Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 144, 16 July 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

_ » — Letters for " R.H.C " have been received at the Star Office. A concert and dance will be held in the public hall, Pohangina, on Friday 2nd August, in aid of tbe school funds. The Superiutendant of Electric Lines invites tenders for the supply and delivery of Telegraph Arms. For other particulars see advertisement. The Oamaru Mail says it is estimated on good authority that 200,000 sheep have perished in the Waitaki County during the late severe weather. The Rev. Joseph Cook, D.D. the famous Boston lecturer, is to arrive this month in Auckland, where he will deliver three lectures. Tbe Debating Society will meet this evening in Mr Bray's Office at 7.30. Any persons interested in the debate are invited to attend. In 1856 Mr William Wilson gave L 33 for one season's crop off two walnut trees at Akaroa, from which he raised 7000 young trees that sold readily at Ll2 10s per 100. A shipment of 300,000 ft of assorted timber will be sent from Greymouth to Capetown by the barque Thurso, to the order of David Ziman, the South African capitalist. Tbe timber will be supplied by various mills. Messrs Nelson Bros.' report speaks of the " rather better quality " of recent arrivals of New Zealand mutton and regarding lamb says : — " Late shipments have generally shown much improvement in condition, and prime lambs are now plentiful. The following tenders were received for felling F. FlavaU's bush in the Salisbury Block : — W. Haynes, Sons and Harvey, 32s per acre (accepted) ; H. Roach 32s 6d, P. Hacket 345, J. Newell 345, H. Housen and Lagerston 355, J. Johnston and Co. 365, W. Jones 375, J. Tapp 37s 3d. A recent London cablegram to the Australian papers says : — The Queensland poultry brought by the steamer Duke of Argyll was landed in good condition, the method of packing being considered excellent. Fowls sold at 3s 6d to 4s 6d each. It is useless to send Muscovy ducks. The poulterers refuse to buy any but the Aylesbury breed. A very gratifying remark is the following : — "A. quantity of mutton ex s.s. Maori was sent to the Corporation Stores, Manchester, and is there finding an unexpectedly good market, the short Stocks of Plate sheep and the unprecedentedly low prices at which New Zealand meat is sold, has given the last a footing in Manchester, which, it is.hoped, its rather better quality may retain." In the China-Japan war the number of men killed in tbe Japanese navy was 253, including 17 officers and 17 noncommissioned officers. The total deaths from cholera among Japanese troops at Pescadores Island up to the 2nd May was 1172, and the number of cases under treatment 150. 30,000 medals have been manufactured in Japan for the soldiers who distinguished themselves in the war. The Assembly Rooms will be occupied this evening by the Tivoli Specialty Company of sixteen specially selected variety performers. This combination has had the fortune to be very successful everywhere they have played, and the press has been unanimous in its praise of their efforts. The items set down on the programme for this evening are entirely new to Feilding. There should be abumper house. The Francis Ross Dramatic Company played in tbe Assembly Rooms last evening before a well-filled house, including a number of visitors from the i Kiwitea, Birmingham and Apiti. The company did not stage " Caste," the comedy advertised to be produced. The manager apoligised for this disappointment, and stated this was due to two of their company missing the morning train from Wellington. However, a farcical production was staged which did not please several critics in the back benches. A Melbourne man has invented a bicycle which, it has been predicted, will revolutionise the wheel. In the new machine the rider sits directly over the pedals, and, by an ingenious method of gearing and leverage, is enabled to use all his weight, besides getting a powerful kick-back, which is wasted in the present style of machine. The hands are also brought into use, the action is said to resemble that of walking. The inventor is being backed by some experts who seldom make an error, and patents have been secured throughout the world. Sixty miles an hour (?) is the rate of speed expected from an average rider ou an ordinary road, while a prof essional will give Fortunatus half-way and a licking over six furlongs. A Home paper says :— The action of Father Black in openly protesting against a marriage that was going on has excited much attention during the past week. It appears that Mr Brinckman, the bridegroom, had been previously divorced, and Father Black's interference was intended to call attention to the marriage by license of a divorced person. Dr Tristram, Chancellor of the Diccese of .London, referred at the Consistory Court on Friday to Father Black's action. He said the j right to object openly iti a church was limited to marriages celebrated by banns. An objector to the marriage by license should communicate his objection to the Chanceller or to the minister. He was not warranted in objecting openly in any church, and in his judgment auy so doing were guilty of brawling. *