Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 99, 9 February 1893, Page 2

Local and General News

Mr J. D. Valentine was the success* ful tenderer for building Mr M. Keen's house in Queen street. The members of the Maoawatu Kilwinmng Lodge of Freemasons paid a fraternal visit to the Feilding Lodge on Monday night. The late Sir W, Gull was wont to declare that the sarcasm of " Who shall decide where doctors disagree ?" was aimed at D.D.s. and not at doctors of medicine, who, he maintained, with unmoved countenance, were always agreed. On Friday the 24th instant the Colyton Christy Minstrels will give an entertainment in the Colyton Hall. The programme, which we will publish at length in a few days, is a well chosen one and will consist of the usual Negro melodies, followed by a farce, the whole to conclude with a dance. For other particulars we refer our readers to the advertisement which appears elsewhere. A committee h preparing to lay before the Legislature of New York a project of a law imposing restrictions on marriage. It is thought that communities have a right to require of two persons contemplating matrimony some security that they will not add to the diseased, or the criminal, or the necessarily pauper class which baa to be supported at the public expense. The usual weekly meeting of the Hope of Feilding Lodge of Good Templars was held last Tuesday evening. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. It was decided to purchase a complete set of regalia. The lodge is progressing most favorably, there being 71 names on the roll. The lodge deputy liro. Burrows installed the officers for this quarter. It was resolved to elect new members at each meeting. Wednesday next, the 15th instant, was decided upon as the most suitable night for the tea and public meeting. This concluded the business. The programme of the Feilding Jockey Club for the Easter Meeting is published elsewhere. It will be seen that on the first day £445, and on the second £355 will be run for. This total of £800 shows very creditable liberality on the part of the Club and should receive its reward. Nominations will be received on Saturday March 11th at 8.30 p.m. and weights will be declared about Friday the 24th, and acceptances for the first day will close on the 28th idem. Weights for the second day will be declared on the night of the first day's races. A whiskey mill has now been firmly established in Wales the spirituous produce of which has been declared by a Scotchman as " No' that bad," which may ' be accepted as high praise. Invalids, and others, may now have a choice of Scotch, Irish, or Welsh whiskey to cur© their real, or imaginary ills. It is a singular coincidence that church dis-establishment and whiskey should be the most popular subjects for discussion (in all senses) in these three sections of the United Kingdom ; whether there exists any actual connection could only be explained by the Hon. W. E. Gladstone. A social in connection with the Primitive Methodist body, was held at Short's Hall yesterday eyemng. Between 70 and 80 guests were present, mostly ladies. The Hall was beautifully decorated with ferns, toi toi grass, cabbage trees, and eyergreene, and had a most pleasing appearance. Mrs J. C. Thompsou, Mrs Lyon, Miss Curtis, and Mr Baker contributed to the musical portion of the entertainment, the latter gentleman's song, " The Anchor's Weighed," being exceptionally well rendered, Several very amusing round games were indulged in, followed by a capital supper which was done full justice to. This very pleasant evening's party concluded about 10 o'clock. Says a London correspondent : — •' The story that Mr Gladstone and Mr Labouchere have kissed and made friends is not true at all. Men in their position do not, of course, at once quarrel openly, but Labby is as bitter and irreconcilable as ever, and has never forgotten his exclusion from office. The objects of his wrath are such men as Lords Rosebery and Spencer, rather than Gladstone. He hopes to upset the Government next year on some question of retaining the Irish members at Westminster. Another sorrow which the little man has to bear is due to the palpable and hopeless failure of Mrs Labouchere to get herself recognised and accepted in society." Snobbery seems 10 be a great factor — even in European politics. Dr J. Charles Harrisou delivered the second and last of his lectures at the Assembly Booms last night. The place was well filled, and the doctor's lecture was listened to with evident sympathy and interest. His remarks were almost entirely confined to diseases, the dangers they present, and the mode of prevention . The physiological details, which were necessarily introduced, were much enlivened and varied by the speaker's happy way of handling them and by the humorous stories and allusions interwoven in his discourse. Dr Harrison concluded his lecture by saying that if he had succeeded in improving the life of a single youtli or man who bad heard ' him, or if he had taught him the value of cleanliness and virtue be should bo limply repaid for his trouble. He urged upon lus hearers the value of temperance in all things. The views were again liiij'aly artistic und cleverly produced on ihe canvas, and the diagrams were of great service in illustrating the lectur« i «t\s sub}ect. La9t night's discourse concluded Dr Harrison's platform work, but, us lie informed his hearers, he remains in Feilding uctil Sunday night, and during his stay he may be consulted at his rooms at Ifastie's Hotei daily be* tweeu the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 7 |;.iu. iiud 10 p.uj.

Circu9 to-night. The bot-fly has made its unwelcome appearance in the Masterton district in the Wairarapa. As an evidence of the advancement of civilization, a number of Maories have been convicted and fined for sly grogselling on the Waimate Plains. Mr J. R. Montague will hold a big sale of sundries, pot plants and flowers in his Feilding auction mart to-morrow. Good bargains and no reserves. The Official Assignee, Mr G. J. Scott, will preside at a meeting of the creditors of Mr Lever, baker, a bankrupt, in the Court House tomorrow afternoon at 1.30. Captain Edwin telegraphs : —Weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. to day — Telegrams to expect strong northerly winds after 12 hours have been sent to all places. A narrow escape from drowning oocurred in the Bangitikei at Bulls a few days ago. A young mac named William Ballantyne, whilst bathing, was sudden ly seized with cramp, and was only rescued by his companions with great difficulty. As a result, Mr Ballantyne is now lying seriously ill at Glasgow House, Feilding, suffering from inflammation of the bowels and slight congestion of the lungs. Dr Sorley has the case in hand, and the patient is now making steady progress towards recovery. David Bennett, aged between fifty and sixty, an old resident at Westport, com* mitted suicide in his hut. at vVaitnangaroa, on Tuesday. He had been drinking, and left his companion with the remark that he intended to blow his head oil. An explosion was heard in his hut, and Bennett's body was found lying on the bunk with the bead blown completely away. The deceased had apparently inserted a plug of dynamite in his mouth, and exploded it. He served in the navy during the Crimean war. A few years ugo he lost an eye by an accident. The Sydney Bulletin, of January 21 , has the following :— ' The New Zealand and "River Plate Investment Company a year or two ago gathered up its spare com and retired from Maori land to Buenos Ayres, under an impression, so it is alleged, that the former country during the Ballance reel me wasn't a fit place for the investment of British capital. This unhappy institution has just been heard of once more, after a long silence, as hanng paid an emaciated dividend of 2 per cent per annum in Argentina. It used to pay an oleso 15 per cent in the old days when its coin was lent out to Canterbury farmers. When the company wound up its M.L. business all the Tory papers whooped about capital being " driven out of the country." That capital will never drive back to the same country any more, but it hopes to walk back on crutches some day when it has got rested after its Argentine experiences '