LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3759, 12 March 1907, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

A pair ot gold-rimmed spectacles await an owner at this office.

The Borough Brass Band will meet the train on Friday night to welcome our local corps of cadets on their return from the Exhibition.

A statement is published in some French newspapers that Russia and Japan are concluding an agreement providing for the settlement of fisheries and navigation questions.

French newspapers state that Russia and great Britain are about to sign an agreement delimiting their respective commercial zones in Persia. Russia’s sphere will be in the north, Britain’s in the south.

The London “Tribune ’’ states that the Government intends to begin immediately to institute a scheme enabling Board of Guardians and municipalities to provide weekly pensions for aged destitute persons,

Larrkinisim is apparently rife in Otaki, and the local paper is agitating for increased police supervision. The Chairman of the Manawatu Licensing Bench regretted that only one licensee was present at the recent quarterly meeting. During the last ten years the colony’s birth-rate has risen from 25.96 per 1,000 of the population to 27.08; the death has fluctuated from 9,14 to 9-31 ; and the marriage rate has increased from 6.83 to 8.48.

Owing to scarcity, caused through the continued dry weather, the price of milk has been advanced to 4d. a quart in Dunedin and Christchurch.

Father (sternly): “ Don’t you know that King Solomon said, ‘ Spare the rod and spoil the child ?’ ” Robert; “Yes, dad; but he didn’t say that until he was growed up.” In 1891 there were 74 butter and cheese factories in New Zealand ; last year, the number was 264. The number of sawmills and sash and door factories has increased, during the same period, from 243 to 444 ; and woodware and turning factories from five to 39.

Disappointment was expressed by members of the Council and Chamber of Commerce at the nonappearance of the Palmerston Chamber yesterday to make an inspection of the local wharf and river. The secretary received a wire from the secretary of the Palmerston Chamber saying that the members would arrive on Monday morning. At a later hour on Saturday the visit was cancelled. The Wanganui Herald says : Last evening about dusk a lady cyclist who was riding with a companion in male attire came to grief at the corner in one of our back streets. Her companion rode back to her assistance, when the eye-witnesses of the accident were surprised to discover that the supposed man was a woman dressed itp in a dark suit with a hard hat on. The machine was found to be damaged, and the pair walked on towards a friend’s house, but as they saw that there were visitors already there they evidently concluded that it would be wiser not to enter, and wended their way home again. The Church of Scotland has lost its most notable member in the death of the Very Rev. R. H. Story, D.D., Principal of Glasgow University, at the age of 72 years. Next to Dr Rainy, Principal Story was the most prominent ecclesiastical figure in Scotland, and some few years ago, when Dr Rainy headed a Disestablishment campaign, Dr Story was his keenest platform opponent. Eight years ago he succeeded the late Dr Caird as Principal of Glasgow University. He was one of His Majesty’s chaplains, and only recently resigned the clerkship of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. In his capacity as Principal of Glasgow University he inaugurated several important movements within and without the university. The raising of a fundfor the better equipment of the university led to a sum of ,£BO,OOO being collected and devoted towards the equipment according to modern demands of teaching.

There is a beautiful story of a boy whose young sister was dying. He had heard that if he could secure but a single leaf from the tree of life that grew in the garden of God the illness could be healed. He set out to find the garden, and implored the angel sentinel to let him have one leaf. The angel asked the boy if he could promise that his sister should never be sick any more if his request were granted, and that she should never be unhappy, nor do wrong, nor be cold or hungry, nor be treated harshly. The boy said he could not promise. Then the angel opened the gate a little way, bidding the child to look into the garden for a moment to have one glimpse of its beauty. “ Then, if you still wish it,” said the angel, “ I will myself ask the King for a leaf from the tree of life to heal your sister.” The child looked in ; and, after seeing all the wondrous beauty and blessedness within the gates, he said softly to the angel, “I will not ask the leaf now. There is no place in all this world so beautiful as that. There is no friend so kind as the Angel of Death, I wish he would take me, too.”—J. R. Miller, D.D.

Grey town, the beauty-spot ol the Wairarapa, has been agitated lately, according to the local paper, about a gift. The ratepayers recently sanctioned a loan of for the erection of a town hall to be erected on a Town Lands Trust site at the south end of the town proper. When the preliminaries were gone through a public-spirited property owner offered the people a site in the very heart of the town “free gratis and for nothing” upon which to erect their town hall. Any other borough would have jumped at such an offer and straightway erect the building on it. Not so, Greytown. Certain members of the Council wanted to know whether the donor would allow them to erect shops on the section instead of a town hall! Then the South arose and demanded the erection of the hall at their end —then politics were introduced and the people are wrangling like a set of school kids over a game of marbles. An enlightened Councillor who advocated the South end, wriggled by asking for a plebiscite as to whether the people would accept the gift for the purpose ! The people will> of course, accept the site, but we certainly think an ample apology is due to the public-spirited donor from the short sighted malcontents who have stirred up the trouble.

A quantity of interesting matter is unavoidably crowded out of this

issue. Mrs A. Allen, of Thynne St, is prepared to undertake plain and fancy neddlewprk., Indies own material made up. A number of art neddlework goods for sale. Reference was made at last night’s Borough Council meeting by Cr Hickson to the number of cattle allowed to stray on the Borough footpaths, and the Mayor stated in reply that the matter was in the hands of the police. At the Borough Council meeting last night, the Town Clerk’s report re the pound fire was read in committee. It was decided to ask the Coroner to hold an inquiry jnto same. A meeting of newspaper proprietors was held in Palmerston Nort last night, at the office of the Manawatu Standard. Representatives were present from Feilding, Palmerston, Foxton, Danevirke, Napier, Pahiatua, Woodville, and Wairarapa. Mr F. Pirani- presided. A good deal of important business was discussed after which an (association was formed. The Borough Valuer, Mr Alf. Fraser, stated at the Borough Council meeting last evening that the Supplementary Valuation Roll •amounted [rental value] and that the net increase on rateable value would be roughly about and should increase the revenue for the coming year by about £75.. The,, movement to apply the principle of rating on unimproved values continues to go forward. On the 28th inst. the Dannevirke ratepayers adopted the new system by 308 votes to 94, and a few days previous a poll was taken in the Clyde Town District, Wairoa, when the ratepayers adopted it by 63 votes to twelve. Steps are shortly to be taken to submit the question to the ratepayers of Hastings and Napier. We hope to see it adopted by Foxton ere long. The Ladies of the Band Bazaar Committee met again last Wednesday. The energy displayed cannot but tend to the success of the Bazaar. Dolls for the youngsters, dresses for the little pets, and fancy work of all kinds to please the eyes of. the “ grown ups ” were scattered in profusion. The chief topic of conversation was ut the fancy dresses to be worn, and if the programme arranged in that direction is carried out the effect will be quaint and pleasing. The always - popular Taylor Carrington Company will pay a return visit to Foxton on the 21st inst. The Company has just completed a five-weeks’ season at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunedin — against the strongest of strong opposition, too—West’s Pictures ; Brough Fleming Dramatic Co., and Williamson’s Comic Opera Co., and yet the T.C. Season was so successful that it was extended for an extra seven nights. Shows what giving AI performances at “ Y.Z.” prices will do. A London correspondent forwards the following inquiries by relatives over there who are seeking news of the undermentioned : —James Cannpn, who left London in 1878 for New Zealand —brother Willie a'sks. Earnest A. Crook, went to Wellington in 1905 —mother asks. George Marchant, last known to be in New Zealand in 1880 —sister Harriet asks. H. Willis, of Hurley, went to Wellington 34 years ago—brother Tom asks. Your husband wants new trousers, you can get them at the “ Economic ” from 5s 6d per pair.* 200 pairs of Blankets for sale at Watchorn Stiles and Co.’s Great Sale. Selling 20 per cent., less than old prices.* No matter how long you hare suffered from rheumatism, gout, sciatica or lumbago, Rheumo will cure you. All chemists and stores stock it. Price 2/6 and 4/6.