LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1646, 13 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

ITho s.s. Maheno arrived at Auckland from Sydney direct at 6.15 a.m. yesterday. She had on board an English (via Suez), and an Australian mail, the southern portion of which will arrive in Wellington by this afternoon's Main Trunk express, Tho postal authorities adviso that mails from tho United Kingdom, Canada, and America, via Tahiti and Rarotonga, aro duo in Wellington on January SO. Crowds of pcoplo wore in tho vicinity of Jervois Quay Wharf last evening when tho steamer Mokoia arrived from Lyttelton. Sho had on board tho greater part of Wirth's Circus, the remainder of whioh arrived by tho Pukaki during the night. Evidently the crowd was expecting to seo a "(too show," but wero disappointed. The work of unloading the Mokoia was not commenced until I o clock this morning. Throe prisoners, who havo pleaded guilty in the Lower Court, will como before tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) in' the Supreme Court for, 6entenoe this morning. They are: Peroy William Copeman Willson, forgery and uttering (flvs charges), at Stratford; John Sweeney alias Geo. M Leod, alias John Hartnott, forgery at Wanganuij Thomas' O'Brien, alius John, thoft from a dwelling at Wanganui j James Allison M'lnbosh, theft from a dwelling at Stratford. On Friday night burglars entered the Korb Koro Post Office, end helped themselves to a pair of scales and several other articles of value. The post office has not been in use for some time, and at the time of tho burglary the house was unoccupied. l . ( ■ Champions in various forms of athletio sports will be seen endeavouring to break reoords on the Basin Reserve next Saturday afternoon, January Ift—that is, provided the weather is fine. Tho -Wellington Amateur Athletio Club'B officials were unable to seoure a ground last month, but have at last been successful. ; It is stated that tho Wairarapa, Manawatu,' and Feilding olubs aro expeoted to. be represented at. next Saturdays meeting. In addition to many well-known amateurs, J. M'Holm (who holds the Australasian , hammer-throwing rcoord), A. Bissott (Now Zealand ohampion), A. T. Duncan (tho Victoria- College sprint champion), and L. M'Kay (Australasian pole-vault reoord •. holder) will oompete. Arrangements in connection with tho projected reunion of early settlers and their descendants, to be hold at Newtown Park on Anniversary Day, are now well forward. Tho main attraotion is to be an old-fashioned sports programme, in whioh all games ana 6ports whioh were in vogue in the early 'forties will onoo again see tho light of day. There will also be numerous side-shows going on v all day, and two baby shows, to be judged by Dr. R. A. Cameron. Lord and Lady Liverpool have signified their intention of being, present. A conference of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners will bs held on February 17 next in the Beehive Chambers, Courteuay .Place. Representatives or all the unions throughout New Zealand will meet to consider the formal tion of a Dominion award and tho question of the disbursement of 25 per oont of their funds (as permitted by statute) in organising and such purpose?. Local organisers from the four chief centres will also be present as follows :-Messrs. Banfield (Auckland), Geo. Blatherwick (Weilington), Ed. Kellett (Otago), and Wilson (Hawkes Bay). ' Tuesday, January 28, being tho date of tho wharf workers' annual picnio, and n fixed holiday, under the agreement with tho employed, will be aa off-day, on tho wharves. ... Moose liberated in tho West Coast fiord district ore thriving and breeding (states the Greymouth "Star"). This is tho latest evidence supplied of: the sucoess of the attempt made- tx> acclimatise the moose and sportsmen will be keenly -interested to learn that the animals seem to be doine well. ( Jo ! m Strang has given a cup, valued at fifteen guineas, for the champion Southdown ram shown at the Masterton show. J.M3 is the first ocoasion upon which a trophy has been offored. for the championship m tho class. The trophy has to bo. won three, times, but not necessarily . in succession. - '■; ; ■;■- '.Lato on Saturday night , the platoiglass window of the Arcadia shop in Jackson Street, Potone, was smashed, by whom ' 3 . bwwn. The window was valued at £10. The police aro making; inquiries. The use of light railways for opening up back-oountry lands was referred to by. the Hon. W. l'raser, Minister for Public Works, at Te Puke, recently. He had at tho moment strongly discouraged the proposal to begin the. construction of a branch from the East Coast railway at Paengaroa to Rotorua. . Ho added in his opinion tho first step that should bo taken, if .it was decided labor bo make such a .branch, ought to be the construction of a light railway. Tho ' branch did not deserve a heavy passenger-carry-ing track in tho meantime, but a light railway of the same gauge, ,with sharper curves, and run slowly, could bo built and run much moro cheaply, and with as good results.. He regarded tho light railway as an important olement in the future development of the country as yet unopened; A dairy Woman named Wright, whilst l assisting in a milking-yard at Parkes (N.S.Wi), caught an unruly cow by the tail to prevent the animal kioking. The cow suddenly 6wishod its tail, and pulled tho woman on to the rails, fracturing two of her ribs, y . ; A great improvement in'the fishing at Lake Rotorua is reported (says Fho Auckland "Herald"). Fine ■ specimensare daily secured, and tho fish aro in good fighting form. Early on Wednesday niorning last a Maori lad caught a 14lb. brown trout on tho fly. Many fine baskets of fish were secured by visitors during tho holidays, one particularly successful angler taking 37 fish. At Waera Park (Viotoria), the homestead of Mr. H. H.-Pearoe, a . snake causal much excitement on > January 2, happily without any serious results. Ella, tho' little daughter of tho stationownor, whilst playing with other children in one of tho rooms, picked up a, lares doll, when a snake fell from' the doll's dress, and glided to tho infant of Mr. and Mrs. Edmond. who wore spending a holiday at the station. Tho snako coiled round the baby, whioh was sitting on a rug, and raised its head in a threatening attitude. The mother, hearing the cries of tho ohildren, ran into the room, and seeing tho state of. affairs, , collapsed. Little; Ella kicked at/the head of the snake, whioh uncoiled and got away. ■' An examination showed that the baby had escaped injury. At a mooting of .tho Masterton A. and P. Association on Saturday it was deoided to inform tho Agricultural Department that tho proposal -to submit seeds to tho Department for analysis had oome too lato for adoption at this year's show, but would bo favourably considered next year.

The Bldeford Sports Club have docidod, with a view to minimising tho risk of hcot dents at their a ports, to construct their , hurdles bo that if a horso strikes a 1 hurdle the bop rail will fall off. Farms in the Rongotea district are h still changing hands (Writes our Feilding oarrospondent), the most reoent sale being t that of Mrs, Burgess, ivlio has sold to Mrs. Busst at .£49 nor acre. Several other .forms hove also changed hands, and in J each ease they mean a Jose of settlers, • as they havo been purchased by those who already own farms in the district. On December 31, Mrs. Coolly. Hary r Doman, wife of Mr. Herbert James Do--1 man, jam manufacturer, of East Adelaide, was accidentally shot in the back by her : husband. The couple had boon for a motoring and rabbit-shooting trip. On • returning homo, Mrs. Doinan entered the > houso first, hor husband following with a • rifle and a.gun under his arm. Tile latter t weapon exploded, and the chargo entered • Mrs. Doman'B back. She died within two j hours. Her husband said that ho did not h know the gun was loaded. At the in- ) quest a verdict of acoidontal diath was 3 returned. ]. The arrival of the colonising ship 9 Goro trade and Devonshire at Auckland in s February, 1863. i 8 to be oolebrated next y month. Twenty pooplo, some of them s passengers by the vessels, and others doj soendants of tho original colonists, attenda ed a meeting of tho Jubilee Committee on Thursday. _ Mr. Charles Cooper prosided. It was decided that on Friday, February 9, tho anniversary of the day on which 'f the Devonshire arrived, a gathering of colonists who immigrated by tho two shins ? and of their descendants, should be held a at Lake Takapuna. On Sunday, February • 0, the arrival of the Qortrudo will be fcclebrated by the attendance of tho reunited 0 colonists' at divine servico at a church k which will bo eelocted. later. Tho Qer- •- trude was one of tho vessels wWch i- brought immigrants to tho Albortland settlement, so that her passsngers .wore e mostly Nonconformists. Further arxanget ments were' entrusted to a sub-committee, j comfosod of Messrs. Charles Cooper, Wil--1 liam Blomfield, and H. Dunbar Johnson, !• Mrs. Hossman, and Miss Oottoral. >.