LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 431, 1 September 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Very little interest was taken in yesterday’s poll enabling the Borough to borrow the sum of ,£3OO for the formation and metalling of certain streets. Thirtythree ratepayers voted tor the proposal and eight against. By advertisement in this issue Nurse Small, A.T.N.A., intimates that the nursing home in Johnston Street will be open for the reception of patients on the 16th inst. Engagements may be made personally, at the Manse, Lady’s Mile, Foxton.

A meeting of the local NoLicense Teague was held in the Good Templar Hall last evening. The Rev. Mr Mairs presided. Mr Ritchie, the organiser, was in attendance, and several important matters were discussed in reference to the forthcoming campaign.

We remind our readers of All Saints’ annual tea-meeting and Lantern Talk in the Public Hall this evening, A most enjoyable time is anticipated. Mr Alex. Spiers has offered a special prize of ,£1 is for the best mixed garden (flower and vegetable) kept by any local labouring person, or members of his family, who is not in receipt of more than per annum. Entrants for this prize must give notice at any time before the show opens. The entrance fee is is. The Tennis Match Committee has decided to commence the ladder competitions at the local courts on Thursday next. Intending competitors are requested to post their challenges on the board forthwith in order to avoid unnecessary delay. The results of the competitions will be notified in these columns.

A commission of the Wanganui Presbytery sat in the local Presbyterian Church last night, to hear evidence from the Foxton congregation as to the advisability or otherwise of connecting Carnarvon with the Bulls charge. The commission consisted of the Revs. J. Budd, I. Jolly, and McCully. Messrs Henderson, J. Hornblow, Alex. Spiers, Mowatt, and the Rev. Aitken, expressed their views on the subject. The principal objection to the change at present was purely financial, but if the Presbytery could compromise by making a grant for a period of two years, and provided the Carnarvon people were desirous of being attached to Bulls, then the local committee would acquiesce. The commission will take evidence at Carnarvon to-yight. An Irishman, gifted with extraordinary volubility, threw the Drumana Petty Sessions Court, County Eeitrira, into convulsions of laughter (writes a Condon correspondent). He is a publican, named Shanley, and was formerly in New Zealand. When charged with certain minor offences against the licensing regulations, he broke-' out, to the astonishment of the Court, with an oration in Hibernian English ; “I have made the circumnavigation of the globe twice, and have filled some of the highest positions it is possible to attain in the licensing trade in the Old and New Worlds,” he said. “ I have come back to my native place after many years of 'exile, and a little verbosity of language and exhilaration of spirits is excusable. Through a concatenation of circumstances and a distortion of the evidence, things may look rather against me, bat the darkest hour comes before the dawn, and I ask for even-handed justice.” Mr Kilbride, the Magistrate, humourously replied to the harangue, which was punctuated with bursts of laughter, by advising Shanley to get a partner, to put her toes on the fender with him.

The Albion Football Club social and dance has been postponed till Wednesday, 23rd inst. Messrs W. F, Durward, of Palmerston N., announce a special sale of soaps and perfumes. Mr T. P. Henderson, expert pianoforte tuner, will visit Fox ton on the 9th inst. Orders may be left at this office.

Mr H. Coley, wood and coal merchant, has donated a prize of half-a-ton of coal for the women’s race at the forthcoming Athletic Clubs Sports. Two sovereigns were lost by-a little lad this morning, between Mr Frankland’s corner and Mr Hennessy’s store. The parents would be grateful if the finder will return same to this office.

Elsewhere in this issue appears the programme of the concert organised by Mr Bett, of Palmerston North, in aid of the local Presbyterian Church organ fund. The concert takes place on Wednesday, the 9th inst.

How great was the purchase of weekly newspapers by the officers and men of the fleet, may be gauged from the fact that there are now in Auckland, awaiting despatch to the United States 200 bags of newspapers.

The clerk to the Manawatu Drainage Commission notifies that the Commission will sit at Palmerston on the 16th inst. Anyone desiring to give evidence must notify the clerk as soon as possible. The Commission, if necessary, will also sit at Feilding and Foxton.

Mr Fossey, technical school supervisor to the Wanganui Education Board, will visit Foxton on Thursday next and inspect the rooms in which it is proposed to hold technical classes and see if everything is in order for the purpose of equipping cookery and woodwork classes.

We are in receipt ot the September number of Good Cheer, published in Wanganui. This New Zealand home journal, which is all that its title typifies, is a really creditable production in every way, and we are not surprised that it has proved very popular. It is certainly good value for half-a crown per annum, including a free cut pattern with each issue.

■ A striking indication of the cost of working flax lands was given by Mr H. Greig, president of the Flaxmillers’ Association, at the meeting held at Palmerston North on Friday last. He stated that on a block of 800 acres of land at Tokomaru for the last two years he had paid out between £\ and £5 per acre in wages. For the coming season he expected to have to pay wages at the rate of £S per acre. Flaxmillers, he stated, paid out at least seven or eight times as much in wages per acre as was paid out on lands used for mixed farming.

A Palmerston resident, who has just returned from a visit to Ohakune, states that the latter township is experiencing a boom, one result of which is that land sales are being made at unusually high prices. A Chinaman, who was among recent purchasers of town property, paid for a quarteracre section. Ohakune is miles from the railway station, and the Palmerston resident referred to says it is practically situated in a gully ; one is on a down grade on the journey from the railway station to the township. The railway station is a veritable canvas town, between 50 and 60 tents being pitched there. Sly grog-selling is reported to be rife in the district.

An inspector of schools once told a class that they were the dullest boys he had ever met. A few days after he received a letter addressed: “To the examiner who came to St. Paul’s School.’’ The writer complained of the examiner’s “cockiness,’’ and ended the letter as follows : “If we’re the dullest lads you ever seed, why did you give us such posers ? You asked us questshuns as fellows couldn’t answer. Any fool can ask questshuns. I’ll ask you one of my father’s: ‘lf it takes three hundred and twenty yards of white corduroy to make an elefant a black waistcoat, how long would ,it take a lame cockroach to crawl through a barril of treakle ? ’ There, answer that! ”

The citizens of a town In Tara - naki not very far from New Plymouth, are having some amusement at the expense of a hotelkeeper in the place. This hotelkeeper came to New Zealand while very young, and is not well acquainted with his relatives, A couple of weeks ago a stranger called at the hotel and informed mihe host that he was his younger brother, just out from England. TJjie unsuspecting Boniface, says Jme Taranaki Herald, promptly 'took the stranger to his bosom (figuratively speaking), and gave him a right royal welcome. The stranger was very plausible. He had, he said, brought several presents of valuable jewellery and curios for his sister-in-law and niece, but some of his baggage had gone astray. This still more endeared him to the family. He was introduced to all and sundry as “ my brother from England.” With free board and lodging and the best of everything, he was enjoying himself immensely. But the local policeman got wind of what was going on, and he recognised the stranger. The hotelkeeper received a rude shock when he was informed that his “ brother ” was a well-known criminal whose special line was false pretences. But the stranger had scented trouble, and had vanished. It is not safe to speak of relatives to that hotelkeeper no w.

A firm of publishers offered President Roosevelt ,£12,000 sterling for the description of his forthcoming hunting experiences in Africa. The offer was declined. President Roosevelt has arranged with Scribner’s to accept royalties on publications to which he contributes.

A remarkable freak of nature occurred at Glenquarry, near Bowral (N.S.W.). last week, a cow owned by Mr R. Norman giving birth to a male calf with two heads. The freak was an average-sized calf, and each head was perfect in shape, and of average size, with separate necks joined in the centre about gin from the heads. The necks were of ordinary length, and the two backbones joined together about half-way down the back, and then appeared as the backbone of one, terminating in one tail. The two heads possessed each one leg and shoulder the chests being attached (when the skin was removed) with a bony growth ; each had separate .vind pipes connected with the one stomach, one heart, and one set of lungs. The freak lived one hour, and both mouths bleated together in unison and separately while alive. Mr Norman carefully removed the skin, leaving the ears and faces of both heads on it, and intends to have it cured.

_ Mrs L. Peters, Miramar, Wellington, N.Z., says : “ I can safely recommend Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy (o anyone suffering from pains in the stomach. A few days ago my little boy, aged 6 years, was suffering agony with this complaint. I only gave him a few doses of Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy, and he was soon well and has not been troubled since. I think this remedy should he kept in every home.’ For sale everywhere.— Advt.

For gentlemen’s clothing of every description the “ Economic ” drapery establishment carry the largest, most varied, and comprehensive stock in Foxtou. Having bought heavily and cheaply, the “Economic” must make a speedy clearance at ridiculously low prices. The window display of millinery at Mrs Hamer’s is very handsome, exposing, as it does, all those delicate articles which are indispensable adjuncts to make complete the trosseau of the fair sex. A visit of inspection is cordially extended to all.— Advt.

We draw attention to a replace ad- - vertisement in this issue from Messrs C. M. Boss and Co., of the Bon Marche, Palmerston North, intimating a three days sensational bargain giving epoch at their establishment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week. Their premises wil be closed on Wednesday for the purpose of re-marking the balance of stock, price lists are being distributed with Palmerston papers 1 on Wednesday, 20th. —Advt.

There is not a particle of opium or other narcotic in Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy, and never has been since it was first offered to the public. It is as safe a medicine for a child as for an adult. This remedy is famous for its cures of colds and croup, and can always be depended upon. For sale everywhere.- Advt. WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS is absolutely invaluable to the traveller.