LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11551, 17 January 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

We call attention to the programme of the Wanganui Caledonian Society's concert which appears in this issue, on the third page. Sergeant-Major Gunn, of the Royal Engineers, who is to instruct the New Zealand forces in submarine mining, arrived inWellington yesterday. Mr Charles Blomtield, the welMcnown Auckland artist, has lately forwarded a number of paintings to the order of patrons in England and Australia; Tenders are invited for the lease of the Oddfellows' Hall for a term of three to five years. Further information may be obtained from Mr Thomas Bamber. ■ Mr Slipper, of Bunnythorpe, has been nominated for the vacancy on the Wangantii Education Board. AMr Sly, of Palmerston North, has also been i nominated for the vacancy, ' ' Wehave to acknowledge the programme of the Taranaki Jockey. Club Anniversary meeting, to be held on April Ist and 2nd, the acceptances and general entries for which close on Wednesday, March 26th. The names of Bugler Mooseman (7 ,points) and Gunner Purner (8 peints) were accidentally omitted from the published list of the Wanganui Naval Artillery handicaps. A new fruit pest is said to have been imported into Australia from America. It is supposed to be what is known as the "Apple Maggot," and is described as worse than the " Codlin Moth." " , The wool sales at Gore on Wednesday were very successful, the attendance being largo, the bidding brisk, and the prices the highest obtained this season. . Quotations — Half-bred, Is OJd ; merino, Is o£d; crossbred, Hid; merino pieces, 9£d. We understand that a private letter .has been received in town from Mr A. Filmer, in which, speaking of the cause of his departure from Wanganui. he says be would not again go through alike period of anxiety for any amount of money. It appears that the Government have no power to order the destruction of vines (suffering from " phylloxera ") either with or without compensation, unless special legislation is undertaken for the purpose. The Feildiug Star, referring to Dr Monckton's letter to the Hospital Board, ■ wonders if the Wanganui Borough Council " will be as ready to offer and apology fcr their, abuse as they were in demanding one when they thought they were abused." : During last year Taranaki exported 11,999 sheep and one lean heifer, but they don't telegraph the intelligence that way. They cay the exports were 12,000 cattle and sheep. Advance Taranaki! Messrs Boundy and Co., by advertisement, announce having purchased a large stock of samples, which they intend giving to the public at bargain prices. No doubt they will have a "boom" this ■\yeek. We hope to see the members of both rowing clubs set to work now in earnest and get into trim for the regatta. The holidays are over, and there is povi no exciise for allowing the time between this and the 27_th February to pass without daily It was mentioned at the Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday, that the Waimarino Biock and other land acquired, and to be acquired, by the Government' up the Wanga,nui River, was reckoned to be capable of carrying some 3,000,000 of sheep when cleared. One of the features of oitr Anniversary Day celebrations next Wednesday will be the grand up-river picnic at Raorikia, under tho auspices of the Sons and Daughters of Temperance. Tho Tuhua will leave Betts' Wharf at 9 a.m., and refreshments will be provided on board at low rates. We understand that the Friendly Societies' Picnic and Art Union Committeehave not made up their balance-sheet, but they expect that the financial resuH of the New Year's celebrations will be just about square, and that the same amount of reserve fund as last year wil bo carried forward. Our Patea correspondent writes :— lt i; with much regret that I have to record the death of Mrs Symes, of "Westholm : Waverley, wife of Francis Symes, Esq.. one of the oldest settlers in the Taranak District. A large and much-respectec number of sous and ono daughter (Mri Norman) aye left to mourn her loss Mrs Symes has been suffering for a vei'j considerable time fromandaffectionof tin heart, and her death was not unexpected A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Education Board was hold or Wednesday. Present — Messrs Carsor (chairman), Nofcmai;, and Bakor. Three tenders for Girls' School latrines were hold over for board. Eesolved, That pupil-teacher Watkinbe transferred from Huuterville to Bulls, and that junior assistant Martin be transferred from Marton to Halcombe, Marton being ovovofflcerod. Probationer Foster and junioi assistant-mistress Ballantyne to be sent temporarily to Stoney Creek and Foxton respectively. A few accounts having been passed for payment, the committee jdjoiuwjcl,

The annual examination for teachers' certificates have been going on throughout the Wanganui district since Monday. A large number of teachers in the service of the Board, are attending them and they will probably end to-day. The weekly meeting of the Rising Star Lodge of Good Templars was held la3t night, when there was a good attendance of members. Bro. Ellis occupyed the chair in the absence of Bro. Bridges. Bro. Rickards gave a very interesting address in connection with the workings of the order, after which several songs, readings, and recitations were given, and a very pleasant evening was brought to a close at 9.80 o'clock. We (Manawatu Standard) have received the sum of 7s to remit to the Wanganui Hospital, being moneys collected for the Accident Fund on the Ashurst contract. This is in accordance with their expressed wishes to that effect. The names of the subscribers are enclosed, viz., Messrs Williamson, Robinson, Lauchlin, Crean, Jones, Workman, and Brady. A trio of the spieler tiibe lately arrived in Dunedin from Melbourne, elegantly attired in the garb of Roman Catholic priests. Their " get-up" and demeanour was quite in keeping with their assumed positions. But before they had time to commence operations tho detectives " spotted " them and spoiled their little game by politely but firmly requesting them to move on, and Dunedin soon knew them no more. In the hurry of the moment we made a strange mistake on receipt of the cable announcing the death of Earl Cairns. We quite forgot .the death of the first Earl, which took place four years ago, and confused him with his Bon and successor, who was better known as Lord Garmoyle, and who earned a notoriety owing to. the breach, of promise case brought against him by Miss Fortescue, the well-known actress. The late Earl was born in 1861. A Press Association telegram received from Hokitika last night reports an important quartz discovery at Donnelly's Creek. A miner, who has been quietly working in a tunnel near the Donnelly Creek Company's reef, broke out, singlehanded, six hundred weight of stone and carried it to the Company's battery and had it crushed. It. yielded 40ozs retorted gold. This represented only two days' work for one man. There is considerable excitement in the district, and several new leases have been taken up. Writing' of ah organ recital given by Mr Burton, at Blenheim, a week or^ so ago, the Marlborough Express says:— 1 Last evening in the Church of the Nativity, an Organ Recital was given in the presence of a very large congregation. Mr Burton, who has been organist of St. Saviour's Church, Poplar, London, is a musician of taste and culture, and particularly excels in pedal work. He has been effecting considerable repairs and improvements to the organ. He gave last evening the following selections : — "Wo iinto them," "If with all your hearts" (Mendelssohn), Larghetto and Allegro, in A major aud minor (Roberts), Sonata in G. (DrifEeld), two Andantes fßatiste), variations on " O'Sanctissima" (Hepworth), and Commemoration March (Hiles). In addition the following vocalists gave selections : Mesdames, Dillon, Booth, Miss M. E. Normanby, and Mr Birch. The collection was in aid of tho choir funds. We are glad to see that the Chamber of Commerce intend moving again in the matter of road communication with Karioi, and the opening up of -the Waimarino. It behoves the Wanganui County Council, and the 1 business community generally, to do their utmost to get something done to ensure the produce, &c, from the Murimotu and snrrounding district, coming to Wanganni. At present the runholders on the plains are in the habit of sending their wool afld other produce by road to Napier, and obtaining their supplies from there. When it is remembered that the distance .to Karioi by Field's track is only 63 'miles from Wanganui, and that the Napier route is 115 miles, it seems absurd to think that we have done so little towards getting the track made j available for cart traffic. The Napier people, on the contrary, have put their hands into their pockets and subscribed towards the making of a splendid road to Karioi, with the result that all the produce from that district goes to Hawke's Bay. The clip from one rnn alone will this year amount to 1700 pockets of scoured wool, and every bit of this would, of necessity, come to Wanganui, if only a road existed. Some decided move should be at once taken by Wanganui towards having proper communication opened up with the country referred to.

The quarterly meetingof the Wang&nui Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday, when there were present — Messrs Stevenson (in the fihair), Duigan, Carson, J. L. Stevenson, Spwsdle, 0,. Gr. A. Harvey, Thatcher, Cummins, and Gremer. After the minutes of the last meeting had been read and confirmed, the secretary read a circular from the Government enclosing a copy of the uew Bankruptcy Bill, and asking the chamber to make any suggestion that might appear to them advantageous. The secretary read the preamble of the bill, and special attention •was called to the portion with reference to the prosecution of bankrupts, which was considered a vary great improvement on the old state of things, It was resolved, That the chairman, and Messrs Spurdle and Hatrick be elected a committee to take the Bill into consideration, and to report any suggestion they think necessary, Mr Carson reported having interviewed the Minister of .Lands with reference to opening up the Waimarino Block. The Hon. Mr Richavdgon had told him that ho considered the land 'of vary fair.quality, and ho thought it all fit for settlement. He thought he would ba able to get the surveys done at once, and the land would be ready for the market in March. Mr Carson said he had later o& fcslpgr iphed to the' Minister asking him if be "cou!4 report the result of his interview to the eiiambpp, and had received the replies as published in the Chuonicle. It would havo been seen by* their correspondence that it was the inten. tion of the Government to complete the track from Pipiriki to Mowhanga, so as to join the poad. Mr Carson pointed out that, though £hijß would bo leaving Wanganui still out in t%j ftsld, it .was only what was to have been expected, as the Napier people had helped themselves, and done everything to further the making of the road to the plains, whereas the Wanganui county had done little or nothing towards having Field's Track made into a cart road. It was resolved, That the secretary be instructed to write to the Minister for Lands, and state that Mr Carson had reported the result of his interview with him, and urge him to give effect to the surveying with as little delay as possible. Thn secretary was also instructed to write to the nipmbers of tho town and district, and ask thorn to get tho matter pushed forward as soon as the House met. It was further resolved that Mr Ballance be written to, and asked to interview the Ministerof Lands as ho passed through Wellington fromjthe South. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Carson, and the moetin b elosod.