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Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 86, 27 June 1879, Page 2

Awahuri Suav£v.—- Our representative ' interviewed Mr Gillett at Palmorstou ■• yesterday, and w«s informed that the sur- i vey of the Aorungi Block has been again stopped by the Awahuri natives. This i time Hanapeka (sister to Topi ta) was the i chief obstructionist. She not only took up I the chain, but also refused to give it back 1 It is probable the Court will pass a severe sentence for this last act. Retirement.— ln another oolumn Mr J. N. Flower announces his retirement from the Local Committee of the Foxton School. ' This will be heard with regret, as Mr Flower has proved a most energetic and painstaking Comraitteemin in the past. Mr Flower gives no cause in the advertisement for his resignation, fcut we understand that a careful consideration of several cogent reasons has induced him to take this step. The Late Heavy Rain,— We havo to thank J. T. Stewart, Esq., for the following interesting- particulars in reference to the above : — For the seven days from loth to : 21st June— Rainfall at Foxton, 3 inches and nine-tenthe, or pearly four inohes ; heaviest fall in 24 hours, 1 inch and nine-tenths. , At the Gorge Bridge during same period three inohes and four tenths fell ; heaviest fall in 24 hours, 1 inch. The river surface varied from 8 feet to 30 feet on water { gunge at Oraua Bridge.

1 Choral Society. — The Choral Society have lost no time in arranging for another concert. A well attended meeting was held on Wednesday evening, when Mr Flower, the Hon. Sec, stated that another conceit was still due to the lion, members for this year. It was then decided to givo the fourth concert as soon as possible, probably about the end of July. The Secretary stated that the Society had a balance of £6 to its credit, with no liabilites beyond a few shillings. After the meeting a prac tice was hold in preparation for the forthcoming concert, when somo very good work was done. Tjie Weather. — The recent squally wet weather broke on Tuesday morning, and on the clouds lifting, the Tnvarua Range appeared to view, covered with a muntlo of snow of dazzling beauty, and reminding those who havo seeu them, of the mngnifioent snow-clad ranges of the fciouth Island. Gravelled. — The Local Board have at last taken in hand the work of gravelling the west side of Main street. The Board have obtained the requisite gravel from the County pit, nnd employed day laborers to spread it on the street. It was a work much needed, and the plan ador ted appears to have been both economical and effective. We understand Mr Coley has superintended the ouriying out of the work ou Whiilf of the Board. Quitk True. — Brett, who was tried at the K. M. Court on Wednesday last for forgery, remarked, wheu siguiug the form for a statement, "It seems I signed my name once too often." So it appears. Gosh.— The recent heavy rains and bad weather seem to have been felt severely inland, as wo understand the puut and wivi on the ferry upon the Masterton Woodville rood have been washed away. Pouxdkeeper. — It will bo seen by advertisement in another column that Mr George Cook has been appointed poundkeeuer at Fuxlon, vice J. Hillury, resigned. Building Society. — Wo remind the pub lie of Foxton that a meeting will be held this evening, at the Athcuteuin, to censider the desirability of starting v Building Society in Ftocton. As the matter is one oi considerable importance, we hope to see a large attendance. Besionkd, — The Hon. Robert Stout has retired from public life, owing to pressure ot private business. As Attorney- General and Ministerjof Lands, he hasjdone good service, whilst as a debater and representative he had gained a high place in the esteem of the House. Saxson Railway. — Attention is cal!od to the alterations made in the advertisement regarding the voters' roll for the Sandon Railway, and objections thereto. Election. — The recent election for the Porewa Riding, County of Rangitikei, resulted in the return of Major Willis by a majority of 50 over his opponent, Dr Curl. Ova Railway. — Both candidates for the Hutt constituency are strongly in favor of pushing on the Wellington-Foxton railway with all possible haste. Soi-x Music. — Makeru, th.3 complainant againat Hunia, is a strongly -built native woman, apparently about 40 years of age. Thoug j we have frequently seen natives in Court, and at koreros, we do not remember ever to havo seen any three so excited as were Makere, her father Noah, and Napern, on Wednesday last. Makere evidently inherits her excitability from Noah, who, although a toothless old native of at least 60 years, appeared to possess the voice of a Stmitor, and accompanied his imitations of Hunia's threats with the most violent gestures. Certainly if Hunia made such grimaces, and spoke in such a voice, with a tomahawk in his hand, the average pakeua would oertainly summon him for threatening language of the first degree. The counsel for the defence, Mr Staite, did not appear to enjoy the gesticulations of Makere, who flourished her arms in very close proximity to the learned counsel's " phiz,'" and caused him to retreat out of arm' 8 leiuth from her ladyship, whilst her deafening sceums in bringing forth her evidence, induced Mr Staite to suggest to the Court that " all witnesses had better be ordered at least a mile off?" Upon this, with a most unearthly yell, Makere informed the Court that " That was her natural tone of voice ? " Takino it Out. — Johu Brett, who was on Wednesday last sentenced to four months' imprisonment for falsa pretenoes, and committed for a trial on a charge of forgery, was taken to Wanganui Gaol yesterday by Constable M'Anulty. Sleepers. — A, large lot of sleepers are lying ready for removal, alongside tho railway line at Karere. Political. — The Hon. W. Swainson has been sworn iv as a member of the Executive Council of New Zealand. Mr Swainson is one of the old school of New Zealand politicians, having been a member of the Executive Counoil prior to tho introduction of responsible government into the colony, and occupied the position of Attonnoy-General for a period of 15 years from 1841 to 1850. Committed. — At the R.M. Court, Palmerston. before B. Ward, Esq., R.M., and H. M'Neill, Esq., J.P., Mr G. M. Snelson was charged with a breach of the Amis Act, in having sold a gun to J. B* Braudon without having the necessary license. It appears that tho gun was sold at auction by Mr Snelson on the 1 7th of May, but by an oversight the gun was allowed to leave the auction room without tho necessary license having been first obtained. However, as a prima facie case was made out by the police, Mr Snelsoji was committed for trial at the sitting* of the District Court, bail being allowed, himself in £10. Bakkuvvts. — Fraudulent bankrupts are getting into troubled waters down South. At luvercargill Judge Ward has directed a prosecution against a bankrupt whose affairs were not over and above board, and at Dunedin Judge Williams has suspended for three years (the maximum time allowed by the Act) the certificates of two brothers named Downes, hotelkcepers, of Blueskin, and has directed the trustee to make application to the Court for tho necessary order for their prosecution. A Prediction Foifii/led. — Another good gues9 by Zadkiel. In the astrological almanac, printed last Autumn, he predicted that at 1. 30. p.m, January 22nd, 1879 (the day and hour of the Isandula disaster), "difficulties would come on the English Government at the Cape through hostile aots perpetrated by discontented tribes." Pensions. — .V Press Agency telegram from Auckland says that the Government intend to introduce a Bill making provision for superannuation and pension ullowancos to the officers and men of the Constabulary Force retiring from active service. A Strange Man. — The police received information yesterday morning that a man ■was Hying in a cave close to Lyell Bay in a perfect state of destitution. Sergeant An • derson at once sent a constable round, and he found a man named William Persse in a state of nudity, and half-starved, there being no food of any kind in the cave. In answer to the constable, the unfortunate man said he had lived principally on boiled

seaweed and a few fish which he managed to caich. lie is woll-known to the police, and has several times been brought before the Court for vagrancy. Tho poor fellow has been living in this cave for about two months, existing as well as he could on any ■ thing ho managed to pick up. He was •orou:;ht into the lockup yesterday, anJ will bo charged with vagrancy before the R.M. Court to-day. — N.Z. Tiiaes, ef Wednesday Conference. — A conforenco of dele gates of the Grey, Hokitika, and Inangahua County Councils took place last week, when the following recommendations (besides a number of local interest) were pnssed: — "That no now county be formed within the boundaries of existing Counties without the consent of the original County ; that no Borough bo formed without the consent of ihe Council and a petition signed by a majority of tho whole County'; that the word 'aliens' bo struck out of the Municipal Corporations Act, and that * all persons not being Chinese be allowed to vote' be inserted in lieu thereof ; that the County Chairman be elected by the people, instead of by the Councillors ; that the various Counties in the Colony be classified ; that the dog tay be a uniform one of 1 0s por annum; that tho rate collector be allowed to distrain for rates owing on lands and tenemonts, the owners of which are absent, after giving a month's notice ; that the administration of Waste Lands Board cumulative voting- be confirmed; that power be given to County Councils to li cense carriages and vehicles ; that 20 perl cent of the lund revenue be colouialised, and divided equally throughout tho Colony; that all money voted by Parliament for public works', be {expended by Councils ; that the Government give County Councils i power to levy a capitation tax, not exceed I inij 5s on all males over 21, for tho support of hospitals and charitable institutions ; that the Chinese are an undesirable class of colonists, and that means be adopted to suppress their immigration ; that the upset price of land be reduced, for tho purpose of settlement ; that free grants of land of 100 acres be allowed to settlers on the West Coast." Native.— ln the course of a recent speech to his constituents, Mr Hobbs, M. 1-J.lt. for Franklin, trenchently attacked *tho native policy of the present Government- lie had full confidence in Sir George Grey as native administrator, but none whatever in Mr Sheehan. He bolieved that war with the natives was inevitable, and the cause was to be traced to Mr Sheehan's action at f arihuka iv demanding the surrender of Hiroki, and by allowing himself to be browbeaten by Te Whiti he gave that chief an inflated idea of his own importance 1 He contrasted the sobriety and good order of the Huuhaus with the drunkenness and brawling spirit near the Waikato settlements. JN ! o man should be a Native Mm» ister whose character, morally, socially, and and politically, was not such as to be an ample to the natives.