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Manawatu Herald, 2 December 1899, Page 2

To feed the British troops engaged in the Transvaal war will cost about £250,000 per month. At the last tallow sales in London 1500 casks were offered and 1100 sold. Mutton, fine, brought 28s per cwt; medium, 36s 6d; beef, fine, 26s gd; medium, 255. An annual eclipse of the sun will take place on Monday next, the 4th of December. At his Napier meeting Mr Pirani is reported to have said, " It would tie bad for their morals to know some New Zealand Justices two months, let alone two years." Mr Seddon slated at Auckland that for the first seven months of the present financial year the Government iad a ' surplus of £218,000, although £160,000 was paid in old age pemipus.

The next English and European mail, via San Francisco, will close at the local office on Friday, the 32nd day of December, at 8 p.m. Mr Hamer is advertising for flaxcutters, scutchers, feeder, catcher, flyers, washer and benchman. Constant work, no stoppages. Messrs Brandt and Chilcott announce the last ten days of their sale. This is a grand opportunity to purchase Xmas presents. Mr E. Osborne's advertisement will appear in our next issue. The usual quarterly social will be held in the Methodist schoolroom on Monday evening, the tea being on the tables at 6.30. Special provision has been made for both the tea and after meeting, so an enjoyable time may be expected. Mr Byron Brown advertises a great auction sale for Monday and Tuesday, the nth and iath, of drapery. We shall refer more fully to this sale in another issue. The Rev. W. Woollass will preach a special sermon to-morrow night on the subject of " War, and the soldiers who ran away from the battle," after the sermon he will reply to the circular issued by the Trade this week in reference to the harm likely to result to this district if prohibition or reduction should be carried* We draw attention to an advertise- 1 ment relating how, in the opinion of the advertisers, the licensing papers should be treated. Mr A. R. Osborne has been made aware that some man is travelling the district for orders for slop-made suits, and some persons have misunderstood that the suits would bfe tailor-made at Mr A. R. Osborne'd shop. As both the customer and Mi' A. R. Osborne suffer from this misunderstanding, today he makes the fact very dfear in an advertisement over the leader. A Dunedin firm has made contracts whereby they secure the supply of eighty tons of raspberries froiri the Nelson district this seasdil* It was mentioned to the Kapiti Compensation Court, as a proof of the extelleiwe of the climate of the island* that new potatoes had been dug on Kapiti as early as September. To-day for the firtt time in the history of the town we have two auctions going on at the same time. Mr Hunter is conducting one, and Mr Fein the other. The war is benefiting bacon manufacturers. Large quantities are going to Wellington from this coast for export to South Africa. The spread of a forest fire recently threatened the destruction of the great vinery on the Santa Cruz mountains, California. There was no water supply available, and, to save the vinery, the fire had to be extinguished with 40,000 gallons of wine. Estcourt is a worse place to defend than Colenso. It is a pretty little town, nestling in a deep valley, through which runs the Bushman's river. For this reason the British have retired further back to Mooi river, which is much higher situated, though, like all South African towns, except Kimberley, dominated by surrounding heights. Fifty-five pounds is the price which has been paid by the War Office for each of the 130 horses taken from the London County Council's tram stables. The result of the election for the Mayoralty of Wellington showed that Mr J. G. W. Aitken defeated his opponents at every polling place, and scored a greater number ot votes by 165 than both put together. As indicating the interest taken in the election it may be mentioned that out of 10,637 persons on the roll 6967 voted, 3670 refraining from doing so. Mr Aitken polled 3566 votes, Mr Macdonald 2107, and Mr Devine 1294. At the Dunedin Supreme Court, Catherine Ashton, charged with conducting an illegal operation, was fou nd guilty, and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. His Honor said the offence was an exceedingly serious one, and he was afraid, from what had come out in evidence, that it was not the only occasion on which the accused had been guilty of a similar practfep. At Melbourne Mr Martin Simonsen, the well-known musician, committed suicide at his residence, shooting himself with a revolver. The medical men who were lately appointed by the Select Committee of the New South Wales Parliament to examine William Cresswell, the inmate of the Parramatta Asylum, whom many people believe to be Sir Roger Tichborne, have presented their report. They state that Cresswell's body undoubtedly bear* a number of marks, and has certain Other characteristics, similar to thole described as distinguishing Sir Roger. Prior to Lord Lansdowne's consent to General Butter's terms to conduct the war in Africa, he freely expressed the opinion that when he had driven the Boers in a corner, his hand might be stayed by a peace-loving Cabinet, or a "well-intentioned War Office — a condition of things he could not tolerate; for, as he expressed it, his hand was " not one of those that once put to the plough releases its grip." The Mafeking water supply is obtained from artesian wells, which are practically inexhaustible. It is not dependent on reservoirs. A beautifully brief yet explicit description of influenza fell from Bishop Julius at the no-license meeting, and U was very evident (says the Christchurch Press) that he was suffering severely from an attack of the epidemic. " I have no voice, no head, and no legs," announced the Bishop in apologising for being in a poor condition, to make a speech, and when he had succeeded in silencing a cough, which shook what he called a " a shapeless mass of humanity," he con- j tinued : "That I have no voice you hear ; that I have no head you will find out in about 10 minutes, and for the good of the cause I must disguise the fact that my legs are shaky." The Bishop retired soon after the completion ot his address, and the Rev. Dr Moriey took his place.

The reports of the kind treatment accorded to the Boers' wounded meet with unstinted admiration, bringing into marked relief the magnanimity of Great Britain — magnanimity the, Dutch admit they had not expected to be displayed towards the Boers. Mr C. Henry has a very large stock of suitings which Mr Hunter is selling by auction to-day, and will continue on Monday. There is a large attennance and much interest is being shown in the sale. Last Thursday being St. Andrew's Day, a full choral service was conducted by the Rev. Mr Leach, at St. Andrew's, Manakau. The Rev. D. H. Jenkins taking the service and the Rev. Mr Leach preaching the sermon, An unfortunate accident to Mr Jenkins' son occurred after service whilst driving home, by which his leg was broke. Dr Mason had to be called in and is now attending him. A remarkable incident has come to light in connection with a recent boating accident oase at Rothesay (Scotland). One of the occupants of the boat, a boy of eight years* whose swimming master had taught him in an emergency to lie upon his back in the water, did so. Two little girls held on to his legs, and a smaller boy rested his head on the youth's chest. The four thus floated for some mintltes, and we're picked tip" by men who had to row nearly a mile to their rescue. Three adults— two sisters and a sweetheart— Were drowned. Mr Wi T. Wood met with an enthusiastic reception at Oroua Bridge School on Wednesday night, the room being crowded. Mr Wood spdicd fo"r an hour and twenty minutes* and replied to various questions. Mr Meldon occupied the chair. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed to Mr Wood on the proposition of Mr J. Mitchell, seconded by Mr W. Marsden, with cheers. A vote of Confidence in Mr Seddon and his Government was carried with cheers* A tidvel sight was witnessed in HaWera the other day— no lesa than the slaughter and eating of a lark by a bloodthirsty minah. The bird of sober plumage: haa never been noted for cannibalistic tendencies,; but if he cultivates a taste in that direction he, may materially assist the fatmers in the endeavours to get rid of his pert but humble brother, the sparrow.