Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 111, 27 February 1886, Page 2

Local and General News

o Three of the noted Sydney magsmen have arrived in Wanganui, The work of erecting the Kawhia telephone will soon be completed. The Marquis of Normanbv, late Governor of this colony, is so seriously ill that his recovery is very doubtful. We have received Messrs T. K. Mac- I Donald and Co.'s Wellington Landed Property Guide for February. j We have to acknowledge recoipt of the February number of the Industrial Gazette. The secretary of the Manawatu Racing Club reminds us that members tickets are available for the meeting on Wednesday next. The total increase of the valuation of the Borough of Feildmg for the coming financial year is about £80' ), which will augment the revenue by about £40. To-day w« publish a notice from the Mayor proclaiming Wednesday, March 3, to be a public holiday. We expect to see quite an exodus of Feildmg people to the Palmerston races to be held on that day. The Hawkes Bay Herald asserts that Sir Donald Currie, of the Liverpool "Castle" line of steamers, contemplates placing some of his boats on the New Zealand coast. We understand that the comic operatta " Trial by Jury" will shortly be produced iv Feildmg. Quite a galaxy of talent is to appear on tho occasion, several woll-known amateurs from other townships on the coast having kindly promised their assistance. Mr Charles Cundy, one of the oldest Wellington settlers and a Wairarapa pioneer, died at Featherston on Monday last, at the age of 70 years. Mr Cundy arrived in Wellington in 1840. He was universally esteemed, and leaves a large number of descendants. The Manawatu Herald says : — " The Otaki people mean to have a stir over their licensing election — no fewer than 1 twelve good men and true' — one of whom is the well-known Maori chief Hoani Taipua — having been nominated to form the committee for the new district. The poll is to be takon to-day, and a keen struggle is likely to take place." " Flaneur," ia the Wanganui Herald, says ; — " Mr A. Joseph, the well-known Victorian booktnakei', has refused an offer to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for Parliamentary honours in the interest of Sandhurst at tho forthcoming election. " No doubt Mr Joseph thinks bookm.iking more honorable aud profitable than a, seat in Parliament. To-day Messrs Halcombe and Sherwill publish an extensive catalogue of farm stock, farm implements, household furniture, a waggonette, buggy and cart harness, saddlery &c, &c, on account Messrs McLeod and Cameron of Carnarvon ; also on account of other vendors, a number of shfop of various description. 1 !. Intending purchasers will leave Feilding by the 11.55 a.m. train.'

Mass will be held in the Catholic Church to-morrow at 11 a.m. Councillor Petherick poses as the "Diogenes" of Wellington. Last night there wat a heavy bush fire burning on the hills beyond Palmerston, probably in the neighborhood of Fitzherbert. The glare illuminated the sky very brilliantly, and there was considerable attention ex cited m Feilding as a rumour got about that the Square in Palmerston was in flames. It is highly probable that Mr S. J. Thompson, will again become a resident iv Feilding. It is a significant fact that persons who leave this part of the coast m search of greener pastures almost invariably return.' Their verdict is that they cannot find better bind in the colony. Last night an unfortunate "drunk" was discovered lying on the pathway in Manchester street just below the Makino bridge. " Tired nature's sweet restorer — balmy sleep" had covered him with his dark mantle, and the passers by left him "like a warrior taking his rest" with naught but the ethenal blue above him. This is the first clearly defined drunk that has been in Feilding since December. Mr Dransfleld intends, at the next meeting of the Harbor Board, to give notice of a resolution affirming that, in view of the great increase of traffic likely to result from the completion of the Wel-ington-Manawatu Bailway, it is necessary to make provision for increased wharfage and storage accommodation, and that to enable this to be done the remaining £50000 of the authorised Harbor Loan should be at once negotiated. — Post. On Friday afternoon and Thursday most interesting experiments in the treatment of ores by a new patent process took place at Onehunga in the presence of a number of gentlemen from Auckland, The patentees of the "Vulcan Quartz Smelter," Messrs Johnson and Fellows, have constructed a furnace capable of smelting 15 tons daily — its length being 17ft, height 6ft, length 6ft. This furnace is divided into four compartments, two of which are for the reception of quartz, the other two being for firing and reception of slag respectively. The chimney stack is 40ft high. A. lot of the hardest quartz from Coromandel district was treated, and the result was apnarantly most satisfactory, the refuse flowine out in a liquid mass. The amount of gold or silver extracted from the quartz has not yet been ascertained. The cost of smelting ores by this process is said to be less than that of any other known method, and in addition the " waste product" can be utilised by being cast into moulds, so that it can be used as kerbstones, etc. Two men only are required to attend to the furnace. — Star.