LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11201, 23 February 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

* Mr Henry Astbury has gained his teacher's "D" examination. The monthly meeting of the Education Board commences this evening, at 7.30 o'clock. The Primate, Bishop Hadfield, will hold a confirmation service at Christ Church on Sunday next. Archbishop Kedwood will administer the sacrament of confirmation at St. Mary's on Sunday week, March Bth. The s.B. Richmond will leave Auckland for the Friendly and other islands at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, 25th, instead of Taesday, the 24th. • ■ The names of 0. W. A. Watkin, H. Parkes, and F. L. Harrison appear in the list of those who_ have successfully .passed the Junior Civil Service examinaton. The D.0.A., Hawera, announces the bankruptcy of John 'Larkin, whose first meeting of creditors- will be held on Tuesday, March 10th, at Hawera. A dangerous hole exists" in the ashpalt on the west side of the Avenue, and should Be attended to at once or accidents are likely to occur. By dipping! turnip or cabbage seeds lightly in turpetine before planting, the attacks of flies or slugs are prevented when theiplant grows. Too much turpentine must not be used. Messrs Britton and Purneil are the successful tenderers for the rebuilding of Mr J. Beck's residence, lately destroyed by fire, in the Avenue. Captain Edwin wired on Saturday, at 2.30 p.m., as follows: — North-east to north and west gale after 12 hours' from now, with heavy sea and teavy rainfall; glass fall soon. Kawhai and herring ' were sporting themselves on Saturday morning in the river, a large number of them being seen on the town side of the training wall quite close to the shore where, the water at half -tide is now, owing to the recent flood, very deep. The Committee of the Fire Brigade intend having the hall at the corps' headquarters enlarged at once,' and Mr T. H. Battle is the successful tenderer at £163. Ho will commence the work at an early date, and will have it finished by March 30th. There were four other tenderers, of £164, £172, £178, and £190 Wanganui in days gone by had the reputation of being one of the most favoured spots in the colony as regards weather, but this reputation will hardly hold good now, last Saturday being the ninth consecutive wet one experienced. Cricketers and other enthusiasts in out-door sports have of late been using anything but ' complimentary language towards the clerk of the weather. In another column there appears an advertisement notifying the dates of rehearsals for "The Pirate 3." The two evenings fixed aie the only two available and, as the advertisement says, a full at- • tendance is imperative. The manage- '• ment are. anxious for the attendance of ; all working members of .the Association, - whether they were in the original cast or 1 not. The alterations in the cast have < proved most satisfactory, and the Associa- < tionis to be congratulated on having 1 " swopped horses while crossing a stream " i without any of the evil consequences 1 usually attendant on that operation.

; ..Titf;? export of coal, from Westport 4tiring:the past.week was 4986 tons. ,.,.>'• p.* "A drapers' picnic is !beini> organised in p.uoklandjlfand.vt)ie' employers $c granting aiioliday for the'occasioh: ,". „, Mr Alfred Bailey^ of the' Waitemata Clubi represents Auckland in the forthcoming championship race, and will com-> pete in the single sculls. The heavy suns of the past few days has done a lot of damage to the grass seed crops in this district, and the farmers will lose heavjly. A Press telegram from Dunedin states that Cra^kshot has a very big knee, and thecolt is not expected to have a chance for. the Cup. .. •• ■, ■ > ■ ' The band parts of " The Pirates'of Penzance" having arrived from Auckland, the Orchestral Club will at once rehearse the music for the production of the opera on" regatta night. Dr. Connolly was called in to the Occidental Hotel on Saturday morning to attend. Mrs Cassell, who had been badly wounded in the face by a glass thrown at her by her husband, who was subsequently arrested, and charged- ..with the assault. He was remanded till to-day. On a . totara culvert being taken up at Woodville, recently, . the wood was in such an excellent state of preservation that even the pencil marks made fourteen years previously- were easily distinguishable. - . ..... We understand that Mr J. L. Kirkbride, lately proprietor of the Rangitikei has purchased the Wellington Pressr. "MrAhearri,' who was until recently J '6n' the AdvocateristG -<sdit the. Press under its new 'management. ' ' We understand that efforts, are being made to. establish' a^urpliced choir at Christ Church, and; twelve boys have been secured for the purpose. They will be put into training at once, and it is hoped they will.be able to take part in the services in about a, month. . At the Dunlop station in the Bourke district 200,000 sheep were shorn this season. James JBlackley, shearer, got through 212 sheep during a working day of eight hours, breaking all prior records, and thus'establishing himself ils "ringer" of the world. - 1 . " ■ ' A serious accident occurred in the Gorge on Friday. ' A man on horse-back met the coach in a narrow part . of the road, and in essaying' to pass it both horse and rider fell over the bank. The horse was so badly injured that it had to. be shot, while the man had to be taken to .Palmerston for medical treatment. Archbishop Carr' (of Victoria), Bishop Moore' (of -Ballarat), and Bishop- Higgins (of Sydney), were, says a Press Wire, met, on their arrival at W e Uihgton on Saturday,' by Aichbishop Redwood and other clergy. The were guests of Archbishop Redwood and visited the Parliamentary Library, St. Patrick's College, and other places of interest in the city, leaving for the North by : the Tarawera at night. We remind our readers of the grand amateur vocal concert that is to take place for the benefit of Mr Phil Kirby at the Oddfellows' Hall to-morrow evening. The programme advertised promises a good entertainment to those who attend, comprising as it ' does such excellent variety of vocal gems.- The past performances of the ladies and gentlemen taking part warrant the expectation of ■ a really first-class entertainment, and should bid to make Mr Kirby's benefit a thorough success. Those who are unable to swim should observe gieat caution in entering the river opposite the Gas Works, as, since the late flood, thedepthhasconsiderably increased. Where one could formerly wade to the training wall there is now a depth of eight feet close in to the shore, the bank being about three feet from the water's edge and forming a splendid place for taking a header off. The shore is now covered with clean sand and from a bather's point of view is much improved. We take the following paragraph from the Reporters' Magazine for January : — An operator on the Caligraph, according |'to the Ameiican Shorthand Review, recently, in 18 days took on his machine from dictation 560,000 words, or at the rate of 51 words per minute for 18 days, counting 10 hours as a day's work. "Themachine at the completion of .the work was in perfect condition. Supposing the unfortunate, operator 'had been pre judiced against the typewriter, as some people are, and persisted in workingaway with the pen, to have done the same amount of work in the same time he would have to do with 4 hours for meals and sleep, and even then be very dapper with the pen. Still it must be confessed that we are waking up to the use of the typewriter. The teachers of the English Church' Sunday School at Patea -gave a treat to the. scholars on the Domain on Monday last, when all appeared to enjoy themselves with cricket, rounders, races, and other games. Mrs Christie (the head teacher), and the other teachers worked hard to make the treat a thorough success and certainly succeeded in affording great pleasure to the scholars. Those who attended the Hawera races expressed themselves as exceedingly, pleased with all the arrangements. Both days were perfect as regards the weather, and the racing thoroughly good. The Patea School Committee met on Tuesday evening. Miss Monk was recommended as assistant teacher in place of Miss MacLeod, promoted. The Committee decided not to appoint an auditor nor to nominate any members for the Board. — Correspondent. Mrs Wakefield' s house at Castlecliff is close upon completion and ready for habitation. Mr T. H. Battle, the contractor, has carried out his work well and conscientiously, and the building will form one of the most comfortable boarding houses in the district. Its situation is well chosen, and the aspect is one not to bo equalled at the Heads — there being a splendid view of the sea and entrance to the harbour. The liouso is well planned, and its rooms are lofty and of comfortable shape, besides being so placed that residents can obtain a view of the sea from their windows. There are two sitting rooms, a conple of double-bedded, and the same number of single, bedrooms for boarders. The house is fitted with every convenience, and a plentiful supply of water is laid on. A spacious verandah ' which encircles the house is one of the beauties of the building affording, as it does, a pleasant promenade in rainy weather or a comfortable place to lounge' during the heat of the day and enjoy the sea breeze. We have no doubt Mrs Wakefield's enterprise will be rewarded with the success it deserves.