Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 303, 29 June 1896, Page 2

Local and General News.

The Borongb Council will meet on Thursday evening next. The serum treatment for diphtheria has been pronounced a brilliant success in Berlin. The Awahuri Library Hall will be opened with a concert and dance on Wednesday evening. Additions are made to Messrs Abraham and Williams sale at Palmerston, I Messrs Gorton and Son's sale at Sanson. ' Mr G, W. Russell's Periodical ReI valuation of Leases in Perpetuity Bill was thrown out ob its second reading by 31 to 17. A concert will be giveu in the Bea- , consfield school house on Wednesday evening next. A good programme will be provided. Mr E. Withy, of Auckland, will ad* dress a public meeting in the Assembly Rooms this evening at 8 o'clock, on the i " Single Tax " question.

Tenders are invited by Mr Atkins, F.R.1.8.A., the architect of the Wanganni Education Board, for additions to the school at Rongotea. The resignation of his portfolio by the Hon J. G. Ward, and the consequent re* arrangement of the Ministry, are notified in the last issue of the Gazette. Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, says of a good 'woman :— " Her price is far above rubies." Certainly, from his extraordinary and extensive experience with the sex, we should consider him competent to pass judgment. Playing at Coromandel on Wednesday Weiss, the Australian billiard champion, met and conceded to Keesing (a Coromandel champion) 700 out of 1000 Weiss won on a break of 93, his opponent's score then standing at 909. The best break Weiss made was 149, the others being 101, 97, 66, «0, 54, 51 and 47. Constable Gillespie has lately been keeping a watchful eye on some persons who were believed to be purchasing and supplying drink to prohibited persons. On Wednesday he caught one in the act, and promptly lodged him in the Foxton lockup, and we understand two or three other persons are implicated. — Shannon Farmer. The new hall recently erected at Makino for Mr F. Berry, by Mr W. Terry, was opened on Friday evening last with an invitation dance given by Mr R. Bell. There was a large attendance and the dance passed off most successfully. The hall, which is 20 x 30 feet, is situate nearly opposite the school house and should prove a great convenience to settlers along the Makino road. A Wellington cricketer who is sorely perplexed in soul over the shocking bad stand made by the Australians in their first innings on the first of the test matches, has proposed, with forced jocularity, that a subscription be raised in town to buy a box of marbles to be sent Home to Giffen and his men per first parcel post, as a delicate hint that they should try some other game besides cricket. — Times. * ! A caucus of Government supporters was held on Saturday to consider matters in connection with the Select Committee on banking. It was agreed by the Premier that he would consent to the number of the Committee being increased to eleven, and tbat the Opposition should have the right of nominating four members. The Government are prepared to accept Mr George Hutchi son on the Committee, but draw the line at Mr Duthie. In the Greymonth Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, the Greymouth- Point Elizabeth Railway Company were sned for the cost of twenty coffins, required iv connection with the recent Brunner disaster. The evidence showed that the agents ordered the coffins. Tbd defencp raised was that the Company was not liable for the actions of their agents, who bad exceeded their auibority, and further, tbat no written authority was given in writing. The Magistrate sustained the contention and entered up a nonsuit. A St. Leonard's correspondent writes to the Otago Daily Times :— " The Roman Catholics withdrew their children in a body on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 3rd, and again on the 10th inst. from their secular studies in the State school here, and the priest, it is under* stood, gave them religious instruction in the local chapel. It is said tbat this course will be pursued in the future, and the idea is perhaps worthy of consideration by other denominations. Our schoolmaster, however, is not likely to regard the movement with much favour, since nearly 50 per cent of the children are Roman Catholics." Mr McGuire is to ask if the Government will endeavour to have our railways run in the true interest of the people of this country. For the purpose of effecting that object, whether they will cause the railway tariff to be so arranged that it will have the effect of encouraging our producers by seeing that every facility will be given for the conveyance of their goods to our local markets and the ports of export at the least possible cost; and, in order to increase our exports, whether special facility will be given on our railways for the carriage of butter, cheese, beef, mutton, wool, timber, and all kinds of produce raised from the soil. He was a longhaired temperance spouter, and was on his way to the public hall to deliver an address on the drink curse. Suddenly he was accosted by a well dressed man, wbo warmly shook him by the hand. " Guess you don't remember me," said the stranger. " Well, three years ago I attended one of your meetings, and heard you draw a graphic picture of the able mechanic whose children went ragged, while the children of the publican with whom he spent his wages were dressed in silks. The story fitted my case to a T." " And you reformed ?" '• Should say I did reform. * Went into the public-house business myself." At Bloomsbury (England) County Court recently, before Judge Bacon, the case of " Simmons v. Matthews " was called on for hearing. A small boy stepped into the box, and said he appeared for plaintiff. Judge Bacon : But who are you ? The boy : I am a clerk in the office of the plantiff's solicitors. The Judge : The boy, I suppose you mean. The Boy : Indeed, no, lam an articled clerk. The Judge : I cannot j hear you. I can only hear the plaintiff or his solicitor. The Boy; Can you grant an adjournment, if your honor will not hear me ? The Judge : I cannot hear you. Is the defendant here? The Registrar : He is not present, and is not represented. The Judge : Then I must give judgment for the plaintiff. The Boy : And yet the Judge thinks I cannot conduct a case (laughter). The New New Zealand Dairy Association in Auckland has issued a circular as to the prices it will give next season. The prices are net, the association to bear all the c«st of cartage of cream. The prices of milk (the skim milk to be returned free) shall be— For September, 3Jd ; October, 3d ; November, 2£d ; December, 2£d ; January, 2£d ; February, 2£d ; March, 2^d ; April, 3d per gallon of 10£lb weight of 10 per cent cream quality, its value to be estimated by Babcock test, 3-6 per cent, of butter fat to be accepted as being equal to 10 per cent of cream. All milk containing cream in excess of 10 per cent shall be paid for extra in proportion at these rates. All fractions shall be calculated and all milk below the standard of ten per cent shall be subjected to a reduction in like manner and at the same rates. Last Friday the Pohangina river was higher than it has been for some years, a tremendous amount of damage being done at Pohangina and Upper Pohangina the railway bridge at Asburst coming in for its share, both approaches being washed away, which has stopped the traffic Napier way. The approach from the Gorge side was the first to go, then tne one on the Ashurst side, upon which stood a crane for the manipulating of huge pieces of rock to make the approach more secure. Both crane and approach went at about 2.30 this morning. No doubt there will have to be a couple more cylinders placed where the approaches were. There are a few slips in the Gorge. The Manawatu river was also very high, it being quite a sight to see the two streams meet. .Of course, as anticipated, the punt is on another voyage jolly boat as well, somewhere Foxton way. The wire rope has also gone. Both rivera are going down.— Standard.

Additions are made to-day to Mr Garr's Feilding sale to be held on Friday next. Captain Edwin wired at noon to-day : Strong N.W. to W. and S. winds, and much colder weather, glass rise. To-day we had the pleasure of inspecting a pine apple grown on a plant cultivated by a resident on the FeildingAshurst road. Judging from the large attendance at the Excelsior Skating Rink on Saturday evening last, roller skating continues to increase in popularity in Feilding. Rumour has it that the Hon. A. J' Cadman intends to resign from the Ministry, and it appears not at all improbable that such an event will happen, as his health is by no means good. The Hon. Mr Ward waa waited upon at Winton on his arrival there on Saturday by a deputation of farmers, who presented him with an address of |sytupathy, and assured him of their unabated confidence. The following advertisement appeared in a recent issue of the Sydney Morning Herald : — An appeal to the charitable : A Christian man, with family, is in need of L3OO to save his home. Who will help ? A cheque for the above amount will be most thankfully acknowledged. Urgent. When President Kruger heard that women's franchise was law in New Zealand the news took his breath away. "What," he gasped, "give women votes ! " He repeated it three times, like some one utterly dumbfounded. " Why " he wound up with, " women are no good j at all." At the conclusion of the service at St. John's Church last evening, Mr T. St. Lawrence Toner performed some beautiful selections on the organ. The various pieces, which included "Reminiscences of Rossini and Beethoven," were greatly appreciated by the congregation present, the brilliancy and finish with which Gounod's Grand March was interpreted eliciting the warmest admiration. The quarterly meeting of the Loyal Manchester Lodge of Oddfellows was held in the Foresters Hall on Friday evening last when there was a good attendance of members. Iv the abseneo of the N.G. Bro Jackson, G.M. Bro A. Wilson occupied the chair. The following were elected to fill the respective chairs :— Bros Hewett, N.G. : H. S. Taylor, V.G. ; J- MiDgiDS, E.S. ; J. G. White Warden. Owing to there being c large amount of business to go through the installation was adjourned until next meeting. Accounts amounting to .£2l 12s 3d were passed for payment.