Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Dally Newspaper on tbe West Coast. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1884. LOCAL, AUTO GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 23, 27 December 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Dally Newspaper on tbe West Coast. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1884. LOCAL, AUTO GENERAL.

» , During a thunderstorm which took place at Riwit&q, on Sunday last, a thunderbolt fell with a terrific report about four chains from tho back of Mr Currin's store. The phenomenon (says the Star) caused great alarm, and faftd the effect of an earthquake m the immediate locality. A large rimu tree was struck by the bolt, shivering it into jbhousands of atoms, which were scattered for a distance of at least two chains around thp tree. The fragments were charred, and the stump p£the tree took fire. The Borough Banger, M> T. Jordan, met with a rather severe accident from a kick by a horse, which will necessitate his arm being carried m a sling for some days.

Tho Rivorina papers toll of a tramp who, when ho was refused food at a station on the Murray, sadly asked : 'Missus, will you please give me a piece of looking-glass so that I can see myself starve to death ?" It is very gratifying to see Woodville boys coming to tho front. We (Examiner) notice that Master W. Murphy, son of a well-known host, has taken first honors m the Lower Fourth form of the Wellington College. A Juvenile Court of Foresters' is about to be formed m Feilding. i The Abercorn Arms Hotel, Woodville, under its popular proprietor, Mr Bickerton, is found far too small to accommodate its customers. We hear that a large wing is to bo added to the building that will contain several bedrooms and a bil-liard-room. j In the course of a capital speech on the prospects of Woodville at the presentation to Mr Chaniier on Tuesday night, Mr J. T. Carr referred to the suitability of the district for apple growing, pointing out that from £60 to .£IOO per acre might be realised per annum from apple trees a few years old. He thought this industry afforded a splendid opening for Woodville settlers. With reference to the objections issued by tho various Registrars of Electors, we are requested to state that if any persons should receive such an objection form, who are qualified to remain on the roll, they should at once write to the Registrar, returning the form and stating the facts. As the objections to residentially qualified voters have been laid mainly on the grounds that they did not vote last election, it is possible indeed probable that some have been objected to who are still qualified to vote. They can easily put the matter right if they receive a form of objection by writing to ■ the Registrar. The following award has been made by the arbitrators m the case of Pliromeri Beeves v. Wellington Corporation — i.'3,654 and £373 costs together with .£126 between the two assesors. An accident of a peculiar nature happened m Wanganui on Tuesday evening to a Wellington commission agent, Mr J. Bell Williamson, who was found at midnight lying on the tootpath near Messrs Mitchell and Richards' top shop, with one of his legs broKen m two places. The sufferer was taken down to Chevanne's hotel and put to bed, after which Dr Connolly was called m. Both breaks are just above the ankle, and it is supposed that they were caused by the man slipping on the kerbing. The Wellington correspondent of the Napier Telegraph says : — Rumour says that Major Atkinson is coming to Wellington to edit the New Zealand Times, which paper, rumour again says' is the property of the gallant Major ; with regard to the first part ot the sentence rumour probably Lies, how true the latter part may be I cannot tell. Rumour has also fixed upon Sir Francis Dillon Bell as the instigator of the reports about Sir Julius Vogel's connection with the Telephone Company of London. It is fair to Sir Julius, however, to say that he generously acquits the Agent-General of the charge, believing him incapable of such a charge. The number of parcels which arrive m Feilding from the various branches m the colony, of the New Zealand Clothing Factory is very considerable. It is not improbable that a branch will be opened m Feilding to centralize the trade now done on the Manchester Block. Writes the Wanganui Chronicle: — " On one side the steady-going churches of orthodoxy have been startled by the public denial of the claims of Christ on part of an association of Freethinkers ; while on the other side they have been shocked by the vagaries of the Salvationists m the name of the Holy One. '. Next month larrikins who disturb a theatrical performanance will be liable to be riot only expelled from the theatre, but( arrested m addition, as under the new Act the denfinition of a public place is very much widened, and includes places of public amusement. At a recent meeting of the Salvation Army at a town m Wairarapa, a convert was recounting his former shortcomings and little weaknesses before a mixed audience, and when romarking that some of those present could testify to his late lamentable failings, one of the congregation of the female persuasion said something to the effect : '• Alas 1 1 know all about you. 1 * This was a staggerer and the same acquaintance of the reformed backslider when later on being told by the commanding officer that interruptions by a lady were unseemly, replied, " I am not a lady, I am a woman like another woman, and an honest man's wife at that, and with that lam satisfied." The officer m charge them pronounced the benediction. Messrs Stevens & Gorton's next sale of stock will take place at their yards, < at Feilding, on Tuesday next, December 30. For particulars of sale see adverment. j We notice m a Wellington paper, the marriage of Mr J. P. Maxwell, general manager of new Zealand railways, to Miss Hunter, eldest surviving daughter of the late George Hunter, Esq., of Wellington. A deed was shown to us (Taranaki Herald) that was signed by twenty-three natives m 1862. Of these only six are now alive. We were also shown a grant that was issued m 1882 to forty-three natives. Seven of them, about a sixth of the whole number, have since died. [We may state that on the original deed of the Turakina Block there were 120 names, of whom only two now survive. —Ed. M. S. Mr McKelvie's offer of 6s 8d m the £ for the purchase of the assets m the estate of Mr Skelley, Sanson, has been accepted by the Deputy Official Assignee. A correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette has called attention to the alarming mortality among bishops' wives It appears that at present there are six bishops who are widowers, five who have been married twice, and one, the Bishop of Liverpool, who has been married three times. It is not likely that even these alarming statistics will per. manently detract from the value of a bishop m the matrimonial market ; but a few plausible theories on the subject might be interesting. The following is the result of the poll taken at Sandon and Awahuri on Tuesday, for the return of two members to represent the Oroua riding m the Manawatu County Council : — H. Sanson — Sanson, 04 ; Awahuri, 23— total 87. P. Stewart— Sanson, 42; Awahuri, 34 — total, 76; J. Bull—^Sansqn, 47; Awahuri, 14 — total, 61. The first two were declared elected. We are informed that Messrg Stevens and Gorton's sale held at Awahuri, on Tuesday, was one of the best held m the district for some past, every lot having been sold under the hammer with the exception of two cows