LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 44, 19 January 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The new water service for Wellington from Wainui-o-mata was to be ia full operation to«day. Thursday (says a Wellington paper) should be remembered m shipping circles for many a day to come. It is about a year ago that the question of a direct steam service to England was made the subject of very general discussion, and even ardent supporters of the aohenie then considered that one steamer per month would be all that could be looked for for a long time to cooie. Since then Wellington alone has been visited by ocean steamers at least once a month, and on Thursday we had the pleasure of seeing two of them m port together. Merchants, producers, and the public generally now admit that we are on the threshold of a chnnge, the extent of which is almost incalculable. Among the list of oases at the circuit sittings of the Wellington Supreme, Court, which hare been adjourned till next Monday, we still see that of McLennan v. Rockstrow. The J <adiee' Bechabite Society (Alexandra .'.Tent) held iheir first ordinary meeting last evening, All the officers were present, After the usual routine busines", two new members were proposed, who will be initiated at the next meeting. It is not intended, as first stated, that gpntlemen should, be admitted even as honorary members.. : We regret to learn the Society of Good Templars is on the wane, m Palmereton. Twelve months ago the Phoenix Jjodge numbered 35 members, but now, alas, its numbers have dwindled down to 15. It is now proposed to sell the Hall ; and wind up. It ia to be hoped that a .vigorous effort will be made to avert such a mis* fortune. Mr Gray, of the firm of Reid & Gray, the well-known Dunedin Agricultural implement manufacturers, is now on a visit to this district. He purposes staying here a few weeks with a view of giving advice to those during the season who ham purchased agricultural implement from the firm. The annual conference of the Wesley an Methodist Church of New Zealand commenced yesterday m Wellington m the Weslayan Church. Amongst othor busito bw transacted is the triemnial assign" ment of ministers to the different circuits. ' The chief of the Bussian police has issued orders to the hotel proprietors and lodging-house beeper* of St. Petersburg to keep strict watch over all foreigners slaying with them. The names of each must m future be notified immediately upon their arrival, The Aorangi brings 326 passengers of all oUsses, who have arrived m excellent health and the best of spirits, the voyage having resembled a summer pleasure trip rather than one which extended over so many latitudes, The monotomy of the voyage was broken by a number of concerts and balls. - The passengers have no complaints of any description, for a wonder, and at the conclusion of the voyage, testimonials and addresaas were the order of the day. Writes the- London correspondent of the Auckland Herald ;- u There are, at p'resenr, I believe, six banks of issue m New Zealand. Toero will, however, shortly be seven, \t the Imperial Parliament grant the request pf £he J3ank of South Australia, for an extension of their' charter. Next session they will apply for dower to increase their oapital and carry on business m any part of Australia and m New Zealand, Tasmania, and Fiji. i An altered railway time-table for Tues» day is elsewhere advertised. ; On Christmas Eve the captain of the Aorangi delighted old and young by producing a Christmas Trep, wbiph w»9 loaded wjltb articles suited as gifts for the juvenile section of £he passengers. Every branch terminated m an electric lnmp, and the general effect as begn described as something bordering or wonderland. It wruld scorn, says the Sydney Herald, that the Government of New Zealand looks 1 tetter after its immigrants than does the Government of New South Wales, Some time ago the ship Oxford arrived at Port Niahojson with immigrants from Plymouth, Thore were eight cases of typhoid fever during the voyago, of which two were futal. The Government at once appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into tho origin and ex'stence of t))B disease on board the ship. Had the Oxford pome to Sydney, instead of Wellington, half the passengers might have died, and no inquiry wouj.d have been made by our paternal Government, sind the only notice taken of the matter jfouli have been the Health Officer's report, . .