TARANAKI.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 70, 28 November 1855, Page 2

TARANAKI.

The Elections. — It will be seen from our advertising columns this week that there is likely to be a contest for the representation of Omata in the General Assembly. Mr. Crompton again addresses the electors, and, from his past services, will no doubt find favour in the eyes of the constituency. 11l health, we regret to hear, has prevented him earlier presenting himself. Mr. East has, we understand, made an active canvass of the electors, but the friends of Mr. Crompton have, nevertheless, sanguine expectation of his return. It is understood that Mr. C. W. Richmond will serve for the town of New Plymouth, if elected, but that it is not his intention either to address the electors or to canvass their suffrages. A requisition to him is, we believe, in course of signature. We hear that a requisition is also in course of signature to his Honor the Superintendent, that he will allow himself to be placed in nomination for the Grey and Bell district. It must be admitted that all these arrangements come rather late in the day, and prove the implicit reliance v upon Providence the good people of New Plymouth have in relation to their public affairs. — Herald, October 31.

The Government Gazette of the 11th instant contains the appointment of Mr. Wm. Gray to be Postmaster of New Plymouth. We hope that the division of this office from that of Collector of Customs will lead to increased facilities to the public in the management of the former office. It is very desirable that on given days there should be longer attendance by the Postmaster or his assistant, and that a post-box should be provided. — Ibid,

At a recent execution for murder in Albany, United States, the culprit was hanged in a passage within the prison, his feet being only twelve inches from the floor. Two surgeons who attended took note of the pulse of the dying man, who recorded the beats of each minute from his suspension till the heart ceased to act, a period of nine minutes and a half. In the fifth minute there were no fewer than 128 pulsations.

Mr. Braham, the once great singer and composer of war songs (and who, though about ninety years of age, may be seen walking with wonderful alaeiity about town, wearing magnificent curls and a superb black moustache, which give him the air of a man of a vigorous fifty years), is said to declare that he will even now find voice to deliver himself of an appropriate "carmen triumphale" on the taking ofjOronstadt.

M. Jullien had a truly "monster" concert in the Crystal Palace at New York, before his departure for England. Several choral societies aided, and there were 600 voices, while the audience numbered 42,000 persons. " Rule Britannia" and " God save the Queen" were received with an enthusiasm that must have sent a cold chill to the heart of any Irish "patriot" present; while a Russian hymn was heard in solemn silence, a Turkish march was vociferously applauded. A gold chaplet wa3 presented to Jullien on the part of the American musicians.

Fossilised Mammoth Bones. — A most interesting discovery was made the other day in digging a trench amongst gravel, at Kingston-upon-Thames, by bringing to light a considerable portion of remains that must have been lying in caun repoße for many thousand years, namely, the petrified tnelaret, cr grinders, as well as some fragments of toe bones, of that stupendous animal, the Mammoth. Professor Owen is of opinion, from an inspection of the remain* 1 ., that the animal must have been above twelve feet in height, and about 150 years of age. A Feee Libbaby in the CbYSTai, PjO4X)B.— A free library is now founding in the Crystal Palace, at Sydenham, for the purpose of supplying a want which has long been felt in the educational features of the establishment. The library will be universal, but the first object will be a collection of works, iliwtrative of those fine arts, sciences, and studies which the Crystal Palace so well illustrates — architecture, sculpture, botany, ethnology, biography, natural hiatory, and mechanics being the principal; bat the range, as the requirement, is universal. The mural monument subscribed for by the members of the Oxford Circuit, and sculptured bj Lough, to the memory of the late lamented Justice Tfllfoturd, has been placed in the Crown Court, Stafford, againat the wall, between the two galleriers. The btttt v of life size. Buckingham Pa'ace, in Pall-mall, has been purchased by the Government for Lord Panmure'a office, thus placing the War Office very near to the Ordnance Office. An important announcement has been made by »n eminent chemist, M. Dumas, that the new metal, aluminium, can be procured very economically and easily. The Government are stated to have resolved upon appointing a commission to inquire into the subject of decimal coinage, to be composed of Lord Jtfontcagle, Mr. Hubbard, and Mr. Norman,