LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3199, 15 May 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

♦— • PniLTO Holiday. — For General informa-(A-ii, wo -rc'-r.ijl fchc . r o!li.'wi*a; ■''""in hi* lA'u vincial Government Gazette, published on Saturday : — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, May 12, 1871.— 1t is hereby notified that Wednesday, the 17th May will be observed as holiday at fche provincial offices, in honor of the departure of the Honorable Dr. Featherston, in the Nevada, for England. — By his Honor's command, Henry Bunny, Ptovincial Secretary. Appointments. — A Gazette issued on fche 13th contains the following appointments : — William Hulse, Esq., to be Revising Officer for the electoral district; of the Province of Taranaki; Loughlin O'Brien, Esq., to be Revising Officer for the electoral dtstriot of the Provinco of Auckland ; Kenuth Rose, Esq., to bo Doputy Registrar for the district of Tnvorcargill j Michael Lynshey, to bo clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Courfc at Oxford ; John Thomas Tylee, Esq., to bo Receiver of Land Revenue for the Province of Hawke's Bay ; Allan Shaw Douglas, Esq., to be Registrar of the Joint Stock Companies for tho Provinco of Taranaki. Mr Joun Kkllkhkr has been appointed a district surveyor for this province. I An Awkward Accident.— Wo wore informed on Saturday of an accident at the Hutt River on fche previous day of a disagreeable nature, though fortunately not attended with serious results*. A couple of young men, J. Corbett, butcher, and John Eagan (son of Mr Fagan, bootmaker), attempted to cross tho river, in a flafc-bottomod boafc, constructed by themselves. Aboufc half-way across, the crazy craft became unmanageable, and drifted down the rivor rapidly. Corbett, who was standing up came in contact wifch the wiro ropo on which fche ferry punt works, and was whiskod oufc in a twinkling. Seizing the ropo ho hung on to it for some time, and ultimately contrived to work himself along the ropo until thoso on ehoro were able to haul him out. After Oorbiii-fc was jerked oufc of the little boat, iti coril.inu'.il 1.0 drift dov/o t- tor nin \:i..\i\ ifc raich-v.! Mv- vrii'p v y.c ou wAkA A;;'-* }„. „,- „;.*■ ( bo:.:t Wr.vi;;-, whe:**; *.U0 OtUwt ; r ':.'-.'--p , „ 4 2 ( . . J.* 1 ' yy.V.j. j

was jerked out in a similar manner to his companion. Fagan worked himself along the I rope in a similar manner to Corbetfc, bufc rather more expeditiously. , Thb Gourlats were received wifch an overflowing house on Saturday evening, and,have announced that thoy will give another performance fco nighfc. The " basket trick" was cleverly done and proved a great bit. Indeed the performance altogether was well arranged, and carried oufc to fche entire satisfaction of fche audience, who were liberal in applause ; and in that inimitable conception of Mrs Patterson (a sorfc of Scotch Sairoy Gamp) tho applause was unbounded. Should tho weather not interfere, we may expect onothor bumper house this evening. Soiree. — Wo have been requested to state in connexion with the entertainment to bo given in aid of St. Mary's School at the Hall on Tuesday nexfc, fchat the prices of admission are 5s and 2s 6d, tho former being tho price of a gentleman's ticket and tho latter of a lady's. Refreshments are included. We may add that; the musical part of the onfcertainment will bo under fcho direction of Mr Palmer. Considering the completeness of tho arrangomenfcs in every respect, tho entertainment must prove a great success. Ntjkumaru Hotel. —Mr Handley has opened a commodious hotel at Nukumaru, right under the shadow of what was once fche dreaded Taurangaika pa. Karori Pound. — The sfcockyard of Mr Henry Kells, hotel-keeper, Karcri, has been declared a public pound. Sheep Reports. — Tho following flockowners in tho Wairarapa district have been granted clean certificates : — Mr Abraham Harris, Houtofcara j Messrs R. and A. Cockburn, Low Manaia. While in the same district the clean certificates of tho following owners have been , cancelled -.—Messrs J. and E. Dorset, Opaki ; ! Mr Duncan Morrison, Glonmorvin; Mr J. M. I Jury, Ahiaruhi ; Mr W. "Welch, Opaki j J. Y. Smith, Masterton. A clean certificate has been granted to Mr Daniel Richards, Kai Awa, Porirua. Amateur Performance. — It will be scon by advertisement elsewhere that a benefit is to be given on fche 24th (Queen's Birthday) fco the Wellington Fire Brigado by the members of the Press Dramatic Company. We think fchey could uot havo chosen a more deserving institution for which to perform. There can be but; little doubt thafc tho hall will bo crowded on fcho occasion, and thafc this, tho first effort of tho company, will be such as to encourage them to still greater zeal in fcho future. The old ratos of admiesion are to bo charged, and although they may bo considered exorbitant, yefc the line of argument adopted at a joint meetiug of tho Brigado and company was certainly a correct ono, viz., thafc they are nofc merely charging for witnessing fcho performance, bub they ask tho public in an indirect way to contribute towards the support of an institution thafc has done, and is still willing to do, great service to Wellington. Our excuse for referring to this subjncfc afc length is that it is a local ono, and wo wish the public fco fcake as much interest; in it as we ourselves do. We understand that; fche Brigade will havo a torchlight procession on tho evening of the performance, and thafc they will also erect their transparency in front of fche hall, the procession, headed by the Artillery Band, leaving the ongine-houao, Te Aro, at 6 o'clock, proceeding thenco down Willis street, along Lambton Quay, to Thorndon, thence returning to tho hall in timo to tako their positions on fche stage for tho reading of the prologue The bill presented is an attractive one, and great caro is being fcakon in rehearsing fche different pieces, so that nothing but satisfaction may bo experienced by those who intend witnessing tho entertainment. Wifch so good a cause and with so much careful preparation, we anticipate it will prove in every respect a very great success. Mr. Finnimore's Election Expenses.— The Wanganui " Chronicle" furnisho3 fcho following :— A cahdidatc for the Superintendency has beon summoned fco the R.M. Court, Wellington, by Mr Pilmer, lately of Wanganui and now of Wellington, for a sum of upwards of twenty pounds, alleged to have been earned in canvassing and otherwise forwarding the election of tho candidate in question. Mr Pilmer's claim does not appear to be of the strongest, soeing his services, such as they were or could possibly bo, wore volunteered to the candidate, who naturally feels indignant and is determined to resist payment of what ho considers an improper demand. The action is all tho more indefensible morally from tho fact fchnt the gentleman who has to defend ifc stood a friend to tho pursuer when friends wore fow and far bctwoeu. This caso has another aspect. Our contemporary thought he might raise a laugh afc tho subscriptions of Mr Fitzherbert's friends to defray fche small expense fchey considered ifc necessary to incur in carrying oufc their views, but small or large they effected their purpose, and overy ono bore his share fairly and honestly. In tho preseut instance, on tho contrary, thero has been an amount of meanness which should prove a warning to future aspirants for political honours, who seek to graduato under fcho famous trio, Messrs Ivoson, Ballanco, and Bryce. Thoy urged this candidate to come forward— thoy deluded him with vain hopes — wero to stand by hira and back him up— and such backing ! Thoy used him for their | own purposes, and now thoy laugh at him. What are his expenses to tnem ? They can get nothing moro out; of him, lot him pay the piper ! Science Simplifying Diplomacy. — A lato number of tho " Now York Herald " says : — Premier Gladstone informed the British Houso of Commons yesterday, in reply to a parliamentary question, thafc during fche sittings of the Joint High Commission in Washington, "any difficulties arising " are fco be referred by tho English officials to tho home government by cable telegram report for treatment, and that the Cabinofc instructions will be " returned the samo way." This executive announcement by tho Prime Minister of England constitutes in itself one of tho most splendid attestations of the power of ( science in promoting n friendly international communion union*.' Mio pecp^s cf ii*- uirth. Asphalte Watkr Piping. — The "San Francisco News Lefctor" has tho following : — We call the attention of our readers to the advertisement in our columns of tho Asphalturn Pressure Wator Pipe Company. As this pipe is no oxperiment, haviug beon in use in France and Germany twouty years, is imperishable, and moreover cheap, we do not see why it should not; come into extensivo use, and enable ranchmen and farmers to bring water to thoir door and stockyards at small cosfc. To newly organised wator companies, where funds arc nofc over abundant, ifc is a matter of no little importance to save half fcho cosfc of iron and got an imperishable pipe. In Germany the works of tlie company cover ten acres. This pipe should not bo coufouudod with moulded asphaltum pipe, fche moulded containing no fibre, wberous this is made of asphalt p^'per and canvas, giving its great powers of resistance fco pressure. Ifc can bo tapped and handled tho samo .-is iron. Water passing through ifc is nofc affected, as fcho interior of tlio pipe is glazed, besides, asphalb is a purifier of water as woll as a non-conducter. Tho company havo just erected a manufactory afc Alameda Point, and havo already largo orders in hand, and making 800 feot por day.