Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 96, 17 October 1894, Page 2

Local and General News.

Our Birmingham readers arc reminded of the Wesleyan Church tea to be held in the Town Hall there this evening. The latest report is that tho session will not close till Tuesday or "Wednesday next. At the Wesle}'au Christian Endeavour meeting, neld last evening, Miss Brainwell read an excellent paper on " Sauctitication." A special advertisement appears today from the Manawatn County Clerk, Mr Cox, in connection with tho Oroua River protection work on the Awahuri road. Visitors to tho Falnicrston Show aro invited to call at Mr Coles' piano, organ and show rooms, where instruments by the most prominent English makers aro fully represented. John Burke, formerly a resident of Woodville, died at the Palmerston North Hospital yesterday. The deceased had been an inmate of the Hospital for the past fortnight. Settlers iv the Kiwitea aro poiug iv extensively for raising pigs, and before many years it will probably bo ono of tho most thriving industries in the district. By an Italian law any circus that does not perform every act promised in the programme, or which misleads tho public by means of pictures, is liable to a fine of .£IOO for each obeuce. A petition, signed bj' about 70 ratepayers in the kiwitea County, mostly Penibertou residents, is to bo presented at tho next meeting of the Kiwitea Oounty Council, praying that a new Road District bo formed, to be called the Ruahiue Road District. At a meeting of residents, held at the tho Corporation offices last uipht, it was resolved to present an address to General Feilding on his arrival, and afterwards to entertain bun at a dinner. A strong committee was formed, awl the affair promises to be a success. To-morrow and Friday tho train arrangements between Palmerston and Wanganui will be slightly altered to enable people from this district who attend the Waugauui Races to return after the races are over. Particulars will be found iv an advertisement referring to the matter. A contributor to the Tuapeka Times writes:—" A curious thing that I havo recently noticed is that, farmers in the Clutba'district are going in with great energy this season for barley growing. I am told there is not a farmer in the Prohibition district of Tapanui but has put in a big crop of barley. What, I wonder, does this indicate ? " We understand that a number of settlers in the Cainpbelltown district who have been using Mr P. Thomson's patent milk-cooler are highly satisfied %vith the utensil. It is considered by experienced dairy farmers to be tho best articlo of its kind in use in this district. This must be gratifying to Mr Thomson. TheN.Z. Times 6o; 8 :—-A threatening latter has been received by the Minister for Labour, conveying to him the agreeable information that his " heart is to be split open and hie bones used to manure the tree of labour." The writer states that nothing but blood will satisfy him. He is probably mad. The Legitimation Bill was pawed through the House a few nights ago, after having passed the Council. Its effect is to assimilate the law on the subject to tho Scotch law, making children born beforo wedlock legitimate, provided the parents marry af tens arils, and provided they were not originally born in adultery. The Woodville Examiner states that Mr H. Mortensen, while out walking on Sunday last, found a peculiar eel iv somo grass. It has a beautiful golden colour, a series of suckers on either side of the body, and long promiuout teeth. It is a species of lamprey, and is known to the Maoris as Piharau. A correspondent has sent the Pelorus Guardian the following coincidence: — " On October sth, 1866, Burgess, Kelly, and Levy, were hung in Nelson for the Maungatnpu murder?, Twenty eight years after, viz, on October bth, J. 89- the murderer Bateman committed suicide at the Tophoiiße, thus completing the tragedy of the previous evening, when he Bhot Messrs Lane and Wallis." Mr John Oumuainga, manager of Mr E. Green's Upcot Station in the Awatere, reports that last week (says the Nelson Star) he found 26 dead lambs in a paddock, where 200 stud ewes had been placed for lambing. This discovery was made one uiormng, and on the following day several lambs wore also found dead, all being only three or four days old. An examination showed that thp lambs bad been killed by needle-like punctures, which are supposed to be the toothuaarks of weasels. The Debating Society held their regular fortnightly meeting in Miss Goodbcherc's schoolroom last evening. Tho subject discussed was: "Is man happier in a civilised than an uncivilised stato ? " Mr F. Y. Lethbridge supported tho civilised and Mr .1.11. Stcvcus tho uncivilised. A voto wati taken on the subject, which resulted iv favor of tho former or: the casting vote of the Chairman, Mr Black. Tho so^sion v/ill be wound up at the next meeting with a literary evening, Messrs Black, Carter &tfd WatSOtt contributing papers.

Potatoes aro being planted in the Kiwitea this season in much larger areas than formerly, while several settlers are also plantiug peas and beans. The sale of work at the Temperance Hall, in connection with the Wosleyan Church, is proceeding this afternoon. Tea will be on the tables at 6 o'clock, and a public meeting will commence in the Wesley an Church at 7.45. " Depression out here," writes a Scotch farmer's wife in New Zealand to j a Home paper, " does not affect us like I it does at home. People dress as well, ive as well, and go about just the same. I am sure that were a farmer from the old country to come in among us here ho would think wo were talking nonsense if we said times were hard. He would sec no sign of that." About forty mombers attended the meeting of the 1.0. G.T. last evening. Bro. Shirlock, C.T., occupied the chair. One new member was initiated. After the routine business had been transacted the lodge went into harmony, when the following contributed to the programme — Miss Valeutine, overture, Bros. Slier- j lock and Edwards, recitations ; Bros. F. Bray, Wooding, Noble, Elliott and Miss McKeague, sogs ; Bro. Staffau, violiu solo. The annual meeting of the Diocesan Synod commenced in Wellington yesterday. The President (Yen Archdeacon Fanconrl) in his address announcing the appointment of the Rev. W. Wallis to the Bishopric, said :— " It was cause of deep thankfulness to Almighty "God that He had answered their prayers by sending to them such a man who would prove to be a strong Bishop, in the highest and best sense ot the term " One of the leading buyers of butter for export, who was on a visit to Foildiug from Christchurcli a few days ago, expressed the opinion that tho prico obtained for the coming season's output, which is being placed on the English market by tho Cheltenham Dairy Company, is the best realised in the colony this season ; in fact, he could scarcely believe tha^ 9d per lb was guaranteed with any surplus less 6 per cent, for agent's commission. This must be very satisfactory to shareholders. Among the Moors no man cares to make a display of his wealth in any shape or form for fear that liis rulers may — aud they geuorally do— pounce down on him and not only rob him of his possessions, but take bis life. We have not quite arrived at that stage iv New Zealand yet, but no man dares to start an industry profitable to himself without running the risk of having his enterprise ruined by the intervention of some jealous trades' union, fostered by the Government. After the fire at Makino bj' which the house occupied by Mr Cornelius and family was destroyed, and very few indeed of tho articles of clothing aud furniture saved, Mrs Bonjamiu Wrightson acted the part of a good Samaritan. This lady collected clothing for tho seven children, and a sum of money sufficient to enable Mrs Cornelius to supply herself with a small out-fit. The neighbours on each side responded both willingly and liberally to the appeal made on behalf of the distressed family, and Mr Cornelius and his wife aro deeply grateful for their kindness. Mr Hogg, M.H.R., gave a woeful description of the Wairarapa line in the House the other day. Tho carriages were neglected, aud were neither smoko nor weatherproof; the carriago lamps were antiquated and were almost extinguished by smoko in the tunnels ; on tho up-grade tho train crawled and on the down grade it rushed liked a drunken switchback, making passengers sick ; tho floors were unswept and the carriages uupaiuted ; a 70-mile journey took from 4 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes, aud there wero railway stations at nearly every dairy aud large residence.