NAPIER NEWS.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 3897, 13 May 1899, Page 3

NAPIER NEWS.

(Own Correspondent.) Yeaterday. Tbe Premier and the leas important members of the great Liberal Government whioh at present rnlei tbe destinies cf this colony are never tired of praising with nanaeonß fnlsomness tbe encouragement whioh they claim to have given to tbe volunteer movement. Bat a few facto are more substantial and convincing evidence to the troth or otherwise of their assertions than all the utterances of Mr Bnddon and bis satellites, and these facts I contend prove that 10 far from encoaragiog tbe movement tbe present Government have done more to hamper it than any previous administration. Tho latest instanoe to come nnder notice is the proposed parade of tbe East Coast Battalion at Waipawa on the Qaeen’e Birthdey. Some time ago Mnjor Chicken, officer commanding tbe district, obtained permission from the department to hold the parade, and arrangements were accordingly made for the “ troops ” by train from north and loath. To day how ever, M;»jor Chicken reoeived a telegram from Colonel Newall to the f fleet that the Commandant of the Forces, Colonel Pole Penton, oonld not seo hia way to grant permission for a “ field day ” at Waipawa. Therefore all tho arrangements are upset and the volunteers, naturally, are fuming. Joseph O'Connell, the constable who was arrosted on a charge of stealing £8 from a passenger on tbo Waihora from Gisborne to Napier, was last evening committed to stand his trial at tho Supremo Court sittings uext month News was reoeived in town to-day from San Francisco, of tbe death there of Mr Jos Parker, a former resident of Napier Tbe deceased obtained considerable notoriety in tbia district about ten years ago through his connection with tbs celebrated Fletcher will case. Recently he paid a visit te New Zealand for tbe benefit of his health, and had not long returned borne to Frisco when he euccumbed to the illness from whiob he waa snfiE ring Captain Edwin’s prediction of heavy southerly gales and very cold weather has been amply fnlfillod here- Last nigbt and to-day it has been bitterly cold, and heavy downpour* of rain at abort intervals have added considerably to tho diacom fort. Tho Moore-Roberts oompany opened their six nights’ season last evening, a very large audience being present despite the nnpropitious state of the weather.