LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 335, 24 November 1875, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Airec Troupe gave a matinee on Monday for the benefit of the children, who attended in pretty good numbers, and evidently enjoyed the performance. Two notifications signed by the Commissioner of Stamps, appear in our advertising columns. They have reference to recent legislation, and are very important to the business portion of the community. Mr H. W. Farnall has issued an address to the electors of the Rodney District, notifying his intention of contesting that electorate at the forthcoming general election. Mr William P, Moat is also a candidate. Mr John Sheehan is the present member. At ton minutes past eight o’clock on Monday evening a meteor of extraordinary lustre passed over the harbor, travelling from south* west to north 'east; it shed a most brilliant light, lasting about half a minute, and broke in a shower of sparks resembling a gigantic rocket. Mr R. C. Jordan advertises that ho will sell the stock and effects in the estate of the lute Mr A. Anderson, of Kalikati, as follows: —On Friday, at noon, the stock will be sold at the Public Pound ; and on Saturday, nt noon, the stores, implements, and effects will bo sold nt the residence of Hie late Mr Anderson, at the Katikati, We understand that Mr Montrose, late editor of the Waikato Times, has issued a writ agaiast Messrs Langhridge and Silver, proprietors of that Journal, for £SOO damages, for wrongful dismissal. 'The writ bus been already served. Wo believe that Messrs Jackson and Russell, defendants' solicitors, have retained Mr Whitaker to defend the action.

We notice that a great improvement has been made in the Post Office, whereby the old pigeon hole through which one had to communicate with the officials inside, and which from its height from the ground must have been made, wo should fancy, for some unknown giant race to speak through, has been done away with, and in its place a large and commodious aperture at a convenient height from the ground has been cut.

Mr Martin, Iho contractor for the repairs to the Cameron Road between the Fu ham lledonbt and the Catholic chapel, is apparently carrying out the work in a satisfactory manner. The swampy condition of this portion of the road in wot weather before any improvements were made will doubtless be remembered by most of our readers, and the temoval of the nuisance will be a matter of public convenience. It will be a matter of interest to the patrons of the <{ board of green cloth" to learn that Mr Whitcombo, the enterprising end ccudeoue lessee of the billiard table at the Tauranga Hotel, has received by the last trip of the Row on a a new supply of cues and billiard balls. The cues have been made by Cotter, of Auckland, and are most creditably finished, being well balanced and capital for playing. The balls have been imported from home, and are of the very best quality.

The magnificent new steamships Zea* landia and Australia, of 3,000 tons register, now being completed on the Clyde by the eminent builders, Messrs John Elder and Co., for the New South Wales, New Zealand, and San Francisco mail service, are announced to leave London for Melbourne, Sydney, and New Zealand in November (this month) and December respectively. They are expected to make the passage to Melbourne in 43 days.

The Airec Troupe announce a performance to be given, under distinguished patronage, to-morrow evening. The performance will be far the benefit of M. Frederico Airec, the renowned gymnast, and a programme replete with attraction is advertised for the evening. Madame Airco will positively appear, we are told ; and when the attractions offered are taken into consideration we really think the Troupe should play to a bumper house on this exceptional occasion. It will be noticed that the prices of admission have been reduced to 2s and Is..

Now is the time to subscribe to Saturday Sight' Two SEWING MACHINES to be given to Subscribers, valued at Seven and Six Guineas, for solving a riddle, or writing the best essay on the most enjoyable way of spending Christmas in the Colonies. Agents everywhere.—[Advt.]

We notice a 'nrther rise of ten shillings per ton on Thornton, Smith, and Firth's “ Grown brand” iLur. Although the harbour literally teems with various excellent fish, fi»b is as scarce as if the town wore situated u hundred miles inland. Fish is seldom to be got, and but for the natives we should sever get any at all. We see no reason why this should ba the case ; surely there are several residents who could profitably pursue the occupation of fishermen; and at is most surprising that no one seems disposed to do so ! Although her Majesty now formally wields the sceptre of the Fiji Islands, the ex-king exercis.es his authority in a quite unofficial fashion. He was down at Ban lately, and by way of compensating for the loss of population by measles, ho issued an edict that all marriageable young men and girls should be married forthwith. Within a few days there were a hundred and thirty marriages. Oakobau reasons like Benedict—“ The world must be peopled.”— Australasian . All old residents in thedistrict will be pleased to learn that Dr Henry, formerly assistantsurgeon in the Ist Waikato Begiment of Militia, and who since his departure from Tauranga has been successfully practising his profession at Charleston, on the West may be expected hero about the end of the year or beginning of next on a tour through the Lake District. Or Henry’s name is a household word to most of the old families of Tauranga, and he will be heartily welcomed by his nmuv friends.

As some workmen were digging a trench near the Choral Hall, .Auckland, they were much surprised to find that they had eorac/ across a largo quantity of swords and bayonets with belts, &c., which had been buried evidently a long time. How they came to be thus buried was a matter of vague conjecture, but the Southern Cross has learned from Major Tisdall that it was the practice when the Imperial troops were in Auckland to bury arms which had been condemned as un* serviceable, and that in all probability those now discovered are some which had been so disposed of. Bishop Crokc, tho late Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, who always manifested a strong antipathy to the secular system of education in this province, would appear to have modified his views. A virulent anti* Catholic journal in San Francisco devotes an article in eulogy of the Archbishop of Cashel's liberal views on the subject of education as enunciated by him since his return to Ireland, and in general condemnation of any system placing education under clerical control. We make the following brief extract from tho article referred to “ Bishop Crokc, of Cashel, Ireland, and brother of Father Croke, the late Vicar* General of St. Mary’s in this city, has shown his good sense by approving the National School system in Ireland. This now departure will rest heavily upon tiio Cardinal shoulders of Paul Cullen and various other bishops in lieland, who have been continually hounding the British Government upon this subject. Bishop Croke cither makes a choice out of a necessity, or takes a more liberal view of unsectarian education than any of the English, Irish, or American Romish bishops. Wo do not question his liberal views' as being genuine and that which prompts him to come out boldly and recommend the National School system in preference to tho Popish. Tho Bishop's late trip through the United States on his way to New Zealand, and his mingling with the people of that place for a few years, might be advanced as a reason for these liberal views.”