Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 218, 25 August 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Circular.—We are in receipt of the N.Z.L. & Mercantile Agency Company’s last circular. Maiden Speech.—The maiden speech of Wi Pere, the member for the East Coast Native District, will appear to-morrow. The Ringarooma —Captain Andrews informs us that Captain Tozer, was acquitted of all blame in connection with the recent accident to the Ringarooma. Seeds.—We have received a copy of the Grower's Guide from Mr. A. G. Croll, who informs us that he has just received a large consignment of choice flower and vegetable seeds. Advt. Babies in the Wood.—Two youngsters wandered from home on Saturday, and as they did not return a search party went out and found them about nine o’clock last night asleep in the scrub on Whataupoko Flat.

Colonial Fecit.—The New Zealand Times has been shown some lemons grown in the Hokianga district. The fruit is fine, juicy, and full, and appears equal to any grown in Australia.

The Chief Justice.—A Wellington correspondent has been told that Sir James Prendergast’s return to New Zealand is problematical in the extreme, suffering severely as he is from brain disease.

New Paper.—We have received a bundle of prospectuses of the company formed in Napier to start a new evening paper. Copies can be obtained at the Telephone office by anyone desiring to obtain information, or invest in the new venture.

Te Waka Maori.—No. 12 of this journal is to hand. Among other interesting matters it contains an outline of the proceedings at the recent public meeting, with a request that the natives will endeavor to forward the interests to which the petition sent to Parliament refers.

Patutahi.—There were at the last meeting of the Auckland Land Board, two applicants, Mr. Harris and Mr. A. Buckland, to purchase certain land at Patutahi, but it was stated that the land in question contained petroleum indications. It was agreed, before dealing with the land, to obtain a special report.

Wi Pere.—Daring the debate on Mr. Thomson’s amendment to the Address-in-Reply Wi Pere spoke in favour of giving the Government an opportunity of investigating into the real state of the accounts. He complained that the late Native Minister had been a failure, and not by any means a friend to the Maoris.

Death—A well-known Maori, named Ripini Kuri, has died atTemuka, Canterbury. In days gone by, when Temuka and Opihi rivers were nnbridged, he rendered willing assistance to travellers in crossing these rivers. Ripini saved the lives of the late Mr. Robert Rhodes and Mr. Griffin. Ripini was aged 73 years. Short Cut to Auckland—The Wairoa Guardian advices the making of a road through the Uriwera country to Fort Galatea, thence to Ohinemutu, andthence to Auckland. It states that an excellent route can be found which would be a short cut to Auckland from the East Coast. There is now a good bridle track from Te Wairoa, Lake Tarawera, to Galatea, and the coach road from Ohinemutu to Cambridge was opened last January.

Criticism—This is how the Napier Telegraph winds up in a critique —The concert should have concluded by 10 o'clock, but with the usual want of punctuality which distinguishes all Napier amateur performances it was 8.15 before the society’s conductor, Mr. Browne, handled Baton, and the interval was one of unconscionable length. [We have written to ask whether Mr. Browne has stopped his paper.] Death—Mr. Samuel Cochran Alexander, died on the 14th August, aged 42. He was for some time with Mr. E. K. Brown, for some years with the late firm of Bobjohns Teat & Co., afterwards had charge of a store at Tologa for Mr. Adair, and up to the time of his illness was book-keeper to Mr S. Stevenson. He resigned the latter position through ill-health and went to Auckland. He was well known in this district and much respected.

Liszt—One of our cable messages on Thursday stated that the Abbe Franz Liszt, who has been designated the Paganini of the pianoforte, has been struck with blindness. This will be a severe affliction, especially as he is now well advanced in life. Having been born at Szegszard, in Hungary, in October, 1811, he is now nearly 73 years of age. His first public appearance at a concert was when he was nine years of age. He received the best of training, and visited, all European countries. He was promoted Commander of the Legion of Honour in 1861, and was admitted to clerical orders in 1864. Since that period he has chiefly devoted his attention to religious music. At the close of 1871, he removed from Rome to his native country, which granted him a pension of £6OO a-year, with a nobiliary title. In 1879 a canonry was granted by the Chapter of Albano to the Abbe Liszt. He is the author of several musical compositions, and one of his two daughters was the wife of Richard Wagner, the composer.

Saturday Night.—There was a considerable improvement in the appearance of the town on Saturday night, owing to the introduction of gas into several places of business, and we expect ere long that all shopkeepers will become alive to the advantages of the new illuminating power. Mr. T. Adams' shop shone out very prominently, as also did Messrs. Adair's J. S. Brown’s and others. We observe that the proprietor of the Albion Club has erected a prominent star on his balcony. This and the Masonic star make that part of the town look very brilliant. To-night's Entertainment—The drawing room entertainment to be given to-night in McFarlane’s Hall should be the means of largely augmenting the library funds and enabling the committee to do a good deal towards extinguishing the debt now recorded against them. The programme is a really good one, and the names of Mesdames Stewart and Butler, Miss Porter, and Mr. Edwards as vocalists, the Misses Tattley and Mr. Flood as instrumentalists, together with a lot of other talent, can hardly fail to secure a good house. We hope to see the hall crowded to the door, as the price of admission (one shilling) is within the reach of all. Luggage.—The ancient lady who used to travel with an omnibusful of bandboxes seems to have allowed her mantle to fall on some of those who find it necessary to journey by sea. The people to whom we refer, cause an endless amount of delay and trouble to the officers in charge of the tender by persisting in carrying small parcels in their hands instead of having proper addresses put on, and handing them to those officers appointed to look after them. This is more apparent when the weather is rough, as was the case on Saturday night. When the Snark got alongside the Waihora, it was inconvenient to keep the hatches off long, so the word was passed up to hand down luggage with due expedition. A few lots were sent down and the hatches put on, and as soon as this was completed, the proverbial old “ buster ” with an armful of bundles made his appearance followed by one or two other equally stupid individuals. There people not only give extra trouble in being transhipped from one vessel to the other, but their parcels get wet and often lost, and then they want to know whose fault it is. The officers of the tender are both careful and obliging, and travellers will find it to their own comfort to properly label their luggage and hand it over to the officers’ charge. Much annoyance and loss of time will be thereby saved. When this is done there is no fear of parcels going astray, which they often do when retained by the owners.