Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 72, 19 September 1894, Page 2

Local and General News.

The Government will take over the control of the railways on January Ist, 1895. An attempt was made the other night to destroy the Wellington Terrace School by fire. The Telegraph reports that there is every prospect of a good fruit season in Hawke's Bay. Ladies who have not joined the W.C.T.U. are invited to attend a meeting on Thursday. The Standard says there is gome talk of forming a syndicate in Palmerston for the purpose of sending a prospecting party to Coolgardie. The Hunterville paper states that proceedings for libel nave been commenced in connection with a certain scandal current in Ohingaiti and neighbourhood. Damages are assessed at £600. Says the Manawatu Herald: — In a letter received by a settler from Mr F. B. Larkworthy he mentions that he is returning to the colony to settle. We shall be pleased to see him again. The Waipawa Mail says:— Nothing appears too scandalous for a " Liberal " Ministry to do. The law, decency, and Parliamentary precedent are alike set at naught by them. Mr H. Bishop, of Campbelltown, returned to Feilding on Monday, on his way from Wellington to Campbelltown, with his bride, who is an Australian lady. We wish Mr and Mrs Bishop every happiness and success in their wedded lite. The death is announced of the wellknown thoroughbred stallion, Puriri, sire of Forester, Prioress, Rufus, Escapade, Jenny, Paramu, Jubiloe, Corsair and other turf performers. He succumbed to an attack of colic. While playing hockey in a public street in Christchurch one day last week a boy named Merritt, 14 yeazs of age, received a kick in the stomach. He died within half an hour of the accident. There was a fair attendance at the fortnightly meeting of the Feilding Debating Society last evening. The business was impromptu speeches, and a number of interesting subjects were discussed. At the next meeting a debate will be held on the subject, " Should tho totalisator bo abolished." Mr Kelleher will lead in the affirmative and Mr Black in the negative. According to the writer of "Search Lights " in the Christchurch Press it appears the latter part of the match between the New South Wales players and the local team came near to a " scrapping match." Blows really were struck. The writer further says : — The tour has chiefly been remarkable as an exhibition of second-rate football aud — iv Christchurch, at least -of first-rate larrikiuism. The largest estate — on which probate was paid in the United Kingdom last year— was valued at £2.874,000, accumulated by a Liverpool brewer ; and among the wills of other brewers and wine merchants (remark:) Mr G. A. Sala), I find personalties valued at £742.800, £563,600 £380,40", £628,500. and so on down to a mere " fleabite" of £20,500. The estates of a number of bankers came next ranging between £300,000 and £16.000. The increase in sheep in the Welliag ton prorincial district during the past year is 6tated to be nearly 200,000 more than the increase for the whole of the South Island. In 1885 there were about four millions in the North Island, and between nine and ten millions in the Bouth. INow there are over nine m I'iom in the North and a little under eleven millions in the South. It is considered that wethers fit for freezing are going to be scarce this year. A striking story of the virulence of the plague in China is told by a native paper In one house a family of eigkt persons died, and the only survivor was a girl A thief broke into the boune in search of plunder, and the girl promised him that be could take everything in the place if ho would go and bay coffins for her relatives with the money which he gave him When the thief returned, having ordered the coffins, he found the girl dead and he himself fell a victim to the plague while ransacking the house. For a bit of right down flowery — the real Maekay — the following takes the cake. It has reference to Bessie Doyle's plajtng and appears in the Wairarapa Star : — " The audience was charmed, delighted, spell-bound It sat entranced beneath the spell of heaven !j music. It could Dot help itself. Six hundred eye* were riveted, three hundred mouths extended, then six hundred arm? and six hundred legs moved frantically, and Bessie Doylo was encored." " Three hundred mouths extended " Hoopda ! The sight would have been worth a barefooted pilgrimage to gaze on. — Truth. Notwithstanding the depressed times, the New Zeal an .1 swagsman si ill remains an epicure. The following- has juet been related to us by a Wairarnpa squatter Two swagsmen received comfortable shakedowns for the night. The following morning Me was sent for by the sundowners, whom he found seated at breakfast in his own kitchen, " Look 'ere, sir," said one of them, pointing to a dish of steaming chops "We reblootmn' full of muttinti ; haia't yer got no 'am and eggs." As the unemployed are still numerous, the squatter, we hear, is thinking of buying more fowls. — Press It is said that newspaper compositors can decipher anything. In illustration of this, Mr Robert Clark, the well-known Edinburgh printer, used to tell the following story : — " Professor Lindsay Alexander came in hot haste one day with the MS of a sermon, and asked to have proofs of it ready for him on the following day. We said the time was rather too short, and that he must give a few days longer. ' No, I can't ; it's impossible,' he replied, in great anxiety. ' I must preach this sermon to-morrow. It is a special sermon, i wrote it ten years ago, and now I can't make out a word of it.' " Three farmers (says the Timuru Herald) who live not a hundred miles from Timaru, went in company to canvass their district for subscriptionH to provide a harmonium for their little church. They bailed up a youne farmer, and had to use all their persuasive powers to get him to subscribe. At last he said, " Well, look here ; will you give the same amount if I give something ?" The three promptly agreed. They had of course put down their names already for something, but they could stand another half guinea, to get as much out of their victim. Oh yes, they would give the same amount. " All right, here's my cheque for £5." The trodden worm had turned ! The Halcombe Cricket Club held their annual general meeting at the Halcombe Hotel on Saturday evening last. Officers for the coming season were elected as follows : — President, Mr D. G. Riddiford ; vice-presidents, Messrs B. Lane and W. H. Hartgill ; captain, Mr H. P. Lance ; secretary, Mr R. K. Bradbury ; treasurer, Mr S. Strachan. Messrs Lance, Strachan and Bradbury wero elected a match and general committee, and Messrs Lance and Strachan delegates to the Union. The annual subscription was fixed at ss, and it was resolved that the Halcombe and Waituna clubs amalgamate. Those present expressed their regret tjaat the club would lose Mr A. fi. Tompkius owing to his having entered into business at Birmingham.

Last night in the House Mr W Hutchison gave the greatest praise to the Colonial Treasurer for the way the cheap money Bill had been drafted. From beginning to end, he said, it is a very comprehensive and ably drawn Bill. To-day's N.Z. Times says: -Mr Cadman, we regret to state, has suffered a relapse, and was somewhat weaker yesterday. — Since the Budget proposals were published in London, said Mr Ward this morning, in replying in the cheap money debate, the New Zealand 4 per cents, have gone up from 107 to 109 1, and the S\ per cents, from 101 to 108. The weekly meeting of the local 1.0. G.T. Lodge was held in the Foresters' Hall last eveuing, when the attendance was very large. One member was initiated. A surprise party, of 22 members from the Palmerston Lodge visited the meeting, and entertained the local Lodge with a lengthy programme of songs and recitations, and also a supper, after which Bro. Groves (Palmerston) introduced clever conjuring tricks. The programme was contributed to by the following visiting brethren : — Songs, Sister Mrs Weaver and Bro. Merrick ; duet, Sister Miss Spinks and Bro. Milverton ; recitations, Bros. Allan and Mayo, Sisters Mrs Govier and Mrs Spinks ; readings, Bro. Groves. The programme was commenced with a glee by the surprise part}'. On the motion of Bro. Blackmore, seconded by Bro. Jackson, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the visiting brethren for the very efficient manner in which they had entertained the lodge. Chief Templar Bro. Sherlock occupied the chair.