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Manawatu Herald, 12 April 1900, Page 2

A petition is in circulation in town praying the Minister of Lands to acquire the Oroua Downs estate for settlement. A big deal in books and toys has been made by Mr Alf. Fraser and he announces, in consequence, a big clearing sale. This is a novelty for the town and should prove attractive. Considerable controversy has been occasioned in ecclesiastical and lay circles in Melbourne by the action of the Bishop of Melbourne in suspending the Rev. G. Poynder, incumbent of St. James' Church, Traralgon, for twelve months for having married bis deceased wife's sister.

The Fcxton Committee are to be asked to recommend a cadet. Miss E. Woodham has been appointed pupil teacher to the Taihape school. ■_ Mr G. S. Bridge has been re-elected chairman of the Wanganui Education Board, apd Mr W. T. W/od has been elected to the vacancy on the Board. The Queen reviewed 52,000 children in Dublin, and afterwards entertained them at luncheon. Each child received a present of chocolate. The Irish nation is delighted at her Majesty's visit. Sir Frederick Hodgson, Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, West Africa, is parleying with the natives of Kurnassi in reference to the tribal war which has broken out in Ashantee. The Governor has asked the British Government to despatch Imperial troops to the country to supplement the Haussas and Gold Coast Police already sent forward. Lord George Hamilton, Secretary of State for India, assured the Lord Maynr of London that the famine in India affects eighty-five millions of people, of whom only five millions have received relief. It is not expected that pressure will abate till July. We notice that the Manawatu Racing Club have abandoned their telegraph station at the racecourse, in consequence of its being used to send so much money away to the bookmakers. A disastrous cloud-burst has occurred in Central Texas, inundating a large area of country, and causing losses of life in the region to the north of Austin, the capital of the State. The bursting of a dam at Austin, in Texas, after the cloud-burst, released miles of water sixty-feet deep, which swept over the country and drowned forty people. The Auckland-owned barque Northern Chief, on her voyage from Kaipara, had a narrow escape from being struck by a waterspout. The column of the water burst within twenty-five feet of the vessel. Mr G. H. Gower intends to leave Manakau very shortly, having disposed of his house and property to Mr W. H. Cruickshank, of Waikanae. Mr H. S. Munro has also sold his farm at Manakau.— Mail. Owing to the Football Club being unable to arrange a match with the Oroua Bridge team for to-morrow, players are requested to roll up at 2.30 when a scratch match will be played. The subject was drink, and Brown was impressing on Smith the use of beer as a true temperance principle. " When I work all day," said Brown, nothing helps me like a glass of beer. It assists nature, you understand." " And it makes an ass of me," replied Smith. "Just so," explained Brown; " that is what I say — it assists nature.^ Brown is waiting patiently to score a full hand in the next deal. A London cablegram states that Dr St. George Mivart's family has beaten Cardinal Vaughan in a law suit for refusing to bury the scientist's remains in the Catholic cemetery at Kensal Green. An artesian welhsinker has made an offer to the Auckland City Council, for {"2000, payable on satisfactory results being attained, to provide an auxiliary supply of a million gallons a day of stood water, without interfering with the present supply. The only expense the Council would be put to until the supply was assured is the purchase of the option of a site of about one acre for the proposed bores. A resident of Canterbury, who served for some years with General French as a non commissioned officer; gives the following information about the officer with whom some of the New Zealanders are serving in South Africa : - General French would have the regiment drilled and returned to barracks befcjre some commanders would have finished the inspection. He was in command of our squadron when it went on the desert march with General Stewart. At Abu-Klea he took a party of us out scouting, and he ascertained the position and the strength of the enemy miles in advance of the column. He was always cool-headed, great on outpost duty, and scouting, and a hard rider (always seeing himself that the work was done). There is not a better cavalry commander in the British Army. When there is fighting to be done, General French does not want to know whether his men have washed themselves or not before commencing the fight. He is hard with regard to drill, but is easy in barracks. He is every inch a soldier, and no officer could command the New Zealanders better. Trooper G. L. Heenan' (Riversdale), of the first New Zealand contingent, writing to a friend in Southland says :— I suppose there will be quite a number coming from our way in the next contingent. I hope they will never see the front, as I want to see the last of this affair. War is not the game it is said to be— there is a few minutes* excitement, then a fortnight's hard work. The only fun one gets is galloping for some of the infantry regiments. We are sent to one of the kopjes where the regiments are. and we have to gallop to the general with their orders. We lost another man the other dayBooth, who was General Clements' orderly. He was sitting on the ground talking to a chum, while holding the General's horse, when a shell burst right in front of him. A segment hit him on the head, and the poor chap was killed instantly. I do not think much of this country. They say it is much better up in the Transvaal. AH I can say is, that it would nead to be. I am doubtful of ever seeing it myself. It would be risky to leave the contingent to have a look after the war is over, as one would miss the trip Home that they seem to think we will get, and that will be worth a good deal. I suppose any of us might get a job in the mounted police that will be kept here for a time, with pretty good wages; but I would not stay in this place for less than a pound a day. You can depend on ridding your children of worms with Wade's Worm Fifie, the wonderful Worm Worriers, la.