Local & General News.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 103, 14 February 1885, Page 2

Local & General News.

A Waikato settler (says the Auckland Star) has got a respite from orchard robbers since he deftly attached fish hooks to the best loaded branches. This is a " wrinkle."

Victor Bedingfield, the notorious Salvation Army Captain, while "holding forth " in a street in San Francisco, was knocked over by a pickle jar. He was severely injured, but is now in a fairway to recoveiy. Robert Belfit was brought before the R. M. at Wellington, on Thursday last, on a charge of having deserted his wife and family at Feilding. He was.admitted to bail, and will appear before the R.M., Feilding, on the 17th inst. There is a lady in Paris who claims to to be the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, the Crown Princess having been substituted for her when an infant. Several people of influence support her claim in the vain hope of making something out of it. . Referring to the trout recently seen in the Oroua, another person informs us that when going to bathe a few days ago he saw a very fine specimen, and from the description he gives it must have been even larger than the one referred to m our last issue. Cheap excursion trains have proved such a success in the South Island, that the privilege has extended even to Wellington. In course of time we may expected to see something of the kind on the Wanganui line; when the General Manager, Mr Maxwell, finds time to think about it. The alteration in the time of the morning train irom Wanganui yesterday, by which, arrangement it arrived an hour ! earlier at all. stations, could scarcely be ! called an unqualified success if the results of it along the line as far as Feilding are j taken into account. On arriving here I there were seven persons in the train, and two passengers booked for it at this sta- i tion. It was evident that scarcely anyone knew of the alteration, and was a great disappointment to many, as the ti am Drought no mails or newspapers. The failure of the arrangement .can only be attributed to a want of thorough publicity on the part of the railway authorities, and the promoters of the object for I which the" alteration was made.'

Some of the natives at Rotorua have started to make billiard cues of black inairi, which they do successfully.

Owing to pressure of advertisements a quantity of reading matter, including our weekly weather report, is held over

Mr S. KnigHt opened to-day the shop opposite the Feilding Hotel for the salo of fruit, vegetables, poultry, and general produce.

There is a trench which has been recently cut in West Street. As it is very deep, a light ehould be placed in order to prevent accidents by equestrians or pedestrians falling in and suffering damage or injury.

The petition praying for an enquiry to be made into the removal of Constable Gillespie from Feilding, and signed by 211 residents of the town and district was duly forwarded to the authorities to-day by the Rev. J. Clover.

Mr Alfred Mansell, who has been for tho past seven or eight years assistant porter at the Feilding Station, has been promoted to the position of porter at Marton Station. Mr Mansell has been an obliging public servant, and will take with him the good wishes of every one in Feilding.

The committeo of managers of the Palmerston Racing Club have decided to hold a meeting on the Pahnerston course on Easter Monday. The programme comprising nine events, amongst which are the Handicap Hurdles, of 35 soys ; Maiden, lo soys ; Palmerston Guineas, 105 soys; Flying, 40 soys. The total amount to he given away is £250.

For the last two or three days we have had the first real summer weather wo have seen for two years. The numerous fires around where the fallen bush is being burned, have added a little, possibly, to tho heat, but the pleasure of tho change more th;m compensates for a breath of wholesome wood smoke. The mortality amongst the mosquitos is said to be dreadful.

Although cocksfoot grass seed is somewhat scarce in the market, and the price is likely to go steadily up from the demand which is daily increasing owing to the large clearances of the bush land now being made in the district. Yet Mr J. Saxon has determined to dispose of 1000 bushels which he has over his own need, and has placed them with Messrs Halcombe and Sherwill for sale.

The editor of a contempory arrogantly informs us that Rome is the most expensive city to live in in all Europe. Well, if he can't afford to live in Rome, let him go to Paris or London, or some other cheap place, nobody will fall out with him about it. Very few editors get the chance of "sampling" 'all the cities of Europe, and his luck must be " dead in" to enable him to do it these times.

" Imitation is the sincerest flattery." Feilding had sports on Boxing Day. Palmerston followed suit. Feilding had races on Easter Monday, so Palmerston must have them too. This desire to play toady or cut-throat is very contemptible. It looks as if the Pahnerstonians were determined that if they cannot " grab all " they will allow none of their neighbours to have a share. The plain fact of the matter is that the same class of persons who started the opposition to the Feilding sports to prevent tho " nimble sixpence" irom passing their places of business, know how to bring judicious influence to bear.

An important advertisement appears in another column. Scarcely any enterprise has been taken up in FeUding with greater earnestness and determination than that of the " Small Farm Association." About 50 persons have already given in their names, and it was very evident at the meeting last evening that the members really mean business. A very efficient ex})loration staff were appointed, and they will probably set out on their tour of inspection on Tuesday next. Their report will be looked forward to with considerable interest, and in fche meantime we would suggest to those who wish to become members of the Association the importance of giving in their names at once.

The Wanganui Heral, in an article dealing with Mr Macarthur's speech, says : — Manawat'i is fortunate in possessing a man of Mr Macarthur's wide experience and v idoubtod ability, and we are glad to notice he received a most cordial and unanimous vote of thanks and confidence at the close of his very able and interesting speech, which was one his audience must have felt to be far above the average of such utterances, and worthy of more than a passing consideration, as many parts of it were ef the greatest interest to his hearers, who for years had never been honored by the member for their district giving an account of his stewardship, one of the evils of electing a non-resident of the district to represent it in Parliament.