LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 116, 24 April 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We hear that it whs the dwelling formerly escaped by Mr T. L. Harcourt, at Kiwitea, not the brewery, that was burnt on Saturday. There must surely be some mistake m the amount of insurance, as we should imagine a risk of £300 would never have .been given on that building. We learn that a formal preliminary inquiry is to take olace. I Mr G. M\ tineison is m want of a smart boy. We learn that the proceedings at the Masonic gathering on Thursday will be strictly private, even ladies not being admitted. To-dny is the usual monthly meeting of the Wanpanui Education Board. Several additions have been made to Mr Snelson's horse sale for next Saturday. The meeting convened last night at the Commercial Hotel, for the purpose of es« tablishing a Fire Brigade, was attended by some dozen persons. It was thought that the attendance would hare been much larger, had it net been a Volunteer drill night, Choral Society practice night, and Masonic Lodge night. Owing to the above circumstances, it was considered advisable, to adjourn the meeting to a more convenient night. It was moved by Mr King, and carried, that the meet* ing adjourn till Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. We have frequently remarked the dan* fferoue condition of some of the Stoney Greek bridges. On Saturday evening, when accompanying our runhed on his round", we notice that on the Stoney Creek bridge the half of one plank had broken through, leaving an ugiy hole m which a horse might easily break its leg, and perhaps its rider his neck. Fortunately the night was bright moonlight, so that the danger could be avoided. Those m need of a dentist will do well to remember that Mr Greenwood, whose notice appears m another column, will be m Palmerston to»morrow at Mr G. Roe'a; A correspondent of the Wanganui Herald wants to know what qualifications Mr J. G, Wilson, M.H.R., possesses that he should have been made a member of the South Island Railway Commission. The Herald replies that Mr Wilson has no professional qualifications, that is he is not an engineer. But to be an engineer is not essential to form a judgement on evidence. Mr Wilson has been appointed a member of the Comnrision, we suppose, because he possesses a large fund of good sound sense, and will be impartial. On the whole we do not think a better appointment could have been made. The Savingsßank withdrawals exceeded the deposits by L 73,127 m the past quarter, whereas m the March quarter of 1882, the deposits exceeded the with* drawals by L 84,031. Up to the Ist instant and since the 31 at March, J857, that is to say m exactly 26 years, 10,144,926 ounces of gold have been exported fron New Zealand, the , value being no less than £39,747,940, or very nearly 40 millions sterling. The " Lyttelton Times " states that some residents at Wainui, who were crossing Akaroa Harbor a few morniugs ago witnessed a most remarkable sight. The sky was clear, and reflected on it was an immense map of the whole County on the far side of the ranges. Roads, houses, trees, and the ocean itself were mirrored with startling vividness. Aa the boat neared Akarca, the reflection grew fainter and fainter, and at last died away. Bishop Kennion,' Adelaide, says chat it will be no grief to him if everybody for* gets to style him " his Lordship." These words, he asserts, " stick m his throat." Oddfellows will read the following extract with interest. The origin of the Order of Oddfellows is of an ancient date • it was established by the Roman soldiers m the camp after the order of the Israelites during the reigu of Nero, the Roman Emperor who commenced his reign A D. 55, at which time they were called Fellow Citizens. The name of Oddfellow was given to this order of men (A.D. 79) by Titus Caesar, Emperor of Rome, from their singularity of notions, and from their knowing each other by night as well as by day, and for their fidelity to him and their country. It i 3 the intention of Mr Jno. Stevens, M.H.R,, to address his constituents m a few days. The first meeting will be held at Mar ton. The name of the benefactor of the Auckland charities is not " Costella" as reported m the telegrams, but Mr Edward Oostley. One octogenarian (a man aged 80, at Wellington) died last month, also three septuagenarians,, viz., a man of 74 at Auckland, a man aged 72 at Dunedin, and two men aged 70 at Christehuroh. i Only one " violent" death — i.e., rtsult* | ing from other than " natural" causes — was registered m the four chief cities of New Zealand last month. It was a case of suicide by poison, and occurred at Cbristchurch. A painful elopement has occurred near Burnley, the absconding woman being the mother of nine children. Her husband, a miner, has been working at Durham for three years, during which time he ac« cumulated £200, and on coming home at Christmas he stitched the money m a bed-tick, after which he left with hia two eldest eons for . Durham, Recently a widower, a bricklayer, became the wife's lodger, and the pair disappeared, taking with them the whole of the hardearned gavinga of the absent husband. A new advertisement emanating from that widely known and popular firm, Messrs Reid and Gray, appears m our columns to-day. This enterprising firm are now to the front with a new and improved disc harrow,and from what we have heard of it it is an implement that will do much to increase the already excellent reputation of the machinery manufactured by Mesirs Reid and Gray,