NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7249, 25 October 1890, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Rev. G. Barclay is to be asked to allow himself to be nominated for the Waimate seat and it is stated that he has been requested to contest the Timaru seat.

Tho public will learn with breathless interest of the news by wire that R.M.5.3. Coptic brings two pairs of live partridges lor Lord Onslow.

* Mr Walter Hill, whose name 13 associated with the spread of Single Tax theories in New Zealand, is at present in Blenheim.

Mr James Mills will reach New Zealand at the end of the month and means to seek re-election for Port Chalmers.

Mr John Joyce definitely announces himself as a candidate for the Akaroa seat.

A remarkable horse race is said to have taken place recently at Sydney. Two local horses are reported to have run five successive dead heats though the jookeys wore changed twice. At the sixth heat one of the horses won by a short head. The Free Association of Employers and Wockraen of Hawke's Bay continues to make great headway. It now numbers 1471 working members, and 183 guarantors to the protection fund, which has now reached the high total of £13,840. j It is said that the Yankees are about to test an invention for transferring passengers from railroad stations to trains whilst the latter are going at full speed. Gentry, ox member of the Thames Rifle Rangers has taken up his residence in Auckland and has joined the O Battery. At Sydney Quarter Sessions. Judgo M'Farlane (Scotch) to witness : " Are you a countryman of mine ? " Witness : " Yes, yer 'onor; Him a cockney." And then ensued a silence in which you could hare heard an elephant fall.

Birmingham and London and Liverpool and London are now brought within speak-, ing distance by means of the telephone. Although 200 miles separate London and Liverpool, the messages are distinctly heard. Wives of great men oft remind us, We should pick our wives with care j So we may not leave behind us Half our natural crop of hair.

Mr E. G. Kerr, having been presented with a requisition asking him to offer himself as a candidate for the representation of Timaru, has derided to comply with the request. The Defence Committee for the Colonies sitting in London has endorsed Major General Edward'B report in respect of arming the volunteer forces with the Magazine Rifle, but think that 8000 instead of 16,000 would be sufficient for New Zealand.

Mr Goorge Aldridge has not to conteßt Newton, and there is at present no candidate in the field for that seat. A number of summonses have been issued against Volunteers (says the Hawke's Bay Herald) including several members of the band, for fines inflicted for non-attendance at parade. Fifteen of these have not yet been satisfied,and should the defaulters not settle they will be brought before the Resident Magistrate by warrant and imprisoned. There is considerable dissension in volunteering circles at present, and a large number of resignations have been sent in. The Princess of Wales has a collection of lace worth something like £50,000. Rev. Dr Talmage lives in a luxurießsly furnished house in New York, and has an income of about £12,000 a year. It is said that towards the end of the present year Mrs Langtry will probably be seen on the London stage as Cleopatra. Emperor William, of Germany, recently delighted the hearts of the officers of his army by issuing a decree allowing them to ride their own horses in races. ' John L. Sullivan is to play the hero in a new drama, in which he has to rescue a defenceless maiden from a band of ruffians. John would have done better as the " orowd." The well known "Jemmy" Parslow has again won the A Battery Belt, which is the fifth time. He says it is getting monotonous, but he had his usual sweepstake on. Mr Cooper's Melody won the Orleans Nursery Handicap at the Ssndown meeting. It is generally considered that the taxation of Queensland is fatal to the influx of capital into that colony. Messrs Tyser and Co., who are running in opposition to the Australian shipping ring, are arranging for carrying out their own business in the colonies. Mr W. Blacklock has been appointed United States Consul-General at Apia. Cable tramways are among the most profitable speculations in the transport service. The average cost of working m England is 47 per cent, of the gross receipts. In some places 47 per cent, has boon earned. Joseph Greenwood a candidate for Eden, addressed the electors of that district at Mount Roskill, an d received a vote of confidence. The mayor of Bath, England, recently inaugurated electric lighting in that town, which now has 40 miles of underground wiring supplying 59 streets. Ono of the most brilliantly colored snakes that exists has just beon added to the collection in the Reptile house at the Zoological Gardens, London. It has a black color with regulurly arranged rings of yellow and red, the texture and colors together producing an effect much like that of a strip of freshly cut oilcloth. Mr A. Loughry,who hod been interviewed with reference to his coming forward for Heathcote, declined on account of private business to do so. Mr G. W. Russell announces himisolf as a candidate for the seat. Mr W.F. Buckland has received votes of confidence at Manukau and Otahuhu. He opposes M. O'Rorke. A heavy gale off the Baltio on September Ist banked up the Neva so that a largo portion of St Petersburg was flooded, and an immense amount of damage was done.

The annual meeting of the N. Z. Rifle Association has been fixed, commencing on Tuesday January 20th and following days. Now looal Volunteers go in for plenty of practice, and uphold the reputation that you have earned so well, and onoe more return with tho Champion Belt.

Mr Meredith will oppose Mr Saunders for Ashley. Ouida is writing a play for Sara Bernhardt. The story, a strong one of love and crime, is to be entitled, Helen Xo'.edo. Peter Mansergh, an Irish comedian of some standing about 20 years ago, died lost week at his residence, Fitzroy. He had beon ailing for some time. The Chinese on the Johnstone River are about to start a company, £2000 strong, for the purpose of drying bananas for export and preserving locally grown ginger. Mr E. W. Humphreys is now in favour of.the female franchise.