LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 91120, 21 May 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Princess Theatre. — Tho Aretlmsa Company gave their farewell performance last night, when Formosa was presented. There was a fair house, and the entertainment passed off most satisfactorily. Geain Shipments. -- The Evening Post says that as heavy grain shipments from tho grain-crowing districts of the Middle Island to Northern ports are anticipated, the Union Steam Shipping Company have decided to lay on an extra steamer to meet the emergency. The Hawea has been selected for the service, and will take it up on Monday next, when she is to leave Dunedin. Excursion Trip. — Blessrs Cross Bros announce another excursion trip to Nelson and back by the Wakatn. The vessel will leave Wanganui wharf at six o'clock to-morrow evening. >Sho will sail Iroin Nelson on Monday morning, and anchor for some hours in the neighbourhood of the French Pass, so as to give excursionists an opportunity for fishing. At about daybreak on Tuesday she will again be at the Wanganui wharf. Accident to the Gkafton. — A preliminary enquiry has been held relative to the accident to the steamer Gral'tou when crossing the Bailor Bar on her way to Wellington. The vessel left at the top of high water, but struck on what, in the Captain's opinion, was a snag. The rudder was unshipped aud the propellers injured by tho accident. The evidence has beea forwarded to tho Government, but there will probably be no further enquiry, as it does not seem that blame can attach to anyone. Tender Accepted. — The Advocate of yesterday says :— " Tenders for the construction of the new public buidings in Marton, were opened yesterday at the Council office by tho Committee appointed for that purpose. They were only three in number, in spite of tenders being called for in the advertising columns of the Wanganui papers ; but we presume builders in that town are reserving their strength for tho vast works to be undertaken shortly in connection with tho Bulls schoolhouso. In the present instance tenders were received from Messrs Beckett, Hammond and Dick, and S. IT. Kussell, Marton; and from Messrs Crocker and Martin, Wanganui. We understand that the first-named tender has been accepted." Blocking the Channel. -Wo observe that Captain Conway, of the Murray, has published a letter in the Herald contradicting a paragraph which appeared in the Cuhoxiclb, aud which stated that when tho Uuia came opposite the Landguard Bluff vii her w.iy down the river on Tuesday last, tho .Murray was fouutl to be stuck and lying right across the channel, and tlmt therefore the Huia could not pass. We are an are now that the facts were not as ■•itatccl by us, and believe Capt. Conway to be correct in his vtrdiuii of the •ili'.iir. But the paragraph in question was supplied by tho purser of the Huh, and Captain Conway can aeo tho original document if he ui.shtv. \\\; could have no reason, at I ho time it w.u ;,iTili. id doubt the truth of what the I uisci' had written concerning a very mii, pie. matter which hapeemd immediately under his own eyc-s. Information on such pjintd is u-.ua!ly supplied to newspapers by the pur.>t'w of oteainboats, and is almost invariably correct. When, therefore, Captain Comvay says in his letter that it was " very di.-i.-i-u---ili'able" of the CiiuoMcr.i-: l<> pu'olnli the statement coin plained of, lie is ', clearly wi'on^. though iL \Wi.s eeriainiy i <"j'y iliM;ii-iiii;;l..Je vi' tin: j-if .-<» i" to H'H'ply I'aise in(L'lii,m'UC!". We published in perl-el oo>l I. 'h. .-in. l on ! ■ ' - iij i :.iii „',: ii! „;• si.ii!,' i'.f -\ !.ii Ml' V. li.. l.li-i-., . i,..11.:!l :i . pL-.ilsi 111 I v.iilully ..u!. !,.■](! U,Vm. , 'ny uo.\*- ' jiauei' v lijAji'.' to oiiailaf cn 1 or.

A Question. — \ correspondent asks the llangitikei Advocate -whether, if he (the correspondent) chooses to register n stray unregistered dog, ho thereby acquires ownership. We can tell him — Yes, of the license, but not of the doe;. Seventeen-Mite Beach. — Mr Warden McKay nnd Mr Gtiiness, chairman nf the Grey County Council, visited Seventeen-mile licach Rush on Saturday, and washed out three dishes of wash-dirt from three different claims, with the following result : — 2}, dwts, 4 dwts, and 27 dwts of gold. The Prospectors' Association's tail race was also visited, and fine gold was obtained, but not in sufficient quantity to justify a rush at present , but the Terrace claims are very rich, the gold being coarse and heavy. Government Life Insurance. — Amongst tho passengers by the Riingatira last night woro Messrs J. Kennedy Browne and Charles Hudson, both holding responsible positions in connection with tho New Zealand Government Life Insurance Department. To-ninhfc Mr J. Browne, who, judging by the Press reports, is excellent on tho platform, will deliver a lecture in the Princess Theatre on Life Insurance generally and tho Government scheme in particular. The importance of tho subject, and tho ability of tho lecturer should secure a large audience; but we beliovo Mr Browne will have something to say of rival undertakings having objects similar to the Government scheme, which may impart special interest to the occasion. We understand that Mr Charles Hudson, who has iiacl large experience in insurance matters at Home, will be permanently stationed in Wanganui, for the purpose of looking after the interests of the department, and affording infurraation and advico to intending insurers. The Waitotaea Row. — At Carlyle on Tnesday, fonr of the men concerned in the nbove disturbance woro convicted and sentenced as follows : — P. Downes and Patrick Lambert, assaulting and beating Joseph B. Richardson, lined £2 each and costs, or one week's hard labour in default. P. Lambert, assaulting Charles Prowse while assisting the constable, fined £2 and costs, or one week's hard labour in cbfault. P. Downos, assaulting and obstructing the constable, one month's imprisonment with hard labour ; also the costs, or one week additional in default of payment. F. Stait, assaulting J. B. Richardson while assisting tho constable, fourteen days' hard labour ; also the costs, or one week additional in default of payment. W. B. Lunib, assaulting and obstructing persons who were assisting the constable, fourteen days' hard labour ; also the costs, or ono week additional in default. The fines wore not paid, and all the prisoners were brought into town by train and lodged in Wanganui Goal on Wednesday night. Tjie Accident to tiie Manawatf, — A. Wellington exchange gives the following particulars with regard to tho cases in connection with this accident : — " After consultation between Mr McKcllar, Collector of Customs, nnd Mr Izard, Crown Prosecutor, it has been decided to institute legal proceedings against the parties held responsible for the accident to tho paddlcstcaraer Manawatu, whereby her boiler collapsed while ou her way from Wanganui to this port. Captain Doile will bo ehai'ged with proceeding to sea without having aboard the required complement of men ; Mr Martin, the agent of the company, with fraudulently engaging them to go to sea; and the purser for falsifying the ship's articles. Tho necessary summonses will be issued by Messrs Jzard and Bell, and the cases flill bo heard' either at the end of the current week or Monday next. Cori>E3. — The Evening Post of the ISth instant says : — At au extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the D'Urvillo Island Copper Mining Company, held last evening at the company's office, Panama Chambers, the resolutions proposed by the directors, as advertised in our issue o£ Saturday last, were unanimously agreed to. It was announced by the chairman, Mr \V. G. Jackson, thai a Lirge number of shares had already been applied for by the present shareholders, aud the directors were in hopes soon to be in a position to cull for tenders for sinking the main shaft a further depth of 100 feet or niore on the lode already worked, aud frora which such excellent results were secured at the last smelting at .Newcastle, the ore in bulk having on that occasion averaged over 20 per cent of pure copper. It was also mentioned that the price of epper had advanced in the English market more than 50 per cent since tho last operations of the company. Salmon. — The Grey River Argus in* forms its readers that the question of the existence of salmon having been acclimatised in tho Grey Hirer, received a great encouragement a few days ago, through the presence of a fish about sis or seven pounds weight, which was observed iv the river by several onlookers, at the end of tho protective works. As it remained stationary for more than fifteen minutes, ample time was given to allow judges present to determine tho species, and it was universally allowed to be an indisputable specimen of the salmo salav. The Argus further says, that combining this proof with what was seen ton days ago near the mouth of the Omotumutu, there is good reason to believe that success in introducing this fish into the Grey river has been achieved. In each of these instauccs the persons seeing tho .salmon had personal and intimate knowledge of that fish. In the iirst instance it was seen by three men, all of whom were familiar with it iv Ireland, and iv the second instance the witnesses were also all men whoso knowledge and credence is indisputable. Colonial Ploughmen. — Cricketers and boatmen from the colonies have visited .England, and showed their superiority over their British brethren witii the willow aud the oar, and now it 13 prop-sed to send Home a team of Colonial ploughmen with Colonial made ploughs, for tho purpose of contesting in the matches which will take place in tho fall of this year. The Geelong Advertiser says : — •' The promoter of the movements is Mr John Dalley, of LSollairne, au intelligent man, who has for upwards of twenty years been engaged iv agricultural pursuits here, nnd who has i, ken iiuineious priz s, including champion m"dals, for iiis skiil an a plouiihmau. Some two or three yeais u^o lie '.vent ilomr, a::d I'ioiu what iio c';iiv t.'ieii in la. 1 rural di-,tric!s oi i-n^iunJ, Lic-tl sud, and irul.md, lie has uo doubt that such a uvm as lie will select, wall such Colonial made implements sis the) will tiiko wilh them, will liavcl through the three kingdoms rtith an cdul equal to that wlucli attended our rilU-meu and cricket era m the < -'Id Uoiintry." i his !"3:n i< expieted to i<v\«; .\l' lljouriio atuiu July, and .v no ' I ■ ■n■ ■ L i!i>; j l l ■ • u -4 U !ini i-iium;!. to vi.-,ii I'.jijibi'i . v. in Jc v.'iy .-kbt'nl v .M'ki'H'n, •■ .' >': ti.i'\ '1" 1 '.. li It •, l:iiil.- r.-., I. J >iili . ,nl Li> mh<-.\ i.iv iSmiimi puullu tjj.il I ill.: .Mlviiii'i „iv uuc bcuiud taeiij iv i.^iu.'ui'.ui.'al [itluUib,

Thb Waikarapa. — The Wairarapa and Kast Coast Pastoral Society have published their annual balance-sheet. It shows assets exceeding liabilities by nearly ;i thousand pouuds, nominally ; • the principle asset being landed estate. The actual debts of the Association amount to £1311 43 Cd, and amounts flue to the Association and ca.-h iv hand, .CJ33 7s Gd. Still it is evident tho Society is more than solvent, and has weathered tho more serious embarrassments, which at one time threatened its existence. Cattle District.— A supplement to (ho New Zealand Gazetto has been issued, dated 18th May, containing proclamations dividing tho South Island into tho Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Westland, Otago, and Southland cattle districts for the purposes of the Diseased Cattle Acts ; and an Order in Council is issued of the same date, making especial regulation to prohibit the removal or driving of cattle out of the South Auckland District (Waikato) into any other district southward of that district. Appointments are also made to tho South Island Cattle Boards, and tho Sheep Inspectors are gazetted Cattle Inspectors in their respective districts. Messrs Thomas Mechio, of Wellington, and T. Hill, of Christchureli, are gazetted as Deputy Inspectors, svu'li appointments being honorary ones. Mr T. Uioliardson is appointed Inspeclor for Wellington District, and Messrs Alex. Munro, and William M'Kcnzie, for Wanganui District. Notice is also issued directing cattle inspectors to keep eaeli other informed as to tho cattle travelling through the districts where plouro-pneurnonia is known fo exist.