Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 62, 1 November 1888, Page 2

Local and General News

The Borough Council will meet to- ! night. The San Francisco mail will close to- , morrow at 8 p.m. j Messrs Bartholomew and Bailey are now loading the Wild Wave at Wanganui with white pme timber for Australia. She will take 150,000 feet. The feeling is getting pretty general in the colonies now that all politicians with "fads" should be locked up in lunatic asylums, and in virulent cases cremated. Benzon, the Jubilee Juggins, has now an action for libel on hand, in London, against the World newspaper, for stating that he had been refused admission to tho betting ring at a recent meeting. We (Herald) hear that Mr A. D. Willis has concluded arrangements with a local author for a " (dulling shocker," the plot of which, for mystery and sensational incidents, will be equal to Fergus Hume's latest— at least so report says. A new advertisement appears from Mr H. J. Lee, who combines in himself the joint professions of sartorial and tonsonal artist. As his workmanship in each is good, and his prices are low, he deserves a fair share of public patronage. Mr Fry gave notice of motion at the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, that all schools where, for a whole quarter the average attendance is 20 or over, shall be Board schools, but where the average attendance for- such period shall be under 20, such schools shall be aided schools. The N.Z. Times in an article Jon the Customs revenue points out a fact which has been overlooked by most commentators on that subject. The new duties on case spirits do not come into force until the Ist December. Although this point mutt have been known to vendors yet the unfortunate consumer has been " stuck" for the increase ever since the Customs Act of last session was passed. Such is life. From the advortisements in English papers of the dates of departure of the direct steamers for New Zealand, we (Post) notioe that the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co.'s vessels are touching first at the North Island, making Auckland and Wellington their first port of call in turn ; while those of the New Zealand shipping Company sail in the first instance for the South Island, calling at Port Chalmers and Lyttelton alternately. Whether this is the result of arrangement or mere coincidence we are unable to learn. The way doctors differ is enough to make people question whether they know anything at all about their profession. Here is a case m point: — A Taranaki medico declares steam from blue gum leaves is an infallible cure for diphtheria, and in opposition to this a Melbourne sawbbneß says, in a letter published m the Age, *' give it every chance, but don't let the pubhc imagine that in the possession of blue gum steam we can defy the terrible disease known as diphtheria." Medical men seem to take a keen delight in showing how little "the other fellow" knows. In reference to the recent case in which some doubt arose as to the area of land v^hich could be taken up by applicants, The Hon. Minister of Lands informs the Post that the maximum area of first aud second clasr land which can be taken up on perpetual lease is a total of 2000 acres, the maximum area of first-class land being 640. The reason of the question arising at the land sale in Wellington was that it happened to be the first occasion, since the passing of the Aot of 1877, that an attempt was made to obtain the tmximum area. The question was never raised before. The following items are from the Manawatu Times of yesterday : — The Ashurst Dramatio Society stili flourishes, and the members are engaged in rehearsing " Hunting the Slipper."— The member of the Wanganui Hospital staff, complained against by Palmerston patients, has been discharged. — A sawmill is being erected by Messrs Wood and Stevens on the Palmerston- Ashurst road, just beyond Stoney Creek. The building is partially erected, and nearly the whole of the necessary plant is on the ground. A tramway is being laid down from the bush, and a road to the mill is in course of construction.

Elections to the Charitable Aid Board's throughout the colony will take place on the 28th instant. Sir Frederick Whittaker has resigned his position in the directorate of the Bank of New Zealand. Owing to pressure on our apace we are compelled to hold over a leading article and other matter. The kohai blossom is almost faded, and strangely enough we have not experienced the usual "kohai flood." Twenty natives from Blenheim are being entertained on pig, shark, and other delicacies at Awahuri just now. Mr Lee, inspector under the Wellington Education Board, has got into hot water for " bullying" a teacher before hia pupils. We have to-day handed to our solicitor a few accounts to be collected from " lougwmded" customers, and we shall continue doing so until the list is exhausted. Mr John Gould, ot Clairville House, desires us to notify that from November Ist the price of broad at his establishment (and delivered) will be 7d the 4lb loaf. A woman named Mary Ann Welsh was found drowned this morning in a well at the farm of Mr Power, Spur road, with whom she has been staying for some mouths. An inquest will be held. The sale still goes on at Mr Sprigtrins' of boots and shoes at marvellously low prices. Mr Springing has done well in Feilding because he has sold goods at rates his customers could afford to pay, and he defies competition in his line. Intimation by telegram has been received that the Bank of New South Wales had declared its usual dividend of 15 per cent., aud a bonus of 2 J per cent, per annum for the half-year ended 30th September ; also added £10,000 to the reserve fund, which now amounts to £920,000. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) have received the following cable, dated 26th ultimo : — Frozen meat : Canterbury mutton is worth 4fd per lb, and Wellington mutton is worth 4sd per lb. New Zealand hemp, medium quality, is worth £30 per ton. The best mechanical knife cleaner ever invented is knocked out of time for economy, efficiency, and labor saving' by the simple and, we believe, original contrivance of a Feilding house- wife. A piece of soft canvas or rough cloth is dusted with bathbnck and doubled, the blade placed between the folds and moved rapidly from point to hilt about three times, while vie left hand is pressed firmly on top of the cloth. If stained dip the point of the blade in water and run through another part of the cloth, or run through a raw potato, then finish as aboye. The knives are not scratched or worn and the polish is as brilliant as that of new cutlery. Says the Wairarapa Star :— " We hear that the Maoris are predicting a very dry season, we are sorry for it. The Maoris, we are informed, are remarkably good weather prophets. Personally, we are not acquainted with Maori folklore, but there in no doubt that as a race they are remancable for their observant powers. In determining the weather they are guided by the appearances of birds, beasts and plants. According to Native tradition in dry seasons the wild ducks lay their eggs near the water's edge, and the fish in the rivers seek the head waters. Certain kinds of insects aUo make their appearance that nre never seen except wiien a severe drought is impending. These sign*, we are informed, have been witnessed this season, and the N stives confidently look forward to a dry, warm summer. Iv concluding a long and able article on the position of the Band of New Zealand the Australasian of the 13th iustaut says :— " The Bank of New Zealand, however, can preserve as brave a front as ever to the world, in spite of the mistakes of which, like the colony, it has been a victim. The new shares are being taken up in London, the reserve will soon be larger than before, aud its business will stand upon a more satisfactory footing. Nothing oould better testify to the resources of New Zealand than the manner in whioh the Bank has recovered as soon as the unnecessary pressure upon it waß removed. Any financial institution is liable under the best direction to be tried as by firo in a period of adversity ; that the Bank ot New Zealand should have been tried in a fire seven times heated by mismanagement, and yet be sound and worthy of publio confidence , is the best possible proof of the elasticity of the colony to which it belongs."