LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 443, 15 December 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At 11.15 p. ra. on Sunday a sharp shock of earthquake was experienced in this district, accompanied by a rumbling noise. The oscillation was from east to west.

Out of 5000 apple trees planted in the Moroa orchard last spring there is only one failure—aud even that failure is not actually dead yet. Surely this is a record in fruit-planting. In the House of Commons, the Prime Minister, Mr Asquith, announced the withdrawal for this year of Mr Birrell’s Irish Band Bill aud the Town Planning Bill. It was, he said, hoped that the Irish Land Bill would be passed in 1909.

A Taranaki exchange o‘ Monday last had for its boat-race headings—“ The Skulling Match.” —“Preparing for the Fray.” This, says the indignant “ Wanganui Chronicle,” would be a more appropriate introduction to an account of the approaching Burns-Johnson contest. An office boy in Teuton, NJ. (writes a New York correspondent), holds a world’s record. Sammy Cracket!, said to be the oldest office boy in the world, is employed at the office of the Anvil Works, aud now occupies the same position he did when he first went to work there sixty-nine years ago.

A Pahiatua resident was robbed of his watch and chain at Woodville races on Wednesday, and his son had money and a totalisator ticket abstracted from his pocket. Two Palmerston residents were robbed of money while proceeding to Woodville in the train in the morning. The Standard says that possibly the work is that of the same gang that performed so effectively at the recent Waitara races.

There is a pretty smart little fellow in Carterton not yet three years old, of whom the following amusing anecdote is related by the News. He went into his grandmother’s room one morning, and finding her engaged in her devotions, seized the opportunity to annex something which he had been forbidden to touch. Fearful of interruption, and also a little conscience-stricken, he called out, “ go on praying, grannie, and say a prayer for Tommie too !”

Mr Wm. Jupp has instructed Mr ■Mounsey, auctioneer, of Palmerston N., to sell at his residence, Park Street, on Wednesday, 23rd inst., at 2 p.m., the whole of his high-class household furniture and effects, a list of the principal lines of which are advertised elsewhere in this issue. This sale offers a splendid opportunity to settlers who desire to purchase some really handsome furniture, A splendid kauri boat, gun, lawn mower, etc., will also be quitted.

Trout fishing under license conditions is a refined sport which offers the maximum physical and intellectual enjoyment at little or no risk of personal injury. Fishing stimulates the growth of habits of carefulness, patience, and intelligent application —habits which often prove strong factors in life’s success. Messrs E. Reynolds and Co., Ltd., who have one of the most up-to-date and complete fishing tackle emporiums in New Zealand, have an announcement offering complete outfits suitable for Chrismast presents. Let your boy fish.*

A repoit on the condition of a teachers’ residence and couched in language calculated to move a heart of stone was forwarded to the Education Board some three months ago, states the Eketahuna Express, but the purport has evidently had no effect, for at the recent meeting of the school committee the head-teacher complained that the back of the range was still burnt out, that the paper still hung loosely on the walls, that the rooms still let in the sunshine and the rain, and that there was still a likelihood of the tankstand crumbling to pieces.

At the Police Court, Auckland, last week, Henderson and Pollard admitted a charge of having failed to afford to certain of their employees a reasonable opportunity of recording their votes at the general election on November 17th. Mr Mays said that the occupiers of the factory were bound to allow sufficient time for their men to exercise their votes. They thought the votes could be exercised during dinner time or after 5 o’clock, They had misunderstood" the provisions of the Act. As this was the first case of the kind. His Worship inflicted a fine of 20s and costs.

, With the rush of a splendid : farming season now on (says the ; Post), the Railway Department is i working night and day to get the produce through to the ships for export. The magnitude of its . present operations may be judged by the fact that it took as many as 50 waggons of the air-cooled and refrigerating type to bring down Wairarapa’s quota of cheese alone for shipment by the Corinthic last week. Eight years ago four or five waggons would have sufficed. In addition to the cheese from the 'Wairarapa, there were about 60 trucks of frozen meat and a hundred tr/Rcks of tallow ; 23 thousand Jbarcases were loaded in a single day; To cope with this : enprmous traffic, trains are ruhnJhg into Wellington all through J me night. j J Messrs Hausen and Co., General J /Merchants, Shbrland, Thames, N.Z., j f says: “From our experience in selling Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera and ,1) arrhoea Remedy *we are satisfied•that a few doses, of it is sufficient to cure ’anyone suffering-from ■ colic, diatrrfigea:, -or pains iu tlfc For aa v le ererywhere.'—Anyi.. > ' ,

A lost muff diaiu with ivory tiki attached is advertised for.

The Borough Council call for tenders for carting. Tenders close at 7 p.m. on December 21st.

Mr P. H. Rae-Howard advertises a cheap home on very easy terms in this issue, any one wishing to get a home for themselves should not miss this opportunity.

Attention is directed to the sale of the late Mrs Whyte’s properties and furniture, etc., which will take place at her late residence in Clyde Street, to-morrow afternoon, commencing at 1 o’clock. Mr Corson has instructed Percy M. Page, to sell by auction on Saturday next, a fine consignment of Christmas toys, valued at As the whole line must be quitted during the afternoon, everything will be submitted absolutely without reserve.

We are asked to state that the Yerex Studio has received such encouragement during the past fortnight that it will not now be closed as intimated in a previous issue. As the work is equal to city productions, it is hoped that residents will support local industry.* Last evening about the takings for the day by the municipal trams, Wellington, disappeared from the tramway receiving office. At 8.30 this morning a clerk went to the safe to get some keys, and noticed that the cash had vanished. He found the door of the safe open. The lock had not been broken.

The following team will represent Debaters in the match against Himatangi to be played on Victoria Park to-morrow afternoon, play commences at 2 p.ra.—Betty, Eittlejohn, Stiles, McCall, Johnston, J. Bowe, Death, J. Walden, F. Edlin, W. Bowe, Connolly, Emerg. Gordon.

An invitation to visit the Xmas Fair which opened at the Bon Marche on Saturday appears in another column. Great interest was shown by the numerous buyers on Saturday, but possibly the chief excitement centred round blouses and millinery, of which there are beautiful stocks of new goods, and the prices are tempting.* Our saddler is always up-to-date and anyone now wanting anything in the way of saddles, harnesses, or any fancy goods for Christmas presents, should call and inspect the new stock Mr Bullard has just received direct from England, These goods are too numerous to particularise, but you should not fail to see the “ Merry Widow ” hand bags at once, as a rush has already set in for them. See advertisement in our next issue.*

The maxim that it is better to be born lucky than rich, was illustrated by a story told of the rise in the price of wool. An influential farmer of Hawke’s Bay was approached to deal with his clip privately, and consented to do so. He named his price at 8d per lb, but the prospective buyer placed his value at and the difference of %d blocked the transaction. The projected deal was cried off. Recently the farmer sold his wool for nd per lb, and the fact of his sticking to his side of the debatable put ,£6OO in his pocket. And yet they say farmers have no luck !

Mr G. W. Russell, who captured the Avon seat at the recent election is not unknown to old Foxton residents. Together with his brother, who is now part proprietor of the Dannevirke Advocate, he established the Manawatu Herald, subsequently selling out to the late Mr Thynne. In the early eighties he unsuccessfully contested the Manawatu seat. Mr P. Hennessy, who supported him at that time, recently sent a 6ongratulatory telegram to Mr Russell, and has received a suitable acknowledgment. Old residents will be pleased to hear of Mr Russell’s success, and they may rest assured that they have a friend at court.

A sample brick, the result of much experiment by the inventor, Mr W. Hayter, of Taumaranui, and formerly of Onehunga, is described as a product of pumice, of which there is an unlimited supply in the interior of the North Island, and is tapped by the newlyopened Main Trunk line. The brick is stated to be of splendid texture, being almost as solid as quartz, and capable of receiving a good glazed surface. The marvel is that so light and snuffy a substance can be so compressed. The sample shown is hard enough and apparently as durable as granite. It is claimed that bricks can be manufactured at fifty per cent, below the cost of clay bricks. The pumice brick can be put through all the stages of manufacture and be ready for use within a few hours.

Messrs Ross and Sutherland, of the Wairarapa, who have just returned to New Zealand, have informed the Tourist Department that, while the /Franco-British Exhibition generally was most attractive, New Zealand’s display, was unworthy ofthe occasion. There was plenty ot-gpod material, but it was most indifferently disIher hand (says ming Post), the ealand has been the pulpit in Ealand preacher :ter his sermon a merchant who more about the people of these ie preacher gave i mation he pos-1 letails which did mlpit discourse,, mended his intW Tourist Deich he- did', ;ea--| Dfpostage.