Local and General

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3711, 13 September 1906, Page 2

Local and General

A correspondent who signs himself “one of the pit,” writes to us in reference to the Town Hall, which he designates “a disgrace to the town.” We would point out to our correspondent that the Borough Council is the proper authority to approach in regard to complaints of this kind, as it annually licenses all buildings used for public purposes and compels owners to carry out any improvements that it considers desirable. We suggest that the letter above his proper signature be forwarded to the Council for consideration.

Mrs Perreau advertises for a nurse girl. The examination of the local State school takes place to-day. The building trade is still very brisk in Foxton.

An advertiser wants to purchase from 7 to 20 acres of land, suitable for grazing, witjhiu easy distance from town.

Mr Braik, the Board’s chief inspector, is supervising the inspection of the local school to-day. Mr Rough, architect, notifies that tenders for the erection of Mr F. S. Easton’s residence have been extended to 3 p.ra. of Saturday, 22nd inst.

Word was received yesterday from Dr Davis, of Newton, Auckland, stating that he intended to start the practice of his profession in this district.

The lady members of All Saints’ Choir have a surprise in store for the public. They intend to put on a novel entertainment in the Masonic Hall next Tuesday week. The building trade in Hasting* is still' active, and contracts for brick buildings of a total cost •' over ,£20,000 are in the course of being carried out. We would suggest to the local Rowing Club that it approach Webb, New Zealand’s champion sculler, ;to give an exhibition of some of his brilliant spurts on the local river. We believe Webb could be induced to come over and his appearance would give the club a push forward. Mr Bert Ingram’s whistling items at last night’s concert were a revelation to those who had not previously heard this gifted artist. His trilling and warbling and the imitation of various birds were perfect. In fact, his items alone were well worth the price paid for admission.

There was a large attendance at the local Oddfellows’ fortnightly meeting on Tuesday night. Several new members were initiated and others proposed. We are pleased to note that the local lodge is making such rapid headway.

Flaxmillers are notified that the Taupo Totara Timber Company, Etd., intend calling tenders for working considerable areas of flaxlands adjacent to its railway in West Taupo county in the -Auckland Provincial district. See advt.

Carterton, like Foxton, is suffering from the want of Justices of the. Peace and a meeting was held there recently by local justices when it was resolved to apply to the Minister for Justice to have the vacancies filled, and a list of the names of persons qualified to fulfil the position is to be submitted.

“There is a terrible lot of poverty in Palmerston at the present time,” was the remark made by a recent arrival to a Herald representative this morning. He stated that business "people were complaining that money was “ tight ” and there was a large number of unemployed wandering the streets. Owing to the many counter attractions on Monday night there was only a small attendance to hear Mr Grant’s very instructive lecture on agricultural education in the Masonic Hall. Mr Clemett, chairman of the school committee, presided, and at the conclusion the lecturer was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

Mr Berthold desires us to notify all children that they must bring their invitation cards to the juvenile fancy dress ball to-morrow evening, and on the back of the card to write the name of the character they represent. The cards will subsequently be returned to them. All children are to be at the hall not later than 6.30 o’clock.

Mr R. G. Knight writes as follows to the Palmerston Standard : —“ The best thing that can be done to prevent the land in the Rangitikei and Manawatu districts being flooded, is to give the water a chance to get away faster. To do this put a cut or canal through Larkworth’s swamp, above Moutoa to Foxtou; straighten the river below Foxton. This could be easily done with the aid of the current. The volume of water during flood time would pass away quicker, deepening the river, and scouring out the bar, allowing steam irs of greater draught to come up to Foxton, or further up the river. If required the present crooked river could be converted into a “floating ” harbour or used as a safety valve, when the river rushed down. Goods from Wellington via Foxtou and Palmerston railway could be landed at Palmerston at considerably less than at present. A lot of land would, to a large extent, be clear of flood, and more fit for settlement. The officers of the Survey Department will know if such a scheme is possible.”

WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS has tonic and invigorating properties.

An owner is wanted for a rough black and light tan colli* dog. The average area of the 63 estates which will be affected by the new Government Bill is 28,577 peres, the average capital value ,£116,386, and the average unimproved value £85,278. We remind ratepayers of the public meeting to be held in the Masonic Hall this evening to discuss the loan proposals for lighting the borough with coal gas and finishing the Borough Council Chambers. All interested in the welfare of the town should make a point of being present. Quite a large number of Palmerston’s unemployed have arrived in Foxton and have secured employment at the local and district flaxmills. In fact, this “two dog” township, as the editor of the Palmerston Times was pleased to dub it, has been the salvation of many marri*d men who were starved out of that town. The absence of insects in the winter time has led to the belief that the approach of winter kills them. This is not the case, however, according to a naturalist, who explains that thousands of insects conceal themselves under the bark of trees or logs, and hibernate as truly as the mole or dormouse.

Ireland had the lowest illegitimate birth-rate in the world last year, with 2.6 per cent. That of England and Wales, was 3.9 per cent., of Scotland 6.3, of New Zealand 4.58. New South Wales, with 5.58, had the highest percentage in Australasia, and Austria (14.20) the highest in the world.

In New Zealand last year there were 242 cases of twin births (484 children), and triplets were registered in three instances. The number of children born was 23,682, The births of 1802 were illegitimate; thus 46 in every 1000 children born were born out of wedlock, against 45 in 1904. Mr Jupp took a sample of fibre prepared by his new patent process to be graded in Wellington. The three graders were not informed as to how the fibre was prepared. Two graded it at 82 and the third at 83. The graders stated that had the colour been a iittle better the maximum would have been obtained. Mr Jupp informed our representative that the colour can be improved without difficulty. The advisability of making sacks and woolpacks out of flax, thereby helping to create another industry in the colony, was brought under the notice of the Premier by Mr Wood. The Premier states that the Government will be prepared to consider the matter if evidence is produced showing that such an industry could be successfully carried on. At present the market price of flax is so groat that it would appear such an industry could hardly be expected to compete with the imported article without excessive Customs protection. At present woolpacks and sacks are admitted free of dutv.

The Chinese opium smuggler is wily. A Chinaman from HongKong recently landed at Bangkok in Siam with a huge painted signboard as his luggage. Its size and weight aroused the suspicions of the Customs officials, however, and they applied a small augur to the “sign-board,” with the result that they found it was not composed of solid wood, but of thin boards joined in a frame, containing between them a number of snugly packed tins of opium. The owner though “ child-like and bland ’ ’ was arrested and the signboard and its contents confiscated.

We have pleasure in informing tradesmen and others that we are installing one of Messrs Foster & Son’s (Preston and London) modern Foster Gordon jobbing machines. This machine bears the hall mark of excellence and has in addition the traditional record of having gained the highest award and special mention for general excellence. With the addition of this machine and new type combined, with first-class workmanship the Herald will be one of the best equipped job-print-ing offices in the province. “The gambling instinct was as old as humanity. Herein lay the difficulty. They might legislate, prohibit, penalise. They might hale Chinamen now and again, send a bookmaker or two to gaol occasionally, abolish the totalisator, and pass other restrictive measures, but they would not destroy the evil. They would barely scotch it. So long as gambling was not considered immoral by the community generally, so long as it was winked at by the churches, favoured in a respectable form in society drawing-rooms, looked upon as a legitimate mode of recreation quite pardonable if not abused, so long would it flourish.” —Judge Cooper on Gambling. For Children's backing cough at night, Woods’ Great Peppermint Gore 1/6 and 2/6 per bottle. Ask for WOLFE’S. Insist and demand the real Scbuapps<

The following is the North Island team to play the South Island at Wellington on September 22nd Full-back, Duffy (Auckland); three-, quarters, Thompson (Wellington f Wallace (Wellington); Dive (Taranaki; five-eights, Hunter and Mynott, (Taranaki); half, Roberts, (Welling-, ton); wing, Gillet (Auckland); forwards, Watkins (Wellington), Dunning (Auckland), O’Sullivan (Taranaki), Spencer (Wellington), Francis (Auckland), Seeling (Auckland),- Glasgow (Hawke’s Bay).

It will be remembered (says the Taibape News) that a Chinaman, who conducted a fruit shop at Taihape, died somewhat suddenly recently. His body was permitted to remain for four days on the premises, and during that period the odour which permeated the premises was anything but pleasant. After the removal of the body, the shop was re-opened, and the fruit which was in stock during the time the bddy was on the premises was sold over the counter to customers who were in ignorance as to the odour with which it was impregnated for several days. Special services will be held in the Methodist Church out Sunday next to celebrate the opening of the new organ. Services will be held at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Special anthems will be rendered at each service. At 3 o’clock a musical service will be held. The Choir will sing the anthems ‘ ‘ How Excellent,” “Jubilate Dio,” and “The Bord shall comfort Zion.” A quartette, ‘ ‘ Hear Me, Jehovah 1 * will be given. Mr Bongworth, of Ashhurst, will also sing a solo. Trios for organ, violin and cornet will be given by Misses and Mr Rimmer, of Ashhurst. Mr Hornblow will recite “ Trouble in the Amen Corner.” Collections will be taken at each service in aid of the Church funds. We are now showing a large and varied assortment of trimmed and untrimmed millinery in all the latest shapes and styles. Also a large and varied stock of blouses, blousings, children’s millinery, costumes, and all the latest novelties in Showroom goods. Inspection invited. Watchobu, Stiles & Co.