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Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 13 December 1890, Page 2

The London Clearing House is a wonderful place. The daily average for 1888 amounted to £22,250,000. If these transactions for a single day were settled in coin, it would require 175 tons of gold, or 2,781 tons of silver ; whilst propably the documents actually used did not weigh more than a hundred weight. This establishment for enabling banker's easily to intercharge bills, cheques &c, originated about 1775, when a building in Lambard street was set apart for the purpose. A Railway Clearing house was first started in 1850. Very much married ! It probably will be news to read that the present King and Queen of Roumania were married four times over, to each other. First, according to the German civil code, then according to the Lutheran (her) religion, then according to the Roman Catholic (his) and lastly according to the rites of the Greek church, which is the creed of the kingdom. Rod fishing for kawhai is said to be a popular sport at Wanganui. These fish are now crowding into our river, and three good specimens were caught with a line not far from the wharf yesterday, and some the day before. Honey bids fait to be cheap this summer, if the number of swarms obtained is any criterion. We know of one family having obtained 22 swarms and another 17, up to now, and bees still reported busily swarming. A lady has invented a new way to pass the time, it is by collecting bird's feathers and grouping them artistically in the pages of an album. The customs of the Spaniards 300 years ago do not seem to have been pleasant, judging by a contemporary's diary, which asserts that "men and women have the detestable custom of cleading their teeth in public, " ! The Post has a letter from a correspondent at Levin complaining of the manner in which the son of the chairman of the School Committee has been appointed to the position of master of the Levin school. He says grave satisfaction exists in the district upon the subject, and a public meeting is likely to be held to petition the Board. Daniel Jobberns, draper, of Palmerston North, attended before his Honor the Chief Justice in the Bankruptcy Court. The debtor, in answer to Mr Gully, said he did not recollect giving the cheque produced for £11, made payable to " change," to Mr R. Stevens in respect of a bet on the Wanganui races. He could not say whether he ever drew a cheque for " change " in payment of betting debts. Mr Skerrett renewed his application for an allowance to the bankrupt for the maintenance of his wife and family, pointing out that the estate would pay a dividend of 11s in the £. His Honour said that other proceedings were hinted at, and in them it might appear that the bankrupt had behaved fraudulently. Mr Skerrett— But surely that is no reason why he should starve. His Honour -But it may be a reason why he should break stones. The decision was held over. Last evening Mr Toomath met with an unpleasant experience. He was riding pretty fast along Russell street, and without warning his horse dropped down dead. Last Wednesday, the popular Mr Winter, of Whyte's hotel, left by the Queen of the South for a holiday. Ever since his arrival in this town he has been most genial, and his attention to the customers who flocked daily to the bar, has met with a ready appreciation at their hands. A large number assembled on the wharf to bid him " good bye " and a native of length and strength executed an appropriate dance. We wish him a pleasant trip and a speedy return. At a meeting of Wellington Education Board on Wednesday — The resignations of Miss F. Broberg, Eketahuna, and Mr R. J. Pope, Levin, were accepted, and Mr Stuckey temporarily appointed to the charge of the latter school. The Shannon Committee was granted £15 for expenditure upon necessary fencing on condition that the work was completed to the satisfaction of the Board for that sum. An offer made by Mr G. Boothley to sell a house at Paraparaumu suitable for a teacher's residence for £200, or lease it for L20 per annum, was not accepted. New school districts having been constituted at Ballance, Kaitawa, Levin, Kereru, and Te Horo, the Board decided they should be outlined upon the map. It appears that a law has just been promulgated at Hardanger, in Norway, to the effect that " no girl shall be eligible for the marriage state until she is proficient in spinning, knitting, and baking." A very good one too.

The Victorian Government has decided to re-appoint Mr Speit Chief Commissioner of Railway for a future term of seven years, at £3000 per annum. The township of Hatter's Terrace, Nelson Creek, has been nearly all burned on Wednesday Williams' butchery, Clough's and Flaherty's premises, and Jamieson's hotel are totally destroyed. Walsh's stores and residence, Sidder's store, Lemon's buildings, Clarke's residence, Gibson's bakery, and the reading-room are all partially burned. The West Coast Times states that Mr Joseph Saunders, of Wellington, is the successful tenderer for the Kapitea section of the Hokitika-Grey Railway, the amount of the contract being £9000. The Marquis of Hertford, who has for some years given a bonus to the bailiffs of farms in hand which shows rumunerative returns, has announced with regard to these farms that, after paying a fair rent and interest on capital, any surplus exist ing next year shall be divided among the labourers employed. The announcement, needless to state, has been received with great satisfaction. It is probably not so widely known as it ought to be that skim-milk, after scalding, is richer than separated or any other raw skim-milk, because there is little cream left in it, and that is the best flesh and bone forming food that can be given to children. It is more healthy than raw milk, because the boiling destroys any disease germs there may be in it. After children have become accustomed to its use they prefer it to raw milk. A female miser died lately in Paris, and her friends cast lots for her furniture. A statuette fell to her daughter, and she was about to dash it to the ground in vexation when bank-notes and securities valued at £2000 rolled out from the interior. The entire product of oleomargarine in the United States, for the last year is declared to be about 30,000,000lb. In a recent interview a butterine manufacturer of Chicago thus summed up the situation : — "The trade is becoming regulated, and the buyers of butter and butterine are as distinct as the buyers of silk and calicoes. People who pay a fancy price get creamery butter, and use no other kind ; but people who use cheaper grades prefer butterine to the staple dairy butter at the same price." It appears to be the opinion of manufacturers that the oleo, law has operated to prevent almost entirely the sale of the compound as butter, and thus this abuse, to the removal of which the law was directed, seems to have been in a large measure remedied. The Wellington City Solicitor has gone carefully into the question as to whether Councillor A. W. Brown is entitled to retain his seat until his installation as Mayor, and is of opinion that the seat does not become vacant until the installation on the third Wednesday in December and not on the day of election — the last Wednesday in Novomber. The Weather is intensely hot at Christchurch, and fears are entertained that if no rain falls soon the crops in the country districts will be ruined. There has been very little rain for the past two months. The Farmers' Association at Timaru gives a deplorable account of the crops and pastures in most parts of the district from drought. The grain crops on the sunny slopes are quite ruined, and a large proportion of the rest will be if there is no rain in a week or two. The pastures, which are as dry as hay, are giving out, and the coast country was never so dry since it has been settled. Owing to the rain and underground water giving out, the old swamps are dry and cracked in wide fissures. It threatens to be a disastrous year for farmers. The Cash C'earing Sale of Jobberns & Co. Bankrupt Stock by Ross & Sandford, in Main Street, Foxton is still proceeding with unabated interest. Cash purchasers of Drapery & Clothing are invited to pay an early visit of inspection. Ross & Sandford. During the present month some exceptional advantages will be offered to all cash customers, at the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House Wellington. We allude to the free distribution of Christmas presents. These consist of some very useful attractive, and elegant Japanese, Chinese, and other desirable fancy articles, newly imported, at Te Aro House, Wellington. We have triple attractions to induce large, long and repeated visits to our warehouse during the present month. 1st We have the largest and best selected stock in the city. 2nd The quality of our goods is A1, and the prices the lowest possible. 3rd Every purchaser from 10s and upwards gets, in addition a very useful, pleasing, attractive present, at Te Aro House Wellington. No other house in the city either does or is able to offer these threefold advantages, which will certainly be widely appreciated and eagerly embraced by the many who will throng our premises during the present month at Te Aro House, Wellington. The time of the distribution of these present is limited viz., from the present date to the end of the month of December, at Te Aro House, Wellington. In the men's, boys' and youths' clothing department, purchasers may select their present from a choice assortment of ties, scarfs, shirts, hats. &c, at Te Aro House. Wellington.