Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 181, 31 January 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

Owing to the large amount of business the Wellington Land Board sittings will exiend over two days One-half the world believes in its descent from monkeys ; the other half proves it. Several welcome showers of rain fell last night, which proved very refreshing after the long .spell of dry weather experienod hern during the month. At * special meeting of the Campbelltown School Committee last night, Alr J. Mayor was nominated for a seat on the Wangrtnui Education Board. On Tuesday last Mr J. O. Batchelar and Mrs Batchelar celebrated their silver weddiug at their homestead, known as Willowbank, Palmerston N. The balance-sheet of the Feilding Committee of the Wairarapa Relief Fund is published to-day in another column. The Oi helia, from Rio to Otago Heads, metcouiliof the Cape of Good Hope massHH of ice about six miles in length One dv 17 bergs were seen, some of them 500 ft hisAfter to-day factories which have not registered will be liable to a penalty. Up to yesterday only nineteen had been registered out of a total of 43 in Palmerston. The Patea County Press ayers that a peculiar picture was seen on the main road by the Momohaki station recently when a "regiment" of shell snails, eight chains long and seven feet wide, were marching along the grass side-track southward. The circumstances attracted considerable attention, sufficiently so to induce settlers to measure the area covered. A writer iv the Timaru Herald sends the following remedy for the bot fly to that paper : "I should like to call the attention of horse-keepers to a simple remedy that went the round of the agricultural papers last year, namely, give the horse a peck of raw potatoes twice a week. Should the horse be unable to eat, grate the potatoes up and give them as a drench. It is at least inexpensive and worth a trial. I may as well add that I am not a seller of potatoes." The following is given as an effectual mode of treatment for bots in a horse : — Give it a bottle of new milk, with a couple of tablespoonfuls of soot, three or four times, and a couple of feeds a day of scalded pollard with salt, for a fortnight, and the grubs come away by the score. The treatment is very simple, but the pollard must be scalded, and the salt should be increased as much as the horse will eat. Scalded pollard is one of the most nourishing of foods for any gick animal that will eat it.

The Manchester Rifles will parade for Government inspection this evening. A curiosity in the shape of a sheep dog born without front legs, was taken to Wellington by train last night and created a good deal of interest. The monstrosity appeared to be quite as hupp, as a dog with a full complement of understandings A skeleton of a man, minus the skull, was found on Saturday last on Mr Brewer's farm. Auckland, by Messrs J. Reinhardt, Brewer and Irving, who were cutting down a tree. Tiie skelelon was against the root of a totara in a sitting position A peculiarity of the blind is that there is seldom one of them who smokes. Soldiers and sailors accustomed to smoking, and who have lost their sight in action, continue to smoke for a short while, but soon give up the habit. They say it gives them no pleasure when they cannot see the smoke. Mr (J. Desmond, whose death was announced in one of the Wellington papers a short time ago (the notice having been given to the paper by some unknown person), while Mr Desmond was enjoying good health, has been on a visit to his brother, Mr P. Desmond, at Feild- i ing, and returned home to Wellington yesterday. An English paper supplies the following amouuts -won by the crack horses of Great Britain : - Donovan — 2yrs, £15,---487 ; 3yrs, X08,6G(5 ; 4yrs (sent to the stud) : total, £.36,154. Isinglass — 2yrs, £4577 ; 3yrs, £18,860 ; 4yrs, A' 31,498 : total, £54.i)34. Ayrshire— 2yrs, £6514 ; 3yrs. £8685 ; 4yrs, £20,660 : total, £35,---880. Orme— 2yrs. £8174 ; Syrs, £13023 ; 4yrs, £11,329 : total, £32,526. Enquiries are beiug made from Hastings, Pahiatua, aud other more distaut localities for programmes of and information relative to the Feilding Cycling Sports, to be held ou "Wednesday, February 20th, aud, judging from the great interest being taken, it is safe to assume j that the success of these sports will far j exceed the most sanguine anticipations of the promoters, the officers of the Feilding Cycling Club. There is a splendid opportunity for some enterprising sawmill proprietor to establish a mill in the Sandon Special Settlement Block, where there is an abundance of good timber. Settlers residing in the block named, and the adjoining block, have either sawn their own timber or carted it from the mill at Cheltenham, a distance of many miles, which adds to the cost of the timber, and, consequently, restricts building operations. At to-day's meeting of the Wellington Land Board the various petitions from special settlers in reference to the question of paying rent for the past year will come up for consideration. When all the surrounding circumstances are viewed hy the Board it cannot but be admitted that the demand is not only au expected one, and that if these settlements are to prosper the selectors must be treated in as liberal a spirit at any rate as ordinary settlers. The Wesle}'an Sunday School picnic, held on the Oval yesterday afternoon, was well attended by adults as well as childL-cu, aud au enjoyable afternoon's amusement was obtained. The usual picnic games were indulged in, and tea was served out in the lawu. The Rev. W. Dawson and Mr J. Cobbe, superintendant of the Sunday School, were foremost iv providing amusements, while the teachers iv the school and other ladies of the congregation rendered valuable assistance. A quiet little wedding was celebrated ou Tuesday last, at the residence of Mr Geo. Crichton, Ashurst, the contracting parties being Mr E. Palmer, of Birmingham, and Mrs Anuie Kitchen, eldest daughter of Mr G. Crichton. Tiie Rev. W. Lee conducted the ceremony, and, afternoon tea having been served, the happy couple departed for their home at Birmingham, amidst showers of rice, arid the good wishes of their many frieuds. The bride, who was given away by her farther, was the recipient of numerous presents. What a man will do to rob hie creditors : A North country gentleman was left. £800 a year by his deceased wife so long as he remained a widower. In the event of his tv-marnage the money was to pass to the dead wife's children. Tho gentleman, falling into financial difficulties proceeded to London and married the inmate of a workhouse, aged 87, at a registrar's office, the bride returning to her old quarters after the ceremony. By this step the creditors weref'unable to touch a penny of the money, which passed at once into the hands of the children. Cute — but not very honest. The following nominations were received last evening for the bicycle road race, to be held on Wednesday, February 6th : — A. H. Way, J. Mingins, E. Feck, A. L. Parr, J. Watson, F. W. Treseder, J. Coombe, F. Mackenzie. The course is from Manchester Square to Ley's Line aud back. Mr E. H. Ricketts, the handicapper, has declard the following handicaps for the road-race : J. H. Mingins, scratch ; E. A. Feck and A. H. Way, 30secs ; A. L. Parr and F. Mackenzie, lmin 30secs ; F. W. Treseder, 2min ; J. Coombe, 2min 15secs ; J. Watson, 2min 45secs. We learn from the Manawatu Standard that Messrs Wollerman and Co. have completed arrangements for commencing business in Palmerston North as merchants, valuators, land, financial, indenting agents. While on a visit to England and Germany, Mr Wollerman made arrangements with several leading firms to act as agents for various articles, and these will be shown in a spacious room. At the rear of their present ! building a large room will be erected for the purpose of holding regular weekly sales of produce, merchandise, live stock, &c. The auctioneering business will be under the charge of Mr J. R. McMillan, of Foxton. Mr Wollerman 's eighteen years' experience of business in Palmerston enables him to judge accurately the requirements of the district, and should prove of great value to the firm, j