LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume II, Issue 58, 8 February 1868, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington, Hxitt and Waiearapa Railway.—A preliminary general meeting for the furtherance of this scheme was held in the Sehool-house, Greytown on Wednesday evening last. The attendance was rather sparse and after some business has been transacted, for the report of which we refer our readers to another column, the meeting was adjourned to that day week, Wednesday next, at 3 o’clock, at Fuller’s “Rising Sun’ Hotel.

Greytown Road Board. —A meeting of the board took place at the Court-house yesterday. It was decided to communicate with Mr John Hawke to request him to sell the land required for passing No 3 road through his paddocks. Mr Humphries applied for the balance on his work, viz:— £125 10s and Mr Bickwell complained of the delay caused by the Engineer in not laying off the road which would cause him to request an extension of time for the completion of his contract. Mr T. Hawke offered to scl. a right of way, half a chain wide, through section No 18 for £lO. After hearing the requests of the various parties interested in No. 3 line of road the members of the board stated that if they would subscribe funds to supplement the rates the work would be gone on with. After some further formal business the collector was instructed to pay all money in to the Treasurer after which the board adjourned.

Death by Drowning. — A man of the name of James or John Kennedy met his death by drowning in the Tinui River near Castle Point a short time ago —we are unable to give the exact day. It appears that the Unfortunate man was drinking for some days previously at a sly grogshop at Wakataki and shortly after returning to his work suffered from an attack of delirium tremens. One of hismates'sat up to watch him during the night but fell asleep towards morning on waking he missed the man Kennedy and search was made for him without avail. Two days afterwards his body was found in the above named river and was buried at Wakataki, Owing to there being no Coroner in the district the remains were consigned to the ground without any inquest. We may mention however that the body was examined and the particulars of the death enquired into by Mr F. Maunsell and no suspicion of foul play is entertained. This is not the first case where the victims of accident or suicide have been buried without an inquest in the Castle Point district and we hope the Government will see the necessity of appointing a Coroner there as early as possible as there has been none in that place since Dr. Smith left.

Kempton’s Ceeek. —Laborers are at present employed in laying stringers giving the bridge 35 ft. extra length in esse of the further end being carried away by a freshet and thus stopping the traffic along the road. No present danger is anticipated and the addition is only made as a necessary precaution in in case of a heavy hood.

The Wellington Wharf Dispute. —We learn by private advices that the cose of Kennard v the Provincial Government will be heard in March next. The contractors have been very anxious to have the hearing in Christchurch as they consider that they will not be met so impartially in AVcllingtou. Whether the case is to be transferred to Canterbury is not yet decided. Masterton Cricket Club, —A meeting of this new club was held at the School-house, Masterton on Saturday last. Mr A. Bunny took the chair and the following names were given in of those anxious to join the club, E. Kelleher, 11. Donald, C. Hare, H. Kcnall, T. Bently, C. Bently, J. Russell, G. Russell, C. Bennington, E. Jones, G. Parsonage, G. Tnffy, T. Hill, W. Moore, W. Greathead and W. Jones. After some rules for the guidance of the club had been discussed the meeting separated.

Wesleyan Parsonage. —The tender of Mr Pathrick for the Weslej’an Parsonage, Greytown,has been accepted at £205. the next tender was that of Messrs Sowry and Pillett contractors for Grcytown Telegraph Office, at £2BO. Mr B. Stevens.— We regret to have to record the death of Mr B. Stevens who died at 2 o’clock, on yesterday morning. Mr. Stevens was one of the earliest small farmers of the valley and leaves three orphan children and many friends to mourne his sudden loss. Accident. —On Thursday last as Mr Gordon Bailie was passing over the Rimntaka in a trap in company with a Mr J. Tidwell. The horse shied and the trap got over the edge of the road at Windy point and it and the horse fell into the gully a depth of some hundred feet. The horse was lulled and the trap smashed to pieces. Luckily the horse was only at a walk, and the two friends managed to free themselves of the vehicle as it was going over and have to thank Providence lor a miraculous escape.

Tauaxahi Road Bo add. — A metting of this Board took place on Saturday last and after a lengthened discussion it was resolved that the following roads houlds be inspected by the District Engineer in conjunction with the following gentlemen. Mr. Udy on the Matarau Road; Mr. Hirschbergon Banbury’s road; Messrs Perry & Boys on the Cemetry road, and Messrs Reynolds & Oates on Frances’s Road. It w r as decided to proceed with the works on these roads as soon as the specifications were prepared. All the members of the Board w T cre present.

Featherston Road District. The annual meeting of ratepayers of this district will be held at the Court-house, Featherston, on Monday next at two o’clock. The business to be transacted is the auditing of accounts, electing Wardens, fixing rates for the construction and repair of roads and any other matters necessary to be done at such meeting.

The Road to Wellington. The rains and storms of Monday last caused a heavy slip on the Wellington side of the Rimutaka hill and stopped the progress of the coaches between the Wairarapa and the metropolis. No difficulty was however experienced by the paseengers as they were transferred from one coach to another with short interruption. The debris of the slip was sufficiently removed on Wednesday last to enable Skippers waggons to pass.

Carterton Road District. The annual meeting of ratepayers of this district will be held at the School-house, Carterton on Monday week the 17th February.

Preliminary Rifle Firing. —The preliminary firing of competitors for the colonial prizes will take place during the present week in the Wairarapa as follows: —On Monday at Masterton, on Tuesday at Carterton, on Wednesday at Greytown and on Thursday at Featherston. We refer Volunteers to an advertisement elsewhere on the subject, Mb. Wabdell. —Our Resident Magistrate Mr 11. S. Wardell will leave for Melbourne by the Tararua and will be absent for one month.

Gold.— Mr Crawford called the attention of the New Zealand Society to the very various analysis of gold found in New Z a’and. “The gold of Otago and the West Coast contains a very small proportion of silver; in gold from the Coromandel districts and the Thames, on the contrary, the proportion of silver is unusually large. The analysis of a small sample of Makara gold showed a considerable proportion of silver. He could not say this was more than a hint, but still it hinted to them that the Makara gold had more connection with the Coromandel than with the South Island gold—that it came from a- different rock, and had been deposited under different conditions to the gold in the Middle Island.

Murder and Suicide at Nelson. —On Saturday last (Feb. Ist,) at Lensdale run, eighty miles from Nelson, a dreadful tragedy occurred. Ivanhoe Augarde, son of the landlord of the Turf Hotei near Nelson, was engaged in mustering, when he had a quarrel with another “employed” on the station,called German Charlie, whom he accused of opening a letter from his sweetheart. High words ensued, resulting in Charlie thrashing Angarde, who thereupon rode to Rainboro, eleven miles distant, where he borrowed a rifle, which he took back with him to the station, and shot Charlie dead. The assassin then remounted and rode away. He was found next morning near Rainboro with the top of his skull blown up and quite dead. The unhappy man was about twenty-five years of age. Charlie’s real name is unknown.

The Weather.— We take the subjoined from the Wellington “ Independent ” of the 4th of February. It describes the weather and indication in the Wairarapa most exactly excepting that our Barometer went down to 28.250, but this is without the correction for the sea level, which we cannot imagine requires an addition of 504, or more than half an inch. “Forebodings of a storm were indicated yesterday morning by the rapid fell in the barometer. On Sunday morning the standard at the Observatory indicated 29,822 (corrected to sea level, &c) On Monday it was 28.899, and continued felling till about three o’clock, when it stood at 28.754; lower than it has fallen in Wellington for years. This fell was the more remarkable, because all Sunday the wind had a southerly and south easterly direction, which here generally causes the barometer to rise. During the early part of Monday the wind was due E., but it went round to the N.W. in the afternoon, when the barometer began to ascend, and the wind to blow in strong guests. The shipping in harbour had previously made snug, and otherwise prepared for an approaching gale, and we have not heard of any damage being done. Telegrams were received from Blenheim yesterday afternoon stating that the storm was raging with great violence there, and that the town was flooded.” The meteors seen in Europe and America in November 1866 and again as predicted by Herschell in Nov. 18 fi 7 were most numerous and extraordinary. The question suggested is can they have occasioned the remarkable weather which has been experienced in various parts of the world since November 1866.