LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9284, 17 December 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Advent Services. — The Rev. Mr Twogood, of Marton, will preach tonight in Christ Church. Sporting. — In another column will be found the programme of the Turakina Race Meeting. Cricket.— A telegram has been received by Mr Anson, from the agent in Dunedin, stating that the Australian Cricketers will play Wanganui between the 5th and 9th of February. The cricket ground is being put in order in preparation for the match with Nelson. Ministerial Changes. — The Evening Post of the 15th says :— The formal resignations of Mr Rolleston, as Minister of Education, and Mr Oliver, as Minister of Mines, were placed in the hands of his Excellency the Governor this afternoon; and the appointments of Mr Rolleston, as Minister of Mines, and of Mr Dick, as Minister of Education, were duly signed by his Excellency. Princess Theatre. — The BurfordClinton Company again appeared in “Shin Fane” to a good down-stairs, house last night. Next to the clever acthig of Mr Gratton Riggs, the songs of Mdlle Murielle, and the Irish jig of Miss Wilton, seemed to meet the taste of the audience, and they were loudly applauded. To-night the three-act drama of “The Irish Detective” will be presented, Mr Grattan Riggs appearing, in it in no fewer than seven characters. New Publication. — We have received a copy of the New Zealand Illustrated Annual, edited and published by Mr M. Mosely, of Christchurch. The contents comprise eleven pieces by nine authors, whose combined labours have sufficed to place before the public a very readable volume of prose and poetry. To the latter Mr Thomas Bracken contributes “Waipounamata,” a Maori legend told in the author’s happiest style. Mr H. I. Jones is the local agent for the sale of the Annual. Accident. — A rather painful accident occurred at the High School Athletic Sports yesterday, to a lad named William Rankin. In the running high leap competition he had succeeded in clearing 4ft 1in., and in attempting to better this jump his foot caught the bar, and he fell heavily, dislocating his elbow. Fortunately Mr Steedman was present, and the sufferer received his prompt attention. With some little difficulty he succeeded in replacing the joint before any swelling had set in, and the lad is now progressing most favourably. Sale of Pictures. — The pictures advertised for sale at the Rutland Chambers on Tuesday, the 31st December, are now open for inspection, and connoiseurs would do well to pay them a visit. We are informed that these pictures have been specially shipped for this market, being a trial lot from the celebrated house of Messrs Zappert and Co., London, one of the largest dealers in the trade. There are in all four cases, and their contents comprise oleographs, chromos, engravings, and photographs, framed in neat Swiss cornice mouldings. Caswell Sound Marble. — The Hon Mr Rolleston, Minister for lands, has sent the following reply to a communication from the promoters of the Caswell Sound Marble Company, with reference to several concessions stated in the advertised prospectus of the company :— “The Government has carefully considered the proposals and concessions you have laid before it, which cannot be entertained in their present shape, as they are beyond the limits of what the law allows, or the Legislature has contemplated. The Government is prepared, however, to give its favourable consideration to any proposals that may come within the provisions of the existing law which may be recommended by the Land Board of Otago, the body with which the promoters of the company should now communicate. On the company being successfully established, the question of granting a bonus as proposed in the prospectus will be considered.” An Observant Chinaman. — A Chinaman, writing on London railways in the “Nineteenth Century,” says :— “London has no wall around it, but the railway viaducts have somewhat the appearance of a city wall. The houses are so close together that in many places there is no room for a railway to pass, when recourse is had to a bridge made of huge stones, which soars, as it were, over the houses. The framework of these bridges is of iron planked with wood, on which are spread earth and sand. People who are lying on their beds down below in houses 100 feet high, are almost always conscious of a noise above them, and know when a train is passing overhead by its low continuous rumble, as of thunder ; while to one seated in the train the people below look like the warp and woof of some texture, and the streets, lanes, and market-places like deep interstices in a mountain, side ; or one is inclined to believe that they are channels cut out of the ground, and to forget that one is on a bridge far up above them. It is as if one were on a level with the topmost point of a pagoda, and able, by stooping, to touch the mast-heads of tall ships as they passed. When I first reached London everything that I saw frightened and astonished me.” Pensioned. — The differences between Sir Francis Weld, the late Governor of Tasmania, and his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel St Hill, 19th Foot, who also occupied the position of Commandant of the Tasmanian forces, will be recollected. Owing to his conduct in connection with certain monetary transactions, Colonel St Hill was suspended as A.D.C., dismissed by the local Government from the command of the Volunteers, and the Governor further reported his case Home, in order that he might be dealt with by the Imperial military authorities. We are informed that the charges were not entertained, Colonel St Hill being simply ordered (the usual course when an officer on the personal staff has any disagreement whatever with his chief) to rejoin his regiment. As, however, from private reasons, Colonel St Hill was not prepared again to serve as a regimental officer, he applied to retire from the “effective” lists, on which not only was he permitted, like other field officers, to retain his rank honorarily on retirement in the army, but had accorded to him by His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief the privilege of being placed on the list of officers retired on pensions.

Water Supply. — The Borough Council’s Foreman of Works notifies in our advertising columns that the water will be cut off at the mains from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m. to-day. Napier Races. — We are requested to inform sporting gentlemen that nominations for the Cup, Railway Stakes, Hurdles, and Guineas, must be with the Secretary, F. D. Luckie, Esq., Napier, by to-morrow, at 8 p.m. Patetere. — The N. Z. Herald of the 6th instant says :— Mr Percy Smith has just returned to Auckland from Rotorua, where he had been on business connected with land. He passed over the Patetere block, and probably “spotted” those portions which he will claim for the Government in satisfaction of the amounts paid by the Land Purchase Commissioner to Natives. The Court at which the Patetere claim is to be called up for settlement takes place on the 25th of January. Chinese Immigration. — The China Mail says :— “Canton is covered with posters warning the people not to go to Australia, where the ‘mouse has got into the cow’s ear,’ i.e., where the natives are taking a mean advantage of the Chinese monster’s helpless position. The police connive at the roughs, insulting behaviour, and the authorities are too weak to get at the offenders. The happy land has changed into a country of sorrow. Friends are warned by telegraph to stay at home and eat the Emperor’s rice. Worst of all, the ‘bosses’ are levying a poll-tax of 100dols on each Chinaman. Sydney and Newshilun (? New Zealand) are as bad as ‘New California’ (? Victoria). Reports say the pewter hills of Lanchishan (? Tasmania) are a happy land, but this is only a small valley, and already over-populated by paupers. The officials, with usual Chinese conceit, are spoken of as ‘chiefs’ who have given in their submission.” An Indian Murderer. — The Indian papers contain particulars of a serious charge against a Prince of the Chota Oodeypore family. It is said that the son of the Rajah of Chota Nagpore being jealous of his wife, murdered her after first subjecting her to torture of inconceivable barbarity. His suspicions having been aroused — so runs the accusation — he set a watch upon his wife, and discovered that she was carrying on an intrigue with a Beluchi, a native of the maritime province of Mekran in Beluchistan. He satisfied himself, it is alleged, by ocular evidence, that his suspicions were well founded. He lay in wait for her as she let herself down from a verandah by a rope to meet her lover. The latter escaped, but the unfortunate woman was seized, and her indignant husband proceeded to wreak his vengeance upon her. It is impossible to set forth the nature of the tortures inflicted, but fire was the chief agent employed. The unhappy victim was then killed and decapitated. The accused gave out that she died of a snake bite, and the remains were put upon the funeral pyre and consumed to ashes. For a time the story of the snake bite was not doubted, but the Mekrani lover, who knew the truth, was anxious to avenge his mistress. He found means to make his story known. The political agent, Mr Grant, took down the depositions of a number of witnesses. The Government, after some hesitation, decided to hold a fuller inquiry. Mr Birdwood will report to the Government whether, in his opinion, the charges have been established. If his report be in the affirmative, the Government of India will have to decide upon the course which it will be advisable to take. A formal trial of the accused by a court of sirdars may be ordered.