The Standard. (PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.) THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1874.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 152, 26 March 1874, Page 2

The Standard. (PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.)

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1874.

’* We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

Divine Service. — The Rev. Father Simpson Will hold Divine Service at Ormond Beit Sunday morning at 11 o’clock, and at Gisborne in the evening at 7.30. Road Board Tenders.—An extension of time is given foZ the receipt of tenders for work to be done on the Mill Road, to Tuesday April the 7th. R.M.’s Court. —The two natives charged with stealing from Mr. Carr’s house at Ormond, were remanded yesterday morning, to Tuesday next.

Captain Turner.—This gentleman was A passenger by the steamer Wellington from Napier yesterday. He reports the near completion of the Opotiki road. Storm Signals.—lt is reported that the General Government purpose organizing a system of Storm Signals throughout the colony. With the assistance of the telegraph this should be a boon very acceptable to mariners. Target Practice.—Squad firing will be resumed on Saturday next, the 28th inst., at 2 pin, by the members of the P.B.M.R. Volunteers, at the Gisborne Rifle Range. Captain Hardy requests as full a muster as possible in view of the troop's recent acceptance of the Opotiki challenge.

Licensing Commissioners.—A General Government Gazette, to hand per Wellington, contains a proclamation appointing James Woodbine Johnson, J.P., James Benjamin Poynter, J.P., and Charles Westrup. J.P., as Licensing Commissioners for the district of Poverty Bay. Parliamentary Papers.---We have to acknowledge the receipt of a batch of Parliamentary papers arm Gazettes from the Government Printer at Wellington amongst which are statistics of the Colony for 1872, and a Nominal Roll of the Civil Service of New Zealand on the Ist July 1873. Sheep Exodus.-—lt is unfortunate for the district that Mr. Heiyar is compelled to ship the celebrated ewes he recently imported from England, to Hawke’s Bay. This step is necessary consequent on the loss that gentleman has recently sustained in the death of his two rams. Air. Helyar’s actual loss is considerably over £3OO. We should think he immediately raised the man’s wages who was the cause of all this misfortune. Quarterly Inspection.—The Usual Quarterly Inspection of Arms took place during the last three days, on the parade grounds of the respective corps. There was a good muster, and the newly enrolled, usually relegated to the ‘'awkward squad,” shows periodically the increase of population that is taking place. Captain Gudgeon was enabled to give arms to a large number of recruits, and expressed himself well satisfied with the general appearance and behaviour of all arms. Road Board.—A sitting of the Road Board was held on Tuesday last. The Engineer reported on the various works finished and in progress, as follow The outlet drain from the Patutahi-road to the main road is completed in a satisfactory manner, and the work of re-forming the main road progressing rapidly. A culvert has been placed at the junction of Cobden-street and Gladstone-road, and a pump and trough erected on Read’s quay. The Engineer suggested the building of a new bridge at the commencement of the Mill-road, the present one being in a dangerous condition. The Provincial Secretary referred to the Board an application from the teacher of the Native School at Turanganui for free ferryage. Wi Pere requested that the Turoa-road may be laid off. The Engineer was instructed to report on the Church-road Matawhero. The Board adjourned to Tuesday the 7th April.

Opotiki Challenge.—We believe that the long-taikcd-of challenge,- about, the terms of which the Bay of Plenty Cavalry Volunteers, have demurred so much has at last been put in such a shape as to have been accepted conditionally. The mutch, we believe, is for £5O, and is to be fired for by eight picked men on either side, on their own range, any day between the Ith and 9th of May next, so stipulate the Bay of Plenty men, provided that none but those nieinbers who were efficient on the 3W March 1873 are elected, to compete'.!! We think this interpolation comes with bad grace from a Troop, the representatives of which were the original challengers, and especially as not hing has even been suggested before to that effect. What has Maren 1873 to do with May 1874? “Let the galled jade wince” if he’s too hard pressed, but in fairness let the respective Troops stand each upon the merits of its own shootists. The condition, viewed by the light of the bounce with which the challenge was originally made, savours very much of a Maehi-avelian proposition to fire a match provided that there is no chance of the challengers being beaten. We can well understand why the framers of such a condition wish to settle this little matter without the interference of “ Air. Editor.”