Wanganui Chronicle AND PETEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, JUNE 31,1879.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 4057, 3 June 1879, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1879.

Census Returns. — We acknowledge with thanks the receipt from the Government Printer of a copy of the late census returns. Meeting of Creditors. — A meeting of creditors in the estate of William McDonnell was held at the Court House yesterday. The proceedings were rather lively, the irrepressibility of a certain lawyer's clerk being rather more than some of the creditors could bear with equanimity. Two of the creditors were appointed to assist the trustee in preparing a report to be presented to another meeting to be held in a few days.

Harbour Board. — An emergency meeting of this body was held yesterday afternoon to consider the financial position of the Board. The representatives of the Press not being admitted, we are unable to supply our readers with particulars of the business done. Acknowledgment. — We are indebted to our contemporary for the large amount of space devoted to our poor selves, in its issue of last night. We particularly enjoyed the leading article : it had the soothing, soporific effect upon us that might be expected from a well-diluted dose of "Irish Moss." Legal. — A rumour has been current for a day or two past, that in the event of hostilities breaking out, a gentleman of the long robe, noted for his warlike proclivities, will assume the command of a corps of irregular cavalry. We understand he is making himself thoroughly acquainted with offensive weapons, as a preparatory step. Departure. — Mr H. C. Jackson, who has been favourably known in connection with the Bank of Australasia here for two or three years past, took his departure, per Rangatira, for Auckland, on Saturday, having been transferred to the same Bank in that city. A number of Mr Jackson's friends assembled on the wharf to bid him farewell. Kereopa. — The disturbance-monger, Kereopa, at Waitotara, has we believe being quietened, partly by the action of members of his own tribe who are averse to outrage on Europeans, and partly through the plain speaking of Mr W. Williams, at a meeting at the Puketapu Pah, near Waitotara, held on Saturday, at which, Kereopa presented himself, and made a lame attempt at vindication. The natives had themselves held a meeting on Friday evening at which but small sympathy was shown toward Kereopa. The Quarries. — Mr Barr, the Harbour Board Engineer, visited the quarries at Kaiwhaiki yesterday, and was much pleased with the appearance of the reef of stone which is now being stripped. It is reckoned to be about twenty chains in length, by as many feet deep, and of good sound, serviceable stone. The contractor has had considerable difficulty in getting his stone, up to the present time, but as he has made a good road to this reef at the top of the hill, it is expected that he will now be able to get on much faster. Protestant Alliance Friendly Society. — The inaugural meeting of a branch of this Society in Wanganui, fort the installation of officers, was held at the Institute, last evening. The initiatory and installation ceremonies were conducted by Bro. W. Smith, assisted by Bro. Moore, from Auckland. The, The following are the officers appointed — Bros T. Jordan, W.M. ; John D. Watts, D.M. ; J. P. Aldridge, Sec. James Purnell, S.E. ; O. Spurdle, J.E. ; C. Nicholl, Chaplain ; Thomas Penn I.G. ; Charles Ford, O.G. ; A. C. Campbell, Silas Wall, and J. Thurlow, Trustees. Later in the evening the visitors from Auckland were entertained at a banquet at Forder's Hotel, some thirty members being present, in addition to two or three invited guests, one of whom, His Worship the Mayor, was placed in the Chair. After full justice had been done to the ample spread, the usual loyal and other toasts were duly honored, and a very pleasant evening spent, the members of the fraternity separating shortly after midnight. We wish the new society every success. The Rees Bequest. — Our contemporary appears to forget, at all events he chooses to ignore the fact, that the generous donor of the Rees Bequest was an educated gentleman, who, if he had desired to provide scholarships, would not have failed to leave explicit directions to that effect. His intention, however, was, that the poor generally might be benefited by having high class education brought within the reach of their means, not that one, or two, might be enabled to appropriate the whole interest of the Bequest. It is doubtless very annoying to those wealthy patrons of the Herald, who have chosen to avail themselves of free education, that their sons are not to be allowed the chance of wresting a Rees scholarships from a poorer competitor. But this notwithstanding, the action of the Board in rescinding an iniquitous resolution, passed in haste, has been generally approved, the public recognising that it is better that a hundred should be enabled — if they desire it — to obtain a high class education at a nominal charge, than that ten should receive the same kind of education for nothing. In his piteous lament over the fact that a portion of the Bequest now helps to pay the High School salaries, our contemporary surely lost sight of the fact that this cruel perversion, as he considers it, is the result of a motion of his friend and patron, Mr Duthie, who determinedly opposed the money being thrown into the common fund to support the common schools, by which the poor could not have failed to derive the full benefit of it, insisting that it should be employed in the manner the Herald deplores. The Russo-Turkish War. — The fame of this Diorama succeeded in securing an immense house last night. From halfpast 7 till the hour appointed for commencing, such a crowd surrounded the ticket window, and the Hall porch, that it was a work of time and difficulty to make one's way into the building. The exhibition of the Diorama confirms and justifies all that has been said in its praise. The Scenes, — some of them particularly, — are exceedingly well executed, and having been painted from graphic sketches taken at the scene of action, may be relied on as being thoroughly accurate in detail. The artist, Mr Triste, of Melbourne, is certainly deserving of great credit for the manner in which he has transferred to canvas the varied incidents of the sanguinary struggle. The approval of the audience was frequently testified last evening. The naval ehgagement between a Turkish turret ship and a Russian gun boat, which resulted in the blowing up of the former, was very effective. The programme concluded with the funeral procession of President Lincoln, which is nightly received with increased favour. Mr Stanley sang several songs last night, which were highly, applauded — "We Don't Want to Fight" bringing down the house. The gift distribution which concluded the performance created the usual excitement. The Diorama will be exhibited again this evening.