Local and Genral.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 382, 26 February 1876, Page 2

L ocal and Ge nral.

Wehav.e to -acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a batch of parliamentary papers from the Government Printer. We remind those interested' that Mr B. 0. Jordan will hold a sale of Btock at the- public pound on Monday next, at noon. Persons desirous of making peaoh wine for immediate use acoording to the recipe published in our iaet issue, should put in li'.bs of sugar, not ginger, as printed by as in mistake It is now a certainty that the body of Petera Koikoi wasnot lauded and buried, as was originally stated, but that it was thrown overboard at the Tairua Heads. The murderers are still at Parakiwai, about thitty miles north of Katikati. We have been requested to draw the attention of the members of the Masonio oraft to the advertisement in another column convening a. meeting to be held at the MasorioHotel on Monday evening-next. It is with great pleasure we publish the following telegram, handed to us by Ouptain Turner, to the effect that Mr Sydney Haig has safely arrived at Gisborne : — " Poverty Bay, 23rd Feb. — Haig has arrived at GHsborne — (Signed) Hobace Bak-eb, Distriot Surveyor. Meihana, the native, who some fortnight since was confined in the look-up as a lunatio, and released on his apparent recovery and co. i faded to the care of one of his relatives, was again brought to town from Ohinemutu on Wednesday. This time he is undoubtedly mad, as anyone can see who takes a look at .him in the cell where he is confined, the floor of which lw paoes like some wild animal, talking and shouting all the while. Among other symptoms of madnesß exhibited by him, he has torn his clothing to pieces, and will not allow any covering to be plaoed over him. The members of the Tauranga Eegatta Committee met at the M'asonio Hotel on Tuesday evening,., when a programme, pre' pared by tba- sub-committee, composed of Messrs- MeKellar, H. Clarke, Captain Marks, and Messrs Hori Ngatai and. Hamiora Tv, was unanimously adopted, and it was decided that the programme (leaving the amount of the prize's blank) should be advertised in-the Bat ov Plenty I'lugg;- It was also oarried that at the- next meoting. all the members ofthecom-mifcteeflhould be requested to attend, and bring their subscription lists that it might be. seen • what amount would be available for prizes. In our issue of the 20th October last, we referred at some length to tho question of a mail service bfeing • established between Tau» ranga and<Katikati, and it .is with satisfaction' we learn, that in response (we surmise) to theapplication made by ..Mr Vesey Stewart, instructions have been received by^tlie officer cofn banding the . Armed Odastabula*y>in this district' that. -the. mail is fa future -to • he '<■ carried by one of the j&orintedwderiies/ The details- of tbe -service are?" not ; yet definitely settled, but, advices have been received that an; orderly is: on his -way"from Taupo, and on bid arrival the service- will doubtless be started 1 at once. . /The institution of the mail service will be'a great boon to the Katikati settlers, | and o,noe fairly started will, we have n& doubt, } bejoarriedxmt with that unvarying punctuality I .for which the Armed Constabulary orderlies ' have -earned so good a-character, . J

We are glad to notice that the exertions of the Regatta Committee have produced* result sufficiently encouraging to authorise then? in -advertising a programme of the events to come ofP'ot'the Annual Kegatta on St. Patrick's Day.; : The amount of the prizes to be competed foriis not yet {advertised,' but when the subscriptions anticipated this year are added to the. balance remaining from laßt year's Regatta, it is confidently expected that the total amount will allow of a very fair sum being apportioned to the different events. It only rests with the publio, therefore, to verify the anticipations as to the amount of subscriptions, itdalged in by the Committee. We learn from Ohinemutu that; the Hon. Charles 0. Bertie, who is visiting the Lake District for the benefit of his health, was very nearly drowned a few days since while bathing in one of the Hot Springs. It would appear that while in one of the baths at Sulphur Point, about a mile and a half from Ohinemutu, he_ must have fuinted, as he was discovered qJrai. by chance by a passer by with his Ijpafr immereed in the water and head downwards, his legs only being visible. Assistance was promptly rendered, but not one whit too soon, ac, had the discovery of his dangerous predica. meat been delayed but another half minute, we believe it would have been too late. We are glad to learn that the honorable gentleman is rapidly recovering. When a new settlement! is founded in a new country it generally happens that three buildings — a publichouse, a blacksmith's shop, and a church, put up- in the order in whioh they are written, form the nuoleus of the afterwards flourishing township. With the settlers at the Katikati, however, a laudable idea appears to exist that to reverse this order of things for once in a way would not only be advantageous to the community at large, but would also be individually beneficial ; with them religion seems of more paramount importance than beer. But as places of worship, however unpretending, cost a good deal of money, and as the good people of Tauranga have always evinced their desire to do all in their power to aid the Katikati settlers in their endeavour to promote the settlement of their district, we are glad to see that a few of the principal settlers residing at present in Tauracga, previous to their departure for their adopted home, have determined to take advantage of the feeling existing in the minds of their Tauranga friends by giving an entertainment in aid of the church whioh it is the intention of the [ settlers to erect as soon as possiblo on the . Katikati Blook. la our advertising columns there appears a programme of the entertainment whioh is to take place on 'Thursday evening next, a perusal of which will, we feel sure, confirm the remark We would make, that, independently of the laudable object for which the entertainment is given, it will bo well worth anyone's while, who is fond of a really pleasant evening's recreation, to attend if only for the sake of the amusement to be afforded. The various parts in the programme will be undertaken by lady and gentleman amateurs, whoee capabilities to please are well known ; and as, in addition to the entertainmenu itself, it is announced that there will be a dance at its conclusion, wo h»ve but little doubt that there will toe a bumper house on Thursday evening next. The Zealandia, one of the quick Pacsfio steamers between New Zealand, New South ; (Tales, and San Francisco, is thus described in the Home News : — " On deck and below there are considerable novelties introduced. A spacious poop, to whioh easy access is gained from the main deck,, extends in front of the funnel nearly to the 'house' in which the steering apparatus is placed under cover, almost at the bows of the ship. In the latitudes whioh the Zealandia will have to , traverse, such an elevated and commodious space, sheltered, when need be, by plentiful ' awning, frill be a splendid promenade. Immediately under this, on eaob side of h central ; corridor,, there are series of what may be called deok staie»rooms, each containing a bed, a i oouoh, and' the requisite accommodation fox waehing- and dressing. Being, so to say, flush with the- deck, those will form very comfort* able Bleeping and sitting apartment*;. Descending by another staircase to the grand saloon,. it is found to be very tastefully and appropriately decorated. The main feature and absolute novelty, however, is the large and lofty central skylight, which ascends in a somewhat pyramidal form to a great height, and whioh imparts an idea of light and sirrarely, if ever, found on board the most-luxuriously-appointed vessel of the first-claw. A careful inspection of the first, intermediate,, and third<class sections showed everywhere a thoughtful and liberal provision for tbeMrants or the passengers, acoording to the class they are intended for. The ship is else ed as 100 A at Lloyd's. Her engines are 500 horse power nominal, but will work to 2,400 horsepower. The engines are compound on the most approved principle, and will work up to a great speed with a small expenditure of coalThe three cylinders have three ' holders' on the crank shafts, whioh give the vessel a very easy, smooth, and equable motion. The length be* tween perpindiculars is 376 ft., breadth 87ft 6in, depth of bold 2&ft j gross tonnage, 2,755 tons.. She possesses accommodation for 164 first-class passengers, 24 eecond-clase,, and 85 ; 'tbird'ol&ss passengers, and the ship's* complement of crew is 82."