Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 81, 16 December 1884, Page 2

Local & General News.

♦ The 'Frisco mail will arrive here by the mid-day train to-morrow. To-day is the anniversary of the foundation of the Canterbury Province. The mail for the United Kingdom, per " Knikouia," direct, will close here on Friday, 19th December. Wo have received from the Government 1 Printer a volume containing the Acts passed during the last session of Parliament. We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Regulations for the formation of Special Settlements, from the Hon. Mr ; Ballance, the Minister of Lands. I By a recent regulation Civil Servants are absolutely forbidden to take an active part in any public meeting or in any company formed for business purposes. ' It is stated in Wellington that after the New Year Civil Servants will be obliged to remain in their respective offices till 5 o'clock in the afternoon. One hour will 1 be allowed for lunch. At the Dunedin City Police Court on ' Saturday, White and Foley, charged with i the Nenthom murder, were remanded till i Thursday, and Vandyke till Saturday. No evidence was taken in either case. The Dunedin Star says : — " We under- ! stand that Mr James "Fulton, M.H.R., has returned to the Treasuiy the sum of £100 voted to him last session as chairman of the Waste Lands Committee." There are over 300 nominations received for handicaps in connection with the forthcoming Feilding Athletic Spo.its, being 120 more than last year. The handi caps will be published on Saturday next. Our Marton contemporary says: — We learn on reliable authority that tenders will be invited almost immediately for 4i miles of formation on the PalmeivtonGorge railway. The portion to be let is situated in the gorge and its vicinity. News has been received at Brisbane of the total loss of the barque New Orleans, bound from Hamburg to Apia. The vessel was burnt at sea, and the crew took to the boats. A portion of them was rescued by a passing vessel after leaving the ship. We learn from the Wanganui Chronicle that William Timins has circulated a handbill giving his version of the late case Timms v. Spurdle. As certain of the statements contained in it are clearly libellous, it is understood Mr Timms will be afforded an opportunity of proving them in a court of law. On Saturday next the Primitive Methodist gift auction will commence in the Old Borough Council Offices (next to Cottrell's store) when an interesting and varied catalogue of articles will be presented to attract all sorts of buyers. As the object is a worthy one we confidently expect^ that the sale will be liberally patronised. We have to acknowledge, from the Feilding agent, Mr Win. Carthew, receipt of a copy of W. Park's Manawatu and Wellington Almanack and Directory for the year 1885. We have not space to enumerate the various items of information it contains, but we can safely state that it is far superior to any Wellington almanack that has yet been published. We need hardly call attention to the Salvation Army demonstration, tea, and public meeting to take place this evening. We sincerely hope that as there is some anticipation of the larrikin element prevailing, strenuous measures will be used to put it down, and that the perpetrators of anything like rowdyism and interference with the proceedings will be made to pay dearly for their conduct. Complaints appear from time to time against the railway authorities for clinging to the old-fashion system of lighting the stations with oil lamps when gas is available. The reason is not far to seek. They do know how much oil they burn ; but the quantity of gas burned, and that charged for by gas companies, are two very different things. The railway authorities like to "go on a certainty," " hence these tears." The entertainment to be held in the Town Hall on Boxing Night, in aid of the funds of the Feilding Brass Band, bids fair fair to be very successful. We understand the programme, which will be published on Saturday next, is a very attractive one. Some of the best amateur talent has been engaged, mostly from outside, including several performers from Wanganui, amongst which are three ladies, and some really genuine amusement may be expected. MrC. Coles, who is well qualified for the duty, has been entrusted with the entire management. The Ashburton Mail sums up Mr Wakefield thus in an article headed "The Selwyn Turncoat" : — Without a shred of political principle — everything by turns and nothing long — as vindictive as treacherous, audacious in cool effrontery, and shameless in ingratitude, Mr Edward Wakefield is consumed by an ambition impatient as unwarranted, and by a boundless egotism which swallows all else up. After all, it is not surprising that a being so unfortunately constituted should be unable to be taught by experience, or should in consequence be found in any other position than he occupies to-day. The funeral of the late John Edsrar. who died suddenly at Taonui on Saturday last, took place yesterday afternoon. A number of private citizens attended. As the deceased was a member of the Neptune Lodge of Freemasons, Glasgow, S.C, several of the officers and brethren of the Feilding Lodge, E.C., paid the last tribute of respect to their deceased brother by attending his remains to their last resting place, but without any of the Masonic ceremonies. Amongst the brethren present were Bros. W. G. Haybittle, W.M., G. Kirton, P.M., P. Thomson, J.W.. T. W. K. Foster, secretary, Booth, Bartholomew. Wright, Gichard, and others. The Rev. H. M. Murray officiated at the grave. Mr J. W. Eade was the undertaker. The Makino Brass Band performed on the Manchester Square on Saturday evening last, in the presence of a very large number of townsfolk. The town was ex- ' ceedingly lively, and the number of persons promenading the Square, including many ladies and children, .proved how popular this capital little band has become, and the pleasure derivable from their performances generally. The bandmastor, Mr J. Ourreen, is to be congratulated on the proficiency hie pupils have attained under his able leadership. Several newinstruments have been added to the band since its last appearance in public, and their assistance was particularly noticeable i in the several pieces rendered on Saturday ] evening. The programme performed was < a varied one, embracing quickstep, dance, i and overture selections, and was gone i through in a most creditable manner, : the rendition being marked with excellent time, modulation, and harmonv. 1 Indeed, many of fhe pieces rendered would i have done no discredit to some of the i pmrrison bands in the larger towns of the 1 colony. ]

In Sweden a man who has been drunk three times loses the right of suffrage. Wahanui has a brother named Karti who weighs 22 stone. He Wahanui, and a cousin, weigh just over half a ton. Verily thev are a weighty family 1 During the nine weeks the Tauranga Chemical <'ompany's works have been in j operation 54 tuna of acid hare boim made, ■ and 64 tons of superphosphate. It is said that in one block in New York there are housed over 7,000 human beings, as many as would form a smallsized city. A miner named Young hag been terribly burnt at Nana Creek (Crafton, N.S.W.), haring fallen alongside a burning log while in a fit. The "Railway Department haTe commenced doing their share of the widening of Kimbolton road, viz., the portion alongside the Railway Reserve. Land is not yet at famine prices in Christchurch. A half-acre lot at the corner of Colombo and Taum-str«ets, with Prince of Wales hotel thereon, was sold for L3.645. A fie!d«day may bo expected at the next sitting of the R.Nf. Court, as in addition to the other business a large number of defaulting ratepayers of the Manchester U'oad Board will b» called upon to answer summonsed. An inquest was held on the body of John Edt»:»r, at Taonui, yesterday, before Mr Suelson, coroner. The evidence of Dr Johnston, who made a post mortem examination, was to the effect that death resulted from pnralysia of the heart. A verdict was found in accordance with this evidence. We were sorry to see the very bad behaviour of a number of larrikins during the performances of the Makino Band on the Square on Saturday evening last. These young hopefuls were not content with their usual bullock-play amongst themselves, but they indulged in the excessively childish and dangerous game of throwing 6tones, mud, &c, at the band. It is a great pity when an effort is made to please the public by the rendering of excellent music, that the comfort of the public and the convenience of the bandsmen should be interfered with by a Bet of fellows whose conduct is little better than that of savages. The sooner Constable Gillespie ''spots' 1 some of these promising youths, and brings them to book, the better it will be for the good name of the town and the convenience of its citizens.