LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3787, 11 February 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL .

The people of Foxton have wisely decided to take steps to form a Harbour Board to control the port of Foxton. —Woodville Examiner.

The Government intend,’ if a suitable site can be procured, to establish a large central Mental Hospital on the Main Trunk line, with a large area of land attached, on Which the patients’ labour could be utilised,

Last Tuesday, Mrs Joseph Bull and Mrs Edward, the first twins born in Wellington, celebrated their 65th birthday. They were born a year after the arrival of their parents in the ship London, in 1342, and since then they have not been out of Wellington for more than a month.

A purple altar cloth bearing the date 1617 has been found at the bottom of an old chest at St, Giles’ Church, Colchester, It has evidently been used on the altar in the Lucas Chapel, and was probably bidden when the Roundheads beseiged Colchester in 1648, and executed Sir Charles Lucas.

A striking feature of the Catholic Bazaar, which opens next week, is the musical programme. Mr Berthold and his orchestra will be in attendance. The Highland Fling is to be danced by six young ladies in real lasses costume, and the Spanish Bolero is to be performed in appropriate costume by another six- These young ladies are under the able tuition of Miss Levett, The maypole will also be danced each evening.’” The stringency of .the Victorian Licensing Act has been felt by some of the visiting English cricketers, who ventured to obtain a refresher at the Old White Hart Hotel, Spring-street, on Sunday, December 29, Arthur Fielder, Joseph Hardstaff, and Wilfred Rhodes were discovered, glass in hand, by a constable, and, although they were staying at the Grand Hotel, next door, could not be held as an excuse. In the absence of the defendants in Adelaide, they were each fined 20s by Mr Dwyer, P.M.

The immediate effect of the inclusion of the educational test in the Chinese Immigration Act now awaiting the signature of the King is that the Celestials are hurrying to reach the Dominion before the test comes into force. Every steamer arriving from Sydney during the past few weeks, says the Auckland Star, has had her full complement, which is on a basis of one Chinaman to eyery 200 tons net register. The Mokoia landed nine Chinamen the other day, and there was a queer gathering of Celestials at the Custom House shortly afterwards, when the poll tax of per man was paid in by the new arrivals or their agents. Eleven Chinese arrived in Wellington by the Moeraki, .WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS has stimulating properties possessed by no other spirit.

A Chamber of Commerce has been formed at Marton,

Butter is going up in price in all the large centres of the Dominion.

An impounding notice appears elsewhere in this issue.

A young man, recent arrival from Home, good references, advertises for situation.

A co-operative bakery is to be started In Pahiatua because the local bakers refuse to lower the price of bread. We understand that a handsome residence is shortly to be erected at Himataugi for Mr Geo. Coley, where he intends to reside.

A wedding, in which a son and daughter of two of our esteemed residents will be the contracting parties, will take place to-morrow, The brake to convey the local cricketers to Moutoa to-morrow will leave Whyte’s Hotel at 1.15 p.m. sharp.

The Zealandia Stall promises to be a big attraction at the Catholic Bazaar, to be opened to-morrow night. An election to fill the vacancy on the Borough Council caused by the retirement of Cr Hickson, is advertised to take place on 3rd March. Nominations close on the 26th inst.

Doctor Henry Thomas Spratt died at Greytown on Saturday, aged 80. He had been 53 years in the colony, practising most of that time in the Wairarapa. He leaves a widow and four daughters, all the latter being married, and one son, Dr Henry Spratt. Evidence of the rapid increase in the value of property in the environs of Auckland may be gained from the fact that a property of 388 acres, part of the the One-tree Hill Estate, has been sold for ,£78,000 by Sir John Campbell to a Wellington syndicate, who intend to subdivide it for building purposes.

Webb and Tressider, who are to row for the scullidg championship of the world on the Wanganui river on 25th February, are training steadily. There is nothing of a specially interesting nature to report, save to say that both men are thoroughly satisfying their respective trainers. Each goes out on the river twice a day, and considerable interest is taken in their spins.

A meeting of the Foxton SubUnion, convened by the President, was held in Whyte’s Hotel on Saturday night. The object of the meeting was to ascertain the Club’s financial position. It was resolved to communicate with the Secretary, Mr Sutherland, who has left the district, and invite him to be present and place the Club’s position before members. The meeting was adjourned sine die. At last night’s Borough Council meeting, Cr Shadbolt asked whether the ranger had power to impound stock outside the borough boundary. The reason he asked was because the Council was threatened with an action for damages by a settler whose stock had been removed from Motuiti.— The Mayor said there was an arrangement between the Borough and Connty Council whereby the borough ranger was empowered to impound stock a mile outside the Borough boundary. Cr Shadbolt said he understood that the County Council did not impound stock off the roads during three months of the year. Our Palmerston evening contemporary has again been drawing upon its imagination in regard to representation on the proposed Foxton Harbour Board. It informed its readers on Saturday:— “We understand that Foxton is prepared to make a concession in the direction of giving Palmerston increased representation, and as the success of the project largely depends on the support it receives from this town, the willingness to meet local desires is a wise one.” The above statement is absolutely without foundation; in fact, the promoters of the preject are, without exception, entirely opposed to giving Palmerston more than one member on the proposed Board. A shocking accident occurred at Mangatainoka on Friday afternoon, which resulted in the death of Frederick Greaves, then ten-year-old son of Mr Greaves, of Mangatainoka. It appears that the toy rode his horse into the river near Mangatainoka bridge for the purpose of giving it a drink. Observing a shiny substance in the water he picked it up, placed it in his blouse, and galloped off. The boy had proceeded only some fifty yards when he discovered that his clothes were on fire. The substance, which he believed to be a rare piece of metal, proved to be a, lump of phosphorus, which, on being exposed to the air, instantly ignited. The lad, who by this time was a mass of flames, jumped off the horse and ran in the direction of the brewery. Constable May, who happened to be in the vicinity immediately tore off his coal and placed it . round the unfortunate sufferer, and after strenuous efforts, in which he was assisted by willing hands, managed to extinguish the flames. The little fellow, who behaved most heroically, was in a dreadful condition, being burnt from the neck to the knees, and was suffering intense agony. Everything possible was done to relieve him, but faint hopes, of his recovery was entertained, and he died at 2 o’clock on Saturday morning.

Great drapery sale now on a Watchorn, Stiles and Co.’s, where you can get damasks, calicos, prints, flannelettes, etc., at/absoute bedrock prices.— AdVT. WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS stands preeminent among stimulants and cordials.