LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 3199, 21 October 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opening of Fielding Railway. — On Friday the inaugural ceremony took place, which was attended by a large number of visitors. A ball in the evening, and other minor festivities, appropriately marked the event. Distribution of the Brewers. — We hear that Mr Trimble ia about to leave for Palmerston, there to assume the management of a branch brewery, in connection with the present firm, and that Mr Lough will remove to Hawera to be encaged in a similar undertaking in that centre. Supreme Court. —The Chief Justice and Registrar have arrived in roadine33 for the sessions of theSupremeCourt,to be holden on Monday. In anticipation thereof the Court House has been swept and garnished, a process of which it stood much in need. What cases in the iR.M. Court there are down for hearing, will be adjudicated upon in Mr Woon's office. Diphtheria. — We very much regret to learn that this fell epidemic has again made its appearance in the family of Mr Scott, the death of whose daughter a few days ag") it was our painful duty to record. An elder sister and younger brother are now under medical treatment, but hopes are entertained that medical skill and unceasing attention will carry '. them through. '.

It. M. Court. — 'Some four or five unimportant civil cases constituted the business at the above Court yesterday. Return-. — John Ballance, Esq., M.H.R., was a passenger by the Manawatu on Thursday. It is scarcely probable that he will again take his seat in the Hou3e for the few days with which should terminate the present session. According to the 'Post,' next Thursday is the date now generally fixed upon a3 the day on which the Parliamentary session will probably close, but there are several contingencies that may arise to prevent such a desirable consummation. A Gratuitous Insult. — The Wellington 'PostMias a proverbial reputation for detraction but occasionally it even excels itself in its abusive and offensive remarks. In a paragraph speaking of the absence of our Resident Magistrate, there occurs .the following: — "Most of the J.P.s there are duffers, and not fitted to adjudicate upon important civil cases." Now, although the ranks of our local J.P.s have been suddenly reduced of late through removal, sickness, and death, yet none can truthfully say that among those remaining on the Commission of the Peace, there are not gentlemen of integrity, worth, and ability," However, the good or evil report of the ' Post ' are but little cared for here. Meetlng- of Creditors. — A meeting of the creditors of John Holly, labourer, of Wanganui, was held in the Court House, at noon yesterday. Mr Freeman R. Jackson was voted to the chair. The bankrupt himself was in attendance, Mr. Betts watching the proceedings on his behalf. Some seven or eight of the principal creditors were present. A statement of assets and liabilities was submitted, from which it appeared that the bankrupt's indebtedness amounted to £253 5s lj>d, to cover which he had furniture, dsc, valued at £10, in which was included a wooden rocking, horse, purchased from Mr L. L. Levy, and which likewise figured in the liabilities. The assets also included two horses, made over to one of the creditors. One or two items in the schedule caused some com* meut, one item being £8 for spirituous liquors, supplied to the bankrupt by Mr Rawlings, licensed victualler, and another of £2 ss, also for »rog supplied to Hoily by Mrs Broughton, licensed victualler.' The £3 rocking-horse was another. Altogether, the statement was looked upon as highly unsatisfactory, some of the creditors present expressing themselves very strongly upon the matter. The worst feature of the case was that the bankrupt had given bills of sale to certain creditoi'B for property in the shape of horses that had once been his property, but that had absolutely passed out of his hands. During the course of the examination, "one creditor asked the insolvent whether he did not keep a servant girl, and the answer was to the effect that he did, but that she received no wages. After some discussion, Mr Ward, of the firm of Bridge and Ward, proposed that the estate be not liquidated. This was seconded by another creditor, and declared to be carried. The proceedings then terminated. A Promising Youth. — Constable McAnulty yesterday brought in a youthful warrior named Charles Francis, who is to enjoy the select society of the Rutland Stockade for the space of two calendar months. The accused assaulted Constable Donoly, of Palmerston, in the first place, for which he received a sentence, of a month, and a further charge of obscene language was rewarded by an additional term of incarceration with hard labour. Gaol Report. — To-day there are eleven male prisoners undergoing various sentences of imprisonment with hard labour in the Rutland Stockade ; there being also confined four awaiting trial in the Supreme Court ; making a total of lifteen compulsory inmates of the institution. During the week one was received for hard labour sentence, and within the same period one was received for imprisonment only, having been discharged after 24 hours confinement. The one admitted during the week is for a short term of imprisonment. During the week threo hard labour men were discharged on expiration of sentence. Personal. — By a paragraph in the ' New Zealand Times,' we learn that Mr Anderson, formerly agent at Wanganui for Messrs N. Edwards and Co.'s Anchor Line of steamers, has been appointed to the Wellington agency for the same line, it being intended that the Company's vessels should trade regularly between Wellington, Nelson, and the west coast of the Middle Island. The Late _Dr Featherston . — The 'Spectator' of the 24th June has an excellently written and most eulogistic article on the late Agent-General. The departed Doctor's history is truthfully told, without exaggeration or undue laudation, and his character is photographed by the writer so accurately that none who knew him but will be prepared to admit its entire truthfulness. A high, yet well-merited tribute is paid to the many noble traits which distinguished our erstwhile Superintendent, and which in years to come will more deeply engrave his memory in the grateful recollections of those who have known him only by repute. Wellington Society. — A good story is told in a Southern journal of a young English lady, who has recently arrived with her husband in Wellington. Happening to be taken seriously ill at her house, the next neighbour hearing of it, sent her servant iv to perform certain neighbourly acts of kindness, for which the lady and her husband were very grateful, as they had not been able to obtain a servant. On her recovery, being brimful of gratitude, and unaware of the Brummagem etiquette of the Wellingtonians, she went and called to thank her neighbour, and this is the way she was received. The lady of the house never rose from her chair, and nearly the first, question she put was, " Eh, 1 think Mrs , you never go into society?" Mrs , feeling that the question j was put in a most offensive tone, replied, j "No ; I don't go into society, as I don't consider society good enough for me." It is but fair to say that, smarting under the uncalled for snub, she said what she did, and on wishing the lady of the house good morning, she was allowed to leave the room and find her way out of the house as best she could. Tliig is a specimen of the manners of the elite oi Wellington. I may mention that the English lady had been in the habit cf meeting the late Premier of England at her father's house, but she was not in society in the colony lniving only been a month in New Zeu- I land. I

Hall of Commerce. — A special intimation in another column announces the arrival of a shipment of now goods. Hegarty Combination. —These reallytalented artistes opened to a fair house last night. Anticipations as to their making a successful debut, were more than realised, and every person in the Hall would acknowledge that the performance submitted comprised a very excellent programme. Ws have not space to particularise, but in our next issue shall describe the details of tlie entertainment at greater length. We notice that the admission to the gallery and body of the hall is reduced to Is 6d, thua permitting increased accommodation and comfort. Misapprehension, — Our contemporary has mistaken the tenor of our reference to himself in our previous issue. We did not "rate" him for his " moderate (sic) expressions of a hope that the Hon Wm. Fox would fairly represent the District," but while congratulating him upon his return to consistent adherence to political expediency, we administered a mild reproof for the errors of omission and commission which had manifested themselves to liis disadvantage on former occasions, and the effects of which we continue to deprecate. Our contemporary would fain be terribly severe and j supremely majestic in his sarcasm, but we would remind him that there is more than one representative of districts not by any means remote, who, however their merits might entitle them to respect, do not receive such marks of esteem, the alternative being lenient consideration and " charitable treatment." Tjie Hospital. — During the past week no change in the register of patients has to be recorded. There are still but three inmates receiving attendance. Mr Luxford continues very low, though he is slightly more free from pain during the last few days. He also sleeps better, but is very feeble. The female patient whose complaint is a species of ophthalmy, is not quite so well as when our last report was published. The attack, from the effects of which the poor girl has been a weary and severe sufferer, has re-appeared and with increased virulence, but it is hoped that the remedies applied will diminish the inflammation, and alleviate the irritating soreness. The sufferer from the accident on the railway works is reported to be recovering rapidly, though it is evident he has received a severe shaking. The newly appointed steward and matron are getting on very well. A portion of the grounds is being reclaimed and improved by Mr Addcock during jhis spare time, and every department is scrupulously clean.