Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 14, 16 July 1897, Page 2

Local and General News.

Tbe cantata Esther will be given at Awaburi this evening.

Entries for Messrs Abraham and Williams oext Palmerston nale are adver Used today.

Mr Burton, of Apiti, who went to New Guinea a few months ago, has now returned.

Tbe annual meeting of parishioners in tbe Feilding parochial district will be held in Sfc John's Sunday school room at 8 p,m.

The members of the Rangitikei Club will hold a smoke concert this evening evening for which tbe committee have arranged an attractive programme and hope to sea a good attendance of mem bers.

A railway contractor in England recently advertised for 300 wooden sleepers. By return of post he received a letter from a neighbouring clergyman, offering him the whole of his congregation on reasonable terms.

The London correspondent of the Auckland Herald, writing under date May 28th, states that tbe improvement in Sir George Grey's uaalth is main tamed, and that he has baon able even to go out for a drive.

Mr Horace Bastings arrived in Feilding this morning, where he was cordially welcomed by a large circle of friends. He left for Auckland by the mail train. We are glad to know Mr Bastings bas been very successful since he left Feild ing.

There bas been a good deal of fuss in tbe South Island about a man in receipt of charitable aid being appointed a J.P. (nays the Hawera Star). We hear of an appointee in the North Island who cannot read even printed matter. Which is the worse appointment ?

Mr I. Brent bas just completed to order a very handsome occasional table of picked rimu, being on four neatly turned pillars with double claws. It has been nicely polished and is a good sample of the first class work turned out at Mr Brent's furaitura warehouse.

A Christchnrch paper recently pub lished the following comprehensive advertisement:—'"Wan ted - Billiard murker for firstcUss hotel ; respectnble piuple man with knowledge of music, keep books and do a little carpentering." The wage to be given is not stated.

We are a self-reliant people, and that is why so many articles are tnanufao tured in this colony which are every whit as good as those imported. Royal Blocking, manufactured by tbe Empire Co., is a case in point. A more admirable boot polish could not be -obtained anywhere-

A Scotchman once hired himself to a Cheshire farmer, and one of tbe famous cheeses of the country was set before him. His master said to him : " Sandy, you take a long time to your breakfast." ', Troth, master," replied tbe Scot, " a cheese o' this size is na so soon eaten as ye may think."

The Manchester Rifles bad a good muster last night. After Capt, Kirton, Lieuts Barltrop and Pleasants bad exer cised tbe company Sergt-Major McMil lan took them in hand aud give some nsafal instructions in the sword bayonet exercise. A church parade will be held on Sunday forenoon.

A money order office is opened at Waitnna West from today. This also includes the convenience of paying Sheep Rates, Land and Income Tax, Crown Land Rents, and monies for credit of Advances to Settlors department. The extension of postal conveniences in our diatrict is much appreciated by the settlers.

The Australasian Pastoralists' Review estimates that tbe drought bas reduced the number of sheep which will be shorn in New South Wales in tbe ensuing season to 89,000,000 -if no farther losses occur. The number shorn last year was somewhere about 46,000,000. This will make a material difference in the wool production.

One of the earliest settlers on tbe Manchester Block, Mr Thomas Dixon, died at Feilding last evening at the age of 67 years. Mr Dixon, who had served in the Royal Artillery, came to the colony in tbe ship " Ocean Queen " and lauded in Feilding in 1874, and be bas resided here ever since and was widely respected.

Both bad the effect of greatly lessening the effects of the storms, and every acre that was felled would enhance the effect of wind and flood, was a remark made by Major-General Schaw, at the meeting of the Philosophical Society last night. He, therfcfore, from the standpoint of a meteorologist, deplored the telling oi the bush.— N.Z. Times,

Mr Meadows (the representative of a London produce firm), declared at the Wellington freight reduction conference .hat regularity of delivery of dairy products W93 of the utmost importance to ihfcin ; more so than the rate of freight. He iaid the time would soon come when they would find they could not carry butter in the same steamers as meat, as it was frozen too hard and injured the aracle.

The Adelaide correspondent of tbe Australasian Paatoralists' Eeview says : — " There is likely to be a good demand for draught horses in South Australia later on. There has been heavy mortality amoDgst farmers' stocks, and a large percentage of those sent into tbe salt busb country, owing to scarcity of feed iv settled districts, will not come back- And, in addition, owing to the drought and other causes, there has been uo breeding going on. Owners baying a surplus of draught stock ought to watch this market."

The Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association is again including Point Prizes in its catalogae of the Novtmbur show. Tbe committee has decided to offer £100 for Lincoln sheep, of which £75 goes to the winner of the greatest number of points, and i! 25 to the second. Iv addition to the £76 there is also the bandsoms silver cup presented last year by Lord Glasgow. The committee, is considering in what further sections the "points prises" shall be offered. At present it is suggested to include English Leicester and Romney sheep and shorthorn cattle.

Among tbe meiinges of sympathy sent to the Hon. J. G. Ward ware the following:—" I sympathise with you desply in your present trouble. Throughout tbe long period you have baen in buoineas we know that an immense amount of good has been done by yon, and tb» farmer* of Southland Ronerally recognise that. I »incer»ly hope yon will stand again for Awarua, when, without doubt, you will be returned by a very large majority. J will undertake to defray tbe whole of your expenses.— David Anderson, PJms■nt Creek, Hokonui." Tbe Speaker of the House Representativ#s wired thus: — " Very sorry to hear of your resignation. Hope your retirement from Parliamen tary life will be ou'ly temporary, and that tht country will soon again have the benefit of your sejvices.-O'BoBBSi