Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 49, 11 October 1892, Page 2

Local and General News

♦ Quadrille Assembly in the Forester's Hall to-morrow night. A sharp shock of earthquake was felt here at about 2 o'clock this afternoon. Friday the 28th instant " Labour Day " will be observed as a close holiday in Wellington. In the Legislative Council yesterday Sir G. Gray's Law Practitioner's Bill was thrown out. Every member of the Feilding Fire Brigade is requested to attend a full practice on Thursday evening. The spielers are able to make such a profitable, safe, and easy livlihood out of the public that they ought to be compelled to take out licenses. Mr Tripe, dentist, will be in Feilding on Friday next. Mr Tripe wishes it to be understood that he will visit here every stock sale day. To-day Mr Thomas Haycock left us a specimen of paper made from N.Z flax, at Richmond, Nelson. It is strong and good. Government intend to purchase the Manawakaitoe Block, of 52,000 acres, in the Seventy-mile Bush, for settlement purposes, and to have the Waikopiro Block thrown open for selection. Mr Edward Pearce of the firm of Levin Co., and one of the New Zealand directors of the Colonist's Land and Loan Corporation, is about to pay a visit to England. In the House this afternoon, Mr Rolleston, speaking on the Appropriation Bill, severely condemned the Government for the manner in which they had dropped the Electoral Bill, conferring the franchise on women. We have to thank Messrs Reid and Gray, of the Otago implement and Machine works, for a copy of their illustrated catalogue of prize machinery. Any of our readers who would like to see it, may do so on calling at our office. We have to acknowledge receipt of the Union Steam Ship Company's Pocket Guide for October. We observe that during the excursion season there will be a general reduction of passengers rates oyer all this Company's lines. The recent prosecution in Auckland of Ah Chee and his committal for breach of the Marine Stores Act, has led to detectives looking up such cases. Three informations under the Act have been laid against another person. With reference to the advertisement of Messrs V. Martin and Co., great stress should be laid on the fact that their consignments of fish arrive in Feilding by the mail train so that they are absolutely fresh, having been caught but a few hours before they are placed in the boxes tor transit. This is an advantage which cannot be claimed by fish brought into the town in any other way. With to-days issue we circulate an attractive hand bill from Messrs Ross and Sandford. of the Bon Marche, Palmerston North, announcing the completion of their first shipment of spring and summer Roods for all departments. The reputation of this firm for its extent of choice and excellence of value is well known, and we have no doubi roany ot our re&Aera will take an opportunity of visiting their display before the season is far advanced. At the Anglican Synod the following recommendations of the Select, Committee were adopted. That the Onsapita Missonary District be constituted to include the following centres :— Pemberton, Birmingham. Hunterville, and Ohinuaiti, That the Pohangina Missionary District be constituted to include the whole of the survey district of Pohangina, east of the River Oroua, subject to certain expansions on the south-west boundaries. A fatal shooting accident occurred at Makara on Sunday morning, by which a young man named Arthur C. Cook lost his life. It appears that be and bis brother were out shooting in a boat, and the deceased, on stepping on shore off the boat, took hold of the gun by the muzzle, when it went off, killing him almost instantly. The deceased has relatiyes in Feilding, and his brother- jn -law Mr Charles Bray, Junr., went to Wellington yesterday atternoon to attend the funeral which took place to-day. A well konwn Feilding resident went out with his family for a driye last Sunday afternoon. On the return journey, they ha 4to cross the Orona river, when they were stuck up by a log which was lying in the ford, Then the fun began. The driyer had to carry the ladies to the bank on his back, and then return for the old gentleman, a small lump of humanity weighing some 14 stone. Thanks to the young man, the trip was accomplished safely, and he succeeded in getting the conveyance, and the whole party, to land without any mishap. The old lady stood on the bridge in a state of great trepidation and alarm, but fortunately her fears were groundless.

There will be mass in St. Bridget's Church next Sunday morning at 8 o'clock. The Manawatu football " reps " defeated Wanganui on Saturday by 7 points to 3. We regret to have to record the death of Mrs Craven, which occurred at Ashurst Sunday eyening after a long illness. The funeral will take place to-morrow. A monster procession to Glasnevin Cemetery, near Dublin, took place on the anniversary of the death of Mr . S. Parnell, and there was an affecting \ scene. The Press Association sends a eorrec- ] tion of the telegram published on Satur ■ day relating to the Anglican Church Congress. The debate was on viyisection not on " vivesoction of the church " as stated. Lord Rosse's great telescope cost about L 30.000. It weighs four tons, the tube is 50 feet long, and has a diameter in the middle of eight feet. A man can walk through it with an umbrella up. Its magnifying powers are, as compared with those of the human eye, 130,000 to 1. A distinguished bishop observed that of all recreations he found music to be the best, and especially when he played himself. "It calls in my spirit," says he, " composes my thoughts, delights my ear, recreates my mind, and so not only fits me for after business, but fills my heart at the present with pure and useful thoughts." How the poor people felt who were compelled to listen, is not mentioned. A total of 33 wrecks occurred off the coast ot New Zealand last year, representing 17.650 tons, as against 35 casualties affecting 12,936 tons in the previous year. The number of total wrecks I was four of 4453 aggregate tonnage as against three vessels of 830 aggregate tonnage in the previous year. Only one life was lost on or near the coast of the Colony, viz , from the ss Sardbam.™ N.Z. Times. At a meeting held in Auckland of the New Zealand Alliance the following telegram was agreed to be forward to the Hon R. J. Seddon, Minister of Defence :— ' We are informed that intoxicating liquors are being sold openly without any disguise from unlicensed premises in Sydenham, This seems so astounding that we appeal to you to have enquiries promptly made by the police and then to publicly declare the Acts and your attitude in regard hereto.' The writer of ' Search Lights ' in the Ckristchurch 'Press' says: "Walking home the other night I met one of the railway hands outside a certain club in the model borough * Well I see you railway men hare passed a resolution approving of the Government's Railway Bill.' ' Why. of course. We're not for the Commissioners. you bet.' ' How's that ?' ' Why, now the Commissioners have got the railways they boss us ; but it the Minister gets control,' we shall boss him.' I reflected a moment and wished him good night." One of the most curious occurrences in the history of literature is the lucky shot made by Dean Swift in " Gulliver's Travels " when he said the astronomers of Laputa, by means of their superior instruments, were able to detect two moons belonging to Mars. It was not till the year 1877 that a Washington astronomer named Hall confirmed by actual observation the chance conjecture thus made by Dean Swift. Previous to that date the epithet " Moonless i Mars " had passed into a proverb. — Christchurcu Press. It appears from recent statistics that gold is flowing away from the United States at a considerable rate. In 1886 the United States Treasury held L 40--,-000,000 net gold, and now the amount has fallen to L 22,800,000. This outflow would seem to show that the balance in trade which is apparently so much in favour of the States is in reality rather the other way. The discrepancy is perhaps accounted for by the great amounts paid to English shipowners as freight. The amount of gold held by the Banks of England, France, and Germany is now about L 125,400,000, against L 98--,-000,000 in 1886. New Zealanders will be interested to learn that the recent diabolical murder in Mexico of Mr Dayid M.'Kellar, for* merly a respected settler in Otago, has not been allowed to pass unavenged. Swift justice has overtaken the perpetrators of the crime. A private letter from San Francisco by to day's mail sa y 8 — •• You will, of course, have heard the dreadful affair regarding the murder of David M'B.ellar, of Tapanui, Otago, in Mexico. It was a cold-blooded crime, The actual murderer and his employer a large land-owner, have been tried and shot by the Mexican authorities. It is hardly safe to exercise property rights in Mexico."— Post. A prisoner at Glasgow has confessed to the authorities, that be was implicted in the murder of Lord Leitrim, shot in Ire* land, April, 1878, from ambush, The prisoner also states that he was concerned in the killing of Lord Mountmorris, in County Mayo in 1890 and that he was also hired to assassinate the man who killed informer James Carey. The Prison Commissioners are carefully investigating the atorjr of the incarcerated man. Tbay have subjected him to a searching examination. They refuse to divulge the prisoner's name or furnish any information whatever concerning him. None of the persons connected with the murder of Lord Leitrim or of Lord Mountmorris were ever caught. A sensational tragedy took place in Brompton Cemetery on August 27 While two women were placing a wreath on a grave of a friend they were alarmed at hearing a shot near by. They saw nothing, howeyer, and started for home, but bad not gone a dozen steps before there was another report, and one of them fell to the ground fatally wounded. The assassin then came into view from behind a tombstone and fired at the other woman, who fell dead with, a bullet through her heart. The murderer im« mediately afterwards shot himself through the abdomen and the throat, and died without making any statement as to the motive for the crime. The woman shot hovered between life and death for some time, but was unable to make any explanation of the tragedy. Finally she died. On Sunday evening a rumour was afloat iv Feilding that Mr F. Y. Letbbridge bad been wounded by a gun shot on Saturday afternoon at Bonny Glen. This was in a degree confirmed when it waa learned that Dr Sorley had been sent for. However yesterday morning the true story came to hand when it turned out that it was Mr H. B. Lethbndge, who had been injured. We take the following particulars from the Advocate. It seems that Messrs F. V., H. 8., and J. P. Lethbndge were at Phiiholme. Mr J. P. Lethbridge's sons had been practising rifle shooting and the second son was in the act of loading when some one spoke to him. He turned round to reply, at the same time accidentally dropping the hammer, when the charge exploded the ball entered the upper part of Mr FT. B. Lethbridge'e thigh. The bullet struck the bone following it half way round, and then made ita way through the muscle and out at the back of the thigh. Dr Isdell was at once summoned and Dr Connolly, who happeued to be in Marton at the time, was also soon in attendance, and surgically treated the wounded limb. On its being ascertained that the wound was not necessarily a dangerous oue Mr Lethbndge expressed a desire to be taken home and was driven to Waogaehu in accordance with his desire, where he is now progressing favorably,

The Awahuri bridge will probably be open for traffic next Friday or Saturday. Mr Carthew has just received a splendid consLtfumeut of very handsome Christ" mas cards. On Saturday last Messrs Barraud aud Abraham sent away their first shipment of wool for London. Pianoforte teaching is advertised today. For particulars as to terms application should be made to Miss Curtis, Manchester street, or the Star office. We are glad to learn from the Manawatu Times, that Mr P. Bartholomew, of Levin who has been ill for some time, has now so far recovered as to be able to attend to business. A meeting of those interested in forming a cricket club in connection with the Wednesday half -holiday, will be held in the Denbigh Hotel on Friday next at 7.30 p.m. An experienced orchardist, who has lately come hero from the South Island, informs us that this is oue of the best dis - tricts in the colony for apple growing. He speaks very highly of the classes of trees already planted. The bitterness existing between the rival parties at the recent English elections was shared to even a greater extent by those females who took part in the fight. Tha Primrose League dames frequently, it is alleged, employed bribery and intimidation to further their wishes and were on several occasions guilty of conduct which would disgrace a fish» wife. At the North Cambs election the ladies were permitted, during the time occupied in counting the votes, to assemble in the msgistrates' room and there wait for tne result. When it became known that Mr Brand, the Liberal candidate, bad succeeded, a Primrose dame, the daughter of a prominent Tory in the constituency, stepped forward and spat in the face of Mr 9 Brand, the popular and accomplished wife of the successful candidate.