LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 111, 18 April 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AN D GENERAL.

We learn that JVlr'Bentley will shortly 'canveiieifpublic "meeting m connection with the projected formation : of a local fire brigade. r ,-l : . , It is reported that the Native Lands Court is to hold a sitting m Palmers ton shortly, and that an aggregate amount of £7000 will be paid to Native owners." It is reported that the Native, Tahana, who wasse'nt to the Wanganui hospital .for treatment, has had his leg amputated, and is not likely to survive the operation, his constitution having b^en Berioasly impaired by protracted illness. A resident of Wanganui complains bitterly of the charges for tolls he had to pay going to Woodville, amounting m all to 7s for the return journey for a horse and trap. He considers the charges most exorbitant at the Lower Gorge Ferry, 8s each way for a horse and cart. The bankruptcy of James Skeerin is announced. ' Mr McNeil ,s offering potatoes for pigs' food at cheap rates*

The postponement of the election of wardens for the Manawatu Highway Dis« trict will probably enable the election for the now Kairanga Ward to take placs at the same time. The date for taking the poll m connection with the Manchester Highways District, under the Roada and Bridges Act has been postponed, as explained m official announcement elsewhere. Captain Mair, the newly appointed Native Resident Magistrate, of Wanaranui, m addition to his other duties will act as District Commissioner, and will be empowered to complete the lonjf pending; negotiations for blocks of land at Otaki and m the Forty Mile Bush. This is a matter of vital importance to the Wellington«» Manawatu Railway Coy. Mr Wilson, of Auckland, the enterprising owner of White Island, has now re"dy for shipment about 100 tons of sulphur, with which he intends filling up the Magellan Cloud, and consigning it to Lyttelton. A monster pumpkin weighing 244 lbs was brought over to Wellington from Nelson a few days ago. This is said to be the largest vegetable ever seen m Wellington. • ■;;.>; We learn that on the occasion of Dr Curl's last professional visit to Palmerston he had among his patients waiting to. con* suit him residents from beyond Woodville. The fame of this able practitioner is evidently travelling far and wide. We had a strange visitor to our sanctum the other day. He had the haggard appearance of a man who was about to start a newspaper, andshowing us a three* penny pie .c, he solicited a coin equivalent m value as a subsidy to enable him to further fortify himself against the cold of early winter. We advised him. to deposit his earnings m the Savings Bank, and he left to try some body else. It is hard to say hotf often that coin had served the same purpose. At the R.M. Court m Patea, a licensed victualler named Owen McKittrick, who did not appear to answer the charge, was proceeded against for selling liquor on Sunday. His Worship said there was a conviction apainst defendant on March 6. It appeared under the Act that defendant was liable to have his license forfeited now. The sergeant said .that the annual licensing meeting would be held .m I two months, and they might deal with it. His Worship said he.had no wish to deal hardly, but the recent conviction seemed to have had no effect. Defendant would be fined £10, and costs, 21s. « In connection with the robbery of some £20 from the Wanganui railway station which was referred to by us a few weeks back, we (Herald) learn that one of the clerks, Mr Robert Hare, has been sua. pended. It is not, however, inferred that "this is on account of any suspicion which attaches him of the theft, but simply for • ooxoiooanesß. It appears, from what we! can gather, that he has a safe provided for keeping the money received, but that on the occasion of the robbery it was left: m his room uncovered. There was t a key 1 also m his charge, which fltted both the: closets and office doors, : which was miss-; ing, and consequently the whole onus of the affair rests with him. He was offered! the privilege' of paying up the amount missing or tendering his resignation, and! as he did not pay the amount Mr Bother-: am deemed it necessary to suspend him. The matter has been laid before the head' authorities m Wellington, whose decision as to whether Mr Hare shall be dismissed will be known m a day or two. \ The Taranaki Herald, m concluding a paragraph noticing Mr Milner Stephen's threat to harry the Omaru Mail by legal proceedings and their reply thereto, says; — " Mr Stephen sent us advertisements which we inserted, but he went away' without arranging for their settlement,: and even when written to respecting the, payment our account has not thought proper to reply^ We mention -this as "a, caution to our contemporaries." What' about Captain Barry, and scores of other; intenerant showmen who forget to pay! the printer? Oar rule now is "cash! down." v - ' J,l i~^J I . . . The latest craze among English ladies i is a ■' hajr album " — gentlemen's hair. It| is no particular compliment if a young j lady m these days asks you for a lock of j your hnjr. If you grant .the request the, lock.willb6 tied, with' a blue ribbon and! go into the " hair album " along with the! hair of a crowd of other fellows. Over it will be written your name, ace, color of ' your eyes, date of receiving the lock^'and; general remarks as to personal appear^ ance, etc., which may not be complimentary, as the album is never to be seen by other than feminine eyes. . One day, at Ischl, a peasant's wedding! gave Dore the Idea ... of an exquisitely pretty sketch. On finishing his drawing, he closed his album, put it m the pocket; of his paletot, and walked home to his| hotel. After dinner the album had dis«j appeated ; neither the host nor the waiters knew anything about it Dore went to bed furious. In tha morning he received a) parcel, and an anonymous letter to the' following effect : " Sir, — Knowing you would -noli sell your album, I robbed you of it (that last sketch of yours proving quite irresistible), but m order that you rfhould not take me for a common thief, I beg your acceptance of the acompanying • traveller's staff." Dore opened the parcels It contained a cane with a gold head encrusted with precious stones— re*»lly a princely gift. He was never able to ascertain the name l oi the donor. ; A terrible scene was witnessed recently m the alcoholic ward at the Bellevue , Hospital, New York, .An, Irish machinist of exceptional size and strength^ during ah attack of delirium, killed a patient with repeated blows from a stool, having fir^t fractured his skull. There was a fierce conflict between the maniac and seven keepers, fragments of furniture beiue used, uutil the maniac was finally laaßOoed and subdued. ; An exchange states that the Mint m San F rancisco is the largest m the world— twice as large as the one m Philadelphia, and three times the size of any m Europe, having 24, 000.000d01s worth of coin and bullion away m its vaults j A great tangi is being held at present by the Maoris at Kiri Kin, Thames, over the death of a very old native named. Watene te Koau, who is reported to be mois than 100 years old.