345, 25 February 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Kjp San Francisco Mail. — The outgoing San Francisco Mail closes at the Wanganui office at 3.30 o'clock to-day. Copies of the Weekly Chronicle may be obtained ready for posting in time to be sent by the mail. The Weekly Chronicle is by far the best journal of the kind published in this part of the colony. Harvest Festival. — A Harvest Thanksgiving Festival — the first that has been held in Wanganui — will be celebrated in Christ Church this evening. The church will be decorated, and a full .choral service, as follows, will be gone through: — Opening hymn, 382; Psalms 65, 144, 147 ; Anthem, " Thou visitest the earth," Dr Greene ; Hymns 381, 383. The Rev. A. Twogood, of Marton, will officiate, and the service will commence at 7.30 o'clock. Town Ijiprovemeots. — The very necessary work of repairing the holes in the asphalt f oopaths is being proceeded with, and will soon be completed. The boards laid down to protect the new asphalt 'are a great nuisance to wayfarers after dark, but the thought of having the footpaths once more in a decent state of repair to some extent compensates for damaged toes. The forming of Taupo Quay was commenced at the Nixon-street corner yesterday.

Sir R. Douglas. — We are sorry to learn that Sir Robert Douglas has been lately suffering from rheumatic gout. Manawatu. — It is rumoured that Mr A. F. Halcombe will be nominated for Manawatu at the next general election. Marton. — Mr Jos. Chadwick sold a farm at Marton, containing 94f acres, at £6 5s per acre on Wednesday. E. and 0. A. Corporation.— The Advocate mentions that Mr Halcombe is likely to select his new block of land for the Emigrants' and Colonists' Aid Corporation in the Waikato district. Prison Labour. —We understand that a communication has been received from the Government with regard to the employment of the prisoners, and that an arrangement is likely to be come to for their services being utilised in the Borough. City Rifle Band. — This promising band has 'just received an addition to its stock of instruments, in the shape of three new cornets, with the latest improvements and of the very best make. A large parcel of new music, of a superior character, has also come to hand. Handicap Hurdles.— We would again remind sporting men that the general entries and nominations for this race, at the Wanganui Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, close at Mr J. W. Jackson's Pier Hotel to-night, when final payments will have to be ruade ( instead of at the post as heretofore. Musical.— Mr E. Ellery Gilbert, pianoforte tuner and l-epairer, who -has just arrived in town, intends to reside permanently in Wanganui and make occasional tours through the various iiountry districts. He has had a large amount of experience in every branch of the professions in Melbourne and elsewhere, and will no doubt satisfactorily perform any work entrusted to him. The Wool Sales.— The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency report under date, London, February 21 : — The wool sales progress firmly. Greasy and combing, washed, have each declined Id per lb since the close of last sales. Superior clothing washed and scoured crossbred have declined Id to 1£ per lb. Up to date 37,000 bales have been sold. Home buyers are purchasing freely, but the competition on the French account is sluggish. Ram Sale.— Mi- C. F. Barker will hold his annual Ram and Ewe Fair at his new yards at Patea, the first sale commencing 'to-morrow. The entries up to the present consist of 79 Lincoln rams, bred, by H. J. Hall, Esq., of Leeston, Canterbury ; 7 2-tooth longwoolled rams, 1000 full-mouthed longwoolled ewes, from H. Gaisford's, Esq., Napier ; 250 Lincoln ewes from Mr J. Handley's flock; and 400 fine crossbred ewes from Mr R. T. Southby. Assessment Court. — A sitting of the Assessment Court for the Wangaehu Highway District was held before Mr Hardcastle, at Kaitoke, yesterday. There were no objections to the valuations, but several applications for transfers and alterations, through properties having been disposed of, were heard. Mr Limton is to be congratulated upon the correctness of the values placed by him upon the properties in this district. Ruatangata Sale.— Excursion trains will run from Wanganui to Wangaehu on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 2nd, 4th, and sth of March, the days of Mr F. R. Jackson's great sale of the Ruatangata stock. The trains will leave Wanganui at 8.50 a.m., and return from Wangaehu at 4.50 p.m., and passengers can get on and off at the crossing near the entrance to the Ruatangata Estate. The fares are fixed at a low rate, return tickets being procurable at 4s for first-class, and 3s for second-class carriages. Property Tax. — The adjourned sitting of the Board of Reviewers under the Property Assessment Act, was held in the Rutland Chambers on Wednesday, to adjudicate upon Mr H. Churton's objection to the rating upon the Maori School property. The case was called, but appellant did not appear, and the valuation was upheld. The Court then adjourned sine die. The work of valuing has been very efficiently performed, the number of reductions allowed by the Board being very few. Wanganui Fire Brigade. — Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the Wanganui Fire Brigade held a dry practice last night with the 1000 feet of new hose recently obtained, from Melbourne. By attaching the end of the hose to the fire-plug at the bottom of the Avenue and running it out along theßridge,itwasfound that with one reel the Brigade can reach the Red Lion Hotel, and by using two reels they can command any part of Campbelltown. No. 3 Company held a wet practice in the Market Square. New Zealand Rifle Association. — The Wanganui representatives at the New Zealand Rifle Association's Annual Meeting left last evening for Nelson, by the p.s. Wallace. Their names are as follows : — Wanganui Rifles — Messrs Hughes, Remington, Nutsford, Foster, NeiU, and J. Armstrong. Alexandra Cavalry Troop — Messrs Sommerville, Littlewood, Stitt, Laird, D. Thurston, and W. Wisdom. City Rifles — Lieut. Pumell. Wairoa Light Horse — Messrs J. Thurston and D. Maclean. They are all well-known as capital marksmen, and will, no doubt, bring back a fair share of prize money. A large number of persons went down to the wharf Jto see them off. GRASS on Fire.— During the last few days fires, resulting in damage to fences, hay-stacks, &c, have been very prevalent. On Wednesday some grass in the neighbourhood of Tayforth became ignited by some means, and before it could be extinguished some very valuable fences were burnt, and the same evening the St. John's Toll-house had a very narrow escape from the same cause. But for the strenuous exertions of the neighbours there is very little doubt it would have been destroyed. During such weather as the present, when the grass is as dry as tinder, people should not attempt to burn rubbish without taking every precaution to render the spreading of the fire impossible, Boat-building. — We were yesterday favoured with an inspection of a new boat, which is in process of building by Mr George Cummins, to the order of the Wanganui Rowing Club. It is a coxwainless outrigged four, with patent swivel rowlocks. The shell is composed of £ of an inch Honduras mahogany, the ribs are ash, and i;KS seats, stretchers, and inside timbers are American pine, while the washboards are made of cedar. She is fitted with seats having a 21 inch slide, and is steered by an attachment leadihg-up to No. l's stretcher. Her dimensions are : — Length over all, 40 feet; beam, 20 inches; and depth, 12 inches. Her cut- water and sternpost are faced with brass, and the seats slide on steel rods. The workmanship throughout is excellent, and the model is said by experts to be superior to that of any of the imported boats. Mr Cummins deserves the greatest credit for the manner in which he has performed his work, and, when such boats can be built in Wanganui, we fail to see why the risk and expense of importing should be incurred by our local clubs. The W.R.C. ought to give a good account of themselves at the Regatta with this addition to their fleet,