Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 88, 29 December 1883, Page 2

Local & General News.

Tuesday next being New Year's Pay, the Fkildino Stab will not be published. The Oroua County Council will meet here on Monday next at noon for certain special business ns advertised. In our report on Tharsday of the long jumping at the sports, Broughton is made to do only 9ft 2in, which is obviously a printer's error, as the 9 should have been 19. Yesterday morning a heavy gale from the north-west came on with unprecedented violence, and continued to blow hard all day without intermission, accompanied at intervals with heavy showers of rain. The new Foresters' Hall, we need scarcely remind those interested, will be formally opened on Monday (New Year's Eve) next. There is sure to be a large attendance, and a thorough evening's enjoyment is anticipated by all concerned. As showing the value of good laboring men in the immediate vicinity of Feilding, we may quote the case of a contracto*** who is paying 10s per day for shorelmen and lis por day for pickmen, nine hours a day. He has six months' work for his men. Amons: the payers of New Zealand Property Tax are several English peers and peeresses, who own property in this colony . The list includes the Duke of Manchester, the Earl and Countess of Denbigh, Lord Lyttelton aud others. At the meeting of the Waste Lands Board nt Wellington on Thursday it was reported that one deferred payment section in the Wanganui Harbour Board's Pdiangina Block, and containing 89a lr 13p had been sold at the upset price of £134, the payment received being £6 14s. Feilding can now boast of four halls, viz., the Public Hall, Foresters' Hall, Templars' Hall, and last, though we would decline the responsibility of saying not least importance, Exeter Hall, as indicated by the neatly painted lamp opposite that building in Hobson street, over which Mr Daw is the presiding genius. We have been shown by Messrs Parr and Bennett some new vehicles they have just manufactured lo order, including two Whitechap.*! doc carts, a buggy, and a dray. We give the builders their due when we say that their workmanship is apparently excellent, and that the whole style in which these vehicles are turned out does them mnch credit and has never been surpassed in Feilding. The Canterbury Times is responsible for the opinion that where children of tender years are found guilty of stealing — tbe parents or guardians should be flogged for the offence, to teach them to lock after the moral training of children under their charge. We heartily endorse this opinion, and would extend it to the " larrikin " classes, the parents of whom should be made more responsible than they are. The New Masonic Hall at Bulls was consecrated yesterday with all the customary imposing ceremonies. The lodge was opened by W.M., Bro C. W. McLean. The dispensation was read from Grand Lodge, appointing Bro Batt, P.M., of the United Manawatu Lodge, to act for the District Grand Master. Bro King, P.M., assisced. After the ceremony there was a luncheon at which the customary Masonic toasts were given and responded to. The year was not allowed to terminate without "one more unfortunate" seeking that protecti on which the Bankruptcy Court affords. In another column it will be seen that a Mr Hall, described as a gardener, has been compelled to succumb to the exigencies of his ci.-cumslancps and the festivities of the season.' He deems it better to " bear those ills (of a Bankruptcy Bill) we havp, than fly to (the Bill of 1884) that we know not of." It appears " it is never too late to file." ' Ia our last issue we inti.nated that the cv. Father C rew was about to leave Feilding for Christchur.ch. We now learn that the destination ot the rev. gen iletnan is Greymouth, where he will •succeed the Key. Father McGuipness, who proceeds to Canterbury in the hope 'hat change of climate' may benefit lib , health, which is at present failing. Fatliei Ooggin, lately of Wanganui. will be hi> •oadjutor' there. The Rev. Father ■■[•• ''amis-i s likely to\ succeed Father fcr w <bera

A special train this afternoon brought the Hon. the Premier and Mrs Atkinson from Palmerston, en route to New Plymouth, where they will arrive this evening. The ceremony of drinking to the memory of the late Prince Consort at the obelisk is still observed at the anniversary of his birth. There are plenty of people who do not know what an obelisk is, but they matiuge to drink all the same. Timothy Shields, of Maryland, stands 6fl 2in in his stockings and weighs 2201b5. He has four children three of whom are sons, averaging 6ft 2in in height and weighing 2lßlbs, 2301b5, and 240 respectively. .-\nd the good old man can thrash them yet when he has a mind to. In counection with our report of the Minstrel entertainment we shou d mention that, the names given of the performers are ot course only noms deplume. ■ " Mr Harry," who also did ** Bones" so excellently, was Mr W. W. Hale, well known both here and at Palmerston. " Mr Jonthon" was Mr W. B. Hawkins, of the firm of Hawkins and Son, solicitors, while -' Mrs Jonthon," who presided so ably at the piano, and accompanied tbe various songs was Mrs Hawkins. We are quite sure that these and the whole company wou d again receiye a warm welconibe on the Town Hall stage. All women are not liars ; some can unquestionably speak the truth, just as there are Milesians who hare not kissed the Blarney Stone. But the rule is all the otlier way, and there is ihis consolation for the mabgned sex, that the virgin whose speech is never crooked is about as unamiable a damsel as the Irishman who invariably informs the Saxon exactly what he is thinking of him and of his country ! There seems something constitutionally inherent in women and Hiberuiaus which prevents them making exact statements, and, as a matter of fact only very young people dream of taking the word of either without some deductions for what rifle shots know as " windage." — World. The arrangements made by the District Manager of Railways for the conveyance of passengers on Boxing Day were complete in every respect, and reflect the highest credit ou Mr Rotheram, with the very efficient staff of officers under his command. There was not the slightest accident or hitch of any kind on the whole length of line, which— with the exception of the gap at Manutahi — ex tends from Foxton to New Plymouth. At the Feilding Station, where the number of passengers arriving and departing to and from the sports was unusually large, the Stationnmster, Mr Cleary, carried out his part of the programme in a most excellent manner. We hare much pleasure in bearing testimony to the invariable tact and courtesy displayed by this gentleman in the execution of his somewhat arduous and irksome duties, and they were never displayed with more satisfactory effect than on Boxing Day.