Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 133, 16 May 1889, Page 2

Local and General News

The Borough Auditor was in town yes terday engaged in his ordinary pursuits.

The E.M.S. Tainui left Capetown for Wellington, via Hobart, on Sunday last.

The Mayor of Wellington will entertain the Governor and Lady Onslow at a ball on the 24th instant. Over 500 invitations have been issued.

Lord Onslow was a passenger to the North by the mail train yesterday. As no one knew he was going through there was no demonstration.

We have been favorod with a view of a very elegant piece of illuminated work, done by Mr H. L. James, which is to be presented to Mr Dowl ing, formerly head teacher of the Feilding State School.

The funeral of the late E. W. Morphy took place yesterday afternooa, and was very largely attended. The arrangements for undertaking were made by Mr Fredk. Pope, and were complete in every detail.

A steamer v/as sunk near fch& Canary Isles. A diver has brought up three bodies Gf those who could not rise in the water owing to the quantity of geld they had secreted under their clothes. One man's vect was lined with gold pieces. A woman's clothe 3 concealed a large bag of gold, and a man's belt was heavily weighted with specie.

It is hard to please some people. The Napier folks were huffed because the Minister of Justice sent up the Wellington gallows, on which to hang Pene, the murderer of the Pook family, instead of having the man sent to Wellington. Now suppose he had been sent to the Empire City to be " worked off," Napier would have kicked up no end of a row at the wretched system of centralisation under the present effete government.

At the Hokitika Supreme Court the other day a juror objected to take the oath on the ground of the incorrect translation of the Bible from the original. Mr Justice Denniston said it was a novel objection ; and as there was no provision in the Jury Act to meet it, he excused the objector from attendance.

The performance of the Les Cloches des Corneville on Tuesday night was witnessed by a very fair audience. With the exceptions of Miss Sparks as Serpolette, Mr H. Baker as Gaspard, and Mr A. HenJy as Gobo, there was little special talent dis-

played. The absence of orchestral music assisted in making the piece somewhat dull.

The Napier Charitable Aid Board have applied to the Sheriff, as to when the hangman is to be released, as the Board are supporting his wife and child, for the desertion of whom he was sent to gaol for four months. It was understood that he was to be discharged on Tuesday, and his passage paid elsewhere. On his release his wife will prosecute him again. Two months of his sentence have been served. She must be fond of him if she wants her husband back again after his recent " experiences."

On Tuesday last, about midday, Mrs T. W. K. Foster met with a somewhat serious accident when out driving. It appears the horse became alarmed at something and bolted. Its progress was, however, stayed by a ditch into which it galloped, Mrs Foster, who had a baby in her arms, was thrown violently out on the road, one wheel passing over her body. The child was unhurt but Mis Foster has sustained such injuries as will confine her to her room for some little time.

The Sydney Mail prints the following paragraph : — A large quantity of butter is being shipped at present from Taranaki to London, owing to the collapse of the Sydney market. About IgOO kegs, it is said, will go home by the Ruapehu. In Paris the finest butter, that with the delicate btittercup and dairy bouquet, the nutty taste, and the bon-bon meltingness in the mouth, commands 3s per lb. There is then a sufficient margin left, despite duties, to send supplies even to France. If it pays to sell Australian butter at Is per lb in London there is ample profit left to ship to Paris, and net 2s 3d per lb.

The Warwick street bridge is now open for traffic.

Japan is likely to become a good cus tomer for New Zealand mutton.

The Maoris are now bringing in flax for the mills, and are doing well at the new industry.

The use of inatai timber instead of kauri on the Auckland railway wharf has proved a failure, aud the Engineer reports that matai will not stand in wharf works.

The Reverend J. Ward will lecture this evening in the Wesleyan Chapel. The subject is entitled " Reminiscences of the Taranaki War."

A good faid of gold is reported at Young's farm, Eovell's Flat, Dunedin. The seam is over 20ft thick. A syndicate is boing formed to work the find.

In order to show we live in a purely democratic country the Wanganui Education Board refuses to allow the Royal Arms to be placed over their advertise-

ments.

A strongly built half-caste and a good player, named J. Pitman, was killed by a kick, or possibly by falling, and thus meeting the blow, when playing in a football match at Auckland.

We are informed by the proprietors of the Skating Kink that a Grand Fancy Dress Carnival will be held in about a month from the present date. Further particulars will be duly advertised.

A lady has been playing " Will o 1 the Wisp " in the flax on the Makino road, during the dark nights. As she has alarmed several nervous people, Bhe had better " stop her little game " ere worse befals her.

A Palnierston telegram informs us that four applications for additional publican's licenses will be made at the next sitting of the Licensing Committee on June 7th. Considerable excitement prevails over licensing matters in consequence.

It is said the Government does not naean to amend the Education Bill this session, and the abandonment of the measure prepared by the late Minister for Education means repudiation of Mr G. Fisher and all his works on the part of the Ministry.

The Taranaki News says that Taranaki butter commands a better price than that of any other district in New Zealand. Except Wanganui our contemporary ought to have said. — Wanganui Herald. [Except Feilding both our contemporaries ought to have said.]

Letters have been received by the Wellirgton branch of the New Zealand Masonic Union from the Masons in Queensland congratulating this colony upon the progress the Grand Lodge movement is making, and stating that a similar movement has been commenced in Queensland.

General regret was experienced in Feilding to-day when the death was reported of Mr Clark Dunn, which took place last night at Palmerston North. The deceased gentleman was highly esteemed and respected by a largo circle of friends in this district, and his loss will be deeply deplored by every one who knew him.

At a meeting of the Land Board, at Napier, the Commissioners said the revenue for the past year was One hundred and eleven thousand acres of land had been disposed of, being forty thousand more than last year. There was hardly a piece of Crown Land in tho Napier district not enquired for.

A verdict of £200 damages was obtained in Melbourne against a constable named Wilson, who had arrested an innocent man for a jewellery robbery without making any inquiries whatever of the case. The Judge commented in strong terms on defendant subjecting any man to the degrrdation of imprisonment without making proper iny6Stigations.

The Taranaki News says that the flax bushes which were cut five months ago are growing so rapidly that it is estimated they will be ready to cut again in two years, a year less than the time estimated. It further says that the exports of the article from the breakwater amount to .£6OO worth a week, with every promise of a steady increase.

Referring to the Basonica Concert Company which opens here next week, the Herald in " Flashes " says : — Don't miss the juvenile Basin-ringers ! Everyone in Wanganui who heard them surprised at their skill on the basins ! Good variety programme — to suit the most fastidious ! Don't miss " Chiming Bells" and " Home Sweet Home " — alone worth the money.

The manuring of apple orchards by running sheep in them and feeding them on cake and corn has proved successful in America. Not only have the weeds and grass been kept down, but the quantify of fruit has been more than doubled, and the quality improved. Should the sheep attempt to bark the trees, the trunks should be smeared with a coat of soot, lime, and clay, together with a very little gas-tar.

The lugger Daring lately arrived at Thursday Island from the Kaitow River, New Guinea. The captain reports that a travelling tribe of Natives, kuown as Tabbora, or " throat-cutters," attacked a party including fonr white men. when camped in a hut near the mouth of the river. One of the party named Martin ran out with a Winchester rifle to disperse them, but after firing one shot the cartridge became jammed. He was then captured by the Natives, who cut off his head and took it away, in spite of the continued firing by the men in the hut. The raiders also captured a Natiye of the locality. They tomahawked him twice and drove three spears into his body, and they were cutting off his head when one of their number was shot. The rest then dispersed. The whites shot eight of the attacking party during the fight, but immediately afterwards they sailed for Thursday Island. The Native whom (he murderers captured was living when the party left, although his head was partly cut off. — Dunedm Star.

Mr John Reid, of John Reid and Co., writes to the Auckland Herald on the great loss to producers of New Zealand flax from a cause that few would think of, namely, the large discount to which sales are subject by custom in the London markets. Unfortunately, it was Bhipped in the first instance as flax, and therefore became subject to 3J per cent, discount. Efforts have been made to have it classed at hemp rates, as it really is hemp. The rate woiild then be reduced to 2J per cent. Mr Reid says "it is only reasonable to suppose that the New Zealand producers lose a large proportion of this discount, and as the matter will in tha future assume larger proportions, I think it desirable that those who are interested at the various poits in New Zealand should unite in resisiiug this unfair charge. The exports of hemp for the past twentyyears amounted to 42,000 tons. Perfuming that this quantity was all sold in London at an average of £30 per ton, the amount of excess discount wrongfully allowed, namely, 7s 6d per ton, would be £15,750.

It will be seen by advertisement in another column that Mr J. J. Curtis, of Grey street, Wellington, draws the attention of the tradespeople and others to the adrnntnge they will receive by having tjonds consigned to his care, Consignees nt present suffer from delay in transit nl W<liin>;ton, and the consequent expense of storage, which would be entirely avoided. Those wishing lo send parcels or presents to Europe are reminded that he lias a clieap prompt delivery by eacli of the direct steamers for London. Par eels so sent are delivered nt the door of consignee, if inst ucted. It is also noti« fied that he has special conveyance for tlie removal of furniture and luggage. Custom House work is, of course, a necessary branch of his business. — Advt.

We have secured the agency of the largest and best calico manufacturer in the world, and have the exclusiye right to sell certain special brands of the best description, at the Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House, Wellington.

As a prevontative to imitation these calicoes are made up in lengths of 12yds, and have a stamp of Te Aro House, together with the width and quantity. No others are genuine, and these can only be bought at Te Aro House, Wellington.

The following is a brief description of these special makes of calicoes : — EI, 32in wide, is a stout, long cloth, and very useful for children's nightdresses, at 3s lid per dozen. E2, 36m wide, is a soft, family long-cloth, pure finish, at 4s 6d per dozen. E3, 32ms wide, is a fine double warp calico, very strong and soft, at 5s 6d per dozen. E4, 36ins wide, is a stout family shirting, 7s 6d per dozen, at Te Aro House, Wellington.

Eo, 36in wide, is a fine family medium shirting, beautifully finished, at 8s 6d per dozen. E6, 36in -wide, is a stout twill, soft and pure finish, admirably adapted for Gentlemeu's night ahirts, at 7s 9d per dozen, at Te Aro House, Wellington.

The gems of this agency are the halfbleaclied or scoured grey calicoes. These we have m five, stout, and heavy makes, and are not to be equalled for durability, finish, and general excellence of manufacture. The numbers range consecutively from SI to S6, the widths 32 and 36in wide, and the prices yary from 3s lid to 10s 6d per dozen yards, at Te Aro House, Wellington.

Every mother, every housekeeper, and ladies generally should make it their duty to l aspect these, and take at least one dozen yards as a sample of the best and purest calicoes ever yet shown in this city or at Te Aro House, Wellington.