LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11609, 11 August 1892, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The annual meeting of the Wanginui Caledonian Society will bo held on .Monday next, at Foster's Hotel. . Mr Justin H. McCarthy's story, " A Rainy Romance," is concluded on our first page to-day. The members of the St. Andrew Kilwinning Lodge, No: 97, N;Z.C , are reminded that the regular monthly meeting takes place to-night, at 7.30 o'clock sharp. Visitors are invited. The Harbour Board authorities announce that all goats and pig3 found in future trespassing in Luntion Park at Castlecliff will be destroyed. The Chief Postmasters at Dunedin and Ohristchurcb are to be retired, owing to advancing.age, and also the Postmasters at Lawrence and Masterton. A Dunedin wire states that Mr Justice Williams yesterday delivered judgmen-t adjudicating' T. Kennedy Wylio a bankrupt, on the motion of Mr Thompson, tho successful petitioner in the recent divorce, case, in which Wylie was cast in JBISOO damages as co-respondent. ' The Poultry Show will be open to-day from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and from 7.30 p.m. until 10p.m. We believe the Committee intend to have a band in attendance) but it is very likely that they will not play inside the Hall, as the noise is harmful to the birds, especially to those in the cage -bird classes. The Art Union will ba drawn during the ov&ning. Another attraction for next Wednesday night's entertainment in aid of the Public Museum Fund is that the management have been fortunate enough to secure the kind services of Mr Phillips, who lias consented to give " How BUI Adamd won the Battle of Waterloo." The whole entertainment will thus be given by gentlemen entirely new to Wanganui playgoers. An entertainment was given to a crowded house at Maxwelltown on Tuesday evening last. The programme was a. varied nature, the first part being chiefly devoted to music, vocal and instrumental, and the second- a Christy Minstrel entertainment. Mr Austin was in the chair, and the evening was passed with enjoyment to all. We have received a full report, but we regret that we are obliged to hold it over until to morrow owing to unusual pressure on our .space. George T. Joss, late master of the. Edith May, was brought up at the' Police Court yesterday morning before Messrs Bamberand Willis.J.P.'s, on two charges —one tor forging a receipt for £4 10s, and another for forging and uttering a receipt for .£1 14s. Sergeant-Major Anderson, who conducted the case for the prosecution, applied for an adjournment till Saturday next at 10 a.m. Mr Hogg, for defendant, had no objection to this pvovided that bail was allowed. Bail was fixed at JJIOO in each case in defendant's own recognisance of JJSO, and two sureties of .£25 each. ' We had the pleasure yesterday of inspecting a handsome piece of furniture at Mr Dexter's shop in the Avenue. The article in question is a massive* wardrobe in polished nmu, and it has bean made 10 order by Mr Dexter as a wedding present for a young couple whose nuptials are to be ce'.ebiated within the present month. It is plain in appearance, almost as though its plainness were a studied feature, but it is fit the same time excellently designed, and it reveals an amount of skill in workmanship which is highly flattering to the maker". It is lined with beautiful white kauri, which is in perfect keeping -with the r'iinu of the exterior, and a fine mirror, Q;1 by 2ft, in the front is at once useful and ornamental. The article is altogether a cplendid piece of, furniture, and it is gratifying to find such work turned out by our local tradesmen. The Pahiatua Star says:— Never a session has passed for year? but the Balfoiir estate been quoted' in tlie' House., as a "frightful example" although' thousands and, thousands of, pounds. have been spent 'in labour on,' tins property. There is, however, an adjoining estate which will suit the role of '.' frightful example " much' better than Balfour-'s, besides affording a little Change- in the monotony caused by always giving us the same little farm. The property of Admiral Field on tlie opposite side of.tbe-Kaitawa Road has never had a copper spent on it by anyone. It is simply a hindrance to settlement and a curse to the district. It is a pity .that ft system of taxation is not introduced specially, adapted to meet cases like this. In the meantime we offer this new "frightful example" to the statesmen of the colony, as everybody is heartily sick of hearing of the Balfour, estate. Wanganui has long enough had a reputation for lunacy, and if it quietly submits tosomeof the practices at present in vogue it is more deserving of the distinction than we have been disposed to believe. We think, however, that in this instance ifc does not intend-to submit. Petty thefts have been complained of for some time past, but in the majority of cases these thefts, have been committee} in the dark, and when fitting opportunities offered: The system has evidently grown monotonous, and the thieves are seeking to provide a little excitement by committing their robberies in broad daylight, and under the gaze of onlookers. We put the last portion of that sentence in italics, because the fact it conveys might not have occurred to the individual for whose benefit— for whose benefit, we repeat, and we use the word advisedly this paragraph is written. We have yet a few facts to mention which may prove interesting to our purloining friend. Early yesterday one of the Committee of the Poultry Association noticed that one egg had been stolen from eacn of the four baskets exhibited at tho Show, and he at once reported the matter to his colleagues. Inquiry wa3 made, which it is hoped will lead to good results, aud steps were taken to prevent any recurrence of the •'accident." The cage doors were tied up and the promise of a reward to an honest boy was all that was required to enable the Committee to fix its man. -After this arrangement more esrgs were taken from the baskets, and hence our italics above. The best thing for our friend to do, wo think, is, tc put it gently, to make an immediate donation of eggs to the Poultry Association. A meeting of those interested in giving a return ball to the Alexandra Cavalry was held at Foster's Hotel last bight. Captain Lomax presiding. As a preliminary, the following resolution was put and carried unanimously :— " In the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a ball be tendered to the Alexandra Cavalry by their guests of the past, 011 September 16th." Mr G. C. Ruasell then proposed, "That honorary members of the Cavalry should be invited as members of the troop." Before this motion was finally carried a lengthy discussion ensued as to tho advisability of making it entirely optional tor honorary members of the troup to elect to attend the ball either aa guests or hosts. To clear up this matter it was resolved (after the last motion had been put and carried) on the motion of Mr G. C. Russell, "That honorary members have the same privilege as ordini ry subscribers." Mr RodweJl moved that the subscription for a double ticket should be fixed at ills, with extra lady's ticket 7s (id. This motion was seconded by Mr Remington, and after some discussion carried unanimously. A committee, consisting 1 of Messrs Remington, Russell, Downes and Rodwell was then elected to canvass for subscribers and report to the meeting on the 17th inst. Mr Bailey was asked to retain the Secretaryship, and consented to do so until tho next meeting Mr J. P. Watt announced that the Volunteers desired to offer thp use of the Hall to the Committee free of cost, and Mr Downes said that ho understood the Naval Artillery would lend their service in pre: paring aud decorating the Hall for the occasion. The last two announcements wore received with applause, and tho meeting adjourned,with a voto of thanks to tho Chairman.

The Minister of Lands has decided be cannot grant freehold tenure to special settlers, on the trround that such concessions would result in settlements becoming the happy hunting grounds for land speculators. . The Department of Education notifies in the Gazette that for the Civil Service senior examination for January, 1893, the period »f literature will be the reign of Elizabeth, and the special books will be Shakespeare's " Hamlet " and Macaulay's " Es=ays on Bacon and Walpole." At a large meeting of hotelkeepers of j Melbourne, held to consider the effect upon the trade of the increased duties on liquors, it was resolved that it was absolutely nacossary that the retail prices of all liquora be raised to tho eon sumors, aud aUo that the amount of extra duty be added to the present prices charged to the public. James Garland Woon, of Wellington, who entered the Civil Service in 1858, and was retired while Collector of Customs at Hokitika on 31st March last, being then 53 years of age, and in receipt of a salary of ,£4OO per annum, prays the House for relief, and contends that his compulsory retirement was unwarranted by law. A claim made upon the estate of the late Mr John McKelvie, of Rangitikoi, by Mr Arthur Amon, who managed the deceased gentleman's business for the Isst 20 years, has just bnen decided. As no provision was made for Amon in Mr McKelvie's will, he sent in a claim to tho executors for 20 years' services, and the matter was submitted to arbitration. The arbitrators (Messrs J. Ames and J. Stevens) awarded Mr Amon .£2OO a year for a period of about 10 years. Mr T. J. W. Gale acted as referee. Mr Hislop represented the executors, and Mr Gully appeared for Mr Amou. A large number of witnesses were examined.