Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 39, 3 April 1884, Page 2

Local & General News.

Every second man in Palmerston now knoffg where the Otamakapua Block is. Messrs Fry, Curreen, and W. Baker have been appointed trustees of the Makmo Brass Band. "You have lovely teeth. Ethel," " Yes George," she fondly lisped ; "They were a Christmas present from Aunt Grace." Buttermilk has become a fnvonte temperace drink in America. In Philadelphia it has superseded gingerbeer and lemonade. The leader of the Salvation Army in India is said to h'lve adopted the garb of a Hindoo fakir. Let us hope that he will not go any further. A pair of knitted socks. 2000 years old has been discovered in an Egyptian tomb. They 'are loosely knit of fine sheep's wool, and the foot is finished in two parts to allow the sandal trap to pass between them. The directors or the WellingtonManawalu Railway Company have, it is understood, accented the tender of Mr S. Brown fot the construction of the P/iikakariki section. The price is about £57,000. Mr J. G. Holdsworth, who has for some years occupied the position of Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Wellington district, has obtained six months' leave prior to his retirement from the service. The difficulty of obtaining a market for fat stock has induced Mr Lysight, of Hawera, to try the plan of boiling down cattle. If the experiment succeeds we may expect the Kiwi tea settlers to follow his example. It is stated that the clerks of the court at Foxton and Feilding are to be removed. The local constables will be ex* pectej to perform the duties. With reference to this rumour we may state that we have no belief as to its truth so far as it relates to Feiiding. An English mechanic has invented a horseshoe composed of three thicknesses of cowhide, compressed into a steel mould and subjected to a chemical preparation. Ft will last longer than a common shoe, weighs only one-fourth as much, does not split the hoof, requires no calks, and is very elastic.

Isaac Mossom. late of the 65th regiment, but at present resident at Taonui, near Feilding, writes to ask us if it is too late to have "his name added to the old soldiers' petition to Parliament praying for a grant of land. Perhaps the parties who have the petition in charge will see that Mr Mozsom's request is attended to. — ChronicU.

The remains of the late Mr John Symington, who committed suicide during a fit of temporary insanity (says the Wairarapa Observer), were deposited in the Peatherston cemetery on Monday last. Owing to certain documents having been found among the .effects of the deaeased, who was, without friends and without money, a number of the Masonic fraternity decided to have him decently interred in Jii? final restingj>lace. Everything necessary was done accordingly, and upwards of a dozen of the Brethren assisted at the funeral. ,- . , , .

The commercial community and' others interested in having uninterrupted telegraphic communication maintained betweeu'these colonies and the rest of the world will be glad to learn of the success of the operations for laying the duplicate cable between Australia and Jara. A service telegram, placed at our disposal by Mr Furby, states:— "The Seine completed the laying of 420 miles of nnw cable on the 14th instant in one continuous length, from Port Darwin over the Sabil Bank, to replace the same length of old cable, which is now being up. The two tables' are now in perfect order throughout. The core of the new cable is sheathed ,in brass ribbon." — Auckland Star.

The Canterbury Times lay ß:— "Sir William For, though on a temperance crusade, is much 'spoken 'of as 'about to re-enter Parliament. In the* North, he is regarded with interest as about to contefttthe Manawatu seat wi^h ,Mr, Balance. In the Souih, hints Jbare beeihh'rbwh put about his chances of 'succeeding poor Mr Wilson: at. iaiapoi, Th c -Kaiapoians, we hope, will have sense enough to let the North Island stick to tits ojwn 'politicians. Tke liTorth is already strong enough to cope with the ! south without* filling Southern seats with Northern men. Mr Ballance would, no doubt, be much astonished to learn that $*$&<}s*}s -^ contest tn,e Manawatu. seat J with Sir W. I Fpx, L and Bir^ William' ( wburd "share ihe j feeling.' We have to go a-field to gather pcwp ofOur/own dirtricl: ':-'i ■'[ .s:'«4^T "' , / : ;. \ :

The Sandon Farmers' Club will hold a show on the second of May. Halcombe and Sherwtll's stock sale was proceeding as we went to press. An enquiry is being held today into the cause of the death ef Michael Whelan who died on the night of the 16th March under peculiar circumstances at the Hamilton diggings, Manioloto County, Otago. That part of Manchester street extending from the Makino bridge up to the sclioolliouse was peculiarly odorous last nieht about nine o'clock. The sensation given to persons was the reverse of " the sweet south, that breathes upon a bank of violets, stealing and giving odour." On Tuesday evening Mr Boness, of Awahuri, celebrated his hop gathering harvest home. 'I he hop growers, together with a good number of visitors from Feiidiag and the neighborhood, met together and spent a very pleasant evening, dancing being kept up till about three o'clock next morning. Complaints have reached us of the owners of registered dogs within the borough hnving missed the collars and badges from the necks of the animals. We would remind persons who seek amusement and profit in this way that such practices are not only exceedingly silly, but criminal, and render the offenders liable to prosecution and punishment. It ha« often been observed that calamities seldom come alone, and with reference to fires, thut one is frequently followed by another. Proof of this has been given in the raso of the fire last night, as reported elsewhere, and the destruction of the < 'oach Factory on Tuesday morning, the two events taking place only 36 hours apart from each other. Tf is understood that Mr Rous Marten will shortly resign the editorship of the Welliugton Evening Post, and that he will be succeeded by Mr E. T. Gillon, at present manager of the Press Association. Mr (Hllon is beyond doubt the most capable journalist in New Zealand. He is an able and racy writer, and as a news* gatherer he is facile prinreps. He is, moreover, a walking encyclopedia of political knowledge.