Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 46, 25 September 1888, Page 2

Local and General News

The price of bread was raised in Auckland yesterday to 3d and 3£d. We hear that Mr W. (i. Bassett is the successful tenderer for the Pohangma bridge contract. We understand there is a good programme for the Band of Hope meeting this evening in the Methodist Chapel. The cricket match, Australians v. Surrey, resulted in a victory for the Colonials by 34 runs, after a very exciting contest. A leading article, letter from Mr S. Vaile, Old Grumble, and some other interesting reading matter, are unavoidably held over. At a meeting held last night the footballers decided to wind up the season with a banquet to be held on the sth of October, At the Sydney races on Saturday the Derby fell to Melos with Volley second. In the spring stakes Australian Peer secured first honours. The results of the Oaks and Metropolitan races will be posted up outside our office immediately after arrival this afternoon. A big flare and smoke in the direction of Awahuri, last night, excited some fears that a house was on fire. We are informed they were caused by the burning of some gorse. An American Judge says : — At the present day lotteries are held only by two classes of people — very religious people and very bad people— and, strange to say, the most difficult thing is to eradicate them among the good people. The difficulty between the French Consul at Sydney and the Italian Consul at Wellington anent the escaped convict Grasparini, is likely to still f irther strain the political relationships of France and Italy. If war ensues the Hon. (jteorge Fisher will have a deal to answer for. We have been informed that a par of i ours, stating Mr Bullen, who was for I many years Inspector of Police at Hawkes Bay, had obtained an appointment in the Property Tax Department, is premature. [ We may state that the local was gathered from what appeared to be a reliable source. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantle Agency Company (Limited) have received the following telegram from their London office, dated 21st instant : —Wool— The sales gain firmnsss as they progress. Superior greasy merino has adranced to Id per lb since last sales. Other descriptions are unchanged. An ingenious Feilding settler has solved the small birds trouble effectually so far as gardens are concerned. He has a fine specimen of a hawk preserved and stuffed, which about once a week is changed to tho various corners of a two acre garden plot. It is affirmed that no birds ever settle within that garden fence. We regret to learn that a son of Mr E. B. Gichard, while riding a pony on his father's premises on Saturday last, met with some painful injuries to one of his 1 arms. Through some means or other the pony fell, and threw its rider, with the result as stated above. Fortunately no bones were broken, and the sufferer is now progressing favorably. By a typographical error in Korero's letter, ' alliteration* appeared instead of "tautology." This comction will be hardly necessary for those who understeod the context. Although the ph ape 'good' or 'bad' grammar is incorrect seeing that grammar cannot ba "good" or ' bad,' the adjective ' good' was only in contradistinction to Dr Monckton's alleged ' bad' grammar.

Brewing seems to be still a lucrative business. Here are the annual profits of the <reat brewing firms: —Bass and Co., £340,000 j Allsopp and Co., ±204,000 ; and Guinness, £452,000. It would appear as if the tide of departures to Australia is about to turn. The Rotomohana brought back 21 steer* age passengers, while the Te Anau last week had no less than 47 on board for all ports. The following items are from the Manawatu Times: — The flaxmill proprietors I at Foxton are jubilant over the recent rise of £2 per ton in the price of flax, and work is being carried on at the mills with great zest and vigor.— The percentage of passes in the central school was 88.5. — The plans for the new post office in Palmerston are in course of preparation. We regret to learn that Mr Robert Worsfold, who has lately been working at Messrs Bartholomew and Dunn's sawmill at Levin, met with a severe accident last week. He was attending the machinery when his hand was caught between a cog wheel and rachett and badly crushed. Mr Peter Bartholomew brought him up by train on Friday and Dr Johnston is attending to him. An American, listening to the astonishing accounts of some sportsmen at a club the other night, remarked that when he was in Africa he made a curious right and left shot. With the right barrel he br- ught down a quail, and with the left an elephant. " Very odd," was the counteoiis remark of the listeners. " But the most strange thing, " continued the Yankee, " was that I picked up the quail, but I could not find the ele phant. " The Feilding-Taonui Minstrels held a meeting last evening, when they decided to give an entertainment in the Foresters' Hall on October 3rd, in aid of the Feilding Public Library. Several valuable acquisitions were made to the company, including some of the best talent of the district, both vocal and instrumental. Further particulars will be notified by advertisement. Every shilling of the net proceeds will be spent in the purchase of new books. Mr S. J, Thompson, of the Red House, Feilding, has been appointed sole agent in Feilding for the " scrub exterminator." It is not a machine to be worked by steam or by horse power, neither is it a tool of any sort to be worked by the hands of man, as might be supposed, but a chemical preparation, which, when applied to scrub, briar, gorse, docks, sorrel, ; etc., destroys the same. The manufacturers, who are a Melbourne firm, have receiyed numerous testimonials from farmers, gardeners, and nurserymen, testifying to its destructive qualities, and highly recommending it to agriculturists and horticulturists. Mr Thompson is now opening up a consignment, and will be willing to give information to persons wishing to test the " scrub exterminator." — Advt.