Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, NOV. 4, 1899.

Manawatu Herald, 4 November 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, NOV. 4, 1899.

A meeting of the Manawatu Licensed Victuallers' Association was held at the Commercial Hotel, Palmerston, on Thursday afternoon.

The War Office has given further orders for supplies of New Zealand oats, making a total of six thousand tons to date.

The steamer Warrnambool has sailed from Melbourne with 60 live cattle, 2000 sheep and a large quantity of fodder for South Africa.

The newspapers of Berlin are commenting upon the telegram sent by the Emperor William to the Royal Dragoons, of whiclfhe is honorary colonel, wishing the regiment a safe return. They interpret it as being significant of the disassociation of Germany from the advice given by the French press to the Powers to take steps to main tain the balance of power in South Africa. To follow such advice, the writers point out, would be deterimental to Germany's own interests. The French press shows despondency at the Kaiser taking up such an attit\H<\

• v : draw attention to the fact that Messrs Barraud and Abraham, of Palmerston North, are the sole agents for Ward & Cos. champagne ales. These ales are bright and sparkling and are better than the English ales from not being too " heady." We can recommend a trial.

The road from Shannon to the ferry should now be made good, as through the instrumentality of Mr John Stevens, M.H.R., the Government have promised a subsidy of £200 towards it. Probably the new road line will be taken, as the creek can be crossed by a bridge fsom high banks. The new road will run through Mr Wallace's land, and the road is laid out on the original plans, so that there will not be any land to be purchased.

Capt. Dunk has received a wire from Lieut. Colonel Newall asking if the Manawatu Mounted Rifles have any mounted officers desirous of going to the Transvaal for training with either the contingent or Imperial troops.

We have received from the publishers the 2nd number of " The New Zealand Illustrated Magazine," which is printed and published in Auckland. It is carried out on much the same lines as the English magazines and is sold at a shilling. The get up and the letter press and illustrations are very good, and is the first of a colonial attempt to imitate the older countries in such publications.

The Bishop of Wellington will hold an adult confirmation at All Saints' Church on Tuesday evening at 8 o^clock.

At Wanganni the other night bishop Wallib, in the course ol' an interesting address, congratulated the Vicar nnd the parishionel's on the success of the parish, and stated that Christ Church, Wanganui, was second to St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral hi its offering to the general church fund.

The sum of £3000 is this year available as a Government subsidy to public libraries The divisioti is to be made on the Bth February next, and applications must be in before the 31st January.

Messrs Thomas Masters* James Glenny Wilson, Henry Hammond, Thomas Clark, Frarcis Robinson, John Roderick McLennan and James Allan Strang have been duly elected Councillors for the County of Mana-

watu.

The widow of the first Bishop Selwyn (the Grgat Sishorj of New Zealand) celebrated her <joth birthday at Lichfield. A large family gathering assembled for the .occasion (writes a London correspondent). Fdiir generations were represented, the party consisting of Mrs Selwyn herself — who is still in very good health, able to take walks in the city and to participate in the services of the Cathedral — her ?r>n, the Rev. William Selwytt, two danghters-in-l,iwj,"four granddaughters, and one grandson, and one greatgranddaughter.

We are glad to know that Mr Barham has secured the contract for the conveyance of the mails, by. coach, between Foxton and Shannon, for the next three years. The service will be the same as usual.

In a letter to his people a Tauranga youth gives some idea of a New South Wales sheep station. He writes: — 11 The station I am on is one of the biggest in Australia, and is a grand one, called Goonoo Goonoo. The station is 60 miles long and 40 miles across, so you can form an idea of what it is like. There are 46 shearers and 61 men and boys working in the woolshed. besides the ordinary station hands, who must number close on 150 men. There is a flock of 25,000 stud sheep here, and • they are all a grand lot."

" Punch " provides a bit of fun against lady cyclists. The scene is set in Dorsetshire and a lady cyclist attired in what is termed rational costume, meets a labourer of whom she asks the way to a town, but is apparently misunderstood as relating to her apparel. Thus : — Fair Cyclist : 44 Is this the way to Wareham, please ?" Mative : v Yes, Miss, you seem to ha' em on all right " I ! !

Some little time ago a report was cimilated in England that some soldiers who were poisoned had got so from eating New Zealand cheese. In the Review of Reviews there is an excellent skit on the subject. The drawing represents a clerk presenting a telegram to Mr Chamberlain, who peers very closely at it with his historical eye glass, and underneath is the following: — Secretary: A cable from New Zealand offering troops for the Transvaal, Sir." Chamberlain : " Ah, tell them to send a few tons of cheese to Kruger, it will be just as serviceable."

The Government have promised to have a survey made for a road line from Shannon to the Wairarapa. We understand from Mr John Stevens that this will also include the cutting of a bridle track upon such grades as will be suitable for a road, which, when the money is forthcoming can be made by simply widening the track.

Mr Villiers tells rather a good story about the kilterl Highlanders, whose bravery in recent campaigns has been so conspicuous. The Boers seem to have been somewhat surprised at the appearance of 44 the soldiers in little clothes — half men and half women," and, according to Mr Villiers, the Khalifa's fighting men were equally puzzled at the costume of the Highlanders. They, however, evolved an ingenious theory to account for the garb of old Gaul, in which this section of the British Army appeared. Some time ago, they said, these soldiers ran away in battle, and, in punishment, their women took away their trousers. That was why the Highlanders now fought like devils — they were anxious to wipe out their former disgrace and to get their trousers back. — Post.

After a long controversy between the engineer-in-chief and Mr, Fulton, respecting a number of details in connection with the plans and specifications for the Bulls Bridge, the engineer-in-chief endorsed his final approval on the papers on Wednesday, and these were submitted to the Minister for Public Works who gave written instructions to the Under- Secretary to have tenders called for yesterday. We may now therefore consider this much required bridge to be completed within about eighteen months. We should say that the residents in this district will very much approve of the energy shown by Mr Sfevens in this business, as had he not done so, there is no knowing when the bridge over the river would have been built.

On Thursday evening about seven o'clock a slight blaze took place at Mrs Harris's boarding house but which with the help of many hands was put out without further damage than a bit of paper being burnt. Upstairs it appears there is an opening in the chimney for sweeping and some one bad used it to brush the flue down and it is supposed the brush must have brought a spark up. We have been informed tnat on arrival of help upon the scene a man was met on the stairs, utterly regardless of the safety of the building but solely intent on the preservation of his treasures secured in a chest which he was hauling down, blocking the way to those who wanted to get up. He got to the bottom with so much hurry that he arrived in the dining room beyond guidance and collided with a young woman who was flattened out for a time with the contact. Ii was lucky matters were not more serious.