The Feildign Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1895. Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 218, 15 March 1895, Page 2

The Feildign Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1895. Local and General News.

It is understood (says the Standard) that the Railway Department will, for the future run only one produce train a week from New Plymouth. Notice is gazetted of the intention of the Government to take compulsorily 4273 acres of first - class land near Oamaru, belonging to the New Zealand and Australian Laud Compauy. The contractors for the new portion of the Awahuri bridge are progressing so well with their work that it is understood vehicles will be able to cross over the new structure in about six weeks' time. The Hawke's Bay Herald states that the Napier manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Mr T. W. Balfour, is retiring from the service on a well-earned pension after a long service of 33 years. The Presbyterian Assembly in Sydney rejected the Temperance Committee's report in favour of the Gothenburg system, and adopted an amendment in support of full local option without compensation. Information has been received in Wellington that a New South Wales team will tour New Zealand during the coming season if satisfactory terms as to payment of the expenses can be made with the various associations. The Southland Times learns on good authority that a party of two recently made £90 for a week's work on Te Whara Beach diggings, and that other parties are doing equally well, washing up about 14oz of gold per man per week. A considerable number of claims (about 30) had been taken up at latest date of intelligence. If anything was needed to show there is a revival in the spirit of enterprise on this coast, that was supplied by the land sale which took place at Ohiugaiti on "Wednesday last,. Unless in oue or two cases where special exception was made each section was sold at a price considerably over the reserve. The Cosmopolitan Club in Wanganui is a successful institution. There are 420 members. The billiard room, card rooms, private sitting apartments and the refreshment room, are all well fur- , nished, while only the very best liquids are supplied to members. At an early date the committee of management intend to erect new and very handsome premises. An old gentleman who is not — to the outward world— of either a sympathetic or sentimental turn of mind said this morning : '• Well, all the kids has gone to Wanganui, and no school to-day — but I do miss 'em going up Manchester street. I pities the mothers as looks • after them, so clean and nice— but " - (here he spoke irritably) " what the . blazes did they take 'em all away for ? " There is a lot of human nature about. People have got so much into the habit of complaining of the dull times that they are disinclined to throw it off i and own that there exists a marked change for the better. In Wanganui this is very observable. Times are better, ' business is improving, and a spirit oi cheerfulness prevails, which was not ap--1 parent a year ago, Happiness consists 5 in being miserable with some folks, no doubt, but such ought to be in a miser- [ able minority in Wanganui. , The Manchester Rifles, under Captain Kirton and Lieutenant Halcombe, went to Wangauui yerterday to assist at the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new hospital. Altogether they had a good time and returned well pleased with their outing. LieutenantColonel Newall, and Captain Clapham who was in command of the volunteers, 5 expressed their gratification at their presence. The Premier also paid a compliment to the corps. The weather was ; everything that could be desired. The sitting of the S.M. Court here, appointed to be held this morning at 10 o'clock was adjourned until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Ever since the change in the districts of the Stipendiary Magistrates was made, these adjournments have been the rule as far as Feilding is - concerned, much to the inconvenience . of persons who have cases to be heard and also of their witnesses. As far aa can be seen at present unless the Borough Council or the residents take the matter in hand the evil promises to go on for ever. A complaint to the Minister of Justice would have the desired| effect. Dr Jayne, Bishop of Chester, has, since i 1892, been advocating the introduction into England of the Gothenburg system for restricting the sale of intoxicating ( liquors. A Times special correspondent has carefully investigated the working ol this s\ stern, and has shown in the columns of the Times that the system is a failure in Gothenburg itself in prevent' ing drunkenness. This special correspon- ' dent " has seen more drunkenness in a Scotch town on a Saturday night, but ' never in an English one " than he saw in Gothenburc ; it is worse than Cardiff and the evil is increasing. The following tenders were accepted by the Manawatu County Council on Wednesday. Forming and claying Elkin's road, Moutoa, M. Boyle, 22s per chain. Drain and formation on Saunders road, Moutoa, A. Oldfield, 16s 6d. Supplying and delivering metal on SandonAwahuri road, E. Morris and Co., 2s sd. Supplying and delivering metal on Camp-belltown-Longburn road, A. E. Bull, 4s 10yd. Supplying and delivering metal on Bank's road, Campbelltown, C. H. Burgess, os lOd. Supplying and delivering metal on Bank's Waitohi road, J. B. Merrett, 4s sd. Supplying and delivering clay on Taikorea road, Mathers and Parlain, 2s 9d. Supplying and delivering metal on Wilson's road, E. Morris, 2s bd. Metalling 30 and forming 40 chains river bank road, Carnarvon, M. Boyle, L 63. Forming 30 chains and delivering 300 yards of sand on Tompkins' road, Campbelltown, J. Yanko, .£l3 18s lid. The captain of the Feilding Cycling Club, Mr S. Andrew, made a trip on his bicycle to Napier on Tuesday last. He started from Feildine; at 4.30 a.m., arriving in Napier shortly before eight on the same evening, having travelled a distance of about 125 miles. The actual riding time was about eleven hours, Mr Andrews having stopped at several townships along the route. He describes the roads as better for cycling on the other side of the ranges than on this side. From the Manawatu Gorge for forty miles there was hardly a stone to be seen, the road being very smooth. The unformed roads on each side of Takapau were fairly smooth and the cement-like road on the Napier side of Waipawa was very easy to ride over although broken in places. The worst road was found between Hastings and Napier, which was very sandy. After spending Wednesday in Napier, Mr Andrews returned to Woodvjlle fo y train completing the journey to Feilding on his machine on Wednesday night, being only one night away from Feilding.

The Waipawa Mail has been shown a sample of wool from the Ashcott estate . which measures 2ft 2in in length. Captain Edwin wired at 12.22 p.m. to-day :— N. to W. and S.W. gales within the next 10 hours ; glass further fall, indications for rain. A cricket match will be played at , Feilding, to-morrow, commencing at 11 o'clock, between teams representing the Ashurst-Pohangina and Feilding Clubs. We have been requested to state that Mr Parker, who was announced in our columns to preside at the organ at St. John's, Feildmg, on Sunday nest, has written to say that owing to unforseen circumstances he will be unable to do so, but hopes to fulfil his promise shortly. Mr Homer, of Palmerston North, has kindly consented to fill the gap. A letter in the form of a declaration, appeared in the Times, stating that four persons, whilst playing whist the other day, had each a complete suit of cards. The chances against such a thing happening in the case of one player is estimated to be 158,750,000,000 to one. What, then, would be the odds against four players each holding a complete suit. An amusing incident came out in a divorce case in Melbourne recently, when the wife deposed that on one occasion her husband (who seeks a divorce) followed her, whistling and coughing ' after her. She did not know it was her husband, as he wore an old straw hat and was otherwise disguised. Thinking it was a strange man she turned round and gave him in charge to a constable. In another column, Mr J. W. F. Halcombe, of Feilding, accepts Mr J. Sutherland's challenge to wrestle on condition that the match shall be for the light weight championship of New Zealand. This is the outcome of the match at Feilding on February 20th last when Halcombe beat Sutherland, the light weight champion of New Zealand, who now wishes to regain his lost laurels. At the time of the last match Sutherland was suffering from a cold. With reference to the number of "yellows "in Romney Marsh carcases it is stated that one of the leading frozen meat exporters of Napier has made a calculation of the result of last year's operations which shows that the percentage of " yellow " carcases of Romney mutton does not exceed that of any other breed ; in fact there is an astonishing uniformity in the different classes which he has handled. The percentage of" yellows " in the stock obtained from Hawke's Bay was almost infinitesimal. The local agent for the Palatine Insurance Company, Messrs A. F. Halcombe and Son, handed over on the loth instant, to Mrs D. Barrett, the amount of the insurance (.£700) on her stock destroyed by the fire in Fergusson street on the morning of Februry 3rd Consider - ; ing that all books and receipts were destroyed and that duplicate invoices had to be procured from merchants who had i supplied Mrs Barrett with goods since she commenced business, this is a re- . markably quick settlement.