Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 85, 20 December 1883, Page 2

Local & General News.

We understand that the local tradesmens* establishments will be in order for the annual Christmas show, on Monday morning next. , We notice several new buildings and alterations going on in Halcombe, and amongst these is a lame billiard room for Mr Birch near the botel. The annual breaking up of the Feilding Public School for a month's Christmas holiday will take place to-morrow afternoon. Frogs have resumed their appearance in and around Feilding, and their croaking may be nightly heard in the neighborhood of Denbigh street, the Post office, and other parts of the town. We have to acknowledge receipt of the December number of the New Zealand Industrial Gazette. It contains more than the usual amount of interesting and instructive matter, to which we will refer at length in a future issue. We give a reminder of Mr Vivian's auction sale of drapery, clothing, boots, &c, at the old Borough Council office to take place on Saturday next at 1 o'clock. As was the case at Mr Vivian's previous sale, many will find it much to their advantage to attend. We learn that the newly appointed Ini spector of schools, Mr Bindon, of Auckland, is not only a first class scholar, but is an athlete of no mean order. His records as a footballer and cricketer are very good. These qualifications will go far to make him popular with the scholars. The excessive wet weather experienced of late has played much havoc with the strawberries of the town and district. One settler assures us he has lost at least L 5 in this item alone, and has at preseut ].\riie preserving orders he is not able to fulfil through the fruit being continually j wet. We again call attention to the lecture to be delivered in the Presbyterian Church to-night at 8 o'clock by the Rev. J. Tread well, of Wanganui, on "The Old Man of Cromagnon." The lecture itself is sure to be a great treat, as it has proved to be in other places where it has been delivered. Musical selections by the choir are to be introduced, and we hope to see a good attendance. The Australasian of the Ist inst. reports as follows on the hop market : — " A moderate demand has been maintained for hops, and small parcels have been moving quietly. Besides other sales we note that 20 bales of Tnsmanian have been cleared off at ls 2d to ls3din bond. Quotations are as under : — Victorian up to Is 9s ; Tasmanian up to Is 6d in bond Kent 2s 5d ; Bavarian 2s 6d. duty paid." We are glad to find a slight improvement in the health of Mr Chamberlain. Having ben advised by his medical attendant to occupy an upper story room, his house has been greatly enlarged and and another story added. The work has been done in a mosi satisfactory manner by Messrs Pope and : Pearson, and is now nearly completed. We hope sincerely that the alteration will have the desired effect, and that Mr Chamberlain may rapidly recover. It has been suggested that as the show of poultry recently held* here was a success, and the production of this kind of stock is likely to be largely carried out in the district, and with a view to encourage this as much as possible, a separate Poultry Show should be held at Feilding. In order to make it still more popular and attractive it is also suggested to invite exhibits for rabbits, dogs, cats, cage birds, <&c. We think the idea a Good one, and might at least form a topic for discussion at the next general meeting of our Horticultural and Pastoral Society. The supply of milk to the Waikato Dairy Factory has increased to 800 gallons per day. At first there was some difficulty in inducing farmers to send the milk ; but as tbe payments are made monthly in hard cash, that fact has set doubts at rest. The cheese factory at Te Awamutu received similar treatment from those who ought to hare done all that lay in their power towards encouraging it. The enthusiasts have now gained the day in both places. So they would have done . in Feilding also, but the enthusiasts were too few for; the "wetblankets." y ..'• We haye been shown, the stock bf Christmas, and New ., Tear's presents^imported by Vlr Newman,, and advertised iin another column., These consist of a large variety of fancy and useful articles, composed of. white ebonite and other woods, as well as stationery, - pictures,! books, and various descriptions of nicknacks too numerous to classify. They are direct; from the firm of Newman and Co., London, and Mr Newman being one of the family Of the principals, has been offered speoial facilities for placing the goods in the market, and can dispose of them at exceptionally lqwbprices. We recommend those who ; wish i 'to make handsoUw prisents.with'out much expense > r ,jyp- F:..£:o, v :A ..CQ-. .... A to, call, and make an inspection of these really pretty and well got up articles.'

The probable successor of the late Dr Colenso, as Bishop of Natal, is Canon Godfrey Pope, of India. Lieutenant Wisemann, who has lately reiumed lo Berlin, has walked across Africa from Zanzibar to the mouth of tho Congo. The Manawatu Herald gives currency tc a rumor that before long a journal will be started at Bulls by ..a man well known in the district. A native, says the Egmont Courier, known as William Raymond, was killed the other day by a fall from his horse near Waitara. , The animal was sold and the proceeds devoted to a tangi. During the whole of her recent indisposition and depression the Queen has never neglected her business, or her large correspondence, or in the least remitted her attention to public afiairs. Canon Farrar has been a total abstainer from wine and spirits for six years, and John Blight has been for ten. Neither of these uentlemen are likely to •' break out agaiu " or to become Recidivists. Bret Harte's new Californian story " In the Carquinez Wood " will be published in a " little classic " volume. This novei is appearing in a new translation in St. Petersburg. It has commanded a large sale in i ngland. Jane Johnson, a lady aged 84 years, kuown in the Salvation Army as the "Champion Drunkard of the World," and who has been convicted for drunkenness in Yorkshire more than 200 times, was recently sentenced at Leeds to three months' imprisonment for creating a disturbance. i Mr Andrews, the Inspector of the Bank of New Zealand, paid an official visit to I Feilding yesterday. This gentleman has just reiumed from the Home Country whero he has been, ou a visit for the benefit of his health. We are glad to learu that his voyage has had the desired effect. A disgusted North Carolina editor declares the man who will read a newspaper for a year without paying for it will pasture a goat on the grave of his grandfather. This is all nonsense, as the man who would be so shabby as this could uever afford to keep a goat, and his grandfather would be too mean to die. It appears somewhat stranee that a person should forward a letter from England to this colony without giving on the envelope the name of the party to whom it is sent. A letter came in the 'Frisco mail to-day with no other words in the address than " Feilding, Manawatu, New Zealand." It is almost needless to say the letter is from Ireland, bearing the postmark of Portadown. The Bazaar to be held on Saturday in the Town Hall in aid of St. John's Sunday School building fund promises to be a success, judging by the interest which is being taken in it. Some liberal donations of cakes, fruit, and other refreshments have been made or promised. The work of fitting up the stalls, decorating, &c, was commenced this afternoon, and the preparations will be continued until the opening of the Bazaar at 2 p.m. on Saturday. •' The usual quarterly meeting of the Independent Order of Rechabites was held on Monday last in the Good Templars Hall. There was a good attendance of members. At the conclusion of the ordinary routine business three candidates were proposed for membership. The principal business of the meeting, viz., the election of officers for the ensuing half year, was then proceeded with, with the following results : — E. Ranger C.R., J. Branney D.R., E. .Ranger T.J., H. Blackmore S., W. Bray M.S., H. Worsfold W.S..G. Smith L., J. Trevenna G. J. Branney and C. Lucas were appointed Sick Watch Committee. This was all the business and the meeting was closed with the usual ceremonies.