Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 15, 20 July 1889, Page 2

Local and General News

The Kiwitea Road Board was sitting as we went to press. The Manawatu Herald reports the discovery of the almost complete skeleton of a moa on the Harlington estate, Foxton.

Political feeling runs high on the Continent and has at last reached the vegetable Kingdom. French beans have refused to germinated in Alsace.

"We notice that Mr Saywell has in hand two dog carts and a buggy for local residents. The coachbuilding industry here is flourishing, which is one of the best signs of the times.

We learn from the Manawatu Tunes that the Railway Commissioners propose shortly to run a daily morning train from Foxton to Palmerston and back again in the afternoon.

Dinner parties are reported as being " numerous" just now in the Empire City. Balls and dances are too expensive.

In the conclusion of our report of the inquest on the attempted fire in Manchester House the note of the verdict should have read as follows : — " To defraud certain insurance companies or otherwise."

Notice is given to-day that jurors summoned by the sheriff to attend at the District Court, Palmerston, on the 24th instant will not be required. This notice does not refer to jurors summoned by {he clerk to try civil cases.

As a sequel to the recent case against the Manawatu Road Board all bridges on Stoney Creek, Napier, Palmerston, and other roads, have been declared unsafe for traffic. The travelling public express indignation at this state of affairs.

The Palmerßton North correspondent of the Catholic Times says :— " The new hotel, lately opened, is doing a roaring trade. There's plenty of money for drink but shop keepers have to wait for their own or go without altogether. Much degradation is felt from the same evil effects in Foxton.

It is a singular fact that some weeks ago the following was published in an Australian paper : — " Imprisoned for life. —Auckland, Sunday, Louis Chemis, charged with the murder of a farmer named Hawkings, at Kaipara, on 31st May, has been sentenced to imprisonment for life."

On the subject of dehorning cattle in a recent number of the Law Times is reported a decision of Lord Chief Justice Coleridge. That dehorning is done for better convenience and for improving the value of stock is no answer to the charge, and any settler dehorning cattle is liable to the penalties of the law.

A London paper says the Prince of Wales never pays his tailor's bill, and we in New Zealand know the Duke of Edinburgh couldn't pay his washerwoman, yet there are people stupid enough in this world to grumble because application is made to the Imperial Parliament for charitable allowances to the royal children when about to marry.

Our feelings are thusly expressed for us by a Queensland contemporary who says : — " You may have the stars in a nail keg, hang the ocean on a rail fence to dry, put the sky to soak in a gourd, and unbuckle the belly-band of eternity and let the sun and moon out, but don't think you can escape the place that lies on the other side of purgatory if you don't pay for your paper."

We are glad to hear that the last resting place of the late Mrs Cavanagh, in the Palmerston cemetery, has been marked with a suitable headstone in marble, by an iron paling fence. The settlers on the Feilding Small Farm Block, it will be remembered, offered to be at the expense of this, but we understand Mr Cavanagh has preferred to bear the cost himself.

Judging from an incident reported by the Manawatu Times, the Mayor and Borough Councillors of Palmerston take onions to their meetings and sit upon them. This is very bad taste. We quote the concluding lines of the " incident" for the benefit of those whom it may concern : — " The Mayor (entreatingly) : Dont't get off your onion. Councillor (emphatically) : I think its you who are off your onion." Retaining their seats on their several onions appears to be a matter of some consequence.

The second Band of Hope meeting of the season was held on Tuesday evening and was well attended. In the absence of the president, the secretary, Mr J. C. Thompson, presided. His address had special reference to his observations of the' tremendous evils resulting from the drink traffic in Auckland. He noticed in this connection the large number of pawn shops and their extensive auction sales of unredeemed pledges, which, he asserted, were the necessary attendants on drunkenness. During the evening the following recited suitable pieces in a creditable manner: — Walter and Katie Harris, Bertha Fidler, Bertha Phillips, and Albert Gould. Mr Fidler read " The Shipwreck," bringing out in a tragic manner tb* frightful evil of intoxication on the high seas. Mrs Richardson and Mr Blackmore gave interesting addresses. Mr C. Wickham played selections on the picollo and concertina. Mrs Bennett's solo " Intemperance come again no more" pleased everyone. The ohoir gave some choice selections from " The Christian choir." Miss Bird preBided at the harmonium.

Mr E. P. Haybittle, until very recently the assiduous bandmaster of the Southland Band, is going' to sever his connection with the district, having determined to proceed north ami tak« up his abode at Feilding, in the Wellington province. Almost from the time of his arrival amongst us he has Seen iadentifitd with musical matters. Eleven ysars ago h* joined the now famous Garrison Band, commencing with the baritone and ending as a solo cornet. When he took over the Blue Ribbon (now Southland) Band he resigned the Garrison, and for his services was made au honorary member. He was the originator of the non-military mterprovmcial band coutests, which have been so successful in promoting the efficiency of bandsmen, and which are so justly popular. At the last contest, held at Queenstown in '1888, Sir 'Haybittle carried off the prize for the beat splocornete. Though actively forwarding the welfare of a band, he has been equally energetic in many .orchestral movements If he become as enthusiastic and energetic in musical mat? era as he has been during his eojourn in Invercargill, then Feilding may well be congratulated upon having gained such a valuable acquisition to the musical world as Mr Haybittla. — .New Zealand Musical MotitUr, Balclutha.

The death is announced of Mr B. W. Pownall, of Wauganui.

At Maeterton a few days ago three farmers were fined £5 each and costs for not taking steps to destroy rabbits on their land.

It is reported that the total amount to be provided by Government for. roa4 work throughout the colony will be £30,000.

A letter received in Christchurch from Sydney on Thursday, states definitely that Santly will not visit New Zealand, but returns Home direct from Queensland.

Among the nominators of horses for the Feilding Hunt Steeplechase appeared the name of Mr S M. Baker -for Porangi. Mr F. Simson should have been substituted

"We have already forwarded one petition filled up for the repreival of Chemis. Another yet lies at Mr Carthew's, and we expect a fresh supply of forms on Monday or Tuesday.

The privileges in connection with the Feilding Hunt club Steeplechase meeting will be sold by Messrs Stevens and Gorton on Thursday the 25tn instant.

A woman named Rosa Ayres was drowned at Waipawa while crossing the Tuki Tuki River iv a trap with Mrs P. McGreevy. The horse jibbed and Rosa Ayres jumped out into th» water and was drowned.

The Foxton paper has theiollowing : — There is an anticipated rise in the value of fat cattle. Sheep are already very high in. price, and it is held that cattle must soon feel the benefit. The tallow market, however, is moot remarkable for its violent fluctuations.

A number of claims have been pegged oft at the scene of the new goldfield at Buatonn, in the Coromandel district. The prospects from crushings at the leading claims are encouraging, and several Thames and Coromandel miners have been attracted to the place.

It is stated that Te Kooti intends to go to Auckland shortly to apply to the Supreme Court that the order calling upon him to find sureties of the peace be set aside. The record of the conviction of Te Kooti has not yet been filed in the Supreme Court, and, in the event of its not being done, a writ of certiorari will be moved for.

The cutter Goldseeker sank in a squall off Walker's Bay, Nelson, and two men who were on board had to Bwim for the shore- One of the men has turned up after suffering great privations, and had to be conveyed to the Nelson Hospital, but no trace of the other man has yet been, found.

A choice tit bit of reading for those interested in mining will be found in the following, culled from the half-yearly report of the directors of the celebrated Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company, Queensland :— " The receipts for the halfyearly ending 31st May were £707,735 7s 2d, which include £15,496 carried over from last The proceeds of the sale of gold were £691.840, and sundry other receipts £400. Out of this dividends to the amount of £575,000 have been declared, carrying forward to next half-year £14,502. The total yield of gold from the mine from Ist July, 1886, to 31st May of the present year, that is on* year and eleven months, was 383,481 ounces, of the actual valuo of £1,582:509 11s 2d."