Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 5, 21 June 1883, Page 2

Local & General News.

The larrikins of Wellington have arranged to let the Salvation Army severely alone. We have received information that the first portion of the Lady Jocelyn's cargo of meat is selling at 6| per lb, but that no beef had as yet been sold. ; Proceedings have been instituted in divorce, in Aielbourne, by Mr Thomas Bolan, inspector-general of State schools, against his wife. It is estimated that in an average New i York house a quarter of the time of one I servant is occupied in answering the calls of ragmen and small pedlars. The Feildins Borough Council will , meet this evening at the Council Chamber, at 8 o'clock. We understand s~me important matters will be brought before the Council. The Salvation Army has already directed its attention to the Manawatu. By yesterday's coach a member of the army arrived in Foxton, and was busily circulating copies of the New Zealand War Cry. Mr Svendsen has returned home, but Mrs Svendsen will remain in Wellington for a few weeks in order to receive professional optlialmic treatment, which, we understand, is likely to prove successful. As the French infantry are being generally supplied with revolving rifles, Germany has been compelled to follow this example, although the expense was a formidable one. Professor H. Colin, of Breslau, believes that the use of slates by school children tends to produce short-sightedness, and would substitute either pen or ink or an artificial white slate with black pencil. Another original of Mrs Stowe's " Uncle Tom" has died at Dresden, Ontario, on May oth, aged 84 years. Some of the other ones could beat this ; several had died upwards of 100 years of age, and in each case the identity was vouched for by a clergyman. Mr J. C. Firth, at a recent hospital board meeting at Auckland, stated that another Auckland citizen had made his will, leaving a larger sum than Costley to the city, but if the legacy duty were exacted, probably the designation of a large portion of it would be altered. A summoned meeting of the Loyal Manchester Lodge of Oddfellows was held on Thursday evening. There was a fair attendance. In addition to the payment of contributions by members and some general business, a committee was appointed to draw up a code of byelaws for the management of the Lodge. Mr Willian Lingard, the well-known brewer of Wnngnnui, has had to seek the protection of the Debtors and Creditors Act. The first meeting of creditors is announced for this day week. The approximate estimate of assets is £9,900, and the liabilities £10.300, of which £5,800 is secured, and £4,500 unsecured. Last month the immigration of the " Heathen Chinee" was represented by only eight new arrivals in the Colony, as against 24 who left to return to the " Land of the Sun." At this rate there is not much fear of an epidemic of the " yellow agony." On the other hand, of Europeans there arrived 2185, while 998 departed, the balance in favor of arrivals being 1167. On Sunday night, Alfred Holland, about 16 years of age, son of Mr Holland, of Xing street, was seized with a serious attack of paralysis, by which he lost the use of both legs. Dr Lightbourne was immediately called in, and at first could give no hope of liis recovery. The practical and determined treatment he adopted, however, has had the effect, the parents believe, of saving the poor lad's life. Among the items of " Fashionable Intelligence" in an American paper, it is announced that "a Mr Mitchell, of Saratoga, has gone into training for his fight with Mr Slade, the NewZealander. It is intended that the fi^ht shall take place on September 12th, 1883." It is to be presumed that the defeat of this gentleman, which is almost a certainty, by "our" Mr Slade will call forth complaints from the American Press on the decadence of the Caucasian Race, as evinced by the victory of a half-breed over one of the purer blood. One of the cases which came before Mr Justice Williams recently, at Dunedin, was of a singular character. The debtor had become bankrupt through having contracted a marriage that made him civilly liable for an assault committed by his wife. Some short time previous to their marriage his wife hit a small boy in the eye, and after her marriage the boy's parents brought an action against her husband and recovered heavy damages. The husband being unable to pay the damages, had no alternative but tc file, and so adopted this course. His application for discharge was granted. When Lady Mandeville's little four-year-old twins were presented to her Majesty Victoria, instead of kissing her hand, as they were told to do, one of them just rushed through the surrounding courtiers on 1 putting her arms about the Queen's neck, gave her a real old fashioned hug. After a little the other one, who by this time had concluded to make herself perfectly at home, also drew the attention of her Majesty, and cried out, " Say, Queen, can't you give us a bun?" Victoria was not offended, as a lesser personage would have been, but was, on the other hand, delighted, and the buns were forthcoming. We remind our readers of the Promen* ade Concert, announced to take place in the Town Hall this evening. In another column is advetised the bill of fare in the shape of full and lengthy programme. The list of amateur performers contains the names of some old favorites, as well as several who have not before made their appearance before a Feilding audience, but whose talents have, we bolieve, been well tested elsewhere. We should not omit to mention that some dialogues, recitations, &c, are to be given by several juvenile performers, and which will doubt ; ess be both interesting and amusing. As both the object, viz., to aid the St. John's Sunday School building fund, and the prices of admission are popular, we may predict a good attendance. The performance commences at | eiylit o'clock.

A. ehimuey at the Anglican parsonage was on fire this morning, bat we have not hoard tbat any damage was done. The 33 • 11 for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister has been c.-irried in the House of Lords by a majority of seven. '1 lie wife of the TJev J. Clover, who ■was not nble to accompany her husband to Feilding on account of indisposition, is expected to arrive here this evening. Sir William Fox is preparing a lecture on "National Insurance and Intemperance." He is expected to deliver the lecture in the district in about three weeks. The chances of being killed in travelling by rail are said to be considerably more than five millions to one, while in travelling by coach they are not quite six thousand to one. The steamer Napier is now making regular weekly trips into Eangitikei for grain for Wellington. It is probable a company will be started to purchase for the trade with Bulls. It is hinted that all the bother about Queen Victoria's falling downstairs was but a clever dodge, preliminary to a grand lecturing tour through the United States. San Francisco Bulletin. Mr Bracken has given notice in the House to move for a return showing the number of days on which Ministers were absent from Wellington during the recess, with the amounts paid or due for their travelling expenses. The increase in the number of lawyers in England since the year 1800, has been three times faster than that of the population, notwithstanding the many legal reforms which have made laws less complicated than they were 80 years ago. A species of wild potato has been discovered on the table lands of southwestern Arizona, in altitudes of 8000 to 12,000 feet which is spoken of as superior in taste and flavor to the best cultivated potatoes. Experiments in the cultivation of the plant are being made in the State Agricultural School of California. An eminent Russian astronomer has invented a telescope which will bring the moon within 38 leagues (less than 100 miles) in sight from the earth. It was commenced in 1878, and is expected to be finished by next October. The instrument will be about 45 feet in length, and the object glass 30 inches in diameter. It is being manufactured by an American firm, of Cambridge, Mass. A Deadwood man saw another reach for his hip-pocket, thought the fellow meant to draw a revolver on him, and so shot him dead. Then he found that the man was about to draw a flask to treat him, and he much regretted his hasty act. But he remarked that the last wishes of the dpcoased should be carried out, and he took a drink from the flask. Such a touching example of respect for the last wishes of the dead is seldom seen. — Boston Post. Sentences of penal servitude, varying in duration from five to 10 years, have been passed on the members of the " Patriotic Brotherhood," an association formed at Orossmaglen, near Belfast, for the purpose of murdering landlords and bailiffs, serving threatening letters, and other operations connected with that line of business. All orders promptly executed ; estimates furnished. The conspiracy was discovered mainly through the fact that the proceedings of the Society were duly recorded in a minutebook, which fell into the hands of the police. £7 was disbursed for setting fire to mills belonging to a man named M'Oullough, and £10 was received on account of a fund for blowing up Dublin Castle. The books of the Brotherhood were kept by the master of a national school. _^_^__^__^___