Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 304, 28 June 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

—9 - The Oddfellows Lodge will meet this evening. The Kiwitea County Council will meet to-morrow*. There has been a heavy fall of snow in the country districts of Otago. The new post-mistress has commenced her duties at the Sanson post office. A plain and fancy dress ball in aid of the Pohangina Public Hall funds takes place on the Sth July. " Some Potato Diseases, and how to treat them " is the title of Leaflets for Farmers, No. 25, just is.ued by the New Zealand Department of Agriculture. The funeral of the unfortunate lad Neilsou, who accidentally shot himself on Sunday last, took place at Halcombe last Wednesday, and was very largely attended. Mr A. N. Norton, the well known athlete, formerly in the Bank of New Zealand at Palmerston, has resigned his position in the Bank to take up farming in the Waikato. Tho Wellington Post says that Mr McLachlan, the member for Ashburton, spoke during the debate on the Address-in-Roply '* without any accident occurring ! " A phenomenal rainfall is reported to the Museum authorities from Akaroa. In the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. yesterday no less than '._ inches of rain fell in that district. Mr T. B. Bax, of Blenheim, was successful in his attempt at Wellington to lower the world's record for continuous club-swing. Ho kept them going for 24 hours. The Government are obtaining a report upon the advisability of establishing a firo insurance department upon tho same lines as the Government Life Insurance Department. Cecil Augustus "Victor Hortezzi de Cortando von Blaramberg, of Palmerston North, schoolmaster, is again asking for an enquiry into his grievances against the Wanganui Education Board. Mr Geo. Flyger will be invited to accept the position of Lieutenant in the Manchester Rifles. The appointment would be a popular one and Mr Flyger already holds a Captain's commission. The 1 m prove ru en ts in flax-dressing machinery brought under the notice of the Government last year did not warrant the granting of the Government bonus. The offer is to be renewed for an extended period. It is understood that Mr McKerrow has recommended the purchase of the Carnarvon estate. In order to make the purchase — if completed — an entire success the land should be cut up into sections of from 100 to "300 acres according to quality and elevation as some of it is liable to be hooded. There was no parade of the Machester Rifles last night. Captain Kirton was unable to attend owing to a severe cold, and Lieutenant Bray was unavoidably detained at Apiti. The next parade will be held on Thursday, 4th July, when Colonel Newall will inspect the corps. f The Rev. W. Morley gave an ajM'resg" on " Home Mission work ; iny-_<Jew Zealand," in the Wesleyan Church, last evening to a good attendance. The lecture was very interesting and instructive. The choir sang several sacred selections duiingf the evening, and Mr Carthew jjresided. The Mayor of Timaru has received work from Boosey and Co., of London, that they will give a cup of the value of ,£25 for the annual bands' contest, to become the property of the band win ning it three times, not' necessarily iv successiou. The contest selection will be to hand by the next San Francisco mail. Dr Newmans Slander of Women BiH proposes to make it actionable to imput c uncbastity to a woman. This is to bring the law of the colony into consonance with the English law on tho subject, and is in consequence ofthe remarks made by Mr Justice Richmond in a recent Wellington case, in whi.h he pointed out tho necessity for amendment. Under the New Zealand law tbo slander is not actionable unless specific damage can be shpwn.

The death is announced of Mrs Priscilla Mills, at the age of 78 years, one . of Wellington's oldest settllers. Mrs Ballance is a passenger by the Warrimoo in comrjany with the Colonial Treasurer and Mrs Ward. Messrs Gorton and Son held their monthly stock sale at Feilding this afternoon. There was a large number of settlers present. The sneak thief is making his presence known in Palmerston by stripping lines of clothing, stealing wood and robbing safes. — Standard. Captain Edwin wired at 12.15 to-day : — N.E. and W. gale after 12 hours from now with rain ; glass further fall, indications are bad. In our wanted column good business premises at Birmingham are advertised to let. For terms and other particulars apply Star office. Mr J. H. Murray, Waituna, advertises to let commodious business premises in Broadway, Marton, suitable for a drapery and grocery business conjoined or separately, for other particulars see advertisement. The expenditure of administration of the Advances to Settlers Act from Sth December, 1594, to 81st March, 1895, was .£I4OB. of which i'76l was for salaries, .£99 for travelling expenses, i"266 for printing aud stationery, £6 for ad- , vcrtising, and .£212 for valuation fees. > Against this, L 1951 was received for valuation fees. During this period LSO was invested on mortgage. Mr McLachlan is asking the Government to define the privileges of members in using the telegraph. This reminds us of an incident which occurred not very long ago on a northern line. It appearthat a member whose appetite is regular and therefore must be attended to, has a habit of wiring to the railway refreshment rooms ahead to say he is coming, and to have a feed ready for him — " hot and hot." One day a young and hungry, but well-looking young fellow was a passenger by the same train, and he walked hurriedly into the salle a manger where he saw a plate of hot soup and the adjuncts neatly disposed on a snow-white table cover. With a bow of thanks to the attentive waiter our young friend sat down and began to do proper justice to the meal. Meanwhile the legitimate owner stamped in and roared for his soup. The terror-stricken waiter pointed with trembling hand to the innocent offender, aud in faltering tones explained the position. Tlie irate M.H.R. — who in private life occupies but a modest position — gasped at the impudence of the young fellow but took no further action because liis appearance betrayed the fact that at catch - as-catch-can or Gneco - Roman wrestling tlie legislator would have been overmatched.