NAPIER.

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

NAPIER.

[FRuM OUR OWN COtfIiESFONbENT.] March 23. There is no object to be Served by sending you news that you will be able to see in your exchanges, therefore 1 shall say little about the shooting for the Colonial Prizes, and chiefly confine myself to those things an account of which dues not find its way into the local journals. I told you in my last of the poor reception that was given the Governor when he was here, but it did not transpire till after his departure, that the Guard of Honor at the levee on Saturday 14th, was regarded by His Excellency as an insult. Perhaps t am putting this a little too forcibly, but I am merely reporting current talk. It appears it had been explained to the Governor that probably there would be a difficulty about a Guard, as the Rifle Volunteer Company had not forty men in its ranks, and there having been two days’ racing, by which most of the company had lost two days’work, it was likely the volunteers would not be able to afford the loss of another day. So far it was all right, the Governor said it did not matter, ami he could do without one. But on the Friday evening District Orders were issued by the Major Commanding, summoning a parade of the Volunteers for the purpose of furnishing a Guard of Honor. At the appointed time, only ten men came on the ground ; the Major had gone to the camp at the Rille Range, and there was no Guard of Honor. Report says the Governor Slaving seen in the papers the District Orders, naturally expected that they would be obeyed, and was exceedingly angry at such a flagrant breach of military discipline ; the company was reported to the Defence Minister, and it is expected the days of the Napier Rifle Volunteers are numbered. It is argued if a Voluntceer Corps disobey orders they are under no discipline, and of no use as a - military body.

The Colonial Prize Firing, which lias now been going on for a week, has not caused that interest which it was expected to do. The camp attracts very few vistors, and with the exception of tire fifth match, the result of which determined t he championship, there having been no excitement about any of the events. This match took place on Thursday, and as Greer, a Napier representative, stood a very good chance of winning the Belt, and the three best men amongst the competitors having each made nearly equal aggregate scores, there was some little interest excited. But Napier has not a betting class in its community, and 1 heard of no wagers above 205., while only some dozen or so individuals risked their money to the extent of ss. or 10s. on the event. Sweepstakes and lotteries, miscalled art unions, we are rather great upon, and scores of people are to be found who will eagerly go in for them, for the sake of obtaining a prospect of winning a prize. This shows that the gambling element exists, and, perhaps, it only wants properly cultivating to bring it to the perfection to be found in other places. With this laudable object in view, a party of sharpers lately arrived here, but they were merely clumsy professors of their art, and being detected in an attempt to pluck a pigeon, had their working tools, in the shape of rounded dice and a pack of cards designed for “ poker,” confiscated. I am afraid they found their visit less remunerative than they expected. Mr. Melville Smith, an old settler in this province and to whom it owes something for the excellent selection he made while in England of thorough bred sheep and cattle, which he brought back with him, has started in business as an importing live stock agent. He proposes, on the receipt a sufficient number of orders, to proceed to England and select stock, taking all risks and returning to the colony with each shipment. At this stage of colonial progress there should be a good opening for this sort of business. This week promises to be tolerably lively; to-day the celebrated Claus-Rekel Company is expected from the South, and will give a series of concerts on Tuesday and Wednesday ; the All - comers Rifle Matches take place at the camp, and will draw a crowd; on Friday the Colonial Prizes will be presented to the successful competitors : on that afternoon the public luncheon will be given to the representatives, and in the evening the Volunteer Ball comes off. A melancholy piece of news reached town yesterday, it was the death of Mr. A. Ford, who formerly tyas in partnership with Mr. M'Hardy. of Napier. The unfortunate deceased hung himself with a pair of reins in the coach house at Mr. M‘Hardy’s, Pakowhai. Mr. Ford recently returned from England where he married, and he now leaves a widow and one child. Mr. Ford was in easy circumstances, and the only reason that can be assigned for the dreadful deed is that mental disease is hereditary in the family of deceased. A brother of Mr. Ford’s is in a lunatic asylum in Aucklind, and it is said his father put an end to his existence.