SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1900.

Manawatu Herald, 3 February 1900, Page 2

SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1900.

The Borough Council meets on Monday night. j A good deal of cropping has been I done in the Carnarvon and Sandon districts this year. Flax bids fair to keep a good price for the remainder of the year a? millers have been offered contracts at £22 up to June. We have heard the names of three 1 or four more of our young men who have sent in their names for the third contingent, and who are anxiously awaiting directions when to appear before the committee ot selection. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the first number of " Printing Ink," being a pamplet issued quarterly by the Imperial Printers Furnishing Co. of Sydney. The firm are caterers of everything for the printer and arc manufacturers of litho and letterpress inks and varnishes and roller composition. . A giant mowing machine has been invented which is capable of cutting a strip of wheat 50ft in width. When the Borough's Inspector of Nuisances has any time to attend to evil-smelling places it is hoped he will ride up to the creamery and report on the strength and length and depth of a smell arising near there. The tomato is now definitely assigned a place as a tonic among foods. A noted physician has made extensive experiments with the juice as a medicine, and says as a health preservative it is unequalled. The most easily digested meats are mutton chops, venison, sirloin of beef, lamb chops, rabbit and chicken. In " RecollectioriS"" by Sir Algernon West there are a lot of good stories. We give the following two from them : — There are two stories told of Father Healy. On seeing a very tall young lady named Miss Lynch, he remarked, " Nature gave her an inch, and she took an ell." On another occasion a friend having remarked upon the wretched spindle-sbanks of some young girls who were bathing in the sea, Healy remarked, u Surely you would not expect such heifers to have calves." Blackbirds and minahs are proving very destructive to the fruit crops in the country districts of Poverty Bay. The fruit has to be picked when half ripe to be saved. Twins are considered a curse bv some of the superstitious tribes of Africa. It is customary to put them out of existence immediately after birth. The mother becomes an outcast, and must not drink from the spring belonging to her relations. In some countries potato bread is used to feed the horse, especially when they are worked hard in very cold weather. The animals are found to thrive on it, and their health and strength are most excellent. At the sitting of the Bankruptcy Court in Palmerston on Wednesday the following business was transacted : — ln re Mardon and Sons (Mr Innes). Application for discharge. G. Hirsch, accountant, gave evidence as to examining the books of the firm. Order of discharge granted . on payment ot wages creditors who prove within one month from now. There are stores to the value of a million sterling at the British depot at De Aar, pn the trunk railway. Only a few weeks ago the New Zealand Shipping Co's. steamer Rakaia was credited with having shipped the largest quantity of dairy produce sent from the colony in a single vessel. She was quickly robbed of this honour as the Paparoa, belonging to the same fleet, sailed for London on Sunday having in her cooling chambers a quantity oi dairy produce much in excess of that carried by the Rakaia. The total quantity sent forward by the Paparoa totalled 1055 tons butter and 362 tons cheese, and the distributing ports were as follows : — Dunedin, 141 tons butter, 183 tons cheese ; Lyttelton, 68 tons butter; Auckland, 135 tons butter; Wellington, 71 z tons butter* 179 tons cheese— Post.

Officer (leaving for the front, to servant somewhat addicted to " merriment!"): Well, I shall be away at Xmas, John — Here's half a sovereign for you — and now mind don't get drunk.— John : Thank ye kindly, SirSame to you, Sir, I'm sure 1 The Christchurch Press, in an article on the situation suggests th^.t New Zealand should send iooo infantry — which could easily be got together quickly — and get the Mother Country to pay the expense, which she would find a mere bagatelle. The House of Representatives would, if called together, cheerfully vote the money ; but :he expenses would be equal to that o. *:he contingent, and the convening o' Parliament would involve delay. Tht i Press thinks the Governor or hi: advisers should let the authorities a> Home know the position. A rather sensational shooting case took place at Ormoudville last Friday evening. It is stated that the affaii happened at the rear of Mr Alexander , Mortensen's residence. A young l.H\ ] staying with the Mortensen's thoughi to surprise her host, who is a butcher j it Ormondville, as he came home tf tea. She accordingly took up a small bore rifle that was in the house and, lot knowing it was loaded, presented it at Mr Mortensen as he came round he corner of the liriuse and pulled the trigger. The aim was not bad foi a lady, for the bullet lodged in % Mortensen's left arm. The lady \\fe very much shocked when she realii* vhat she had done. The sufferer Va J riven to Dannevirke where the b«le vvas extracted, and no ill effect^ arc expected to ensue, Mr E. M. Chettle, accountantin the branch of the Bank of Australasia at Dunedin, has been promoted to tht position of manager at Masterton. The Post's correspondent with the first contingent sends word that the Earl of Glasgow, formerly Governor of New Zealand, has forward* che following interesting letter to .»j -i Robin :— " Dear Sir— My tar*. uugnters and I have read with mac' interest of the New Zealand Con tingent going to the front. We wer. anxious to show how much we think o' them, and how little we have forgotte 1 New Zealand. We are therefore sending them as a very small Christma■iresent, a pipe and some tobacco ft:achofyoiif meii, and we hope tha vou and the officers commanding the Contingent will accept a small box o cigarettes each. Though you may iave plenty, I hope you will not mind \ few more, sent as a mere remind*, that we are thinking of you as well a nany others in these anxious times I know that the New Zealanders will prove well worthy of the country from which they come. With all good wishes from myself, Lady Augusta Orr Ewing, Lady Alice Boyle, and Lady Dorothy Catherine* Hardy. — Believe me, sincerely yours, D. Glasgow." He was home early.- He : If I am late at the club to«night don't Wait up for me. — She : No dear. I'll come for you. The troopship Waiwera, with No. 2 New Zealand contingent on board, reached Albany on January 31st. Men and horses are in excellent condition. Three stowaways found aboard have been put ashore'. The officers of the contingent have been entertained by the members of the local club. On Wednesday afternoon a complimentary luncheon was given to the Hon. W. Rolleston in the Christchurch Opsra Houss. Over 300 people were present, and the Mayor of Christchurch presided. Replying to the toast of the evening, Mr Rolleston said be would not trespass on the field of politics, but he would say that though defeated he was not cast down. The presence of so many people that day showed that what really did succeed was to follow the path of duty during a long course of time, and it was only that judgment of a long time that was really worth having. He hoped to return in a few months, and it would rest with the people, and also with the state of his health and strength, whether he again took part in the administration of the colony's affairs. The Dannevirke Press says : — An invention of immense advantage to sawmillers has been perfected and patented by Mr George Gamman. The machine is termed ' cutter heads ' for planing machines, and is specially adapted for tongue and grooving seasoned flooring-boards with dry edges. The cutter heads have been manufactured to Mr Gammon's order at the Vulcan Foundry, Napier, and th.\v have been fitted up in Gamman anH iVj's. Tahoraite, Kopua and Takapao mills, where they are rnnning with great success, the clean nature of the work being greatly admired by experts. The improvement over the old style square disc is very marked. Th* new machine is of circular form, and as many knives can bs inserted as there are teeth in a saw, and it can rurt twelve hours without sharpening. The new cutter heads will soon come into general use in every mill in the olony, and we congratulate Mr Gamman on the success of his inversion. In one of Mr Bennett Burleigh's admirable yarns from the front he relates an amusing story. The Boers had captured a railway station near Glencoe with officials, a train, and passengers complete. Next day the British force came up, and as a signal planted a shell in the goods depot. Instantly the burghers cleared abandoning their prisoners. One man was left in charge, with instructions to shoot the station-master if necessary. As the rooineks were evidently getting nearer, this worthy conned to the stationmaster that he was commissioned to kill him, that he had no wish to do it, and fiankly asked his advice. "My advice " said the stationmister, "is this : You put away that rifle, or else you'll be made prisoner, and come in with me and have some dinner." The invitation was accepted, and when the British prisoners were released the Boer made off, without attracting attention. j By the Queen of the South yesterday a stationary engine was brought for I Mr F. S. Easton, who is about starting ' a flaxmill on Messrs Barber's property at Himataogi,

A meeting of the ladies is convened by the Mayor for next mocday riternoon at the Victoria Hall to consider about arranging a farewell social to take leave of Mr R. r*.rreau one of the N.Z. Rough Riders.