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Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 438, 25 June 1879, Page 2

We were compelled to go to press without our telegrams last night, but should anything of importance come, we will publish them this morning. A public, meeting will be held at the Council Chambers this evening, to consider the ad visibility of petitioning Government to appoint Major Noake permanent Commander of the district. Assistance for the Hawera Post Office went up yesterday. On Saturday next, Mr W. Covvern will sell the leases of the Patea Wharves. Mr Dale announces that on Saturday next, he will sell the stock-in-trade of the Oeo Hotel and Store. This looks as if Mr Beamish’s home at Oeo bad been permanently broken up. A meeting of those interested in a dance will bo held at the Kakaramea Town Hall on Saturday evening. Shareholders in the Patea S.S. Company may congratulate themselves. The Wanganui Herald says The Patea got off the south spit on Sunday night about halfpast ten o’clock, let go her anchors, and lay till this morning, when she steamed up the river, reaching the wharf at 10.30 a.ra., apparently nothing the worse for her rough berth during the previous two nights. Captain Gibbons says that the Spit had altered its position since he was last in the river, about a month ago, and the night was so dark he had nothing to guide him. The steamer has not sustained any damage whatever, and she will make another start for Wellington as soon as the weather permits.

The meeting of the Masonic Lodge* advertised for this ever&ig, has been unavoidably postponed.

Mr. E. J,'/King, pianoforte tuner, &c., of Wanganui, annbnnces-that Mr Coker will pay a professional visit to Patea County the first week in July., Rumours are afloat that the Maoris intended to commence ploughing at Manutahi and Kakarainea. If they do, we should advise that they be seized, taken to the cliffs, and quietly,.tumbled over. They wont want to plough ,any more in, this world, after reaching.the bottom.

The Georgia Ministrels, as announced gave a performance in the Town Hall on Monday evening. The house was a very poor one, but taking into consideration the miserable state of the weather, this could not be wondered at. , In the first part of the programme—viz., the chair—we were much struck with the wonderful manner in which Billy Wilson handled the tambourine, and for “ mouth ” and real activity we doubt whether this nigger can be sur-passed—-in fact he seems to be the mainstay of the Troupe. Messrs Marshall and Thompson, as soloists, wore also pretty well up to the mark. Charley Crusoe as Bones, although not much of a singer, is a good all-round nigger, and would show more to advantage in a farce than in a chair performance. The instrumental portion of the Company consists ot two violinists and a pianist, all of whom seemed well up in their parts. Messrs Easton and Billy Wilson caused great merriment in the second part with their comicalities ; and Mr Marshall sang, with effect, that good old song “The.Anchors’ Weighed,” Charlie Crusoe filling up the spare time with “a few remarks.” The entertainment concluded with the laughable farce of “That Boy Pete,” the characters of which were very well sustained by Messrs Crusoe (Pete), Marshall, Easton, and Billy Wilson. Although the entertainment might have been better, it might have bean much worse ; and as the Troupe appear here again on Friday evening, we hope there will be a good house.

Rats forsake doomed ships. Mr Stout* the Attorney-General, has resigned his seat in the Assembly. Ho pleads consideration for his partner in business, ilis business,, he says, has grown very fast. No doubt he thinks that to be a simple member of Her Majesty’s opposition for the rest of the life of this Parliament would not help it to grow any further. Telegrams announce that the French Prince Imperial was killed by Zulus while out scouting. Our readers are aware that he volunteered for service against the Zulus, being anxious for another baptism of fire.” The report lacks confirmation, however, and is, vve fancy, somewhat doubtful. It is wqll for France if it is true. Perhaps wel.Pfor the Prince also. Better to die as a soldier than as a traitor, or ae a broken hearted and dethroned Emperor. It will be .strange irony on the part of fate if a wretched Zulu has really ended the dynasty oltho Napoleons.