Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 266, 15 May 1896, Page 2

Local and General News.

A Bowling Club has been formed in Patea. Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.R. for New Plymouth, will leave London on the 28th instant. A new advertisement from Mr Alford in connection with his great clearance sale will appear to-morrow. Barmaids in Johannesberg receive from £3 to £6 per week, and, if " passably fair to look ou," from two to seven offers of marriage. New South Wales would be a good country for a foe to lay under contribution. The banks there have £8,000,000 on hand in com and bullion. The Hon W. P. Reeves read a paper at the Colonial Institute, in which he described in eloquent language the beauties of New Zealand. Entries for Messrs Abraham and Williams' sale at Palmerston North on the 21st instant, and additions to the Colyton sale of the firm, are adyertised today. It is a curious anomaly in the law that if you pay for your photograph being taken, no copy can be sold without your consent, while, if you do Hot, the photographer may sell to any extent. A woman shot a Chinaman the other day in somo civilised portion of San Fcancisco. Her excuse was that she only shot at him for fun. A verdict of not gutlty was returned and the prisoner promptly discharged. The Wanganui Chronicle learns with regret that Bishop Wallis has for some days past been seriously indisposed. He is at present staying at the rectory, with the Key T. B. Maclean, incumbent of Christ Church. In our advertising columns Messrs j Gibbs and Co., the well known brewers of Wanganui, notify that their Prize Ale is on draught at all the first-class hotels on this coast. The invalid stout made by the firm is a specialty. Mr W. G. Shearer, cabinetmaker, noti fies to day that he has extended his business by adding steam power to his factory, and he is prepared to undertake all kinds of turnery and any other description of work in connection with the trade. A village settler in Gippsland North, Victoria, planted three acres with the small black (Russian) sunflower, from which he has harvested over thirty bags containing 1751 bof seed each. At the offered price of 3^d per lb this would give a return at the rate of j£2s per acre. Owicg to the heavy down-pour of rain last night the attendance was too small at the Drill Hall for the Manchester Rifles to hold a parade. The next parade will be on Thursday, the 21st inst., when every member must put in an appearance as business of importance will be brought up at the after meeting. At the Christchurch Magistrate's Court Mr Beetham fined eight persons resident in Christchurch each £5, with costs £29a for failing to supply returns of their incomes for the year 1895 in accordance with clause 43 Land and Income Assessment Act, 1891. They were further ordered to pay treble the amount originally due on their assessments. A Dunedin miser went to a local butcher's shop the other day and asked the price of a soup bone. " I'll give you that," said the butcher. " Hey, what ?" bawled the miser, who is as deaf as a post " Can't you make it cheaper than that ?" " Call it twopence," yelled the butcher, and the miser who is supposed to be worth thousands, went home quite happy. In the State of New York there is a law compelling the owners of fruit trees to spray them at the proper season, in order to destroy insects and other pests that injure the trees. Persons who neglect to do this work are complained of to the proper officers, who see that the spraying is done, and the offender is made to pay the costs and penalty provided by the law. It appears that the great Napoleon was not altogether impervious to terror. Monsieur Sanson, the public executioner, describes how he met quite casually this giant of ambition wrapped in a small parcel, and when asked who he was, quietly replied, " Sire, I executed Louis X.VI," The Emperor turned green, and he and his escort decamped without another word in sheer fright. It waa their business to kill — not to be killed. Mr Fred Pirani, M.H.R., recently applied to the Lands Department lor an creased vote for the completion of the road from the Salisbury Block, Pohangina, to the main road being constructed by the connty above MrH. Eraser's properly. Yesterday he received a reply from the Department that it is proposed to make a deviation in the road in question, and when that is surveyed, the extention will be considered. — Standard. While working in a gravel pit at MtStewart yesterday afternoon a man named Matthews, 70 years of age, met with a serious accident. He was working at the bottom of the pit, some fifteen feet down, when about half a ton of gravel fell from the face, completely smothering the old man. He was quickly extricated by his mates, when it was found that his face and bands had been badly lacerated and it is feared that he has also sustained serious internal injuries. Lovers of skating are reminded that the Excelsior Rink will re-open to-mor-row evening for the wiuter sea&on. The proprietors have just received a very large selectiou of the latest designs in American skates. Every attention will be given to ensure the comfort and convenience of patrons. A first-clas3 band has been engaged. We understand large numbers of skates have already been api lied for, which indicates a successful sea- on for the enterprising proprietors. A complete model of a sailing vessel has been presented to the Feildiug Library Committee by Mrs James Wileon, in memory of her late husband, whose handiwork the model was. The model, which took Mr Wilson several years to make in his spare moments, will be fitted up in the library in a glass case in which it is tastefully arranged in a re presentation of the sea, which is wonderfully natural in its appearance when viewtd from a few yards off The model is well worth inspecting, being fitted up »virh compass, bell, boats, three masts with sails set and rigging complete, and will be a valuable addition to the property of the Library Committee. There is now travelling through this colony a Russian mining engineer, whose object is to ascertain what prospects New Zealand offers for the investment of capital in gold- mining. TLe gentleqjan to whom wo refer is Monsieur Konigsberg; he comes from Siberia, arigl ho ia accredited by a great pornpany consisting of French and Russian c^pjtalists. It is i-overal months since he ! left Siberia, in which place b^ hag had considerable experience in gold- mining, and during his travels, co far, he has visited South .■Africa,; Australia, and Auckland. Of all the placeslie lias seen Le ikes New Zealand by far the best, and especially this, parfciof tbe colony.

The EHesmere district, Canterbury, is said to produce 20,000 pigs annually! Captain Edwin wired at noon to-day. — Indications for frost to-night. A number of farmers in ihe Waikattf are to start the cultivation of 3000 acres in growing beet for sugar. Macaroni and vermicelli are being manufactured in Melbourne from the harder varieties of wheat. ' There was only a small attendance at the Harmonic Society meeting last evening owing to the down-pour of rain. From the Hawera Star we learn that stoats and weasels are making serious depredations amongst poultry up the coast. A number of the cheese factories in the South Island are being fitted up with butter-making plants, and there appears to be a general effort to keep going the whole year. Messrs E. Gorton and Son held a stock sale at their Feilding yards this afternoon. There was a large attend, ance, and prices show an upward tend* ency. We have to apologise to our subscribers on the Kimbolton road for the non« delivery of their papers last evening, which "was due to the neglect of one of our staff. This morning's Standard says : — We understand that the well known journalist, Mr .7. H. Kirby, has purchased the Marton Mercury, and takes possession on May 23rd. Members of the Feilding Prohibition League are reminded of the meeting called for this evening at 7 30 in the Temperance Hall. A full attendance is requested as there is important business to be dealt with. A special meeting of the Feilding Borough Council was held at noon to-day to confirm the burgess roll. The Mayor (Mr W. A. L. Bailey), and Crs H. Worsfold, G. H. Bay well, E. Goodbehere and G. W. Fowles were present. Messrs Wood and Judkins announce that they will hold their usual auction sale to morrow and that they will offer in addition to produce a large quantity of ornaments and clothing ; also two horses and a gig. The sale will commence at 1.30 p.m. sharp. At 12.15 o'clock yesterday morning the residence of Mr Russell on the AshurstFeilding road was burned to the ground, the family having a very narrow escape from being roasted alive. It is under stood the house was insured for £100 and ihe furniture for .£SO. Nothing was saved but a sewing machine and table. The fire is supposed to have been caused by a defective chimney. Yesterday afternoon the employes of the Star office •' gathered around the stone " to bid farewell to the foreman, Mr W. B. Card, who leaves Feilding this evening en route for South Africa, where Johannesbreg or Pretoria will be his ultimate destination. In a few appropriate words Mr G. Kirton, one of the proprietors, on behalf of the employes, presented Mr Card with a souvenir to remind the recipient in time to come of his three year 3' services on the staff of the Star, and wished him a prosperous career in the land he was about to try his luck in.