Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 171, 1 July 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Telegraph.—To-day is the twenty-second anniversary of the opening of the first telegraph in New Zealand. Borough Council.—The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the above, wi'.l be held in the chambers to-night. The Turanganui Bridge.—The approved plans of the above have been received, and we may shortly expect to see operations commenced. Auction.—At Messrs, Graham Pitt & Bennet’s mart this morning, cases of oranges brought from Bs. to 10s. each. Gisborne School.—The annual examination of .the pupil teachers of the Government School, will take place to-morrow before Mr. D. Johnston. The Willmott Combination.—On Friday night next it is the intention of this company to perform at Makaraka Hall. Dairy Pbuduoe.—The fact that the butter produce in Taranaki is estimated to have produced over £20,000 this season, should prove both instructive and encouraging to settlers in a fine pastoral district like our own, and should prove a strong incentive to pushing the dairy factory a-head. Local Industry,—We are pleased to hear that Mr. Johnstone, who has succeeded to the business of the late Mr. Cox, is the successful tenderer for the making of the new volunteer uniforms. From past experience of Mr. Johnstone’s abilities in the tailoring line, we are quite confident that the corps will have cause for congratulation in selecting a local tradesman.

The Gas Works.—A visit of inspection yesterday showed that the works are being rapidly pushed along. The retorts are well on towards completion, and the plates of the gasometer are being placed together and rivited in position. There is much work to do yet before we can hope for the welcome illuminator, and the work will have to be pushed on apace if we are to derive any benefit this winter.

Landowners.—From a Parliamentary report we learn the following:—There are in these colonies 14,740 persons and 26 companies, owning pieces of land from 5 to 100 acres in area; 14,248 persons and 19 companies owning pieces from 100 to 1,000 acres in area ; 1,466 persons and 18 companies owning tracts between 1,000 and 10,000 acres in extent; 215 persons and 9 companies with areas containing 10,000 to 50,000 acres; whilst 15 persons and 8 companies own blocks of 50,000 acres and upwards. The Recidiveste Question. —According to latest advices the Recidiviste question between France and England is assuming such very grave features as to endanger the peaceful relations at present existing between the two nations, and competent authorities do not hesitate to state that unless France consents to abandon the bill the inevitable result must be war between the two countries. That every care should be taken, and no stone left unturned, consistent with honor and justice, which may avert such a calamitous result will be the sincere wish of all, but the proverbially dogged stubborness and pugnacity of our supercillious nieghbors, renders the task of peaceful diplomacy most difficult, and the spark of contention once lighted amongst such inflammable material may break forth into a flame at any moment.

The Elections.— The Auckland Free Lance, referring to the East Coast election, says:—“ Can it be possible that Mr. Rees has had enough of it ? Does he accept the verdict of those who know him best that he is not fit for Parliament ? If so, he is a wiser man than I took him for, and possibly—say in twenty or thirty years—he might even grow wise enough to make a reasonably good member. I don’t believe it is possible myself, but strange things do happen at times; the conversion of W. L. Rees to common sense and common modesty, in his estimate of himself, would be a very strange one. In any case it is evident that Poverty Bay doesn’t want him. Perhaps we may be honored by a visit from him in Auckland again, and he may be even willing to represent one of our constituencies in the next House. If we cannot find a more suitable local man, that will be something to fall back upon at any rate.” Rip Van Winlle.—This evening the eelebrated drama “ Rip Van Winkle ” will be produced by the Willmott Company at McFarlane’s Hall. There are few, we presume, who are not familiar with the strange, weird, and pathetic creation of the most delightful of American authors. The story of Sleepy Hollow and the adventures of the Pennsylvanian Dutchman who went to sleep for twenty years are known wherever the English tongue is spoken. It is one of the most pleasant romances in the literature of fiction, and one that lend,, itself with ready facility to the purposes of the stage. The caste is a strong ore—Mr. Wilkinson taking the character of Rip Van Winkle, and Miss Crawford that of Dame Van Winkle. The Press pronounce this as one of the best pieces performed by this company. Such being the case, that fact alone should prove sufficient to draw a large house, for their other performances are exceedingly good. To-morrow night and Thursday night the proceeds of the performances will go to the benefit of the widows Downes and Taylor. The Euston Divorce. — In referring to this case, which is attracting the attention of and delighting the scandalmongers at home just now, the Wellington Post says:—“ George Manly Smith, one of the parties in the celebrated divorce case, is well known in this city, where he resided for some time under the nams of Johnstone. He was at one time employed as an accountant in Messrs. Wilson and Richardson’s, and was also, we believe, for some time in Mr. Kennedy Macdonald’s employment. About a year and nine months ago a detective from Scotland Yard landed in Auckland, and, beginning with that city, started a search for Johnstone throughout the whole of New Zealand, where the parties interested had good information that he was still living. The detective’s search was successful, and the man was well remunerated to return to England and give his evidence* On discovering in Johnstone the first husband of Kate Cook, now Lady Euston, Lord Euston made quite certain that he had secured evidence which would free him from his matrimonial yoke, but it turned out that when Johnstone, alias

Smith, married Kate Cook, he had another wife living, so that marriage was void, and Kate Cook was quite free to marry Lord Euston when she did. The whole case is most extiaordinary, and if embodied in the form oi a novel, the plot would be deemed wildly improbable. Although Lady Euston is now leading a notoriously profligate life, the Divorce Court is not open to her husband on that account, as he legally deserted her, and so deprived himself of any right to expect her to live virtuously. Kate Cook, therefore, is pretty certain to become Duchess of Grafton, and after all it may be doubted if .she is much worse than the first who bore the title, and from whom her husband is descended.