NAPIER NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 6, 2 May 1896, Page 3

NAPIER NOTES.

'From On: Own Cokrespoxuemt.]

Nai'iee, Thi's Day. Last night the massed Bands of Wairoa, the City, and the Garrison, numbering forty-live performers, gave some beautiful selections in the rotunda oil the Marine Parade 40 a large, and appreciative audience. The rendering of the various pieces was exceedingly creditable, especially when one considers that the combination had only one practice together. At the conclusion the genial proprietor of the Masonic Hotel entertained the three Rand* at a smoke concert in honour of the Wairoa visitors. The Mayor ! Mr Swan) presided, and about fifty gentlemen partook of Mr Moeller's hospitality. During the evening songs were contributed by Messrs Rear, Hawkins, Treniayne, Tonk, Connor, Cogill, Mnir, ami Colville. The toasts of '• The Visitors.'' " The City and Garrison Rands,"' t; Mr Rymer,"' " The Mayor and Mayoress," and " The Host and Hostess," were proposed and suitably acknowledged. Mr .Moeller, in responding on behalf of Mrs Moeller and himself, apologised for any shortcomings in the entertainment, but his remarks were drowned, his guests refusing to hear him # on this subject. A verv pleasant >•<'?(«?"« was concluded with cheers for Mr and Mrs Moeller. The Wairoa band, which should have arrived at 9 o'clock on the morning "of the Carnival, in time to take part in the procession, only marched in at 0 p.m.. owing to a series of disasters which befell them. Indeed, their arrival in Napier at all was almost miraculous, and was the result of their indomitable pluck and grit gaining a complete victory over a vile conspiracy of the elements. In the

first place, the good old AVair- ; bar, which generally manr.ge to h-- f s things in that quarter ot the ee-be. point blank refused to let tlioi:i out, and our gallant visitors determined to ride overland i tl ' th > ind and raiii. The river ; : y f • ind swollen and , a d»h r ,ng daunted, :i de.onr of five • dies i'la xt \va.;s made, and ag.-;. ; n :'e.o Wairoa >ys ■truck out for Aapu r. ploughing their way across sncn a rugged country that, ruling being out of the question, the men dismounted and lead the horses, and still their motto was " Excelsior," Onward they pushed. Within live miles of the city it was whispered amongst them that an awful catastrophe had occurred, it being ultimately announced to the unutterable horror of all that that there was a hole in the big drum, and that indi-p-ns ible instrument in any well-regulated hand had to b r ' left behind. Weary, worn, almost demolished, and without the sustaining influence of the big drum, the remnant --they lost three men on the road —of the.f hardy Britons marched on to the Recreation Ground at 8.15 p.m., where they were greeted with the unbounded and well-merited cheer.-.; of the populace, who had somehow got an inkling of the many difficulties overcome by them in erd«,-r to aid in the P>runner Relief. The new Harbour Board regulations are proving a great boon to the travelling public, Heretofore j-trangers wore subjected to considerable annoyance by porter-, who plied for hire on the arrival of a steamer. Those gentlemen sin.p'y stormed the bewildered passonger-.;, seizing poitniariteaux and parcel:-', carrying them to the expresses about iifty yar.ls oil', and charging porterage out of all proportion to the work performed. I'nder the now r.-t/iiiir these pests are not permitted on the wharf, two men under the direction of a Harbour Board official receiving all luggage from steam' rs and running it on trolleys free of charge to whore the express men are waiting to receive it. This is a.s it, should be. Yesterday the southern mails which came by the " Tasmania " missed the 10.15 a.m. express, so that letters and parcels for south will be a day late in delivery. The public, tolerant in most matters, respects and in-i-a.s upon the utmost dispatch in the delivery of its correspondence, and. all over the British Empire, which prides itself, so justly, on the efficiency of its postal system, the mails invariably receive precedence. The boat came up to the wharf at H.J'O a.m., consequently the failure to catch the express points to culpable negligence on ihe part of the responsible oilieials, and should not he passed over lightly. I am glad to be aide to report, that Mr Paget, who sustained such serious injuries in the recent cab accident, is making rapid progress towards recover'.-.

A football clnb has boon formed in connection juilribr Club,"to be •gQVtt'ueft by a committee responsible to the governing body of the present institution. The club is named the Junior Football Club; colors, black and white jersey and red sash. The officer?? and committee were elected.— President, Mr J. Canghley; VicePresidents, Messrs Williams and Leslie; Secretary, Mr Jiertrand ; Treasurer, Mr A. II Lei ah : Caploin, Mr T. W. P.cnv ; Vi cc'-C'aptain, Mr W. Sehierning; Committee, Messrs Fraser, A. Boar, It. Coil den and W. Conden. Before the S.M. this morning, a man, charged with breaking open and robbing a box belonging to James McDonald, lodging at the Temperance Hotel, was committed for trial to the Supreme Court 011 May Oth. A smart shock of earthquake was experienced in Napier at 11.25 this morning, lasting several seconds. The ground on which ho stands is about the only thing a man looks upon with supreme confidence ; and when this trembles beneath bis feet he feels as if the bottom were falling out of the world.