LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 77, 10 March 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Large quantities of bricks are being forwarded from Feilding to Halcombe for building purposes. The police are making enquiries anent the death of a horse on .the Awahuri Road, alluded to in our local columns last issue. The result of the enquiries made by Constable Price is, that ihe owner of thehorse will be prosecuted for killing it, and leaving the cart-ass to obstruct the highway.

Mr and Airs Halcombe left for the north by train this morning. Messrs Halcombe and Sherwill have completed several large purchases of wheat from farmers in Sandon. The Chronicle reports that the wellknown entire Totnra broke his leg and had t© be shot on Wednesday evening. Mr Svendsen, bootmaker, has removed to his new and commodious premises adjoining the Buckingham Palace Restaurant, in Manchester street. The Bishop of Wellington has written to the Eev. Mr Hoot, requesting him to withdraw from his candidature for the Education Board. Messrs Stevens and Gorton will hold a cattle sale at their sale yards, Awahuri, on Friday, the 16th inst. As the entries are numerous a good attendance of buyers may be expected. Mr Gordon, of the Vulcan Shoeing Forge, is having new and more commodious premises erected at the corner of Kimbolton road and Warwick street. Mr Holland, we believe, is the builder. A speeiiil to the Auckland Star says : " I have heard it said that the natives who accompanied Te Eooti and met Mr Bryce had arms and ammunition concealed in the fern to rely upon if required . This rumour originated among the natives themselves." Mr Aitken is the successful tenderer for the work of putting two new spans and doing other repairs to the Awahuri bridge, crossing the Oroua, and we feel sure that in his hands the contract, which is to be completed within two months, will be faithfully carried out. Two young men named Wm Phillips and Herbert Hunt, were charged at the i R.M. Court, Bulls, under the Animals Protection Act, with having shot two hares. The offence was admitted. Mr Prior, who appeared for the defendants, pleaded guilty, and a line of os was inflicted. The business of Mr J. B. Hamilton, the ready money draper, &c, has been removed from the shop at the corner of the Square to the premises formerly occupied by Mr Loudon, in Manchester street, and known as Grimes's old store. Mr Hamilton will shortly receive a large consignment of new season's goods from Wellington, before opening up which he is now offering greater bargains than ever in disposing of his present stock. To-day a great storm of a most unprecedented violence, was, according to the prediction of Mr Wiggins, an astronomer of Canada, to have commenced upon the Australian continent, and thence to have visited nearly every other part of the world, but as yet thero have betu very few signs of the prognostication being fulfilled, or at any rate punctuality, according to present appearances, is not one of its jriucipal characteristics. The Ligurian bees recently introduced at considerable expense by Mr Brandt, have taken their departure en masse. The reason attributed is the damage done to the interior of the hive by the instructions to the carriers not being properly carried out, and the consequent death of a number of the bees. Mr Brandt is determined not to be beafen, and is sending for another colony of these original inhabitants of the Italian Alps. It is rumored that a married man of Carterton has fled from the lawful partner of his sorrows and joys, and taken with him a young lady who acquired at one time a reputation for botanical pursuits in Wellington. The worst feature of the story, if true (adds the Wairarapa Observer), is that the man has left his wife and family iv a state of utter destitution. The contract for that gignntie undertaking — the Forth llailway Bridge, has now been settled- The successful contractors are Sir 'Jhomas Selby Tancred, Bart, C.E., London, and Messrs William Arrol and Co., Glasgow, who undertake the work jointly. The amount is £1,600,000, and the bridge is to be completed in five years. The sum named is less than provided for in the Company's Bill. We take the following from a Wairarapa contemporary : — " We regret to hear that nearly a third of the grain harvest in and around Masterton has been damaged by the late rains, and a good deal has been destroyed. Some stacks were barely finished when the rain came on, and some were imperfectly constructed The consequence is that from the roof downwarns the wheat has got damp and is beginning to grow. Messrs Chamberlain Bros., Welch, and Campbell, and the Maoris at Te Ore Ore are spoken of as heavy sufferers." Considerable damage has been done to wheat in the Sandon district, by the recent rains. As many of the stacks were only in course of completion when the wet weather began, the rain was able to percolate through the straw for some depth. The consequence, is that heat has generated so rapidly as to make it difficult for men to work in putting the slieares in stooks again to dry. Of course where this has been the case, the grain has sprouted in the ear, which will greatly reduce its value, and be a considerable loss to the farmer. This injury would not have happened to the district had more labor been available for the farmers to employ.

Tlie writ for the Selwyn seat was issued on Thursday, and is returnable ou A^ril 17Mi. The Engli>h mail will arrive to-night by train. The post office will be open for delivery from 7 to 8 p.m. A considerable portion of the mail arrived by the noon train to-day. The latest telegrams received by Cap- | tain Edwin show indications of a further fall of the glass, with strong easterly gale, and after 12 hours much rain and heavy sea, but there is no evidence of a disturbance of an unusual character. As an instance of the second growth which some of the fruit trees have made this season, Mr Black more has an apple tree which has produced a second crop of apples before the first was ripe, and both crops are now hanging on the same tree. Mr Hill has also apple trees in full blossom in the garden at the back of the new Borough office in Manchester street. As showing the rapidity with which it is possible to handle grain under the American system, a paper received by last mail states that by an elevator in Duluth 62,000 bushels of wheat were put into a vessel within two hours, the vessel having to be moved twice during that time ; 32,000 bushels were put down one hatch in twenty-five minutes. This is, however, mentioned as an exceptional rate. Te Whiti and Tohu arrived at Opunake yesterday morning. A number of Europeans assembled on the beach. Very few Natives were present. Te Whiti addressed a few words to them. The party was driven to Parihaka accompanied by Colonel Eoberts, Captain Messenger, and an interpreter. Te Whiti and Tohu look remarkably well. At several points on the road they were met by parties of Natives who heartily welcomed the returned prophet. A Wakatipu settler recently "entertained an angel unawares." During the recent hot weather a bachelor settler in this district, hailing "frae the land o' cakes," received a visit from a gentleman who asked for a drink of tea. Our bachelor, who conducts his estabiishmei.t upon the principles of the canny Scot, complained of the frequency of callers and prudgingly poured out some tea in a dirty pannikin. A conversation showed that the visitor was also a Sco'chman and that both came from near the same place. Yet this did not soften the host towards his visitor. Upon taking his leave tl c visitor presented his host with his card, which read — 'Lord Gordon Lennox.' Picture the dismay of our bachelor, who, being born on the Duke of Gordon's estate, had been trained to look upon the dncal family as second only to that of the Queen. The Wellington correspondent of the Nelson Mail telegraphs that it is theintention of Ministers to endeavor to put a stop to the vexatious waste of time that takes place during the session of Parliament, by sending one of their number round at once to announce in plain terms what the Ministerial policy is to be, so as to give the public ample time to think over it, and to approve or condemn it as the case may be. Major Atkinson is the one selected for the task, and he is to start shortly for the South, commencing his addresses at Dunedin. It is further stated that, should there be a continuance of the snarling on the part of those who dare not break out into an honest bark, and have not the power to bite, which was one of the characteristics of the last session, Ministers will force a trial of strength, and in the event of a defeat will appeal to the country. We wonder if the Wanawatu will be favored with a visit from Major Atkinson ?