SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 1898.

Manawatu Herald, 25 June 1898, Page 2

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 1898.

The first practice of the newly-formed band was held on Wednesday last at Mr Jonson's workshop. Thirteen mpmbers were present, and a very good start was made. The inclusion of some good instrumentalists who have lately arrived here will help to strengthen the band considerably. It is highly probable that a concert will be held in connection with the band shortly.

We have to thank the Registrar-General for Part 111 relating to Trade and Interchange, of the Statistics of New Zealand.

A Wellington produce firm, advertising potatoes for sale in a contemporary, remark as supplies of seed potatoes are materially short of this colony's own requirements, early application is necessary. A strong demand has already set in from New South Wa'es, and we anticipate that present stocks held in New Zealand will soon be completely exhausted.

"Discretion the better part of valour" was shown by the Truant Inspector on Thursday afternoon when lie failed to appear to contest the matter with Mr P. Neylon about his son's absence from school. As a result the defendant was victorious, the case being dismissed.

There is a rumour that another draper is going to open up in town very shortly.

The gale on Thursday did a great deal of damage to the flaxmillers by blowing the flax laid out to bleach into heaps, which will entail much loss when scutched.

The Government has decided to purchase the Earapiro Estate of 2350 acres, near Cambridge, Waikato, from the Assets Realisation Board for £4 per acre. The Department is now negotiating for the purchase of the Rangiuru Estate, at Te Puke, in the Tauranga district.

Steps are being taken, says the Post, to develop the asbestos deposits recently found in the vicinity of Nelson, and which have been acquired by a Southern syndioate. They are situated 27 miles from the port of Waitapu, and there are indications that they are of very considerable extent. The asbestos is of the quality known as chry?otile, which is used for weaving asbestos cloth and for a variety of other purposes. A couple of hundredweight sent to London, where it was manufactured into cloth, has been valued at £27 a ton. The strands are exceptionally long, and the quality excellent. Next spring the syndicate hopes to be in a position to make regular shipments to London. One order has rlready been received to supply 500 tons.

Yesterday's Standard says : — On further examination Mr Pirani was found to have had five ribs broken, his chest slightly crushed and a small bone in the collar-bone broken. Beyond these injuries there are no signs of internal injuries. He passed a very fair night. His medical attendant expects it will be some weeks before he is about again.

Dr. Orpen has been committed for trial on the charge of having murdered Susan Harriet Campbell M'CaUum last Christmas Day.

From Auckland news, comes that at Paeroa the whole country is under water, and the lower part of the township is flooded. Railway communication is interrupted, the ballast having been washed away. It is the worst flood for sixteen years.

On Thursday Messrs Abraham & Wil Hams hold a stock sale at Palmerston.

A change advertisement of Mr Edmund Osborne's will appear in our next issue, in which it is intimated that specially reduced "prices and exceptionally easy terms will be given to bona fide settlers and regular customers, at the Centre of Commerce.

Mr Langdon, the manager of the Motoa Estate, invites tenders for a number of works upon the estate. Tenders to be in by the 6th July.

Yesterday the first course of bricks was laid for the new courthouse at Palmerston.

We regret to learn that Constable Gillespie is in the Wellington Hospital from illness and will thus be unable to attend the Police Commission.

The telegraph line on the Palmerston side of Shannon was blown down by Thursday's gale.

With the exception of entangling the fibre we have not heard of much damage being done by the gale here, except its ripping off the iron on some of the older flaxmill sheds.

Mr John Stevens had a successful meeting at Bongotea on Thursday night.

The general meeting of the Fexton Dramatic Club has been adjourned to Thursday.

To-night Mr Archie Osborne will have his shop illuminated with the Acetylene gas, and will thws be an object of attraction.

Dread tidings have reached this country (writes the London " Daily Telegraph ") to the effect that the too ingenious and emerprising Germans are taking stops to add a new and appalling torment to the terrors of bicycling, already more than sufficiently numerous and deplorable. A Hamburg manufacturing firm, aa we are credibly informed, has patented a musical bicycle, oontrived in such sort that it plays popular airs while the machine is in motion, quite independently of any impulsive agency on the part of the rider. This latest appliance of misdirected motive force has received the special designation of "The Troubadour," and is credited by it? fiendish inventor with the possessions of instrumental resources the full development of which will be awaited with fear and trembling by civilised mankind. The authorities of a church at Handford, California (say* the New York Tribune), have entered ioto an agreement with their pastor whereby he will be equipped for a two years' sojourn in the Klondike, on con. d'tion that if he makes a rich strike he shall pay off the church debt. The congregation will take care of his family during hit absence.