NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume 29, Issue 103, 29 December 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The New Year. —In order to gire our employes a holiday on New Year's Ulay, our next issue will be published on Friday afternoon. Advertisers wf'l, thereforo, please sen/1 m thejr favors before np.on, oft that day. Meetings of Creditors,— To-moi-. row wi 1 ' be a regular field-day with the insolenfcs, I here being something like half a do?en meetings of the unfortunates convened at the Couvthous*. We have been asked to j draw the attention of the creditors m Mr. Metard's esVte to the fact, with a request for their attendance. The W§§leyan Annual Pic-nic, — r-The pie-n^c m connection with the Palmerston Weßleyan Sunday School, will take place on. New Years 1 Day m Mr. Marsh's paddock, Terrace End. Quite independently of the merits of such a treat, when it is statad that the proceeds will be devoted to procuring prizes we have no doubt the pat~ ronage will result m a substantial return. Masonic. — There, was a meeting of the Masonic Brethren at their new Hall on Monday evening, when Eliafe Warbuvfcon, Esq., was installed as W.M. for the ensuing twelve months. The new Master invested as Senior Warden, Brother Eobert Nort.h Keeling; ; Brother Hayns, as Junior Warden ; and Brother T. King, «s Treasurer. Brother P.M's W. J. Swainson and T. King acted as installing Masters. The Anniversary Races.— We would call the especial attention of the Racing Club to the meeting convened for Wednesday evening. We have been informed by the chairman of the committee that the business is to consider the advisability or 'other-wise of amalgamating with the Anniversary Eaces Committee, m order to take every step to make the proposed meeting a success. It. is therefore to be hoped that every member will put m an ap pearance. A Bibulous Amazon.— Sarah Clare, alias Mary Brown, a recent arrival from Ntvpiev, and a lady about whom it is stated that Inspector Scully paid her passage 'ram that townjin order to be rid of her — was yesterdaj brought before the Mayor and Mr Warburton on three charges. The first was for being drunk and disorderly, and using ob.scene language j the second, for assaulting Constabe Gillespie, and striking him over the head with ab.ottle full of beer ; and the third, of being a vagrant ancLhii.vin£_ no lawful visible means of suppoi;. Sarah denied being intoxicn' d. and stated that the said beer was medicine for the tooth-ache ; while, as to hep occupation, she was working hard for some lady whose name she could not remember. She infovmed the Court'that she did not intend to stop m Palmer9ton, but the Bench replied that she would be compelled to do so for forty-eight hours on the first charge, after which, should the other charges be proven, she should be shifted without delay. The two Ir.st cases were adjourned, m order to enable the Constable to produce evidence as to the assault, and the character of the accused. A Narrow Escape.— A most providential escape from serious destruction of property, if not loss of lif«, occurred on Monday afternorn. It appears the heavy Fr'vlie engine was coming down the incline toward the crossing of the Napier, Eoad at Terrace End, just as a waggon, laden with timber was some little distance from the crossing. The whistle of the engine "was sounded, but the driver of the vehicle took no notice and endeavored to cross m front of the approaching train. When too late, however, he aiscoverr 1 be could not do so and as the engine grazed the horse's nose, the animal was wheeled round so quickly as to bring th« tail end of the timber m contr nt with the guard's van, badly damaging the latter m the collision. Had the horse b.ptn a moment sooner, or tht train a seoond later, the animal, and possible its driver, would have been cut m two. We believe the authorities ai'e m possession of the name of the delinquent, but should a punishment follow, he may be thankful that it will not be, as it might have been, the loss of life. The Sa,cred Concert. — One of he greatest treats which the people ot Palmerston have ever had,, took place on Christmas night, when tha members of the Patchwork Company gave their lacred Concert m the Foresters' Hall. The pro- j gramme was an admirably selected one, em- | bracing the very choicest selections from ■uch composers s,a Mozart, Handel, and Mendelssohn, with a Varied distribution of vocal and instrumental pieaes from those authors. The entertainment commenoed with what certainly is one of' the grandest pieces of music extant— Mozart's nhef d'oeuvre, the " G-loria m Excelsi3 " m his Twelfth Mass. This was given by the orchestra — a clarionet, oornefc, flute, two violins and a piano — m magnificent style, and it, is a flattering tribute nlike tp, performers and audience that during its performance a pin could hare been heard falling. The execution was simply perfect, but we imagine the effect would have been materially enhanced by the addition of a violincello to th 6 orchesti-a, m order to give it volume. The next item wns the solo from Hnndel's Messiah, " Comfort ye " which wns allotted to Mr. Edwards, the leading tenor of the company. There is no doubt that Mr. Edwards is fully entitled to the very high reputation which he boars, but unfortunately on Saturday night he had not got over the effects of the soa-trip to Foxton, and consequently his voice was very husky. " The Last Man " served to introduce Mr. Palliser, the bass singer, but he, too, had not apparently recovered the effects of mal de mer, notwithstanding which Calcott'B solo was rendered m splendid style, giving an earnest of what he could do under other circumstances. Undoubtedly the gem of the evening was G-lovei>'s " Consider the Lilies of the Field," for which Mr. Hill re.ce.iye.d a most vociferous and well-deserved encore. His voic« is scarcely so sweet or pure a tenor ki Mr. Edwards', but it is of good compass, and as on Saturday night it was cleai; and tinging as a ball, it shone out m bri 2h.fr contrast to the general hoarseness pnder which the other members of the company labored. In the second portion of the entertainment Mr. Edwards had considerably jmproved. and sang "The Total Eclipse'from Samson, m exoe.lle.nt style,, and the same may he said of Mr. Palliser with Sir Michael Cesta's, "The Seed Shall be Prosperous," fr,ora Naaman. Candor compels us to say that we cannot oompliment Mr. G-rant far Cf Roqk of Ages," that well-known hymn being given m an affected style which \s not. ceijtainly erititlad to "eqmmeqciation, the" singer evolving the matody— if we my we the exprG3sionr-bjf|B^3s of gas~> , qi'hs, and shr*ugs^|^^^^H^^e^ere. supposed toUfl^^^^^^^^^^^Hfe^ji* f}rst j^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 1

with Handel, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. The orchestra wai perfect, and aa Mr. Woolf, R.A.M., presided at the piano, the vocalists had a tower of strength m the matter of accompaniment. Tho performance of young Master HiU on tha cornet was the theme of general admiwition, and his proficiency on tKat.idifljcv\ls ix^strviment, i a SQiirc? of wonderand asktou^iK^i— *****- as a whole, the concert was a grand success, and so. delighted wore soTcral of the Feilcling people, who hnd ridden over to it, that they declared their determination to give the company a large guarantee to give* the concert m their town as a mid-day performance. Death of Dr. Walker.— lt is with th« deepest regret we. huve to chronicle the decease of Dr. Walter, surgeon to the Constabulary Foncss, stationed atTaupo, which took place on Christmas $ye. The deceased gentleman was a brother of Mrs. Arthur S. B. Forsfcer, of th; town, by whom a ielegram was received from Major- Scannell, on Christmas Day, announcing the melancholy intelligence. The deceased gentleman, who at the time of his death was only thirty-six years of age, had been connected with the constabulary from the time ha was eighteen years of agej had served nil through tha Native War of 1869, and was well known to •very member of the Colonial Forces. By his death anotherhero has passed away, for not only had Dr. Walker fought for his country, but he was m possession of the New Zealand Cross, with winch lie was publicly decorated for conspicuous bravery under fire. The following is the report of the ceremony of the decoration, culled from one of the journals of the time:— "lt will be very gratifying to the friendi of Dr. Walker— and their name is legion- -to find that, though the recognition has been fcardy, it has come at last, and that thut oer.tleman has received the New Zealand Op>*s for distinguished bravery m the field, during the last Native war. Never- was a. distinction more honestly enrned, and we sincerely congratulate its recipient, on justice bein^ done to him. People must, remember- that m his case, as m the cases of all nonoombatants, it requh'es more than usual courage to pprform their duties. Those actually engaged fighting hand to hand have the excitement of battle to incit* and stimulate them. Mtdical men on the contrary, have all the same chances of being killed, without ths opportunity of retaliation, and have to succour the wounded, very often under fire. We understand that Dr. Walker times out of number, carried wounded men out of tht tliickjifjrariousjErays when the bullets were as plentiful as hailstones ; on one occasion ha was carrying- a wounded man on his baok to a place of safety, when he (the wounded man) was shot dead whilst boinir so transported. May he long live to wear this ornament, of wlii&h he has just reason to be proud, for it was gallantly won, and not obtained by backstairs influence or interest, but by sheer pluck and courage, In a Gazette of the Bth inst., there appears a lot of names, which we publish m another column^ to whom the Cross is allotted. Our townsman is thus described •. — " Assistant Surgeon Samuel Walker, Aimed Constabu\avy, — :For conspicuous gallantry m the performance of his duties as Assistant-Sur* geon on many occasious during tho campaign of 1868-6&, nnd notably at the successful attack upon tha position and encampment of Titoko Wnru at Otauto, on the 13th March, 1869, where, he was exposed to a very heavy flre, and bore himself with great oourage." The following is a description of the decoration. The Cross is suspended by a deep crimson ribbon, the bar being of frosted silver wiih raised 1 lauval leaves m gold on its plate. Beneath hangs the Cross itself, surmounted by a crown m gold. The Cross is Maltese m shape, tht quarters being of frosted silver. The centre is a circular silver shield, encircled by a wreath of laurel m gold. On the obrerse the name of the incipient is engraved, together with the force he belongs to. The whole is exceedingly pretty as a work of art, and is a fitting testimonial for brave men to wear. The presentation will take place this day week, and a special parade will be held for the purpose. The Wairoa Light Horse, Volunteers, will attend, and all the Colonial Foives available will be present fo giVe eclat to tho occasion." Dr. Walker was only a few days ailing, died from Bright's disease of the liver, and leaves a widow and one daughter. The news of his almost sudden and enrlv death will be received with deep regret on this coast where he was so well known, and so universally esteemed.