Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 116, 26 April 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Borough Rates.—Monday will be the last day on which rates can be paid so as to vote at the next Borough Election, Forgery.—On the application of Mr. DeLautour at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, it was agreed that the prisoner Tamati Hautaupa should be tried by a Maori jury at the Supreme Court. The Turanganui Bridge.—The plans of this bridge have been forwarded to Wellington to-day for approval and should the marine engineer keep his word we may expect them back by the next boat, when, providing they are satisfactory, tenders will be immediately called for, and we may reasonably hope that in the course of next month or so the work will have actually commenced. Southern Cross. — The Southern Cross, which arrived last night from Auckland, left again for Napier and Wellington after discharging her cargo. She did not bring any passengers, neither did she take any away. Te Anau.—The Te Anau arrived in the Bay from Auckland about three o’clock as expected, and will probably sail again about six to-night. The Manapouri will be here on Monday morning early. Prospecting.—We hear that a party are out prospecting for gold at the source of the Big River, where several promising indications have been noticed. “ On Dit.”—We hear that the Natives of this district have sent to Mr. Sheehan, offering a heavy retainer to induce him to come and represent their interests here ; and it is understood that this clever gentleman has agreed to accept the offer, and that liberal terms have been arranged. Under these circumstances it is more than probable that we shall shortly see him amongst us. Lunacy.—Dr. Pollen was called this afternoon to give evidence as to the state of Christina Tardieu, who was lying at the jail, charged with lunacy. He deposed that he had examined the patient and found she was in a very wild state, imagining she was suffering from all sorts of ills, which she was not. She refused to take food, and was altogether of unsound mind. She was not lit to be at large, as she might at any time become dangerous. The case was adjourned until four o’clock, so as to get the evidence of Dr. Innes. She will probably be sent to Auckland to-morrow. R.M. Court.—The case E. Matthews v. W. Hitchings was heard yesterday afternoon. It was a claim for £4 for damage done to a cart. The plaintiff and his wife deposed that the cart was standing in Gladstone Road, facing Makaraka. He (plaintiff) turned round to come into Gisborne. Directly he got straight on, the defendant collided with him, from behind, breaking a panel in the backboard, and side of the cart. The defendant had plenty of room to pass. W. Tharratt proved that the damage, done to the cart was about 80s. The defendant deposed that as he camo from Makaraka he saw the cart facing him, but when he got as near as twenty yards,- the plaintiff turned his cart across the road. Tie 5 callqcT ©jit for plaintiff to get out of the rOad/and as lie was trying to pass, the cart backed on to ms, hence the damage. He couldjiot have got out of the road. Four witnesses were called and gave similar evidence. His Worship* held that the defendant had not used proper precaution as he should have done, and allowed damages, 335. with costs.

Major Ropata’s Sword of Honor.—The sword of honor with which Major Ropata was presented, and which is in the care of his old comrade in arms, Captain Porter, is a beautiful specimen of the cut and thrust straight sabre. The blade is beautifully embossed, and bears two inscriptions, one in Maori and one in English. The former runs as follows:—“ Ae mea hoatu tenei hoari na Wikitoria na te Kuini o Ingarangi kite Tangata toa ki a Ropata Wahawaha mona i manawanui kite Piri tonu kite Taha Kuini.” The English inscription runs:—“Given by Queen Victoria to Ropata Wahawaha, for his unfailing, loyalty and valour.” The basket hilt is of solid silver, and the scarlet scabbard and belt is also mounted in heavy silver, with massive buckles of the same metal. He received it from the hands of the Minister of Defence at Wellington, in the presence of the Governor. The gallant Major also received a star shortly afterwards, in recognition of his indomitable courage at the first Ngatapa, where he held in check a force of upwards of 800 of the enemy with but thirtyone followers, his sole shelter being a low stone wall. Nevertheless, he succeeded in holding the enemy in check during the whole night. A ’ letter of condolence is being numerously signed by sympathisers, setting forth their disapproval of the action of the Government in the matter of the paltry reduction in his pension, and will shortly be forwarded to him. Also a letter of remonstrance is being forwarded to Government, asking for reconsideration of the question, and every exertion is being made by his old companions in arms (who have maliciously and falsely been accused of being parties to this miserably mean transaction) to efface and rectify the affront which has been cast upon a loyal and deserving chief, who eminently deserves every scant honor which has been accorded him. Excessive Loyalty.—When Poole composed his satrical history of Little Pedlington he omitted one very important chapter, namely, the excitement in the borough consequent upon the demise of a member of the reigning family. Considering the profound sensation Seated about the old lady having dropped her reticule in the streets, and the extraordinary efforts made to recover it, and how the local journal stopped press at four in the morning to insert the gratifying notification of its recovery, I am afraid that language would not convey the picture of abject tribulation presented by the Pedlingtonians laboring under a sense of national bereavement. The missing chapter has. however, been supplied by the vagaries of some of the Victorian journals during the week in connection with the death of the Duke of Albany. The editor of the Universe positively shrieked himself hoarse in his demonstrations of woe, until he converted the proceeding by his exaggeration into positive ridicule. The journal that assumes to be the biggest, the most Conservative, but with admittedly the smallest circulation, went into mourning to the extent of a page, and devoted several columns to gush. The journal of democracy at Ballarat, however, determined not to bo outdone, and surrounded even its advertisements with emblems of grief, and had a frenzied howl on its own account in a column of drivel by way of comment, and another column of rubbish by way of history. What in the name of all the flunkeys that ever flourished are we coming to? Here in Melbourne wo have the premier flying backwards and forwards to Government House; telegraphing to the sister colonies; telegraphing to London, and publishing a Gazette proclaiming Sunday a< a day of mourning. This is the very lieigbi. of midsummer madness. Certainly Victorians seem determined to afford ample material to future historians and caricaturists for the delineation of their superabundant loyalty.—“ Under the Verandah.”

Bye-laws.—A most deliberate and audacious breach of the Borough Bye-laws happened this afternoon, A country coachman attempted to drive his coach with three horses to it across the footpath by Messrs. Ward and Kenny’s offices, and on finding, when he had got the coach in the middle of the path, thst the other side was too steep to get down, he left it standing there for about five minutes while he transacted some business elsewhere. Spiritualism.—An amusing defeat (says a contemporary) of the American spiritualist, Mr. Bastian, is announced from Vienna, where for some time the eminent medium hn.‘- been the cause of much discussion among the highest classes of society. The Crown Prince of Austria and Archduke John, having determined to sound the mysteries of Mr. Bastian’s art, arranged three seances at the Archduke’s residence. The first was held without any revelations, but before the second meeting began preparations were secretly made to catch the ghost in a trap. After the select audience had gathered in a dimly lighted room, a spirit clad in a garb of mourning silently entered, while the medium was apparently lying in the next room stiff and fast asleep. This room was separated from that in which the audience were assembled by a curtained doorway through which the ghost passed. In this entrance the conspirators, however, had fixed a secret door, which they could shut silently and instantly by touching a spring. While the mournful ghost was flitting before the awe struck as.-embly, this door was suddenly shut, and the ghost, who stood revealed as Mr. Bastian, vainly endeavored to make his escape. The merriment of the company knew no bounds when the medium’s shoes alone were found in the next room, where a few moments before Mr. Bastian had been lying in mesmeric sleep. The depression in spiritualistic circles is naturally very great. A Yankee Wedding.—A “ fashionable wedding” took place a short time back at Currituck, Hyde County, New Carolina ; the bridegroom being a wealthy young cotton planter, and the bride one of the most beautiful young ladies in the district. The wedding went off very well ; but not so a banquet that followed in the evening, the enjoyment of which was much marred by one or two disagreeable incidents. A difference of opinion arose among some of the guests as to whether “ german” or cotillion should be danced after supper. Angry words passed; and the discussion at last became so warm that revolvers were drawn and several shots fired. Mr. Charles Ballance, the bridegroom’s “ best man,” was, unfortunately, killed by a random shot, and Mr. Thomas Sedan, another of the groomsmen, was mortally wounded. When the smoke cleared away and the bodies of the two young men were seen lying on the floor, all angry feelings at once subsided and a cry arose for “ the doctor.” Unfortunately the nearest physician lived 25 miles away, and, although several of the guests good-naturedly galloped off to fetch him, some hours elapsed before he arrived at the house. When at last he made his appearance he found the wounded man being carefully nursed by the bride and bridegroom who sat up all night by his bed-side and were unremitting in their attention to the sufferer. The doctor, however, at first sight pronounced Mr. Sedan’s case hopeless, and of course could do nothing for Mr. Ballance, whose dead body was laid out in the parlour awaiting the coroner’s investigation. Great sympathy is felt for the bride and bridegroom, who took no part in the shooting and are sincerely grieved by the tragic affair. “The Cat.”—The convict, Henry Goodward, who was convicted recently, of rape upon Ellen Payne, for which crime he was sentenced to five years penal servitude and two whippings, received the first instalment on. Monday morning last. The following particulars are from an Auckland contemtemporary:—“ He was made fast to two uprights. His head and neck were protected by a thick collar made of leather. The “cat” was not the formidable instrument made of cat-gut once known to the army and navy. It was made of thick hard cord, with several knots, But it was nevertheless an instrument capable of inflicting very severe punishment. One of the warders inflicted twelve lashes and the other thirteen, which completed the authorised number of strokes. The prisoner manifested signs of severe suffering, but he made no outcry. His back was greatly bruised and much discolored, and it was only the last few lashes that broke any part of the skin. There was but a very slight effusion of blood. Although the flogging will probably not prevent the prisoner from working for more than ten days, it was yet a very severe, as well as degrading punishment. It will be the more acutely felt from the circumstance that the prisoner was scarcely in the state of physical training that would enable him to bear it without very sharp pain. It appears that the warders are much “ discontent ” at being called on to perforin the duty, and that one of them tendered his resignation rather than assist to carry out the order.

Qualifications of a Good Sea Cook.—A sea cook is a peculiar character, requiring a special training. He must know how to prepare a sea hash out of salt horse flavored with onions, incrusted with the variegated browns of polished mahogany, and savory enough to create an appetite in a stomach that the tossing waves have rendered as sensitive as the needle of a compass. He must also understand how to make eatable bread, and take his duff out of the kettle on Sunday as light as cotton and as delicate as sponge cake. Besides this, he must know how to economise in the use of water and provisions; and, more difficult yet, he must contrive to keep the crew satisfied with the mess he cooks for them, while at the same time he looks out sharply for the interests of his employer and captain. He must also be proof against the worst weather and undeviatingly punctual to the hours of meals. It goes without saying that it is not an easy thing io find such a paragon in the galley; but when he is there he is, next to the captain, by far the most important character on board.— Centurij.