Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 200, 4 August 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Mails.—Mails for Auckland, per Omapen will close on Wednesday, at 9 a.m.

Cutter Lizzie.—The cutter Lizzie sailed for Tairua in ballast, yesterday. Situation.—A lad for the printing business is at a discount at the Telephone office.

Celebrities.—Among the passengers for the North yesterday were Mr. W. K. Bishop and Miss A. L. Dargon. The Thomas Russell.—The s.s. Thomas Russell left Auckland at 5 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, for Gisborne. Herrings.—There was a large influx of herrings yesterday, the river being literally alive with them. Parliamentary Papers.—We have to acknowledge receipt from the Government Printer of a batch of parliamentary papers.

New Constable.—Constable Maresh, with his wife and family, arrived by the Waihora yesterday. New Compliment. —The last Americanism is “ mugwump,” which is about as euphonious as the word it is intended to replace, viz., “ big bug.” The Omapere.—The U.S.S Co’s. Omapere, which left Dunedin last Friday week for Oamaru, Lyttelton, and Napier, will arrive here on or about Wednesday next.

Return.—Mr. E. Kirk, one of the most important residents of Tologa Bay, returned from Christchurch yesterday, whither he had been for a holiday. The Turanganul—We are informed on good authority that the state of the river has considerably improved during the last week or so, and a little fine weather will be of still further advantage.

Garden Trees.—A splendid assortment of fruit and ornamental trees is now to be seen at Messrs. Carlaw Smith & Go’s, mart, which will be sold by auction to-morrow, when an opportunity will be open for gardeners and others to secure good bargains. Cruelty.—-Sonic gentlemen riding through the bush across the Whataupoko yesterday, were attracted by the neighing of a horse, and on going to the spot found an animal which appeared to have been fastened up for several days. It is a foolish practice to turn horses loose with ropes attached. Kelp.—lt has been suggested to us that if steps were taken to prevent large masses of kelp from settling about the wharves a great difference in the depth of water would be the result. The cost of the work would be only a trifle, and the absence of the kelp would allow the water greater scope in its action on the sand.

The Rake.—A correspondent suggests that the second row of teeth in Rosie’s rake should be supplanted by a scoop which would draw the mud along as the teeth broke it up and deposited it on the side of the river. With the aid of fascines sufficient land could be reclaimed to pay for the cost of the work. The suggestion appears to be worth consideration.

Dyke.—Nautical men are of opinion that a dyke thrown aerpss near the wharf would do all that is wanted to admit vessels drawing ten feet of water into the river with the assistance of a little work on the bar. What is suggested is not a £7OO job, but a simple stake and ti-tree groin run out. Ten or twenty pounds would do the work, and it could easily bo removed if necessary. Pritchards’—The manager of the Pritchard Family Troupe requests us to state that the company will appear at Ormond on Wednesday evening, at which time the silver moon will exhibit herself in all her refulgent splendour. Owing to other engagements the troupe cannot appear at Waerenga-a-hika.

Party Politics.—Political feeling arising out of the late election has been strongly introduced into the debate of the Napier Harbor Board. The question at issue appears to be who shall take charge of the Napier Harbor Bill—Mr. Ormond or Mr. Smith. Some of the members of the Board, late supporters of Mr. Sheehan, strongly advocate Mr. Smith, M.11.R.; others Mr. Ormond, M.H.R., who is also chairman of the Board. Mr. Ormond was the prime mover and drafter of the Bill, and for many reasons right is on his side, but as the strongest Radical feeling is exhibited by certain members of the Board, an unanimous decision is improbable, and the fate of the Bill doubtful. By the way, what about our own Bill ? We understood a meeting of the Council Conference was to be held to further this and the Railway scheme. If so, no time should be lost.

Inquest.—The inquiry into the fire at Murchie’s Store was commenced this afternoon, but had not concluded when we went to press. Obstruction.—An Auckland photographer has been fined for obstructing a public road on Sunday by placing his apparatus thereon. Carbolic Acid. — We have received n pamphlet, setting forth the various uses to which carbolic acid can be put and cures which can be effected by its use. We have forwarded it to the Library. Street Ornaments.-Host Dickson, of the Argyll, seems determined to succeed with the very handsome native trees which he lately planted in the street in front of his hostelry. Ho has put a fresh tree in the place of the one that was not growing very well, and had them each protected with a strong railing.

Stray Cattle.—Mr. James Whyte, of Combermere, has just been put to great loss and annoyance by the perambulations of his neighbors’ cattle. He notifies that he will be compelled to impound all animals damaging his fences in future. It is not much to the credit of the County ranger that such a state of things should exist. Ar Mr. Wyte remarks, a property owner has to carry about a pocket full of staples and a hammer to continually repair damages. Notes.—Reporter’s notes are not usually of any great length. We know a scribe who the other day made the following entry : “ Lizzie at one.” By some means or other the book got out of his pocket and into the hands of the possessor of a divided skirt. She of course, wanted to know all about it ; and the most solemn protestations of the reporter did not seem sufficient to convince her that the cutter Lizzie left the river at one o’clock in ballast.

The Coptic. —This splendid steamer of the direct liners has just left Napier, having shipped from there over 8,000 carcases of frozen sheep in prime condition, superior, it is said, to any of the shipments from Lyttelton and the South, from whence she had already some 20,000 carcases on board. The Coptic is a vessel of four masts, and of beautiful build, of low lines and graceful as a swan in the water. During her stay in Napier she was thrown open to the public, a small fee being charged for the benefit of the Hospital. A sum of over £7O was thus realised. Is it too soon for the sheep farmers of this district to avail themselves of this ready outlet for the disposal of surplus fat stock? The establishment of a freezing house in connection with the Cheese and Butter Factory is even worth considering. Very Sad Indeed.—A gentleman whose business it is to collect accounts, records a circumstance which he considers a blow on the present system of education. On his road to a house the other day he observed the lady of the house-amusing herself at the wash-tub in the back yard. When he knocked at the door a bright-eyed little maid informed him that pa and ma were both out, but he hardly thought this satisfactory after what he had seen. However, he turned as if to go, while the maid shut the door and presumably ran out to report progress to her fond mamma. The collector man then knocked a second time, when paterfamilias, who was apparently not in the swim, came to the door, razor in hand, having already removed the bristles from half his countenance. His surprise on seeing the apparition was so great that he had to go and get Mr. Miller to finish the job, leaving the collector on the doorstep lamenting his own unhappy fate and trying to realize the picture of Annaniaa and Sapphira.

Miller’s New Establishment.—Mr. W. Miller, the well-known hairdresser, has just completed the erection of his new premises in the Gladstone Road, and to-day we had the pleasure of inspecting the same. The front part is devoted to the purposes of a shop wherein are kept the choicest brands of tobacco and cigars, pipes of all kinds, and other smokers’ requitites, choice descriptions of perfumery, <&c. Next to this is the tonsorial department, which is fitted up in a most luxurious style. The walls are decorated with pictures’and other things calculated to please the eye, aid a good supply of papers is kept for the delectation of customers while waiting. In the rear of the shop are two ordinary bath rooms neatly furnished and supplied with hot and cold water, and at the far end of the building there is the greatest of modern luxuries a Turkish bath. We have to congratulate Mr. Miller on having ventured to provide all these things for the first time in Gisborne, and hope the public will show their appreciation in the most satisfactory manner, viz., by bestowing their patronage liberally. Cleanliness is the safest assurance of good health, and Mr. Miller has placed facilities for the attainment thereof within the reach of all. The plumbering work was done by Mr. J. A, Wade. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.— Last, evening the Rev. J. McAra, delivered another of his monthly series of sermons to the young on “ The Young Men of the Bible ” taking for his subject “ Caleb, the son of Jephunneh ” who was chosen to represent the tribe of Judah, when one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel was selected, for the purpose of spying out the land of Canaan and reporting to all the congregation as to the quality and deecription of the land—whether good or bad, what sort of cities the people dwelt in, whether in tents or in strongholds, and as to the people—whether they were strong or weak, few or many. After searching the land thoroughly for 40 days they returned, and the report they gave was unanimous with respect to the exceeding richness of the soil in proof of which they brought with them a cluster of grapes, which required two men to carry on a staff, and that the cities were walled and very great, and the people strong and numerous; but Caleb, supported by Joshua, still, in spite of all these difficulties, and the adverse opinion of the other 10 spies, insisted that, as they had God on their side, they should boldly go up at once and possess it. Tim was not a mere rash assertion of a headstrong youth, but the calm, deliberate opinion of a man 40 years of age, in the prime of life. It showed (1) that he was of a different spirit to his

other ten companions, and as such was a faithful man, and also remarkable for his humbleness of mind ; and (2) he was a man who followed the Lord wholly, characterised by his sincerity and honest straightforwardness, like Nathaniel and Zaccheus. He shewed himself a hero in the noblest sense of the word, and it required a largo amount of moral courage to stand up against the opinion of the other ten spies, and the whole congregation, who, we arc told, were ready to stone him. Mr. McAra then gave several instances of bravery on the battle field of recent date, such as the gallant 42nd in the Affghanistan campaign, and in Chinese Gordon as he is termed : and compared it

with the moral courage displayed in our Mission fields at the New Hebrides amidst cannibals and other disadvantages. He remarked thirdly that a man liks Caleb would be constant. He would follow God fully and wholly, as it is recorded by Caleb, when he was 85 years of age, after having outlived all the other 600,000 fighting men who came up out of Egypt (except Joshua)

that he was still the same as when he was 40 years of age. Mr. McAra concluded this very interesting lecture by comparing the conduct of Caleb with that recorded of Peter—the one followed the Lord fully, the other took four false steps—he followed afar off, went into the palace, sat with the servants, and waited to see the end—shewing that the latter would swim with the tide and be guided by circumstances and accomodate himself to the company he mixed with ; *and he earnestly entreated all his young hearers to be warned by the beacon lights of Peter’s fall, and to profit by the nobler example of Caleb.