Correspondence.

Wanganui Herald, Volume IV, Issue 854, 12 May 1870, Page 2

Correspondence.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE " EVENING HERALn,

Wanganui, May 12. Sir, —A short time since a Telegraph office was opened at Marton, and everyone felt delighted at it. The convenience thus rendered to the neighborhood by the constant and rapid communication afforded has however a very serious drawback, but one which could easily be remedied by the Telegraph department; it is this, "there is no messenger." It is impossible for the Telegraphist, who has also charge of the postal department, to deliver messages, as he is compelled to be in the office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and after that time he must certainly want a little rest. MrFernie has however, on some occasions taken his horse after office hours and ridden out to deliver a message, though probably at some inconvenience to himself. A telegram of great importance might arrive one day and the party for whom it is intended not come in for a day or two, and there the telegram would probably lie until an opportunity presented itself of forwarding it. This could easily be remedied by getting a boy who could be sent with the messages, and the expenses charged to the receiver of the telegram. Trusting that you will insert this in your valuable columns.—l am, &c, A Sufferer.

The Indisposition of Cabinet in England.—The Cabinet Council, held in Downing-street on 12th Feb., was attended by eleven Ministers only—Mr Bright, Mr Bruce, and Lord Clarendon were all indisposed. The nervous exhaustion of Mr Bright has not diminished since his removal to Norwood, and the terribly severe weather is -unfavourable to his recovery. Lord Clarendon is suffering from asthma. Mr Bruce has bronchitis in a mild form. Mr Disraeß is much better, but will not appear in the House until 18th February. Mr Childers was also absent from the gathering.

The most extensive importation of serpents which has ever taken place in Liverpool occurred on the Bth February, when no fewer than sixty of the largest species were landed. Two boa constrictors, whilst in a dormant condition, measured eight feet and ten feet in length, and one of the pythonesses, whilst on the voyage from the West Indies to Liverpool, gave " birth" to no fewer than thirty-eight pythons—all of which, notwithstanding that they were enclosed in a box not larger than an ordinary Foyle salmon-case, were in good condition on being sent ashore. There were also two bluefaced gorillas of the largest kind, a buffalo, a blue macaw with goldfringed eyes, a griffin vulture, and a porcupine rat—the only one that has ever been imported from the West coast of Africa. Mr Cross, the wellknown naturalist, is in communication, we understand, with the Royal Zoological Society as to the disposal of this rare and valuable collection of birds, beasts, and reptiles.

A Castlemaine telegram in a Melbourne paper of date the 22nd April says;—At the police court, this morning, Mr Superintendent Winch applied for a warrant to arrest Geo. Dyer, in England, for the murder of the man George Wilson, at Newstead, in 1858. Dyer's confession, which he made to the authorities in England when he surrendered himself, is fully sustained by the evidence which was adduced. The warrant was granted, and will be sent home by the outgoing mail steamer, which sails on Sunday next