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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 177, 24 July 1873, Page 2

A rather amusing apology was made by a Maori chief to the Resident Magistrate at Wanganui the other day. Mr White had informed tbe natives of his district that he contemplated retiring from his office in consequence of failing health, and amongst tbe expressions of regard he received was a " mere," presented by tbe chief Morenga, who excused its shortness on the ground tbat in killing a man with it he splintered the end, and it had to be ground down. The new Legislative Chambers are certainly not a success in regard to their new acoustic properties. In the House of Representatives it is almost impossible for the occupants of the gallery to hear distinctly what is being said below, while we : .believe the difficulty is even worse for thbke in the body of the Chamber. The same defect is apparent in the Council Chamber, and the members there complain also of the draugkt. One member yester-

day described it as almost sufficient to take the hair off his head. — Post. Footpaths and Crime.— A Greymouth paper says : — "An impecunious Borough Council and on empty gaol are things tbat do not accord with the proper maintenance of footpaths. During the late flood some little damage was dona to the fcotpath in Gresson street along the Court house reserve. Here was a very suitable bit of work for a prisoner, and the only one of which Greymouth could boast was accordingly set to work. He did a little, but his time of imprisonment being over this morning, he expressed a siugular unwillingness to stay and finish the job. The footpath consequently remains unmended, and will probably so remain until somebody is patriotic enough to violate his country's laws for the purpose of repairing his country's footpaths. Such matters as this should be duly weighed before the colony takes Judge Richmond's advice, and deliberately proceeds to stamp out crime.