LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 30 October 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

:—r, ♦ ; _ , WANGANUI Hospital. — Two patients were discharged from the above institution during last week, and one admitted. The total number of patients remaining ; in. hospital on Saturday were eighteen. Roßßiua G-abdens.— On jriday night a number of gardens in town were entered by thieves, and various ■ p.ants uprooted • and taken away. In some instances the police have examined the footmarks, and from certain peculiarities they exhibit it is thought that the marauders will be traced. The Memottbnb Races. — The' telegraph .office. was kept open on Saturday evening from 5 to 7 o'clock for . the purpose of receiving Press messages' relating to the Melbourne 'races. ' Shortly, after 6 p.iri .the jOhbonicle was enabled to' issue an extra giving the result of the principal events. Auckland Native Lands Compant.— Mr R. J. Duncan, of Wellington, who has been appointed travelling agent for this company, with superintendence of the local agencies, has just paid a visit to Wanganui. He reports very favourably as to the company's prospects in all directions. Mr Whitworth Russell, the local agent, has disposed of a thousand. shares; and 'it is said not no less than 50,000 have been floated in Sydney. ' ' ' The Odd ITemows' Entebtainmbnt.— We are glad to learn that the Tea Meeting and Dramatic Entertainment given by the Royal Wanganui I/odgo of .Oddfellows on Friday night last has -satisfactorily paid its expenses. The soiree was not given with a view to produce a profit, but simply to pleasantly celebrate the anniversary^ of the lodge. The three members of the committee, Messrs W. H. Iflyger, McElwairi, and Bowern, can congratulate themselves on a satisfactory issue of their labours. .Beoatta Meeting. — Although the Regatta Committee meeting on Friday evening last was too Bmall to allow of the report and balance-sheet being properly discussed several gentlemen present complimented Mr Sower, |the hon. sec, in very high terms upon his efforts to promote last season's gathering. Considering the difficulties which attended the regatta, Mr Grower's office was a very thankless one, 'and he is all the more to bo congratulated on the favourable result. We trust that the various rowing club's will secure his services again. A Sudden Ducking. — A little party of aquatic people, evidently unused to the management of a boat, (althoiigh by some means or other they had procured one of the Union Boating Club pairs) came to grief yesterday afternoon in the river just opposite the hospital, and, whilst engaged in executing some rowing feat with which they were not so well acquainted as Trickett or Hanlan probably would have been, the craft capsized, and the four half-drowned oarsmen were brought to shore with considerable difficulty. The boating season being just at its start, it is by no means unlikely that the next few months will witness many casualties of this description. Busy Shipping. — There were on Saturday last seven steamers, two brigantines, and a schooner moored at the wharf, the demand for space being bo great that several of the vessels could only obtain berth-room side by side. Notwithstanding this apparent briskness of trade the amount of cargo between all the steamers was very small, and would not probably have sent the St. Eilda (the largest vessel in port) away with full hatches. On the other hand, it is manifest that the cattle industry is reviving, as five steamers left with stock, in four cases for the West Coast. So busy is this branch of indussry that, contrary to the general practice in ports on the first day of the week, steamers were loading with cattle for many hours yesterday morning. So far as the number of vessels is concerned we are informed that it is nine or ten years since as many were in the river as on Saturday last. A Novel Christmas Cabd.— Christmas cards as a rule are flat,' stale, and unprofitable, and it is rare indeed to find the least trace of originality about any of them. Mr Joseph Paul, however, is about distributing to his patrons a card which is really a work of photographic art. In the centre of the design ib a capital view of Dunedin harbour, lit up by the comet, which casts its silver streak across the placid waters. The other compartments of the card ate filled up with views of Mount Earnslaw and another scenic view of striking interest in the South Island. The views were photographed and printed in Dunedin, and are creditable specimens of design and execution. Mr Paul will no doubt find the demands upon him for copies quite as much as he can readily answer. Mr Paul is the sole agent in Wanganui for these cards, and the retail price is one shilling each. A Cbeditabie Caeebb. — Seventeen years is a long' spell of existence for a public body in New Zealand, yet the Volunteer Ifire Brigade of this town can boast of an uninterrupted and successful record to that extent. Many changes have taken place in its practice and personnel ; but since the time when it was first inaugurated in the Rutland Hotel with Mr J. W. Robinson as captain, to Saturday last, when the smartness of its members was the admiration of all beholders, the brigade has done capital service to the town. Of the original members but few remain, though next to Mr T. D. Cummins, the present captain, "and a right good captain too," llessi's T. Ferry, Xhurlow, T. Bush, and some few others can clnim to have been associated with the brigade from its infant days. The long career and vitality of the Wanganui Five Brigade is all the more creditable because in some lnrger towns institutions of a similar kind have liacl but a most ephemeral exist?ncc. In Wellington (for instance) there formerly existed two excellent Volunteer brigades (some of whose old members are iow doing good service in Wanganui) but joth died a natural death after a very few pears of life. I

Oa JßOTioNS'TO' Elboiobs. —About two hundred objections,' on the part of Mr Woon, the Registrar of Electors, to persons whose names areon the . Wanganui roll, come on for, hearing this morning before Mr Ward, R:M. , Death or change of residence is the ground of objection in every case. Fibe BeioaSe.— : The committee of the Fire Brigade desire to acknowledge the kindness,, of Messrs. Smiley and Gordon in providing tho. members on Saturday last with drags free of charge, a privilege those gentlemen have accorded to the brigade on former occasions. The services of the City Rifles Band deserve also a word of grateful recognition. . The Recent Railway Collision — Wo regret to learn that Conroy, the driver of the cart which came to grief a few days ago in a collision, with the railway engine, has taken a turn. for the worse. The members of his family have been summoned to his bedside from a distance and no hopes of his recovery are now entertained. An Awkwabd Mishap. — Mr Montague Browne, manager of the Colonial Bank, met with a somewhat painful accident yesterday morning. He was mounting a young ana spirited horse, which become restive and commenced "bucking," and succeeded in unseating its rider, and then, lashing out with its heels, struck Mr Browne a severe blow on the right arm, dislocating his elbow. The sufferer, who was in considerable pain, at once proceeded to Dr Connolly's surgery, and underwent an operation which resulted successfully. Although Mr Montague Browne will have to carry his arm in a sling for some time to coinc, ho will be able to attend to' his duties at the bank today as usual. ' -' DePABOTBE OB THE MiBKSIIEIf. — The (Jo-Ahead- took away on Saturday night last about 30 redoubtable volunteers to do duty on behalf of this coast in the shooting competitions .which onen at Dunedin on Thursday l mornirig. ■ To' give them good speed, and despatch' our representatives with hearts of courage and confidence, there was a very large attendance on the- wharf of members of every Volunteer Company in; the town. Ringing cheers for the gallant marksmen were given, and reciprocated, as ; the steamer left the wharf, and by previous: arrangement '■ the band of the City Rifles,. 1 playing suitable, tunes, were taken down pass the dredge in the Naval Brigade pinnace the Raumai, bo as to catch a last 1 sight of our local heroes. That these gentlemen, who number amongst them some of the! best shots in' Hew Zealand, will give a good' account of themselves cannot reasonably be doubted.' ' ' - FoBTmoATiONs of Pabis. — After spending 'many millions in rebuilding the forts round Paris on'a more elaborate scale than •ever, it is now proposed by some to raze them to the ground, and a measure has been brought forward in the French; Chamber dealing with the subject. If this is earned,, an area of land will be rendered available for building purposes little short of 5,000,000 square metres. In addition to this there is a zone of land 250 metres broad outside the fortifications, which is retained by tho Government for strategical purposes, and which cannot be built over, except upon the express understanding that the Minister of War shall be at liberty to demolish the houses, &c., whenever he may think fit. The value of the land, estimated by M. Thiers at £560,000 when the fortifications were erected in 1840, is now put at about £2,800,000. The value of land is still rising, and as the number of houses has increased from 71,878 in 1876 to 82,352, and as despite this addition to the number of houses, tho average number of inhabitants to each has increased from twenty-six to twenty-eight, it is very evident that the land now occupied by the fortifications will soon be built over if the Chambers decide that they shall be razed. ,■ Lignite.— The New Zealand Herald of the 24th instant says : — Tho important discovery made within the last few days at Avondale, on the property of Dr Aickin, ofextensive beds of lignite exactly similar in character to that souud overlying the Bay of Islands coal mines, is likely within a short time to lend to important results, as we learn -that a movement is now on foot auongst owners of property in the neighbourhood to thoroughly test the substrata, in the belief that coal will be found to underlie the lignite seams at no grent depth below them. An application will be made to the Government for the use of the diamond drill for the purpose. We are glad to see the matter so energetically taken up by those immediately interested, and should be pleased to see their efforts crowned with success. The importance to Auckland of a discovery of coal in such close proximity to the shipping and to the city is obvious. Large barges can be brought right up against the bank where the find has been made, and the coal delivered into them direct from the pit's I mouth and delivered alongside any yesscl in the' harbour within an hour. A branch line of railway about a mile in length, and over perfectly level ground, could be taken from a little beyond the Avondaloj Btation right on to the ground. Mns Hampson'b Meeting. — The Princess Theatre presented an appearance last night of singular interest, and one that will not be readily forgotten by those who were privileged to witness it. The building (stage, gallery, portico, and every other part) was crowded with an overflowing audience, whose interested demeanour and studisus attention were very remarkable. There wero over a thousand persons present. Viewed either from the stage or from tho body of the theatre hist night's gathering i was significant of the absorbing interest which religious matters (when so handled as to be brought within the understanding of the common people who hear them gladly) must invariably command. On the platform, besides Mrs Hampson herself, were the Eev.' J. A. Taylor (President of the Wesley an Conference), Eev. J". Tread well, Messrs Gilbert Caraon (chairman of Mrs Hampson's mission committee), J. Greenwood, and representatives of all the churches. The Rev. Mr Treadwell offered prayer. The choir, led by Mr Peter Bell, sang a selection of hymns with every evidence" of careful training and devotional feeling, and the only regret which can be entertained hi connection with the matter is that Mrs Hampson's utterances, anxiously listened for as they vere, unfortunately were almost totally inaudible in the neighbourhood of the door. The lady spoke clearly and well, and every syllable should have been easily heard in a building possessing some respectable acoußtic principles. At the close of the public service a meeting was held for inquirers, . of whom some thirty or forty •remained. Mabbibd Women's Pbopebty Bih..-^-The London Times remarks : — Tho session has produced one measure which is likoly t-> prove of the highest domostio importance, and which may involvo somothing very like domestic revolution, tho Married Women's Property Bill. Tho effect of this measure is to enable a married woman to acquire, hold, and dispose of roal and personal property as her soparato estate Neither trustees nor settlements will bo necessary. She will be able to onter into contracts on her own account ; if sho receives compensation for a railway accident, it will belong to herself alono; nnd she will be liable to bo sued for any broach of contract without reßposibility boing ontailed upon her husband. If sho carrios on trade separately f roan her husband sho can bo made a bankrupt, and so far as that trade is successful she will enjoy a monopoly of its points. On the other hand, existing soUloments will not be interfered with, and a wife will not be competent to institute criminal proceedings agauwt hor husband so lone at they live together. Tho chiof effect of this measure is to destroy tho presumption that everything which a woman had at hor marriage, or which she afterwards obtainod passes to her husband. While tho rich havo made settlements on their daughtora, givinc them tho separate use of property that was their own, the poorer orders have been without any such resource All is changed by the present BiH, under which, as tho Time's puts it the wife of a costermongor will have S?n» fttriuunonfc settlement. "Tho Bill, says the Times, "probably portends indirect social effects mucfi greater than tho disposition of property, and may in the end pulverise .some ideas which havo been at tho basis of English life."