LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3752, 16 February 1907, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

A thunderstorm broke over this district yesterday afternoon, and the heat was very oppressive. East night the rain fell in torrents. We were shown some splendid samples of apples from the orchard ot Mr Nye, the other day—real mammoths. —We hope to sample some at a future date. Anyhow, we don’t remember ever having before seen such monster codlins.

The wrestling events at the Hawke’s Bay Highland Society’s sports on Wednesday were won by W. Robin (Border style) and catch-as-catch can. Constable Dickson secured third place in the latter. There were six competitors in the former and seven in the latter. Mr W. S. Stewart, late head" master of the local State school, is to be tendered a smoke concert, and presented by the townspeople and ex-pupils of the State school, with a purse of sovereigns, in Mr Perreau’s rooms next Wednesday evening.

Magistrate James, at Woodville, on Thursday morning, fined GeoPerfect £5 .and costs for procuring liquor while a prohibition order was out against him. No time was allowed in which to pay the fine, in defalut one month in the Napier gaol. Parents whose children are being kept away from school for trifling reasons, will find it an expensive matter, as their excuses will have to be made before the Court. It is regrettable to think that parents are so indifferent to their children’s welfare. The success in the battle of life in the future will depend to a large extent upon the present training of the child. Parents will do well to remember this. Mr Furrie has sent us some samples of his temperance beverages including, Blue Ribbon Champagne, Football Punch, Hop Ale, and Home - brewed Horehound and Hop Beer. 'Tis said that one should never mix one’s drinks. Following this advice we tried the drinks at intervals and have no hesitation in pronouncing them very palatable and refreshing, guaranteed not to paralyse the tongue, nor make an arrant ass of the drinker. Some of the richest, flavored and highest graded cheese in the colony comes from the Wairarapa—that from the Taratahi factory, occupying pride of place. We saw several cases of cheese from this celebrated factory in Mr Hennessey’s store, recently, and sampled some of the cheese- Although hardly matured, it was decidedly ahead of anything we have previously tasted in the cheese line in this district. We believe the demand for the cheese from this factory is so great that it is impossible to keep up with the orders.

There was a very full house at the local Public Hall on Tuesday night to see Mr Will Herbert’s pictures. The principal attraction was the film of the Britt-Nelson contest for the light-weight championship of the world. Other interesting series, were of the Melbourne Cup, won py Poseidon, the football match New Zealand v. Wales, a Maori haka, and a number of comic incidents. The pictures were disappointing by reason of the lantern not working properly. Two small explosions occurred creating a mild scare. The waits between the pictures were too long. Miss Minnie Coley leaves Foxton on Monday for a course of study at t e Masterton Convent. Miss Coley will carry with her the best wishes of a number of friends for a successful educational career.

A barber in Cleveland street, Easton road London, has hung out in trout of his shop a large Union Jack with the inscription, “ Found at last. An English barber. N.B. —This specie is almost extinct. ”

We direct attention to Mr M. Littlejohn’s replace advertisement in this issue. A few of the many articles stocked by Mr Littlejohn are enumerated. Special attention is paid to the tonsorial department.

The Manawatu County Council overseer considers the state of the drain, near the Oroua Downs creamery, as a very serious nuisance, Judging by the stench from that locality, we endorse his opinion. The matter should be immediately attended to.

A new teacher set the class the following sum : —“ Suppose that a man owed the butcher £ti ios, the tailor £l6 ss, the milkman 25s 6d, and the baker £2 io, what would it all amount to ? ” “ A midnight flit,” answered an experienced pupil. Harry Read, a barman at South Norwalk, Connecticut, who has inherited ,£4.0,000, says that he intends to spend it on drink in two years. He intends to drink as many cocktails as he has mixed in his lite, but he declares that he will not mix one while his money fasts.

The services in the local Methodist Church will be conducted by the Rev. J. Southern. The subject in the morning will be “ The Baptism in Fire.” Evening “The “Captains” Conflict Triumph •’ ’ The choir will render the anthem “ How beautiful upon the mountains ” at the evening service.

The Treasurer’s statement of the Manawatu County. Council was read as follows at Wednesday’s meeting;—Bank balance—General account cr, ~£139 5s nd; Eoan account cr, 12s 8d ; net cr balance, 18s yd. Riding account.—Amounts "available for expenditure to 31st March:— Waitolci, ,£163 9s yd ; Carnarvon, £ 2oy 14s id Whinopiuo, 43 3d. Amounts over expended-San-don, 16s 6d; Mt. Stewart, /6y lys 4d : Kawakawa. 3s ; Awahou, £37 12s 6d. Outstanding rates amount to is nd. Foxton possesses some hardy old pioneers, amongst whom may be mentioned the Rev. Mr Duncan (93 years), Mrs Capt. Robinson, Messrs Geo. Nye, Cummerfield, senior, and Mr Osbourne, senior, (8x years). The last-named shows great activity , is an early-riser, devotes many hours during the day to gardening, enjoys a pipe and a chat. Mr Nye is an invalid, as is Mrs Robinson. The Rev Mr Duncan often walks to church and back on Sabbath mornings, and Mr Cummerfield alhough a great age, goes out and does a solid day’s “graft ” and could put some of the young men to shame. At Wednesday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council, a discussion took place as to the best manner of eradicating noxious weeds, especially the Californian thistle, and it waslgenerally conceded that the most practical method, when a large area was covered, was to let the weed alone, with the result that it would die out. Eradication by cutting down, Cr Barber said, was impossible, as they were always being brought down by the Oroua river. As for hemlock, it had been on the land ever since he had known it. During the last three months he had been doing nothing else than killing noxioxs weeds and rabbits.

A boy employ ed by a farmer until last week, at Awahuri, has been making matters very interesting for some of the residents out there, and in consequence a warrant has been issued for his arrest. It is stated that the lad is from the Burnham Industrial School, and that no less than four burglaries, including a Maori’s whare, from which a quantity of greenstone has been taken, is down to his credit, and a bicycle lost on Sunday last has been traced to him, so that the youngster will have an interesting time when caught. The Tramway manager reported at the last meeting of the Manawatu County Council, that the credit balance for the month was £6 13s 4d. The amount of traffic both of goods and passengers, was satisfactory. For the period four months ended 31st January, 1906, sixteen hundred and and thirtythree bales of wool were consigned over the tramway. For the similar period ended 31st January 1907, nineteen hundred and forty-three bales were carried ; an increase of 3xo bales. Good progress had been made with the improvement to the first section of the Canarvon incline, 42 chains formation had been satisfactorily completed, and the line brought up to the new level.

An exraordinary hoax has been perpetrated on the principal hospitalin Liverpool. A number of tradesmen received post cards purporting to come from a certain lady, well-known in philanthropic circles, ordering goods to be sent to the hospitals for Christmas festivities. The consequence was that a procession of vehicles, loaded with, turkeys, geese, hams, fruits, evergreens, and other goods kept streets in the neighbourhood of the hospitals lively for the greater part of the day. The officials, having had no notification of the arrivals, were astonished, but delighted, at receiving the presents. They were discussing how best to dis* pose oi them when it was discovered that some senseless person had hoaxed the hospitals. Furnish your home right through witn Watchorn Stiles and Co.’s Linoleums, Damasks, Curtains, sheetings at Bargain prices.*

The Shannon Racing Club invite tenders for luncheon booth at its forthcoming meeting. Messrs Watchorn, Stiles and Co. announce some speciall ines at their great sale to which we direct attention. We commend the ad vt. for perusal to all female readers. The following ladies supplied afternoon tea on the occasion of the representative cricket match, Shannon v. Foxton: —Mrs Woods Misses Eaing (s') and Miss Hamer. The cricketers desire to return thanks to the above mentioned ladies for the good things provided. It is proposed to hold a world’s fair at San Francisco in 1913, in order to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by Vasco Nunez de Balboa, and the Panama Canal, if this is effected by that date. In an attempt to prove an alibi concerning two boys accused of throwing stones near Canterbury, the mother ot one of them declared that at the time named by the constable ‘ ‘ both the boys were in her house reading the Bible and playing draughts.” The Bench preferred to believe the policeman. ‘‘lf men were only permanently intoxicated with the buoyancy ot good health,” said Mr Hornibrook, physical culturist, in a lecture at Christchurch, ‘‘they would riot require what they are pleased to call ‘pick-me-ups’ of whisky and soda, which were in reality ‘throw-me-downs.’”

The “North Otago Times” states that the estate of the late Mr Samuel Wilson, of Papakaio, is valued at about ,£30,000, and that, with the exception of a couple of thousands to his relatives and an annuity to an old employee, the whole of the amount goes to the various organisations of the Presbyterian Church and the Salvation Army. A Victorian farmer who found it difficult to get clover to grow when sown on his land, has adopted the plan of sprinklng a handful of mixed clover seed (White Dutch, Cow Grass and Alsyke) amongst the chaff he feeds to his milking cows. He does not harrow the droppings about in the paddock, but justs lets them lie. The resuit is that he has a fine growth of clover all over his paddocks were none grew before, and where he has even tried to get it to start by hand sowing but failed.

An adventure the King is said to have met with while motoring in the country is related in the ‘ ‘ Lady of Fashion. ’ ’ The car had come to a standstill opposite a small cottage, from which an old lady came and invited his Majesty and the gentleman in attendance upon him to have a cup of tea. Inside the house was ayonng lady. After an animated discussion on drama, his Majesty thanked the ladies for their hospitality and retired. That his identity was secret to the girl he realised as she dropped the merest courtesy and said “Good-bye, sir.” Not long after, the King saw her in the stalls of a theatre, and sent to inquire who she was. ‘‘ A Miss—, on a weekly paper,” was the reply. A day or two later the lady received a little golden motor-car studded with diamonds, “ With thanks for a welcome cup of tea.”

Pearl Axup, victim of the Wellington shooting tragedy, was born in Greytown seventeen years ago, says the Wairarapa “ News.” Her father, Mr Walter Axup, was manager for Mr J. Cotter for about ten years, and left Greytown six years ago to take up farming at Rata, Rangitikei. Of late mis, fortune has dogged the family. About 2 years ago Mrs Axup was smashed up in a combine accident and spent nine months in the hospital. Eight months ago the man he placed in charge of his farm died, and as Mr Axup was enfeebled by the accident and subsequent sickness a boarding house business was acquired in Wellinton. On top of all comes the death of the girl under tragic circumstances. Pearl Axup, even as a small girl, a was popular rider at the shows in the Rangitikei district, and was fearless in her management of horses. Her shocking death has created a painful sensation in those districts where she is best known.

The American woman is. just now being fiercely denounced by scientists, philosophers and divines. At a great congress of Presbyterian ministers at Cincinnati she was criticised as lazy, luxurious, selfish, loud, assertive and useless. One distinguished theologian (Professor Selby Vance) said the present American woman was like those women of Bible times who crushed the life and soul of their men to get more jewels and raiment to decorate their persons and gratify expensive and worse than useless tastes. Scientists bring even more injurious accusations, Professor Laughlin, lecturer on political economy at Chicago, accuses the American woman of “wiggling.” He says that the absence of the sense of form manifests itself in general ‘ ‘ slouchiness;” not only in dress and manner, but in the study, the intellect, the language, and the thought of the nation at large. New York ladies deny that they are “wigglers.” Leaders of society have been interviewed. Mrs Stuyvesant Fish, who has recently returned from Europe, declares that American women have the best figures of any women in the world, and are therefore entitled to wear the best costumes. In respect both of style and of fashion qf dress, and the manner of wearing it, Mrs Fish says that her American countrywomen surpass all other women in the world, including even the Parisennes. So economists and divines do not matter. WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS corrects the ill effects of impure water,

MrTi Hennessy, haspurdrased the corner site adjoiniri# his own premises and with a frontage to Clyde’St., from Messrs Eevinand Co. unquestionably tfie heart of the business: part of the town.

The N. Z. Shipping Co’s large stores and dumping plant are almost ready for use, Mr Phillips, the company’s local agent, has arrived, and is now in charge. We understand the company’s manager will visit Foxton on Monday

The Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers presented the chief engineer of the steamer Rangatira with the institute’s gold emblem, in recognition of his efforts with the engine-room staff to repair the disabled steamer. After .thirty years ot strenuous life in Wellington, the Rev. H. Van Staveren, Rabbi for the Wellington province and r senior Rabbi in New Zealand, has been granted six months’ leave of absence, sp, that he may take a well-earned holiday trip to England and the Continent. The deadly pea-rifle is again in evidence despite the new statutory restrictions. The daughter of Mr M. Me Mahon, an hotel keeper at Tararu, Thames, had a harrow escape from being killed on Wednesday last. She was struck on the forehead by a bullet from a pearifle, the bone being splintered. Referring to the death of Mr Hutcheson, who was killed by a shark, a former resident' of Moeraki who has had considerable experience in the fishing industry, f states that often, while standing in the sea alongside the fishing boats, close in shore, the sharks would brush in about the legs of the fishermen, and never attempt to attack, possibly because those in the water had their clothes on. The sharks are attracted by the refuse from the fishing boats, and will venture close in shore to obtain it.

The following parents were fined at the local Court for keeping their children from school ;”W-. Aldridge third offence (two.-.charges),.. 12s and costs 7s; T. Mitchell, 4s. and costs 7s ; James Lambess (3 charges), 6s and costs 7s; Arthur Lee (1 charge), 25 and .costs js ; M. O’Reilly (1 charge), 2s and costs 4s; Eric Chalmers two (charges), 4s and costs 7s. One was withdrawn. Messrs Cockburn and Rimmer were the presiding justices* A somewhat amusing occurrence took place recently in connection with one of our public buildings (says the Christchurch Truth.) The secretary of the company owning the building, seeing several ladies making investigations, asked if they would like to look over it. They replied that they would, and he courteously . showed them > all over it, explaining the various arrangements connected with it. When saying good-bye In his office one of the ladies slipped a shilling into his hand, at the same time expressing regret that it was not more. The gentleman is preserving that shilling.

A remarkable Scene occurred at Omaha, Nebraska, when " Kid ” Wedge, the champion light-weight boxer of Arkansas, declined to take part in a boxing contest on the ground that he had been converted, and that it was wrong to fight, except in self-defence. Wedge entered the ring, (says the New York correspondent of the London Express) in the presence <

of 2000 people and astounded everybody by handing his opponent a tract, with the wish that he wolud read it carefully. The amazed boxer seemed to ' regard this as a personal-insult, and he promptly smote the ’‘Kid ” onthe nose. Wedge then said, “We are told to turn the other cheek.” He did so and was rewarded with a terrible blow, which sent him against the ropes. “ I have not been told what to do next,” said Wedge, “ but I guess I can pound you to pulp without interfering with my conscience.” The fight which followed was much livelier than the one advertised. Both pugilists were badly disfigured, but the victory was given' to Wedge, who promised to pray for his opponent. .He has retired permanently from the prize-ring.