Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1021, 19 May 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1871.

Strong westerly winds have prevailed throughout last night and to day. The great length of the Provincial Council proceedings precludes us from giving much general news this evening. J. T. Tylee, Esq., has been gazetted Receiver of Lund Revenue for the Province of Hawke's Bay. A proclamation published in a General Government Gazette issued on the 15 th instant, announces that the next session of the General Assembly stands prorogued until the 22nd day of June next. The District Court yesterday and to-day was occupied by the interminable case of Parnell v. Samuels. As little new matter was brought up a report of the proceedings would not be of much interest, "We would draw attention to the entertainment provided for this evening in the Masonic Hall by the Napier Reading Club. According to advertisements in the Wellington papers, the s.s. Lord Ashley may be expected to arrive here from the'South on Tuesday next, 22nd inst. There was no sign of the Suez mail telegrams up to the time of our going to press. The last census returns show that the population of the Province of Taranaki was 4,480-2,572 males, and 1,908 females. Of the Old Cemetery at Westport not a vestige remains, and on its site the sea has formed a tolerably distinct channel towards the river, but without breaking a clear passage through. The Provincial Go\ernment of Nelson has introduced a Bill for amending the land laws of the Province, so as to admit of the sale of land on deferred pa)' ments. Here (says the Evening Post) is a hint for our volunteers. At a recent rifle match at Henly-on-Thames, the following item was in the programme : Fourth prize--" A gold wedding ring and half a-dozen silver teaspoons, t.o be won by a single man, but not to be retained by the winner unless ho shall get married within the year." We should imagine that the young ladies of Wellington might with little difficulty, and great propriety, oti'er such a prize for local competition. The Evening Post asks :—What has become of the Russian corvette Haydamack, which left QueensclifFonthe 12th April, it was said, for New Zealand 1 The movements of this vessel, altoappear a little mysterious, and have, we imagine, some secret object directing them. We have not heard of her arrival at any New Zealand port. A plague of rats has spread over a large portion of the north of South Australia. They are described as being in swarms, infesting every waterhole and e\'evy spring. They are of the common brown variety, termed my-ar-roo, and by the natives, who look upon the visitation as a windfall, regarded as a great dainty. In some places, their tracks cover the ground for miles. The natives say that on the last occasion of a visit from these rats they destroyed all the feed, and after staying six months,' left as suddenly as they came. On the present occasion, they seem chiefly to attack the grass roots,