NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 121, 2 March 1881, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Manawatu Highways Board. — The monthly meeting of the Manawatu Highways Boord took place yesterday at the Town Ha l, Palmerston, when Mr. Perry, the new warden for Kiwitea, took his seat for the first time. Resident Magistrate's Court.— To morrow will be the fortnightly sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court, and promises to be a most exciting one. Informations have been laid between Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Montague for an interchange of language not quite Chesterfieldia, so that a spectacle anything but edifying may be ex ected. Struck Work — As a butcher's cart heavily laden with meat was proc ding from the slau hter-house toward town on Saturday morning, and when opposite the Post Office the wheel got "tired " of its work and struck. After some consideration the driver came to the conclusion that it would not he safe to proceed without the cart, in its unprotected condition, so a passine vehicle was pressed in service, the meat transferred and taken to its destination, and the invalid sent to the doctor's. The New Court House. — The contract for the new Court House has been let, and the bond igned, the contractors, Messrs, Ewing and Govern. only waiting to finish up a job at Mo oa, b fore commencing operations. We beli v the tim allowed is two months, but as the next sitting of the D strict Court takes place on the 22nd, we are som what at a loss to know how his Honor will conduct the proceedings, more particularly as there are four criminal cases on the calender. Accident. —We regret to have to chronicle an accident which happened to Mr. Charles Tricklebank a few days ago. He was working about his brick kiln in an

elevated position, when his foot slipped and he fell upon some bricks, breaking two of his ribs. His injuries were promptly attended to by Dr. Marrinner, under whose care he at present is. Of course there were no serious esults still the mishap will lay him up for some little time. The English Mail. — Th* postal authorities announce that tte outward Engli h mail, via GMle-Brin'iisi. will close at Pa meraton on Friday evening, at 7.45. Borough Council. — The usual monthly meeting of the Pa'merßton Borough Council will be held tonight, but we are not aware of anything of unusual importance to. come before. the meeting.— ■ — ~~ Ash Wednesday. — To-day, being Ash Wednesday — the first day of Lent — thrt Rev. Father Moreau will celebrate Mass at nine o'clock, at which ihe ceremony of blessing the ashes will take place. Cricket — ''he Scratch Match which was to have b e en improvised for last Saturday did n"ttake place for the ve.'y cxc lent reason tha' at. the time appointed no on*- " rams up to the scratch," consequently there was neither match nor practice. Sur.h action 'oes not bode well for the contest with Ma> ton which takes plxce on Saturday and which we are ye y much afaid will end m a defeat. Subsidies to Public Bodies. — i The members of the M>in«watu County Council met together on Monday, at the Council Chambers, for the purpose of drawing a circular to be forwarded *o all the rvid boards, Loroughs, and county councils ii the colony upon the- -matter of endowments or su^sidi'-s ro -uch bodies. The tex appears m a: oth r column. A Stroke of Luck.— We clip the fol owing from h. Southern exchange : — ' The decision of Huned'n Tattereall's m re ihe dispute between "Drake, "a bootmaker, and W. Goodisson, arising out of the list Du"'pdin cup, was given last night. The. committee of the club decided m favor of Goodisson, and Drake has »o stump up to the tune of £1,900." Mr Go'<disson is a s>n of Mr Thomas Goodisson of this town, who no doubt, wi 1 be well pleased with chis rathei larg* slice of good luck. New Pavement. — Mr. Hanlon is hard at work laying down his new concrete p vement in fr nt of Mr. Leary's the Square. Of course until the material has had time to harden, no traffic can be allowed upon the it, and consequently it is protected by the erection o a temporary hoarding. Mr. Hanlon is very sanguine as to the result, and guarantees the thorough durability of the work. There can be no doubt, should the flagging at Mr. Leary's prove sa sf ctor , as we believe it will, very many others around the quare will patronise the new industry. Our Gallant Defender.— The official inspection which was to have taken place on Friday evening did not come off, as Major Noake, was detained at Patea. The was an ■ xcellent muster, and the officers put the corps 'hrouarh their drill. After s-veral evolutions had beeu most credit ibly ca-ri d out, a meeting was held, at which the balance *beet of the company was read; received, and adopt d, and a Council of Management for the ensuing year elected. From the document pr. sent d it appeared that the finances of the corps were m a most heal ty condition. A resoution was passed thit each man should be allowed thirty rounds of ammunition fre • each week to be used, however, under the supervision of >n officer. We have been informed that the Captain has re eived three marksmen's badges for presentati n to S rgeant Stephenson and Privates *now and Hush. The Palmerston School Committee.—We understand that Mr. Hayns has received official intimation from the Wanganui Education Board that they have decided that he is to fill the vacancy on the Pa merston sch ol Committee, vacated by the Rev. A M. Wright's ineligibility. As, however, Mr Hayns holds the same opinion th t we do with regard to the late election, he declines to accep the position, believing that the whole slection was null and void, and we are informed that he intends to get a petition signed for presentation to the Minister of Education upon the point. Mr. Hayns' action in the matter is worthy of all praise, for although fu ly believing in the nullity of the election, he fore ore taking any action until the decision was in his favor, so that the disinteres edness of his motives and acti n cannot for a moment be impugned. Biting Sarcasm, — One of the finest pieces of irony which we remember to have heard for some time comes to us from Foxton A few days ago there was an art union in that town, the prize being a splendid outrigger. The fickle goddess smiled upon Mr. B ank, and to the envy of all the shareholders, he became the winner of the prize. A little while after the termina ion of the proceedings, he was interviewed by a p ominent member of the Boating Club, who made strenuous efforts to induce B ank to transfer the prize to the club upon terms somewhat advantageous for the latter. This the winner steadfastly refused to do, being stone deaf to the ap peal of pa riotism, philantrophy, and every other lever which could be brought against him. At last, irritated with Blank's obstinacy and his own want of success, the interviewer, as he let loose his pent up rage, retorted : — " Well, then, you obstinate brute, stick to it ; but I hope to Heaven if you row Hanlon that he will beat you." " Well, never mind if he does ; it won't hurt you," rejoined Blank in the most innocent manner in the world, never noticing the biting sarcasm which had been conveyed in the wish, and he walked away quite contented. Slightly in Error. — Mr. Jacob Joseph, merchant, of Wellington, appears to be of the opinion that he is in a position not only to defy public bodies with impunity, but also to do so in the most offensive manner posibl , An application for the paym nt of rates for the Awa Huri Hotel had been made to him, but he not only point blank refused to pay, but accompanied his refusal with most insulting language, charging the Sandon and Carnarvon Board with gross ignorance in making application to him, when he had disposed o his interest to Mr. Mark Samuels. If there be any ignorance at all in the matter which we very much doubt — it is upon the part of the bumptious plutocrat himself, for he should know that as long as the property is set down to a person in the rate hook, unless he appeals, and has his appeal allowed by the Assessment Court, he is liable and must pay. It therefore does not ma ter a button whether the hotel has been sold to Mr, Samuels, or in fact whether Jacob Joseph ever owned it at all, if he appear in the rate b.ook as the owner, he will have to pay notwithstanding all his fume and froth to the contrary. The Education Board.— At the meeting of the Educatio Board on Wednesday the following matters were dealt wi h : — Awahuri— Letter asking the Board to sanction t e enlargement of the school sufficiently to obtain 100 children, as the attend nce is close upon that number now. Mr Sanson moved —That the Secretary be instructed to apply to the Native Minister for L150 for the englargement of the Awahuri Schoo , for the accomm dation of the Native children as the Board is unable to undertake this most necessary work through

want of funds.— Seconded by Mr Ross, and carried. — Karere — Application for four large and four medium sized desks.-— Resolved, That the Secretary ask the Chairman to enquire at what price these desks can be procured. — Palmerston North— Letter enclosing tenders for repairs to roofing the school . — L5 was voted for the repairs. Also letter asking for additions to the schoolhouse as the present accommodation was inadequate to the number af pupils. The additions would cost from L60 to L80.— Resolved, That the request be comp i p with to the extent of L30, the balance to be made up by the Committee, and refunded by the Board when in funds.

The Way the Money Goes. ~ The captain of an emigrant ship to one of the Australian Colonies, who recently returned to England, he a stated that one of the emi--grants he took oat at the expense of the Colonial Government was the fortunate possessor of a thousand pound Bank of England note, which he exhibited on board . ship. No doubt a captalist of this kind may prove advantageous to the Colony, b \t whether he ought to_have been conveyed free, with Sis family is quite another matter. A Terhiblb Person, — The deceased wife's sister is a most importunate and pertinacious cieature. She has got her claim toroairyher brother-in-law acknowledged m Ceylon, South Australia, Victoria, Tas mania, New South Wa'es, Queensland, tnd Western Australia. She got through tho New Zealand and N«tal Legislatures last year, but the Queen refused to complete her happiness m regard to these two colonies. She has passed through the House of Commons seven times, and been kicked downstairs aa many times by the ungallant Lords. Served Him Bight.— A watchmaker I vthß tarred and feathered on Friday w?ek at Waipawa, Hawke's Bay. He had been m the habit of addressing mysterious mi* sives to a young lady residing near the township, and her relations growing m I censed at his conduct, determined to •' wait upon him," which they did m the manner just mentioned. The " meeting " was brought about by a letter, purporting to come from the lady, having been delivered to the subject of the ugly hoax, making an appointment, of which he gladly availed himself. Mr. C. is now a svdder, if not a wiser man, and the young lady's friends, are satisfied. Polical Gossip.— Rumours are; beginning to float about repecting pr bable candidates at the text general election. Either directly or from personal friends or the gentleman named, I learn that Mr. Henderson will agan oppose Mr. Ppymour ; Mr; ; Ingles will try conclusions with Mr. Saun- , ders ; tha Rev J. C. Andrew will contest one of the Nelson constituencies ; Mr Roid willnot be m the field for a North Otago or South Canterbury electorate ; Mr Bees is on the look put for an opening ; and the rumour that Mr. George Jones means retiring from political life is without founda. tion. None of these announcements are of particular importance ; but that they should be made shows that the Colony is alreAdy wakipg urlq the_fact jtliat ji_general election is not very far off. Tbioyci.es m the Telegraph See vice.— The South Australian Megisterstates : — " The comparative success which has attended the introduction of tricycles m Sydney for the use of the Telegraph boys, has led Mr. Todd to consider whether it would not be advantageous to get vehicles of a somewhat 'similar kind for the telegraph and post-office messengers of Adelaide. Our streets are favourable for theuse of bicycles and tricycles, as the gradients are not-steep,- and-f he -roadways are m fair order. The idea of supplying the messengers with the sarnie means of traversing tha city as m Sydney m only under consideration, and nothing has been settled yet. It is a question which would be the most suitable, bicycles or tricycles. The. bicycles are certainly more speedy, take np less room, and require less muscular exertion,, but tricycles are easier to ride m the first instuno.', and it is probable, if the authorities determine to supersede the me of horses for the telegraph boys, tricycles will be chosen m preference to the twowheelers." A Female Custom House Officeb. — An exceptional woman received a wellwon appo'nhnent the other day (says the Pall Mall Budget) m New York, when Mrs Annie B. Wi'son wag made inspeetress of the New York Custom house. Born m the Bay of Bengal and reared on shipboard, she married a Boston captain when fourteen years of age. For Beven years this child o F the ocean continued; to sail the sfias by her husband's side without accident ; bat m 1872 their vessel was struck by a storm on the ba^ks of Newfoundland. The captain, (her hushirid), had his shoulderblade broken by the fall of a mast, and the first mate and part of the crew were also disabled. The second mate gave way to panic. No sooner, however, had the raptain been carried down, lashed on a door, to the cabin, than his, wife, then a woman; of one and-twonty, hurried, on deck. " Boys," she said, " our lives are m danger. Lpt us stick together, and all of us, work with a will. 1 will take my husband's place, and take you to some port." They set to work, cleared off the wreckage, manned the pumps, and succeeded m weathering the gale. After it subsided, they rigged up a jurymast, put the ship before the wind, and went to 8t Thomas, which they reached m twenty-one days. After repai 8, the indomitable woman, finding ber husband was still helpless, navigaredthe ship to Livirpoool, making the voyage with >ut acoi 'ent m thirty days. H-^r husband was never able to resume, work, and for seven years she kept him and h* r child by working as a clerk m a drygoods store, ' Eight months ago her hnsband died. This month Secretary Sher« man appointed Mrs Wilson, who is not yet thirty, to an inspectorship of the New York Custom house.