Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 109, 28 March 1868, Page 3

Local and General News.

Earthquake. —A slight shock of short duration was felt in Blenheim oil Wednesday evening last, about half-past 11 o’clock. The meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society, which should have been held on Thursday last, was postponed till Thursday next, on account of the inclement weather.

'Education Kate, 1867.— As a considerable amount of arrears of rates and school fees for last year still remain unpaid, the Education Board has appointed Senior Sergeant Emerson Collector, with authority to sue.

We perceive by our last Auckland files that Mr. Hyde, of Papakura (brother to Messrs. G. and H. Hyde, of Blenheim), was highly commended at the recent show held in that district, for a tin puddling machine.

The Suez mail arrived at the Bluff on the 26th instant. The Panama mail arrived at Wellington at 145 p.m. on Thursday, and left for Picton by the Taranaki at 4T5 a.m. yesterday morning, arriving at Blenheim per Lewis, at four o’clock yesterday afternoon.

/ Tua Marina Election. —The nomination for this district took place on Saturday last, at Mount Pleasant, Picton, when Mr. H. Redwood was proposed by Mr. Hathaway, and seconded by Mr. Busch. Mr. J. 0. Western was proposed by Mr. John Godfrey, seconded by Mr Bennett. The show of hands (6 to 3) being in favor of Mr. Western, a poll was demanded by Mr Hathaway. On Tuesday last accordingly, the event came off, At Mount Pleasant, 19 voted for Western, and 1 for Redwood, and at the Ferry, 1 for Western, and 29 for Redwood. The numbers officially declared were Mr Redwood 30, Mr Western 20y Provincial Council. —The Council did not sit on Thursday last, for want of a quorum. Yesterday the report on Bowden’s and Bomford’s petitions were adopted, and the Appropriation Bills were passed. A debate was introduced by Mr. John T. Robinson, who urged that the public pound ought to be removed out of the town; Mr. Dodson supported the motion. Messrs. Eyes and Ward spoke against it, and a division resulted in the motion being lost. The ayes were (2) —Messrs. Robinson and Dodson; and the noes (5) —Messrs. Eyes, VVemyss, Ward, Carter, and Levien. Mr. Douslin declined to vote, and the Council was then prorogued.

Our attention has been called to two matters connected with the Resident Magistrate’s Court, arising at the last' sitting. Plaintiffs complain that notwithstanding it is a rule of Court that plaintiffs shall be nonsuited if no bill of items is attached to the summons, yet the Court issues summonses without such bill of items attached, thereby causing unnecessary loss of time and expense to persons who may not know-the requirements of the Court. Other plaintiffs complain that cases were not heard when called upon, although they answered to their names, because defendants did not appear. Two plaintiffs were in court all day on Monday, and from the above circumstance, had to come back again on Tuesday to have their cases adjudicated upon. It ought to be no concern of a plaintiff, that the defendant is not present, and he should be heard without further delay. Since writing an article .which .appears in anothSTvpartjof this paper, two movements have, been made spontaneously—as will be seen from the following letter' 'from;,the Superintendent, addressed to Mr. J. Gorrie,* and the other, gentlemen who signed a memorial.:—- r “ Gentlemen, —I am directed by his honor the Superintendent to acknowledge the receipt of a letter signed by twenty-one inhabitants of the town of Blenheim, requesting his Honor to call a public meeting at an early date, to take into consideration the present alarming state of the rivers Opawa and Wairau ; and, in reply, to inform you that the subject is one which has already been brought under his Honor’s notice, and that at the request of some of the inhabitants of the Lower Wairau district, he has given the use of the Council Chamber for the holding of a public meeting, on Tuesday next, at two o’clock p.m. I have, &c., James Balfour Wemyss.”—Last evening we received an intimation from one of the promoters of the movement last alluded to, stating that it was not advisable to call the meeting for next Tuesday, as persons were unable to get from the neighbourhood of Spring Creek and the Berry, on account of the quantity of water on the roads, and suggesting that a preliminary meeting should be held ,on Saturday, the 4th proximo, and a public meeting on the following Tuesday, which will, we presume, be done. Their scheme is ex'tensive in its character, embracing the drainage of the whole of the Wairau plain.