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Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 21 February 1891, Page 2

The German comic paper has a decidedly good cartoon illustrating the absurdity of the argument of insisting upon the eight hours day. It represents the German labourer placed on his back on a form, and tied down, whilst two Social Democrats saw his feet off ; and then the man is represented as appearing on a track on crutches, trying to race the Americans, English and Russians. He is shown last, with a disgusted expression on his face. .' We he^ve all. been amused in reading how Mark Twain called over at his neighbours hftnrfe, and sat 1 on the verandah and chatted with its occupants, and after a time explained that he had called to mention that their house was on fire! When you are the person informed, the joke may become more pointed, but is less appreciated. On Thursday afternoon our staff was getting the paper printed, and we Were calmly employed in the office, when ft gentleman looked in, wished us good day, and remarked, " I do not know if you are aware that your back premises are on fire ? We were not, for though calm, we Bhould hardly have left the building* and contents blaze away until it was more convenient to pat them out. ( Our informant was quite correct, the outbuilding, where our paper is stored, was throwing out clouds of smoke, and a heap of paper was alight on the floor. Fortunately no damage was done, the paper burnt was only waste, and a Couple of buckets of water made all things right. We are much obliged to our informant, who was a stranger, but we should like to impress upon our friends that if any such an occqrrenoe should be again noticed, they will take it for granted that we do not know, and hasten to tell us. Nero fiddled while Rome was burning, but we cannot afford to prepare copy, whilst ouv property is being consumed. Mr J. W» Stewart wrote a letter to Mr John Plimmer, of Wellington, ■which he published in the N.Z. Times. This is what the Times has to say : — Mr Plimmer has brought an expert with him in returning ;to the charge against the drainage scheme. His expert, with the magic C.E., approves of Mr Plimmer's scheme and has no faith in the others. We hasten to take off our hat to the C.E. We bow before all experts. But we require something tangible from them. It is not a question of whether this or that practitioner, presumably a rival, has made this or that mistake. This is all very well in the discussion of the scheme of the other practitioners. But in the approval of a rival scheme of a layman we want a r little detail from the professional expert who approves. We want, for example," a liJAle detail about the levels. Mr PHrrrfneiP's' picture of a drainage scheme waiting the .tide which waits for no many, with dosed gates and a mill, is alluring..: But if /the levels do not suit, it becomes a mere fancy sketch, an aspiration in good vigorous prose that things might be different some day, The engineers who , have reported to the Citl Council point to a set of levels which is against Mr Plimmer. Can his expert show us that the levels are not against him. He has not said anything yet to show that he has studied the levels at all. In speaking at Hawera the other night, Mr Bryce said that he had been strongly of opinion for some little time past that the time was fast approaching when the real settlers of the country — he did not care whether they lived in town or country, would have to forego their minor differences and stand shoulder to shoulder in resisting the encroachments that were being made upon their real rights when men who had been in the country three or six months and who could put their swags on their backs and leave the oountry when the slightest depression occurred were as entitled to vote as settlers who had borne the burden and heat of the day and were prepared to bear it in future. Thirty «six thousand sheep perished in a bush fireat Listnore, about 100 miles inland from Melbourne. ' The damage by the bush fires in the Stawell district is estimated at L 30.000. Many of the settlers are completely ruined. It is reported that the sympathies of the new Queen' of Hawaii are entirely English. It has been decided to bring out Hansard next year: in only one number, thus preventing the delay that is complained of in getting copies at, the close of tile session. There lias . been a jookey's mutiny at Linden racecourse, in America. A score of jockeys', '" mostly "boys, some of them white and some black, announced to the officials that they positively would not ride in the races ,pn the programme until cer-

tain fines that had been imposed upon them the 'day before by the starter, Caldwell, had been' 1 remitted. Startled by the presumptuousness of the youngsters, the authorities of the course were completely upset for the time being'; and not knowing what else.,tq do they submissively released the jockeys from their fines by paying them out of the club's treasury. As a natural result, of such a lax departure from the proper, discipline,, the . jookeys did just as they pit ased during the rest of the after noon. At the post they utterly defied Mr Cald well's authority, and in the fourth race they made an unholy display of their rebelliousness. Consequently the starts during the afternoon were notoriously bad owing to the mutinous conduct of the riders, Owing td" the Shearer's dispute eighty armed polic*-have been dispatched to Book* hampton. The sale of firearms has been forbidden in.Clermont. It is expected that the Logan Downs sheering shed will be the scene of the first attack by the Unionists. The publicans at Clermont threaten to throw their houses Open to Unionist shearers free of charge. The authorities have decided to close all the hote s in the district in'the/varit of the trouble becoming more acut&* A large tract of country in the disturbed district is now on fire. At a meeting of the Wellington Wollen Company the. following resolution was carried unanimously : — "That, as a recognition of the valuable services rendered to the Company by MiT. Kennedy Macdonald as chairman of the Board of Directors for . the past five or six years, the shareho'ders hereby vote to him the sum of £250 sterling. In speaking in support of the motion Mr Zohrab observed that he believed there was a general feeling on the part of the shareholders that the resolution should be earned.

We are always pleased to notice the progress of the town. On Monday our enterprising firm of storekeepers Messrs McMillan Rhodes & Co., open a branch establishment at Sandon. We do not doubt their success as during the time they have been in partnership Messrs McMillan and Rhodes have enormously increased their trade and Becured the premier position. The settlers in Sandon should welcome their arrival, as they will secure a goo'l citlet for much of their farm produce, and will be able also to obtain wool-packs, sacks, dip and the many other everyday lines used in farming at a cheap rate. The branch will in all respects resemble the main Store, and will contain drapery, grocery, Ironmongery and crockery. The Advocate says : — Dairyists in the Manawatu and Bangitikei districts will be pleased to hear that Mr J. G. Wilson, M.H.B- has received a tc-legram from the M mister of Lands stating that he will send Mr Sawers the dairy expert, to the ManawatuBangitikei district as soon as Mr Sawers' engagements will allow him a chance to come. His visit to the district will provide an excellent opportunity for daivyists to acquire information in regard to those technicalities of their busines, the knowledge of which will ensure success. He will travel around the district visiting the dairies of those who wish to have the benefit of his advice. People, therefore, who desire a visit from him, should communicate with Mr Wilson, and he will give the list to Mr Sawers when he arrives.