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Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5306, 12 March 1884, Page 2

As there is a strong probability of the consent of the up-river chiefs being given to a responsible gold prospecting party going into the interior, at the great Native meeting on the 28th of the present month, it is opportune that some steps should be taken by the citizens of Wanganui towards the organisation of the party. A meeting has been called for this purpose at the Pier Hotel on Saturday evening next at 8 o'clock, and it is to be expected that those who think the opportunity of testing the matter should not be neglected, will be present.

The Government have increased the railway rates by £150,000 a year. The increase in passenger fares is about 10 per cent., but the suburban traffic of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill—lying within a radius of 10 miles — is exempted from the increase, Now, why this favoritism ? Why should not Wanganui also be exempted ? Will our member condescend to reply ? The Ministry, by these railway increases, have virtually increased the taxation of the county by the sum of £150, C 3. In other words, they have doubled the property tax.

There was no business at the R.M. Court this morning, either civil or criminal.

Ladies are reminded of Mr P. Bell's autumn and winter display, at Victoria House, this evening.

The Post Office will be open this evening from 6 to 7 o'clock for the delivery of the English mail.

A notice has been placed at the Telegraph Office, stating that for the future the Wanganui office will open at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m , as heretofore.

The Ocean Ranger, mentioned in our telegrams of last evening as being 23 days oat from Lyttelton, for Auckland, has turned up in Newcastle, whither she was bound.

Captain Edwin telegraphs as follows (1 p.m.) :— Bad weather approaching between N. and E. and S.E. Glass further fall, and after ten hours much rain.

We hear that a difficulty has cropped up with regard to one man in the Union Boat Club's junior crew, and that in consequence of this a scratch crew will have to proceed to Foxton. The seniors alone will go to Wellington, and being a very strong crew, we may expect tomething from them.

In our report of the funeral case yesterday, a statement by Mrs Stretch (widow) was omitted, this witness stated that on learning that her brother-in-law had received an account from Mr Anderson, she went to the plaintiff and told him of it, when he said that his book-keeper must have made a mistake.

At the conclusion of the Borough Council business, last evening, Mr E. R. Ward handed in his resignation as Councillor. Mr Ward explained as his reason that he was leaving for Melbourne shortly. The Mayor and Councillors present were unanimous in their expressions of re^-'et at losing Mr Ward's services ; and in reply, Mr Ward feelingly thanked those present for their kind remarks, and, in conclusion, said he would look back with pleasure to the time spent at the Council table.

The battalion parade of the three local companies was held last evening, the battalion being formed at the Drill Hall, and marched thence to Cook's Gardens, where Major Stapp put the men through field exercise r-\d battalion drill. The champion belt was worn by Volunteer Churton for the first time here, and his appearance was the cause of some enthusiasm. The strength of the corps on parade was — City Rifles 44, Wanganui Rifles 44, Navals 35, Garrison Band 20, making a total of 143 men. The companies, after marching back to the Drill Hall, were dismissed.

At the inquiry into the wreck of the Falcon yesterday, the evidence of Captains Leslie and Flowerdav, Seamea Olsen, Cusack, and Lavson, wrs v aken. The Bench, in making its decision, Baid that it appeared to them that Captain Leslie was to blame for not obeying instructions received from the pilot, who was a competent officer. Captain Leslie was open to censure for this neglect, but under the circumstances he could not be blamed for failing to secure his vessel to the groin, as there were no facilities for so doing. Leslie was ordered to pay the costs of inquiry, amounting to £3 16s.

At the west-end of the restaurant in the Calcutta Exhibition is a refrigerating room. "It is not intended," says the Englishman, " for meat or any such corpus vile ; it is intended ior visitors, who, when they become heated and tired from sight-seeing, can rest and reCi. ait themselves bodily and physically in a temperature of 55 degrees. The walls are being hung with appropriate subjects, such as 'The Snowy Range,' * Spitsbergen in the Winter,' and 'The Home of the Laplander. ' The service of the table will be in frosted glass, and visitors will greet each other in the glacial tones of conventional politeness."

The New Zealand Times contains the following :—": — " People who find their bankers churlishly refuse them further advances, or are troubled with bankers' letters calling up their overdrafts, will be glad to Jearn that a South Australian bank is applying for a charter to trade in New Zealand. As the managers will be new to to the country and eager to get business, no doutt they will not be so ' conservative,' but be far more reasonable in making advances. Perhaps the newcomer will stimulate the older banks, and the people will revel in further debts. This much is certain, that any new bank will find hosts of our citizens only too glad to use the bank's money and pay interest — in fact, they will gladly take all the bank can spare."

The second appearance of the Kennedy Family, was if anything more successful than their first. The programme entitled •• A nicht wi' Burns " was successfully carried out, Mr Kennedy introducing each item by some explanatory and humorous remarks. The Misses Kennedy's trio, "The birks o' Aberf eldy, " was the gem of the evening, the voices blending well together. Mr Robert Kennedy sang "Of a' the airts the wind can blaw," veiy well, but it was in " The march of the Cameron tnen that he scored his greatest success, this fine martial air being given with great spirit. The Misses Helen and Marjory Kennedy were loudly encored for their pianoforte reels and strathspeys, the execution of these pieces being really excellent. Mr Kennedy senior in his recitations, Address to Haggis, and Tarn o' Shanter was loudly applauded, the various gestures beinf singularly appropriate. "O whistle and _'ll come to you my lad " by Miss Helen Kennedy nauowly escaped en encore, the ballad being sung with gi-eat expression. Auld Jang syne terminated the proceedings. The Family give to night a Jacobite programme.