Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 149, 23 December 1896, Page 2

Local and General News.

♦ The Feildino Star will not be published 00 Friday or Saturday, December 25th and 26th, Christmas Day and Box* ing Day. Tbe dates of Mr Charles Carr's stock sales fox January next are advertised

Special attention is called to Mr Jas. Wood's sale of goods suitable for Xmas presents. The Pollard Company have taken the Assembly Rooms for Q9fch and 30fch Jannary, 1897. The offices of the several solicitors practicing in Feilding will be closed from to-morrow, the 24th December, to Janu ary 4th, 1697. On Christmas Eve the Feilding Brass Band will play in various parts of the town, some very beautiful Christmas carols. A new method of stopping hiccoughs has been discovered. It consists of thrusting the tongue out of the mouth and holding it so for a short time. The hag-fish or Myxine has a custom of getting inside the cod and similar fishes and entirely consuming the interior, leaving only the skeleton remaining, to the surprise and consternation of i the original fish. Wool is arriving at the railway station every day from all parts of the very large district of which Feilding is the centre. This promises to be a record season for export of this staple. On the 15th inst a depositor of money i in the Bank of Australasia, when his credit slip was handed to be signed, took away the voucher in error. He is requested to return the same to the Bank. 1 " Does yoa basbandJ drink 9" queried a lawyer in the Magistrate's Court re- ! cently. And the woman in the witnessbox sighed before she replied — " No ; but I often wish he did. Then I might get a little peace in my life." Mr James Trewin, of the Public Benefit Boot Warehouse, has now opened up, preparatory for the Christmas holidays, a very large and varied consignment of white and tan boots and shoes which he is prepared to sell at prices defying com petition. At the Apiti Sports on January Ist next there will be a live sheep guessing competition on the ground. A charge of one shilling will be made for each guess, the proceeds to go to the sports fund and the sheep to become the pro perty of the winner. The Wellington correspondent of the Egmont Post says : — There are persistent rumors that Mr Ward is to re-enter the Cabinet, either as Postmaster-Gen-eral or Colonial Treasurer. The electiou petition iv connection with the city electorate and Wellington Suburbs, will be lodged on Thursday. It is not unlikely that petitions to upset Inangahua and Wairan elections will be lodged on the same date. It is said thai the Qnoon firmly be heves that articles made by blind people bring luck with them, and that she possesses a collection of queer presents which have been manufactured and sent to her by some of her sightless subjects. Even gamblers have this singular faith, and in a game known among initiates as " poker" many an unlucky player has " straddled the blind" with profit and advantage to himself and confusion to bis enemies. There was quite a large gathering on the river bed near Furlong's road, Nikau, on Thursday morning, the occasion being the school's first picnic. A good substantial lunch was provided, and games and races occupied tho rest of the afternoon. Afternoon tea was then served and the picnicers began to disperse, well pleased with their day's outing. Mr R. W. Brown, Chairman, took a shot with bis camera, and providiug the picture turns out successful, copies will be obtainable by those desiring them. The Town Clerk at Marton, Mr F. C. Wilson, sends us the following:— " Sir, — I am directed by this Borough Coun cil once more to tender to you the sincere thanks of the Council for having during the year now closing forwarded your valuable newspaper to the Public Reading Room here free of charge, and to assnre you that the paper itself and the gift are very highly appreciated. With best wishes for the continued success of your publication and the " Compliments of the season " to you and your Staff." We are informed by the Manawatu Farmer of Monday that Mr C. Dahl's staff (Palnaerston North) of hands, numbering between 20 and 30, arrived in Foxton on Saturday with the intention of spending a week on the beach at the mouth of the river. They brought with them a large marquee, also several tents and are bent on having a good time. They now make it an annual affair to run down to the Foxton beach. Mr C. Dahl, we understand, ' shouts " the outing to his employees. Well done Mr Dahl. Mr McDuff Boyd has decided, at the invitation of the musical people of Feilding, Marton and Patea, to visit those towns with a select concert party during the holidays. There is also a likelihood of Mr Boyd giving concerts at Hawera, Stratford and Wanganui. The party will consist of Miss Sheen, Miss Ritchey, Mrs Boyd, Mr St Lawrence Toner and Mr Mac Duff Boyd. With the help of the best local talent at each of the towns visited, we should say that the trip will not only be pleasant to our Wellington musicians, but that the concerts will prove very delightful to our country cousins. It was on a New South Wales bush track. Three farmers jogging along overtook a solitary " swagger," and just by way of having a little fun, invited him to dance for their amusement, at the same time touching him up with their stockwhips. However, the entertainment didn't come off, owing to an alteration in the programme, due to the fact that the swagger possessed a revolver. Palling this friend in need out of his hip pocket the swagger said : " I'm not taking any dancing to-day, but snppose you three chaps dance for me?" And dance they had to — until they were nearly dead with fatigue. The swagger took every trick in that deal. The school picnic was held at Ruahine on Friday last, the 18th instant, when the weather was perfect, and the picnic was a great saccess. The showers which fell duriug the previous evening made everything look fresh. There was a large attendance from Rangiwahia, Pernberton and Peep -'o- Day. A nice dinner was served in the school house to which both old and young did full justice. During the afternoon the usual picnic games were indulged in and races were held amongst the children, Mr Ross acting as handicapper, and a better one it would be hard to find. The ladies of Ruahine worked hard to make, the gathering a success and they succeeded admirably. A dance was held in the evening when everyone seemed to enjoy themselves thorou4»bly. The proprietor of the Manchester Bazaar and fancy goods depot, Mr J. 8. Milson, has made extensive preparaI tions for the Christmas trade in the matter of cards, fancy goods, toys, etc. A varied selection of Chritmas cards are neatly displayed in one of the windows amongst some useful articles in the, fancy goods line, such as Japanese work ; boxes, etc. The selection of photo frames are a very beautiful lot, while the special lines of leather goods such as ladies' and gents* touring cases are at the Sam's time handsome *«d useful, as also are the ladies companion*. One of the most important features of Mr Milton's dis. play— at least to the younger folk— is his extensive stock of toys of almost every description to select from, arranged on three-penny, six penny and shilling table* '

Mr Isaac Brent, of the Central Furnishing Warehouse, has just received a consignment of basket chairs for the Christmas trade. "We understand that Mr Kolleston will probably replace Captain Russell (at the atter's request) as leader of the Opposi tion in the House of Representatives. Today's N.Z. Times says: — "I'd as soon live with the devil as with my mother-in-law." Emphatic pronouncement with which a Wellington citizen electrified a meeting yesterday. We understand that during the last few weeks there has been an extra amount of business doing at Sherborne House, which it has been difficult to cope with. Now, however, Mr Beckley has made special attractions for Xmas, and to-morrow there will be extra hands in anticipation of the rush. Today's N.Z. Times says: — As Mr Tolley, of the firm of Cederholm and Tolley, was entering the door leading from Cuba street on to the stage of tbe Opera House yesterday morning he fell through a trap door, a distance of 9ft 6iu and cut himself severely on the face and head. Dr Pollen Laving attended to his injuries, he was removed to his home, and is now progressing as favor ably as can be expected. Great excitement was created in Levin last Monday night, isays tbe Shannon Farmer) when a bright glare showed that a big fire was blazing in the direct ion of Mr Bartholomew's honse. On arrivinp at the spot it was happily found that it was not the residence, but some smaller buildings in tbe locality, and it is aurtnised that they were fired by that old scapegoat —the swagger. One of the greatest sights iv Sydney harbour is the feeding of the sharks. The offal from the meat works is placed in a hopper barge towed a few miles outside Sydney Heads, followed by thousands of sharks which seem to know the day and the hour for their gratuitous meal. When the hopper is emptied the commotion of the sharks leaping and rushing over oue another is a sight at once flesh creeping and horribly grand. During tbe process of this gorging tho hopper is enveloped in spray, and tho men ou board have an anxious tim<\ bnt they are well protected from any danger. The Taranaki Herald says ; — Outside one of the Western Maori electorate polling booths on Saturday several natives were discussing fc.ee qualifications of the thirteen candidates who had put up in the contest for the seat. One Maori said he favored a certain candidato because he had a European ear and a Maori ear. that is to say, b. 6 understood both languages, and therefore was a desirable representative, as he could hear both sides himself without the aid of au interpreter. Another Maori acquiesced in this reasoning, and said it was a distinct advantage to have two tongues (to bo able to speak tbe two languages), and in accordance with those views the Maoris agreed to cast their votes 1 The Napier Telegraph says : — An effort is being made to capture the shark which attacked and killed Mr Bright Cooper in tbe bay yesterday morning. This afternoon a strong line, with a beef baited hook, was stretched from a buoy about 70 yards from the shore to another about 150 yards further out, and fastened to a shore anchor. Only one sharkhook was obtainable this morning, but three others have now been obtained, and will be fixed and baited at the earliest opportunity. Messrs Niven (of the Spit foundry), Eagleton, Finlayson, Robson aud Franklin undertook the work, and have so far carried it vigorously out. The breakwater boat has been used, and will be left on the beach in the meantime in the case of emergency. The baited line is almost immediately over the spot where Mr B. Cooper was , killed. As is customary with Mr W. Carthew, stationer and bookseller, he has anticipated a busy season by providing an extensive stock of Christmas cards, toys, fancy goods, periodicals and books of every description. Mr Carthew is doing a very large trade in Christmas cards, the demand for which commenced earlier and has continued in excess of auy previous occasion, an evidence that eeneral satisfaction was previously given purchasers. A specially selected lot of toys for this season is exhibited on the threepenny, sixpenny and shilling tables. The fancy goods comprise a varied selection, while the Christmas annuals are even more interesting than preyious publications and the latest books suit' able for presents arrived on the 21st. The storeroom to the rear of the shop has been fitted up as a show room for the better display of leather goods, ladies' companions, albums, photo frames, &c.