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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1017, 29 December 1881, Page 2

Parliament is prorogued to Monday, the 13th of February next.

Charles Debenham Bennett, Esq., has been appointed a Justice of the Peace under the Municipal Corporations Act. The summons to the Legislative Council of the Hon. George McLean is notified in the Government Gazette.

Tenders are called for by Mr Barnard, of the Survey Department, for the formation of a portion of the Waimata road.

We remind our Volunteer readers that the usual monthly inspection of the J Battery takes place this evening, at the drill-shed. The Battery will fall in at 7 p.m. sharp.

Tenders for the formation of a drain on Patutahi will be received up to the 14th of January, 1882. The plans and specification are open for inspection at Mr Malone’s shop, Makaraka.

Mr Peter Sorry announces in our columns that all accounts due to him must be settled on or before the sth January, 1882. If not he will be compelled to take legal proceedings for the recovery of the same. We draw attention to the advertisement in another column, announcing a complimentary benefit to be tendered to Mr Walter Hydes, to take place in the Academy of Music, on Monday evening next, the 2nd of January. A capital programme is in active rehearsal, the particulars of which will appear in our issue on Saturday next. During the passage of the s.s. Botomahana from Gisborne to Auckland, the MontagueTurner Opera Company gave an entertainment for the benefit of the Children’s Hospital in Auckland. A very enjoyable evening was spent, and at the conclusion of the concert the sum of £5 Is was collected and handed to Captain Underwood for the above-men-tioned institution.

A Committee meeting of the Borough Council sat on Tuesday night last, to consider certain propositions made by the County Council to the Borough Council, with a view to an amicable settlement of Oxenham’s contract. We learn that it only requires a slight further consideration of a few amendments by the County Council, and this work which has been hanging in suspense so long will be proceeded with.

We regret to learn that Mr Boland’s house at Ormond was burnt to the ground on Christmas Day last. The insurance was covered only to the extent of £l5O which, as Mr Boland had made many recent additions and improvements, would leave him a great loser. There is no accounting for the origin of the fire to hand. This is the third time Mr Boland has been burnt out in this district, during the last ten years. The concert given at Ormond, on Friday last, in aid of the Ormond School funds, was not so big a success as its object and merit of the several performers warranted. Bruce’s Hall was fairly filled, and the audience seemed to be highly delighted with the bill of fare provided for them. Madame Stewart, Mrs Higgins, Mr Sceats and other celebrities took part in the vocalization, and Mr Hydes presided at the piano. After the concert a limited quadrille party occupied the floor until about 1 a.m.

The weather during the last few days has been remarkably fine, with extreme heat for these latitudes. On Christmas Day the thermometer registered in the shade at 3 p.m., 88 deg., which was maintained until 6 o’clock almost without variation. At the former hour 118 deg. was noted in the sun, the maximum of heat we heard of during the day. On Monday last, although a north-easterly wind was blowing, the beat was even more intense. In the shade we registered 98 deg., and in the sun 124 deg., although we have heard it was even greater than that. We are glad to announce that Messrs W. K. McLean and F. J. Piesse, Borough Auditors, have so far proceeded with the accounts of the Corporation, as to be able to produce their balance-sheet by to-day or to-morrow. The labors of these gentlemen have been very laborious, owing to the backward and incomplete state of the books, but there will be one satisfaction to the ratepayers, and that is that the exact position of affairs will be known, and the new Town Clerk can start on his duties without being handicapped with a responsibility 7 arising from the remissness of others.

It is our mournful duty to record the death of Dr. Percy, whose interment took place yesterday. The deceased has resided amongst us for two or three years, but, although, not in the enjoyment of robust health, he was not expected to be called away so soon. An inquest was held, pro forma, on Tuesday, resulting in a finding that death resulted through accidentally partaking of an opiate, causing congestion of the lungs. No post mortem examination was necessary, in the opinion of Dr. Pollen, who attended deceased in his dying moments.

Mr M. R. Miller received on Friday last, tlie following cablegram from Messrs Goldsborough, Melbourne • —“Have this week catalogued 6500 bales, and sold 5000 bales. Prices firm at last week’s rates.”

We believe that Mr Carey will arrive next week from Napier with his Juvenile Opera Troupe, and perform for a short season, in “ Pirates of Penzance,” “ Cloches de C'orneville,” and other favorite pieces.

As there is a great deal of interest attaching to the celebrated “sweep” question, we reprint on the fourth page in this issue, a report from the AW Zealand Times of the proceedings taken before the Magistrate in the recent prosecutions. The following fees Lave been fixed by Order-in-C’ouneU to be paid to analysts under the “ Adulteration Prevention Act, 1880 :”—For each analysis of milk, bread, and meal;, 2s 6d ; of any article of groceries, 5s ; of wine, spirits, beer, and drugs, 10s 6d.

MeCosh Clarke finished his speech the other evening by saying that Sir George Grey ought to retire to his Kawau, and that it was a greatpity he ever emerged therefrom. Sir George did not retaliate, as he might have done, by saying that Mr MeCosh Clark ought to retire to his Kawaunter, and it was a great pity he ever left it.— Observer. The New Zealand Herald remarks somewhat incautiously that it is worthy of remark that although the Union Company’s steamers now carry large numbers of passengers nearly every trip none of them have yet eclipsed the little Phoebe, which some time ago took 500 passengers on the trip between Lyttelton and Wellington, and, what is more, every one had a place to sleep in, and meals were ready at the appointed hours.