LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11279, 28 May 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Premier accompanied by his Secretary, Mr Amolius Smith, was a passenger by the afternoon train from Wellington yesterday. The Hon. Mr Ballance returns to Wellington to-morrow. Through a printer's error it was stated in our|issue of yesterday morning'that|the Kaierau team to visit Turalrina on Saturday next; would leave by brake at 10 o'clock j it should have been 1 p.m. A notice appears in the Gazette to the effect that the Native Land Court sitting afc Marton, which was adjourned Mil the 3rd Juno, 1891, has been still further postponed till Wednesday, 17th of that month. Visitors from Marton to our Wanganui Steeplechase meeting of Monday last had to pay 9s 3d return, whereas those who claim Palmerston for their home paid only 8s 6d. This is a freak of the railway authorities, which is impossible to account for. Yesterday the Borough workmen were engaged in removing the lamp post which stood beneath the firebell in Ridgwaystreet. Tne lamp in question has not been lighted for some time past, and has been removed with a view to ereotiiig it elsewhere. Mr A. J. Baron, General Manager of the Gulcher Electric Light Company, and Mr Greenstreet, of Messrs Coxon and Greonstreet, contractors for the freezing machinery, proceed to Castlecliff to-day on a visit of inspection, prior to the works being handed ovel: by the latter to that company. The wofk of fitting the steamer Wanaka, wrecked recently at Taranaki, with a wooden bottom is progiessing well, and is now nearly completed. An attempt was to be made to tow her off the rocks yesterday. MrDaniels,the local shipwright of the Union Company is sanguine of success. A mammoth fo3sil, supposed to be a petrified whale, has been discovered by a selector at Muddy Creek, near Hamilton. Pieces broken off the rocky looking specimen exhibit unmistakeable traces of its having once been some living creature. The grain of the flesh can be plainly traced, as well as what appears to have been fatty tissue. Mr H. A. Macgregor, Government inspector of boilers, who arrived here on Tuesday last, went down 1 to Castlecliff yesterday to inspect the Babcock boiler at the freezing works, with which he expressed himself highly pleased. A pressure of 100 pounds was put on, and the boiler showed no signs of weakness. Mr Macgregor returned to Wellington yesterday. The Taranaki News reports that one original chairman of a school committee in that district having been informed that a list of nominations for the new committee must be posted on the school door, posted up the nomination papers themselves until the door space gave out, when he withdrew his own nomination, and induced a friend to do likewise, in order to obviate the necessity of procuring increased door accommodation. Some five years ago Mr Fenn, of the Boys' School, compiled a little b«ok called " Aids to Examinations." It has been so successful that the publishers, Messrs Whitcombo and Toombs, have just issued a second edition, which has been revised and considerably enlarged by the author. As this little book has already proved very useful to teachers and others preparing for examination;, the new edition will doubtless meet with a ready sale. There is nothing like accuracy. Those who were present at the conclusion of the late sittings of the District Court were informed that the Court was adjourned till the 17th June, at 10 o'clock. Why not have done the thing thoroughly, and stated whether it was 10 o'clock in the morning that was meant, or 10 o'clock in the evening.? We dare not venture to express any opinion on the subject ourselves, but it was unkind of his Honor to leave the public in such a state of harassing uncertainty, ' ' The emergency meeting of the brethren of the St. Andrew Kilwinning Lodge, which is convened to take place this evening, is anticipated to be well attended by Masons, owing to the important ceremony which is to take place. D.D.G.M Bro. McCullagh will be in attendance to invest Bio. J. L. Stevenson with the degree, of D.D.J.W., which we feel sure our respected fellow townsman richly deserves. It will be seen by advertisement in another column that a very cordial invita- . tion is issued to all visiting brethren. Says the English Schoolmaster: — Dean Gregory has written a letter to Mr S.- J. Curwen, granting the use of St. Paul's Cathedral for a service in connection with the Jubilee celebration of the tonic solfa movement. The day fixed is 7th July, and it is expected that ten thousand persons, all able to sing from note, will assemble on that occasion, rendering the mutsicofthe survice without the help of a choir. The preacher will be Bishop Mitchenson, who, when Bishop of Barbadoes, trained a coloured choir on the tonic solfa system. . Those who have occasion to forward goods to the Railway Station at Hunterville will be glad to learn that within three weeks time a stationmaster will be stationed there, which will obviate the necessity of having to prepay^ all charges incurred in forwarding consignments to Hunterville, which was often the cause of delay in sending goods out. The proposed telephonic communication between Marton and Hunterville, is to bo supplanted by a telegraph line, which should be much more appreciated by the settlers in the Hunterville District. The following team will represent the Wanganui Football Club injthei.r heat for the Junior Cup on Saturday Afternoon next, against the second fifteen of the Kaieraus: — Caldwell, D. Blair, Blythe, Kitson, Thompson, Craig, Irvine, Tilley, Mahoney, Deighton, Beasley, Wigzell, Cameron, Ward, and J. Whiteman. Emergencies — Jones and Simpson. Any of the above mentioned who may be unable to play, are requested to intimate the fact either to the skipper or the secretary of the club, so that substitutes can be arranged for. The team to represent the Kaieraus has already been published in our columns. In refusing to grant an order of discharge to a bankrupt at the District Court yesterday, His Honor Judge Kettle remarked that he had pointed out several times already that the primary* object of the Bankruptcy Act was to enable the property of the bankrupt to be equally distributed among his creditors,and not to enable the bankrupt to avoid paying his his oreditors at all. One would think that this was a self-evident truth, but it is clear ; that there are a great many people who take the opposite view of the case j and; indeed, it must be confessed that the Bankruptcy Act is not always brilliantly successful in attaining its. primary object. The following appearsin the advertisements for long lost relatives in Lloyd's Weekly newspaper, London, of a rooent date : —Martin O'Hara, was about to take the Temperance Hotel, Ridg way-street Wanganui, New Zealand, in 1877, • a nephew inquires for him. Henry James Bead, of Dorset, enlisted in 65th Regiment in 1853-4 and was sent to New Zealand in 1856. In 1865 he received his discharge, and settled in Dublin-street, Wanganui, N.Z. His sons, Henry and William, ask for newa. Possibly some of our readers may have some knowledge of the whereabouts of the two men inquired for, and if they would forward such information to Lloyd's Weekly, they will no doubt confer a favour upon the relatives. We extract the following from the Marton Mercury, with reference to the performance of " Current Cash " there on Monday evening last by the members of the Wanganui Musical and Dramatic Association, iv aid of the Marton Caledonian Society i — " The production of tke piorso reflects great credit upon our Wanganui friends, .amongst whom are actors little if anything inferior to professionals. Miss L. Kitchen was an admirable " Delia," Mr W. Tilley made a manly "Major Challis," and Mr Remington acted well a3 "Captain Milton." The honours of the evening were, however, accorded to Mr W Davidson's " Ned Bowles," a most humorous specimen of " Tommy Atkins," and to the " Reverend Lincoln Green " as takon by Mr W. Pawson. Both characters caused hearty laughter throughout the play and to them much of its succors is undoubtedly due. The performance was in every way a decided success and seemed to please everybody."

At a recent meeting of "the Aucklanc Trotting Club in aid of the Huntly dis aster fund a horse called Disappointmon paid the handsome dividend of .£l3O 16: to his backers, whose feelings must have been slightly the reverse of the name bj which the winner is known. The following is from the Napier Evening News: — Several ladies went down to the railway station yesterday to catch c glimpse of Lady Onslow. Amongst those on the train were a couple of young exquisites, and one old lady who had been craning her nock into the carriage windows was heard to ask her companion, ' Can you tell me, dear' which is the Hon. Richard Seddon ? The Dobson-Kennedy Company again appeared before a Wanganui audience last evening, when the drama " Current Cash " was staged. The piece was played with thecompany's well-known efficiency, and all the characters were faithfully delineated. Owing to continued indisposition Mr Kennedy was unable to fulfil his allotted role (" Rev. Lincoln Green"), but the character found most worthy acceptance at the hands of Mr W. Pawson, of the Wanganui Musical and Dramatic Society. On Saturday next a shooting contest will take place between teams representing the Ponsonby (Auckland) Navals and the Wanganui Navals. Eachjteam is to fire on its own range, commencing at 2 p.m. The following are the teams: — Ponsonby Navals— C.P.O. Graham, P.O. Spinley, Seaman Ewen, Nesbit, Sherson, and J. Stanley. Wanganui Navals — P.O. Bevege, Gunners Mahoney, Paul, Greener, McNaught, Keen, and Bugler Mooseman. Waiting men — C.P 0. Dustin and Gunner fiirchall. Lieutenant Smith, of the Auckland Navals, and Captain, Willis of the Waoganui City Rifles, will act as referee respectively for Wanganui and Ponsonby. This evening the Dobson - Kennedy Company produce the most popular of all Irish dramas, " The Colleen Bawn," in which Mr J. J. Kennedy (who has been confined to his room for the last two days) will appear in the character which, undoubtedly, suits him, if possible better than we have had the pleasure of seeing him in, viz, " Myles-na-Coppaleon. The company who have extended their season here will appear for the last time tomorrow evening, when they intend presenting their trump card for the benefit of numbers who were unable to obtain admission last Tuesday. The management certainly take grtat trouble in trying to please the theatre-goers of Wanganui, and have decided to afford them' the opportunity of witnessing Little Ruby Kennedy, in the title role of " Littlo Lord Fauntleroyi" Mr A. Higgie, Chairman of the Upper Wangaehu Road Board, and about ten of the settlers in that district, waited upon the Hon. Mr Bp,Uance yesterday afternoon, to bring under his notice the necessiry of continuing the dray road in the Wangaehu Valley through to the plains, and connecting it with Field's track. Mr Ballanoe expressed himself favourable to the idea, but pointed out that as there is no money for the purpose, 'and tbe settlers are against further borrowing, it could not very wall bo carried out at present, but promised to look up the surveyor's report on the proposed line, and do all in his power to open np the lands which would be affected by it. He also undertook to bring the matter under the notice of the Minister of Lands. The second term of the Collegiate School will commence to-day. The new residence for Mr Shields, second master, which has been erected on the Industrial School Estate, is now approaching completion and will be brought into requisition this term to provide accommodation for those who have been desirous of attending the College, bub have not hitherto been able to do so for want of room. At the end of the term in all probability a football team will pay a visit to Wellington to take part in the annual intercollegiate football matches, to which the following colleges are to send teams :— Wellington, St. Patrick's, Wanganui, Christs College, and Te Ante (Native College, Hawke's Bay). In view ot the contests the local boys should keep in active training during the ensuing term. Nelson Bros, have issued their schedule of prices under the guarantee. The schedule provides that all pelts and offal shall be the property of the firm, and also that part railage to the port shall be paid by the supplier. In the event of war, which may interfere with shipping, the firm shall be at liberty to determine the contract with the guarantors. The prices to be given are— First-clasp sheep, lsd per lb ; second-class, 1 Jd ; third-class -Jd ; with 80 per cent, above sd, 45d, and 4d respectively. No doubt the terms are ' good, but it will never pay to buy sheep for- freezing at the prices now ruling. The market must como down for live sheep, or farmers now stocking will lose heavily when they sell, if Messrs. Nelson's guarantee is to be taken as the standard — Post's Woodvillu Correspondent. Recalling sentences (says the Law Times) is a bad judicial habit which is being followed by Magistrates. A sentence at Bewdley by the Magistrates recently was, however, too grossly excessive to stand popular clamor. A girl" aged fourteen, was convicted of stealing four monthly parts of a magazine. It was her first offence, and she pleaded that she only borrowed the books to read. The Bench, however, sentenced her to ten days' hard labour, to be followed by three years in a reformatory. Uproar followed in Court. Ultimately the Magistrates retried the case, reversed the condition, and simply bound the girl over to come up tor judgment when called upon. This is an instance of conviction by Magistrates and sentenced by the public— an innovation not to be welcomed. Wo hear that Mr E. S. Rutherford, of Pieton, who is at present in the North Island, has taken up a block of Maori land near Jerusalem, on the Wan<janui river. The land in that vicinity is excellent, though under bush, but it will not be hard work to clear it, and from what has been already done in that way by the Maoris themselves, we should say that it is as good sheep-carrying country as there is in New Zealand. The main drawback at present is the want of communication except by canoe, but the Government are now having the river improved, and a local firm, Messrs Hatrick and Co, are importing a steamer suitable for the trade. In a few years there will a large population on the river, and Mr Rutherford will find that he has . made a good bargain, and secured some of the best grazing land available. — Marlborough Express. Ladies will probably find themselves deeply in the Behring Sea Question. For the international rights and claims at issue between the Marquis of Salisbury and Mr Blame they may not care ap. iota, but it will be serious news to loam that there is thought to be no chance of sealskins from the famous Pacific hunting grounds for six or seven years to come. It appears that the " rookeries " of the poor hunted seal have been preyed upon far beyond their capacity. In the period from 1879 to 1882 the animals caught numbered 100,000; last year the total f6ll to 20,945. Nor was the decline in numbers the most significant circumstance. Eighty-six per cont of the seals had to be rejected because they were too small, whereas in former seasons the proportion so rejected did not exceed fifteen per cent. Thus the net result is arrived at, that, if the fishery is to be replenished, the slaughter of the seals must be stayed for six or seven years. Meanwhile, what about sealskin jackets and mantles ? The James' 'Gazette says : — Many men have died on tho stage j but never perhaps did a stage death beoomo real in so dramatically terrible a fashion as at Manchester the other day. Some amateurs were playing " Romeo and Juliet," and when Eomeo stopped the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio, Tybalt's sword penetrated his adversary's. The " I am hurt. A plague o' both your houses ; I am sped" of Mercutio had a terrible significance, for he was dying when he uttered the words, and was dead before he could be taken to the hospital. Nothing could be more dramatically complete. j The fatal wound was a pure accident; but it is an accident that amateur actors may well guard against. Tybalt's sword must have boon very sharp, since it made a wound seven inches deep. The pr - fossional actor takes care not to run such risks, and the aspiring amateur who has to fight on the stage will be well advised to sco that the swords are blunt. So enormous is the force of contrast, that there is scarcely any form of doath so affecting as a death on the stage.