Local and General.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 353, 26 January 1876, Page 2

Local and General.

We learn on the moßt reliable authority that it is the intention of Mr William Kelly to commence an action for bribery and corruption during the late election against Captain Morris. The alleged cases of bribery are said to have occurred at Opotiki. Verily this state of things is creditable to the e'ectorate J Should the two actions for bribery and corruption now pending reßult in sheeting the charges home to the principal parlies, the East Coast stands a very good chance of being disfranchised by Act for a period of five- years nesfe ensuing, and the verdiot of New Zealand will be "Sebve them Eight." Parliament will probably- meet early in May. The Regatta Committee has received a tele' gram from Sir Donald McLean stating that it will afford him much pleasure to bo patron to the Annual Begatta to be held on St. Patrick's Day. An advertisement . appears in another column inviting all those ladies who are inter ested in. the proposed Bazaar in aid of the Church funds to meet at the Vestry- this afternoon at four o'clock. By the Suez mail we learn that fche-pre-liminary soundings for the Channel tunnel are being actively- carried out near *t. Margaret's. The enginoers.are satisfied with the results, the strata realising . their most sanguine ex» ipeotafcions. - ■We ( have been requested to publish the following s^-" In the event of His Honor Sir George Grey resigning his office of a representative of City, West district uuder the provisions -of . Section 49 of- the Constitution Act, Mr Booh fort, late Distriot Judge ofHawke's Bay, will be a. candidate for thevacant seat. Mr Rochforfc's programme •of political reform "is even in advance of that ann umed by Sir George.'. I—2V,1 — 2V, Z..Herald..

Messrs -J. S. Broadbe.nt, R. C. Fraser, W. Q- Armstrong, Fairfax^ Johnson, and IT- Lake are gazetted members .of the TePuoa High. way-District Board ; and Mdasrs David Bill and<W. C, Stewart, auditors for that district; for the current highway year* Captain Turner, District Engineer* and Mr Sydney Crapp, Overseer of Public Works in the Opotiki District, . left town yesterday morning for Opotiki. We understand that the object of Captain Turner's viait to Opotiki • is to inspeot the damage done to the bridges across the Waioeka- 1 Hirer by the late flood, his at9nttioa to whioh we drew in last Wed' nesday's issue. We are in a position to Btnte that Sir Juliuo Yogel will go, on to Sydney from Melbourne to confer w+th the New -South Wales Gjvern« ment as to the future action of that colony and New Zealand in connection with the San Francisco mail contract and other important matters Sir Julius will, therefore, in all probability nob arrive in New Zealand till the end of next month, °i&_ A contemporary gives tho following theory aft- an explanation of the excessive rain cx 1 porienced during the present season : — Ac* cording to tho astronomers, there is a rain cyolo every twentyeight years, caused by the conjunction of two of the planets nearest the earth. Neptune and Mars are now in coajunction, exciting electricity to an unusual | extent. The results in the condensation of the vapour of the atmosphere surrounding the earth, produce the copious rains which have fallen." The World states that Lord Napier of Magdala has beon appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief at Gibraltar, with a vie* to dash upon Egypt immediately any emergency arises. Other movements are, in fact, pointing to the same contingency. The Press urges upon Government the necessity for speedily deciding upon and announcing a definite policy regarding the Eastern question. All parties are agreed that Engalpd must secure undisputed command of the Suez Canal, and perhaps the Euphrates Valley, they being the highways to our Eastern possessions. We have received the prospectus of a new piper, entitled The New Zealand Licensed Victuallers' Gazette, a weekly journal, to be published at Chri*tchurch, the first number oi which will appear this morning. " Ihe truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," is the niDtto choßen for the journal, and the proprietors express their determination to act up to it. In the prospectU3 the proprietors unhesitatingly announce their determination to place before the licensed victuallers and the general public, persistently and consistently, week by week their views in reference to the social interests of the community with which the licensed victuallers are intimately aseo> ciated. The following 1 ,-tter his been kindly handed us for publication : — " Auckland, January 17, 1876.— The Chairman of the Tauranga Road Board. — Sir, — In reply to your request that I would co-operate with you to get the Cambridge and Tauranga Road open, I have to say that I have succeeded in induoing the Ngati* haua natives, who have hitherto opposed even the survey, to withdraw their opposition to the road between Cambridge and the river Thames, they now being very urgent to have the road made. I have communicated this altered aspect of affairs to the Hon. Sir Donald McLean, 3LC.M.G., and he has expressed his pleasure at this changed position, and promised his early attention. I have also urged the Cambridge settlers to wait upon the Hon. Dr Pollen next Friday at Cambridge to press the Government to commence the Tauranga and Taupo Road at the Cambridge end. Your Board ought at once to make urgent representations to the Government regarding the continuation of the road from the river Thames to Tauranga. — I am, &o. t I J. C. Fieth, Chairman of Matamata Road Board." The New Zealand Herald noticing the return of Mr J. 8. Macfarlane as member for the Wai tern ata, makes the following remarks which we cordially endorse : — " The Waite* mata election has terminated in the return of Mr J. S. Macfarlane, and for our own parts we do not feel inclined to express the least disappointment. Mr Macfarlane is not like some who have been recently elected — almost; unknown to the public. We all know Mr Macfarlane well, and his idiosyncracies. We all know this much — that he will never be unfaithful to the interests of Auckland ; that he will never do anything in a half* hearted ' way ; that he will be loyal in his friendships and alliances as he is uncompromising and determined in his aversions; and that ik> power will ever succeed in bullying him, or bribing him to do what he does not feel to be right. Mr Macfarlane has had the misfortune to get into many contests in this community's^ I — contests of .uo'i fierceness that no quarter was ever asked or given in them — but we do not think that even his opponents will ques'ion the accuracy of the sketch of character we have given of above. We are sure that the member for Waitemata will not be the least influential of the representatives of the Province of Auckland. ; A lively state of things seems to obtain at -Ohinemutu, judging from the following which we clip from a letter received from that plioe by a gentleman in town : — •• News frjm Ohinemutu lately would havo been of a very unsatisfactory nature ; no dependence or stability could be placed on any local news whatever, although plenty of goasip': hotelkeepers Bqabbling, proprietors bolting with money, servants threatening to take the lives of their masters, taking-possession of keys, and 'ending in a regular pandemonium. Whafcthe Government offioiala are about no one can tell ; the land question has now dropped altogether, and we are up here in a decidedly worse position than two years ago. Tha • Maoris then would do something both foi? themselves and you,, but now they will 'do • nothing but follow. old Micawber's example. We, as Idnafide settlers, are suffering muoh « from this dilly-dally work and many of thetemporary>restdents as well, experiencing as • they do great difficulty in making a living, . and with the present paucity of tourists and the inability to obtain the smallest bit of land for a home or garden, I fear muoh they will ■ have to cave in. . Money there. is none (except . for nobblers), beautiful scenery, fine land, hot springs, and wonddrs we have in abundance, but what can a few poor people do with suoh? J Ala 9! 'had this been in any other province or country such a melancholy Btate of- affairs would not exist,'.'

We would draw- the attention of those whohave not yet paid their pew rents in Trinity Church to< thd advertisement in 1 another column,- emanating: from the Vestry, to the effect that the Churchwardens will attend at the Vestry, to-morrow- evening; a* seven o'clook, for the purpose of receiving pew rents j an additional inti nation being given in tho advertisement that tho pew rents may also 'be handed 'to either of the Churchwardens at any i time.- On a previous occasion the Church- j wardens -attended at the Vestry for a similar purpose, but they might as well have stayed away, so we learn, as far as any response on the part of those who were invited to meet them there was concerned ; but we trust that now the matter has been prominently brought to the notice of seat-holders, by advertisement, a simultaneous movement in the direction of the Veßtry will be made to>morrow evening. It is very muoh more agreeable, we are aware, " to put off till to-morrow what can be done toiday," but we venture to explain why, in the present instance, the necessity exists for this matter being brought rather urgently before t^%S notice of those to whom the advertisement is addressed. It appears that under the agreement entered into between the Church' wardens and the. gentleman from whom the balance of the money necessary for completing the Church was borrowed, a periodical pay* ment of a minimum sum of some fifty pounds off the principal must be made, which has to be provided from the pew rents. The fli et payment is due on the first of February next, and as the sum required is not yet in hand it thus occurs that the necessity for paying their pew. rents should be pointed out to the seatholders, Doubtless when Church affairs are in thoroughg oing order some definite arrange* ment as to the mode of paying the pew rents will be mado, but in the meantime we trust that nothing will prevent the request of the Churchwardens being prompt'y attended to. The following is the position of the elections as far as known : —

±jiouiimu ... ... ... aoani nane This makes the numbers 44 centralists, and 40 opposition. OxrGEEf is Life. — Db. Bbight's Phosphobtne.—Multitudes op PBopLsare hopelessly B'ufFeringJrom Debility, Nervous and Liver Complaints, Depression of Spirits, Hypo» chondria> Timidity, Indigestion, Failure of Hearing* Sight and Memory, Lassitude, Want of Power, &c, whose cases admit of a permanent cure by. the new remedy Phosphodynb (Ozonio Oxygen), whioh at onco allays all irritation and excitement, imparts new energy and life to the enfeebled constitution, and rapidly cures, every, stage of these hitherto incurable and 'distressing maladies; Sold by all Chemists and Druggists throughout the Globe. — Caution: The large and ' increasing demand for Drßriglit's Phosphodyne bas-ldd to several imitations under Bomewhafc similar names ;- purchasers- of! this medicine should therefore -be careful to observe that each case beara^the Governmt-nt Stwtup with the words 11 Dr Brighfc'a ; Piiospliodyne '" engraved there* on, and that the same words are alao blown in the battle,.

The -subjects -discussed at . the late ° native meeting at Pukowhai, Hawke's Bay, were ; — 1. To agres as to who should -be the member of Parliament for the East Ooaßfc district, 2/ Tnut this meeting . agree aa to whom they shall appoint to guide them in all matters relative to the Maori people in New Zealand. 3. That the Maori member of Parliament control those tribes by whose vote he was elected. 4. That the tribe so voting have a voice in the policy to be acted on by their member. 5. That this meeting express its opinion iq regard to the news' paper Te Wananga. 6, That the whole Maori race of New Zealand should become Good Templars. The result was that they fixed on Karaifciana as tl eir candidate, and agreed that Sir George Grey should be their political guide. The third and fourth re* solution elicited no disoussion, and what opinion they passed on tho Wananga newspaper that journal does not inform us. It was purely a Maori meeting, ani no Europeans were expeoted to attend except those specially invited. No representatives of the Preßs, except one from the Wananga, were present. With regard to the last resolution the Maoris passed it readily enough, and if they trill only keep it, it will be a good thing for them, no doubt. When Prince Napoleon visited Ireland the Mayor of Cork, who was a retired pork butcher, for months previous to the visit employed a Frenoh master to get him thoroughly up in a speech to be delivered in Frenoh on the arrival of his Imperial H gbnesi: The Prince arrived, and the Mayor duly delivered his speech ; and in reply the Prince said in excellent English, " I am exceedingly sorry, your Worship, that I cannot understand the Irish language, and will, therefore, have to get your speech interpreted, and reply to it in English !"

Centralists. Opposition, j Ashley ... J. E. Brown Akaroa W.Montgomery Auckland West Sir Or. drey „ P. Dignan Auckland laßt ... ... W. L. Reea Avon ... W. Rolleston Say of Islands W. Williams Bruce W. A. Murray Buller ... Dr Henry Caveraham ... ... ... Seaton Cheviot ... L, Hooper Chrielchurch E. Richardson „ E. 0. J. Stevens „ W. Moorhouso Clivo J. D. Ormond Ooleridge ... Wason Collingwood W. Gibbs Dunedin ... J. Macandrew „ R. Stout „ W. J. Larnach Dunstan ... ... ... Pyke Eastern Maori District ... ... ... Karaitiana East Coast ... Bead Eden J. A. Tole Egmont ... MajorAtkineon Frankly n H. H. Lusk „ ... J. Hamlin Oeraldine ... Wakefield Grey and Bell Carrington Grey Valley... Woolcoek „ ... Kennedy Heavhcote ... J". J. Fisher Hokitika ... Barff Hutfc Fifczberberfc Invercargill Lumßdeh Lyttelton ... M. Ansley Eaiapoi ... 0. O. Bo wen Manawatu ... W. Johnston Marsden ... Sir B. Douglas. Mataura ... ... „, Wood Motueka ... Hursthouse Mount Ida „. De Hatowe Napier ... Sir D. McLean „ .„ W. R.-Buasell Nelson ... O. CuKbis- „ ... J, Sharp Nelson SuburbsA.. Richmond New Plymouth T. Kelly Newton W. Svranson Northern Maori Distriob ... Hora Karaka Onehunga G-. M, O'JRorke Parnell ... K. G. Wood Pioton ... Kenny Port Chalmers W. Reynolds Rangitikei ... J. Ballauce Riverton Hodgkinson Rodney ... ... ... Sheeban Roslyn Burns Selwyn ... Filzroy Southern Maori District ... Taiaroa Taieri D.Reid Thames ... W. Rowe Sir &, Grey ,^Timaru ... E. W. StaETord Totara ... Tribe Tuapeka J. 0. Brown Waikaia „, Bastings rJWaikato East F. Wbitater f Waikouaiti ... G. McLean Waimea „ Bafgent Waipa ... A. Cox Wairarapa ... J. C. Andrew H. Bunny Waitaki Hislop it ... ... ... Shrimaki Waitemata ... J. S. Macfarlane Wakatip Manders Wallace ... ... ... Joyce Wanganui ... J. Bryce i, ... Sir J. Yogel Wellington ... E. Pearce „ ... &. Huuter WelliHgton Country Dis. ..., ... A.Brandon Western Maovi