Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 250, 25 April 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

New Zcalaudcrs can now take a trip to Australia and back for five pounds. The contingencies, are, of course, " at owner's risk."' It is- expected that the line through tho Gorge will be cleared to-day, which will allow of goods traffic on the Pal-merston-Napier line being resumed. There are 53f> solicitors practising in New Zealand, or one to every lofil inhabitants. The number oF folicitors practising in Wellington district is 12.1. An Arctic exhibition is to be held in Edinburgh iv the summer iv recognition of the jubilee of the starting ot Sir John Franklin's last and disastrons ex. pedition. Au experienced printer tried a pair of spectacles for the /ir.st time and lie joyfully exclaimed •' Why, they rai^e the type from nonpareil to long primer." Could there be a greater compliment ? " Kauri wood blocks, after nerly five years wear in Spencer street, Melbourne, near the railway station, were found to have worn very uniformly, and to the extent of about one-quarter of au inch only. Mr Gordon, of the Gisborne company which secured the lease of the Campbell Islands, has chartered the ketch Gratitude, and leaves this weelc with a party for the islands, taking 600 sheep, GOOOft of timber and 12 months' stores. Thus Mr Graham, M.H.R., on the liquor question : — " If you have prohibition to-morrow, the result will be that you will have more drunkenness, and of a worse character than you Lave it now." There will be a meeting of the FeildCycling Club in the club room to-mor-row evening. As some very important business is to be transacted it is particularly requested that every member will attend. The Engineer of the Manchester Roail Board, Mr C. Bray, senr., went through the Gorge yesterday and reports it passable for horse traffic only. The Upper Gorge bridge is only slightly damaged, while one culvert and two bridges in the Gorge are badly damaged. Iv places portions of the road have slipped away. In referriug a few days ago to the recent importations made by Messrs Davy and Mills, of the Red House, we omitted to mention that their stock of teas, groceries and preserves of meat, fish, fruits, etc., had been renewed with a splendid assortment of the very best brands and qualities obtainable in the English or Colonial markets. At Christ Church, Wanganni, yesterday, the wedding of Mr E. Richardson, son oi the lion E. Richardson, C.M.G., M.L.C., of Wellington, and Miss Catherine H. Brabant, second daughter of Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M., of Wanganui, and Judge of the Native Land Court, was celebrated. Among the guests were Mrs Gosset, of "Wangauui, Mrs Oldham, of Feildiug, Mrs Shannon and Miss McBeth, of Marton. Ladies to the front : Half of those present at the meeting of householders in the Te Aro School district last night were ladies. They manifested great interest in the proceedings, and took an active part in canvassing for support on behalf of pome candidates. Odg lady was prominent in endeavouring to secure tho rejection of a certain candidate, and took no pains to conceal her triumph at the success of her eflorts when tho result of the ballot was declared. — Post. In the Assembly Rooms to-morrow afternoon and evening a series of cooking lessons will be begun in Feilding by Mrs M. A. Matheson, the famous lecturess on that subject. Tin's is an opportunity which should not be missed by those ladies who are willing to pain knowledge in the art of preparing both plain and dainty dishes, and doubtless a great many wiii take advantage of the lessons. Particulars of the lessons to be giyen to-morrow will be found in the advertisement. At the Palmerstou Police Court yesterday a man named John P. Brown was charged with the theft of a draught horse from the property of the Hon. W. W. Johnston, at Awahuri. From the evidence given by Mr H. Holmes (manager of the Hon Johnston's farm) and others, it would appear that accused removed a horse from the farm which he took to Foxton and sold for .£ls. He was subsequently arrested in Palmerston by Constable Minogue. Brown was committed for trial at tho next sitting of the Wanganui Supreme Court. At about three o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mrs Cattle, sister of Mr Clapham, of Pharazyn street, met with a serious accident while riding along Kimbolton road. When nearly opposite Mrs J. Bartholomew's, Mrs Cattle met a little niece a girl about six years old, and with the assistance of a boy lifted the child on the horse behind her. Tho horse objected and commenced to " play up," while the child screaming loudly made the animal worse. The child let go her hold and as she was falling off the horse Mrs Cattle endeavoured to catcji her and in doing so overbalanced and fell on bo the road, tho fall being so severe that concussion of the brain resulted. The injured lady was taken into Mrs Bartholomew's, where Dr Sorley attended her and did all that was possible to relievo her sufferings. Beyond a few | bruises the child escaped without injury. | We are pleased to learn that Mrs Cattle i-j ou a fair way to recovery.

A London correspondent says : — Flax B dead., The best bid at the last sale was £13 10s for some excellent Wellington. The stocks in hand have increased to 2400 tons ; last year the total was only 740 tons at that period. As various rumours are in circulation we have been requested to state that the unsatisfactory arrangements connected with the special excursion train to Wangauui yesterday was not the fault of the Catholic body, at whose request the train was put on, but was entirely due to the railway department. As we mentioned in yesterday's issue, it was owing to the- foresight of Father Patterson in providing himself with a supply of tickets in Paluierstofl, that a number of Feilding residents, not connected with the Catholic church, were enabled to take advantage of the excursion train. Tho recent heavy flood bar, piled up a large quantity of drift wood against the bridge across the Oroua river, near Mr Menzies. Last winter the drift wood lodging agaiust the bridge, caught soil, and shingle, making a firm barricade under the centre of the bridge, and now with the additional rubbish the waterway under the bridge is seriously impeded. If this impediment is not removed before another fresh tho probabilities are that the local bodies interested in the bridge, and their ratepayers will repent of their apathy when it is too late. We are aware that the Manchester Road Board, under whose charge the bridge is, has reached the limit of its overdraft, but we do think in the interests of the ratepayers a few pounds should be speut iv the manner indicated if some other work has to be left undone. The decking of tin's bridge is also iv need of repair, but all that can be done is to put new planks in as old ones are broken.