LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3765, 4 May 1907, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

A sharp shock of earthquake was felt throughout this district at hour this morning. A boy three years old, a son of Mrs Adams, postmistress at Raupo, was found drowned in a waterrace close to his home.

The ordinary meeting of the Manawatu County Council will be held on Wednesday, the Bth of May at 11 a.m. Business, general, and consideration of estimates.

A shunter named James Paton was crushed between the buffers of two horse-boxes at Christchurch Railway Station yesterday afternoon and somewhat seriously injured.

; Messrs O’Connor and Tydeman, tlie well-known jewellers, insert a replace advt. in this issue. They have stocked a special line of gold photo pendants ranging in price from 6s 6d to 60s. The firm still gives half-a-dozen tea spoons to each wedding ring purchaser. By a card published in this issue Dr Mandl intimates that he may be consulted as from Monday next, and until further notice, in Dr Bennett’s late residence, Duncan St. Dr Mandl hopes to be settled in the central premises, now occupied by Messrs Devin and Co. in a short time.

Owing to the heavy rains and the flooded condition between Foxton and Tiakitahuna, the Rev. Mr Aitken will not be able to reach the latter place for service tomorrrow evening. In consequence there will be service morning and evening in the local Presbyterian Church. Rev. J. Southern, minister of the Primitive Methodist Church conducting the morning service, and Mr Aitken the evening. At New Plymouth Mr Massey amused his hearers by comparing Sir Joseph Ward to the Joseph who once had sway in Egypt. Mr Massey said Egypt was ruled by a Joseph then, so is New Zealand now (laughter); their Joseph was a great financier, so is our Joseph (renewed laughter); he was inclined to be a nationaliserpt lands, so is our Joseph (screams of laughter) ; and their Joseph was a dealer in corn, so is our our Joseph. The Manawatu river, which is still in high flood, is washing the banks away at the bend past the Rev- Mr Duncans’ property. The waters have washed away a large portion of the bank at Mr Rough’s and Messrs Robinson’s property. Some effort should be made to turn the current at this locality before more serious damage happens. If the river is not immediately deverted it will result in the washing out of several acres of land. A parent who appeared before the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch yesterday charged with failing to send his son to school, explained that the boy had been misled by another lad, who he assured the Court was a very bad young fellow, while his own offspring was perfectly personified. “ He broke into my house,” remarked the irate father about his son's wayward companion, “ and appropriated a quantity of jewellery belonging to ray wife, but that is not all, your worship,” he continued, ”he even went so far as to steal my wife’s false teeth.”

The oldest tree in the world is said to be the famous dragon tree of Teneriffe, which is estimated to be from 4000 to 6000 years of age. This wonder of the plant world was 70ft or more in height until the year 1819, when during a terriffc stoim one of the large branches was broken off. A similar storm in 1867. stripped the trunk of its remaining branches and left it standing alone. This tree derives its common name from a reddish exudation known as dragon’s blood, found in the sepulchral caves of the Guaches, and supposed to have been used by them in embalming their dead. After a lapse of seventeen years (says the Auckland Star) Mr C. D. Grey and Mr Walter Buffer have ' had forwarded to them the sum of £5 each. The covering letter explained that about seventeen years ago the sender of the money kept an hotel in a country district, which he left in an almost penniless condition. The letter states : ‘ ‘ Amongst my creditors was your father, to whom I owed about for which he never pressed me. I promised to pay that to him if I ever succeeded in business again. Unfortunately he died before I could redeem ray promise, so I think it only fair to pay you two, who are the sons, each £5.”

Watchorn Stiles and Co. are a strong Firm and import heavily. They hold one of the largest stocks in calicos, flannelettes, prints, blankets, sheetings damasks to be seen on this coast.—Try them.*