Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 301, 4 December 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Dhotds.—The regular fortnightly meeting of Druids will be held to-night. Mails.—Mails for Tauranga and Auckland, per Southern Cross, will close to-morrow (Friday) night, at 7 p.m. Mayoral.—A contemporary remarks that the office of Mayor of a Borough must be an unenviable one, or men of public spirit must be scarce, when so m£ny Mayors arc elected unopposed. Codbt. —At the R.M. Court this morning only one civil case came on for hearing, viz., E. P. Joyce v. Bnllantyne. Defendant con. fessed judgment, and costs, 20s, were allowed. Parliament.—Owing to Mr. Locke’s address to-morrow night at Macfaiiaue's Hall, the next meeting of the Parliamentary Union will not take place until some future date, which will be duly notified.

Appointment.—We learn from Christchuich that, the Supreme Court Judges have appointed Mr. Seth Smith, R.M., of Auckland, law examiner, vice Allan Holmes, Esq., resigned Concert.—Owingto the fact of McFarlane’s Hall being otherwise engaged the date of the farewell concert which is being tendered to Mr. Edwards, the favorite vocalist, cannot be fixed. -Mr. Locke.—To-morrow evening Mr. S. Locke, M.H.R., is announced to give an .account of his stewardship while.in Parliament. The meeting will take place in McFarlane’s Hall.

Violin.— There is on ‘view at Mr. "Snyder Browne’s a very beautiful violin, bv Nicholas Amata, the seeond best maker in Italy. The instrument is worth inspection by anyone wishing to secure a tirst-ciass violin, as it is offered very cheap.

Drowned.—A telegram from Blenheim states that a boy five years old, son of the master of the schooner Onward, which left here Sunday week, and is now loading at Kaiua, in the Sounds, near Havelock, was drowned on Tuesday. He was last seen fishing off a punt. School Committee.—The usual monthly meeting of the Gisb >rne School Committee was held last night, but no business of importance was transacted. The annual election of members to serve on the committee for the ensuing year will take place next month. Heat.—The maximum shade temperature during October wa- —in Auckland 68. Wellington 66, and Dunedin 70. The figures reversed would more nearly represent what we might reasonable expect from the difference of latitude between Auckland and Dunedin; but there is no accounting for the extremes of temperature that Otago is subject to. Mb. Fergus.—The Wakatipn Mail is very sorry to hear that Mr. T. Fergus, member for that district, has for some short time past been suffering very severely through the effects of the accident he met with in Tasmania in May last. It has been reported (but we hope there is no foundation for the report) that it is probable he will have to undergo the operation of amputation of his leg.

Bowing Match.—Mr. W Ratcliffe, secretary to the Gisborne Rowing Club, has received the following letter from Mr J, Tabnteaii the secretary of the Napier Rowing Club:—“At. a committee meeting of the bove club, it was decided to endeavor to arrange with your club for an annual fouroar race to be rowed al Gisborne and Napier ■liternaity, and I write aski“g you to lay it belore vo’ir committee. I have a 1 0 written to-he U lion Club here to co op,-ate with os.” A meeting of the committ-e wil be eonv.'enel shortly for the purpose of considering the above.

Bankruptcy. —It is notified that the Bankruptcy of Mr. D. Page has been annulled. Death.—Mr. Whiting, who met with an accident while riding Azim at the Takapuna races, is dead. Fish.—Something like a take of fish is thus recorded by the Bay of Plenty “ On November Rth at Kauri Point, between the hours of 5.30 a.m. and 9 o’clock p.m., a party consisting of 13 boats and containing 46 men caught «and killed 408 sharks. At the afternoon tide of that day, 3 p.m., 158 large fish were secured, most of which measured from 11 to 14 feet.” Oil Matters. — The directors of the Southern Cross Petroleum Company telegraph from Christchurch that it has been found necessary to procure special appliances from Auckland to raise the small pipes. These are now at the works and a telegram has been received from the manager that the pipes would be lifted last Saturday. When this is done it is anticipated the work will be carried on without further interruption.

Thunderstorm. — Telegraphic intelligence has been received from Roxburgh that between four and five o’clock on Tuesday afternoon a heavy thundercloud burst over that township and its vicinity within a circuit of about four miles, causing the creeks to flood to such an extent as to carry away the town waterworks, tearing up the supply pipes and opening up c.llvens of twelve years’ standing. The lamage is estimated at £4OO to £5OO.

Pvip Van Winkle.—There lives at Pioton a genuine Kip Van Winkle. He has never been m Blenheim for 32 years, and when he wa* lust here there were on’y two houses to b«Bien. The old gentleman has never travelled m a railway train or a steamboat; I'mimagination is limited to the dim prospect of a return from the Picton coal mine ; and we are quite prepared to near that he is ignorant of the very existence of Sir Julius Vogel.— Exprefin.

Cod-liver Oil.—An advertisement of n cod-liver oil manufacturer.in Marseilles iva« ! s as follows: — “ The cod being one of the small fishes of the sea, is constantly tracked and pursued by its enemies the whale? and sharks, <tc.; therefore it lives in a constant state of fr*ar; and it is a well-established faci that fear engenders in all living creatures jaundice and diseases of the liver. Consequently, all codfish taken in the open sea have diseased livers. But all my fish are caught in a safe harbor, where marine monsters cannot enter. They live there in peace and comfort. Their livers are perfectly healthy, and that is the reason why my eod-liver oil is tht best.”

Masonic.—An adjourned meeting of the Turanganui Lodge, No. 1480, E.C., was held last evening, P.M. Bro. E. K. Brown occupying the chair. The business of the evening was the installation of the W.M. and his officers for the ensuing twelve months. P.M. Bro. T. Chrisp acted as Installing Master, and carried out the ceremony in a most impressive manner. The W.M. elect, P.M. Bro. W. O. Skeet was presented to the Installing Master, and after the usual ceremonies, was duly installed in the chair of K.S. The remaining officers were then installed, as follows:—S.W., P.M. Bro. R. Johnstone ; J.W., Bro. R. Thelwall; Treas., Bro. J. Brown; Sec., P.M., Bro. T. Chrisp; Tyler, Bro. J. Fyson. There was a large attendance of members and visitors. Musical. —ln another column Mr. Steward announces that if sufficient inducement offers he will remain in Gisborne for the purpose of carrying on his business. Mr. Steward is a teacher <>f the violin and pianoforte, and also a pianoforte tuner. He has hail a long experience in the business, and brings with him first-class recommendations. For the lasi two years he has been i.i Napier, and previouto that- spent several years at the Thames, i both of which places he has held a prominent position in musical circles. He will also bremembered as leading violinist in the Pollard’s Juvenile Opera Troupe when they were in Gisborne. The want of an efficient violinist has always been a serious drawback in musical performances in Gisborne, and now that an opportunity presents itself it should be availed of. It is Mr. Steward’s intention to organise an orchestial society, and any gentlemen willing to join will oblige by leaving their names at this office. Local Government.—“ 2E.des ” in the Australasian writes:—“Mr. P>ke has been analysing the relations of lh« governing and governed in New Zealand. Leaving out Pailiament and the civil service, and only looking at what is strictly local government, h<’ asserts that there are 15 river boards, 25 harbor boards, 10 waste-lands boards, 12 education boards, 384 licensing committees, 700 school committees, and 5L hospital and charitable aid committees—giving in all a total of 1772 local bodies, comprising a membership of 16.200 persons, engaged in managing the affairs of some, half a million people, or 1 in every 30 of the population. Taking the number uf adult males at 125,000 every eighth man is apparently engaged in governing his neighbors. This is jusr. as u should be. Micicy Free never intended to have surounded more than three Frenchmen when he was made captain. It only shows the superiority of the ordinary Pakeha that he can rope-in and control eight fellow citizens.