Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1900.

Manawatu Herald, 24 April 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1900.

*\ The examination for the Foxton school is fixed for the 3rd and 4th May, and for Moutoa the 4th May. A Launceston paper says it has leaked out that the Antartic explorers found the black whale to be plentiful down south — in fact, that they practically dropped upon the home of the black whale in latitudes easily accessible to steam whalers. One of the recent changes in the education system of the colony is that the fifth standard is now the standard of exemption from penalties for nonattendance at school, instead of the fourth standard. . The Mayor of Auckland bas received word that the Howick beach is strewn j with rats, supposed to have been drowned in attempting to swim ashore 1 from vessels fumigated in quarantine. An interesting fact was made known i at a meeting called by the Mayor of Wellington for the purpose of taking steps to aid sufterers by the famine in India, showing ho*w far a British sovereign will go towards filling hungry mouths. A sovereign will feed about ninety-six starving Indians for a week when judiciously administered by the authorities. The annual meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union held at Manakau on Tfrnrsday evening last. A letter was received from the Foxton Club asking to be permitted to join the Union. The meeting was unanimously of opinion that Foxton should be admitted to the Union, but, as the bylaws of the Union would not allow of that being done at present, it was decided to postpone the matter till the by-laws had been altered. Referring to the black whale, a writer in the Encyclopedia Britannica says: — "The southern right whale (Balaena Australis) inhabits the temperate seas of both northern and southern hemispheres, and is divided into species, according to their geographical distribution. . . In the tropical seas, however, according to Captain Maury's whale charts, right whales are never or rarely seen ; but the southern temperate ocean, especially the neighbourhood of the Cape of Good Hope, Kerguelen's Island, Australia and New Zealand, is inhabited by « black whales,' oncg abundant, but noyr nearly exterminated through the wanton destruction of the females as ! they visit the bays and inlets round the coast, their constant habit in the breeding time. The range of these whales southward has not been accurately determined." Much interest attaches (writes Mr H. W. Lucy in the Sydney Morning Herald) to the financial working of the newly established penny postage with British colonies, excepting Australasia. With so heavy a drop in the charge it is taken for granted that, at least to begin with, there will be a considerable fall in postal revenue. Mr Hanbury, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, who has charge of Post Office business in the House of Commons, tells me that when the Budget statement is made it will be shown that this prognostication is happily falsified. The increase in correspondence consequent on the reduced rates is of itself almost sufficient to make up the reduction in charge. But beyond that, the falling in of contracts with some of the great steamship companies made an opening for economies which the Post Office ! were quick to seize. Freight on letters to the colonies is now charged by bulk as iWt were ordinary merchandise. This makes so marked a difference in the cost that, taken in conjunction with increase of correspondence, the new penny postage is expected at the close of the financial year to show a slightly increased net revenue.

The Borough Council invite applications for the position of Town Clerk, Inspector of Nuisances and Caretaker. Applications to be sent in up to 7 p.m. ofthe 7th May. I „__ Mr Thomas Bowe has been put to ■■■g^oss owing to the neglect of the Xofß^Council to attend to the wishes of the ratepayers to improve his road. The threshing machine and engine was unable to (get to his land, though a good try was made, and thus his crop remains unthreshed. On Sunday morning All Saints Church was filled to overflowing when the Bishop of Wellington held a Confirmation service. There were fourteen candidates, four lads and nine girls. His Lordship gave an interesting address to the candidates prior to their being confirmed, and also after being so, For a week or two we shall miss the presence of the Vicar of Foxton as he has left on a visit to Auckland where, it is said, he will enter into the holy bonds of matrimony. The church people here are making the necessary preparations to accord him and hlo future wife a fitting welcome. The Bishop of Wellington visited Shannon Sunday afternoon and Tokomaru in the evening. He was accompanied by the Vicar of Foxton. Shannon never had so many clergy gathered within its boundaries as it had on Sunday, as during the day the Bishop of Wellington and His Grace the Archbishop Redwood were present as well as the Revs. Leach, Melu, DcLac, and Woollass. We understand that owing to a difficulty in getting suitable accommodation at Levin, the Rev. Mr Nickle, who is to assist the Rev. H. Leach with the district, will have, for some time, to take up his residence in this town. The Broncho George Company gave their entertainment to a good audience on Saturday and last night. The riding feats of Broncho George were one of the features ot the show and his acts elicited much applause. To those who are desirous of contributing something towards alleviating the distress caused by the famine in India, it will be of interest to know that a list of contributions has been opened and can be seen at Mr Alf. Fraser's stationer's shop. A representative of the Dr Williams '< Medicine Company bas called upon us to- Jay and informed us that he was visiting the district to distribute some well got up pamphlets containing testimonials of the benefits derived from using Dr Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People. A meeting of the Foxton Football Club will be held at Hunter's Hotel on Thursday next, at 8 o'clock. Members are requested to make a point of attending, as some important business is to be transacted.