LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 448, 14 January 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Krupp’s factory is constructing an aerial torpedo tor use from airships. At the inquest at Auckland bn Dr. Orford Jones, a verdict was'returned that death was due to the accidental administration-of an overdose of morphia.

The potato blight has again appeared at Taradale, .near Napier. The Napier Daily Telegraph, referring to the unwelcome visitation, says that a method of saving 'tubers three-parts grown (after .flooring) when attacked by blight, is to pluck up at once all the haulum, or \gp, ;,By this means the virus of the disease is prevented from passing down the stems into the tubers, which ripen in safety. One grower in the district has saved crops three times in succession by adopting the rhethod described.

' Groat dissolution sale at Watchorn. Stiles’ and Oo.’s on Saturday, January Ibth. Remember, for H days only.* It may not be generally known, says an exchange, that the length of tnc day and night at any time of the year may be easily ascertained by doubling the time of the sun’s setting for the length of the day, and doubling the time of its rising for that of the night. The body of a man was found in the Upper Harbour, Dunedin yesterday morning. Some of his clothes bore the name of J. Ross. He was well dressed, and there was money in his pockets. He wore gold sleeve-links, bearing the initials “J. R.” He was a man of about 35, of stout build. The Masterton court was packed at noon on Monday when the License petition came on, and included in the crowded auditorium was a large sprinkling of ladies. Very great interest wns centered in the result, and the proceedings were listened to by those in the body of the Court with considerable zest. A man once backed himself for a large amount, whicli he subsequently lost, to move an ordinary brick attached to two miles of cord along a level road outside Chicester (says Fry’s Magazine). He failed to move the brick, and it may roughly be estimated that the Iriction of the cord on the load increased the weight of the brick (about ylb) and cord to a dead weight of not far short of a ton. Mr R. Jones, of Tokaanu, writes as follows : “ Both brown and rainbow trout are plentiful in the lake and rivers here. The largest brown recorded this season went zzlbs, it having been caught by Mr A. Prouse, of Wanganui; the largest rainbow went xyjlbs, and was caught by Mr Webster, of the Old Country. Both fish were fine specimens. izlb and 141 b rainbow are plentiful, also brown up to zolb. The fishing will be first-class up to the end of this month.

A party of Russian gentlemen are at present staying in Wellington, The object of the visitors is to investigate New Zealand’s land for settlements schemes. They have recently been in Manila, and intend visiting Australia in the interests of a party of goo families representing 2000 persons with a capital of between £50,000 and £60,000, which they desire to invest in land settlement in these colonies. They have had an interview with the Undersecretary for Lands. The names of the leaders of the party are Vladimir, Pisaenke and W. Sleiffner.

An advertisement in Saturday’s Otago Daily Times runs (or rather marches with stately stride) as follows “ Wanted, Lady Cook, kitchenmaid kept; salary £1 per week.” The day of the patrician potman, the motoring milliner, the dashing dustman (able to waltz), the contralto charwoman, the golfing groom, and the halftone butler is dawning fast. ‘Wages ’ have given place to 1 salaries,’ and byand"bye Percival, the plodding ploughman, and Dorothea, the draggled dairymaid, will require cheques tor the amount of their stipends to be forwarded to their respective post.al addresses.

In our advertising columns it will be seen that Mrs Hamer, of the Economic, is contemplating giving up business, and is therefore prepared to make great sacrifices. The large and varied stock she keeps is well-known and this opportunity to purchase cheaply should not be overlooked. Mrs Hamer desires to reduce her stock by at least half so that she may dispose of her business as early as possible. We advise our readers to see her prices before buying elsewhere, as no object is gained by sending money out of town when you can buy as cheaply at home and see exactly what you are getting for your money. At the Coromandel Police Court, Chales S. Legge, letter carrier and counter band at the local post office, was charged with stealing two sums amounting to £4g 16s gd, the property of the Government. Legge, on December 22nd, reported to the police that the post office had been robbed and the cash stolen from the safe. On December 24 he was arrested. Two days later he confessed that he had taken the money himself, arid he showed where it was planted. The police recovered £35, and the deficit was made good. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed.

There is a certain citizen of Wellington who is firmly convinced that he had an exceedingly narrow escape from gavroters the other night. It had been considered necessary by the police to put on a couple of men iu plain clothes to watch a certain house, and the two constables detailed for the task had taken up their position in a dark corner, which they considered was invisible from the street. They had been there some time, when along came a well-dressed man with his hands in bis pockets, and whistling to show that he at least was not afraid to be out in the dark. The constables “ lay low,” and as the .pedestrian drew opposite them (hey were surpiised to see him stop, stare iu their direction for a second or two, and then take to Ins heels iu the direction in which bo had come.

The New York newspapers are urging the police to exterminate the gangs maintained by various Tammany politicians for the purpose of intimidating voters on election days. The Daily Telegraph quotes the pricelist for services by the gangs, which may be retained by others than Tammany politicians. The details are copied from the original slnd accepted tariff of the Kelly and Humpty Jackson gangs, the two chief gangs of New York A sound punching, 8s ; both eyes blacked, r6s; nose and jaw cracked, £2; black-jacked out, .£3 15s; leg or arm broken. £4; ear chewed off, £3 15s; shot in the ieg £5 ; stab wound, £5; doing the big job, £2O. The last item spells murder. “ Money down ”is always stipulated for, and there is no reduction on big orders.

A young man named Hocking, who is employed on Mr Veale’s Trethella farm, near Woodville, had a terrible experience with a purebred Jersey bull last Wednesday. Luckily the bull was dehorned otherwise Hocking could not have lived many seconds. The bull made a rush for him in the paddock close to the milking shed, and the first butt sent Hocking five or six yards-. Before the young man could get on to his feet, the bull charged him again, and sent, him another dozen feet, and continued' butting the unfortunate fellow until one hundred yards had been covered. A neighbour, Mr Maisey, noticed the occurrence from his place, and immediately gave the alarm, and Hocking was rescued just in; time. Strange to say no hones were broken, but Hocking will be stiff and sore for some* days yet, The Examiner says there is no exaggeration about this incident, as its reporter measured the distance Hocking was butted by the bull. WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS stands preeminent among stimulants and cordials,

Farther additions are made to the Hhnatangi stock sale list. ’ The monthly sitting of (he S.M. Court takes place to-morrow. , Mr Gannaway, postmaster at Foxton many years ago, is on a visit here spending a few clays with old friends.

A social is to be tendered to Mr Barrowclough, late headmaster of the Moutoa school, at the schoolhouse tomorrow night. The Westport News gives currency to a report that the Greymonth and Westport Harbour Boards are to be dissolved, the Government taking over direct supervision. . According to the Perth Morning Herald, John Norton, of Sydney Truth, has been confined in a private hospital or asylum in the Old Country, and is unlikely to re-appear in Australia. Mr William Harvey, who is about to retire from the headmastership of All Saints’ School, Cricklewood, England, has scholars in his school who are grandchildren of his first pupils.

Mr K. Morley, dog tax collector, notifies that the tax can be paid to him at Mr Rae-Howard’s office daily between the hours of 10 a.m, and 4 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A girl named May Thomas, nineteen years of age, died in St. Arnaud (Victoria) Hospital recently from blood poisoning, which was brought on through her using a darning needle to prick a pimple on her face, Messrs Millar and Giorgi, the “ great outfitters,” of Palmerston North, advise our readers that they will save money by visiting their sale of men’s clothing and mercery. Orders by post will receive every attention. Satisfaction guaranteed.* The inquest on Treleaven, who was kicked by a performing horse at Whangarei in O’Neill’s ci cus, and whose death was recorded in our last issue, revealed the fact (hat death was not due to a kick, but to the diseased slate of the body. A verdict was returned accordingly, the jury adding that death had been accelerated by excitement and drinking. News was received at Feilding of an alleged attempt by Mrs Bowen, wife cf the engineer of the Kiwitea County Council, to destroy herself by cutting her arms and rib with a razor at Kimbolton on Monday. Dr Beddie was sent for and attended to the suffeier’s injuries. It will be many weeks before Mrs Bowen recovers.

Mr W. Mainwaring, who has been a member ot the local Post Office staff for the past four years, has been transferred to the Wellington South Post Office. Mr Mainwaring has proved himself a very obliging official, and his many friends will wish him success in his new sphere of labour. He left Foxton yesterday. Bishop Anderson, of Riverina, who attended the Pan-Anglican Conference, speaking at Hay, New South Wales, the other day, said that churchgoing in England was not what it might be. He attributed this to the fact that people were living in a frivolous age of week-end parties. This evil was not only in England ; it was in Australia, too. If such frivolity of materialism continued the nation was bound to suffer.

A farmer the other day drove out to Broken River, about eight miles from Shepparton (Vic.) to visit a camp, where he was told he would find some men. On arrival at the camp he saw several men about. One was lying on his back, apparently fast asleep. On his breast was pinned a card, bearing the words: “ Please don’t wake me under ten bob a day.” The man was not disturbed, and the farmer continued his search tor labourers in other directions.

An inquest was held at Mr Hartley’s store, Oroua Downs, before Alf. Fraser Esq., District Coroner, this morning, touching the fire which destroyed Mr A W. Jones’ five-roomed dwelling, Mr R. Moore appeared for the Commercial Union Insurance Co., Mr Spencer for the South British and Sub-Inspector O’Donovan appeared on behalf of the police. After hearing evidence of two witnesses the inquiry was adjourned to Foxton, at 10.30 a.m. on Monday next.

Twenty-two criminals are awaiting execution in France. There has been no capital punishment since 1905, Four murderers were publicly guillotined at Bethune, Pas-de-Calais, the other day, in accordance with the Chamber’s decision maintaining capital punishment. [President Fallieres, since his election in January, 1906, has refused to sign death-warrants; as he objects to capital punishment. The Chamber of Deputies recently affirmed the principle of execution by the guilotine.]

A child ten months old, daughter of Sydenham parents, met her death in an unusual way on Saturday evening. She was put to bed in her cot at 6.30 o’clock. The mother went into the kitchen, and later found the child with its head nipped between two of the curved bars of the cot framing. The child had evidently put its head through the bars and fallen. The neck was caught in the narrowing width, and suffocation followed. At an inquest yesterday, a verdict of accidental death was returned.

Three young men from Stratford who went to Wellington for theii Christinas gained some expensive experience. On reaching the Empire City the travellers put up at a hostelry noted as the resort of country people, and on being shown to their bedrooms asked for the keys, but were informed that these necessary articles had been lost.. Nothing daunted, our friends in due course retired to bed, one of the number, however, taking the precaution of putting his money under the pillow. On awakening next morning all three found that they had been relieved of tfieir valuables, even to railway return tickets, pipes, and tobacco 0. —Post.