Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 261, 15 October 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Improvement Society.—The usual weekly meeting of the Wesleyan Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society was held in the church last night, when fourteen members were present, and one new member joined. A

very interesting programme was gone through of extemporaneous speaking, which all the members took part in. The President’s lot fell on “ Courtship,” in which he acquitted himself well.

Hospital Ball.—A meeting of the Hospital Ball Committee was held last night, at which the balance-sheet in connection with the Ball was adopted. Frozen Meat.—The following prices wore being realised in London when the mail left for English and Scotch mutton :—Prime English mutton, 4s to 4s 8d per stone; prime Scotch, 5s to 5s 6d per stone. New Zealand mutton was at the same time realising from 3s to 3s 8d per stone. The price of English mutton would therefore be from 6d to 7d per lb, and of Scotch mutton from 7Ad to B,|d. It would seem that the low price realised for New Zealand mutton has been due to a great extent to the low prices obtainable for the English and Scotch article. There is every probability that when the Home-grown meat sees the prices of about a year ago, there will be a corresponding rise in the value of colonialmeat.

Crown Lands Board.—An application had been made to lease Sec. 91, Patutahi. It was stated that there was indications of petroleum in the lot, the matter was referred to the local officer to report. He had visited the place with the applicant, and found that the place where the indications were said to exist was covered by a landslip, and it would cost £5 to remove the soil. The Chairman pointed out that the Board had no funds for such purposes, and he had consulted the Assistant Surveyor-General, but he declined to expend anything on it. He (the Chairman) suggested that the Government be requested to expend the necessary amount. This was agreed to.—C. D. Berry, of Gisborne, asked leave to transfer a deferred payment selection to a Mr. Doyle. The local officer reported that all the fees were paid, and the improvements exceeded the requirements of the Act. The Chairman said no objection had been lodged until this day, and that came from the solicitors of the Bank of New Zealand, stating that the land was mortgaged to them for- advances made to carry out the improvements, and they asked the Board to adjourn the application. Adjourned for a fortnight.