LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 6 November 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Cray Eieies. — A Captain's parade of the City -Bides will take, place to-night at halfpast 7 o'clock. All available officers and men arc requested to attend. A LocAii TnoBOTrauBBED. — It is satisfactory to learn that at the Wairarapa show, held at Carterton, on Wednesday, Mr Meßne's Puriri was awarded first prize for blood entires. Diooesan Synod. — Mr E. N. Liffiton lias been appointed returning officer for the Wanganui district for the election of four lay members at the triennial election for tht Diocesan Synod. A Wem-eaeked Hoiiday. — Mr A. H. Jones, after three years' service in the Post Office here, has been granted one month's leave of absence, and left by tho Huia on Saturday morning for Dunedin. Wan&antji - Waitotaba Boabd. — The rate collector will attend at the Board's offices in the Avenue to-day, between 9 and 5, to receive rates. A word to the wise on this matter should be sufficient. Abrest or a Wipe Deserter. — Detective Benjamin on Saturday last succeeded in arresting at Westmere a man named Thomas Hewett who is wanted at Napier on a charge of deserting his wife and 3 children. He will bo brought this morning before tho Resident Magistrate. The Electoius Roil. — The person objected so by Mr Woon, the registrar, as having parted with his f roehold qualification by his bankruptcy, attended on Friday afternoon and withdrew his name from tho roll. The summons against hsm was not therefore called on in the Court on Saturday last. ObohABDS. — Blight has again attacked tho poach trees around New Plymouth, and to such an extent as to leave small hopo of anything but an extremely light yield of poaches. Blight is also reported from Kakaramea, in the Patea District. In both cases apples give great promise of abundance. Cbicket. — Cricketers in the district of Wanganui, where it is not always caiy to raise an eleven for any purpose whatever, will bo perhaps surprised to know that at Wellington there is to be played to-morrow, a match between an eleven chosen solely from the offices of two of the local legal firms, and an eleven from the other solicitors' offices. Back Again. — That old favourite of the public, John Hall, who has been playing lately at Wellington, is about to return to Wanganui for a short season, on his way to Auckland, Mr Gibb's having completed arrangements for him to appear at the Princess Theatre on tho 20th instant in " Prudence," a play never performed in Wanganui. Tiie Oldest Time. —Mr A. Kohn, of the Avenue, evidently casts longing lingering looks behind at the times departed and never to return again. Accordingly, having in his possession and for sale some very handsome and valuable strings of pearls (to which wo believe is attached quite an interesting family history), exhibits them in his window as "a pearl set of ye goode olde dayes." The Recent Accident. — Mr Beard, of Marton, who fell and broke his thigh in the saloon of the Hnia early on Friday morning last, and who lies at the Prince of Wales' Hotel, is progressing favourably towards recovery. When the unfortunate accident occurred Mr Beard was on his way to Christchnrch, having been appointed a judge in one of the agricultural shows in tho Canterbury district, A ScniußiixG Mania. — There appears just now to bo a decided and unpleasant mania all. over Wanganui for scribbling on walls, seats, gateposts, and every other available space in Wanganui. The disease chielly affects youths of both sexes, but in many cases children of larger growth evidently need a physician in tho shape of blue coated officers of the law, to whose affectionate attention we earnestly direct those poor afflicted beings. So wide spread is the mania that we observed on Saturday night last at Mr 3 Hampson's meeting some boys diligently writing their names on the backs o£ the seats — the only piece of impropriety, by tho way, which, took place (so far as wo arc aware) at any of the mission meetings. The Recent Death at Sea. — Mrs Allen, the widow of tho engine driver who died so suddenly on board tho Huia and who was buried on Saturday afternoon, is to be sent back, with her family, to Dnncdin, at the expense of the Railway Department, should sho wish it. Her husband died, we aro informed, not from any lung complaint but from heart disease, of which he had not been at all suspected, and which was much aggravated by violent sea-sickness. It is very creditable to the employes of the Wangnnui railway line that they availed themselves of the opportunity afforded them by Mr Rotherham, attended in goodly numbers the funeral of their late brother workman on Saturday afternoon, especially as the deceased was unknown to most of them. We are glad also to learn that the men have shown practical sympathy towards the widow and fatherless children by opening a subscription list along the whole line from Wavcrley to Foxton. Opeba Company. — Tho Opera Company now playing a successful season in Auckland has been secured for the Princess Theatre, whero they will (according to present arrangements) open on Saturday, the 16th of December. The company perform several works, such as " Patience," " Tambour Major," and "Billy Taylor" (the last named an opera only produced in London within the last few months), all of which are entirely new to Wanganui. The company appears to be strong in vocalists, Miss Elise May being the prima donna, with such excellent secundi donne as Miss Solange Navaro and Miss Muriel, both old favourites hero. The principal tenor, and the manager of tho troupe, is Mr Howard Vcrnon, an artist who brings with him golden opinions, and who is best known in the Australian colonies as the original Bunthorne in " Patience." The operas will be produced here withi the due effects, including tho electric light, and scenery specially painted for them. Aquatics. — The competitions amongst the members of the Wanganui Rowing Club for tho cups presented by the captain, Mr Fitzherbort, took place on Saturday afternoon last, tho weather being fine but the water somenhat lumpy, especially during i tho first heat. The three erew3 wero as follows : — Powell (stroke), Riernenschneider, Curtis, and Greenwood ; W. Woon (stroke) T. Cummins, dower, T. Woon ; Smith (stroke), Allison, Aiken, Blyth. The course was from the Railway Bridge to opposite the Hospital, a distance of a mile and 1000 yards. In tho first heat Woon's crow beat Smith's easily, several men of the latter being piunped out long boforo the finish Time llmin. 52secs. Powell having drawn a bye, took his crew solus over the course. Unfortunately however, notwithstanding a time allowance of 1 minute and a few seconds for the alteration in tide, Powell found himself on returning to tho boatshod a few seconds behind the timo of Woon's crew. Mr Fitzhcrbcrt, as starter and judge, declined to rule Powell out of the race, but offered to allow Woon a start to equalise matters. Woon however preferred to row on equal terms, and after a short interval the final heat between him and Powell came off, Tho start was splendid both crews striking the water together, and rowing neck and neck to the bond. Here Woon drew ahead half a length and maintained the lead to Col. McDonnell's old house. Powell called iipon his crew who made their efforts, and. coming on equal terms with the other crew, rowed to Wocu'b boatshed lovel, and inch by inch Powell gained a lead of a short quarter of a, length. Woon, when 300 yards from home drew up to Powell's crew, who again spurted, finally winning by only 6 feet. The race from start to finish was a magnificent one and created a lot of excitement, the river bank being lined with spectators. Both crows wero xitterly rowed out. No time was taken but it must have been j tolerably fast. I

Obohakd Bobbees. — The sparrow nuisance is being felt about Normanby and Hawera, while the stone fruit, in a considerable orchard at Kakarainea, lias been oaten quite up directly the fruit has begun to form after blossoming. Cherry, plum, and (where not spoiled by blight) peachtrees hare all suffered. There is a deter mination on the part of some settlers to abato the nuisance by laying poisoned grain. Mas Hampson. — The customary midday and evening meetings in connection ■with this lady's mission will be held to-day. To-morrow (Tuesday) there will be a meeting for young women, and on Wednesday afternoon the usual women's gathering. On Wednesday night a farewell tea-meeting will bo given to Mrs Harnpson in the theatre. Full pariiculars will be found in another column. Defaulting- Ratepayers. — The Wanganui Highway Board are going fn'fbr a field day. . About twenty summonses having been issued by Mr^Hiitchison, the Board's solicitor, and another batch is under . way. Settlers are to blame in neglecting the advertisements that from time to time have appeared, and in some instances they will now find themselves saddled with additional costs. The first batch of summonses -will be heard on Friday next. Tabanaki Iron-sand. — Shareholders in tho Taranaki Iron-sand Company havb been aroused to a state of hopeful expectancy by the arrival in Auckland of Mr Burkett, the practical manager. Difficulty has been experienced in getting firewood contracts taken up, ■on account of the demand for labour in more attractive occupations. As charcoal is tho fuel chiefly used, and for which the furnace is constructed, a scarcity of wood will cause delay or greatly increase the cost of the preliminary experiments. A second call of half-a-crown per sharo is due on tho 25th of this month. ScnooL Building Q-bant. — The delatorineso of the General Government in allocating tho building grant to tde several Education Boards is causing expense and dissatisfaction, as wcllns inconvenee. The Wanganui Board has declined to accept tenders for tho much-required addition agreed upon for the Patea school, the reason given being that tho Board is entirely without funds. The attendance at this school one day last week was 210. This refusal to accept tenders means the loss of ono or - two days' work to each of the tenderers, besides in each case depriving them of the use for a fortnight of tho cash deposits enclosed with the tenders. New Zealand Pottery. — MrF. J.Jones is introducing to the noticoof the Wanganui public some specimens of pottery from Mr G. Boyd's potteries at Newton, Auckland. In Mr Jones' Bidgway-strect. establishment will be seen some well made and designed terra cotta figures, and an " all nations " vase, around which are emblomatical representations of tho quarters of tho globo. There are also glazed zinc pans, which, without close examination, can hardly be distinguished from pottery. It is satisfactory to sco that New Zealand can boast of such an important and interesting industry, and we hope that Mr F. J. Jones will find it appreciatad by the Wanganui public. Telephone for Patea. — Tho necessity for telephonic or other ready means of communication between the town of Patea and the signal station at tho Heads, is becoming a necessity. Telegrams, often of an xu-gent nature, inquiring tho state of the bar and channel, or advising about shipping, cannot be got to the signal station under a journey of about five miles by lino of road, or without considerable delay if conveyed by a' waterman. In either case the process is expensive, as in urgent cases, special messengers are required. A recent telegram from Wanganui could not be delivered to the pilot till too late to be of service, and we are informed this has happened in other cases, and with telegrams from other ports. Tlie cost of telephonic plant would be but trifling as against tno great convenience of being able to communicate at once, and by word of mouth with the pilot. The Taranaki Harbour authorities are providing telephonic communication between the town oflice and tho harbour works. Puicides are rapidly becoming epidemic, and the distressing circumstances argues an unhealthy condition of tho mind. The mental nnsoundness does not always arise from a merely morbid state of the organism nor is it necccssarily superinduced by a con dition of dispondoncy. Anxiety, cares, troubles may generate melancholy, but unusually these causes of despnir are stimulated by bodily afltictions or infirmities. To avoid tlicse operating influences, tho body Bhould be kept up to its normal standard ; and nothing will bring about this desirable result so unfailincly as XJBOLnio Whole's Schiedam Ahojiatic s'cunams. — Advt.