LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11128, 13 February 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. Captain Edwin telegraphed at 12.25 p.m. yesterday : — Bad weather approaching between north and west and south -^west. GUa« will fall again soon. \ The p.s. Tuhua will run an excursion to Raorikia this afternoon, leaving town at 1 | o'olock. We have no doubt that she will be well patronised; A party of lady and gentlemen picnickers from town, who loft tho train yesterday morning at the Okoia station, did not answer the whistle on its return last night, and it is believed that tbey must have missed the train. A meeting of the Regatta Knterbainmont Committse was held last night, Mr Drew in the chair. It was resolved to see Mr New-* man and arrange if possible for a display of fireworks at the Balgownie fete. The eecres tary was instructed to write to the secretary of the Caledonian Society asking for tho use of their platform, Mr Spurdle agreeing to see to its erection. A large number of ticltats were issued to members for sale. We understand that very satisfactory arrangements have been made with the Heads Railway Company, and that tho charge will be 2s for adults, and half-price for children, which will include return railway fare and admission to the grouuds, The programme will be published in the Chronicle on Tuesday morning next. A troop order has been issued by tho Alexandra Cavalry to the eftvob th it, until further ordfcii!, the uDdres* uniform Bhallconsist of a forage cap with a peak. Tho exposure in our columns a day or two a^o of the Normara lUe.lr'c Light busincgA has, we regret to Fay, been the means ol' makiiig us acquainted with the wronga of somo sorrowing Wangp.-nui victims.

The many friends of Mr Wilmott Powell ' •will regret to hear that he is at present suffering from a serious illness. A meeting of the directors of the Wan* ganui Steam Navigation Company (Limited) was held last evening at Mr Filmer's office. Present — Messrs 3. "Mansou, Soler,' Anderson, James Murray, A . D. Willis, and J. Bennie. On the motion of MrManson, Mr Bennie took the chair. Tho quoatiou of freight charges was very full} discussed, I and a tariff was ultimately agread upon. A j resolution was parsed adopting Mr .Robert* son's (tho inspector) report, and the secre* tary was instructed to at once take the necessary steps to have the boat officially taken over aud registered in the company's name. A timetable was submitted to tho directors by the managing director, which was agreed to, as follows : — Leave Wan-, ganui for Parakino on Monday morning, relurniug same evening ; on Tuesday the boat, will be open for. charter to the public ; on Wednesday leaving for Karatia, reluming the day following ; on Friday, open for charter ; Saturday, excursion to Baorikin ; Sunday, open for charter. The meetings of directors were then fixed for tho Ist and 3rd Monday in each month. A few accounts were passed for payment, and tho meeting then closed. An addition has been made to the advertising announcement concerning tho Tuhua's excursion trip to-morrow, stating that she will stop at the Aramoho Railway Bridge and at Kennedy's to embark passengers, The drawing in Mrs Bullock's art union will take place at Mr Filmer's offloo at 8 o'clock to-nigh c, Mr H. J, H. Elliott, "Under-Secretary in the Lands Department, arrived in Wanganui by the late train last night. A meeting of the Wanganui Rfgatta Committee was held at the Provincial Hotel yesterday evening. Present Messrs Drew (in the chair), Oudaille, Ohubb, Mathieson, Paul, Powell, Connell, Pennell, Leydon, Ferry, Culpan, Ware, Hogg, and Dr Sorloy. The Chairman referred to t^e work of the entertainment committee, and submitted the programme, which was approved. Messrs Chubb and Ware reported that they had collected over £30 towards the regatta f unite, and it wa_ resolved that the date of the regatta be fixed for the 22nd March. A ' sports committee was then elected, consisting of the Mayor, and Messrs Nioholle, | Pawson, Powell, Law, J. Young, and Culpan. A. Bob Boy canoe race, confined to locally built boats, li naileß, with turn, waß added to the programme. It wa<» decided that in the Maori canoe race there should be notless than 6 in each canoe,and (ho distanoe was made the same as in tho Bob Roy canoe race. It was reported that the Alexandra Cavalry had kindly placed their marquee at the disposal of tho committee for a nominal , sum. The secretary was requested to write I to the Mayor, asking him to proclaim a half holiday, from 1 o'clock on the day of the regatta, and also to grant the uso of tho water cart for the River Bunk. It was decided to start the crews by gun. As will be eeen by advertisement in i another column, Dr Gilbert, the eminent physiognomist, will deliver a lecture in the Institute Hall to-morrow evening on "Religion and Science." With such an interesting subject, and the lecturer's wellknown abilities, the hall is su?e to be well ' filled. i > Many of the public who?e business has ) takon them to the Post Office lately will , doubtless have noticed a peculiar and f weary-looking umbrella, with . a broken handle, lying on the counter, anxiously . waiting for an owner to appear and relieve ' it from Government possession. This it had the good fortune to experience yes- * terday, in the person of the captain. of one I of our local corps, who, while oh his way J to the rifle range, accompanied by an > umbrella of a much better class than the * one already spoken of, called in at the Post i Office to transact certain business, and I while doing so laid his sunshade on the ■ counter. While his attention was taken up in another direction, some wag, with a t weakness for practical joking, reversed the [ order of umbrellas j thiß trick was not , noticed by the captain, who, being in a r burry, picked up what he thought his own property and want on his way rejoicing to ; the range. What followed can well be ' imagined, when on arrival at the range the , unfortunate umbrella without any handle was put up to protect its master from the burning rays of a hot summer sun. p The Post Office officials were kjept busy at wdri until nearly twelve o'clock last night, ' the mail from the South being one of the largest received for some time. Lieutenant Phil. Smith, of the Alexandra t Cavalry, who is a great favourite with the troop, was made the subject of a special toast at last night's meeting, the troopers express ! sing their gveat gratification at hia return to Wanganui. Lieutenant Smith, in aoknow» ledging the kindly feelings so warmly expressed, said that they oouli not be nearly so well pleased at his return as he was to be once more amongst them. The first competition for the City Rifles' trophy will take place at the range at 5.30 o'clook on Monday morning. Mr Tom Thumb continues to draw, and all who pay him a visit express themselves highly pleased with the intelligence, pleasing appearance, and attractive manners of the; diminutive gentleman. He holds hie levee at the premises next door to Mr F. J", Jones's. There must have bean a lot of thirsty souls on board tho Tuhua on Thursday last. We know it is said that people do nob value what costs < them nothing, but the proverb, if proverb it be, does not perhaps apply to free beer and wine and spirits. Anyhow, our readers may satisfy themselves on the point by considering the following averago consumption for every man and boy on the boat, with whioh we have been furnished by a gentleman who went to the trouble of making the calculation :— Colonial beer, 3 bottles , English beer, 1 bottle ; whiskey, 2\ glasses ; colonial wine, |of a bottle. This average does not include the raid that waß made upon Kennedy's on the return trip. Mr Nancarrow, Government Inspector of Maohinary, expressed himself agreeably disappointed yesterday when examining the p.s. Tuhua. From what he had heard he had been lod to form an unfavourable im* presfion with regard to the boat, but a personal inspection enabled him to congratulate the directors upon the possession of a faithfully built vessel, aad the town upon having a local fii-m able to turn out such work. He was certain that tho vessel would increase her speed another knot an hour before long, as at present tha engines were necessarily working rather stiffly. Mr Naacarrow will grant the Tuhua a certificate to carry 250 passengers and 30 tons cargo, and tho boiler to oarry 901bs of steam, though he doss not considor that 1001 bs would be unsafo. Tha lo;;al Stratford Fire Relief Committee met yesterday and adapted the following balance-sheet submitted by the treasurer. The balance of J8155 9i will be forwarded by his VV orship tho Mayor at once : — Receipts : Mssbm Bennie aud Chadwiok's list, £43 18s ; Messrs Culpan and York, £30 lis ; Wa.ko>anu_ CuaoNiOLE, £22 18s 5 Wanga» nui Herald, £11 2< ; Mr Whitworth Bussoil, £8 193 6i ; Messrs Howe and Neill, £4. 18s 6d ; Mr W. G. Bassett, £6 9a ; Mr D. Thompson, £2; received by the trea. surer, £30 9(j total, £161 53. Disburse* ' menta : Grant to Ladiea' Committee, £2 lis ; printing, Ac, £\ XO3 j telegrams and postage, lis 31 ; exc'iange, 3j 0d ; draft to be forwarded, £156 ss ; total, £161 ss. "Wo learn that Mr Porrin, of the Nohon Post Office, is expected to arrive in Wani ganui in a day or two to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr Ritchie, who ha? joined Mr Haggen on the Woodville ■ Examiner. The Telegraph Department a'so expect an accession in tho person of Mr James Oalders, from Westport, who is under orders to report himself at Wang:»ui a ! . the close of a holiday which he is now enjoying. The Telephone Exchange, it is expected, wi'l be ready for the transaction of business by the Ist of March. A vory handeotne Shakesperian album, valn»d :-.t £3 03, has been presented to the committee of 'he Now ZealanH Tijfle Asso,« cation by Mr Cromer, of Victoria Avenuo,