LOCAL NEWS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 29, 22 July 1867, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS.

Ax Arrest. —Hodges, a constable at Castle Point, was arrested on Thursday by Constable Butler on the charge of having attempted to hoax tlie “ Independent ” newspaper, by giving a “ cock and bull ” story of a conflict which he said had recently taken place in Taranaki. From enquiries we have made we learn that constable Hodges received a wound in his head when in the Crimea, that he had been in an cngagenicnt on the East Coast during the war under Biggs and 'Tuke and at the time lie made the statement to the “ Independent” he did not know what he was saying.

Gbeytown Volunteers. At .the usual parade on Saturday, the Volunteers were asked by the Adjutant to elect officers in lieu of those resigned. The Cavalry refused so to do and were immediately dismissed. The Rifle Volunteers, on the other hand, adopted a different course. Serjeant Humphreys, after reading a letter relative to the election received from the Defence Office, proposed Mr. \V. Udy as Lieutenant, he having held that rank previous to the appointment of Major Smith. The proposition was seconded by Serjeant Saywcll, and carried. Ah' Ensign being next required, Mr. Saywell was proposed, seconded and elected.

Tun Carterton Volunteers.—This company met on parade on Saturday for the first time since the re-election of their officers. The Deputy-Adjutant was present for the first time at an ordinary parade since his appointment on the Volunteer staff. Several Volunteer recruits having lately joined, the company mustered stronger and appeared more awkward at drill than usual. There is a difference of opinion in the company at present as to whether gentlemen not belonging to the company, on being elected as officers, ought to attend parade until they ■ receive their commissions. Some maintain that the Volunteers have the right to elect their own officers, and that gentleman should attend parade ,as soon as elected by the company. Olliers maintain that Volunteers, have only the privilege of nominating their own officers and that the gentleman nominated iu this instance did not belong to the company at the time they were elected, and therefore ought not to have attended .parade! until commissioned by His Excellency. Our own opinion is, and we arc borne out by the 13th clause of the “Volunteer Act, ISflli,” that, the gentleman were only nominated and therefore held no rank whatever-in the company.

A Successful Session. —The Provincial Council in the last session passed ten bills, of these the majority, some six were purely formal, and so described by His Honor in Ids closing address. The remaining four were the Amend - mg Licensing Act. ditto Fencing Act—altering District Highways Act and a Wanganui Bridge Act. All these four, and another making five, have been disallowed by the Governor, doubtless in consequence of illegally trenching upon the authority of the General Government. Yet the Province has a regularly paid legal adviser, whose duty it must be to tell the Council when it exceeds its power. Was this advice given and disregarded ? There are three lawyers in the Council, yet they could not save even five bills from perdition.

The, New Hansard. —We have received copies of the new “ Hansard" published by Parliament and it docs great credit to all concerned. <We have never seen since we have been in the colony a better, a more tasteful, ora cheaper publication issued. It will he continued weekly, and can be had on order from Mr Barrett or Mr Lyon for Is per copy.

The State op'the Hoads in the district are daily becoming worse, and we suggest that the Government should expend a little of the i-170,000 they have taken from the district, to which the next Blue Book will show a further addition, in at once saving the roads from being totally ruined. We must have a tram

rojd if the valley is to be "allowed S( l v :l ncc in any proportionate rate until th-‘ portions in the province having water coimnication with Wellington. A tramway a'd be laid on the common line of road at very small ■cost per mile. What is a Tramway? —ln ower to the question we may state it to be a'ooden cart road with or without a hand of ip l, poo the rails. It is made at a compa £lvc '}j small cost and horse power instead of earn is used for tractive purposes. One h(?e on a good tram road will haul about tea ns, whilst on such roads as we now have, fi tons would require about thirty horses anJen drivers to haul the same weight at half he speed, one horse would haul the weld on the tram road.