Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 185, 17 July 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Shipping.—The s.s. Thomas Russell entered the river yesterday, and is now discharging at the wharf. The schooner Gisborne will sail North again shortly.

U.S.S. Service.—The Te Anau will arrive from Auckland to-morrow, and the Southern Cross from the same place on Saturday, leaving there this evening. Photography,—Mr. C. P. Brown, photographer, has taken a fine group of the witnesses in the case of Rees v. Locke. There are twenty-seven in all, and the picture has come out splendidly. Major Westrvp.—This gentleman has requested us to state—in answer to the letter which appeared last night, stating that the man who ran down a traveller on Tuesday night, was in his company—that such is not the case. Major Westrup’s horse, with his buggy, ran away, and it was some man who was attempting to stop the runaway horse and empty buggy, who ran into the complainant. Major Westrup is in no way to blame and while expressing sorrow for the accident, says he does not even know the mans name.

Professor Anderson.—Last night this talented Professor again delighted a small but appreciative audience—accounted for by the counter attractions of the R.M. Court. The performance was fully up to the previous mark, and the presents given away were both good and numerous. The manner of distributing the latter was novel. The name of the various articles to be given away were written upon slips of paper and enclosed in an envelope, which was handed to certain fortunate persons by a boy. The person then opened the envelope and went up for the article named therein. To-night will be the last opportunity of witnessing the remarkable and astonishing performance, during which, with other valuable presents, a real living horse will be given away.

Lord St. Leonard.—This noMeman, who was convicted for indecent assault on a servant girl, named Cole, and sentenced to seven week’s imprisonment, was at once liberated as the sentence was made to date from the time of his incarceration when unable to obtain bail. This is another instance of there being two laws—one for the scions of nobility, and one for the plebs. In every instance of conviction of a member of the

“ lower (?) order ” the sentence invariably dates from the day on which the sessions commences, and the time he has lain for trial (sometimes nearly six months) goes for nothing. In the case of Colonel Valentine Baker—now known as “ Baker Pasha ” and who was convicted of a similar offence and sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment—now was the sentence carried out ? He was provided with a handsome suit of apartments

and entertained with balls and dinners, &c., i i the old Horsemonger-Lane gaol, and was the honored guest of the Governor. His conviction was only assured by the popular outcry, and even his constant associate and bosom friend, the Prince of Wales, failed to entirely baulk outraged justice of a small portion of her due. But then the female in this (Baker’s) case was a young “ lady,” while the latter is •* only a servant girl.”

Mr. Locke.—Mr. Locke, through present circumstances, will be unable to address the electors at Waerenga-a-hika to-night,

Direct Steam Sebvice.—The direct steamer Ruapehu leaves Lyttelton on July 26, for London, via Rio De Janeirio and Plymouth. The journey is expected to occupy thirty-eight days. Letters specially so addressed will be forwarded by ,the Te Anau, to-morrow (Friday.) Gisborne Institute.—A capital audience, many of whom were ladies, attended the Institute last evening to hear Mr. William O’Ryan’s lecture on Astronomy. Mr. O’Ryan traced the course of the theme he had chosen from the Deluge, up to the present day, and illustrated it partly on a blackboard, and partly by means of three diagrams. The latter did great credit to Mr. Allom, by whom they Were produced. Ono represented the Ptalenric theory, having the earth as the centre and the other planets revolving round it. It was explained how this system lasted until Kopernicus instituted his theory, with the sun as the centre of the solar system, (illustrated by diagram No. 2,) The third diagram represented the Milky Way. Mr. O’Ryan in about twelve rows of figures showed how to calculate the diameter of the earth, using as his foundation an observation taken by Mr, Haig, (of Winter &’ Haig), from the top of Ropua Hill, He also referred to an erroneous theory that Galileo invented the telescope. That eminent astronomer only improved the telescope, but he discovered the laws of motion, whioh were of much more value. As giving some idea of the immensity of space the lecturer pointed out that light, which took eight minutes to travel from the Sun to the earth (91,000,000 miles) would take three years to cover the distance that separated the earth from the nearest fixed star, and 2,000,000 years to travel from the furthest nebulie yet discovered. Besides the apparatus already mentioned were several globes and other mechanical contrivances for making the subject- clear. The lecture occupied about an hour and a half in delivery, and at its conclusion the only fault found was that Mr. O’Ryan had got over too much ground in the time. He has promised to again take up the subject at a future meeting. The usual votes of thanks brought a very pleasant evening to a termination. The Chairman (Dr, Pollen) announced a paper for next Wednesday, and also a debate, “ Is National Insurance a fad ?” Mr. J. Warren taking the negative side. On Wednesday week the Rev. Mr. Fox lectures on the microscope (with experiments) when the general public are invited to be present.