Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 37, 29 March 1884, Page 2

Local & General News.

There was a smart shock of earthquake felt here yesterday at 10 a.m. Mr James Macandrew, M.H.R., is at present on a visit to the Taupo district. Nominations for the Hurdles, Feilding, and Winter Oats Handicaps close this evening. The Government is now charging 1s each for copies of the Education Act. Formerly these were supplied gratis to Education Boards and School Committees.

Epaulettes are to be restored in the British Army.

The Literary and Musical Association, recently started in Halcombe, promises to be a great acquisition.

Gold is reported to have been found on the island of Viti (Fiji). ich specimens have been exhibited at Levuka.

Dr Newman has announced himself as a candidate for the Thorndon seat in Wellington. Mr Henry Bunny has been invited to stand.

The dates of Mr Greenwood's next visits to Feilding and Palmerston are published in an advertisement over the leader.

The Jews are more numerous is Hamburgh, Frankfort, Amsterdam, and Warsaw than in any other European towns. Ot all European countries Ireland has the least number of Jews in it.

Mr Charles P. Powles is a candidate for the office of auditor to the Wellington Manawatu Railway Company. This gentleman is eminently fitted for the position. Mr J. M. Smith, secretary of the Dunedin Y.M.C.A., has resigned because I the association proposes to raise funds by a bazaar. He says he must draw a line somewhere. A man named George Symington cut his throat at the Victoria Hotel, Featherston, on Thursday last. He was found dead with his head hanging out of the window. An attempt had been made to fire the house. It was announced at a recent meeting of the Wellington Education Board that the Rev J. Patterson could sew on a button. It doss not appear to need much to qualify a man to sit on that Board. A few days ago, Mr Perham, Marine Surveyor, and party, who were surveying the Mokau River, had their boat capsized on the bar and were nearly drowned. They got ashore in an exhausted condition.

A return match of lawn tennis, Feilding v Palmerston, will be played at the latter place to-day. The respective representatives are — For Feilding, Messrs Macarthur, FitzHerbert, Webster, and Hudson; for Palmerston, Messrs Fulton, Martin, Clark, and Baker.

Ten thousand people have donned the blue ribbon since Mr Booth commenced his temperance crusade in Melbourne, and it is expected that an equal number will join the army in New Zealand now that Mr Booth, the R.M. at Gisborne, has made shandygaff a teetotal beverage.

The barometer was higher yesterday than it has been during the year. This presages a spell of fine weather, and, as every day during which laborers and contractors can work is worth £100 to Feilding, we hope it will continue.

Last year, in the United States, there were, on an average, two murders and one suicide a day, and two hangings and one lynching a week. This proves that for fourteen murders committed, only three criminals were executed, i.e., one of the three murdered and two legally slain.

On resuming on Wednesday night, the Education Board confirmed resolutions (says the Wanganui Herald) deciding that five scholarships of Class A be given of £30, and five in Class B of £20. The Board have also decided to give £10 to the winners of scholarships who may live away from their own residences.

A man named Michael Whelan died at the Hamilton diggings, Otago, on the night of the 16th inst., under peculiar circumstances. He bad been on a long debauch, and, being taken ill, he was put in a stable with two horses. He died. At the inquest it was shown that deceased had received certain injuries on his head and body, evidently caused by the horses. The inquest stands adjourned.

The Native Lands Court is now sitting at Palmerston, to deal with the Otamakapua Block. The Marton people are much disgusted, as a number of the Natives to be paid are largely indebted in that township, and the storekeepers fear — very naturally— that their chances of being paid are thereby much reduced. However, they will have the happiness of knowing that their Palmerston confreres will absorb a good deal of the cash.

We would suggest to the Mayor that at the next meeting of the Borough Council, a person be appointed to enforce the provisions of bye-law No. 111 respecting lamps to vehicles. Failing to enforce this law may make the Borough liable to an action for damages sustained by some foot passenger who may be injured during the winter nights by being run over by one of the many traps or buggies, the drivers of which wilfully evade this law.

A notice, signed by Mr Hill, has been put up at each end of that portion of Railway line road now being metalled by Messrs Norman and Fearon, to the effect that the public are requested not to use the road for through traffic until the metalling is finished. It is hoped this intimation will suffice to prevent what would be very inconvenient and unfair to the contractors. There is more reason why the request should be acceded to, as there is a good hard road on the other side of the railway.

A return, moved for in the House last session by a self-styled railway expert, Mr Wright, member for Ashburton, has been prepared showing the particulars of the total railway revenue for the last financial year. The cost of the return, for clerical labor and printing, is up ward of £2000, and the return itself is without the slightest value. It is hard

to make out who is the most foolish. The man who asked for the return, or the Government that allowed the request to be granted.

A writer in the Clutha Leader names Mr Stout as the most popular man in New Zealand. How does he know ?

The unfortunate man who cut the telegraph wire in Australia had his face eaten away by ants when found by the repairing party.

It is a pleasure to know that Brigham Young snubbed Anthony Trollope, who admits he was properly punished, because he was vain enough to think that Brigham had heard of his name.

We learn from the Advocate that " Mr John Cockburn, of Sanson, has six apples on exhibition in the window of Mr A. Cockburn, Sanson, which are real 'whoppers,' weighing on an average one pound each." Surely some of our Feilding pomologists can beat this !

The South Australian wheat harvest for 1883 and 1884 is estimated, as the yield of 1,850,000 acres, which at 9 1/4 bushels per acre, gives a total of 17,112.000 bushels, and leaves, after providing for Home consumption, thirteen and a quarter million bushels available for export.

It is said that Tennyson often spends hours on the composition of a single line, and has been known to devote a whole week to one short poem. This is nothing : we know a man that has devoted years to reading, and has never read a line of Tennyson's poetry, and he never will.

On Thursday the 10th of April, the Kiwitea Road Board will hold a meeting at which it is intended to strike a general rate of 3/4 d in the £ on the rateable value of all properties within the Kiwitea Road Board district, for the period ending the 31st March, 1885, such rate to be paid on the 12th of April next.

Mr A. M. Smith, who has been for some months in charge of the school at Beaconsfield, has resigned the position and gives up charge to his successor on the 31st instant. Mr Smith has decided to follow farming pursuits for the future. This gentleman has gained the esteem of all the heads of families during his short residence in Beaconsfield, and the settlers are glad to know that he has decided to remain in the district.

Mr Falloon, the lessee of the Lower Manawatu Gorge Ferry, has made a very graceful concession to farmers and others who may in future send cattle and other live stock over to Messrs Halcombe and Sherwill's stock sales at Ashurst. Should any of the lots be unsold, no charge for ferries will be charged on the return trip. This is not only very liberal but shows an earnest and practical desire on the part of Mr Falloon to develope the resources of the district.

The new drop scene which has been prepared by Messrs Gosling and Son for use at the Town Hall at all entertainments given by the Feilding Brass Band is now finished. It represents a new of a Corsican lake and mountain scenery, has been very artistically executed, and when shown on the stage by gas light will have a very pretty and pleasing effect. It is to be used for the first time on Easter Monday night, at the performance, for which occasion the same artists are now specially preparing a new back scene, and also new wings, which will likewise be the property of the band.