The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1885. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 129, 6 May 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1885. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A recent Marlborough paper says : — " We are informed that the Rev. Father Foley, who for the past four years has bad charge of the Catholic congregation m Blenlieim, is to be removed to Timaru, and that he will bo succeeded by the Roy, Father Lewis of Napier. Thesm changes appear to form part of certain general re-arraugemeuts which have been operating m the diocese for some time past. There are many m Blenheim, who, recognising m Father Foley .the qualities of which a faithful parish priest is made, will regret his departure." ■■•■ .-. The first death of a Catholic priest m the diocese of Diiuediu lias occurred at Gore. The Rev. Father Fitzgerald (says the Dunedin Herald) whose demis>e is chronicled, arrived here about .three years ago. and was stationed for some time m Duuedin. He was afterwards entrusted with the Gore mission, which he conducted up to the date of his decease. The funeral obsequies were of a very solemn character. Cheap excursion trains are now being run io all parts of the colony. The general results we learu, are decidedly profitable to the railway department. A meeting to consider the starting of a cheese factory was held at Sanson »n Friday last, the chair being taken by Mr Burcham. Mr Sanson addressed the meeting at some length, going into details as to the expenses, &c, which we«*e attentively listened to.' A committee of geutlemen were appointed to canvass the district for support. From the pulpit to the bar is not a very every-day change, so that the passing of his final law " exam." by a VVhangare Presbyieriau clergyman is worthy of record. As an Auckland paper neatly observes, thin is leaving the study of the " Law and the Prophets " for the study of the law and its profits. A writer m the Hour says the skating rinks and roller skates of the present day will either result m a generation of athletic, graceful figures on the ice, or on the contrary m a race of knockkneed men and women, with disproportionately large ankles. .

The following letter appears m the Napier Telegraph :— -To the Editor, Sir : I understand upon the most reliable authority that the Government are about completing their purchase of 27,000 acres of the upper end of the Kaimanawi being mostly hill-top at 4s 6d per acre. Surely the Government cannot know what they are doing ? More than this I hear that they are also clearing the Wanganui river as far as Hawera a distance of 50 miles. Any one -who ib acquainted with that river must know what a wasteful expenditure of money this is. It is indeed verily throwing our money to the waters. Lucky Watiganui ! The natives are enjoying the enormous outlay which can only result m tho total loss of money. Ye gods and fishes ! what next will the Government do? Well done-Kemp L4OO a year, no doubt you mny well say •' Kapai talcu Minita Maori, 11 '" all the same the Bank." — I am, &c, Taupo.

The following are where the- chief prizes m Jacob Faithful's consultation have gone. Leonato to' an connected with the Bankruptcy Court m Napier, Ugly Buck to a shepherd at Patea, Emir Bey to a Wallingford public can, Director to Waipawa, Amazon to an official of the Dunedin Jockey Club, Kaririona to Woodvile, Christina to a Wanganui resident, Mangaohane to a station hand at Rissington, Smeorach to a well known Petane resideut, and Kincraig remains at Napier. The first money prize goes to Hastings, and, the,, fifty pound prizes go one to Wellington' and the other to a Napier timber-yard employed A twenty pound prize has j fallen to a company of Telegraph employes. A Scotch fanner determined, m spite of the bad times, to pay his rent if it were his last shilling,*, and saying to the landlord who received it, "It is my last shilling," he threw down a roll of notes. The landlord counted them and said : " There are £50 too much." " Odds, man," said the fanner, " I put my hand m the wrong pouch." I Dr Anna Potts, dealing with the subject of marriage m a recent lecture m London, delivered herself thus : — ln the choice of a wife, no less than m the purohase of a horse, some previous conception should have been formed m the mind of what was wanted. To avoid imprudent marriages among young people, I am m favor of the establishment of committees of investigation to question candidates for matrimony.. A vessel left Woolwich shortly before; the fall of Khartoum was .known carrying £100,000 m gold for the payment of troops and the liquidation of debts incurred by General Gordon. A San Francisco paper tells. the following yarn : — As Bishop Kip was leaving his residence two days after the new year had commenced he encountered the 1 baker, who apologised for not leaving any fresh bread the day previous. '•Exactly," said the Bishop, somewhat afrnffly. " I suppose the bakers were all tipsy from New Year's Bay." "That's about it." said the bread dispenser, with a grin. " Did you have a big congregation yesterday, sir ?" "There is no service the day after New Year's Day," replied the bishop. "Exactly," said the baker, m a solemn voicsj, "I suppose the parsons ware all sobering up,"

It is understood that a sculling match is likely to come off between Hearn, champion of New Bealand, and a boniface, a resident of Riverton. The> latter has challenged Hearn to row a threemile race at Bivorton for .£IOO a-side, the champion to concede a start of one minute. Hcarn has replied that he is perfectly willing to meet the boniface, but he is not prepared to mako a greater concession than half a minute. The Palmerston portion of the San Francisco mail will arrive by this evening's train. For stealing a bag of carrots m Auckland a man was sentenced to five weeks imprisonment. The value was 3s 6d. Nominations for the vacant seat on the Borough Council must be m by noon tomorrow. The B.M. Court will sit to-morrow. The Borough Council meets this evening.