The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1880.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 490, 10 January 1880, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1880.

The half-yearly meeting of the Patea District Jockey Club will be hold at Mr W. Cowern’s office to-day, at 3 p.m. Mr F. McGuire will sell by public auction to-day, on the the premises, Hawera, the whole'of Mr W. Furlong's household furniture and effects; also private fesidence, &e. Tenders for ironwork will be received by the Harbor Board up to Monday next, at 2 p.m. Messrs Ward & Co., of Wanganui, notify in another column that they have purchased the bankrupt stock of S. Peters, which will be disposed of at a great reduction On cost price. The remains of the late Mr F. J. Smith were followed to their last earthly resting place on Wednesday, by a large number of townspeople. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev A. Dasent. Mr W. Dale will hold a sale of building timber, merchandise and sundries, sections in Stratford Extension, &c., at his mart, to-day. Under the head of “ The World we Live In,” Messrs Williamson and Adams, of New Plymouth, announce that they will give a series of views and discriptive lectures at Hawora and Carlyle—the former place on Monday and Tuesday, 12th and 13th instants, and the latter on Wednesday the 14th instant. Speaking of the views and lectures the Taranaki News says : The first subject was u A Day in London,” and comprised views of most of the important features of the metropolis from photographs taken on the spot. Among them were the Tower of London, Armoury, Crown Jewels, and Traitor’s Gate ; Westminster Abbey 5 St. Paul’s Cathedral : Buckingham Palace ; Albert Memorial ; Albert "Hall ; Somerset House; Thames Embankment ; Blackfriars Bridge ; Lambeth Palace ; Marble Arch ; Temple Bar ; The Monument ; Snrpentine. The second subject was “ A Year in the Arctic Circle,” and comprised sketches of Captain Nares and other officers of the Challenger Expedition ; Esquimaux at Disco ; Siiips Frozen in ; Kinking ; Theatricals ; Sledge Parties ; Chart of Greenland and Smith’s Sound ; A Cairn ; Returning'with Frozen ■Rigging ; Arrival at Portsmouth. The lectures given with these views were dear, concise, ami instructive, and wore admirably delivered by Mr Adams, whose voice filled the hall. The remaining portion of the series comprises, in addition to the subjects enumerated by us last week, Views in the Holy Land.” £ll these dull times (says the Australasian) the announcement which appeared in the ■last issue of this journal, that the Wanganui Turf Club, in New Zealand, bad offered a cup of one thousand pounds to be rim for next March, quite took us by surprise. •Lately, most Colonial racing clubs have been reducing the value of the prizes given, and except at what may be termed the great racing •centres, like Melbourne and Sydney, economy has been the order of (he day. Wanganui thus dashes out suddenly upon us like one of those brilliant stars that at times shine with increased brightness in the heavens, and then suddenly wane and almost die out. We have 11 ad some instances of such sudden effulgence in the ease of one or two racing clubs in this and the neighboring Colonies. We trust, however, that the brightness of the Wanganui Turf Club may become a permanent light in the racing world of New Zealand, and that the evidence of its prosperity, shown by the large amount added to the Wanganui Cup, rests on a sound basis.

The entire population of Paris, whether floating or permaiuent, is counted officially every month. Whether your abode bo at a private residence, hotel, or boardinghouse, you will be required within forty-eight hours to sign a register giving your name, age, occupation, and former residence. This register gives also leading characteristics of your personal appearance. There is no hiding in Paris. Every house, every room is known and under police surveillance, while each stranger is known and described at police head-quarters within a short time after his arrival.

The Marlborough Times says The Press Telegraph Agency hitherto managed by Mr F. M’Oarthy is about to be merged in the New Zealand Press Association, under the management of Mr Gillon. So fur as Blenheim is concerned, it is to be hoped that under the New regime more reliable information will be sent from here than has been transmitted lately, but, as this matter is likely to be discussed shortly in a 'Jourt of Law, we refrain from makingfurther observations on the subject at present.

The sad fatality which threw a gloom over the Masterton Forester’s Fete conveys (says the Wellington Post ) a warning to which it may, perhaps, be useful at the present time to direct public attention. A young man, 22 years of age, named George Jennings, had just succeeded in winning a race of 250 yards, when he fell down dead at the winning post. The medical evidence at the inquest showed that deceased must have been suffering from disease of the heart. The young man had been examined only a week previously by a medical man for admission into the local Court of Foresters, and received a certificate that he was in sound hcaltln - The affection from which he was suffering, however, it was stated, was such that it was almost impossible for a medical man to have discovered it during life, although had deceased undergone any axtra exertion, such as walking up a hill, he must have experienced symptoms of heart disease

An election of Wardens for the Wairoa Highway Board will take place on Monday next. Mr F. R. Jackson will hold a sale of stock at his Wanganui yards on Wednesday next. A Cricket .Match —Carlyle v. Waihi—will be played on the ground of the latter to-day. We have to acknowledge receipt from Government, printer of a volume of statistics of New Zealand for the year 1878, with abstracts from the agricultural statistics of 1879, compiled from the official records in the Registrar-General's office. We would remind those who are fond of riding on footpaths, and also those who allow cattle to wander about the public streets* that the police are on the alert. No mercy will be shown, and no excuses taken. Beware ! Take care !! It has been a subject of general remark (says the Wellington Chronicle) that the old year died as miserably as he lived. The last day of the year was singularly wet and wretched. The first day' of the New Year was bright and smiling, and all the following days have been of a similar character. Let us hope that the weather is significant of the times, and that the year which has just begun may be as prosperous as' last year was the reverse. Things at present seem to promise this. Wool and grain—the staple products of New Zealand—have been largely enhanced in price-. The clip of wool is excellent, and the harvest promises to be perhaps the most bounteous yet gathered in the colony. The “ silver-lining" of the dark clouds is coming out bright and clear, and we have every reason to expect that when 1880 comes to a close, the people of New Zealand generally will be much better off than they were at the Close of 1879. The Patea Steam Shipping Company intend, during the Christmas Holidays, to run the s.s. Patea on Excursion Tiips to Nelson and Wellington, at reduced fares. Intending excursionists will find this an excellent opportunity for visiting these Ports.—Advt,