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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 88, 22 August 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Dramatic Club make their appearance before a Feilding audience on Friday next, when the farce of " A Happy Pair "and the comedy of " One Hundred Thousand Pounds " will be performed.- The proceeds of the performance are to go m aid of the Feilding Benevolent Society. A concert will be given m the Public Hall, Palmerston, on Tuesday, 28th August, m aid of the Wesleyan Church In Palmerston. The choir of the Wesleyan Church, Sandon, have most kindly given their services-, and they will be assisted by a number of friends, m Palmerston. We might call attention to the fact that our Sandon , friends will have the benefit of the moon for returning home. There i3 to be a meeting of the Terrace End Cricket Club next Saturday evening, at Mr Wm. Deards' Princess Hotel, when business of importance will be brought before the meeting. We learn with regret of the death of Captain Griffiths, which took place at Dune : din on Wednesday night, the deceased was one of the most popular captains on the* coast, and was deservedly esteemed by a host of friends. Captain Griffiths has commanded the Manawatu, Rangatira, Ladybird, and Taranaki. He was between 30 and 40 years of age and unmarried. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint the following places to be polling places for the electoral district of Manawatu, for the election of members of the House of Representatives viz. : — The Immigration Depot,- Feilding township ; the School-house, Halcombe township. ~ , Mr Larson, of Stoney Creek, met with a severe accident whilst riding into Palraerston on Monday morning. When opposite the gravel pit shunt at Terrace End, his horse slued, and both were precipitated into the ditch, m front of Mr Linton's residence. Mr Larson had his head cut very badly? besides receiving a severe shaking. Again we call the attention of the Government to the matter, m the hope that they will lose no time m carrying out their promise of having these ditches filled iv, as both complaints and accidents, have been numerous m this locality. * ' It will be seen from' an advertisement m, our issue of this day, that it is the intention of Mr T. E. Merritt to open a Boarding and Day School for young gentlemen, m Palmerston, on September Ist. ; the ladies' school being conducted by Mrs Merritt as usual. Mr Merritt has been accustomed to tuition for many years m 'England, and has prepared, many pupils" for public examinations there. . Having seen several testimonials, both from for,mer employers as well as from old ipupils, we feel sure that Mr Merritt is fully capable of conducting an establishment of this' kind. About 200 head of store cattle from the Wairarapa, belonging to Messrs Russell and Enderly, are comiug through the Forty--mile bush r en route for Wauganui. They are stated 'to be tlie finest mob that have ever left the Wairarapa,- and may be expected m Palmerston to-morrow or next day. We noticed m our lust issue" the transfer of the Gorge Ferry^ to Mr Boyd the successful tenderer, the late ferryman, Mv " Robert Stanly, having handed over, to him all gear, boats and appurtenances belonging thereto. This transfer took place on Friday last. We are now called upon to inform those travelling from this to Napier, or the intermediate places, that owing to an accident it is impossible to cross the river at the Gorge. It appears that the river rose suddenly and considerably, and the flaps of the punt being reversed, the stream caught the naps, burying the vessel aft. Mr Boyd was on deck, and seeing his danger, at once let go the guy,' and thus cut off all connec-tion-with the wire rope. The punt then at the mercy of the Manawatu soon got way on. Mr Boyd landed on the island below the. ferry, and twed his utmost to stay her, and swing her m, but owing to the impetus she had gained, he was not able to hold her, and she eventually came to beach about two,, miles below the wire. We believe an enquiry will be held, and therefore shall re-frain-from comments, simply giving the details'of the accident as far as we were able to obtain them. - • The contract for laying the permanent way between Turakina and Marton; or 'what is known as Marton contract,, has been taken by Mr Thomas Denby, price £4,474. The total length of the contract is 13 miles 57 chains, running from Turakina to, three miles beyond Marton. Mr Denby has five months to complete the work to Marton, starting at once, and eight months for completion of the whole contract. The Wanganui. Art and Industrial Exhibition was opened on Saturday ' by the Mayor, who made a lengthy speech." The exhibition is a wonderful success both as regards the number and quality of the exhibits. An .original an original Sir David Wilkie are much admired m the art section. The scientific section is well filled. The industrial section comprises a fair sample of the industries of the .district. The Exhibition will be open all next week. It e 'js expected great crowds of country people will flock m to see this great collection. The following laughable story is told by Attieus m the Melbourne Leader : — Wh'en elothea are precisely alike and .faces nearly so, mistakes are likely to occur. On a festive occasion m this city, a gentleman, thinking he saw hia friend, .a. well-known auctioneer, slapped* him- oh tTQe back, and' made a jocose inquiry after His - health. The 1 other turned. round and said, ""I think you are mistaken. laa.""I aa.""m — ."" "Oh,, I beg your Excellency's pardon ; I really thought you" were Mr G ." Half«an hour after, the same unlucky gentleman came, as he thought face to face with his friend, whom this time he poked m the ribs. "Such a joke, G-: ." said, he' " I have just slapped the Governor on the back m mistake for you ! " "And now you have poked him m the ribs under the same impression," said — : — . The t unfortunate gentleman then went home.

An unfortunate accident occurred to Mr Edward Barnet onboard the s.s! Tui last evening as that, vessel was crossing the Foxton bah It. appears that Mr Edward ; Barnet was standing on the steps of the ladder leading to the bridge, when hewfis pitched violently on to the debt ; it was fit first thought he had only sprained his arm as the distance he fell could not have been more than a couple of feet, but upon a closer" examination it was found that he had broken' his arm just above th« wrist. To-darhe was attended by Drs. Bradford and Johnston, and we hop> this accident will not incapacitate him from resuming his duties as Messrs Jbhnrto and Co.'s representative at Foxton, where he has been staying for the last five months.^-" Argus," Aug. 14th. In a country with;so small a population as New Zealand, the following coincidence of names is singular. A man named William Eeid died lately at Paimerston North, arid a verdict of " Died from exhaustion for want of nourishment "was returned. A few days later a man named : Walter Reid died m the lock-up at Ahaura. He had been locked up drunk, and was left without blankets or attention of any kind during a bitterly cold night. •:. v /,r. The hon._ Secretary of the Acclimatization Society notifies that the trout season having commeneedj-persons wishiflg to stock streams can hare young fish m lots of 260. >. The Governmerit^are considering whether it is possible to any devise means whereby the system of issuing Crown grants may be entirely dispensed .with. _ The petition for- the proposed new County of Tapariui has been forwarded to Wellington. The petition bears 230 signatures, supposed to vrepresent fpur^fifths i of the ratepayers. : v . . ' _ :