Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 198, 24 February 1896, Page 2

Local and General News.

Additions are made today to the entries for Messrs Gorton and Son's Feilding sale. The owner is wanted for two wethers now running on the property of Mr G. Wilks, Kimbolton road. A concert and dance in connection with the Birmingham Cricket Club will be held in the Birmingham Hall this evening. After a lonp spell of dry weather rain commenced to fall yesterday afternoon. The downpour will be gladly welcome all over the district. The Dutch are the best makers of cocoa in the world, and the Blookers brand goes twice as far as any others. It is health giving, invigorating and refreshing. A new brand of aromatic tobacco known as the " Queen " is rapidly coming into vogue, and promises to displace all others. It has a delightful fragrance entirely its own. Mr T. Watson advertises that he is prepared to buy. the fag ends of clips, locks, pieces, lambs, and all other wool, and also sheepskins at the highest prices for cash. A special general meeting of the Feeding Cycling Club will be held at 8 o'clock this evening. Very important corresponence and business will be submitted for consideration. A scientist asserts that danger lurks in the school slates. The slates go into the hands of different children, who froquently moisten their fingers with the lips to clean the same. By such means diphtheria and other diseases, it is declared, may be conveyed to healthy pupils. A meeting of the Cheltenham Sports Committee was held at Mr Ryan's Hotel on Saturday evening. Mr T. Foot's tender for the gates, and Mr A. Morgan's for the refreshment booth were accepted. It was also decided that the district race be a six mile radius from Cheltenham. Messrs Bramwell Bros are daily expcctiug the arrival of a full assortment of sporting requisites, comprising cartridges of all descriptions, S.B. and D,B. guus, cartridge tillers, powder and percussion caps. As it is reported that game is very plentiful this season this anoouucement will be of special interest. Mr Dobbs, of Palmerston North, lost a valuable black draught mare at Birmingham last week. The mare was all right at Cheltenham, but on reaching Birmingham she showed sigus of being unwell. Every attention was paid to tbe animal, but she died. The loss is a heavy one to Mr Dobbs who was going to work at the Otara bridge. Additions are made to tue entries for Messrs Gorton and Son's sale at Mr Hannaby's farm, Rongatea. The auctioneers desire to call attention to the fact that a lot of cows, which were previously sold, and the sale cancelled, will now be sold without tbe slightest reserve. They are a first-rate line. The sale will commence punctually at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. On Monday last the settlers alone the Bluff road made a presentation of a cheque to Mr S. Daw, aud on Thursday the settlers of the Peep-o'-Day did the same iu appreciation of the way iu which Mr Daw has delivered the mail for so long, and tbe many kindnesses shown to them. A hope was expressed by the settlers in each case that the recipient would live for many years to carry the mail. Work at the WanganuiFruit|and Vegetable Evaporatiug Works is progressing favorably ; a fair quantity of plums and a large number of apples have been disposed of, and rhubarb is at present occupying the attention of tbe hands. The manager has had to refuse large quantities of apples in consequence of them being badly eaten with the codlin moth. In one case the produce of fifteen acres of an orchard is utterly useless as the result of this pest. —Herald. There appears to be some little doubt in the minds of the public as to whether the benefit of the 2d per lb reduction in the tea duty is fully realised by the consumers of Nelson, Moate and Co.'s teas. We are confidently informed by their enterprising Wellington manager, Mr Colegrove, tnat precisely the same tea as that put into the 2s packets and tins is now put into the Is lOd packets aud tins, and also that the new Is 8d tea has also established its own popularity. Regular drinkers up to now of the old 2s blend are invited to ask for the Is lOd, and see tnat they get this old and most popular blend, which has stood the test for 16 years. A southern parson recently gave several members of his congregation " particular beans " for the patronage and encouragement they gave to gambling on racecourses. Speaking from his own personal knowledge and observation he said New Zealand to a far greater extent than any other of the colonies, encouraged in every possible way tbe vice of gambling. The rev. gentleman was mistaken for they "go one better" in Australia when it comes to " dot leedle gamble." At a church bazaar which was* held in a small Victorian town not long ago, a group of sixteen pretty merry maidens stood waiting to be kissed by the gentleman who had good luck to throw highest with the dice, the nimble " bob in " giving those anxious for succulent osculation an equal chance to share in tbe joys of sweet kisses. A roan who was brought up the other day before a magistrate in an Australian country town, gave as his reason for being on a "fearful drunk," that it war, the anniversary of the day that Martha promised to marry her own good old Peter, and hp always took " a few extras " to stifle his sgvsosv on that occasion. In pathetic language Peter described to his Worship how Martha had faithfully promised to stick like glue to him, but instead of attending thecburch as arranged, to go through the joys of the marriage ceremony with her own Peter, she made tracks for the nearest registry office and got " spliced " to Peter's brother. The magistrate offered his sympathy to the bibulous and disappointed bridegroom, but said tbat although Martha was cruelly deceptive towards her " good old Peter," still she was not to blame for the several windows he had wilfully smashed, and the way in which he had savagely attacked the police. One month. As the shooting season is approaching, it is as well to remind sportsmen that native wood pigeons cannot be shot this year, except perhaps in some of the native districts to be hereafter notified. The birds are protected under the Animals Protection Amendment Act of last session section 7 of which provices that " native pigeons shftlj. not be taken or killed in any district during .tfee year 1896, and thereafter every sixth ye&f, provided that the Governor may, upon the reabaamencL' ation of the Colonial Secretary, by notij^eation in tbe Gazette, exclude the Unwerasq^ntry and other native districts in the North as\4 &out,h. Island from operation of this section.'' The same Act prevents holders of shooting licenses from selling game to dealers, and provide* a minimum penalty of £I for any breach <sf jthe Animals Protection Act. As wild ,du,cke atfl^aid to be exceedingly plentiful this seasec, p,rx endeavour is being made to induce the Ap&Jiniatisation Society to recommend the opening of the shooting season pti the .Ist Af? 11 * (instead at the beginning of May,) so as to in£lude»j;hesaßte i je Holidays!— JPoet, " '

j The choir of St. Mark's Church, WelI lington, have " struck," owing to a disI agreement between the choir master j and the incumbent, the Rev Mr Coffey. The Lands and Survey Department are preparing plans for the disposal of 46,000 acres of surveyed land in the counties of Oroua, Raugitikei, Wanganui, Pahiatua and Wairarapa North on the optional system on March 23rd. Mr Nelson scored heavily off counsel in cross-examination yesterday. (Says the H.B. Herald.) He admitted that shares in Nelson Bros', company were worth £10 to those who wished to keep them, while they were worth only about 10J to buyers, "but" he said "I will make it my business to see that state of things altered and before very long too." " There are other places besides heayen paved with good intentions," insinuated a cynical counsel. " Yes," retorted the veteran, quick as thought, " but they don't, know anything about the freezing business down there!" Ex-Queen Natalie of Servia has settled old scores with her husband. She took good care that her son, Alexander, should be kept in the dark regarding their domestic differences until he was sufficiently powerful to be of assistance to her. Recently King Milan and a French ballet girl were creating a sensation at Lucerne, and were held by the hotelkeeper as security for an unpaid board bill. When the young King heard these scandalous stories, he started for Lucerne post-haste, travelling incognito. In the presence of the terpsichorean artist he covered his father with reproaches, and Milan, losing all patience, struck the young king and tried to push him from the room. Alexander then telegraphed to Belgrade that his father should never be allowed to put foot in that city again, and his belongings should be sent to Paris imrnodiately. Both orders were executed. The residents of a certain country town not a thousaud miles from Feilding were recently in a state of unusual excitement owing to the unexpected appcarauce iu the principal street of what appeared at a casual glance to be a quecrish looking masculine being wearing green goggles. The mysterious individual iu question wore a black velvet bob tail coat with vest to match, a belltopper being jauntily cocked on one side of the head, whilst a pair of loud checked bloomers appeared to have a special interest for the fair sex. Naturally such a unique personage was the cynosure of all eyes, but the stare of the gaping crowd had little effect upon the individual concerned. Carrying a heavy walking stick and calmly puffing a vanity fair cigarette the strangely attired mortal proudly stalked on quite unconcerned as to the interest aroused. Closer inspection and inquiry revealed the fact that it was pimply " the woman of the day," oh her way to attend a Women's Reform Association meeting. Possibly poor hubby was left at home to mind a pair of large sized squalling twins, at the same time sadly ruminating on the changes that have caused the up-to-date woman to neglect the domestic duties of her home, in favour of politics, bike-rid-ing and dress reform. It is evideut the Maoriland edition of the new woman is in the van when it comes to the modern privileges of the sex. The venerable Archdeacon Fancourt, of Wellington, accompanied by the Rev. Innes Jones, returned last night to Feilding after a visit to Rangiwahia, Apiti and Birmingham, where they had been , to make arrangements for the appointment of an asistant curate for the Paroi chial district of Feilding. Owing to some misunderstanding as to his place of meeting no service was held at Rangiwahia on Thursday as advertised, but at Apiti a good congregation assembled on Friday evening, in Guy's Hall, to take part in a short service at which the Archdeacon preached. At the conclusion of the service a meeting was held and a provisional committee appointed , to canvass the district for subscriptions towards the stipend of a curate. A good deal of enthusiasm was shown amongst the people at Apiti, which was very encouraging after the apparent lack of interest displayed at Rangiwahia. On Saturday night a meeting was held at Birmingham to receive the report of the comittee appointed to canvass that portion of the new district. The subscription lists showod a total of about iSO promised annually by the settlers in and around Birmingham towards the stipend of a resident clergyman. The report was considered highly satisfactory and it is hoped that before long the Bishop will be able to procure a suitable man for the position of curate. In the meanwhile the Rev. Innes Jones has promised to continue his monthly visits to Birmingham. Archdeacon Fancourt preached yesterday at Birmingham in the morning, at St. Agnes', Kiwitea, is the afternoon, and at St. John's, Feilding, in the evening.