LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 25, 19 December 1861, Page 2

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Captain Lambert has been returned for the district of Waipukurau, without opposition.

Another Whale Ashore. —On Friday or Saturday last, another whale was washed ashore on the Waipureku beach. It is described as sixty feet long, and high in proportion. We hear that the natives have taken possession of it, and have been cutting it up for the oil, but with what success we have not learned.

A Provincial Government Gazette was published on Friday last, containing— Order in Council, prohibiting the carriage of spirits, &c., coastwise between the riversOhiwa and Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty and the river Mohaka in Hawke’s Bay ; after the 4th Nov. 18G1; also the resignation of Donald Gollau Esq., as member for the Provincial Council; Abstract of Keceipts and Expenditure of the Province for the quarter ending 30th Sept., by which we find that the ceipts from Ordinary Revenue amounted to •£1,287 2s. 9d.; and from Territorial Revenue £8,412 9s. Id.; making, with the balance in hands of officers and others to be accountedfor, and other items, a total of £13,929 4s 3d The ordinary expenditure amounts to £1,930 3s. 4d.; public works and undertakings, £4,190 4s. 6d., which, with the balance in the hands of the Provincial Treasurer (£4,297 4s. 2d.), and advances to officers and others to be accounted for, (£3,511 10s. Od.), make up a total of £13,929 4s'. 3d. The quarterly return of exports coastwise, shows an approximate value of £1,448 3s. Od. and a return of cattle slaughtered during the month of November shows the number to be 232. By the return of immigration and emigration for the quarter, we find the number of immigrants to be—males, 111, females, 17. The arrivals and departures of vessels for the quarter are also given, showino - ' the arrivals to be 26 (1,569 tons), departures, 31, (1,924 tons).

The Almanac at Fault. —On Tuesdayevening, at about 20 minutes past 8, we distinctly observed a partial eclipse of the moon. On referring to Chapman’s New Zealand Almanac for information on this subject we noticed the following passage—“lll. A partial eclipse of the moon, December 15 : not visible in New Zealand.” So that the eclipse is two days behind its computed time, and was visible. The last contact of the shadow was about 9 o’clock.

Lecture.—A lecture, on “ The influence of civilization on man,” was given by Mr. T. Venn, surgeon, on Thursday evening last, in the School-room, Hastings-street. The subject was well treated, and we regret that the audience was not so large as the merits of the lecture deserved. AVe believe it was the intention of the lecturer to have illustrated his subject by experiments, but owing to the scarcity of apparatus in Napier this could not be effected.

Flood. —We have had another visitation of very wet weather, and such has been the quantity of rain fallen, particularly during the night of Friday last, that the rivers rapidly became swollen. The constantly shifting mouth of the Ngaruroro and Tukituki has now changed to some purpose, or perhaps more correctly speaking, a new one has been formed, entirely cutting off the Eastern landing place of the Waipureku punt. The consequence is, that dray traffic has been entirely stopped. At this season of the year this is particularly disappointing, the sheaving generally having been late, and the wool for some time past arriving with more than usual briskness. The situation of the old ferry has been long condemned, and unless some Native dispute has stood in the way of its removal, we certainly know of no other excuse for the apathy the Government

has shewn with respect to this grievance. We are told that a deep channel now exists between the old landing place and the spit. *