LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 71, 21 February 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

* The English mail, via San Francisco, closes at Feilding on Friday next. We have to thank the Secretary of the Rangitikei Harmonic Society, Bulls, for a ticket for the concert to take place at the Town Hall, Bulls, to-morrow evening. The appointment of James Booth, Esq., as Resident Magistrate for Poverty Bay, is gazetted. He has extended jurisdiction up to £100. He is also Resident Magistrate for Waiapu, with jurisdiction up to £50. Mrs Clarke, of Makino, has been declared of unsound mind. She was forwarded to Wanganui by train on Monday evening. It is believed that with change of scene the unfortunate woman will probably recover. There will be a meeting of householders to-night, at the State schoo l house, to receive the annual report of the outgoing committee, and to elect a new committee. We would strongly urge upon holders the necessity for a good attendance. At the last election of a Licensing Committee, out of 305 entitled to vote, 62 only actually voted. It is probable that more interest will be taken in the election of to-day, as the Good Templars are determined to be represented. Polling will be continued up till 6 p.m. A fire occurred on Sunday morning last, at Collingwood. Golden Bay, by which Stallard's bakery, Ellis's store, the Miners' Hotel and James' dwelling house were destroyed, together with nearly all their contents. The loss is estimated at £4,000. We hear that a Fire Brigade is about to be formed at Palmerston. When will Feilding follow the example? Echo answers — "When?" Perhaps after another destructive fire has taken place a meeting will again be held to discuss this important matter, with moro practical results, let us hope, than have followed either of the previous meetings. We have received from the Survey office, Christchurch, a copy of a pamphlet on silkworm rearing. It is published in Christchurch by the authority of the New Zealand Government. The author, Mr G. B. Federli, is a well-known authority on the subject, and has, in a very brief space, managed to give a complete code of instructions easily followed by amateuis. We will be happy to place the publication at the disposal of any of our readers who may desire to peruse ifc. Mr John Hall, merchant, of Hokitika, recently assigned his estate, owing to temporary pressure, and a final dividend of 7s 6d was paid a day or two ago, making up a full 20s in the pound, and left a considerable surplus, which was handed ' over to the bankrupt. It would be well if this was not an exceptional case of a bankruptcy meeting the full demands of the creditors, and putting a good balance besides iuto the hands of the debtor himself. The case of alleged assault by Jenkins, the pilot of Scott's Ferry, on Thomas Scott, has already appeared in these columns. We now learn that Jenkins has been charged at the Marton R.M. Court with beating Scott with a piece of wood, but the hearing was adjourned on account of the complainant not being sufficiently recovered to appear. Bail was allowed defendant, but was not obtained, and he has been taken to Wanganui gaol. We learn that two cheese factories are doing their utmost to secure the £500 bonus offered by Government for the first 50 tons of cheese produced on the factory principle, viz., the Ashburton Cheese Factory, and one near Auckland. The former, at least, has it seems a good prospect of obtaining the bonus, and the cheese it is turning out is a first-rate article. We hope the time is not far distant wheu an industry of this kind will be started in this district, where there is already sufficient pasture to produce the needed supply of milk, for which the farmers would always have a local market at remunerative prices.

Mr Loudon commenced moving into his new business premises to-day. Yesterday was onp of the hottest days experienced here this summer, the thermometer reading 97 in the shade. Mr Marchant, C.E., of Wellington, was in Feilding yesterday. His visit was unofficial. The commerce of Australasia is now greater than that of the United Kingdom at the accession of Q.ueen Victoria. Mr James L 'ird's new advertisement will be found in another column. His large stock of grass, clover, and other agricultural seeds are now ready, and are of first-rate quality. Mr Whitworth Russell, agent for the New Zealand Trust and Loan Company, Limited, is at present visiting Feilding. He may be consulted at Roe's Denbigh Hotel. He proceeds lo Palmerston tomorrow. Photography has generally been hitherto considered to be only practicable by the aid of the light emanating from the great orb of day, but in Dunedin the electric light has been tried for producing photographs, and the experiment has proved a success. We hear that a Veteriuary Surgeon, already well-known in the district, is likely to start a practice in Feilding. This gentleman has had considerable experience as a veterinarian, and we have little doubt that such a business here would be very successful. Our Tapanui contemporary gives an on dit that Vincent Pyke, Ksq., M.H.R., intends shortly to publish a new magazine simultaneously in the chief towns of New Zealand. All the best literary talent in the Colonies will be retained on the staff of this new venture. On Wednesday, the ,7th proximo, will be held the Feilding Horticultural Show in the Public Hall. We are glad to announce that there is every prospect of it being a bright success. Contributions are promised from Wanganui, Marton, Bulls, Palmerrton, and Turakina, so there will be no lack of display. Recently in San Nicholas de los Ranches, near Pucbla, Mexico, some of the church servants proceeded to give the statue of San Nicholas a good scrubbing. The people became incensed at this, probably thinking a clean saint with a new coat of piint on him not as good as an old dirty and banked-up saint, so they just murdered the renovators. Troops were called on to restore order, and a number of persons were killed before this religious riot was quelled. In Auckland, with a population of 16,664 there are two daily newspapers (one morning and one evening), and three weekly (of which ono is a society journal); in Wellington, with 20,536 of apopulation, one morning, one evening, and one weekly paper; in Christchurch, with a population of 14,213, two morning, three evening, and five weeklies (one being a society and another the licensed victuallers' organ); and in Dunedin, with a population of 24,372, two morning, one evening, and two weeklies. At the April sitting of the Supreme Court, Wellington, in divorce and matrimonial cases jurisdiction, the suit of Johnston v. Johnston and Moore will be heard. The petitioner. Daniel Johnston, surgeon, of Feilding, sues for a divorce on the ground of the respondent's adultery with one William Moore. Dr Johnston was married to the respondent, ne'e Annie Jane Constance Mascor'ey, on the 19th May, 1870, at the Church of England, Tokomairiro, Otago. Subsequently he lived with her at Waitahuna, Otago, afterward at Blenheim, and at Feilding, there being no issue of the marriage. The petitioner alleges that in the month of Novembei, 1879, and on divers other occasions, the respondent committed adultery with Moore, who frequently visited her house at Feilding. He accordingly prays for a divorce, and such other relief as to the Court may seem meet.