Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 1904.

Manawatu Herald, 18 February 1904, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 1904.

At the Court on Tuesday, before T. Bennett end A.' Fraser, J’s.P., Fred. Arnold, was lined tos or 7 days’, for theft.

In referring to the progress of the colony, at the Pabiatna social the other day, Sir Joseph Ward said this colony had a telegraphic service which was so perfect that it could be triplicated and the cost would scarcely be felt.

“ I think I can manage grown-up boys better than little boys,” said a young lady Sunday school teacher at the Conference of Congregationalists at Wellington. She seemed to wonder why there was a lar.gti.

A resident of Wanganui has received a letter from a friend in Johannesburg stating that at the time of writing loolb bags of flour were selling at 18s 6d and roolb bags of sugar at 34s 6d. Those were wholesale prices.

A few days ago Hamilton was suffering from a small water famine. Residents outside the water area whose tanks had given out were purchasing water from the Council at 3s 6d par 1000 gallons, or any smaller quantity. The hay harvest on the Taieri promises to be the most successful experienced for years past. The wheat and oat crops are ripening rather rapidly, and an early harvest is expected. The heat has been terrific in the Otago country. The Hawera School Committee has agreed to permit Biblical teaching in tlie State" School for half an hour a week, on Wednesdays, after School hours, attendance, of course, being optional. The Rev. j. A. Jacob commences the work.

The Post says it is understood that the Premier is favourable to the establishment of a zoological collection in Wellington, and that Messrs FitzGerald Bros., of circus fame, have promised all assistance in their power to further the scheme. It is proposed that the collection of birds and animals should be located in the Botanical. Gardens.

The Midland Railway directorate give £?-Z OO a year as awards for the best-kept platform gardens on their systems. Last year, out of IS7 prizetaking stations spread all over the line, Malvern Wells secured the premier honours. Matlock Bath and Five Ways were adjudged equal for the second position, and Helper and EckWest for the third place. Mr John Duncan, proprietor of the estate of Parkhili, near Arbroath, is a striking example of human vitality. Me was one i iiulred years old in December, and. in honour of the event, ami also on account of his munificence to Arbroath and his interest in the poor of the district, he received the freedom of the burgh. It was his

special wisli to complete his centen aw before having this honour con ferred noon him.

“ Here is .'mother examplo of the land of foreigner who comes to England,” remarked the magistrate at Marlborough-strect Police Court, London, indicating an unkempt Russian Pole whom he lined for obstruction. Mr Denman added : “ There the man stands in the dock, shrugging his shoulders and grinning, not aide to speak a word of English. These people come here in hundreds and slick like sings, and nothing at present can move them.”

The “ mystery ” tea, .according to the “ Gentlewoman,” is a. new entertainment. Each of the guests invited must bring with him, or her. a written statement of some mystery or a pen-and-ink or coloured drawing of one. Each paper is numbered. Each person in turn must try to unravel the mystery set fortlnon the papers. Two prices are given—one to the best propounder of the mysteries, and one to him who is furthest off the mark, A former resident of Nelson undertook some months ego (says the Mail) to pay an annuity <'f 15- a week to an old man who was suffering from heart disease, on condition that at the

am 1 uitaut’s death a sum of f.zoo standing to his credit should become the ox resident's property, '[’he old man died in (he Mosoila! the oihsr day after a quarter’s payment bad been made, and the insurer in this tontine arrangement has now secured the Izoo. It is reported from Tokio that the Japanese naval officers have received instructions to act in the spirit of Sir Richard Grenville, should their ships he threatened with capture. “ Sink with the ship, master gunner ; sink her, split her in twain !” This heroic order was not executed ; but it is believed the Japanese will carry it out to the letter. Whatever happens, the Russian ships will take no prizes. This is quite in accordance with Japanese tradition.

Old-time ideas are being exploded every day. To get outside of a good square meal just before retiring to nightly repose has long been looked upon as tantamount to courting all the ills that humanity is heir to. The specialist journal “ Health ” now lies this terrorising theory low with the confident declaration that something in the stomach is very desirable for the night’s rest. Some physicians, it says, declare that a good deal of the presentday insomnia is due to an unconscious

craving for food in persons who have been scared by the bogey of indigestion and nightmare.

The Auckland Herald thus concludes a very ably written article on the drama of the Pacific: —But if Japan shows herself capable of meeting Russia upon anything like equal terms, as we ’nave every reason to expect and anticipate, it is distinctly to the best interests of the Empire, and for the permanent security of the Eng-lish-speaking peoples of the Pacific, that under no circumstances or eventualities shall Japan he crushed. As long as British ships command the high seas the generals of the Tsar must not dictate peace in Tokio.

A Mosgiel farmer was fined 40s the other day for not clearing California thistle off his land. It was a test Case.

There are three brewers in (be Unifcd KLgd-om who bi\;\v a mFioo Panels of bom’a ye;v-', r*’d nine who In'ir.v Dei wren half a iiiul.on and a million.

Mr Millionaire Carnegie has authorised the Westport Borough Council to draw on him for £3OOO for a library and buildings.

A movement is on foot in Hawefa district to perpetuate the memory of the late Mr A. A. Fantham by the erection of a monument. At the initial meeting on Saturday £BS was collected.

The Palmerston North branch of the Farmers’ Union has received encouraging support to the veterinary surgeon proposal, and it is anticipated that the necessary guarantee will soon be secured.

The MatlaWatu A, and P. Association has decided to subsidise, the National Dairy Association to the extent of £2O per annum for four years on the understanding that it holds its meetings at Palmerston N. during that period. Itissfated thattwoyouthfulresidents Petone were so delighted with the sensation of being vaccinated by one doctorthat they visited another medical gentleman and had an operation performed on the other arm.

Speaking at Wood vi!!c, Sir Joseph Ward said the population of (he town had decreased since xSgi from 971 to 926, but he quoted figures to show that the post and telegraph business in the town had largely increased. Mr Seddon, speaking at Pahiatua,said that the revenue for the last xo months showed an increase of half a million. Later he said that the colony’s exports amounted to £16,000,000, and the imports to £13,000,000. In a case at Wellington, Sir Robert Stout again expressed the opinion that a Criminal Court should be empowered to accept a majority verdict from juries,which practice has been followed for centuries in Scotland. The same system is also in vogue in France and Germany, and the Chief it should be given a trial in New Zealand. A resident in the Richmond River district, New South Wales, is enquiring of the Tourist Department as to where land is obtainable in this colony for dairying purposes. He states that a party of dairy farmers, some with capital and others prepared to accept employment on dairy farms, are anxious to settle in New Zealand. The Department is supplying information on the subject. The advantages of shipping frozen meat Hom n , in -'ead of selling to the freezing companies locally, is not often so manifest as in the case of a farmer on this coast last year. He had two lots of lambs of about 600 each to sell, and as the company concerned would not buy them as first class at 10s 6d per head, he had them frozen and shipped Home, with the result that the first.lot netted 12s and the second lot 14s per head. While visiting the animals, attached to Fitzgerald’s circus, on Monday afternoon a young man got too close to the leopard’s cage. The animal suddenly struck at him with its paw through the bars of the cage, and inflicted a painful wound on his face, necessitating a couple of stitches by Dr Wilson. The danger of going too close to the cages has frequently been pointed before and probably this salutary lesson will have some deterrent effect.

W. Martin, popularly known throughout Australasia as “ Plugger Bill,” will race no more. Martin, who arrived in Victoria in 1895, is an independant man, with considerable landed property in Melbourne. Martin’s greatest coup was in the Austral Wheel Race of 1901, which he won, clearing some thousands of pounds in wagers. He is now proprieter of the Bowling Green hotel at Windsor, Victoria. At Beaufort, Victoria, on Bordug Day, George Spalding, a racing cyclist, was killed while competing in the local sports. 'At the inquest the opinion was expressed that the accident occurred through the track being insufficiently banked. The deputy-coroner, in recording a verdict of accidental death, remarked that 11 the proper authorities should decide as to the safety or otherwise, of cycle tracks.” A banquet and a ball of an exceedingly rare kind has just been witnessed in a restaurant of the Avenue de la Grande Armee, Paris. It was the annual assemblage of the Association of the Deafand Dumb, and the strangely uncanny spectacle was witnessed of several hundred persons all engaged in animated “ conversation,” without a sound being heard except the clatter of crockery. The subsequent dancing, which was carried on with great spirit, displayed the farther peculiarity of “going” splendid without a note of audible music.

The Daily Mirror says that an invention has been submitted to the First Lord of the Admiralty which claims to solve the difficult problem of steering submarines under water. The new invention is understood to bring into play magnetic forces which will draw the submarines towards the great floating mass of steel which it is seeking to destroy. The battleship will, in fact, act as a magnet to the submarine, and will be made by natural agency to contribute to its own destruction.

The charge of horse stealing preferred against William Dwyer, contractor, Parewanui, was heard before His Honour Mr Justice Cooper at the Supreme Court, Palmerston North, on Saturday last. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Messrs Tarana Utiku, J. Plart, A. Burr, Wenbuna Hunia and Constable Gieeson, and for the defence by Mr W. Rowlands and accused. The jury retired to view the horse, the subject of the charge. On their return counsel for the defence (Mr A, Lyon) addressed the jury and the Crown Prosecutor (Mr H. S. Fitzherbet) replied. The Judge’s summing up was somewhat in favour of accused. After a retirement of 20 minutes the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

On Tuesday afternoon tt fair number attended the garden party at the Parsonage. The sum of £ t o was taken for sale of goods, etc., and a most enjoy :* 'do tea was provided by of !i tuts' GTid.

Large quantities of coal are at present being landed at the port. The steamers Moa and Gertie yesterday discharged tall loads, and the Himitangi, Kapiti, and the new boat Alexander will arrive to-morrow with further consignments.

A large number of Masons are at present on a short visit to Foxton, to take part in the consecration ceremony of tiic local lodge—Te Awahou. The installation of officers will also be held this evening.

At the bmithfield Cattle Show 41b of Eldorado potatoes were sold for £6OO, being at the rate of £336,000 per ton, or about three times their weight in gold. The raiser of these remarkable tubers had declined an offer of £7O for a single potato. There died in the Palmerston Hospital on Thursday a very old settler in the person of Mr Thomas Brightwell, father of Mr Thomas Brightwell, of Woodville. Deceased was 90 years of age, and had been in the colony for 67 years and was all through the Maori War. He leaves a family of three sons and three daughters.

The Hon. W. Hall-Jones will leave for England od a holiday trip in about a month’s time. . His approaching departure makes a temporary redistribution of portfolios necessay. During his absence from the colony the portfolios now held by Mr Hall-Jones will be distributed as follows Public Works Department, Hon.J. McGowan; Marine Department and Inspection of Machinery Deparlmen, Hon. C. H. Mills; Lunacy Department, Hospital Department, Aid Department and Government Printing Department, Hon. Colonel Pitt.

The gift of Chantilly and its wonderful treasures to the Institute of France has been followed by another of great interest and value, M. Jacques Siegfried has virtually given to the Institute the Chateau of Langeais, on the borders of the Loire, about twenty kilometres from Tours. Its history goes back to the year 990, but it was under Louis XL, in 1450, that the present chateau was built. M. Siegfried has been in possession of the place since 1886, and all his restorations and additions have been carried out with a due regard for the surroundings, and he is to remain in possession of the place so long as he lives.

The following is a story attributed to the present Moderator of the Scotch Established Church, Dr Gillespie. He met one day a ragged little boy, and this conversation took place .' —“ Who looks after you my laddie ?” “Na buddy.” “Have you no father?" “ He’s deid.” “ And your mother ?" “ Deid tae.” “ Have you no sisters ?" “ Naw P” “ Have you any brothers ?” “ Ay, yin.” “Well, can he not look after you ? Where is lie ?” “In the Glesca College.” . “At the Glqgpw University! “How long has he been there ?” “ Three years.” “ Three years, and can’t do anything for you ! What is he doing in Glasgow University and can’t look after you ?” “ He’s in a boatle there. He was born wi' twa heids !”

A large meeting wns held at Queen’s Hall, London, against the importation of Chinese labour into- South Africa. Lord Carrington presided. Sir W. V. Harconrt, in apologising for absence, wrote a long letter protesting against the establishment of a serfdom in the Transvaal, which was calculated to lower the proud title of a British colony in the world’s estimation, the future of the colony being sacrificed to the impatient greed of gold speculators, It was, he said, impossible to contemplate such a reactionary policy without indignation and disgust. Mr Buxton moved a resolution protesting against the importation of Chinese without the formal consent of the colony. The motion was carried unanimously.