NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 180, 14 December 1881, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Taki g his Departure —We deeply regret to announce, that through pressing family affairs in Paris, Mr. E. E. Metard. has found, it imperative to dispose of the whole of his stock in-trade, and property, at an early date to repair thither. The advertisement announcing his clearing off sale will appear in a future issue. Borough Tenders.— The Borough Council are inviting tenders for the fol lowing:— Applications from persons willing to undertake the care of the streets in the Square, and for the supply of Dog collars for the ensuing year. An extraordinary vacancy in the Council is also declared consequent upon the forfeiture of his sea by Councillor J. Mowlem. An election will be held on the 29th instant. Christmas Presents.— Mr. C. Jor genson announces that he has just received a large supply of toys, and fancy goods of every description, and of a high-class order, the whole of which have been selected as suitable Christmas gifts, and which will be sold cheap. Those desirous of making purchases should lose no time in paying Mr. Jorgenson's emporium a visit. Still Progressive.— lt is astonishing to see with what rapidity the buildings are constantly springing up, in the vicinity of College and Ferguson-streets. Every week the progress is marked, and there is no doubt, that this portion of the town is last growing into importance . A Good Haul.— The Borough Ranger made an easy catch of about half a dozen horses which were quietly grazing on the street in the Square on Monda morning. They were, of course, conducted to the public pound, where they would await the com ing of their owner or owners to release them. Luxurious Growth.— lt is a plea sure to traverse some of the new streets round about Palmerston and behold the abundance of beautiful clover, and mixed grasses which abound on the thorouahfare Leading to the Race Course, from the Fitzherbert Road, the great quantity of pasturage cannot but attract attention, whilst the size, and height of the scotch thistle, is really astonishing, and certainly speaks volumes for the excellence of the soil in the locality. A Chinese Garden.— In addition to the many vegetable gardens, with which Palmerston is supplied, a couple of "Celestia's" have just leased an acre of land in Church-street, fr m Mr. Tricklebank, where they intend making a garden, and although at present, the land is in a very rough state, still we venture to predict that 'er & o'her season they will have the ground in a very different condition. Mr. Dutton's Lecture.— We again remind our readers of the lecture to be given in the Town Hall, to-night. The evenings entertainment will be interspers d. with singing, in which several ladies have consented to assist. The Misses Ha ris, and Trevend will sing a duett entitled "Let it Pass," also, "Love at home. " Miss Jowsey will sing that affecting solo, 'climbing up the golden stairs." Altogether a most enjoyable evenings entertainment may be expected, and we anticipate a bumper house. The Cricketing Season.— The Palmerston Club may be said to have formally opened the season on Saturday, when a few members mustered at Terrace End to indulg in the manly sport, Owing, no doubt, to the many disappointments the Club have been subjected to, the number present, on this occasion was not sufficient to play a match, or to call sides, which was a pity, as a number of ladies, and lovers of the same, was in attendance. The Club will, in all probability meet again next Saturday, when it is to be hoped the members wil muster in force. Maori Feast.— A great feast was given last week, at Taiporohenui, to the natives just returned from Parihaka. The following list of purchases for the feed ( says the Hawera Star) will give an idea of the expenditure incurr d on account of these entertainments: — Eighteen head of young eattle, 1000 loaves of bread, 7 hhds beer, 50 gals spirits, 10 bags sugar, 5 boxes tea, 20 pigs ; also about £25 worth of tobacco and matches. The total cost would probably reach £250, to raise which a number of tenants of the natives in the neighbourhood of Hawera have been dunned to give "orders " on account of rent coming due. The Opaki-Masterton Races.— The attendance at those races was small both days, and the sport was extremely dull. Tbe absence of sweeps was most noticeable, or indeed anything which tends to the enjoyment of visitors. The Maiden Plate was won by Mr. Murtagh's Comet, Waitangi second. The Ladies Purse was won by Mr. Murtagh'a Angler ; another horse started, but pulled up, leaving the race a very hollow affair. The Hack Opaki Handicap, was won by Mr. Hayward's Orphan, Angler second, and Shamrock third. Election Sermons—The Rev J. Foster, of Oamaru, has been preaching a series of election sermons, and expounding the "Land Question" to large audiences. For his last sermon, he selected his text from Joshua 13, 1, 2, 5, and dwelt upon the Land Question at considerable length, from a Biblecal point of view. He was of opinion that the Hebrew, commonwealth was an almost ideal system of Government, and that when the Israelites, for the sake of being like other nations, revolted against it, and insisted upon having a impartial Governmen and popular power, that the Supreme power had permitted the world to suffer 3000 years experince of maladministration and bondage under despotic monarchies to teach it how much better it was to have the Godhead for a Supreme Ruler. He was listened to with wrapt attention throughout. and his sermons have been most interesting.

Wilful Destruction.— Many times through these columns, have we mentioned the matter of the wilful destruction of the new Borough fences, by some unprincipled persons, but these are not the only fences, which are, apparently, doomed to be destroyed. Complaints are constantly being made by residents in other streets of the same thing. We have been asked to quietly wa n those who make a portion of Mr Coleman s property a thoroughfare, against the practice of pulling down palings from his fence, in order to make "short cuts" Certain persons have been seen in the act and are known and are warned to desist in such a practice. In one instance, we are told of a gate which was nailed up with a four inch spike, having been actually wr nched off with a bar, or some other implement. The Volunteers' Pay. —There is at last some prospect of our Volunteers getting their hard earned money while doing duty at the Front. An Inspection Parade is ordered for Friday night next, when Lieutenant Marsh informs us, the Volunteers will receive their pay. There has been, and justly, a consi erable amount of dissatisfac tion evinced at th unfair manner in which our men have been treated from the beginning. The men voluntoered their services in the heartiest manner, left their employment, and their homes and families to serve the Government, and country, and it is hard indeed that they should, on their return, have to wait we ks for the few pounds which is due to them. No blame is attachab e to the officers for the delay, as we know that they—especially Lieutenant Marsh— have been indefatigable in their endeavors to get the matter settled. But as usual someone at the head of affairs has blundered. Stray Cattle.—Many times have we, during the past week, heard complaints from Karere residents of the numbers of cattle straying on the roads, to the danger, and annoyance of travellers. In another column appears a letter, on the same subject, in which the writer points out the danger to which he is subjected. In the pursuance of his duties. Surely something can be done to put a stop to allowing these cattle to stray ? Vigorous steps should be taken to remove the danger to which people are subjected in traveling this road. Th Elections.—On Friday evening, and indeed up to three o'clock on Saturday morning, considerable excitement prevalied in the town and people were running about eagerly seeking even the smallest item of news regarding the Foxton and Rangitikei polls. For some hours our office was besieged, and when the wire announcingWilson's and Stevens' return were to hand, the excitement reached a climax, and generally, the greatest satisfac ion at the return of these gentlement were evinced more particularly with regard to Rangitikei, and certainly, in this, we shared in the jubilee, having the fullest trust and confidence in Mr. Stevens. As regards Mr. Wilson, our knowledge of the gentleman is very limited, still from what we have learnt of him, we think, and feel sure, that the electors will not regret having made the choice they have. Narrow Escape from Destruction.—Mr. Waldegrave's fine new building, which is just all but completed, had a very narrow escape from fire on Saturday morning last, about half-past four o'clock. A carpenter's bench stool under the verandah, and of course a quantity of shavings were lying about, and it is supposed that those were ignited by the bottom of the lantern, which, in conformity with the Borough bye-laws, was hung outside the building. About half a candle had been put into the lantern, which, it is supposed had burnt low in the socket, and set fire to a quantity of candle grease in the bottom of the lantern, the heat of which melted the soldering, and caused the bottom to fall out, thus emptying the burning grease among the shavings. Another theory is, that some straggling person must have dropped a match among the shavings, but be the cause as it may, the handsome new building narrowly escaped destruction by the fiery element. The front of the shop is charred considerably, and the large panes of glass are mostly so badly cracked, and damaged, as to necessitate their being replaced by new ones. Fortunately, the builder, Mr, Ewing, had taken out a builder's Insurance policy on the building, so he is to an extent secured against loss. An Ex raordinary Find.—An incident of consi erable interest to local archaeologists occurred at Opotiki, says the Times. The co respondent of the Bay of Plenty Tines states that some distance up Otaro Gorge, on a portion of the estate of Mr. Thomas Black, an enormous puketea tree, probably many hundred years old, has be n blown down disclosing astound ng fact that the wh le of the hollow interior, extending from the roots to the first fork, ab ut 45ft, had been filled with human bodies . Since it fell these have burst out at the butt of the tree in the form of a confused heap of skeletons. A more extraordinary sight than this monarch of the forest lying prone and discharging a perfect hecatomb of human skeletons can scarcely be conceived. Some are nearly perfect, while otbers are mixed up in a chaotic mass of heads, hands, feet, arms and legs indiscriminately. All the Maoris here seem to have been quite unaware of this natural charnel hous-, and declare that it must have happened long before their or their fathers' time. Indeed, the appearance of the tree fully justified the supposition that it must have been some hundreds of years since this novel family vault was filled with its ghastly occupants.