Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 34, 8 January 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

B.M. Coubt.—There was no business transacted at the R.M. Court yesterday.

Habbob Boabd.—The usual fortnightly meeting of the Harbor Board will be held in the Borough offices, Lowe Street, to-night. Noiicb io Land Co.—-In another column will be found a letter, in Maori and English, cautioning the N.Z.N.L. Co, against interfering with certain Native lands.

DBPAii'rußß.—The Bev. Mr. Cocks took his departure by the steamer Taiaroa for Auckland, en route for Sydney, on Sunday last, taking with him the well-wishes of many sincere friends.

PABUAMBiiirABx Papbbs.—We acknowledge the receipt from the Government printer of a parcel of Parliamentary papers, as well as copies of the A.Z. (iazetle.

Thust Commissionbbb’ Coubt.—A sitting of this Court was held yesterday before James Booth, Esg., T.C. Mahahea No. I—Transfer from Hami Te Bararere to Peter Cooper. Adjourned till next Monday. Pakepapa B— Transfer from Kiria Manaranui to W. L. Bees. Adjourned till next Monday. Mangare—Lease from Here Rangia to W. N. Brown. Adjourned till next Monday.

OrasiNa Night.—Host Cohen announces that he has taken the Royal Oak Hotel, Matawhero, and that the opening night will be celebrated on the Sth instant.—See advertisement.

The time for receiving tenders by the Cook County Oouaail, for cutting drains, Ac., Oweta Boad, is extended until Saturday, 12th instant. Wild “ Scotchmen.”—Tastes differ con. siderably—some people affect the asthetio kind of Nature’s adornments, while others ”go in for ” something more glaring; but in few places do we find wild “ Scotchmen ” cherished. At the side of one or two of the side-walks in this town, the thistle, or wild “ Scotchman ” flourishes luxuriantly, and we are curious to know whether the members of our Borough Council have a taste, or not, in that direction.

Simvmcity.—lt struck us with surprise on reading in the xV. <?. Herald that an invitation had actually been sent to Mr, Gladstone by the speakers of theLegislative Council and House of Representatives to visit New Zealand, The simplicity displayed in expecting the Prime Minister to travel such a distance—especially during the unsettled state of affairs in Ireland and on the continent—is incomprehensible. Verily, the hon. gentlemen appear to be falling into their dotage,

A.B.C. Mbbtino.—Referring to the late races in Auckland, the N.Z. Herald of the 3rd instant says:—” The A. 8.0. Summer Bace Meeting concluded yesterday. It ,was far and away the most successful meeting that has ever been held in Auckland. The chief feature of interest was, of course, the large number of young throughbreds brought forward on this occasion, the progeny of Musket, Castaway, King of Clubs, and Hippocampus. They are grand ones from first to last, and promise well for the future races of the Colony. The Steeplechase, the chief event of the third day’s racing, excited great interest. The meeting has, we are -glad to say, passed over without any serious accident. H. Lunn, the rider of Clarence in the steeplechase, had two narrow escapes, and Edwards, the rider of Barbary, came to grief, and sustained a fracture of his collarbone.”

Failubb of the Bboodbss.—Under date, London, Dec. 31, we learn that ” Messrs. Alexander Brogden and Henry Brogden, the well-known railway contractors of Wednesbury, have filed petitions of insolvency. The liability of each is set down at three-quarters of a million sterling. The failure is attributed to the rejection of their appeal to the Government of New Zealand for liquidation of their claims in connection with colonial railway contracts, and to numerous minor failures in the iron trade.”

Pabty Riots.—A cablegram, dated Jan. 2, says:—“Great excitement has prevailed at Dromore, County Down, Ireland, in consequence of the Orange and Parnell meetings. The Orangemen, who numbered fully 20,000 men, attacked the Parnellites’ gathering, but the strong force of troops present prevented any serious collision between the two factions. In the riots between the Orangemen and the Catholics the troops fatally wounded three of the Orangemen.”

The Fedbbal Corsbhknce.—Under date London, Dec. 29, the following has been received:—“The Daily News commends the proposals of the late Conference to ensure the protection of the lands of the natives of New Guinea. Lord Carnarvon thinks it wonld be impolitic of England to insist on the application of the complete Munroe doctrine in the Pacific, and that it might be possible, with the concurrence of France to secure the complete neutralisation of the New Hebrides, but it is unlikely that France will consent to abandon the penal settlement scheme under external pressure from the present insufficient efforts to secure complete Australasian federation. The Pacific squadron is also too weak. He expresses a hope that the Imperial Government will find itself able to concede most of what the Conference has demanded. It would be sufficient to annex the coast of New Guinea, without interfering with the interests of that country.”

Tan Australian Conibbbncb “ The following requisition has been presented to Mr. Whitaker: —' Auckland, 29th December, 1883. Hon. F. Whitaker, M.L.C., Auckland; Sir,— Sensible of the importance of a correct knowledge of the proceedings of the recent Confederation Conference, held in Sydney, of which you were a distinguished member, the undersigned, on behalf of their fellow-colonists, venture to ask you to give an address on the important question of Federation and its bearing specially on the welfare of the Australian Colonies, and upon the interests of the Empire at large, We have, <kc. (signed), Lawrence D. Nathan (President of Chamber of Commerce), C, B. Stone (Chairman of Harbour Board), T. Peacock, J. M. Clark, J, C, Firth, Wm. C. Daldy, J, M. Shera, J. Logan Campbell. 1 We understand that Mr. Whitaker is to give an answer to-day.'" Shobthand Union.—" Following the example of the now influential Phonetic Society of Great Britain, the shorthand writers in Melbourne have formed what may be considered the nucleus of a similar institution in that city. The gentleman who has been mainly instrumental in the formation of the new society, which is to be called 1 The Australian Shorthand Writers’ Union,’ is Mr. Sydney Stott, professional shorthand writer, Melbourne." Late Shooting Case.—The N. Z. Herald of the 3rd inst., says : —“ We are glad to hear that Mr. McDermott, who was murderously shot at by Jones, the manager of the Ironsand Company, in the main street of Onehunga, is progressing favorably towards recovery, under the careful attention and skill of Drs. Scott and Stockwell. The wound, of course, is not yet healed, but there are now no dangerous symptoms, and McDermot is comparatively quite well. His ultimate recovery will prove a great relief to his parents and friends, and will also prove a very fortunate circumstance for Jones, who is now in custody on the charge of attempted murder. The case comes on for hearing before the magistrate this morning, but a further remand will be applied for by Mr. Superintendent Thompson.”

News Fbom New Guinea. —“‘The Vagabond,’ writing from Dove Island, Torres Straits, under date November 26, reports that while on his way to Port Moresby from Thursday Island, in the yacht Elsea, as special correspondent of the Argus, he met the missionary schooner Ellangowan, bound from New Guinea to Queensland. Mr. Boldly, the Deputy Commissioner, was on board, and as he arrived at Brisbane by the steamer Tannadice' on Friday last, he must have changed ships at Monday Island, the first port of call for the Ellangowan. ‘The Vagabond’ learned from the master’ of the missionary schooner that the Bev. Mr. Chalmers, one of the resident missionaries, had recently been on a coasting trip to the westward of Port Molesby. He discovered a new river, and met with a number of cannibal tribes, who had never previously seen a white man. Mr. Chalmers was well received by these Natives, who showed him a large temple, containing an altar and idols, with hundreds of skulls lying round. He returned to Port Moresby about three weeks prior to the departure of the Ellangowan.”