Local $ General News.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 43, 12 April 1884, Page 2

Local $ General News.

.» Mr Eustace Brandon has been appointed manager of the Wellington branch of the Accident Insurance Company. On the Napier section of railway the returns for February show an increase of £559 over the corresponding period last year. The strength of the Town Band has recently been considerably augmented, and we are informed that about 30 musicians will take part in the Band's per* formaneea on the race course on. Monday '-next.''- -

At a catechetical examination in Scotland, a little girl was asked — " Why did . < the Israelites made a golden calf?" She j ' answered — " They hadna as muckle siller ; \ as wad make a coo." I < We learn from the Woodville Examiner . i that an unusual number of visitors haye been to that district within the past week ! , or two, for the purpose of inspecting the , Crown lands about to be offered for sale. This is strong evidence of the importance that district is deservedly assuming, as ( embracing some of the -best land in the C-lony. The following tenders were received by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company for No. 15 contract, Paikakariki section, forma tioa and tunnelling :—Accepted—Samuel Brown, £60,748. Declined— W. F. Oakes, £69.989 19s ; P. Glendinning, £71,437; Taylor and Briton, £93,038. Mr Brown, we understand, left with a number ef men yesterday to start the work. — Post. A private letter from San Francisco, received in Wellington today, contains the following interesting item :—"Everybody here has gone insane over the * Patti ' opera season now on, and some stay round the box-office all night to get a chance for tickets next morning. As, however, tickets are seven dollars apiece if obtained at the office, and from twenty to one hundred dollars (according to place) if procured from the 'scalpers,' Ido not think I shall indulge much. The fanatics smashed in the front of the Grand Opera House the first night in their anxiety to get seats." We call attention to the clearing sale of now winter drapery, ulotbing, &c, at Mr Hamilton's Feiidiug branch, which is about shortly to be closed in consequence of the proprietor's intention to concentrate his business to the large new premises now being erected at Palmerston. We understand the goods are going off very fast and at very low prices, and as the whole stock must be disposed of immediately we would advise those who want really good and cheap bargains to visit Mr Hamilton's shop in Manchester street, and avail themselves of the advantages which the manager, MrPatton has to offer. Considerable alarm has been experienced by women and children in Feilding during the last day or two by the vagaries of a poor fellow who appears to be suffering from the combined effects of the full moon and bad liquor. Although the man is reported to be perfectly harmless, yet the wives and families of the burgesses have no right to be annoyed in this way. He should be cautioned, and in case of his refusing to take a hint, should be locked up and his state of mind examined into by medical men, as was suggested by Mr Ward, the R.M., when the case was brought before bim. The lobby at the post office, in which are situated the private boxes, will for the future be closed at 9 p.m. This is in accordance with a regulation which has obtained for some time, but which has hitherto been "more honored iv the breach than the observance." The postmaster has been compelled to carry out th s rule from the fact that a number of person*, who have no business of any kind whatever on these premises, make a habit of assembling there to gossip and smoke at dangerous hours. Under the circumstances there seems no other course to adopt. The innocent, in this as in many other cases, will have to suffer for tbe guilty. As many of the boxes are rented solely for the convenience of access to them at " undefined " hours, we believe that the number re-taken at the end of the current period will be considerably diminished. The "old fellows" who recall their own school days do not naturally take to the modern method of revising the school teacher's discipline out of school. In a paper read by Mr R. C Crawford before the Pioneer Society two or three years ago occurs the following passage in regard to school teachers in Michi gan fifty years since:— "ln those days the school teacher was the schoolmaster, and when a boy got his jacket nicely tanned in good, old-fashioned style, instead of going home and reporting to pa and ma and asking their sympathy, he would hire his big sister to keep the matter a profound secret, and threaten the little ones with a flogging if they dared to drop a hint as to what had happened. Results — Good order in school and good povernment at home (as a rule). "It is a great step in advance when knowledge and physical suffering are divorced; but there is danger in taking too many steps in that direction and mistaking, as Matthew Arnold might say, " culture" for " anarchy." — Detroit I-reo Press. The entertainment to be given in the Town Hall on Monday evening next bids fair to be a great success. The programme, which appears in another column, is a very elaborate and attractive one, leaving apparently, as far as the bill of fare is concerned, nothing to be desired. Some excellent amateur talent has been engaged pait of which has been satisfactorily tested already on our Town Hall stage, while some of the performers are wellknown to fame in other parts of the district. Entirely new scenery, furniture, and effects have been prepared, and altogether an effort has been made to makp the entertainment a unique one in the annals of local amateur performances. The name et the author of the farce which follows the .concert, together witli the fact that each actor is said to be well in his respective part is a, sufficient ■ warrant for the success of this part of the "show." A ball will follow, to be given by the Feilding Brass Band, in aid of whose funds the profits of the entertain- , ment will be devoted. The whole affair i will be a very suitable wind up to the Easter Holiday*, and we anticipate a bumper house on the oeeasiofi.

Astronomers had a capital opportunity j Qf observing the eclipse of the moon on Thursday evening, the night being beautiEully clear, and without a cloud. The eclipse was very distinct, and was witnessed by a large number of people. An old German merchant in the city was informed that a lady had called to ' , see him in his absence. " A lady," he } mused aloud — "a lady!" Upon an ac- , curate description being giren, he sud- ; j denly brightened up, and added. "Oh, ■ dat vos no lady ! Dot van my vife." j Yesterday at Westoe when the picnic was in full swing, a magnificent hare suddenly appeared among a group of [ children. It would be difficult to say which or who was the most surprised. However a terrior dog assisted the hare to recover himself and he " made tracks" with all convenient speed to more congenial quarters. *m****************m