Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 291, 13 June 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

Tenders for the Apiti Dairy Factory close on Monday next. The Auckland Gas Company has reduced the price of gas to 5s per 1000 feet At Warrambool (N.S.W 7 .) potatoes have been selling at 6s 6d per ton. A few years ago they were £5. The Unemployed Relief Fund at Dunedin, raised by public subscription, now amounts to over £SOO. We have received a copy of " The Mutual Provident Messenger," published by the A.M.P. Society. Mr David Gain, of tho New Zealand Express Company, Wellington, was a visitor to Feilding to-day. We have to acknowledge receipt of a card of invitation to the Raugitikei Hunt Club ball to be held at Martou on the 19th instant. Mr E. F. Eagar, of the Apiti Hotel, intends to add several bedrooms to his premises, to meet the demands of a growing district. That portion of the building previously used as a hall will be utilised for the purpose. Mr Robertson, officer in charge of the Telegraph Department at Wellington, in company with Mr J. H. Stevens, postmaster at Feilding, went to Apiti to-day to officially open up telephonic communication between Apiti and Feilding. Captain Jackson Barry, the well known pioneer, will lecture at Fowlers' on Friday, and Apiti on Saturday evenings. As Captain Barry is often amusing and always interesting he should be certain to secure large and appreciative audiences. At the instance of Mr J. G. Wilson, M.H.R., Mr McKerrow, Land Purchase Commissioner, inspected the Moutoa estate this week with a view to its acquisition by the Government, and yesterday he visited the Carnarvon estate for the same purpose. The recently-formed Apiti Town Hall Company intend proceeding with the erection of a hall at once, and expect to have it completed by the end of July. The Company was formed in connection with the Good Templars Lodge. The contract for building the hall has been let to Mr D. Prince. At last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, Mr Bridge brought up the question of the peculiar attitudes adopted by pupils when writing on slates. After some discussion it was decided that the Inspector should get instructions printed with an illustration showing the mothod he recommended should be adopted by pupils when writing on slates or in books. Mr Oliver Samuel thinks there is a large reservior of petroleum somewhere underneath Mount Egmont. From the present bore, he says, there is enough gas coming to light the whole of New Plymouth, and you can hear it roaring like steam in a boiler. At times with the large pump water and oil are thrown to a height of 50ft, that is when there is a weight of water of about 17 tons upon the oil. We direct the attention of our readers to the*replace advertisement which appears to-day from Messrs Barraud and Abraham, by which it is intimated, the business of wine and spirit merchants has been added to the Palmerston branch of the firm. As Messrs Barraud and Abraham have correspondents in England and on the Continent who are able to supply the best brands obtainable in the world of spirits, wines and liqueurs, the quality of their importations may be considered as equal, if not superior, to those of any importers in the colony. We (Times) mentioned some time ago that the Government, acting upon the recommendation of the Land Purchase Board, had made au offer for the acquition of the Opouriao Estate, situated about 10 miles distant from tho mouth of the Whakatane River on tlie East Coast. The offer has just been accepted by the owners — the Opouriao Estate Company— and possession is to be given to the Government on 31st January next. Cabinet hay also resolved— upon the recommendation of the Land Purchase Board— to make offers for the acquisition of three estates iu the Canterbury district.

The telephone station was opened at Ajjiti to-day in charge of Mr F. S. Guy. | The object for which the St Johu's ladies' Bee is now working is to raise funds for the addition of another room to the Vicarage. The sale of work to be held in the Temperance Hall to-morrow afternoon is for the same purpose. Au experienced farmer and dealer informed ns to-day that he will not be surprised to see a marked adyance in the prices of sheep and cattle before the spriug season for the reasons that while feed is already abundant the supplies eveu for local consumption are far from excessive. The enlargement of the Apiti School was commenced yesterday by Mr F. Fanthorpe, and it is expected the additions will be completed in about three or four weeks. The new room will be a great convenience as there are now about one hundred children on the roll, while the old school was only built to accommodate half that number. At a meeting of the Apiti school committee on Tuesday evening it was decided to arrange a bazaar to be held about the end of July for the purpose of augmenting the school funds, which, like those of most country schools, are at a low ebb. Those present decided to wait on tlie ladies of Apiti to get their co-operation in the matter aud it is expected the proposal will be brought to a successful issue. The bazaar will probably be continued for two or three days and a concert will also be held at the same time. The large audience which attended the Assembly Rooms last evening to listen to the service of song " A Daughter of Ishmael," given by the Australasian Guards' Band, mnst have been delighted with the performance. The career of the heroine was traced from her early childhood, through all her temptations, up to her imprisonment for murder, release, conversion by the Salvation Army and sad but penitent death. The reading of the story was interspersed with musical and vocal selections the playing and singing being loudly applauded. Amongst the various gopular airs rendered by the band ■' Alas 1 Those Chimes " and " The Heart Bow'd Down "are particularly worthy of mention. The service of song concluded with the " Dead March in Saul" played in a very impressive manner.