NEW PLYMOUTH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1882, 7 January 1885, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH.

(from our own correspondent),

. A Christinas has again made its'; appearance, and passed. During the week the tradespeople have been very, busy opening up the season's goods, and . makirig'-other innumerable preparatioiis . lor the festive season;' The'weather! 1} : ; am sotry to'iay, has not been afail'.l' favourable. On Tuesday the sky had "'* K . a threatening appearance, and early on' v Wednesday, morning we were greeted ' ■«, heavy shower of .rain, which ■ continued, with but little abatement, ■■* throughout the day. ; .Tbjs was a'great-j disappointment' to 'a11,... the' business , v portion especially, as it prevented "fc-s large, number, of. country settlers froni"' coming into-towm.;;.Most people, howVj .ever,.were about at an early hour, busy.- '■'■'' olecorating their'pt'eniis'es. 'with flowers; ■' andrevergreens/whioh gave the. town s., - very picturesque' appeaance. In evening things were made a little «<s■•'£ lively by the Volunteer.Band playing ■ - several selections in'fronf of the Alex- '' andra Hall, in which a bazaar was being. V; held in aid o( the funds of thePrimitiye • Methodist Church; it passed off very;'!;' well. Christinas Day was simply"; miserable, it being showery the whole'. ' day, consequently very few people? made their appearance out of doors. T Boxing Day broke cloudy, an occasion-' al shower of rain coming on in the- '■ morning, The only amusements pro- 1 ? vided for the day were races at Bell. •, Block (about six miles from town), arid i the weathef cleared up sufficiently well during tbe afternoon to allow of their being proceeded with; they were, however but poorly attended. In the ' evening an entertainment was given by our local amateurs, in aid of the funds of the Fire Brigade. About 7 ' o'clock the rain came down in torrents, / ind prevented many from attending; a I good house was, however; obtained, and . the entertainment passed off splendidly. .This Christmas. I believe, has been the worst experienced for many years: in--' fact, numbers of old settlers declare ihey;do hot remember having spent _■■'- aucli.a.Avet one since their arrival ia^y : : the province. '■?";'■

A rather interesting case' came qn for hearing •at the Police Court on Monday, December 22nd, in which the " Captain" of the local' I 'Salvation Army" figured as the.defendant. The .said Captain was charged with having, on Saturday,, the 13th December, 'committed a breach of/section. 106 .of the'Bdwugh' bye-laws by obstructing' ,jiassetfger-.traffic'.- on. rthei footpath in Devo^-Stre'et.' . From '"the ..worthy. 'Captainfovidence it appears '(hat.he, was" so' impressed at seeing 'such anumber of persons about town oh Saturdays that he'thought it his duty to speak to them.about their salvation, and wurnthem to flee from the" wrath tpcome". :He was requested by the constable -to desist, but deeming the Army a • privileged body, h hence the action. He"W"aS fined one •pound■''aii'd' costs by-.the H.M.- ■■Tfais ■nray be.regarded as a test case, ;and. should teach our" noble army ,l ''to.be ; a little more careful ; in future, and remind them they are still "under the eye of the law," On Tuesday evening last theTaranaki Philharmonio Society gave a concert at the Alexandra Fall. The'room was wel} .filled,, and tho music provided seemed to be thoroughly appreciated by the audience. The first part .of the programme consisted of Mendelsohn's " Hymns of Praise," which passed off extremely well, the beautiful music contained therein meeting with due appreciation. The second, part comprised songs, vocal duets, and instrumental selections, all of which went well. This was the first of a series ot concerts to.be gjven under,'a new arrangement, viz., tiqkets are .;tp". be issued to subscribers onlv, and not sold at the door. The Society may he congratulated upon the working of their new system, which made the concert a genuine success,

Not a little excitement was .caused in town on Wednesday evening by a telegram ■"'contained in. the "IJaily News" of that date, to tjio pßect." 'tjia't ; '. the. Government had been informed;; of the existence of a quartz reef in.the Province of Taranaki. The correspondent states he himself has seen the ; specimens in which gold in 'large-, quantities is distinctly visible tp thp naked eye, The exact spot tjaa beeij disclosed to the Native Minister, who*, is also Minister of Mines, and he has' promised to further the matter jn..•every possible way. The tejegrany, also states the Minister- is framing regulations containing the offer of-a' bonus for the discovery-of: a payablegold field in the North Island.- Itja'tp * be hoped this is not a lirtax; for should:' it, turn out genuine, 1 the'working of the - gold, field will cause a vast improvement, both in business and settlement in the town of.New Plymouth...' >] .

The breakwater is still';progressing, and several sections haye been .completed since I last wrote,. The present rough featheris, a greatdrawbgck, as jt|e ijeavy sea prevents tho divera from continuing operations.'.- As soon a&fins' weather sets- in,a great. improvement in the progress will be noticeable.