LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 24 October 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Masoxic. — An emergency meeting of tlie St _ ndi-evj- Kilwinning Lodge is to take place at the Institute to-morroiv evening at half-past seven slr.u-p. D-ruxCT, — Tlie Patea Evening _"e\vs has conic to an end, and the plant has been purchased for removal to another district. In talcing leave the editor snys that the News has had many compliments paid to it during the fifteen months' of its existence, but that something more was needed to give it sustenance. Loads o.\- Dbats.— The attention of owners and drivers of drays is particularly directed to the resolution which ivas passed by tho Wangauni-WaitotaraHighway _3oard at their last meeting, and -will be found advertised in another column. The alterations now in force as to the weight to be carried on drays are too important to be overlooked. Boxs' High School. — It ivill be seen from an announcement in another column that the Education Board is inviting applications for four masterships of the Boys' High School. Applications are to be sent in by the 24th November, and the successf id gentlomcn are to begin their duties on Monday, the 15th January, 1883. Rapid Progress — The cases in the Supreme Court calendar proved so light and free from difficulty that all the criminal business was disposed of yesterday by Mr Justice Kichmond and his juries, with fhe exception of one case, whicii stands over for six months in order that it may be tried by a Maori jury, and another case of robbery in a brothel, which tho Court -will, no doubt, quickly disposo of to-day. A Good Story. — Tho Eev President of the Wesleyan Conference told a good story at the meeting last night, in order to illustrate the university of Methodism. Ho said that two men were once disputing as whether tho moon was populated or not, and the sceptical person ,of the two gave it as his main reason that had tlie moon any inhabitants the Methodists would certainly have a circuit up there, and he couldn't find any mention of it in tho Wesleyan Conference programme. Stohmy Weather. — The rough weather during Sunday night is not likely to bo forgoLten for some time to como in Wauganui. The wind blew a hurricane, tlie rain fell in torrents, and at daybreak a (lash of lightning and a heavy peal of thunder seemed momentarily to clear the air. But soon after 4 o'clock one of the densest hail storms ever experienced here for years past covered the ground with a whito mantle, the heaps of large stones being fully six inches deep in the drifts, and continuing umneltcd for hours afterwards. The effect of sucli atmospheric disturbances, with tho dissolving snow on the ranges, has swelled the river into a heavy and increasing fresh. The appearance of the sky on Sunday night, with the heavy masses of cloud sweeping rapidly over the moon, was a weird and grand sight. An TJsksown Bex-factor. — At the School Committee meeting yesterday afternoon it transpired tliat on two occasions lately sums of money (amounting in all to tlie munificent total of three half-crowns) have been wrapped in paper and left at the same spot by the gale of the Girls' High School. Who was tho person that squandered his or her wealth with such profusion did not appear to bo known ; and Bliss Blyth, the head mistress evidently did not know what lo make of the mailer, and certainly did not altogether approve of it. Tliat seven shillings aud sixpence will probably go lo swell Ihe prize'sfund but should it unhappily turn out that tho money was simply dropped by accident and not in-U-lionally bestowed, tho committee will find it hard indoed to have to disgorge. It is on tlie oilier lmnd a source of thankfulness that sue-li thorough business men as the committee consists of are nofc likely lo have their heads turned hy the sudden' accession to to much filthy lucre,

Certificate op Disjussal.— Yesterday morning, upon tho application of Mr MoIlhono, lessee of the Railway Hotel, Mr Ward, E.M., granted a certificato (under the Justices of tho Pence Act) of tho dismissal of the information brought against him on Saturday last for a breach of the Licensing Act. What use is to bo made by tho certificate wo are unaware. Mas Hampson's Mission. — This lady will commence her erangelistio mission in Wanga-iii in the Princess Theatre on Sunday evening next, at 7.30 o'clock. During the following wcelc she will conduct both midday and evening services at the theatre, -rathe information of country people who may bo desirous of attending her meetings, we aro requested to state that Mrs Hampson's mission on this coast will be confined to Wanganui. " The Seat of Human Consciousness." I — In tho courso of one of those witty and sensible " asides " with which Judge 'Richmond generally enlivens tho dry proceedings of his Court, His Honor remarked yesterday that he sometimes fancied that a man's right-hand breeches pocket was the " ultimate scat of human consciousness." In his experience ho frequently found that a drunken man was very sensitive in that region -when " too far gone " to remember anything else. Restitution' of Stolen Pjiopebti*. — Just before tho Court rose yesterday afternoon Mr Fitzherbert, tho Croivn Prosecutor, applied that tho jn-oceeds of the three cheques stolen at Palmorston under circumstances fully reported in another column, mi"ht be restored to tho prosecutor. The Judge seemed disposed to accede Fo tho application, but rather doubted whether his powers extended to tho proceeds of stolen property, and intimated that he would look up authority and give his decision the next morning. Resident Magistrate's Court. — The business before Mr Ward, R.M., yesterday morning was very limited. John Mailman applied for a prohibition order against his son, Francis John Mailman (who did not appear though the notice had been duly served on him), and the order as applied for was made, to apply to all hotels within the Borough of Wanganui, and to the Red Lion Hotel, Campbelltown, and the Aramoho Hotel. G-eorge Hipwork, a suspected lunatic, remanded for four days for medical examination. The Court then adjourned. Odd J-Leows' Tea Meeting. — Tho tea meeting and entertainment promoted by the local lodge of Odd Fellows, which will take place on Friday next, promises to be a groat success. The committee have been working in a most enthusiastic manner to mako the affair go off smoothly. An excellent programme lias been arranged, in which the names of several of our local prominent amateurs appear. The entertainment will be opened by a humorous farce entitled " Furnished apartments," to bo followed by a musical melange, consisting of both sentimental and comic songs, the wholo to conclude with the farce "A sudden arrival." The band of tho Wauganui Rides will he in attendance. Afc the close of the entertainment there will bo a quadrille assembly, admission to which will be by invitation only. The G-And Jury System. — On returning their final true bill yesterday, Mr Pharazyn, as foreman of the Grand Jury, addressed the presiding Judge, and said that, without making any formal presentment, there was a general opinion amongst tho Grand Jurymen that they were a useless body, and Mr Justice Richmond on the other hand pointed out that a Grand Jury might be found a very useful institution, rather for what it prevents than for what it does. Tho question, however, required great consideration, and though it had been much discussed the bottom of the subject had not been reached. Therefore he was glad that the Grand Jury had not made a presentment. In his opinion tho conduct of prosecutions should not be left entirely to the executive officers of the Government, in whom in a certain sense Resident Magisgratcs might be included. His Honor then thanked the Grand Jurymen for their sri-vices, and they retired rrom the Court. Claims for Exemption. — As usual in sittings of the Supreme Court there were several claims yesterday for exemption from the duty of serving on juries. Messrs W. J. Smith and .Tames Alexander got off the Grand Jury on tlie ground of being over GO years of age, though Mr Justice Richmond pleasantly remarked that he wished he could get some good men and true who had passed thatrubicon to give the Court the benefit of their experience. Only one common juror could boast of a medical certificate, a fact which speaks volumes for the sanitary condition of the district, and the only other petit juryman who escaped service altogether this time was Mr J. H. Pollock, who claimed that lie was Deputy-Inspector of Sheep, and had important duties to perform in the absence of his principal. Finally, two grand jurymen, Messrs Morton Jones and George Brooking, who were drawn also on tho Common Jury were exempted from serving on the latter. So, for a wonder, the day passed over without a single fine being inflicted. It was also significant that during the day only one juryman was challenged, though that lucky wight was twice objected to (for some mysterious reason) by the Crown Prosecutor.