Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB 7, 1899

Manawatu Herald, 7 February 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB 7, 1899

Dr Gaze, who is connected with the Yarra tragedy, has been released on heavy bail. A boy named Owens has died at Yass (New South Wales), through eating seeds of the castor oil plant. It is stated that Mrs Murphy, mother of the victims of the Gatton tragedy, has completely broken down, and is now very ill. 331 pension claims have been heard in Wellington by the S.M. Fifty more remain, including 30 from the Old People's Home. '[ Several samples of quartz have been shown at Stratford during the week alleged to have been found near Wanganiomona, in a creek, by the men of Sladden's survey party. The quartz shows gold freely. Several leading men have subscribed to send out a party prospecting, but will not give any particulars. Mr E. Barber, of Himitangi, whose serious illness at Wellington has been announced, is suffering from pleurisy I and pneumonia. Mr Barber is now in a very low state, and his condition is regraded as critical. The late train on Friday night ran i into a mob of cattle at Aorangi, which had been left to wander during the j evening. Four of the beasts were badly maimed, three of which number had to be destroyed. Miss Marion Mitchell was married in Auckland on Wednesday, by the Registrar, to a son of Moss Davis, the Auckland brewer. It is stated that Miss Maud Beatty, another well-known member of the Pollard Opera Company, is shortly to be married to Mr J. Milburne, the New Zealand representative of Gilby's dry gin, at St. Luke's, Christchurch, in August. Fred Hunt, the well known New Zealand cyclist (says an Exchange) had the misfortune to meet with another accident whilst racing in the Ten mile International Scratch Race at Melbourne, in which 26 riders started. At the close of the fifth lap R. H. Walne collided with Hunt, who fell, bringing down another rider, whose machine struck Hunt a severe blow on the back of the head, which necessitated the attendance of the ambulance. F. Miller, the New South Wales champion, who followed, rode clean over Hunt's neck as the latter lay prostrate on the ground, without falling. One hundred million tons of water pour over Niagara Falls every hour. This is said to represent sixteen million horse power. Some idea .of this enormous amount of watermay be had by understanding that the coal produced in the world would not make enough to pump a stream of equal size. A very amusing incident happened in connection with the Customs at Albury. A Melbourne girl was returning from a trip to Sydney, and brought her fiancee a bag full of cigars, as they were cheaper in Sydney, she being of an economical turn of mind. The officer asked her what she had in the bag. Being a bit taken back, she said, " Cigars 1" As she was one of the fair sex, he thought she was only chaffing him, and to her surprise marked the bag " All right," without examining it. Another instance of

truth being rewarded. Japanese fans and Japanese ornaments are all the rage. In the dress circle at the " Geisha," many ot the beuuties of Melbourne have their hair dressed on the crown of their head, and a bunch of chrysanthemums adorning it, a la Florence Perry. There is a great run on all things Japanese, for the reason that society women think their homes not complete without a Japanese room. It is now wondered if they will adopt the Japanese style of dress next ? The Hokitika Guardian records that at a performance there Madame Heller the clairvoyant, took a glance into the political future, and stated that the next Premier of New Zealand will have " R " as the initial letter of his surname, and the present Government are to be defeated at the next general election.

The usual meeting of the Manawatu County Council takes place to-morrow at Sanson. Tenders for work on Elkins' Line, Moutoa, must be in by noon. To-night at 7.30 the Rev. H. F. Hunt, of Palmerston N., will hold a harvest thanksgiving service at All Saints' Church. Major Sommerville, in a letter to a friend in Wellington, staled that I Lie N.Z.R.A. meeting has been postponed to the 13th March. It is estimated that close upon 2000 people attended the Agricultural Show last Wednesday at Woodville. Three miles from Gisborne, natural gas from artesian wells have been utilised for lighting and cooking. The gas is non-luminous, but with incandescent burners produces a brilliant light. The illumination of the hotel there was celebrated by a banquet on last Tuesday evening, at which the Hon. J. Carroll, the Mayor of Gisborne, and leading settlers in the district spoke. A unique wedding took place at Hamilton (Auckland), on Friday, the contracting parties being Mr Aaron Solomon and Miss Drummond, both members of the company of blind musicians touring the colony. Both are stone blind, the bride having been so afflicted since her birth. Mr Solomon lost his right eye when six years old, and total blindness followed. The prohibition by the London County Council against empty cabs standing in the principal thoroughfares of London has created dismay amongst the cabbies. Two thousand have refused to ply, alleging it is useless to do so in the face of the prohibition. A full pension was granted by the Court on Tuesday at Rangiora to a man 102 years of age. His claim was supported by friends, and his age proved by a daughter aged 51, who stated she had brothers over 60. The centenarian, it transpired, had (the Press says) during early life followed the hardy outdoor occupation of a shepherd in the Scottish Highlands, as well as in New Zealand. Mr Seddon was returned to the House of Representatives for Hokitika in 1879, and has sat continuously in Parliament since. He represented Kumara from 1881 to 1890, when he was returned for Westland, for which he still sits. It will thus be seen that Mr Seddon has been a member of the House of Representatives for nearly 20 years. The Earl of Beauchamp, the newlyappointed Governor of New South Wales, though an extremely young man for such a position, being not yet 27 years of age, is described by Lord Brassey, Governor of Victoria, who heard him address the House of Lords last year as being a remarkably eloquent and cultured speaker and a man of strikingly handsome appearance. While Earl Beauchamp was Mayor of Worcester, Lady Mary Lygon, his unmarried sister, who is a lady-in-waiting to her Royal Highness the Duchess of York, filled the position of hostess in his establishment, and it is considered probable that this lady will accompany her brother to Australia. Earl Beauchamp's second sister is Lady Amphtill, wife of Lord Amphtill, who for the last three years has acted as secretary to Mr Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies. Considerable amusement was created on Friday afternoon, says the Palmerston Standard, at the corner of Rangitikei and Cuba streets, when a woman, who had imbibed more freely than wisely, must have become suddenly conscious that her face and hair were both in need of a good wash, for she n walked up to the horse trough, laid her hat and hat pins aside, commenced to wash her face and hair in a most vigorous way, and then to wipe herself dry. After this process had been repeated about half-a-dozen times, she began to splash water all over herself, then endeavour to wring her wet garments dry ; not feeling satisfied, she partly dismantled, and commenced to wash her garments, and replace them all dripping with water, but the climax was reached when she immersed her straw hat in the trough then put it on her head, and walked quietly away, leaving on every side spectators who had enjoyed the "look on," perhaps even better than the washer had enjoyed her wash. The Wellington Post, a direct, opponent of the Government, says : — "If they (the Opposition) are truly patriotic in their desire to rid the country ot the rule of Seddonism, what is the money sacrifice they are prepared to make to assist that end ? For eight years the Party, the wealthy propertied Party that sits behind Captain Russell, has done little else to oust the Government but supinely talk, and that only, except upon rare occasions, from its place in Parliament. It has not even displayed enterprise to pay for the services of a first-class organising secretary and business manager to the party. Will it do so now ? Will the leaders of the Opposition realise that if the ' breeches pocket ' appeal is to succeed they must set a liberal example?"

Three members of a family of fourteen children are on exhibition in London. One, a young woman, weighs 36st, and measures 78m round the waist; a brother, aged twenty, weighs igst, and. measures 48m round the chest ; the third, a girl, turns the scale at 24st. At the meeting of the Palmerston Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday evening Mr Fred Pirani reported that he had received a reply from the Railway Department, stating that they could not see their way clear to accelerate the speed of the local trains between Wanganui and Palmerston. It was decided to ask the Government to make arrangements for the purchase of the Wellington Manawatu railway, as it was of paramount importance to the North Island. It was decided to ask the Government to accede to the request of the Manchester Road Board re sending a Govei*nment engineer to report on the best site for the Gorge Bridge.

What might have terminated in a very serious accident occurred on Sunday morning to Dr Reed, says the Standard. The doctor was driving down the Foxton Line, and was on the point of driving across a bridge leading on to the road running nearest the railway line, when he was met by a trap driven from the opposite direction. This made the Hoctor's horse nrH H mido n j'-..; r> v'ch Hided it in the drain, precipitating the doctor over its head into the drain below. The horse then began to plunge and endeavoured to mount the bank, pulling itself over the doctor's body, then falling down in a state of exhaustion, leaving the doctor pinned under one of the wheels of the trap. Assistance was at once on hand, and the doctor was immediately extracted from his perilous position. Marvellous to say, but for a sprain of the neck, and a complete bespattering of mud, the doctor otherwise escaped injury. The horse and trap, when pulled out of the drain, appeared to be not very much the worse for the mishap. The doctor's attendant, who was in the trap at the time of the accident, fell over the back of the trap, and sustained no injury. It may not be generally known that the Governor's official tours are planned out in every detail several weeks before the trip is actually taken. The work entails a large amount of correspondence and research. .The result is finally embodied in a typed itinerary, which is pasted on cardboard and hung in the special carriage or coach or wherever the Vice- Regal party may be. On the reverse of the card is a map of the district visited and any time-table necessary. An amusing story is reported from Dodge City, Kansas. A handsome school-mistress, aged twenty, grew excited over political matters during a discussion with some of her gentlemen friends, and asserted her conviction that one of her admirers would be elected to Congress. Another admirer — a wealthy young English ranchman — offered to bet that he would not be elected. Finally Miss X agreed to wager a thousand kisses, valued at one dollar each, on her selection, and' the Englishman promptly backed his opinion with thirty-nine steers valued at a thousand dollars. The lady's candidate was not elected, and she has to pay her thousand kisses. He is at present determined to exact all his winnings, and proposes to collect twenty kisses weekly. He has invited several friends to see him receive the first instalment. The reports submitted to the Borough Council last night will be published in oar next issue. Roland Buckwath, alias Woods, was committed to Wanganui gaol this morning by the Justices for one month with hard labour, for being an idle and disorderly person. After the. reporters had left the Council meeting last night, the Mayor moved a resolution, which was carried, that the balance of the £ too voted by the Manawatu County Council for making the Beach road be expended in claying the same. This resolution will be forwarded on to the County in time for their next meeting. The Acting-Governor of New South Wales, (Chief Justice Way), has received a cablegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies announcing that Lord Tennyson has been appointed Governor ot the colony in succession to Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, who lately resigned while in England on leave. [Lord Tennyson is the eldest son of the late Poet Laureate of England. He has written a model biography of the poet.] .The leading London papers make eulogistic reference to the appointment of Lord Tennyson as Governor of South Australia. At a meeting of the Selection Committee it was decided that a series of tournaments should be arranged, in view of the tennis match against Otaki on the 25th inst. It was also decided that the men's games be 50, and ladies 40, the first round to be played off before Saturday next. The following players were drawn : — Mr Furrie plays Mr Austin, Mr Hamer plays Mr Cook, Mr W. Collins (bye.) Miss Purcell plays Miss H. Collins, Miss M. Collins plays Miss O'Brien, Mrs C. Robinson (bye.) At the request of Mr H-. H. Procter we have been requested to correct the account of the accident which has been published relating to the mishap which befell his daughter on Tuesday, 31st January last.; In the notice mentioned it was said that the child was the eldest of the family, and that he fell into a well, also that the child's mother had just before the accident happened been reading a " Sunlight Soap " pamphlet, and in which was the measures to be taken for resuscitating the apparently drowned. We are told these statements are incorrect. In the first place the child was nearly drowned in a drain adjoining Mr Procter's, and which he requested the Borough Council last night to attend to. The child is the second eldest daughter, and it was Mrs Procter, senr., who had been reading the book in question prior to the unfortunate occurrence. London amusement lovers have of late been thrown into a state of complete mystification of the performances of three German girls who appear nightly at one of the large musical halls. They are described as " under water performers," and their feats ! .certainly appear to be of remarkable ' character. A large glass tank is placed on the stage, and it is asserted that the elder of the trio is able to remain immersed in the water for over five minutes. The proprietor of the Kawaroa orchard announces that good sound apples can be obtained there in large and small quantities at low prices. The Messrs Sullivan have started as carters and general carriers, and have a fine plant, and from their well-known civility and attention they are bound to secure a good share of the trade.