LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 May 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Messrs Redmotad and Donovan the Irish delegates, who motored to Wellington from Levin last week m company with Mr Field M.P.. expressed themselves delighted with, the hospitalitv shown them in Levin, and charmed with the country they drove through-particularly the Paeka.kariki hill.

Improvements in milking machines 'have been "made, and lettera.patont for the improvements applied for in New Zealand this month, by a. Swedish firm known as the Mjolkningsmaskin Ak~ tiebolaget.

Trade in Manakau at the present period is distinctly slacker than was. the case this time last year. There is, storekeepers say. a general tightness of money, and there is not a very ready tendency on the part of customers to meet liabilities. It is anticipated that for the next two' months, there will be but little improvement in the spending capacity of the inhabitants.

Thursday next, tho 25th, being Ascension Day. there will ho a celebration of the Holy Communion tSt. Mary's, at 8 a.m., with short address. No offertory. On Fri- , day afternoon, at 3 p.m.. there will be a gift tea in the schoolroom, to wlu'eTTal! ladies of the congregation are invited. Each lady is asked to bring a gift of materia] for the members and associates of the G.F.B. to make up for their coming sale of work in August. Competitions and musical items will be included in the afternoon's entertainment. .A gift of a brass alms dish has been generously donated to the church bv Mr J. Matier, manager of the Bank of "New Zealand.

Quite a lot of mishaps to motorists never seem to get into the newspapers (says the country correspondent of the Wanganni Chronicle). The other night one Paten, motorist went spinning past Westmore in fine style, long after the evening train, and yet with a firm determination to beat rails. At least, so T understood. Tho pace was merry, and the road was A.l. Maxwell past. Nnkumaru negotiated: "Yes. we'll do it." Waitotara hill islovelv, and down she goes like a sea-bird on the wing. Suddenly something gives lrnv. and the long and short of it is that the motor parfcv had for the night to rest and roost at tbt" township with the musical native name. Tiro other recent motor "biist-ups." not so very far from Wanganni. are within my knowledge, but neither seem to have got into the da.ilv print. T've no desire to enter where angels are afraid to tread. Why the simile--proverb? When angels are not supposed to walk, but to wing.

The question of the proposed towering of the Horowhenna Lake was the .subject of an interesting discussion among some, of the oldest settlers in the county yesterday. It was contended that the lowering should be proceeded with at the •earliest possible mometnt, ns tHiis would' have the most beneficial effects on the neighbourhood. '"'Those pepole who are opposed to the proposal." remarked one settlor. "'J.-cow no more about the subject than 'the man in the moon.' " The ln:id < n the far side of the lake was de-srribod as splendid, and it was stated that in one swamp alone thero \vre over 500 acres of land. The lowering of the lake bv three feet won id bri n g some 3.000 acres into cultivat'oi, and would mean an increase of r :v,ni THOO to '2.000 in th« oormlnt' m of (.'he. locality A resident of ! be (he town talking to a Ohron."le repcrter subsequently, stated that the Hokn'o stream was in a disgraceful state to-day. Tt was worse than it had been for eighteen years, while the odour was most unpleasant as far away as Weraroa. " The old natives used to keep the stream clear," he said, "but the Maoris todav won't work unless forced to do so." .A story is told by the Waikato "Argus" of a clergyman, who is said to be widely known and much respected throughout the southern part of the Auckland provincial district. He was travelling along a road recently, when he met a carrier, and bade him a hearty "good morning." As a reply be was advised to "go and get work." To "T beg your pardon." the same rejoiner was received, and the man was then politely requested to "pull up." This he declined to do, so the clergyman promptly took the horses by the heads and led them to the side of the road. He than jumped on to the dray and lifted the surly occupant to the ground, where he administered some corporail punishment. When be had finished he gave him some paternal advice, telling him never again to answer a friendly sal nation with insult. The clergyman then proceeded on his way. leaving the bewildered carrier wondering whether he was on board ship or on horseback, but perfectly convinced that a parson is not necessarily a safe butt for the display of elephantine wit.

Writes Frank Morton :—The "Waikato Competitions are on, and we adjudicate—my estimable and emiahle friend Mr Arthur Towsey in the musical section, I in the elocutionary. We are scarcely in the throes of it as yet; but we have .heard some girls recite, and some hoys sing, and some boys pud girls play the piano. H night young people, all of them, honestly anxious to excel. I was somewhat sorry for my first batch of young girls, who were set to recite "Lady Olnra Vere tie Verc," and naturally made somewhat of a hash of it. I believe in competitions of this sort; hut it becomes plain that if they are to increase and prosper among us more care must be taken in the selection of test pieces, which means simply that cliques and committees without special qualification should not be left to toggle the business. Test-pieces should in all eases be set hy the judges. And the judges will see to it that what J can only call the elocution-torture ds discouraged. These eager young folks would do better in many cases if they had nevor had a lesson in elocution. An inferior, or unqualified teacher may easily do incalculable harm; and in many cases docs it. If you have young children being taught these things, satisfy yourself absolutely of the ability of the teacher, or whatever promise there is in the child may be destroyed or turned askew. We British people do not gesticulate much; and, as a general rule, the less we gesticulate in the recitall of verse, the better. Some notable authorities say that there should be no gesture at all. But most of the teachers of what passes for elocution in this country teach a set of meehancal gestures which are no more natural to a healthy boy or girl than they would be to a glowworm or a walrus. This forced gesticulation brings in its train many things disfiguring and unclesired. Some of the young people wag their- heads, some sway their bodies, some shuffle and twitch; there is no natural dignity or repose in them. Some, taught one staple or dominant pose, maintain it Mice frozen images, occasionally gesticulating in jerks. I have seen children, taught to practise these jerks in company in certain of our State schoole. It is an idiocy that might well cease. It makes young children oddly selfeonscious and "stagey, and that must surely he a very bad thing in any case.

It is rumoured that *t slander action is pending between certain parties in this county. Heavy damages, it is stated, are claimed.

Rev. J). 0. Bates' weather forecast states that present indications arc for fair and hazy weather generally, with moderate to strong easterly and northerly winds prevailing.' The barometer shows a tendency to fall slowly everywhere.

j Pigeons are reported to he fairly i plentiful in the "Wairarapa ranges j this year, but although there is an ' •abundance of feed the birds are_ in !n. very poor condition. According to one sportsman they "arc all skin and bone and not worth powder and shot,"

Says the Feildirig Star: Tlic racehorse 'Frisco, which died on Saturday night, was the "Now Zealand Clip winner of 1907. Ho was taken for a gallop on Saturday morning, and seemed well, but after going a couple of furlongs W. Young pulled him up. The horse was taken round to the stables, but, desoite every attention, died from inflammation of the lungs. This is rather unfortunate for Mr H. McManaway. who bas had 'Frisco for about eighteen months.

Some time ago an art union was arranged by Mr J. D. Howell for the benefit of Mrs Strawbridae. whose, hunhand was injured some months ago bv a fall from his horse, "Silvershell." and it was then announced that an oil-painting of this wellknown hurdler would bo raffled. Mr Howell proved most energetic, and. assisted by others who had the good cause rat heart, disposed of some £87 worth of tickets. On Saturday, in the presence of Messrs .T. D. Howell, M. Ayre. T. Brambell, Constable Satherley. and an Ota lei Mail representative, the drawing took Mr Alex. Robertson, of "Waika.nao. was found to be the luekv winner, he holding ticket No. 201,-Otaki Mail.

Flit stock are getting fewer day l>v dnv. A dealer who is about the district a. good deal told' a "Standard" reporter that owners "of fat cattle will not quote prices and undertake to hold tlie stock for anv fixed period. "Beef is sure to advance towards the spring." lie said, "hut if we escape frosts and the feed keeps up, prices mav not rule exceptionally In'all, though T am inclined to -think they will. The. simple explanation is that the stock is not in the country, and that the existing supplies are getting reduced week by week. Dairying, of course, is an important factor in the pro'blem, as had that industry developed to a less extent, more attention would have been devoted to cattle raising.

"Recently a farmer client took a motor-car out of Wanganni, and T believe his instructions were not to go fast. He followed the bent of lu's heart and not the judgment of In's bead. He was ignorant or forgetful of the fact that when you jam down the brake on an a.utomobile at full speed in a certain wnv, that the car, instead of quickly slowing down, suddenly rears up in the air, like a horse under the bucking spirit. There were no- bones broken, and even the ear was little or none the worse, but the memory, of the upset will remain long with those who picked themselves up—a, scattered and peeled humanity. ~ Wanganni Chronicle.

A labourer named Kerr, who imbibed freely of intoxicating liquors in Levin last night, made himself a vociferous nuisance in the subsequent hours. After "eooeeing" for some twenty minutes in a manner worthy of an Australian blaekfellow', lie descended to less intelligible but equally annoying ululations, which wore heard by people living over a mile from the place whore Kerr was enjoying himself, until Constable Longbottom placed the disturber where his voice would be protected from the night air. Even then, and for a long time afterwards, his tones were still audible at long distances from the lockup. He and the neighbours went to sleep some time after midnight, but between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Kerr renewed his vocal outbursts. Constable Bagrie remonstrated with him. telling ]nm there were people ill in the neighbourhood, but he only desisted yelling long enough to say "Let them die!" and to kick the furniture of the lock-up v about and do damage to the building. He was charged at tlioS.M. Court this morning" with having damaged the King's property and also with riotous he'haviour. Mr B. R. Gardener, .LP., the presiding justice, sentenced him to a month's imprisonment in iho Terrace prison, Wellington, without the option of a fine.

Writing under the title Bush Farming a correspondent 'of the Press says:--Suppose two men take 500 acres each. Let ton years elapse. One man had enough 'money "to put down all his bush the first year, and has had nine years' takings off the place. The'other man put down fifty acres the first yeiar, a.nd was six or seven years' getting all down. He has had the greatest difficulty to finance it all. He has only been running the cheapest kind of stock. Which of these men has got the heat returns? Ts it necessary to see his books? So, .bush doe's not fall like the walls of Jericho. Von may talk of axes and good right arms, you may throw left as well, but it boils down to money, and the more money you have to start with the less it will cost you to get your bush down. And any man would he bettor off :>n wages than at putting his own hush down, save for one hard and solemn fact. No man on wages has over lived as hard and as frugally as the bush settler simply luils to. When it comes to humping all your stores in on your hack, your tucker bill is not a very heavy 'one, though you are cruelly pushed to meet at at all. And. anyhow, is money everything? You meet the bushman at the show, and you write of him as hearty and hale. Have you ever examined his hands? Have you counted his scars? Do you know how many k>f his limbs have been broken? May I mention rheumatism? Or heart strain? Four pounds an acre? "Good Lord, w've ha' paid in full."