Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 113, 7 June 1883, Page 2

Local & General News.

We have to acknowledge from the Government the repcrt of tlie joint committee on Messrs Brogdens' claims.

Mr Cottrell purposes to extend his business, and with that view is having au addition made to his premises in Manchester street. It is probable that Father Carew, who has been for the last seven years Catholic Pastor at Reef ton, will become a resident of Feilding.

It is rumoured that the man who has been passing himself off in New York as "Number One" is au impostor, and that tlie real inTividual is in Mexico.

Iv our report, in Saturday's issue, of the meeting of the Feilding School Committee, by the " Inspector's Log-book" is meant the school log-book, in which certain entries are made by the Inspector. There was a well attended Lodge meeting of the Odd Fellows on Tuesday night last, at which one member was initiated. Some important business was transacted, after which the meeting was closed in the usual manner. At the County Council meeting on Tuesday the repairs and additions to the Oroua bridge, Awahuri, were reported by the engineer to have been completed in a very satisfactory manner by the contractor, Mr John Aitken, of Feilding.

Mr G. Kidd met with a severe accident a few days ago at Kiwitea. When riding o\-er Lis farm his horse fell with bim and injured him so much that it was necessary to call in the serrices of Dr Johnston, under whose treatment he now lies.

The Wanganui Chronicle, referring to the resignation of Mrs Dowling as teacher in the Feilding School, says — " Inspector Foulis will have a tough job to smooth down the educational troubles which will probably arise in consequence." The Eight Hon. W. E. Forster, in speaking at a meeting of the Aborigines Protection Society recently, referred to the proposed annexation of New Guinea. He warmly supported the proposal, and suggested that the basis of the annexation should be similar to that of Fiji.

The frost of Monday morning last was one of the severest ever experienced in the district. In Wanganui the frosts of the last few days have been unusually severe. The water-pipes of a dwelling house burst— an occurrence never before known. The same also occurred at Taonui. A testimonial to the fitness of an applicant for the post of teacher at the Mataura school the other day was (says the local paper) rather rough on the teaching profession. It is stated that the applicant was " a man, a scholar, and a gentleman, attributes. seldom found combined in the

schoolmaster." It is reported that some evil-disposed person has been guilty of cutting and wounding several horses, tlie property of Mr Fairfield ''Thompson and Mr James Norman. As this is a most cowardly action, besides being an act of abominable cruelty, it is to be hoped the offender will be brought to book, and treated with summary justice. The affair is now in the hands of tho Police, and we doubt not but Constable- Price will speedily succeed in oringing tbe offender before the Court.

Among tbe accounts presented for payment at the County Council on Thursday was one for 21s, being the fee of the scrutineer at the polling at Kiwitea for the special rate under tbe R. & B. C. Act, and some pleasantry was caused by the chairman calmly informing Cr McBeth that he would bave to pay tbe amount out of his own pocket, as the scrutineer he had employed was not of age. The naivete remark of Cr Mcßeth that be thought tbe young man was about 25 years of ago was of no avail, and the account was struck off the iist.

Mr R. Loudon calls attention in another column to a want long felt in and around Feilding and its districts, and which he purposes to supply, viz, a firstclass dress-making establishment, for the management of which he has secured the services of Miss Gardiner, formerly of Nelson, and more recently of Wanganui, who bean the highest testimonials for skill and ability in the profession made famous by Worth. Mr Loudon has also a large and varied stock of dress materials and trimmings, for his patrons to choose from. The ladies of Rangitikei, Manawatu, and in our immediate district will no doubt appreciate the addition thus made by Mr Loudon to his large and increasing business, and the new department will be sure to receive a large measure of patronage from them. Mr Loudon's enterprise is deserving of every success.

me i I Hue Secretary (t:ie R-igut iloii. Sir W. Venv-n Harc-uri) has refused to commute tlie sentence of 12 months' imprisonment passed upon Foote, the editor of the Freethinker, for blasphemy.

The Opposition intends to force Ministers to declare a programme, and to bring the Estimates before the House at the earliest possible moment. Ministers will only be too glad to accept tbis challenge, as tbe blundering of an Opposition without a leader will enable Ministers to have all tlieir own way.

A byelaw of the railway provides that dogs shall not ride in passenger carriages, but a big and ferocious-looking bull-dog walked into a carriage the otber clay, took a whole seat, and rode to Feilding unmolested. "He bad such a meaning smile," was the guard- 's apology for not ejecting him.

It is said that before long Parliament will be asked for a grunt for Prince Albert Victor. This young Prince is now in his eighteenth year, and being heir presumptive to the Crown of England is already a personage of some importance. He is expected shortly to assume a title and take his scat in the Houso of Lords.

There died to-day, at Mr Chamberlain's mill, Kimbolton road, Mr Nichols, who had reached the ripe old age of 81 years. The deceased has been for many years in the employment of Mr Chamberlain, aud was highly respected by all who knew him. He leaves a widow and a large family of children and grandchildren to mourn his loss. Tho end was not unexpected, as he had been ailing for some months past. The funeral will take place to-morrow at 2 p.m.

Several cases of typhoid fever are reported in Masterton during tbe past tew days. On Saturday (says the Star) a fine healthy youug lad of twelve years, son of Mr Spark smaii, a settler at Manaia, succumbed to the disease, and the whole family, consisting of Mrs Sparksman and four children, are down with it. The locality is a healthy one, isolated from other dwellings, and the outbreak of the epidemic in such a place seems unaccountable.

Te Whiti's opinion of newspapers is not very complimentary to the Fourth Estate. In Mr Ward's book of " Wanderings with the Prophets" he makes Te Whiti say — "I'o you think the newspapers tell the truth when any great event happens ? No fear ; tbey dare not. The Government tells them what to say, and they say it. If any particular paper does not publish what the Government want the people to read, that paper is suppressed, and another ono which will do as tbe Government wishes is sold to the people. The Government are not fools." We have no doubt the Ministry wish they had the power Te Whiti ascribes to them.

The Mayor of Dunedin (says an exchange) is a gentleman and a carpenter, every square inch of him. The Hon. Mr Oliver, of Dunedin, is a member of the Upper House — and wears frills — rather. When the Mayor and Mr Oliver were showing the new Governor round the town, His Excellency took advantage of a quite tete-a-tete with the Mayor to ask him: — "Mr Thompson, how long have you known the Hon. Mr Oliver?" " About twenty years." "What was Mr O's position whea you first knew him ?" " Well, the first time I saw the Hon. Mr Oliver, he wore a black apron and I wore a white one. Ho was behind a counter weighing sixpence worth of nails which I was buying to repair a client's pig-stye witb."