LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 65, 31 January 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mrs Hampson has resumed her evangelistic work at Lyttellon. Mr Lambert, architect of the Christchurch Exhibition, is on a visit to the Manawatu. Our local sports committee estimate a credit balance of £30 when all subscriptions are in. The Maoris stale that potatoes, their staple food, will be very scarce in consequence of the late drought. The Bth of February is the last day upon which property tax wi 1 be received without the addition of a 10 per cent penalty. About thirty members have been sworn as Volunteers for the Manchester Rifles. All the picked men of the old corps are coming forward to rejoin. This is the last dny on which the captain is authorised to receive names, so intending Volunteers should lose no time in being sworn. It is stated, by excellent authority, that Mr Booth has been aj>pointed R.M. at Gisborne, Poverty Bay. The abilities of this gentleman are of high order, and his experience and knowledge of all Native matters will be of great service , to the Colony in his new position. | A meeting of persons desirous of joining the M.U. of Oddfellows will be held on Saturday evening next at the Denbigh Hotel. At the conclusion of tbe business of the meeting, a dispensation for the formation of a lodge will be sent for to the head of the order. An inquest was lield at the Princess Hotel. Terrace End, yesterday, on the body of a daughter of Mr F. Bassett, of Bunnythorpe. The child was killed by a tree falling on her, killing her instantly. The evidence proved thafc the death was accidental, aud a verdict to that effect was given accordingly. We are glad to announce that the deputation consisting of Messrs Fry and Leth bridge, will procee-.i to Wellington to-morrow or next day to wait upon the Minister ol' Justice, and urge upon him the necessity of immediately re-appoint-ing a resident Clerk to the Court. We trust that their efforts will be crowned with success. , The ball to be given in aid of funds necessary for the formation of a brass band, (rill be held in the Town Hall, on Friday evening, the 9th February, under ihe patronage of His Worship the Mayor. The Makino string band are the promoters, and under their able management we have no doubt the financial o'>jects of the ball will be attained. Several young fellows have been in the habit of bathing in the Oroua River almost under the windows of cottages on the banks, and one resident has been obliged to communicate with the police, with a view to having it stopped. A splendid bathing place may be found in a sheltered nook a few hundred yards above the railway bridge. The Rev. H- M. Murray announces as a subject for his monthly lecture next Sunday evening " Miracles, true and false." The subject has probably been suggested by the performance of certain mesmeric or miraculous (?) cures by Milner Stephen in Wellington, who is causing no little excitement just now by his wonderful attributes. On Saturday and Sunday last, although the weather looked remarkably fine, and the clear skies gave no sign of approaching rain, yet the Maoris were exhibiting most extraordinary energy in all harvesting operations. On inquiring into the cause of this unwonted display of industry we were informed that as heavy showers of rain would fall on Sunday night, it was well to get the grain cut and stacked, in order to properly preserve it. Sure enough a bountiful fall of rain came on the night stated, proving the excellency of the weather knowledge of the Natives. Messrs Bailey Bros, have to-day commenced working their sawmill after a spell of some weeks. The engines and boilers consist of an almost entirely new plant arid gear, and are in splendid work- ' ing order. The whole of the work, and the manner in which the job has been finished, reflects greaf credit on Mr Murray, from whose foundry and worshop in Wanganui the new machinery has been turned out. Mr Murray may also be congratulated on having in his employ men who so ably and willingly carry out or execute his designs. We are glad to see the mill at work because the timber trade is the one main item on which the welfare of this settlement depends. Mr Charles Roe, junior, met with an unpleasant accident while bathing in the Oroua River on Sunday last. It happened that Mr Roe had dived and was swimming up stream under water, when a young companion who was standing on a log near the bank of the river, projected a large stone into the river with the intention of diving after it and endeavouring to bring it to the surface. Unhappily the stone fell in the water just over Mr Roe's head, which it. struck with considerable force, inflicting a severe scalp wound, and laying bare part of the skull. The loss of blood was considerable, but after a few minutes its flow was stayed, and Mr Roe was able to ride home to the , Denbigh Hotel. We are glad to notice that J no serious results are likely to ensue, pnd J the wound is healing fairly.

A woollen factory is about to be established at Invercargill. Chris. Cross made a score of 117 in a cricket match pkyed oil Saturday, at Wanganui. It is estimated that 1500 emigrants will leave England for this colony during the current month. Denominational schools are no longer supported by the State in New South Wales. Mr Walter Watts is the successful tenderer for Mr W. P. Jacob's house in the Kiwitea. Mr F. de J. Clere, A.R.1.8.A., is fche architect. The prices of timoer in Napier are as follows: — white pine or mntai, 10s; totara, 12s — and must be of the first quality. We learn from the EUesmere Guardian that rust was somewhat prevalent in the j wheat crop of that district, but happily ifc made its appearance too late to injure the grain. The meeting of the Kiwitea Highway Board, summoned for Vlonday, the 29th instant, adjourned to Thursday, Feb. j Bth. There was not a quorum present, Messrs Williamson and AI cKenzie only being in attendance. The case of George Longhurst, will in all probability, come under the consideration of the Cabinet on Monday next, and should the result he favourable to the prisoner his case will most likely be dealt with at the Executive meeting on the following day. — Post. It is not necessary (says a Melbourne satirist) to precisely identify the Minister of Education who visited some time ago, a country State school in Victoria. The head-master, after conversation, expressed his legret that the " curriculum was not higher." " Then gefc it made higher," said the good-natured Minister. " There will be a carpenter up next week afc the other school." A gentleman with a peculiarly sensitive olfactory organ, who signs himself as " Roman nose " writes to us asking why certain preserved pigeons and fish have been allowed to lie on the railway platform in the sun for the past few days, and which are very offensive. We presume these are some of the " fragments" of the royal banquet held at Awahuri recently thafc were left behind by the quests when departing for Kakariki. A party of ladies and gentlemen from Foxton have been on a visit to Kapiti for about a fortnight, and they returned from thence a few days ago. During their residence on the island they found the " wonderful cave " containing skeletons of men and birds, and secured some interesting specimens. They speak highly of the enjoyment they experienced living under canvas, and the remarkably fine weather added to their pleasure. All hands are much sunburnt, and appear much benefitted by the agreeable change. The Hawera Star states that a visitor to the colony, representing British capitalists, is prepared to enter into negotiations to construct a branch line of railway from Opunake to any point on the main line that may be agreed upon. The Government has been asked if it will encourage tbe venture, but naturally it declines to commit itself until definite proposals are made. The same gentleman expressed a willingness to negotiate for the construction of a line up to the Mokau, but the Government for several reasons, declined to entertain the idea. Persons travelling over roads that have recently been traversed by bush fires, will do well to exercise care and watchfulness in crossing culverts near what has been the line of fire. In some instances the woodwork of the culverts has been completely charred, or burned away, leaving but a hollow tube of friable earth to cover a treacherous pitfall, easily broken through by the slightest pressure, yesterday a horse and its rider experienced a severe fall by one of these, and were both considerably knocked about and bruised. It is to be hoped that the Highway Boards will look to these culverts at once, not only to prevent accidents, but to save loss which might arise from actions for damages brought by parties injured.