LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 39, 21 March 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The offertory on Eaater Sunday at AH Saints' Church belongs solely to the Minister, and his parishioners might thank us for reminding them of the ?act, which otherwise they mipht have forgotten. Many no doubt will, under the circum* stances, be more liberal than on ordinary occasions m discharge of their obligations to their pastor. A few day 9 ago m a ride up Stoney Greek we noticed the paddocks on both sides of the road literally white with mushrooms. In passing Bonny Glen a few days ago the appearance of the numberless cir« cles of this species of fungus growth was again very remarkable. The ketchup industry should be carried on profitably under such auspicious circumstances. Wo rray add that a bottle of this most palatable sauce of excellent quality has been Bent us by Mr Pawson which a critical connoisour would pronounce prime m all respects. In the editor's room of pne|of the Dublin newspapers. there is a momento that is unique m its way. It is a telegram m a neat frame, and was sent to the editor by a' genius of a reporter a week ago m the following words : — " Please keep column open for dastardly outrage to be committed at eleven o'clock to-night." In Wairarapa a man was sentenced to two months imprisonment with bard labour for selling a piece of shoddy as aeven yards which turned out to be only three. The ninth anniversary of the settlement of the Feilding and Manchester settlement was celebrated by a tea and ball. The gathering does not appear to have been very enthusiastic. We learn that at Messrs Stevens & Gorton's Bulls sale yesterday there were over 6000 sheep yarded. By latest home accounts the wool mar* ket maintain a firm tone. : Mr R. A. Proctor, m the course of a lecture delivered at. Glasgow, mentioned that the observations taken during the transit of Venus appeared to show, -not only that the planet had a vaporous atmosphere, but that its surface is partly occupied by oceans and presumably, therefore, that it is inhabited. he new railway tariff which was gazetted on the 26th of last month came into force yesterday. According to the new scale a passenger will m future be charged at the rate of 2£ per mile first class, and lsd second. Return tickets are dispensed with except from Saturday until Monday, when they will be issued at the same rates as the present single fares. The charges for two single tickets will be the same as for the return tickets under the old system, but the fares for a single journey much less. Writing of King Tawhiao, the Rangiora Standard sajs :— The liquor is playing the very deuce with this famous old toper. It is said that he is lost somewhere up Na* pier way. If his followers don'fc keep a sharp eye on his movements he will be nabbed up by one or the other of Barnum's agents who are scouring the colonies at the present for buck niggers of the Aus» tralasian species. Mr Frantzen is advertising for the re* covery of a silver watcb. The Bank of New South Wales has 165 sheep runs standing m its name, and the Commercial Bank 127 — all m the colony of New South Wales. It will be remembered that a few months ago it was said there would likely be. an exodus pf South Australian farmers to New Zealand. A party of farmers from that colony are now visiting the Waikato, Auckland, to report to their brother far« mers m South Australia on the suitability or otherwise of the district. Respecting cumulative votes, Truth says: — "The cumulative vote at the school board election* is a mistake. It is obviouß that though a board may be elect* ed of members each representing a small minority, that the candidates of the majority may be entirely excluded. All these fancy franchises .are quack nostrums. The only right of a local minority that ought to be recognised is the right. to convert it* self into a majority." "We again remind our readers that the outward English mail via 'Frisco will close at Palmerstcn on Thursday at a quarter to eight o'clock. The price of timber is falling m Auckland owing to the great supply of logs to .the mills by the recent rains, and also by the contraction of local demands, The Everapd Ranßos, discovered by Earnest Giles m 1873, m central Australia, are described by him as standing up like islands m the sea. We are requested to announce that the Palmer a ton post and telegraph offices will be closed on Good Friday. On Easter Monday the hours of attendance will be from 9 to 10 a.m. and from 7 to 8 p.m. As numbers of people have not seen the advertisement m the local Times have called on us to learn thedate of sitting of Board, of Reviewers, we may state we be* lieve the Court sits to-morrow, Thursday,, at Palmerston. at 10 a.m., for the purpose of hearing and determing objections. We are not sure, however, if we are correct as to date of sitting.