Local and General News.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 28, 2 August 1897, Page 2

Local and General News.

■» The Feildiu<: Masonic Lodge will meet on Mouiinv, the 9th instant. Tv the l'>st Indi - there are some birds so small, that the spiders can eat them. There will be mass on Friday morning at 8 o'clock at Halcombe, and at St. Bridget's Feilding, on Sunday morning next at 8 o'clock. Vegetarians claim that hair grows less luxuriantly on the heads of meat-eaters — which accounts for the milk in the cocoannt, but not for the woolly husk outside. Selah. A church Bazaar will be held at Colyton on Wednesday, the llih inst., in aid of u« Building Fund of St. Andrews, Church of England. The programme is advertised to-day. The whole of the Australian colonies have now removed tbe restriction regarding the importation of swine from New Zealand. There is nothing perso nal in this and it is not expected pas* ■enger traffic on the Union boats will be increased. With reference to the Volunteer En» oampuient proposed to be held in or near Wellington, it is pretty generally understood that if the officers are consul t«?d at all on the point a majority will be ■ (iposfcd to the establishment of a cautt'iD in connection with the camp. An Englishman was one day boasting to a. KruDcbniau of tbe immensity of the British Empire. " Yes, sir," he exclaimed, to finish np with, " the sun never sets on the English possessions." " I am not surprised at that," retorted the good Frenchman " the ann is obliged to keep an eye on the rascals." We clip this from tbe Mataura Ensign : — Questions and answers — The public to the liqnidator: "What's become of those stray thousands ? " Tbe liquidator : " Ask Mr Ward." Mr Ward: "Ask Mr Fisher." Mr Fisher: "Ask the Bank," The Bank : " Ask a police man." The policeman : •' Ax me fut." The Wanganni Herald B*ya : — We are sorry to note by the latest report from Dunedin respecting Mr H. S. Fish, that all hope of his recovery has been given np, Since the symptoms of cancer (in tbe threat) became apparent two months ago his medical adywers gave him but three months to live. A special general meeting of members of tbe Feilding Polo Club was held at the Feilding Hotel on Saturday evening, Mr D. Uowpes presiding. Messrs W. M. Smith and W. Sbapnon were elected members of the club. The naestion of providing a new or improving the flld ground was discussed, and it was resolved that Messrs Downes and W. B, Giesen be a committee to inspect the racecourse property and to select a suitable site for a polo ground, getAQ estimate of the cost of making it fit to play on, and to report at a future meeting to bo held at the same place oil Saturday

The Feilding Borough Council will meet on Thursday evening, The Directors of the Feilding Building Society met this afternoon. Mr Carr will hold his usual monthly stock tale at Fowlers on Wednesday. Messrs Gorton and Son hold a sale at their Marion yards to-morrow and at Sandon on Wednesday. The Rev G. Soltau will deliver an addres in the Volunteer Hall this evening to men only, commencing at 7.80. Miss Barr, who was recently appointed second assistant in the Feilding State School, commenced her duties in the school to-day. Mr James Wood will sell on Wednesday next another large consignment of fruit trees, etc., from the nursery of Messrs Mayo and SonsVolunteers are reminded there will be no parade on Thursday the sth instant as the Drill Hall has been let for that evening. The death is announced of Mr Robert E. Johnston, of Rose Hill, Rangitikei, at the age of 73 years. Mr Johnston came to the colony in 1865. At the inquest on the body found at Wanganni, the remains were identified as those of Dr Marshall, and the jury returned a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane. "A prophet is not without honor, ■aye in his own country and in his own house." People in New Zealand only begin to respect the legislation of tbeir own Parliament when they find laws passed by the latter adopted in other colonies. The Inspector nnder the Factories Act is at present in Wanganni, and has, we bear, notified blacksmiths (who have not hitherto done so), that they must observe one half-holiday in each week. The fixing of the day will be a matter of arrangement between the firms in the trade, who will probably close on Saturday — the artisan half holiday throughout the colony. If blacksmiths come under the Act, why has not the inspector taken action before ? - Herald. The Wairarapa Daily Times waxes sarcastic over the Awarua contest to take place to morrow. Our contemporary Bays : — The full strength of the Ministerial majority, such as it may be, will be needed to justify the Awarna candidature and the complications likely to arise therefrom. At Home in the House of Lords there is a wooKsack, which is considered a seat of great dignity, but it remains for New Zealand to establish the precedent of an oat sack in a Legislative Chamber as a place of honor. The following is an extract from a letter received by Messrs Good beb ere and Richmond, from a correspondent in Western Australia : — '• The state of things here is far from flourishing. The labor market is glutted. There is a large quantity of public work going on but too many men are after it. The mining industry is looking up again but I do not advise any one to come at the present time as there are thousands of people out of work and no prospect of getting any whatever." The Qutenslander baa a special correspondent in New Zealand, and he wired the announcement of the death of Major Ropata Wahawaha, M.L.C., to bis journal. This is how it appeared : —"Auckland, July 2— The Mayor of Ropata, a Wabawaha native, and a member.of the Legislative Council, has died. He is believed to have been 80 years old- He rendered gallant services to the Europeans during the native wars." It is notified in onr advertising columns today that the|firm of Eastwood and Company, drapers and direct importers, well known as a first class firm, have decided to open a branch of their business in Feilding, nnder the management of Mr J. Green. Mr Eastwood has requested us to state that bis firm " has come to stay " in Feilding, also that bis great cash sale is genuine in every respect. The firm will commence business on Saturday next in premises forming a portion of Mr Brennan's Block. The Rev. G. Soltau conducted an evangelistic service in the Volunteer Hall last evening, when there was a large attendance, the Presbyterian, Primitive Methodist, and Wesleyan Churches being closed to enable the cosgregations to attend. The reverend gentleman was listened to attentively during his discourse. The longer he remains in Feilding the more he seems to be appreciated, judging from the wide pnblje interest which is being evinced in his mission. Mr S. Goodbehere reports as follows : -July Weather, 1897 —The past month is remarkable for a series of thunder ■torma unprecedented in my life's ex perience, lasting continuously from Thursday night, the 15th, until Tuesday morning, the 21st, during which there was a rainfall of 868 inches. The total rainfall for the month was 6*99 inches as against 3*25 inches for July, 1896. Rain was registered on 17 days during the month, the heaviest fall on one day being 0-69 inches on the 19th. There were 8 frosty nights. The maximum temperature was 54 degrees, and the minimum 26 The mean temperature at 9.30 am, was 4280 ; the mean maximum 49 25, and the mean minimum 36-58. The corresponding means for July, 1896, were 45-48, 52 29 and 3792. The Napier Telegraph says: — The inspector of slaughterhouses for the Selwyn County Council reports to that body that tuburculous cattle are numerous in bis district. So ran a telegraphic message we published recently. The inspectors in many other districts might report similarly. The question for the public is— What becomes of all these diseased animals ? The answer is simple. They are killed, cut up, and sold for food in the colony This is probably one reason why tuberculosis among human beings has increased so much in New Zealand of late years, As a people we are not. half careful of what we eat. The 8.0-ualled ipspection of much of the flesh moat retailed for food is a farce— or would be a farce but for the evil results, which give the business a tragic turn. A somewhat singular incident has occurred at Cheltenham in which Mr Wilks' Blight Specific played a prominent part. Last March Mr Wilks was giving tests with his Blight Specific at Mr W. Jones' farm, Cheltenham, when Mr A. Smart, a farm laborer, who was somewhat sceptical as to the efficacy of the Specific, asked Mr Wilks banteringly if the Specific would make the hair grow on his horse's tail. The horse in question was continually rubbing against stumps, fences, &c, and the tail was bare of hair for several inches. Mr Wi'ks replied is the affirmative, saying it wonld doubtless kill the parasite that wag irritating the horse and the hah: wpnld then grow, but be (Mr Smart) must take the risk if the Specific was tried. Mr Smart washed the place affectedland applied the Specific, rubbing it on with a stumpy brusij. To the astonishment of those who knew the bp^GO and who were aware of the incident, the hoi.'Bp ceased rubbing and the hair commenced to grow and has now grown to such an esteftt that it would be imposdbe to notice that th£ tail had been without hair a few months ago. Aj»jfcbig discovery resulted co satisfactorily we wderstand it is Mr Wilk's intention to test the gnpciSc on dogs for mange and to make experiments, as suggested by a Kiwitea settler, with a view to ihe preparation of an effective steep dif .

The bookmakers in Christchurcb have instituted proceedings against the Stewards of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and the result will decide the question of the right of admission of bookmakers on the Christchurch racecourse. At a committee meeting of the Ash nrst Racing Club on Saturday evening it was decided to vote five guineas towards the legal expenses incurred by the Feilding Jockey Club in its action against the bootmakers. We understand that a petition has been signed by the required number of residents of Fowlers (Birmingham) for presentation to the Colonial Secretary, requesting the issue of another publican's liceiße at that place. Those ratepayers interested in the Pohangina and Mangaone ridiigs (Po hangina County) loans will be pleased to learn that £1,650, being portion of the Association loan, and £830, being a portion of the Pohangina • Mangaone loan, have been received, and tenders will be invited, to be in by next meeting, for forming three and a half miles of Pollock's and Zig-Zag roads. It is, also, Cr Cornfoot's intention to have the balance of the work pushed on as rapidly as possible,