Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 17, 21 July 1885, Page 2

Local and General News

Mr Berry has made a start at Messrs Halcombe and Sherwill's new premises. It is whispered that a large wholesale house will shortly open a branch in Feilding. Mr Watts got up a considerable part of the frame of the building for a shop and dwelling house for Mr Mathews yesterday. The annual general meeting of the Manchester Horticultural Society will be held at Mr Bray's office this evening at 8 o'clock. The s.s. Euapehu arrived at Wellington ou Sunday. During the voyage a purser named Dent shot himself . Drink was the cause assigned for the suicide. The muddy condition of the streets in Wellington has led to the re-introduction of the almost obselete patten, articles of protection to the feet which were so popular in the time of the renowned Sairey Gamp. A deputation which waited on the First Lord of the Admiralty on Friday last, was informed that the English Government would complete with the various colonies polonies the work of defending their principal towns. We learn from our Taupo correspondent that Mr Grace, the newly elected M.H.B. for Tauranga, arrived at Ohinemutu on Saturday night where his supporters gave him a warm recoption. Mr Grace left for Wellington via Napier yesterday. Paul Blouet, French master in Westminster School, and editor of the Clarendon Press volumes on " French Oratory," is the gentleman who, under the pseudonym of "Max O'Eell," has freely criticised the manners and customs of John Bull, his sons, and daughters. A stony stare of amazement was visible on the usually placid face of Mr W. B. Maney, of Medford, Wis., as he returned from church on Sunday, and learned from the nurse, whom he had engaged, that his wife had just given birth to four lively inrls, each weighing three and one-half pouuds. "Well, well," he exclaimed " this has been a busy Sabbath." It is reported that the proposal to establish non-political Boards for the management of the New Zealand railways will be quietly dropped for this session. Mr Kichardson will probably bring in a Bill dealing with the matter, but it is expected to go steadily down the Order Paper until in the end it takes its place among the " innocents " which will undergo the usual annual massacre. The people of Aix lea Bains ware much exercised in their minds it seems as to the sex of the Highlanders who accompanied Her Majesty the Queen thirther. If they were men, why did they wear petticoats ? If they were women ,why — not being ballet dancers and actresses in a leg piece — were those garments so very short and scanty? Finally it was concluded that Lea JEcossaiaea were an anomalous variety of the human race. A lad named George Hedger, employed as a cowman at Steyning, Sussex, after being repeatedly annoyed by a boy named Dale, eight years of age, in revenge tied the child to a cow's legs. The frightened animal ran into an adjoining field, where the boy's head struck against a hedge with such violence that the rope broke. Dale received such injuries that he died after severe suffering. Hedger has been apprehended, brought before the magistrate at Steyning, and remanded. The educational returns of the Wanganui district show bad signs q\ falling off in the attendance of children at. the State schools. We understand that at the next meeting of the Board this subject will be freely discussed. It would be an interesting production to read, if the several school teachers in our own neighborhood published a report containing true copies of the frivolous excuses for keeping their children at home instead of Bending them to school. Mr Bobert Pownall, the artist who is preparing an Illustrated Guide to the West Coast from Foxton to New Plymouth, left Wanganui yesterday for Pahnerston, where he will devote about a week or so in gathering information and making sketches. The guide will be illustrated by nine full-page coloured views and a number of small pen and ink designs. That these will be executed at Mr A. D. Willis' 8 establishment is sufficient guarantee that Mr Pownall's sketches will be faithfully reproduced. — Chronicle. The Napier Telegraph of the 17th instant says: — Jacob Faithful's consultation on the Wellington Steeplechase was drawn on Friday morning, and was as usual fairly conducted. The horses are distributed as follows: — King Arthur, Kaikora; Berrington, Auckland; Flemington, Toraoana ; Bavenswood, Napier ; Borneo, Wanganui; Erebus, Taradale; Orient, Napier; Maccaroni, Waipawa; Faugh -a-ballagh, Napier; Billy-go-by-'em. Petane ; Fair Play, Danevirke ; and Bobbie to Featherston. The principal cash prizes go to a lady in Napier, Taradale, and Napier.

I Judgment has been reserved in the ■ Kiwitea and "Wanganui Harbor Board cases. We are glad to see that Mr Peat, who ' is still suffering from the effects of an accident received on the railway sei-vice some months ago, is so much better that . he was able to proceed to Wanganui by train this morning. Of the men who suffered from bloodpoisoning consequent upon assisting at the burial of Kawua Huma some time ago, one is still suffering from the bad effects, and is unable to work ; one is dead ; one recovered after several weeks illness ; and the fourth, a Maori, escaped altogether, as he had taken the precaution to saturate a handkerchief with brandy and tie it over his mouth and nostrils. Our Marton contemporary says : — The following weights have been declared : — Handicap Steeplechase — Totara, 12st lOlbs; Nukurau, 12st31bs; Aroha, list; Eucalyptus, list; Gazelle, lOst 121ba; Interpreter, lOst 71bs; Little Duke, lOst; Patent Safety, lOst 121bs. Ladies' Bracelet— Totara 13st; Nukurau, 12st 5 lbs; Anarora, list 71bs; Aroha, list 31bs; Qazelle, list; Interpreter, lOst 71bs ; Hemlock, lOst 71bs ; Claygon, lOst. Special meetings with intercessory prayer are, at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to be next week held in the vari*ns cathedrals throughout the countrj, on behalf of the nation in its present anxieties. Similar serricea will be arranged for at the churches m the different archdeaconries." Oar objurgation of the dumb dogs seems to be bearing fruit at last. But bow characteristic that they should only p'ue Ungue after "the present anxieties" hare almost passed ! It takes s* long to wind up an Archbishop and set him going that the crisis is apt to be over before tbe special service can be ordered. But what else can be expected of prelates in whose election special prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit is never invoked by the nominal electors, the Dean and Chapter, until they have received the Queen's letter announcing the name of the hew new bishop ? — i'all Mall Gazeit*.