Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 110, 31 May 1883, Page 2

Local & General News.

It is almost certain that the Government will secure the Bruce seat, made vacant by the decease of Mr Rutherford.

At the meeting of the Wanganui Education Board on Tuesday last a letter was read stating that a site for a schoolbuilding on Stanway-road had been secured, and the Board resolved to call for tenders for the erection of a schoclhouse to accomodate 60 scholars.

The following resolution was passed at the meeting of the Education Board at Wanganui on Tuesday —"That it having come under the notice of the Board that irregularities have occurred in the attendance of teachers at certain schools, it be an instruction to School Committees that teachers in the employ of the Board be in their places during the whole of school

I hours." The Hon Major Atkinson, in an ad* | dress to his constituents at Hawera, on Tuesday, said " The mam trunk line to Auckland was a matter of great import, ance to the North Island and to the colony, and the snrvey was being pushed on as far as possible. Three parties were out examining into the several proposed routes, and not a day had been lost ; but it was not likely that Parliament would be able to deal with the question next ■ussion."

A few days ago, at Sanson, Mr Hemus gave a very interesting lecture to the schoolchildren on the advantages of temperance. At its conclusion about 30 children took the pledge and donned the blue ribbon. The school committee passed a vote of thanks to the lecturer. In the evening there was a full attendance. The Rev W. Worker presided, and Miss Wrigley played the piano at intervals. The lecturer was very successful and was able to induce 20 to join the Blue Ribbon army.

With reference to the fire in Gladstone street, reported in our last issue as having done some damage to the dwelling houße occupied by Messrs Summers and Mayhew, we learn lhat there is a policy of insurance, current value, £175 on the house and plant. As the salvation of this amount to the insurance company was entirely due to the presence of mind and courage of Mrs Laing, it is not too much to anticipate that she will receive some substantial recognition from the company for her valuable services.

The Chairman of the Education Board, Wanganui, appears to have a strong feeling against Mr Harris, who was lately in charge of the Halcombe school. We learn from the Chronicle that -when it was proposed to give that gentleman a testimonial, the feeling of the Board was that they could not give him a testimonial consistently with the past action of the Board. An amendment in favor of giving Mr Harris a qualified testimonial would have been carried, had it seconder, Mr Snelson, remaining to vote on the question. As it happened, the amendment was defeated, simply by Mr Watt's casting vote as chairman. Mr Watt displayed neither, generosity, nor good taste iv thus voting.*

The Salvation Army is, it seems, likely to soon find its way to Wanganui. The Herald devotes a lender to the subject, and is very fair and impartial in its recommendations as to how the promoters of the propoganda should be treated, as it sees little harm the movement can do to society generally, while it is possible it may do some good in reclaiming drunkards and other bad characters. It says the free discussion of opinion is what must be defended if civil and religious liberty is to be maintained.

A meeting of Court Loyal, A.0.F., was held last night in the Court-room. There was a large attendance, upwards of thirty members being present. Two new members were initiated and one proposed. A ballot was taken anent removing the Court to the Good Templars' Hall, with the result that the motion was carried. After some discussion it was decided to send to Messrs Atkins and Clere for estimates of the proposed new Lodge Building.

Morphy's large brake with 4 horses, driven in the proprietor's usually excellent style, was laden with passengers from Feilding to ELiwitea on Tuesday. The party included Mr Btevens himself, who on arriving at the destination was received with cheers. Some amusement was caused by the visitors having to wade through a slough of despond in getting from the main road to the hall, and it was humourously suggested that it ought to be brought under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act.

The entertainment given in the Town Hall last night cannot be pronounced a success so tar as the attendance was concerned. Those present, however, were highly pleased and amused, especially by the various tricks of legerdemain, some of which were certainly very uncommon. The representation of the talking heads, the living bust, Ac, was also very interesting. The panorama of the Victorian expedition was very interesting. The affair altogether is worthy of a much better patronage than it received last evening. The panorama will be exhibited again to-morrow evening.

The Willmott « 'ombination Troupe will appear in the Public Hall on Saturday evening. As on two previons occasions the Eellding theatre-go ng public have expressed themselves highly delighted with the performances of this talented company we expect they will be welcomed by a bumper house. The piece de resistance will be the far-famed " Alladdin, or the Wonderful Scamp." The rendering of this by the company is highly spoken of by the Wanganui papers. The " Widow Tvrankey" of Mr Wilkinson is said to be the best ever put on the boards, keeping the audience in roars of laughter. After having seen this gentleman in " Cinder, ella," we don't for a moment doubt the statement.

A correspondent to the Wanganui Herald writes in a very impartial manner in reference to the question of the main trunk line, and strongly urges the Central in preference to the Mokou route, even as a matter of Colonial interest. He argues that Central districts of the Island must sooner or later be opened up by a railway, and that even if a line along the coast already existed there would still be the same necessity as now for the line through the Central country. He urges several very strong reasons why the Central route should be adopted, and rightly says there are absolutely none that can be urged of equal strength in favor of the other, which, for purposes of settlement, might for years to come belittle of