Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 168, 15 January 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

Certain lands in the Wairnrapa and Marlborongh district are under oiler to the Government. The next meeting of the Board of Land Purchase Cotnmisfioners will not take place until next month. The member for Palmerston will address hisconstituentsat the Theatre Royal Palmerston, about the middle of February, and at Ashurst, Bunny thorpp, Apiti and other parts of the district during the lest of the month, The crew of the Dundee whaler Terra Nova report having extracted from a whale killed by them at the Davis strait fishery, a harpoon bearing the name of the Bo'ness whaler Jean, which was lost in the ice 37 years ago. The temporary repairs to the Warwick street bridge are now almost completed, and it is probable that the bridge will be re-opened for traffic to-morrow. An additional span lias been added to the eastern end of the structure, while the damaged approach at the opposite end is being repaired. A New York policeman has had a straDge adventure. Finding a man insensible — the officer concluded the case to be one of drunkenness — he carried his charge to the station, and a doctor was summoned. The policeman then discovered to his horror that he had been carrying a corpse, for the doctor gave his assurance that the man had been dead for several days. At Blenheim during the recent flood the driver of a cab drew up opposite the house of his passenger, but the wheels of the vehicle sank into the water table. The horse started to swim and the cab to float but the driver at once jumped on to the horse's back, undid the harness, and swam down the street, leaving the cab standing there. "What became of the passenger the report does not aay. Notice is given that Mr F. S. Guy has assigned to Mr Thomas Lowes, of Birmingham, all the book debts in connection with the butchery business hitherto carried on by Mr Guy under the style of " Jackson and Co." Mr Lowes intimates that all the accounts hi nst be paid forthwith to Mr Saudeman, solicitor, otherwise legal proceedings will be taken for their recovery. The other day a resident of tht Motnekft district took 500 sheep to be shorn by a shearing machine owned by Mr Drummond of the Upper Moutere. The owner of the sheep who hails from " der Vaterland," expressed great surprise at the working of the machine and gave vent to his astonishment as follows :-" Veil, I tid not tink it vas like dat. I tid tink de sheep tid go in de von end and come out de udder end mit de wool off." — Star. He had been suffering from general debility, brought on by worry and anxiety consequent on the credit system which obtains to such an extent in New Zcalaud. His medical adviser recommended a change to another colony, otherwise he would go mad. The patient took the advice and went to New South Wales, where he commenced — and continued — a business on "spot cash." Now he is as hearty as a three-year-old, is in splendid health, and, like the typical village blacksmith, "He owes not any man," but, better still, uo man owes him anything. With regard to the suicide of the Chinaman at Marton it appears that the deceased, Ah Wong, 6hot himself in the centre of the body, while sitting up in bed during Sunday night. Another Chinaman who slept in the same room, did not hear the shot fired. Deceased had been somewhat despondent of late owing to financial difficulties, and had also suffered from a bad leg, which with a touch of Chinese superstition, he declared a few days to have been " dead man poisoned." He had been a member of the Salvation Army, used to be their standard bearer, and has very often held forth, or testified on the platform. TheOamaru Mail states that the harvest is likely to be one of the best that has been seen in the district for many years. The earty sown wheat promises to give a good j ield, but the general average will to some extent be pulled down by the late sown crop, which has been effected by the dry season. Unless something untoward occurs between now and the gathering of the grain, the new crop all round will be of excellent quality. The quantity of old wheat in granaries and stores is considerably below the average, and the market for the new season's grain should therefore open under conditions favorable to growers. The cycling mania has fairly seized Paris. It is roughly estimated that there are in and about Paris, some 40,000 addicted to this form of sport, of whom at least 10,000 are worm-n. The costume of the ladies is usually made of some grey material, and is composed of a bodice in the usual form, Turkish trousers displaying the calf, black stockings and a cap supposed to be jaunty. Wben a woman thus attired is doubled up over bor machine her head disappears and sho presents the appearance ot a fluff/ bundle of dry goods, with four formless protuberances caused by the pantaloons aud the puffed ebouldere.

There will be ina_B in the Roman Catholic church, Cainpbelltown, on Sunday next at 11 a.m. Ministers were engaged in Cabinet all day yesterday upon the departmental matters. The Manchester Rifles will hold competitions in C Ola^s, and for the trophy presented by Gouer il Feilding, to-mor-row (Wednesday) morning and afternoon. A canvass of Marton, which was made to ascertain the public opinion on the question of the statutory half holiday, shows that a large majority of the business men are in favour of Saturday. It's not unusual for the prices of admission to a black block dance to be fixed for two members of the softer sex to provide a Ibs weight of cake, butter, jam or sandwiches A buxom wench recently deposited a lb of soft soap with the door-keeper, who remonstrated, but she had him in a tight place when she directed his attention to the dirty state of the floor of the State school in which the ball was being held.