Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 245, 21 February 1894, Page 2

Local and General News.

Mr E. McKeuna, V.C. the Palrncrston stationinaster, left for his annual holiday of seventeen days yesterday. An important notice is given in another column by Messrs Goodbehere and Richmond, in reference to the estate of John McNaughton, deceased. A burglary was committed at Hastings on Sunday night. The shop of J. McStay, draper, was entered, and about j£94 stolen. Two arrests have been made. Messrs Abraham and Williams hold their Palmerston stock sale to-morrow. They have very large entries of sheep and cattle of all descriptions. Last Thursday, Mr Elkington, of San - diford, sent 1080 sheep, consisting of lambs, wethers, and fat ewes to the Loagburn Freezing Works. A great sale of furniture, carriages, and horses, will be held at Mr Wollernian's residence, Palmerston North, on 24th instant. Mr Suelson will act as auctioneer. The competition firing of the Manchester Rifles was commenced this morning and was being continued this afternoon. The scores of all classes will appear in to-niorrow's issue. The new Railway Commissioners, it is said, contemplate no immediate radical changes in the general management of the railways, but they say they have already seen where important improvements can and will shortly be effected in the permanent way department and locomotive workshops. To-day we received three very handsome bunches of grapes from Mr Frauk Fowles. They were Muscat of Alexandria (white), and Madrestield Court (purple), and are probably the best ever grown in the district. The white grapes are of the variety which, when dried, are known as Muscatel raisins. The exertions now being made by Mr Pirani, M.H.R., in the direction of getr ting the Oroua river bridged into the Feilding Block, are giving great satisfaction to the residents in that prosper? ous settlement. As the ford is known to be dangerous the Hooner the work i« completed the better. A very marked mirage was visible in the western sky at Napier on Tuesday night at sunset. A whole titretch of bush, with a road winding among the hills, some houses, and what looked liku a small lake, were plainly projected upon the clouds, Huudrcdtt of townspeople gazed with much interest at the unusual optical scene. - H.B. Herald. The Messrs Clark, who purchased a portion of the Oroua Downs Estate sonic little time back, wrote to the Muimwiitu County Council on Thursday, undulated that their lather had purchased v, portion of the Carnarvon Kutatu for tlujui in England, it appears that thiw wuh the only block that hud cluing I hands, ftnd, if rumour he true, lhe laud uouir Ittiacg thp greatest part of tins fiittuujny paddocks of the eatute, — MuuttWfttu Herald.

There will be mass in St Bridget's next Sunday at 11 a.m. Mr Bindon, inspector of schools for the Wauganui district, paid a surprise visit to the Feilding school yesterday. A chestnut mare, lost from Colyton, and last seen straying towards Ashurst, is advertised for in our wanted column. Mr G. F. Bishop, solicitor, notifies by advertisement that he has A'4ooo to lend on good freehold security, at current rates, in sums to suit borrowers. We have been requested to state that the next Waituna srale of Messrs Gorton j and Son will be held on Wednesday, | March 7th, A meeting of the shooting committe 0 of the Manchester Rifles will be held this evening, at Mrs Oliver's Hotel, at 7.80, when a full muster is requested. A resident of Napier, J. P. Hamlin, has been fined i.'s, and costs All Bs, and treble the amount of the tax, for neglecting to send in Income Tax returns. Wo are glad to learn that Mr D. Hughej r , a much respected settler of large experience, will be a candidate for No. 2 Ward in the Pohangiua road ! district. A disturbance occurred at an outdoor meeting of the Bulls Salvation Army on Sunday, which will lead to a couple of Court cases. One of the lassies fainted duriug the row. Captain Kirton has received the railway passes for those members of tho Manchester Rifles who propose to attend the Rifle Association meeting, in Christchurch. We have been requested to state that the Mr Scott who proved in the bankrupt estate of J. C. Morey, is not Mr Scott, of the Bank of New Zealand, Palmorston North. The Feildiug School committee meet at 7.80 this evening. We might suggest that the question of the low average attendance now prevailing be brought up for discussion. It is time that some steps were taken in this matter. A good deal will depend on the results of the meeting at Birmingham to be held on Saturday next. We understand that stops will be taken at Apiti to have a creamery erected there to be in readiness for next season, if the Birmingham folks succeed. It has been stated that Mr Ronayne, one of the Railway Commissioners, was a protege of the Premier's but Mr Ronayno (in reply to a question on the point) said : "My acquaintance with Mr Scddon is no more extensive than it is with you. whom I have never met before. I have never interested myself in party politics in the colony, and I am not even now a registered elector." At last night's meeting of the Onehunga Borough Council the councillors •appeared to be in a bit of a quandary an to tho proper manner of addressing the Mayor. One councillor persistently styled her "Your Ladyship," and another " Mrs Chairman," whilst a few contented themselves with addressing Mrs Yates as " Your Worship." At the tennis courts yesterday afternoon Mr Barton (owe 10) beat Mr Dyer (owe 10) in a heat for the Gent's Handicap Singles. On Saturday afternoon next the return match between Palmerston and Feilding (6 aside) will be played on the local courts. Feilding will be represented by Messrs Barton, Dyer, Lance, Strachan, Brabant, and Mildred. On our third page 10-day will be found an advertisement from Messrs Rankin and Son, Apiti, intimating that the) 7 are prepared to undertake all kinds of blacksmithing work, making horse shoeing a specialty. Mr G. Rankin, junr, also breaks in horses to either saddle or harness. There i« no doubt that a smithy in Apiti will be much appreciated by the settlers in that district. A meeting of theExecutive Committee of the Education Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present — Messrs Notmau (Chairman), Baker and Carson. It was resolved, That Mr Browne's leave of absence commence on 6th March ; that the Assistant Clerk, Mr W. J. Carson, be appointed Acting Clerk during Mr Browne's absence ; that Mr F. Watts-be employed as temporary clerk, and be paid at the rate of £100 per annum ; that the salary of the Acting Clerk be increased to the rate of Ll5B per annum during the absence from duty of Mr Browne. Messrs Edwards and M'Beth report wages for last week as follows : —Married couples, ;£7O to 190; carpenters, 10s; bricklayers, 12s : blacksmiths, 9s to 10s ; painters and glaziers, 10s ; plumbers and gasfitters, 9s to 10s : storetuen, 42s to 90s; draymen, 42s to 50s; coachmen, 30s to 85s ; grooms, 35s to 85s : gardeners, 6s to 8s ; farm hands, 15s to 255 ; milkmen, 25s to 275 ; hotelmen, 20s to 40s ; barmaids, 25s to 30s ; waitresses, 15s to 20s ; cooks, 25s to 40s ; female do, 25s to 355 ; housemaids, 12s to 20s ; general servants, 10s to 14s ; nursegirls and boys, 7s to 15s. Female servants have been in fair demand. Very little enquiry for men during the week. Some excitement was caused at Colyton yesterday afternoon through a grass fire, which was started on the roadside by some school children, spreading with great rapidity on to Mr Carr's paddock, and towards his house, Several settlers living near seeing the danger the house was placed in, ran to the scene, and with buckets of water and sacks thrashed the fire out, and it was only by their united efforts that the house was saved, as the flames were at one time within a few feet of the building. Mr Carr had 600 sheep running in the paddock, and had the fire not been checked ■when 'it was the result would have been very disastrous for him. In this issue the Salvation Army announce tho visit to FeiJding on Friday next of a party of Indiana, under the command of Major Musa Bhai. The Indian party have gone nil through Australia and part of New Zealand, drawing enormous crowds to hear them. Major Musa Bhai, the leader, is a converted Tamil ; he speaks English fluently, and is a very talented orator. Captain Gunaskero rep resents the Bengalese race ; Lieutenant Siya, a notorious drunkard from Ceylon ; Captain Muthia, a Hindoo, and Ensign Sadanand represents the European officers in India The party will arrive in Feilding from Wellington by express train on Friday, and the local Salvationists intend giving them a monster reception in the Square at 7.15 p.m. All of the party dress in their oriental costumes and play peculiar instruments. The prices of admission to the barracks are fixed at Is for front seats and 6d for back seats. The Indians are trophies of Sajva(ion Army work in India,