LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 105, 8 April 1885, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The appointments of Owen Pleasant to be Lieutenant in the Manchester Rifle Volunteers, and A. R. F. Johnston to be Lieutenant in the Palmerston Volunteers are gazetted.

We have been shown over Messrs Moore and Carter's new butchery premises in the Square and could not help noticing the perfect cleanliness pervading all the departments. The retail shop is a picture itself of tidiness and order, and at the rear of the establishment where are the salting down and small goods rooms the same attention is paid to thorough cleanliness. We wish the firm every success in their business enterprise,

We are glad to see that Pastor Gaustad is slowly recovering from his recent severe and prostracted indisposition. We believe Messrs Jolly and Curreen, intend holding monthly assemblies at the Foresters' Hall, to commence at an early date. A very enjoyable dance programme was got through at the close of Monday's concert, the party breaking up about 4 a.m. Mr Snelson took occasion before commencing the sale at the mart on Saturday last to refer to the partnership entered into between himself and Mr W. Akers. In thanking his patrons for past favors he hoped a continuance of such patronage would be accorded the new firm. He felt sure that with fair play and no favor, they would hold their own, and that the public would continue to tender that support so liberally given in the past. The two county election petitions in Reefton have at length been finally dealt with. In both cases the petitions were dismissed with costs against the petitioners. Nearly 200 witnesses were examined. The costs amount to nearly £1000. An appeal to the Supreme Court is probable. Somerville, cab proprietor in Wellington, recovered ten guineas and costs from the Wellington City Tramway Company for damages alleged to have been sustained in consequence of the tramway rails being higher above the surface of the road than allowed by law. The Foxton paper records an unfortunate mishap which occurred in connection with the last trip of the Tui to that port. It appears that on that steamer arriving at the wharf on Friday morning, the engineer, Mr Watson, instructed one of the firemen to turn off the sluice through which the water in the hold is run out. Owing to carelessness the hole was not completely closed. Mr Watson heard " fizzing " during the night, and thought it arose from something connected with the pumping apparatus, but finding it continued early in the morning made an examination, and immediately ascertained the cause. It was found a large quantity of water had got into the hold, and some of the cargo at the bottom was damaged by water. That actually damaged was taken back to Wellington in the steamer. It is exceedingly fortunate the vent-hole was not open wider, or we might have had to chronicle a much more serious accident than the destruction of part of the cargo. A piece of welcome news comes from an authority on river matters regarding the work being done by the snagging party up the Wanganui. A channel is guaranteed up as far as Parakino of 70 feet in width, and four feet in depth at the lowest. The party under Mr Annabel are evidently doing good work, and they have taken out an immense number of snags from the bed of the river. When so much good can be attained in so short a time, and with such small means as those in hand we are justified in believing that the improvement of the river all the way up is not so difficult a question as some imagine. The river and River Navigation Company are closely allied, and we (Herald) may remark that there is a decided difference in the public mind as regards the shares in this company. The balance are being eagerly enquired for, and there is every prospect of the full number being taken up before the Company is registered. The telegraph is to be brought into reyuisition on the occasion of turning the first sods of the trunk railway, so that the Governor at the Marton end, and Tawhiao at the Te Awamutu end, may both lift their shovels full at the same moment. During his visit to Waikato, Mr Ash bury, of Brighton, informed a friend (says a correspondent of the Auckland Star) that it was his intention to start and extensive bacon-curing concern, and that he was in treaty for 17,000 acres in the Whakatane district for the purpose. He considers the bacon in England is unfit for consumption. Refrigerating machinery will be used, so that the bacon can be cured at an even temperature. A Dunedin tenant whose landlord put the bailiff in for rent swore an information against him for being illegally on the premises, and had him arrested. The bailiff of course got off. Tenders are being called for two miles and thirty-five chains of railway to connect New Plymouth with the breakwater at the Sugar Loaves. An extraordinary general meeting of the Wellington - Manawatu Railway Company will be held on Tuesday, 21st instant, for the purpose of electing three Directors and confirming resolution for increasing the capital of the Company. The Post understands that there are about 150 nominated Government immigrants on board the New Zealand Shipping Co.'s steamer Kaikoura, which left Plymouth on the 14th March for Wellington. We see by a Northern exchange that the manufacture of 100 tons of ground charcoal for the Waitara Freezing Works has just been completed at New Plymouth. A large industry is said to be likely to spring up in this line, as freezing works, it is understood, are great consumers of ground charcoal. The late Colonel Stewart, killed at Metemneh, was for three years (1860 to 62) in the Winchester School Eleven. He excelled as batsman, never failing to score double figures against Eton, and on one occasion he had an aggregate for the match of seventy runs. The following appears in a recent Auckland paper : — ln Banco. In the Matter of the Law Practitioners Act and George Hutchison, Solicitor.— Further argument was heard on the questions in volved in this case, and an order was made, by consent, that money claimed by Davis be paid, namely, £335 3s, and interest on £326 17s 9d, Davis giving a sufficient undertaking to pay Hutchison any excess of his costs, as solicitor in the action, from the amount remaining in his hands. The electric light on the steamer Wairarapa was recently shewn in Wellington, and brilliantly illuminated the wharf and the harbour. Water is so scarce in Marton that the water works operations have to be suspended, owing to there being no water wherewith to puddle the clay. The latest Native News is to the effect that the camp of the Maori prophetess is broken up, the natives having returned home. She was asked about the failure of her prophecies and said they were fools to believe her. " The day is only postponed and I will still foretell that the end is near." At the Auckland Autumn Meeting on Monday, three lucky backers of Kalo in the Shorts Handicap divided a pool of £839 amongst them, less the usual commission,the share of each-investor being £251 15s. Kalo's win was a great surprise. Mr D. C. Tennent, secretary of the Marton Small Farm Association, has received a letter from the Under-Secretary for Lands intimating that the association's application for 11,000 acres of the Pohangina Block has been approved of but intimating that the land is quite unsuitable for Small Farm settlements We should think it was. A more unsuitable selection could not possibly have been made. The Wairarapa, from Auckland, via East Coast, brought 273 cheese for shipment to London from Wellington by the R.M.S.S. Ruapehu, which leaves on Saturday next.

The Colonist says that Dr Schwarzbach, who is at present on a visit in Nelson, performed successfully during one forenoon five serious operations, viz., two for extraction of cataract, one for straightening a squinting eye, and two for removing ulcerated tonsils — a good day's work. Our late cable news states that two men, who occupied prominent positions during the Civil War in America — General Ulysses S. Grant and the exPresident of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis — are on their death beds. This is a strange coincidence. The bride of Mr Ihaka Te Tai, M.H.R. is not, as reported, a pure English girl, but a half-caste. The death is announced of Earl Cairns, whose conduct in opposing Lord Garmoyle's marriage with Miss Fortescue, the actress, was so much commented on. Lord Garmoyle succeeds to the title. The third prize in the Lady Evelyn Consultation went to the crew of the Jane Douglas. The Post has the following paragraph: — " A Manawatu paper proudly asserts that no local tradesman who has advertised exclusively in its columns has found it necessary to go through the Court, while several who confined their favours to its contemporary have had to seek the protection of whitewashing." We fancy Manawatu must be a misprint for Masterton. Surely no Manawatu paper could have made such a ridiculous statement. The revolt amongst the Indian halfbreeds in North-west Canada is headed by Louis Reel, the leader in the Red River insurrection in 1870. The evening papers state that the autumn campaign in the Soudan will probably be abandoned. For the first time for many years, Topini, one of the principal upriver chiefs has been induced to visit the town of Wanganui. The Foxton paper explains that the reason of the coach not reaching Foxton in time for the train on Good Friday was that it appears Mr Hall, who was in command on the occasion, had been told that trains did not run on that day, and therefore took it easy. Mr W, H. Chitham, of Wanganui, was yesterday fined £2. and costs for permitting gambling on his premises. The Tainui will sail from Lyttelton on the 12th, and not on the 14th, as previously stated. Colonel Valentine Baker has considerably improved in health. The only trace he bears of the terrible wound he received in the advance of Osman Digna's force is a blue-black scar about an inch long just under his right eye. Half an inch higher and the shot must have entered his brain. The wound has healed up wonderfully to external appearances. But from time to time, in ceitain aspects of the weather, or in varying health, Colonel Baker still feels its effects. In consequence of Judge Richmond's continued indisposition, the business that has accumulated for the Wellington Bankruptcy Court will probably be dealt with by his Honour the Chief Justice on his return from Wanganui, but no date can yet be fixed for the sitting of the Court. It is rumored says the Foxton paper, that Mr S. M. Baker intends taking action against the Town Board for damages, owing to injuries sustained by his son, who, it will be remembered was thrown from his horse on the Avenue Bond a few weeks ago. The Wellington Meat Preserving Company huve completed the loading of the Oamaru, by which they are despatching about 10,000 sheep, and she will take her departure thence in the course of a few days. The Meat Export Company is now freezing for the Ruapehu, Coptic, and Kaikoura, and the Company's works will be engaged at full work for several months to come. The proprietors of the Melbourne Argus entertained Mr George Agustus Sala at a banquet last week. The gravest apprehensions are entertained for the safety of the Eastern Extension Cable Company's repairing steamship Magnetic, which left Portland England, on the 10th March last. Nothing has been heard of her since she left England. A series of exceedingly heavy gales prevailed off the English coast a day or two after the Magnetic, sailed from Portland, and it is feared she may have foundered. M . Oliver Pain, the Frenchman who is said to have acted as the confidential adviser of the Mahdi throughout the seige of Khartoum, was a companion of M. Rochfort, the celebrated literary Communist, m the escape from New Caledonia in the barque P.C.E. It is odd that while Woman— lovely Woman — dotes on the fragrance of flowers, Man — brutal Man— prefers that of a weed. At the next preserving and boilingdown works of Messrs Williams and Beetham at Masterton, sausage aud saveloy making is to be a great feature. Most expensive sausage making machinery has been imported and the firm contemplate exporting the articles mentioned in large quantities. An impression appears to prevail (says the Post) that a scarcity of ammunition exists in the colony. This is incorrect. The Government have in store 85 rounds of shot and shell for each of the 23 big guns, and they have recently received one million rounds of Snider cartridges. A large supply of gun-cot-ton was ordered from home upwards of two months ago for torpedo use, and is now probably on its way out. The Government are also having constructed a number of dynamite torpedoes or mines fot harbour defence. We are informed that Mr Marcus, the Railway Stationmaster at Wanganui, is about to be moved to New Plymouth, and that his place will be occupied by Mr Duffy from Waitara. Mr Duffy isa very popular and efficient officer of the railway department. It is rumored that Mr McKenna at present stationmaster at Greatford, is to be sent to Palmerston. A number of people have expressed their regret at Mr Bass' early departure. Sheehan. charged with the Castle-town-Roche murders, and who is under remand to Ireland, has arrived in Wellington from Auckland in charge of Detective Walker and Sergeant Dunny, of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Sheehan is now in gaol, where he will remain until the departure of the R.M.S.S. Ruapehu for London on Saturday. The erection of the freezing works at Auckland is proceeding steadily. A portion of the machinery is already in position, and the rest is being put up. In six weeks or so the establishment for freezing will probably be completed. One of the large ocean-going steamers will go there in June, to take away the first cargo of frozen meat which will be turned out from the works.