Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 29, 25 August 1892, Page 2

Local and General News

The Colonial Amateur Championship Athletic Meeting, will be held at Napier in February next year. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr H. D. Bell, is to be the recipient of a silver cradle in honor of the birth of a eon. After a long debate the Eight Hours Bill was thrown out on the second reading by 16 to 4, iv the Legislative Council. Public notification is given to-day by Mr Walter Rutherford, clerk to the Manawatu Road Board, that the Awahuri bridge is closed for repairs. Members of the committee of the Colonists' Political Association are reminded of the meeting to-morrow afternoon in the Foresters' Hall, Bowen street. If the human skeleton contains 240 bones, and one pound sterling contains 240 pence, how many pints of beer will it take wet the clay of a 240 pound man of English parentage ? Full up. It is said that the Hon. T. Fergus has determined to retire from public life. It is also rumoured that Sir John Hall and the Hon E. Mitchelson are adverse to again seeking re-election. Feilding still progresses. In addition to several commercial travellers for various colonial houses, there were no less than three representatives of English firms in town last Tuesday. " My dear doctor, I want to thank you for your marvellous patent influenza medicine." " And, my dear sir, how many bottles did you find it necessary to take ?" " Oh, I didn't take any of it My uncle took one bottle, and I am bis sole heir." Shent per Shent ! At the Wellington Magistrate's Court recently it came out in evidence that the defendant in a civil case was paying at the rate of 60 per cent per annum on some money which he had borrowed on the security of his furniture, dray and cows, valued at four times the amount of the debt ! Our contemporary the Manawatn Times says : — The so-called Liberals will rejoice to hear that Government intend to shortly bring down and push on the Payment of Members, Bill increasing the salary ot members to £20 per month. This in a measure ot vital importance to the caaso of the ueedy political ndveuturer,

•• Mrs Grumble's " letter will appear in >ur next issue. Thore was a slight earthquake felt here jesterdaj morning about eight o'clock. A number of milk sellers at Auckland baye been fined on charges of milk adulteration. It is stated that Mrs Annie Besant will shortly pay a lecturing visit to the colonies. Captain Edwin telegraphs :— Weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. to-day— Warnings for westerly gales and rain have been sent to all places. The " Galley " Brand of whiskey, from McNab's famous establishment, is advertised to-day as a specialty at Mr Wollerman's Manchester Hotel. There is a story that some children had a discussion concerning the services in one of our fashionable temples. One youngster, who had reached the mature ' age of seven, said: "I'd just like to know what preaching ii for." " Oh don't you know ?" inquired hit five-years old suter : " it's to give the singers a rest of course. Some idea of the magnitude of the operations at the Greenfield Station (Otago) may be gathered from the fact that last year 16,000 sheep from the estate were sent Home as frozen mutton ; that all the year round 26 teams of four horses each are engaged in ploughing operations, and 1000 acres are annually under turnip cultivation. There is a iudge in Missouri who has given consolation to all officals who arc required by their office to pass or execute a sentence of death upon convicted murderers. In pronouncing a death sentence he said : "If guilty, you ricblj deserve the fate which awaits you : if innocent, it will be a gratification for you to feel that you nere hanged ifithoat such a crime on your conscience ; in either cane jou will be delivered from a world of care." Messrs J. Nathan and Co's scheme for floating the Ready Money Store into a large co-operative company is being well received in the district. One prominent settler, says the Manawatu Times, is so highly impressed with the proposal, that he has forwarded a letter to the firm requesting to be allotted not less than 100 shares in the company. We understand that the various details are now being arranged, and that the prospectus will shortly be advertised. A meeting of cricketers was held at Lowes' Hotel, Birmingham, on Saturday last. There was a fair attendance. Mr R. Burne was in the chair. The following gentlemen were elected office-bearers for the ensuing year: — Mr A. Dick, president ; Messrs W. E. Birks and J. Lowes, vice-pre idents ; Mr E. Palmer, secretary ; Messrs H. S. Munro and R. Burne, treasurers, and a working committee was appointed. The tender of Messrs Marsh and Conley was aoceptd for stumping, levelling, and ploughing the ground. The Hobart Mercury states that the following sanguinary unsigned epistle has been received by Mr Bird, a member of the Cabinet :--" Take notice, if you raise the duty on tea, sugar, butter, tobacco -Bird, Fysh, Clark— your blood and brains will be blown out of your bodies. Yon are nothing better than a set of robbers* and villians. Take £100 a year off your salary, and pay your own railway fare, and uot let the poor people do it. You ought to live on old bread and salt beef for 12 months." A member of the Lyttelton Borough Council, who was m Palmerston in February last (says the Manawatu Standard) was so pleased with the manner in which Messrs Wcolcock and Hoiking fitted up the waterpower and appliances for ringing the firebell, that he has written to the firm asking what they will supply similar fiittmg for the Lyttelton bell for. In the course of a lengthy letter the gentleman referred to says : " I may say that as soon as I saw your plan I was greatly taken up with it, its effectiveness, and its not being likely to get out of repair." A medical writer nays : — If mothers notice that the brain* of their little ones conjure up uncanny sights and thoughts from the shadows of a room more or less dark, let the light burn brightly. To force a child to become accustomed to the darkness is a grave error, if its nery» ous system be so organized that this forcing is productive of fright. The nervous system of a child is a very susceptible organization, and the deleterious impressions made upon it will often make their influence felt throughout its whole after-life. If the child asks for a light under such circumstauces, do not refuse it. Sir Robert Stout, in a letter to the Otago Daily Times, cites Anson on the English Constitution as bearing ou Earl Glasgow's action in re Council calls. Anson lays it down that 'the Governor of a self governing colony is a constitutional link — his dircretion must be that of his Responsible Advisers ; he may be endeavour to influence them, but he must not act contrary to their final deceston, unless he is perpared to appeal from them to the colonial Parliament, and ultimately to the colonial electorate.' Professor Dicey says of Sir W. Anson' s work that' it is the most valuable treatise which has appeared for years on the English Constitution as it actually ex* ists.' The following clipping from an English journal reports the burning of an oak tree that was alleged to be more than a thousand years old : — " Early on Satur* day an unusual spectacle was witnessed in the Home Park at Hampton Conrt, when a magnificent oak, growing about 20yds from the Long Water, was discovered to be on fire. It is said to be 1,100 years ago, and one of the eight largest oaks in England. It is 33ft in circumference, having an average diameter of lift. The trunk was hollow for about 10ft, and several of the larger branches abovo that are also in a decayed condition, The fire was extinguished in a few hours, but not before the tree had been almost consumed. The following are the results of the standards examination of the Sanson school, which was examined by Mr Bin* don on the 17th and 18th inst. :—Standard VI., presented 8, passed 8, percentage 100; standrad V., presented 14, absent 3, excepted 1, failed 1, passed 9, percentage 90 ; standard IV., presented 22, agsent 5, excepted 1, failed 4>, passed 12, percentage 75 ; standard 111., presented 18 absent 3. excepted 5, passed 10, pflrcentnge 100 ;• standard 11., presented 25, absent 5, excepted 2, failed 1, passed 17 percentage 94 5 ; standard 1., presented 28, absent 5, excepted 1, passed 22, percentage 100. The per* centage of passes on the number presented in standards is 92 9. < We received at our office this morning, through the local post office, a parcel privately addressed, and marked " with care." Now the condition of the parcel in question was a disgrace to the Post Office Department. The system of opening letters and parcels is carried to an extreme, and the manner in which the work is done reflects little credit on the official. The parcel could easily have been opened, examined, and re-tied, but this course did not suggest itself to the official. It was easier to tear open the paper covering, smash iv one corner of the parcel containing a box, and leave the contents exposed. It looked remarkably like a piece of yulgar curiosity. Should any parcel in a similar condition again reach us, wo shall at once forward it to the Ministerial bead of the department.

Wirths' Circus is expected here iv a few days time. Our suggestion that a metropolitan club should be formed by the Jockey Clubs in this immediate neighborhood, is finding favor in the eyes of local sportsman. Nominations for the handicap events of the Feilding Hunt Club Steeplechase Meeting close with the Secretary, Mr E. Goodbehere, this evening at 8.30 p.m. Tenders for the privileges at this meeting also close to-night at 8.30. We noticed in Mr M. Belfit's shop today two sets of harness which he has just completed for residents iv Feilding. One is mounted with solid nickel furniture, and the other has brass mountings. The workmanship is good, and reflectn great credit on Mr Belfit's skill. The attempt by the Borough Council of Foxton to sink an artesian well failed. A d«pth of 42 feet was reached in the first trial when the pipes bent in the attempt to force them through a bed of compact gravel. The next lot of pipes were got down 62 feet when they also bent and the work was abandoned. We (Palmerston Times) regret to leirn that Mr S. Valentine received intimation last evening that no hopes were entertained of Mr N. Valentine's recovery, dropsy having supervened, and bis medical attendants state that although he may linger, there are no hopes of his ultimate recovery. It is announced to-day by the distinguished Professor of Palmistry, Mr Valentine B. Walker, of the U.S.A., that he may be consulted at "The Other House " — side door entrance. We have seen several notices from the columns of our contemporaries, and they all speak highly of Professor Walker's skill. The gift auction in aid of the funds of the Palmerston North District Hospital will be held in the Assembly Rooms tomorrow afternoon, at the conclusion of Messrs Stevens and Gorton's stock sale. The donations are numerous and varied, so that every buyer will get good valu« for his money. Remember also this money will be spent in a good cause. Apropos of travellers clubs, a suggestion has been made which might be successfully adopted. It is to the effect that a number of residents in the neighbourhood should combine together and pay in a weekly contribution to a common fund until it reaches, say sixty or seventy pounds. A drawing would take place nt a stated period, and the two successful ones take a run over and see the Melbourne Cup ran. The Napier Telegraph sweetly says: " The howl of the Liberals is as the baying of the dog at the moon." Our contemporary has also discovered that •' the first thing an incoming Premier does is to search the cupboards, and other hiding places known to the domestic cook, to see how much dripping the last cook left, and the indignation is great when it is found that the whole of the perquisites have been sold to the old-clo' man." This is very dreadful. Messrs Steyens and Gorton the well known auctioneer*, have dissolved partnership it being notified elsewhere that principally owing to the extension of their business, the firm have mutually consented to divide it on the 3oth Sept next. That portion in the district north of the Oroua River Foxton) will be carried on by Mr Edward Gorton under the name of Gorton and Son and that portion south of the Oroua (including Foxton) under the name of 11. S. Abraham. The Awahuri yards will jointly be retained by the two new firms, each selling there alternate months. A meeting of the Feilding Fire Brigade was held last night, and was well attended, the Captain and eight or nine members being present. The secretary, Mr Tank, stated that he and Lieutenant Eade had filled in the return forms, and they will be forwarded to the secretary of the United Fire Brigades Association during this week. Resolved, that the Brigade meet on the first Wednesday in each month for the transaction of business, the first meeting to be held in October. The proceedings then closed. The following interesting little morsel is from Patea : A lady of the class usually designated "old maid" had reached the alloted span of three score and ten and, feeling far from well, was receiving a visit from her pet parish minister, when, referring to her state of health, she remarked, " I can't expect to stay here much longer, but shall soon be resting on Judas' bosom." The minister was evidently not quite satisfied with the good lady's scriptural knowledge, and replied, " Oh, no, Miss Blank, not Judas' bosom, but Abraham's." " Oh, well," replied the good old dame, "if you'd been single as long as I have you wouldn't mind which of 'em's bosom it was.— County Press. The heavy rain of yesterday and the previous night caused another 'slip in the Manawatu Gorge, in the same place where the large one occurred a few weeks ago. In consequence of this mishap, the tram from Napier could not get through to Palmerston yesterday, so a special had to be sent out to the Gorge at noon, and the passengers and mails transferred from one tram to the other, consequently the Danevirke passengers did not reach Palmerston until 2.30 in the afternoon. Heayy rain fell here, but no damage was done. Palmerston also experienced a very severe downpour during yesterday and the previous night. Many of the principal streets in the town were flooded, great inconvenience was caused to pedestrians, and in George street a portion of the roadway was actually impassable for traffic.