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Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5308, 14 March 1884, Page 2

The ordinary meeting of the Library committee will be held this evening at 7.30.

Mr F. R. Jackson's sale of Caverhill's stock has been postponed till 10 o'clock tomorrow.

Amongst the newest batch of Justices of the Peace are the following Wanganui gentlemen : — Herbert Edward Dymock, Alexander Montgomerie, and George Sinclair Robertson.

In our issue to-morrow evening will appear notice from Mrs Walker, calling attention to the opening of the new season's goods. These goods will be displayed to-morrow evening ; and are well worthy of inspection.

Acceptances for the Taranaki races close on Saturday for the following events :—: — Handicap Steeplechase, T.J.C. Handicap, Flying Handicap, Handicap Hurdles, and District Handicap.

One of the members of the Taranaki Education Board moved at the last v-eeting, that a teacher named W. Johnston be removed from the Stratford school, owing to his unpopularity. It was decided to refer the matter to the Inspector for his report.

We learn that Sub-Lieutenant ]]Clapham, of the Navals, has presented six valuable oil paintings to the corps for competition, by the first and second classes. The pictures have been handed to the Match Committee, who are to make all conditions.

The salary of the American President is £20,000 a year. Queen Victoria's income, including the returns from her property, amounts to £600,000, while the Emperor of Germany and King of Italy are each in receipt of a much largtr sum.

" We have Wilkie Collins for plots, Mr Black for sunsets, Mr Howelld and Mr James for unrivelled painters in miniature, and Ouida for emotions, but," says the London Times, " we have not a novelist equal to those of the days of Thackeray and George Eliot."

It is said that a great many marriages in the lower classes in Switzerland are avowedly entered upon with the understanding that if after a year's trial the husband and wife do not suit each other, they sha 11 give in a joint application for divorce on the ground of incompatibility of temper.

"Anglo- Australian," in the European Mail, has the following : — " Brevity is doubtless the soul of wit, but brevity may be carried a little too far, especially in what purports to be business official correspondence. The other day one of the Ageutsgeneral showed me a letter just received, and written in an apparently educated hand, running thus: — 'Sir, — Please send all particulars about Australia 1' "

At the R.M. Court this morning an apology was made by counsel on behalf of a person who the other day interrupted the Court during the procedure of the nautical enquiry. His Worship said he would accept the apology, but he would like to say that it was the first time since he had been in Wanganui that he had been treated with anything but courtsey or respect, and he hoped such conduct would not occur again.

The Parisian newspapers gloated over the mischance of Baker Pasha in the Soudan. The Debats of the 7th of February considers the British occupation of Egypt as imperative, and urges England to act promptly to prevent the East relapsing into barbarism. Theßcpublique Francaise ironically presumes that England is strong enough to act alone, otherwise she would never have assumed the responsibility of excluding Europe, and especially France, from participation in the settlement of Egyptian affairs.

The telegraph wires between Baltimore and Covington, United States, were tapped lately by a band of swindlers, who arranged to send a spurious telegram of results of a lottery to the Baltimore offices. In accordance with custom, the amounts won were paid forthwith, the total being about 1000 dols, but a few minutes afterwards another telegram arrived giving the numbers which had actually won.

An American spiritualist, named Bastian, gave a seance at the Imperial Palace, Vienna, on February 12th, at the invitation of the Crown Prince Rudolph and Archduke John. Bastian summoned the spirits "from a room adjoining the Exhibition Hall, whereupon a tall figure in mourning appeared before the fear-stricken spectators. Suddenly the Crown Prince pulled a string closing a secret door to the entrance, when the spirit, who was Bastian himself, made frantic but vain efforts to escape, amid the laughter of the assemblage, Bastian was expelled the city.

The Hawke's Bay Herald says : — The prospectus of the Hawke's Bay Gold-mining Prospecting Association is issued. This company is formed to open out a reef in the Kereru district, which is known to carry gold, and it is estimated that £250 will be sufficient to test the value of the reef and to prospect the surrounding country. The names of the directors are a sufficient guarantee of the hona fide nature of the undertaking. Mr Motley is the Napier agent, and has in his possession specimens taken from the reef.

There were no less]than four belts worn at the banquet last evening. First, of course, the Champion Belt, in Volunteer Churtou's possession ; the City Rifle's Belt, worn by Corporal McGonagle ; Sergeant Perry had the Belt presented by Trooper Chevannes for competition ; and Captain Sommerville wore the Belt won by him some years back. The Wanganui Rifle's Belt was -not present, it being at present in the possession of Volunteer Churton. Of medals there was a good display, Lieutenant Purnell having no less than half-a-dozen of these trophies, Major Noake four, and others in less numbers.

Now that newspaper reporter's railway passes may be said to be abolished, we have every expectation that members of the House, whose golden token enables them to travel free, will be tendering their services to the newspaper proprietors of their respective districts, as special or general reporters. With a few honorable exceptions, we know none of the members who are in the slightest degree qualified for the position, and we warn the Press to be careful in employing men who, from want of proper education, combined with a gcneial ignorance of the social amenities of life, might tend to lower the dignity of the Fourth Estate.— Feilding Star.