LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9660, 15 June 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Rifles. — The usual weekly parade of the s Wanganui Eifles will be held at the Drill Hall at 7.30 o'clock this evening. Parliamentary Leader. — The Hon Mr Bolleston acts aa leader of the House of Representatives during the absence of the Hou Major Atkinßon. The late Robert Oalman. — The funeral of the late Mr R. Calraon took place yesterday afternoon, and was followed by a large number of persons. .School Committee. — Tho monthly meeting of the Wanganui School Committee will be held at Mr J. J. Crawford's offices at 4 o'clock this afternoon. TakanAki High School. — The chairman of the Tarauaki Education ooard has been instructed to write to the membars for Now Plymouth and Taranaki re High School endowments. Egmont Nursery Produce. — Mr E. N. Liffitoh held a very successful sale of fruit, forest, and ornamental trees, &c, at Mr J. Laird's seed warehouse, yesterday, all the lots offered being disposed of at satisfactory prices. Railway Time-table. — A new timetable for this district has just been issued. It will appear in our advertising columns in a few days. The principal alteration is in the hour of departure of the morning train from Wanganui.. Life Assurance. — In 1879 the late Mr R. Caiman took out a policy of life assurance in the Australian iMutual Provident Society ■ for £300. This amount will now, therefore, shortly be paid over by Mr J. P. Watt, the Wanganui agent of the society, to Mr Caiman's relatives. A. and P. Association. — The-sub-committee appointed.by this association completed their labours in connection with the consideration of the Sheep Act yesterday afternoon, and have prepared a report for submission to the next general meeting of the association, to be held on Wednesday, the sth July. Shop Improvements. — Finding himself very much confined for shop'space, Mr H. B. Williamson, chemist, has decided on enlarging bis premises and throwing into the shop the whole^of his down-stair room. This will give accommodation something like adeqjiate to the requirements of Mr Williamson's extensive business. ,'; TheOsprey. — Mr A. Barns submitted for sale at Betts' Wharf yesterday the paddle steamer Osprey, 28 tonsTegister, and 15 horse power. The bidding was started at £40, and, there being- no reserve, the steamer was knocked down to Mr J. J. Crawford for £55. We .understand that immediately after the sale Mr Crawford parted with his purchase at an advance of £o, \ Meeting of Creditors. — The meeting of the creditors in the estate of Samuel Lay ton Roberts, calledf |by advertisement for yesterday morning, to consider the bankrupt's application for his immediate discharge, lapsed^ as the only person other than the debtor who put in an appearance was Mr J. J. JCrawford, the Wanganui trustee in the. estate. Football. — An alphabetical "match has beon arranged to take place' on""th e recreation reserve on Saturday afternoon, play to begin punctually at three o'clock. The following are tho names of the players : — Vto H : Alexander, Allison, Aiken, Barton (2), 8011, Blyth, Barr, Clifford, Craig, Goakloy, Oopelaud, Greenwood, Gray, Gower, Hackett, Hassell. Lto L : Lockett, Lomax, Lundon, Moore, Montgomery, Mitchell, Powell, Smith (3),.Stewart;J3im, Thomson, To wnseud, Welsh. E.M. Court. — At this court yesterday, before R. Ward, Esq., B.M , two men of advanced nge and hoary hairs appeared to answer to charges of drunkenness. Both of them bad been previously convicted within tha past six months, but as one of them, named Arthur Lonnox, had only beon a short time out of gaol, his Worship inflicted a fine of 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment in his case, and a fine of ss, or 24 hours' imprisonment, in the case of Joseph Watts, whose previous conviction was in December last. Fike Brigade. — At their meeting last evening the fire brigade decided to order, through Messrs Thain and Co., fifty helmets after tho pattern of those worn by the London Salvage Corps, which are lighter in weight aud more comfortable in shape,besides affording greater protection to the head and neck, than those hitherto worn by the local brigade A brcoehiug coupling, to lead two.' lines of hose into one, more especially for use in Ctunpbclltowu, will also bo ordered. The order will bo despatched by the outgoing mail, and it is expected that the helmets will arrivo in December next. Change of Procedure.— Under the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Act it has hitherto beon customax-y, in the 1 case of judgment debtors sent to prison in default of payment, for the clerk of the court to issue a certificate for the debtor's release on his filing a declaration of insolvency. This course has not boon followed in the eases of Henare and Atopeta Haeretuterangi, judgment debtors against whom Messrs McDonnell and Brassey recently obtained immediate orders for payment of their claims for large amounts. The clerk of the court, finding that District Judge Harvey had ruled (in a case reported some timo ago in tho New Zealand Jurist,) that the rule of court allowing tho release of a debtor under the certificate of the clerk of the court was ultra vires, refused to issue a certificate, and application was therefore made to the court yesterday afternoon, by Mr Hutchison, on behalf of Mr M. V. Hodge, for an order for the release of the debtors, on the ground that, having filed a declaration of insolvency, they were unable to meet tho demands of the judgment creditors. Mr Barnicoat opposed the application, on various grounds, but principally on the ground that there was nothing whatever to show that tho debtors were insolvent, or that they had filed for any other roason than to obtain their release. ■ His Worship approved of Mr Woon's action iv declining to accept tho responsibility of granting a certificate. Ho agreed with Mr Hutchison, that the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Act did not contemplate a debtor being kept in prison when ho had not the wherewithal to pay his debt. He would therefore grant an order for the release of the debtors on the certificate of the clerk of the court. That the machinery of the court should have to be put in motion to enable that to be done which has hitherto beon done by the clork of the court on application, seems rather a pity, more especially when there is apparently no discretion with the court as to granting or refusing the order, in case tho debtor has filed.

Optjnake.— The daily mail servioe between Hawe'ra and Opunake was resumed on- Monday last. Missing. — Mr Marchant,: of Waverley, who has been ailing some time* disappeared suddenly oh -.Saturday morning, and has not since. been heard of. Search parties have been diligently scouring the district, but without success. The Violin. — The popularity of the violin among the labouring classes of England was recently shown by the attendance of over 400 applicants for instruction at the recent opening of the " penny violin classes " at Birmingham. Only a penny a lesson is charged, the instruction being given in large classes. Convicts' Civil Rights. — The Public Offenders Disqualification Act Amend'nient Bill, introduced by Mr Levestain, provides that persons who have been convicted of felonies — not being capital crimes — and have suffered the punishment to which they were" sentenoed, shall be restored to full civil rights at the expiration of their sentences. Sib George Gkey. — The Parliamentary correspondent of the Taranaki Herald says : — There is no doubt that Sir George Grey is gaining ground in the House. He has about smashed up the Opposition, and- his style of debate is not this session of a personal or aggressive character. He no doubt takes an advanced position as the leader of popular questions, and will thus secure strength in the country, if he cannot obtain a majority in the House. Maebiage in High .Lim-^-We clip the following from the Te Aroha (Upper Thames) Mail : —Mr Daniel Morgan, son of the old chief Mokena, the lord of the soil at this place, returned on Wednesday from a visit to the north, where he had been to carry off the young and lovely daughter of the late Mr Joseph' Cook, storekeeper, of the 1 Bay. '"- The couple were made happy by the Eegistrar at the Thames on the 30th ult., and left for' Te Aroha the same day, in the steamer Te Aroha. ClßOxrs. — The Royal Australian Circus gave another performance to a crowded house on the reclaimed land last evening, when the acrobatic feats" of the Itroupe generally, the double trapeze performance of two -members of the company, and the horsemanship of Jack Cousens, all elicited well-deserv.ed approval. The ' Japanese - ribbon and parasol trick was performed .most successfully, arid met with the fullest ap-' preciation of the audience. The performance concluded with what might charitably be termed some " most excellent fooling." The last performance will take place to-night, when the prices will he reduced to 2s, 3s, and 4s t The Licensing.- A ot. — An\ adjourned meeting of licensed victuallers and others interested in the amendment of the Licensing Aot was held last night at the Butland Hotel. Present — Messrs J. P. Watt (in the chair), Aneher,* Evans, J. W. Jackson, Mcllhone, Morrow, Brennan,Wixcey,Suisted, and "Williams. The proposed petition to Parliament was submitted, discussed, and finally adopted with slight amendments. It was determined, after much consideration, to confine the signatures to the petition to licensed victuallers and members of the liquor trade only,- embracing not only "Wanganui, but any part of the west coast^of this island. The sub-committee (Messrs Ancher, Mcllhone, and J. W. Jackson), were requested to obtain signatures without delay, and it was resolved that, when duly signed, the petition should bo handed to Mr "W. H. Watt, M.H.K., for presentation to the House. The sub-committee reported the receipt of a considerable number of subscriptions from members of the trade in Wanganui towards the.expenses of the petition, and that there was every hope of a still larger sum coming in both jjorn town and country. Messrs Anchor and Mcllhone we] c, upon the motion of Mr J. W. Jackson, seconded by Mr F. W. Evans, unanimously appointed delegates to proceed to Wellington with the petition for presentation. After transacting some other business, the meeting concluded with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman.