Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 138, 10 December 1895, Page 2

Local and General News.

Train services for the Christmas and New Year's holidays are advertised today. The Melbourne City Council has fixed the mayor's allowance for the ensuing year at £1500. The Wesleyan Ladies Sewing Bee hold a sale of work in the Foresters' Hall tomorrow afternoon. The Grey River Argus is responsible for the statement that the wife of a miner at Blackball gave birth to a child having six teeth. Mr L. Lawronson, late of Stanway, has purchased the farm of Mr Dunbar, Harbour Board Block, Pohangina. The price was £8 an acre. Messrs Gorton and Son will hold a special horse sale, afc their Feildiug yards to-morrow, when several entries will be sold without reserve. An election to fill the extraordinary vacancy in the Borough Council will be held to-morrow, the candidates being Mr H. Woolven and Mr W. Reid. All persons having claims against the estate of Wilhelm Pussall, late of Beaconsfield, must send the same in to Mr W. A. Sandilands, in duplicate, before the 26th inst. At the Silverton Police Court T. Minabam, drover, in charge of a Yatara mob of sheep, was fined £5, with £5 15s lOd costs, for cutting off more than onefourth of the ear of sheep. Mr E. Feck, hairdresser and tobacconist, has opened up a consignment of handsome silver mounted pipes, also, cigar and cigarette holders, walking sticks and all other requisites appertaining to a first class tobacconist's shop. Mr R. J. Thompson, of the Cash Exchange Co-operative has a new and startling advertisement in to-day to which the careful attention of heads of families is urgently requested. Country residents should find the price list deserving of perusal. The following are now stated to be the probable appointees to the Upper House : — Mr T. Thompson, Auckland : Mr F. Arkwright, Rangitikei ; Mr W. C. Smith Hawke's Bay ; and either Mr Kerr of the Timaru Herald, or Mr Jones of the Oamaru Mail — most probably the latter. A six-pound eel caught in the Manawatu river the other night was found upon being opened to contain the beads of two tront, each of which had been about three pounds in weight, a fact which goes to show that it is not good for trout to be in company with eels. — Standard. Mr J. L. White announces to-day that he is prepared to undertake the preparations of plans, specifications, and estimates of buildings in all styles of architecture. Mr White has had an Australian training and experience and sketch plans prepared by him show that he is a capable architect. At the Christchurch Supreme Court yesterday, the libel case, Worthingten v. Hornsby, ended in a fiasco. An application foe adjournment was made by the plaintiff in person before the jury was sworn in. No fees being forthcoming, this was objected to by the counsel for the defence. After some argument Worthington applied for a nonsuit, which was granted. Fruitgrowers in the Oamaru district have a new bird pest to cope with. This season a bird new to the district has made its appearance, and strawberry growers have found to their cost that its depredations are more extensive than anything i they have yet to deal with. The bird is described as tufted, red-breasted, in shape like a gold-finch, but in colour differing from that bird, as also in habit and disposition. Whole crops of strawberries have been ruined by the bird. Ministers were in Cabinet last night from balf-past 7 until midnight, a considerable amount of business having accumulated for despatch. The appointment pf Sir P A. Buckley to the Supreme Court Bench was finally settled, and be will assume his judicial functions upon his return to Wellington on the 20th inst. The Hon Mr Cadman leaves by to-mor-row morning's train en route for Auckland, via Hunterville, Tokaanu, (Lake Taupo). andßotorua. Owing to their country business having been considerably extended of late Messrs Bramwell Bros, have been com* pelled to procure a suitable brake for the delivery of their groceries and ironmongery. The work of constructing the brake was entrusted to Messrs W. Baker and Co., eoachbuilders and general •miths, with the result that a very strong and serviceable vehicle, capable of carrying up to two tons weight, has been turned out. Yesterday there died at Awahuri, one who was a grand fighting man in " The good old days." Meke fiuki was a chief of the Ngatikauwhata tribe, and in his early manhood was remarkable for his prowess either with tomahawk or spear. The man who stood against him was sure to die. Like all the old rangatiras be was singularly courteous in his address, and as kindly as he was brave. One of bis daughters is married to Mr P. Desmond a highly respected and well known resident here. The garden fete to be held at Mr Fry's Makino, on the 16th instant, in aid of the St. John's parsonage enlargement fund, promises to be a most brilliant affair, given moderately fine weather. The stalls provided by the ladies of Makino and Kiwitea respectively will be loaded with articles both useful and ornamental, while the refreshment stall will be amply furnished with strawberries and other delicious comestibles. The Christmas tree will be most attractive for the youngsters, while the elders will find ample amusement in lawn ten. nis and croquet. / „ .

There will be a meeting of the Rangitikei Licensing Committee atMarton today. A letter from the Captain of the Feilding Fire Brigade, Mr P. Thomson, dealing with the bell-tower, will appear tomorrow. We regret to learn that on Sunday last, at Awahuri, there died a son of Mr H. Hughes, aged 4 years and 4 months, from the effects of influenza. Certain M.H.R.'s are hurrying round to address their constituents (says the Cbristchurch Truth) before the Hansard, which is very much in arrear, gets into circulation, and would suggest awkward questions. At Adelaide the other day four officers of the Taxation Department who bad recently been discovered playing pitch and toss in the basement of the. public offices during office hours were dismissed from the Civil Service. The Church News reports that His Excellency the Governor has promised to be patron of the movement to erect a cathedral in Wellington, and has doubled his contribution. Mr G. S. Tolhurst, the Treasurer of the fund, also gives £100. The fund now amounts to £2733. While Fillis's circus was at Kimberlay, South Africa, Dan Feeley came to sad grief in bis vaulting act over men holding fixed bayonets. He got over all but the last man, whose bayonet caught in Dan's ; side, inflicting a very ugly wound. When the mail left poor Feeley was lying in a very dangerous condition. "While the two Corean physicians were being escorted about Wellington by Mr Chang Luke, rounding one corner they suddenly came upon two Maoris walking in the opposite direction. The Maoris came to a sudden stop, and gazed in wonderment, at the sudden apparition, the Coreanß doing likewise, and the two parties thus stood for some minutes gazing at each other, when the Coreans walked solemnly on, the Maoris turned and followed them along the street, examining minutely every detail of their dresses and bearing. — Post. The following circular has been issued by the Postal Department to all Post Offices : — Be so good as to note that billheads which contain a special advertisemeut, which is no part of the account itself, cannot be accepted from the public unless the accounts are paid for at letter rates. Special attention has been called to a billhead of this class issued by the proprietors of a certain brand of cocoa, but which is used by grocers and others throughout the Colony.