NEWS JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XVIII, 29 October 1898, Page 565

NEWS JOTTINGS.

A new time table for the Auckland railways has been issued by the railway authorities. It will come into operation on November Ist, and railway travellers will do well to consult it.

There is a cry for rain in the Hutt Valley and district. Settlers are wanting it badly.

A finely-executed oil painting of Bishop G. A. Selwyn, painted by Herr Lindauer, and exhibited at an evening sitting of the Anglican Synod in Auckland' last week by the Rev. J. C. Eccles, of Woodville, elicited much admiration from all present. The members of the Synod are to purchase it, and (’anon Walsh has already energetically raised at the Synod £2O of the £25 which is the cost of the picture. It will most probably be hung in the library at Bishopscourt as the companion picture to the excellently ex ecuted portrait of Bishop Cowie by Mr Steele, of Auckland. Judge Edwards has been again appointed President of the Court of Arbitration for New Zealand, while Judge Dennison has been gazetted to act in his absence.

Day labour is to be employed by the Timaru Borough Council on a section of the drainage works in order to test the cost of the system. The quadruplex system of telegraphy (by which two messages can be despatched and two received at the same time on the same wire; has been working for over a fortnight between Wellington and Auckland, and is found to immensely shorten the time required for getting through the work.

Mr G. W. Mclntosh, who is always moving from place to place, is at home in Blenheim for a short time.

In the military tournament to be held in Dunedin they are proposing to have bicycle races among the volunteers.

The Marlborough Mounted Rifles have left Blenheim for Nelson, where they are going into eamp.

The New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution pressing upon the Government the necessity of completing the Ohura, Te Kuiti, Awakino, an 1 Junction Roads.

Mrs Hawley has returned to Blenheim, after spending a few weeks in Wellington.

Mrs F. Greenfield left Blenheim last Wednesday for Motueka. via Nelson, where she intends to stay several months.

One section of the community in particular appear to find plenty of exercise and enjoyment still in life —- need we say ’tis the übiquitous cyclist we refer to. The season having fairly opened, many are the runs in town and country indulged in by eyelists, and from the fixed expression on their faces, the strained eager look in their eyes, we may judge by outward signs how thoroughly they are enjoying themselves.

The Rev. A. Sedgwick, of Picton. is locum tenens at the Church of the Nativity, Blenheim, during the absence of Archdeacon Grace, who will be awav for about six weeks.

It has lieen decreed that in future unsuccessful candidates for junior scholarships in the Otago High Schools must, in order to qualify for free education, gain 60 instead of 50 per cent, of the marks, though for senior scholarships the minimum still remains at 50 per cent. Mr .1. Sym was chosen by the Liberal Party, at a recent meeting at Lawrence, as a candidate for the representation of the constituency of Tuapeka, left vacant by the death of Mr Larnach.

The ball held hist week by the Coromandel volunteer corps was voted a success by all who attended it.

Wellington has lost one of its lions, figuratively speaking. One of the attractions (!) of Island Bay, and an old laud mark, have simultaneously disappeared. We allude to the fosilized human being who rejoiced in the misnomer of the Hermit of Island Bay. Seriously we think it is a boon to society at large that the lair is closed, ami the lazy individual who has so long occupied an easily earned reputation for improbable and highly coloured romance, has been passed over to the other side to seek fresh fields and pastures new —in other words, that he lias been despatched to his loving and inconsolable relatives in Australia. To have allowed him to occupy for so great a number of years, and at a nominal rental, the cave at Island Bav, was not a good precedent or moral example to the high spirited and freedom loving youths of New Zealand, who, from charity, curiosity, or other motives, so frequently wended their way to the cave to see this eccentric being.

The annual meeting of the Press Association was held in Nelson last Thursday, the majority of members being present. Most of the leading journals of the colony were represented. Mr 11. Brett (Auckland ‘Star’) presilled. The balance-sheet and report, which showed the association to be in a satisfactory position, were adopted.

The Waitara Freezing Works are in operation again under a new management.

Mr Kirk, assistant inspector of Maori schools, inspected the Waikawa (Pieton) School last week. Although the children had lost several months between the death of one teacher and the appointment of another, Mr Kirk was pleased at the progress made.

Miss Bedford, of New Plymouth, is arranging a Maypole Dance for the Foral Fete.

There is a proposal mooted to build an agricultural hall in Ctiri st church, and there are, it is stated, seven gentlemen ready to invest £5OO apiece in the undertaking. The proposal is at present under consideration of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which has itself £2,011 in hand.

Mr W. W. Collins, of Christchurch, once M.H.R. for that city, has been spending a week in Wellington, and during the time has given a series of lectures illustrated by limelight views. His clear voice, cultured style and command of language make him a capital lecturer, i.part from the subjects, which are always well chosen and instructive. Last week night lectures were delivered in the Exchange Buildings, and comprised ■Nansen's Expedition,’ ‘The Story of the Heavens,’ showing the Heavenly bodies as seen through a powerful telescope, and ‘Our Friends and Foes,’ showing microbes and bacteria as viewed through the microscope. The first and last addresses were delivered on Sunday in the Opera House. On ‘Evolution of Man,’ and ‘Great Thinkers and Reformers,’ the latter illustrated by portraits of numerous astronomers, scientists, poets, authors, etc., from Copernicus to those of the present day. The lecturer recited verses from Shelley and other poets, whose lives he sketched in a * erv able manner.

A number of Panmure and Itemuera ladies intend giving a farewell concert to Miss Celia Dampier in the Panmure Hall next Friday evening. Miss Dampier leaves with her family for Australia early next month.

The Devonport Naval Torpedo Corps hold their first social in St. Benedict's Hall on Friday, 28th hint. This will lie the last military dance of the season. and promises to be a great suc-

On Friday evening the church meeting in connection with the Diocesan Synod was held in the Choral Hall, Auckland, when the Rev. L. FitzGerald read a paper on the temperance question, and Mr F. G. Ewington another on ‘Old Age Pensions and Charitable Relief.’ Canon Walsh also spoke on the subject of putting a memorial window in St. Mary’s, Parnell, for Bishop Patteson and the two Bishops Selwyn. Two anthems were given by St. Paul’s choir, and some fine solos sung by Mrs Coates and Misses Hill and Maud Howard and Mr Worrall.

Miss Pearce has issued invitations for a ball on the Ist of November in Wellington. On Sunday the anniversary services in connection with the Helping Hand Mission were held in the Choral Hall, Symonds-st., Auckland The attendance was good at each service, and the music was especially attractive. The Revs. H. Kelly, J. G. Chapman, and W. A. Sinclair preached the sermons at the morning, afternoon, and evening services respectively.

The Poverty Bay Show held in Gisborne last Friday was lucky in securing splendid weather and exceptionally good attendance. The entries, too. in quality and quantity were much beyond those of former shows. Mr Charles Edwards, L. Mus., from Trinity College. London, is in New Plymouth holding an examination in instrumental and vocal music. The ladies of St. Mark’s Parish Guild, Remuera, Auckland, held a sale of work in the Parish Hall, Remuera, on Thursday afternoon and evening and on Friday afternoon, which was fairly well attended. The hall had been made to look very pretty with graceful arrangements of flowers and bunting. Afternoon tea was provided by Mesdames Frodsham and S. Hesketh. The various stalls were in charge of the following ladies:—Mesdanjes Saunders and Bews and Misses Lennox, plain and fancy needlework stall; Mrs Carr and Miss Colbeck, china stall; Mesdames Wigmore and Tilly, cake stall; Mrs Cotter, lollie stall; Mrs Carpenter, toy stall; Miss Shaw, book stall. On Friday evening the performance of ‘Minerva's Jubilee.’ which was so much applauded some weeks ago when given in St, Mark’s Hall, was again repeated.

Several good catches of fish have been made by the disciples of Izaak Walton in the rivers in Taranaki. Mr Bewley caught seven fish weighing 141bs and Mr T. Hopkinson six weighing 1211 b. Fish are said to be very plentiful in the streams throughout the district.

Owing to a number of deaths having occurred amongst the Ngatiawa tribe at Whakatane recently, a large gathering of natives is to take place there this week. A number of influential chiefs from the Tauranga district have proceeded to Whakatane for the meeting.

Visitors are coming to Wellington from all parts oi New Zealand for the much-taiked-o: and long-looked-for-ward-to Fancy Dress Ball at Government House on the 27th, as the invitations have not been restricted to Wellington, but extended to Christchurch, Dunedin and the other centres. A well-known ladies’ hairdresser has come from Sydney in order to dress Lady Ranfurly's hair on the occasion, and will also be employed by many other fair customers on the eventful occasion as the local hairdressers have already received far more orders than they can possibly execute in one day. and many of the headgears, some of which are to be most elaborate, will have to be worn from an early hour in the morning to enable the hairdressers to Sulfll all their engagements. i