Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 106, 2 November 1896, Page 2

Local and General News.

» The Directors of the Feilding Building Society meet this afternoon. Eyes at the back are now provided for cyclists by a new invention. A mirror fixed on the handle bar enables the rider to see behind him. The chairman of the committee of the Feilding Public Library inserts a notice which is of importance to literary sneak thieves. Entries for Messrs Gorton and Son's Feilding sale on the 6th inst., and Sanson sale on the 4th idem respectively, aie advertised to>day. It is estimated that fully six hundred overcoats and umbrellas were sold in the Palmerston shops on show day, mostly to visitors. — Standard. The Hon R. J. Seddon, Premier, is announced to deliver addresses at Waverley on Monday, at Halcombe on Tuesday and Huuterville on Wednesday. It is a matter worthy of mention that no arrests were made for drunkenness during show week, although on the second day there could not have been less than 12,000 hi town.— Standard. The Land Board have ordered a fresh election of trustees for the Pohangina Recreation Reserve and a meeting of settlers will be held at an early date for that purpose. The two previous elections were upset. The Observer says there is a decided feeling in Onehunga that Mrs Yates should stand once more for the Mayoralty. She succeeded in keeping things awake, and that is more than tlie present Mayor does. A settler at Ohau, E. H. Smith, was fined LlO, including costs, for assaulting the ticket clerk on the Welliugtou-Man-awata railway. Evidence was given to the effect that accused had tendered the ticket clerk a sovereign to pay his fare. Complainant bad not the necessary change and on leaving to obtain it, accused caught him by the throat and demanded that bis money should be returned. The British Medical Jonrnal does great service in calling attention to the dangers which attend the administration of antipyrine by amateurs. It describes a case in which a dose of ten grains produced very alarming effects. Antipyrine is undoubtedly a dangerous drug, which has a very severe effect upon the heart's action ; and the careless way in which the ordinary amateur prescribes it for himself and his friends, without the slightest compunction, is an ever-increas-ing source of danger. A young man being out of work once asked an undertaker if be could give him a job. The undertaker, being in need of a man, engaged him and sent him to the coffining of a Jew. Before screwing down the lid of the coffin, he lifted the shroud and saw to his surprise a number of gold coins between the fingers of the corpse. Thinking it a pity to bury the money, he took it and put it in his pocket. The next day, on asking the undertaker what the coins were for, he was told that they were to pay for the ferry across Jordan. " Well," said

he, " I'm afraid that chap 'ill have to swim." Mr S. Goodbehere reports as follows : -October weather, 1896— The rainfall for the past month was 2*23 inches, in October 1895, it was 286 inches. Kam was registered on 21 days during the month, the heaviest fall in one day being 0-62 inches, on the 24th. There were 6 frosty nights during the first 11 days of the month. The maximum temperature was 68 degrees on the 21st, and the minimum 28 on the 3rd, 6th and 10th. The mean temperature at 9.30 a.m. was 5364 degrees, the mean maximum was 59-38, and the mean minimum 40*47. The corresponding means for October 1895 were 53 83, 62-74, and 42.47. The quarterly returns of the Wanga nui Education Board, for the period ended September 30th, show the number ; of schools under the Board as 120 and I the number of teachers as 258, the sexes curiously enough, being evenly divided, viz., 129 males and 129 females. The number of children attending the schools at the beginning of the quarter was 8449 and at the end 9964, of whom 5136 were males and 4828 females. The average weekly attendance is shown as 5225 males and 4901 females, or a total of 10,126, while the working average was HlB9 and the strict average 8120, the highest yet recorded in the history of the Board. — Chronicle. An agitation is in progress on the Woodville side of the Gorge to compel the opening of the road from the Gorge through Mr Cotter's property to Fitzherbert East. It has been ascertained that a road line is laid off there, although it is said Mr Cotter has fenced it off for his own use without providing gates, and the Minister of Lands has been consulted with a view of obtaining a sufficient grant to make the road passable for stock traffic. By this means the crossing of tha Manawatu river would be made by means of Fitzherbert Bridge, and the punt and toll avoided altogether.—Standard. A meeting of ratepayers in the Pohangina riding of the Pohangina County was held in the Hall on Saturday evening last, for the purpose of selecting the candidate who should be nominated to represent that riding in the Council. There were five candidates in the field for the coyeted honors, viz., Messrs W. Cornfoot, W. Bolton, W. Stanton C. Selby and A. A. Wftgetaff. The first named is a settler residing at the Oroua side of the riding, while of the others the two latter are retiring councillors, Mr Selby haying represented this riding and Mr Wagstaff the Umutoi. Some of the settlers on the Pohangina side were desirous of reducing the number of candidates to one who should contest the seat with Mr Cornfoot, in place of four being nominated, in which case Mr W. Cornfoot's return would bo almost certain. Mr Bayliss was voted to the chair and all the candidates, with tha exception of Mr Bolton, addressed the meet* ing. A vote was taken as to which candidate should be nominated, resulting fcsfp'lows, viz., A. A. Wagstaff, 12; W. Bolton, 6; p. Selby, 5; W. Stanton, 3 ; W. Cornfoot, f. r £he candidates were asked if they would abide by this vote, but they all declined to do so, excepting Mr Selby who agreed to retire, oh the grounds that the meeting was not a representative one. Mr Bolton -will address the ratepayers bn Saturday evening next in support oi bis candidatuje.

Captain Edwin wired at noon to-day : — Expect continuance of similar weather during the next 24 hoars, glass fartber rise. On Saturday evening lash a woman narrowly escaped a serious accident by stepping off the 8 p.m. train while in motion and falling backwards on to the platform, Mr E. T. Harrison will address a meeting of ratepayers in the Mangaone riding of the Pohangina County, at Mr Skerman's residence, Zig Zag road, on Thursday afternoon at 2.30. A five-roomed house in Grey street, Palmerston North, owned and occupied by Mr F. Blanchard, was burned to the ground on Saturday evening owing to the overturning of a candle. t The recent cold weather experienced | in this district culminated in a snow storm at Birmingham this morning, when the ground was covered with nearly four inches of snow. All day the weather was quite wintry. The snowfall at Makino was also heavy. The nominations for the offices of councillors for the various ridings within the Pohangina County must be in the bands of the returning officer, Mr W. S. Harper, not later than noon on Thursday, November sth. The elections will be held on Wednesday, November 11th. At a special meeting on Saturday evening last, the Colyton School Committee decided that on account of the opening of the Church of England on the 11th inst., the concert and dance arranged at the last ordinary meeting to be held on 13th November, be postponed until Friday the 4th December next. The mortal remains of the late Mrs G. G, Hill were inferred ia the Feildiag cemetery to day. A number of sympathising friends joined in the mournful procession as z. mark of respect to the memory of the deceased and sympathy with the bereaved relations. The Rev A. S. Innes Jones conducted an impressive burial service. A writer in Woman declares husbandbunting to be a wholly excusable and occasionally a wholly desirable proceeding. No scorn is attached to a man who is known as wishing to marry. Why, then, in the name of all that is logical, should such a desire on the part of a woman be treated with contumely and ridicule ? Let us be franker in our treatment of marriage, and not preteud that no desire for a husband lurks in the bosom of a well-conducted girl. There will be a meeting of the Shooting Committee of the Manchester Rifles at 7.30 p.m. sharp tonight. Business re match with Marton Rifle Club on 9th inst. and other matters. Members of the corps are reminded of the competitions for classes A and B on Wednesday next, starting at 5 a.m. and 2 p.m. Following are the handicaps:— Class A : Lt. Balthrop, Sgt. Aitken, Vols. Saywell, Scott, Parker, scratch ; Vol. Wilson, 3 ; Sgt. McMurray, 4 ; Corp. Evans, Vols. Parkes, Stuart, Bensemanu, Evans, and Sergt. Petherick, 6. Class B : Corp. Mends and Vol. E. Bennett, scratch ; Vols. McMillan and Isaac, 2 ; Vols. Reid, Smith, and D. Bennett, 4 ; Corp. Humphrey, Vols. Wilson, Baer, Mann, and Meads, 5; Vols. Taylor, J. Brennan, W. Brennan, Dermer.Jennins, and Walton, 6 ; Vols. Gosling and Hicks, 8 ; Col.- Sgt. Milson, Vols. J. Bennett and Hill, 10. Ammunition will be distributed at the orderly room between 7 and 8 p.m. on Tuesdays.