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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 19, 18 January 1873, Page 2

Colonial Representative. —We learn that Corporal Nasmith of the Gisborne Rifle Volunteer.-; is the only one qualified as a competitor to represent the district at Nelson, scoring 73 points; we still have to learn from Wairoa and Napier whether the honor has been wrested from him by superior skill. Race Ball.—The Stewards have requested us to express their wishes that tickets for the coming ball may be applied for as soon as possible. They have exhibited every desire to mark the occasion of the opening of the New Hall, with an evening’s enjoyment, which will give sat isfaction to everyone; and it is simply impossible for them to cater successfully if the patronage of the public be delayed until the last minute. Tickets will be issued up to 12 o’clock on Thursday. Sheep Sale.—We have much pleasure in drawing attention to a preliminary notice in our advertising columns, announcing an important sale of sheep of all classes in lots to suit the means of small capitalists. The sale will take place at Waerenga-a-hika about the end of the month ; and, in the meantime, Mr. Poynter will be prepared to give full information, to intending purchasers. Fencing Act Petition.—We learn that letters have been received from the Superintendent at Auckland, by the petitioners against any alteration beiug made in the Fencing Act, to the effect that no alteration would be made. Without going into the question or advisability of amending the Fencing Act leaving it for the present to be fought out by those who choose to take separate arid independent action in the matter, it is evident that there are cross purposes at work somewhere. The people here are divided in opinion as to what is really required ; the Provincial Government are still more at loggerheads as to how it should be done. Almanac.—We have to acknowledge receipt of Messrs. Dinwiddie Morrison and Go’s Hawke’s Bay Almanac for this year, and have much pleasure in welcoming it as an instalment of local and other information which cannot but be acceptable. A great deal of care and professional taste has been displayed in its compilation. Accident.—Dr. Smith has called at our office and informed us of a most severe accident which consequented in the fool-hardiness of a native named Koehe who, while in a state of delirious intoxication, would persist in putting his horse at a wire fence. After several ineffectual attempts (the horse being the wiser animal) a desperate spurt eventuated in landing both horse and rider on the opposite side in a reversed position— i.e. the horse uppermost. The consequence was a broken leg, a ditto arm, and a simple division of binocular capacity. These native gentry have been " going in bigly ” for heavy drunks lately, and this is only one of the chronicled consequences. Compensation Petition.—ln our advertising columns will be found a copy of the petition now nearly filled up with signatures, before being forwarded to the Premier for presentation to the Governor. It will be seen from an address published in our advertising columns that Mr. John Williamsou is a candidate for the Superintendency at the forthcoming election. Mr. Williamson states that he will take ah early opportunity of visiting the various districts, and personally explaining his views to the electors. — New Zealand, Herald. We regret to observe that our evening contemporary, the Hawke’s Bay Times, finds it necessary, owing to its failure to secure adequate support in a commercial point of view, to suspend operations for the present. We may take this opportunity of bearing testimony to the uniform excellence of tone, courage, high-princi-ple, and self-respect, manifested in the management of the Times ever since it fell into the hands of Mr. Harding. Such qualities, indeed, combined with the capacity which characterised the too rare editorials, make us wonder why it was that its success has not been greater than it has been. We have no doubt, the explanation is in the fact that the editor’s sentiments on several important public questions were diametrically opposed to those of the majority of the public, and that he refused persistently, in any degree, to modify them, or even to refrain from the expression of them. His adoption of this course may have been much to his credit morally, but could hardly be to his profit commercially.— Hawke’s Bay Herald. The London Times of the Bth of November has the following account of the hurricane in Sicily, which destroyed the town of Palazzuolo: —“ There has been no instance of such calamity within the memory .of living man. No earthquake ever caused so much destruction. There are houses ruinedhouses, fallen to the very ground; walls cleft from end to end; walls hanging outward so as to rest on adjoining houses. There are roofs wholly swept away; sunken balconies torn from their places; windows and shutters either entirely carried off, or hanging loose from the walls; lamp-posts forced from their sockets; uprooted trees. And this is all one sees along the north-east side of the town. Not one house .remain*' in which the

whole roof and windows do not require tharouah repairs. The streets are a maw of freemenu and rubbish. The incidents of the disaster are so strange as to be almost incredible. There was a store with twenty-five hectolitre* of wheat, of which not a trace is anywhere to be seen. The books of excise and of the land and registry offices have vanished, and only their torn leaves have been found here and there at great distances. In one house all the copper kitchen utensils were blown through the roof. In another, benches and heavy chests flew through the windows. The iron bars on one balcony are to be seen curled up one wav, and those of another twisted up another way. 'There is a pillar of the palace which has been moved forward one foot without breaking, and stands up isolated all in one piece. There is the wall of another palace which has fallen bock more than 3ft. without a crack. Here is a beam of One house which has thrust itself into another house. There is the half of a bedstead, the other half of which lies no one knows where. All the tiles of one building are huddled together in one spot. One roof is crushed and broken up as small as if it had been pounded. The rafters of another building are all bare, the sides having flown no one can see where. In a stable on the bare ground, men are laying the bodies one by one as they are being dug out. Most of them are in their night-dresses, having been crushed as they were quietly sleeping. Their features and forms are so disfigured that one cannot look at them without shuddering. Their nostrils, ears, and mouth are stopped wit h earth and white dust, which has everywhere pierced through the skin. Here is the body of a man holding close to his heart a child—probably his own child—the skulls of both shattered. There are two young men in each other’s arms —brobably brothers—the chests and backs of both crushed. Near them is another youth covered with blood. He was a clerk in a Government office. He had his eye-glass still stuck in his right eye, and was probably reading or writing when struck. There are some disfigured past recognition : others that seem unhurt, and look as if they were sleeping. Without exaggeration, one-third of the town is dismantled, and more than 1,000 families literally without a home. Above one hundred more hare only one little .corner of what was once their home, to shelter them. The dead number thirty-two, and the seriously hurt about half-a-scoru besides. A grand banquet has been given in celebration of the opening of the Dunedin and Port Chalmers railway. His Excellency the Governor was present and replied to the toast of his health as follows:—As to what fell from Judge Chapman respecting my conduct here, I can only say that my desire has been conscientiously to do mv duty, and I wish to be remembered as one who did bis work. I can assure you that whatever destiny Providence may have in store for me in the future, I shall always look back with proud remembrance of this great colony of New Zealand, where I have spent five of my best and happiest years, where one of my children hae been born, and with whose history, during a critical period, my name must ever be associated. The principal events that have occurred during my administration are—first, the establishment of what I thoroughly believe is a permanent peace with the Maoris—that noble and formidable race —the most formidable that ever came into contact with civilised men ; and secondly, the initiation of that large scheme of public works and immigration, now sanctioned by two Parliaments. I need scarcely say that I have not the most remote idea of touching upon any controverted question in colonial politics—l hope I know my constitutional duty too well for that —but I believe it is the opinion of everv reasonable man of all parties that the proper course for the colony was to combine the prurience of the Englishman with the energetic enterprise of the American. You then combine, in one word the "all right” of England with the “go-ahead of America. I believe this happy combination will be carried out in New Zealand ; at any rate I am sure it will be carried out in Otago, for here we have the prudence, of the Englishman the go-aheadism of the American, judiciously blended with the proverbial canniness of the Scotchman.— New Zealand Herald.