NEWS AND NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 89, 5 November 1879, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES

The Benefit Entertainment. — The entertainment given last night m aid of the widow and orphans of the late Mr. Vette, proved a. gr6at success/ biit we have been compelled to b,old over, our critique until next issue. The Distbict Cottot. — We are pleased to learn that Mr. J. T. Stewait, the District En,gine,er, haa^ re<ceiyed instructions to inspect the building at present used for the R.M. Court, m order to see what additions will be necessary, so as to procure, accommodation for. the. coming sitting of. the District Court. The Bank op New Zealand. —We direct atleution to the, half-yearly balancesh6,et and Chairman's address, delivered, 'at the semi-annual meeting of the shareholders m the Bank of New Zealand, held at Auckland a few days ago. The published statistics show a most encouraging state of affairs, and will p s rove > of. interest to those interested iv that particular stock. Suspension op, the Railway Timetablb.—Attention is directed to the announcement that on Thursdaj and Friday next, the, ordinary time-table will be suspended and a special one substituted. Parties wishing to visit the Calfcle Show on Thursday, or the races on Friday, will find that their, convenience has been consulted, a» they will be enabled to have a full day m Wanganui and return the same evening. Fobm, Fobm, Riflemen, Form. — The coming week will be quite an era with our. gallant defenders. ' Upon next Sunday tjhere will be a Church parade, and on Monday tt^e corps will muster for inspection and exercise before Major Noake, after which the Volunteer pic-nic and vjfle contest will take place at the Butts. We aye pleased to learn that the public have most liberally responded to the appeal for prizes, amongst which is to be, a medal to be won by the champion shot of. the company. Still Another Bolt. —On Monday evening n hulloek m tow of a enrt belonging to Mr. Skerman, of the Rnngitikei Lint.-, made a gallant effort to got free of its encumbrance, but only resulted m landing itself and t n ie vehicle m the ditch alongside ' fche railway line m front of the -wheelwright's. The animal was quickly released from its position, and although it did not appear much worse, it certainly was not better for its impromptu race. Ceicket. — A meeting of the Palmerston Cricket Club was held recently, at which the officers for the ensuing season, with the exception of the Captain and the Match Committee, were elected, and about a dozen new members enrolled. A suitable ground lias now been secured near Dx. Marriner's residence. The season will be opened on Saturday with a Scratch Match." The Club -has already been challenged by YVanganui and Sandon, and the Committee meeds '. at an early date to reply. Mo v nstee Salb. — It will be noticed that Messrs. W. X and F. Loudon, storekeepers, of Foxton, have instructed Messrs. Thynne, Linfcon & Co. to sell, on the, 19th instant, without the slightest reserve, the whole of • th.e.ir mngnifieent stock of. drapery, grocery, and general merchandise, valued at £3000. There is only one absolute condition respecting the sale, and that is all purchases must be for cash. Those who will conform to that one condition, will have, the goods at their own price, and can have a pound's \vor(;h for a shilling. We shall take the opportunity of, referring, to the sale on a future occasion; , A Resident Magistrate v6n Man"WATIT. — The settlers will be pleased to learn that Mr.- Walter Johnston is taking steps to secure a Police Magistrate whoso duties will be confined to this Oountr alone. While rejoicing at the promised change, we do so ip no spirit of, a.ftlagonisaj to M.r. W.ard,

who, as a magistrate has always been painstaking and courteous, but it must be admitted that an amount, of work has been hitherto thrown upon the Justuses which was properly within the province of the R.M. As the Court, however, whs only held fortnightly, it involved either an unnecessary incarceration fop the prisoner, or the heing dealt with by the local JBeiich. • Post Office job Ashurst. — We hear with much pleasure that as the Government have at last recognised the right of Ashurat to a Post Office,- and that Mr. George Marsh has been appointed Postmaster and moil contractor. The mail will run twice a week, on Tuesdays - and Fridays. We congratulate the people of Ashurst upon at last having succeeded m getting a pressing want supplied. Disorderly Dkttnks. — WiNi&in Graham and Thomas Symonds, two bibulouslyinclined individuals, were charged with being drunk and disorderly j and the latter, m addition to these offences, with using obscene language. The representative of the Grahams was mulcted m the sum of ten shilling?, or forty-eight hours ; while Mr. Symonds was P ned 10s. extra for his unlicensed language. The same prisoner was further charged with threatening language towards his wife, and bound over m two sureties of £10, and himself m £20> to keep the peace for six months. Messrs. M 'Neil and Warburton were the presiding Justices. KEFcrsiNa the Whitewash. — It is currently reported that it is more than likely that a certain gentleman who recently sought a passage through the Insolvent OouEt, will be handed by the trustee over to the criminal authorities. The cause of this somewhat unusual proceeding, is the discovery that the insolvent had not only furnished but sworn to a number of debtors entered m his books, wi{di regard to whom affidavits have been filed hy yeliablei witnesses that they never had existence. Should the prosecution eventuate, the gentleman m question will have the somewhat equivocal honor of being the first to grace the Distriot Co,urt calendar. Cant be Spared. — The leave which .was about to be granted to Constable Gillespie has been postponed for some time, as his services have; . been " required for a special mission. The late sitting of the Supreme .Court at Wang&nuii had the effect of consigning to the Gaol m that town a large number of desperate criminals, having terms of imprisonment varying from three to ten years. As there, is by no means either, accommodation or security for the large number confined, beside which no long sentence men are allowed (o remain there, the whole, of the desperados are to be ; removed to some of the Provincial Gaols, and Constable Gilleipie has been i,cj,d off to execute the task. SOMETHING; KIKE A, PETITION. — Last week a petition, was forwarded by his Worship the Mayor to Mr. Johnston, M.H.E... for presentation to PArljiunient, praying th,at the Government would cause, a , thorough and impartial surrey of botli routes for tha West Cjast Railway to be made before committing itsejf to either. This step has been taken m opposition to our Foxton neighbors, who whilst alleging that they are satis&Vl to have the mutter decided on its merits, lately, published the text of a memorial asking for the line to be commenced at Foxton. The different course adopted by the rjval parties is certainly m favor of the s one prepared io s.ubmit the merits of its. chosen route to a test, and abide by the result. The petition was signed by every adult m the upper district, and the space occupied by t'.ie signature was just six yards. A PoiOPB.H CAP3rzB s — It is somewhat strantje, but it is still nevertheless a fact, that there i» no article of obstruction so calculated to cause a horse to shy, or secure an upset as the sight of a perambulator m the roadway. On Saturday the howe and trap of Mr. Roberts, milkman, came to grief throii'z'i one of th^e^ oiwt.icles, causing v complete turnover, the smashing of. the shafts, the injury of the vehicle generally, ; while "all the**sweot butt er-n ilk covered the pliin." As if the perambulator was not sufficient, the operation of u^-setttng was greatly assisted hy the help of a bullock; which hapnene 1 to be passing at. that time. The animal, m the moat businessike manner possible, put his hofi bo the wheel of the trap, an I a moment afterwards trap and contents, w<»re -ill 'milled together m the ditch,. Fortunately tho ( occupants of thy cart esc ijieJ ipiinjure'l, nevertheless the resul's were quite ba.,l enough, and it will take Mr. Roberts some time to get over the mishap. Another Bolter. — T!ie season for b>>lts must surely have se' m, ns'scir/ely a day passes without there, being a runaway. 0..n Monday a puir of 'horses which had keen delivering timber at, fc'ie Times office, made a start down the Foxtun line, dragging the heavy dray after them; W.hen crossing the railway line the vehi ••lenollMe.'l with one of the ".Stop" posts, when the latter cracked off like a carrot, still theshd_ck was so great (.hiit the leader was thrown into the ditch beside the track. He was auain upon his legs m a foment, and. the team went leurinir ' down the . road like mad, each wayfarer giving it a wide berth. When below Mr M'JJeil'a, the waggon went butt against si bridge, and the result was that it was tur.nnd .completely over, wit'i fcho -vfheeU on top. The chaffer was thrown to tlje ground, but' the cause of all the mischief, securing his freedom, scampered down the line for some miles. Strange to s-iy neither horses nor cart appeared a bit the worse for the impromptu journey. The accident Mas caa^ed by the winkers gelling loose, while the Leader was feeding, when animal became frightenedj. The Australian Mutual Assu.bance. — We have received a copy oi the " Australasian Insurance unl Pankin.r Rujord " which cpntains some in! creating statistics with regard to insurtnee. Our space precludes us from givin.: extracts nL any lengtb, but we cannot help drawing attention to some of the benefits to be derived from obtaining policies fro:\? the Australian Mutual AIJU.KiD.ee. We will cvuliac oiu- remarks

to threu or four cases which hare come within our knowledge m This town, and as the policies have been taken under different taoles each one will prove an example of its own. In the first, which hag been taken out under table A, the insurer has elected to take £SQO, and while during the five yearn connected he has paid £81, there are at the present time £73 2s. additional bqnus placed to his credit ; so that were he to die, his legatee would receive the original £500 insured for, with £73 25.. added, thus the insurer would have only actually paid £6 18s. Under Table J, or what are called endowment assurances, a man insures for £300, and during seven years he paid about £76, also securing a bonus of £.45, which would be entitled to be drawn upon his decease with the £300 added. The reason that the bonus accumulated is sp much less than that granted m the fii-3t case is, however, that should the holder of {.he policy reach the age of sixty }\e is. entitled to receive the sum of £300 with a large bonus, probably amounting to double the iuui originally insured for. Of course the annual rates of premium payable vary m %ocordance with the age of the insurer, but up to fiftyfive, the extreme, to which a policy is issued fcha terms &va so low. as to'^e within the reach of evei'y person. > i/(/-..