LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 442, 3 December 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr J. A. Nash, Mayor of Palmerston, was unavoidably prevented from judging at yesterday’s show. The latest addition to the telephone is No. 62, F. W. Hopper, plumber, tinsmith, and gas-litter. Anyone requiring a really good useful harness horse should not miss their chance at the auction mart on Saturday next. A fine line of brown Leghorn fowls consisting of 12 hens and x rooster will be sold by auction at the local mart on Saturday next. These birds took two first prizes at the show on Wednesday and are guaranteed good layers. Mr T. Betty, local boot and shoemaker, and importer, has just opened a splendid assortment of footwear from leading manufacturers in England and America, and invites inspection of same.

The examination of local VI. class pupils for proficiency certificates took place yesterday. Eight candidates were presented, five boys and three girls. The work was supervised by the headmaster and Chairman of the School Committee.

Messrs C. M. Ross and Co., of the Bon Marche, Palmerston, are now showing a magnificent range of new summer dress fabrics, in their centre window, which is attracting much favourable comment among the ladies of Palmerston. — Advt.

A fashionably dressed woman was walking along the Boulevard des Italieus in Paris the other day, wheu a man ventured to make a remark about the size of her hat. She retorted by knocking him down, and walked off amid the enthusiastic cheering of the spectators.

A mild sensation was caused in the Baptist Church, Victoria, during service on a recent Sunday, by a lady’s hat taking fire. The lady, who was a member of the choir, rose with others to sing a hymn, and the large hat she was wearing came into contact with an acetylene gas lamp, with the result tha'; the trimmings immediately took lire.

The death is announced from Gort convent, County Galway, of Mother Mary Aloysius Doyle, the last of the 16 nuns of the Order of Mercy, who left Ireland in December, 1854, to assist Florence Nightingale in nursing the soldiers in the Crimea. She was 94 years of age. She was summoned to Windsor several years ago by the late Queen Victoria to be decorated, but was too old to undertake the journey. Her sister, aged 90, a nun in the same convent,- still survives.

A dramatic incident recently occurred in the Palace of Justice at Beziers in the middle of a thunderstorm. A witness whose veracity had been questioned by the Judge lifted his hand and exclaimed: “ May I be struck by lightning if I am not telling the truth !” The words were hardly out of his mouth before lightning struck the building, and witness fell on the floor in an agony of fear. He was unhurt, and rising to his feet, he confessed himself guilty of the crime of which he had just accused another man.

A cathedral in Wellington has been tor many years a dream of many Catholics in the city, and particularly of Archbishop Redwood. On Sunday, at the luncheon given by the Redemptorist Fathers after the opening of the new church of Gerard, his Grace said that though the scheme was progressing slowly he hoped to live to see the cathedral at least half finished. “ So you shall,” came in a chorus from many of those present.

Writing to the Danuevirke Press a farmer states :—“ An individual called here to say he was a dairy inspector, and I am told there are 600 of this class overrunning this fair land. Well, this chap had the impudence to try to prevent me from making a bit of butter for the use of myself and family, unless I put down a concrete floor to milk one cow on. Well, I thought things were getting hot, so I showed this joker the gate, and he was soon a disappearing speck in the distance.”

Another instance of colonial fortune and vicissitudes. Some years ago (relates an Australian writer) I was in a city afternoon tea shop, and was served by a girl with a regular tragedy queen air about her. She was always reading, and I was told that she had set her heart on being a theatrical star. I smiled. The other night I went to a big Melbourne theatre, and nearly fainted when there marched in-' as leading lady, the waitress of years ago. With the same stride, the same manner, mellowed and softened by judicious stage management. And she is a good actress, too. What a strange land of ups and downs this is. WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS stands proeminent among stimulants and cordials. ; , ■■ \ : . v/

Further additions are made to the Himatangi stock sale list. Messrs Jackson and Swift notify that they are prepared to undertake hay-making, either by contract or day labour. All orders executed with promptness and despatch.

It is plainly evident that NoLicense has come to stay, and that means a stand-up fight, in which the Trade must now struggle strenuously for its very existence.— Fe.ilding Star. Residing at Waikaremoana, not tar from the Lake House, is an old Native, who tells with great gusto how, during the Maori war, he fired three shots point blank at the Hon. J. Carroll, then a volunteer with the British forces, but providentially his rifle missed fire, and Mr Carroll was spared. The great ocean liner rolled and pitched. “ Henry,” faltered the young bride, ‘‘do you still love' me?” “More than ever, darling,” was Henry’s fervent answer. Then there was an eloquent silence. “ Henry,” she gasped, turning her pale, ghastly face away, “ I thought that would make me feel better, but it doesn’t.” Look here this is a line we can really do well, wedding outfits we make a speciality, and every line in house furnishing, so we would like you to come and see us or send for samples to Colliuson and Cunniughame, the people’s caterers of 1 asud 3 Broard street and The Square, Palmerston North. Apropos of Lord Roberts’ warning that an invasion.of England was possible, and despite official advice not to discuss the subject, important German newspapers admit that an invasion is possible, though difficult. The Neue Erie Presse advises Germany to unexpectedly annihilate the British Home Fleet, and then invade. The deaths of quite a large number of old residents and pioneers of the Auckland province have been recorded during the last few days, and the list has been further increased. Mr Thomas William Clark, late of Thames, died at his residence, Bond-street, Archill, on Wednesday, in his yxst year. The death of Mr David Dickson, aged 83, also took place the same day at his son’s residence, Mount St. John Avenue, Epsom. A very old resident in the person of Mrs Marion M'Ewin, has passed away at Heleusville, in her 92nd year. On Tuesday Mr William Comfort Filmer died at Onehunga, aged 75-

As a result of persistent rumours that a brewery or beer depot was to be established on the border of the Ashburton No-license district, the boundary of which is only a mile outside the town, a member of the No-license Council telegraphed the Minister for Customs asking for a denial of the rumour as such action would be regarded as an outrage on public sentiment. Replying, Mr Millar stated that no permit for a depot had been granted, but the law did not require a permit for the erection of a brewery. Notification had been received, as required by law, that the brewery was about to be erected, but the matter- had not yet been dealt with. The Government would so far as it had power, endeavour to prevent the placing of any brewery o»* depot immediately on the boundaries of a No-liceuse district. The death-rate in London has dropped to the extraordinary low figure of 10 per 1000, which is lower than it has been for fifty years, A well-known London doctor attributes this to the decrease in horse traffic and increase of motor traffic. He points out that the litter caused by horse traffic spreads disease and disseminates infection, while the fumes of the motor-car are the finest disinfectant in the world. The general public, no doubt, will scoff at this opinion, but there is a great deal in it. If it were found that the motor-cars had the effect of considerably reducing the general mortality in towns it would, to a considerable extent, compensate for the few inconveniences which

follow in its wake. If a mother kisses her own child, does she commit an assault in the eye of the law ? That was the question which a Leeds Magistrate had to determine the other day, Mrs Annie Mitchell having been charged with assault by her seven year old son. It transpired that Mrs Mitchell and her husband had been separated, and had lived apart for some years. The boy, in describing the “assault,” which occurrred in the school play-, ground, said his mother caught hold of him and “gave him a good shaking, and said ‘ Kiss your mother, love.’ ” He had to struggle to get away. A witness said that the defendant “ nipped her arm round the boy’s neck and £ave him such a kiss. She seemed very glad to see her lad.” The Magistrate dismissed the summons.

A good election story comes from an inland town in the Stratford electorate. On a recent Saturday there arrived at the district store a flaxen-haired lady of ample proportions. r “ Well,” she said to the storekeeper, “de election vas over now.” ‘f Yes,” said the man ; ‘ ‘ I suppose you got your man in ? ” “Well, yes,” she replied; “I vote for Mr jkint” With a merry twinkle in his eye, and thinking of the fondness of her spouse for his frothing ‘/pint,” the storekeeper he/ if she voted for noflfcense, f No, I never vote for that,” said. “ I vote for de reduction, though, I think this—the prig® of beer vas too high. I think jfhere yas ought to be reduction, 4h ? ” It’s a new phase of the | “ reduction ” proposal, but there seetrfs no reason to doubt that this vicjj is taken by many who have n/m made themselves conversant yjfft the laV,

A committee meeting of the local Rowing Club will be held in the Hkrald office to-morrow evening at 7.30 o’clock. Business important.

An operation was performed on the knee of the four-year-old son of Mr O. Cook, at the Palmerston ' Hospital on Monday. The little fellow met with an accident recently through a fall. We regret to learn that he is not progressing as satisfactorily as was anticipated. Mr J. E. Reiter, who was a candidate for the Hurunul seat, contributed a touch of humour to the late contest. He announced himself, and addressed several meetings in various parts of the electorate. His political views were wild and wonderful, and he introduced a novel feature by taking up a collection at the close of each meeting to defray expenses. Nominations closed, however, without Mr Reiter’s name appearing'on the list. He explained afterwards in aggrieved tones, that he left ic to his supporters to nominate him and make the deposit, but no one took sufficient interest in his candidature to do so. .

Mr Byron Brown informs the Otaki Mail that the Shannon electors are not objecting to any action of Mr Field’s scrutineer, but to the man who acted for the “ Trade,” and to the Deputy Returning Officer, who, in spite of the “ objection of the police and Mr Brown’s scrutineer, insisted in allowing the “ Trade ” scrutineer to sit in such a position that he could overlook the voters as they marked their ballot papers. On this count Mr Brown’s Shannon supporters want to void the poll, and like the baby with the soap, “ won’t be happy until they get it.” Two of the men employed by Mr Mouat on bridge construction had a thrilling experience a few days ago, says the Grey River Argus. A young man named James Fitzgerald was workiug<ion a cliff overhanging Lord’s Creek, in a most precarious position. One of his mates, who was working some ten or 12ft above him, missed his footing, and was being precipitated head first down a nearly perpendicular incline, when, just at the critical moment, as he was going past, young Fitzgerald grabbed him by the ankle, and held him till a rope was obtained and both were rescued. Young Fitzgerald deserves the highest praise for his plucky action, in saving his mate from certain death at the imminent risk of his own life.

Once more we are drawing near to the time of the year when the chief topic of conversation centres round Father Christmas. The local Methodist Church has decided to hold a Christmas Fair on Wednesday evening next. There will be a short programme of vocal-items, and two Christmas trees, and a coffee supper in the Methodist schoolroom, specially decorated for the occasion. Special arrangements are being made to convey Father Christmas here by motor car and he is expected to arrive at the schoolroom about 8.30 with his usual bag of toys, also to shake hands with our young people and to wish them the compliments of the season. • Everything will be done to make the evening enjoyable both for youngiaud old. Admission is which will include supper. A large variety of toys will adorn the tree, and will be sold at prices to suit the young people. Wolfe’s Schnapps—A tonic that has stood the test of years.