LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 89, 10 April 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A white sparrow has taken up its residence in the premises adjoining Mr Hastie's Feilding Hoiel. The Blue Ribbon Army in Auckland numbers IGO. There are 16,000 persons in that city who will not "join the army." The road to the cemetery is getting into bad order. It will save considerable future expense if it is looked to before the winter sets in, with its attendI ant heavy rains. Sir William Jervois is greatly pleased with Auckland, and purposes to stay there as long as is compatible witb the discharge of his official duties. A well-known firm of produce merchants in Auckland have made a private assignment of their estate for the benefit of their creditors. The liabilities are said to be £59,000. It is said that with reference to the Longhurst case, the cabinet is divided on the question, Messrs Walter Johnston, Dick, and Atkinson being being in favor of Longhurst's release. A meeting of the committee of the Horticultural Society is to be held at Mr Bray's office to-morrow evening, when a balance-sheet for the past year's business will be presented. A cow, the property of Mr J. Whisker, was knocked over by the train on Saturday night last. The beast was so badly injured that it had to be killed. It is high time tbat the railway line was fenced in, through the Borough at least. The Rev. J. Clover commenced the duties of his second appointment as pastor of the Feilding Primitive Methodist Church by preaching two impressive sermons on Sunday last. This evening a tea and public meeting will be held to welcome him back to the Manawatu circuit. The culverts on the Makino road are in want of repair and general attention. The timber used in their construction has in many cases become rotten, and has consequently caved in with the traffic. The handrails on some of the bridges are also rapidly going to destruction. We (Chronicle) notice that the sittings of the District Court of Hawke's Bay are now abolished, and Judge Hardcastle's dnties are thereby lightened. It would do no harm, considering how small is the business in the District Court here, if Mr Hardcastle were relieved of attendance at Wanganui as well as Napier. We learn from the Chronicle that thc difficulty which has existed for some time between the Wanganui Harbor Board and the Kaiwhaiki Natives, as to obtaining a supply of stone from the quarries, has now been terminated successfully, and with satisfaction to both parties. The Natives have agreed to accept 3d per yard, half to be paid in advance.

The Manawatu Times gives currency to n rumour that Mr E. Sh.iw received 1(10 guineas for hi<- defence of the prisoners in tho illicit still cases. A largo mob of sheep was driven through Feilding this morning. They were from Napier, and are en route for Rangitikei. It is rumored tbat Mr Edward Shaw ! has determined to retire from the Inan- j gahua contest, and that Mr Eugene j O'Connor, of Westport, has been requi- '■ sitioned to stand. A hd named Churcher was subjected to a severe thrashingyestcrday by a wellknown resident. It appears that the boy used some very gross and insulting language, nnd thus drew on himself welldeserved chastisement. We (Post) learn on good authority that the " fatal fourth" has passed off very satisfactorily in Wellington this month. Bills have generally been well met, and their is a marked improvement in trade. There are also distinct indications tbat money is about to become much easier than it has been of late. The Sydney Morning Herald, after accusing the newly-elected Parliament of lying and bad language, goes on to say : "We have noted with deeper regret members in conditions showing the need of amendment in the liquor laws." The members appear to need amendment also. There is scarcely an ache to which children are subject so hard to bear and so difficult to cure as earache. A remedy which never fails is a pinch of black pepper gathered up in a bit ot cotton batting, wet in sweet oil, and inserted in the ear. It will give immediate relief. A gigantic mushroom was left at our office yesterday by a son of Mr Chamberlain. This remarkable fungus was found on Mr llenson's farm at Mount Stewart ; it. measures 15 inches in diameter, is two and a half inches thick, aud its pedestal is four and a half inches in length by five inches in diameter, audits weight is forty three ounces. Those well-known favorites of the Feilding theatre going public, the NyeFisher company, will appear in the Public Hall about tbe 20th instant. We understand that the repertoire they will present to their patrons is full of startling combinations and novelties. The gifts presented at the close of each performance are said to be of a high class, and will prove a great attraction.

The numbers of stray horses and cattle which arc permitted to use the streets of the Borough as grazing grounds are on the increase. It seems absurd that a few weeks ago a horseman could not hitch up his steed to the post of a verandah without its beinc impounded, and to-day the whole stock of a dairy farm may sojourn with peace and comfort in Manchester street.

At Ktlburn, near London, a few weeks ago, two novel censuses were taken and

with curiously similar results. One was a census of the number of persons attending the twenty-five churches on a certain evening between the hours of six and eight, the other a census of the num. ber attending the thirty-five publi chouses ou the same evening between the same hours. In one case the number was 5570, in the other 5591.

Mr James Laird, of Wanganui, has just received 2000 bushels of the best Canterbury and Oamaru rye grass seed from old pastures, also 500 bushels of Poverty Bay rye grass, Taranaki and Akaroa cocksfoot, timothy, and the various clovers, &c. He has aleo a large and various collection of garden and flower seeds, including some new and choice florits flowers by mail from I- urope. These are all to be had at Mr Laird's establishment on the Quay. We can testify that the grass seeds are heavy, very clean, and in splendid condition.

Dr C L. Dreose possesses a petrified human skull of about the size of a foetus head a month or two before its birth. It is not composed of carbonate of lime, as petrifications usually are, but of a hard bluish white silica. The measurements of the head are nine and a quarter inches in circumference over the eyes, and the parietal bones are four inches and a quarter from the highest point of the frontal bone to the chin, this measurement being five-eights of an inch less from the top of the forehead proper. Thc head has every appearance of having been that of a human child, as no animal known has a face so straight, there being no forward projection of the jawbones whatever — no recession of the upper part of the face and head. — Frisco Post.

An extraordinary specimen of the " human form divine" has been exhibited to the Medical Society at Philadephia.

bis marvellous piece of humanity, whose name is Peter Wendling, is 48 years of age, and has no hair on any part of his body, has never had any teeth, is entirely destitute of the sense of smell, and has scarcely any sense of taste. But the most astonishing feature about the man is that he is without pores in any part of his body, a fact proved by a most careful examination of his skin uuder the microscope, notwithstanding that medical science has hitherto maintained that it is impossible for a man to live without a porous skin. Being thus deprived of the means of perspiration, his clothes have to be kept constantly wet to keep him cool. Strange to say he is in good health and has never been sick.