LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11131, 17 February 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

I The meeting of the d'u. <.lora of tho Steam Navigation Company, called for last night, lapsed for want of a quorum. la consequence of th-i regatta fete, to be held at Oalgownie on Friday, the first of the two moonlight excursions by the Heads Zailway will lake place to-night (Wednes- '■ i day). Oa Thursday, as already advertised, the special trains will also run. A battalion parade of the Volunf eors was held last night, at which there were present, including oflicers— City Eiflea,47; Wangas nui Eifbs, S?; and Kaval Artillery, 33. The operating staff of the Telegraph Department whs strengthened yesterd-iy by the arrival of Mr Jame3 Caldets, from Westport. The masters and pupils of the Collegiate School, together with a large number of lady friends, had a famous outing in the Tuhua yesterday. The boat reached -within a very short distance of ir'arakino, the Bballownes3 of tho water operating against her proceeding further. In tho artiola by " Observer," which we printed Yesterday, tho wjriter was made to refer to the Bland Act as likely to be " re> peated." Tho word should of course have been " repealed." At the monthly meeting of the directors of the Public Library on Monday night, tho resignation oi: Mr Dymock as DecteLary was revived and accepted with regret. .An application from Mr 0. S. Hvlton, the librarian, for an increase of salary, was unauiocoutly acceded to, the am^unn bein--raised to £103 per annum, to take effect from the beginning of the year, <">n the motion of Mr 0. Wilson, it "was decided to order an additional £50 worth of new books from England, and the mover, -with Messrs Garrett, Atkins, and Litiiton, were appointed a committee to order the books. The \ treasurer reported a debit balance at the bank of £16 3s. The first meeting of creditors in the eßtate of Will'am MctJonagle, called for yesterday, lapsed for want of a quorum. We would remind those interested that the annual show of the Fordell Horticultural Society takes place on Friday, the 25th instant. Yesterday was a red-letter day at the Boys' School, the attendance reaching the highest point in its history. The number present was 256. We congratulate Mr JTenn upon the steadily increasing populalarity of the school. \Mx B. 0. Bruce,M,H.E., for Rangitikei, has consented to deliver a lecture, under the auspices of the Young Men's Chriaitau Association, come night next week. The date and subject will be duly annouueed. Aa Mr Bruce is a fluent and polished speaker, besides being a welkread and much-travelled gentleman, we think we may promise him a largo attendance aS his lecture . A telegram was recoivod in town yesterday from Sydney stating that the price of butter has risen 3d per lb. There is at present a very good demand in Sydney for butter. At the usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council held last night, the Mayor and Ors Austin, Bennie, Manson, and Tod were present. A letter was read from Cv Powell requesting leave of absence for three meetings, which was granted, A letter re the Government valuation was referred to the solicitor. Two tenders ware received for claying and gravelling St. George's Gate, J.Barnes £13 (accepted), and P, McAllister £14 10s. Tenders for lease of the endowment were held over till next meeting, only one tender having been received. A gentleman who came into town yes* terday from the Mangawhero reports having seeu two prospectors there who had a quantity of quartz with them, said to have been got 75 miles distant from town. The prospectors stated that it was their intention to report the matter and have the quartz tested. A meeting of creditors in the estate of Eramiha Te Kiore, was held yesterday at Mr Notman's office. The amount of liabilities was stated to be £101, and the assets ?iil. Eramiha Te Kiore, being sworn, stated that he filed in consequence of a judgment summons having been taken out by Mr Eichards. He had no money to pay his debts. When he had contracted his liabilities he had promised to pay. His son, aged 14, had some sheep, about 25, running on the Waipu. Mr Davy, one of the creditors, stated that two Maoris had told his wife that Eramiha had some sheep. This the latter denied, and he also denied that he had any cattle. Mr 0. Wilson, who is one of the honorary librarians of the Public Library, has received three months' leave of absence from his fellow directors, his private duties being fluoh as to preclude him from giving his attention to the library during that period. At the banquet to the Governor in Hokitika his Excellency, in replying to the toast of his health, said he must take exception to two matters. One was that when they draat the Governor's health lhe band played the tune of the " Old English Gentleman." Now he did not rank himself in that cate* gory, he was a young English gentleman. (Loud cheers and laughter). One gentleman evidently thought he was a Frenchman by the manner in which he pronounced the name Jervoi3. He was an Irishman. (Ap« plause ) To bis Iriah blood he attributed a good deal of what success might have attended his career. I The annual sale of purebred rams by Messrs ITreeman £.. Jackson and Co. takes place to-,day. In addition to the pick of local flocks, the catalogue includes 100 Lin .olm from Canterbury, and some Homney Marsh ewes from the beat flocks of Otago. Mr Jackson notifies that rams purohased for the Rangitikei district will be delivered dipped, free of cost, across the Wangaehu, in terms of the Sheep Act, In addition to the special ram fair, an unusually large catalogue is advertised for the usual St. Hilr-gtreet sale. The Wellington Evening Press indulges in a light vein of ridicule anent the build and power of our local stern-wheeler, the Tuhua. We are happy to be to inform our able contemporary thut despite all the chaff indulged in, the Tuhua has managed to negotiate the rapids successfully so far. The Press says : —" They are in trouble at Wanganui about the navigation of the upper river. They have built a wonderful steamboat, warranted to go wherever there's a heavy dew, J with very results indeed as far | as draught of water is concerned. But unfortunately the i'uhua, aa this remarks able vessel is caile', is deficient in power. She jog* along memly enough in still waLer, but doing all she kuows, she cannot reach the i peed attained by the rapids of the upper Wanganui, The result is that when sho tried to pass the rapids, she merely wastes fuel, and playa up all sorts of queer antic 3, and has to wake tracks down stream at last. In cho; I she is a complete failure for the purpose for which she was designed, and as she is entirely unsuited for any ■ other purpose, it is hard to see what good she is. Her construction is somewhat pecuiii-r. She is Hat and fquare and shal* low. like a tin baking dish, and she oocu* pica about a quarter of an acre of wats;r, more or l«ss, and is propelled by a huge stern wheel, slightly suggestive of a fashionable lady's dress im-, provor. Thora is much admirable orgins ality distributed about the vassal j . but nn~ leas they can transmogrify her works some* how so as to make her tear through the mighty torrent a knot or two faster thau she tears at present, she may as well be shelved with the Great Eastern ami other imvinificmt monuments of blasted ambition aud navU architecture. The g-eat sand dunes along the banks of many levers, and particularly along the shore* oi ! the southern end of Lake Michig!", are due to the presence of the Amm< j.-biia -.reimria, or sand-gathering grass, which pos-ctsea a remark *bl'j power of clvuwing up moisture. Indeed, it, m*y a iiiOHt Oe called a miniature water-pump, for it is able lo keep the earth wet for eeveral in-jhes around it. This wet earth complies and holds the drifcing sa':d. The p: ( ;r:C2s /iocs ou, the g ass growing aud the sand collecting, until a groit aand duna is the result.