LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11608, 10 August 1892, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wanganui County Council maefcs this morning. The quarterly meeting of the Wanganui Licensing Committee has been fixed for the Bth of September. Mr C. Parker left by the morning train yesterday for Palmerston North en route for Gisborne. Judgment ia the case Ruabota v Richards, which was eoncludod yesterday, was reserved until Saturday morning. At the Christuhurch Criminal Sittings yesterday, Whitfield was sentenced to 18 months' Lard labour for stealing post office I letters. ' , We have pleasure in acknowledging on behalf of the Hospital authorities a donation of jollies, from Mrs Kennedy, of Taylorville. The Wan iranui Musical and Dramatic Association have disposed of their " Pirates of Penzance " " properties," to the Westporfc Harmonic Society. Three vacancies occur in the Borough Council on the Bth of next month by the retirement of Councillors Cummins, Carson, and Spnrdle. We are told that the whole of the trees planted in London Park by the Castlecliff School Committee have been eaten by the goats kept by the residents in the neighbourhood. All who are interested in the proposal to offer a return, ball to the Alexandra Cavalry aro reminded of the meeting called to consider the matter at Foster's Hotel this evening at 3 o'clock. • The Mayor (Mr A. J. Parsons) will preside. " Mr C. 11. Hinman lectures to-night in the Fire Brigade Hall as usual. Tomorrow and Friday the Fire Brigade Hall is otherwise engaged, and consequently Mr Hinman will conduct his meetings at the Gospel Hall, Bell-street, on those evenings. Mr Keesing commences the sale of fancy goods, &c, next Mr Drew's in the Avenue, at 1.30 p.m. to-day. The catalogue embrace such a large variety of goods that there should be attraction for all sorts of buyers. The Northern Steamship Company's steamer Glenelg, which has been laid up for some weeks for repairs at Auckland, leaves that port "lor . Wanganui via Hokiunga and Qpehunga on Saturday next. The . monthly Battalion parade was held laßt night, Captain Willis being in command. There was a good muster of the Navals (4&), the Wanganuis (58), the Alberts (40), the College Cadets, and the Band. The companies were drilled on the College ground. Mrs Walker has commenced a large sale of ladies' drapery guojs at her establishment in the Avenue, and intends to hold nothing over. Purchasers are promised a reduction of four shillings in the pound on all goodß'bought. The new sovereign, designed by Mr Brock, is to be issued (says Trutb);.in a few weeks' time. Mr Brock has retained St. George and the Dragon on the reverse, but he has introduced a little realism into his design by dismounting the saint, removing his horse, and arming him with a more business-like weapon than hS has hitherto been allowed. A watch for the blind is among the newest inventions, A small peg is set in the middle of each figure. When the hour band reaches a given hour the peg for that hour drops. The sightless owner when he wants to know the time find? which peg is down, and then counts . ba.;k to twelvo. The great majority of the exhibits for the Poultry and Cage Bird Show were received at the Hall last night, and the remainder are due before 8 o'clock this morning. Everything is in order for the Show, and one of tha largest attendances on record is expected, The exhibits are of unusual merit, and some of the finest birds in the colony have b9un entered, exhibits having been received from all parts. The Show will be opened by the Mayor (Mr A. J. Parsons) at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Some upcountry residents- in Victoria •jonceived the ideo of lioldiDg a pigeon match, the proceeds to be sont to the distress relief fund in Melbourne. The match, however, was given up in favour of a better idea— that all the gunners should go out rabbit shooting, and send their " bags " to Melbourne. Jlhere has been nothing recorded in the way of cheerful giving to beat the widow.'s. mita' through. An elderly lone woman, whoso income is only 10s a week, lias volunteered to give 2s 6d a week while the dis'tres continues. ■ ■ .'••"• The Sydney Morning Herald statea:— "It is not fully recognised that wool represents the backbone of Australia. Its 4,000,010 of inhabitants furnish about 24 per cent, of the wool required' by 1.500.000.000 throughout the world. This colony stands out prominently, since it 3 population, numbering little more than a million, are engaged in tending sheop, which yield nearly- 12 per c«ht. of the world's supplies. The reportß how published seem to show that there is not only no abatement, but a large increase in the yield. For the year ended last month the export from Australasia was 1,771,605 bales, showing an increase of 155,400 bales, or about 10 per cent. In the preceding year the clip yielded 1,616,205 bales, or about 11 per cent, more than in 1898-90. The London correspondent of the Man* Chester Guardian throws new light on the so-called plague of " mice " in the South of Scotland. It appears that the vermin are not mice, but voles. They are larger than mice, with shorter tails,' and are declared to differ from ordinary mine just as much as hares differ from rabbits. They have destroyed, or are destroying, the vegetation for many square miles of upland pastures in several countries, as they swarm in millions upon the hills, and are rapidly multiplying. Their presence ia sujh vast numbers has by some unknown means attracted from the Continent a large number of shorteared owls, which were previously unknown in the district. A similar visitation of voles upon a still larger scale took place in the sixteenth century. Mr J. H. Yoxall, President of the British National Union of Teachers, writes :— " Teachers do not stand alone in wishing to free our system of national education from the narrowing and deadening influences of a set standard examination once a year. Educationists generally are agreed that frequent inspectorial visits to a school, at times when the school is in its normal condition, would be much more just and helpful, both to scholars and teachers, that a yearly visit of mechanical examination at a time when the school is in the normal condition which necessarily accompanies the " examination day." It must be evident Hiat frequent visits of inspection would be a better safeguard for the tit expenditure of public money also. But the inspection must needs be done efficiently, and that cannot be done by officials who do not know how to inspect — who only know how to mechanically examine, and who in many cases cannot even • examine ' in a just and courteous way." Some few days ago we directed attention to the Maungaporau Block, up the Wanganui River, which is to be offered for sale in Wanganui on the 25th inst' The disposal of the land has been placed in the bands of Mr W. Cowen,- and tho manner in which it has been brought before the public we must say affords a striking contrast to the hole and corner methods adopted in the sale of Crown lands. Iv this case all the information obtainable is placed before the public as soon as it is decided to sell, whilst tho unfortunate Crown land solectors' may work themsolves into a frenzy in unsucuesful attempts to get the most meagre information iron) our sleepy Government officials. A plan of the Maungaporau Block may be seen at this office, and other places in town, and appended to it is a useful official report by the surveyor. Every arrangement has been made for the convenience of people desirous of ■visiting the ■ block, and a Jnative guide meets the Wairere every Tuesday to conduct those who wish to inspect the land to their destination. On Friday, the lGtb, Mr Finnerty, the surveyor, himself will visit the block, and intending purchasers will find this a splendid opportunity for making the trip. Finally, Mr Finnerty will remain in Wanganui from the 20th inst. until the sale. He will stay at Chavanne's Hotel, where ho will be glad to receive intending purchasers and give thorn |any information v his powor.