LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 23 March 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-morrow the Rev N. Triberg will take the Renton Service in All Saints’ Church at 7.30 p.m. A third patient from Wearne’s mill, Perth, has succumbed to the plague. We acknowledge an invitation from the Shannon Rodge of Druids to be present at the official opening of the new Druids’ Hall on Thursday, April Ist. A member of a colonial firm manufacturing boot-polish told a Gisborne Herald representative that New Zealand sent ,£22,000 abroad last year for imported bootpolishes. A meeting of the Foxton Borough Council will be held on Wednesday next, at 7.30 o’clock. Business, to amend the District Electors’ Roll, to consider tenders for carting and general. The warship Voudertann, known as a cruiser, was launched at Hamburg with great secrecy. The vessel has a tonnage of 19,000, and is fitted with turbine engines. Its crew numbers 900. The Rev. A. E. Worsley, vicar of St. Mary’s, Revin, has resigned his charge and accompanied by Mrs Worsley and family, leaves Wellington tor England next Thursday by the R.M.S. Athenic. On Friday evening the temperance party presented Mr Worsley with a book on “ Plant Rife ” in recognition of his services as president of the No-Riceuse Reague. The Rev. T. F. Jones (Methodist) made the presentation.

A dead body, which proved on investigation to be that of ode of victims of the Penguin wreck, Mr H. J. Underwood, of Newtown, was discovered on Sunday afternoon on the coast near Titahi Bay. We regret to have to record the death of Gladys, the six-year-old daughter ot Mr and Mrs John Westwood, which took place at their residence Purcell Street, at an eaily hour this morning. The little one had been in very indifferent health for about twelve months. The funeral will take place to-morrow. A general meeting of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce is advertised to take place in the secretary’s office at 7.30 o’clock this evening, when the President’s report will be submitted and general business transacted. A lull attendance of members is requested. According to a report furnished by Mr lv J. King, of Hakodate, United States Consul, almost ten per cent, of the population of Japan is actively engaged in or depending on the ocean for a livelihood, and the value of the fish and other marine products amounts to over £ 10,000,000 a year.

An “old timer’’ in shipping circles informed a Lyttelton Times reporter the other day that the “first direct cargo of Baltic pine came to New Zealand in 1866 or 1867, probably in a vessel called the Helga, and there were one or two previous similar importations How there could be importations previous to the first is not quite clear. Holiday-makers will be pleased to learn that it is the intention of Messrs Levin and Co. to make an excursion to Kapiti Island 011 Good Friday next, with the s.s. Queen of the South, if circumstances permit. This will be the first excursion to Kapiti from Foxton for some years. Full particulars of the excursion will be advertised later.

For some time past a block- of Wellington city properties on Lambton - quay known as the Evans Elstate block has been gradually changing hands. The owner, who is a grandson of Dr Evans, the original purchaser, now resides in England. Most of the estate has been sold, Mr R. Hannah being a large investor. Roughly, the frontages disposed of total 364 ft, and the average price realised was .£320 a foot, or ,£117,000 in all. Detective J. Cassells, who has been connected with the detective force for nine years, has been transferred by the Commissioner of Police to Palmerston North, Detective Quirke, who is at present stationed at Palmerston North, being on orders to take Detective, Cassells’ place at Wellington. During the time he has been connected with the detective branch of the police force in Wellington, Mr Cassells has done excellent service in keeping the criminal element iu check, aud in 1907, when three burglars were convicted, was recommended by his Honour, Mr Justice Cooper, for special recognition. A long truancy is being set up by a young man named Albert William Foote, who escaped from the care of the Burnham Industrial School authorities last November. He successfully maintained his liberty until the middle of last month, when he was arrested at Wakamarina aud lodged in the Blenheim gaol. The bars of the prison, however, were not strong enough to restrain the youth, aud it was not long before he freed himself. Subsequently he was rearrested in the Wairoa Gorge, where he was working under an assumed name. When the constable and his charge were proceeding along a track overlooking a steep bank, the youth dashed down the cliff aud again escaped. Since Foote obtained his liberty on this last occassion nothing has been seen of him. His present whereabouts are supposed to be somewhere between Nelson and Westport. He is a well built youth, sft roin in height, aud weighing i2st.

A London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald says that if a total stranger to London wants to go to a distant locality and has no idea where it is, the best way is to walk into the General Post-office and demand to be despatched. It will seem at first a curious demand, but it will have no morbid effect upon a young lady behind the wire screen at the counter. All she says is: “ Threepence a mile, please,” and “ What address ? ” You will pay in advance. She knows the distances. When you have paid, a button is pressed, and a messenger boy appears. He takes the voucher, aud off you go in his care. If you wish to ride you may do so, paying your own fare only. If you walk, the messenger boy conducts you most carefully, makes a way for you through the thronging sidewalks, and at each crossing waits for the traffic to be held up and takes no risks whatever. It may occur to the “parcel,” especially if it be one of the feminine variety —that some of the shop windows are worth inspection. She may loiter and look at them if she pleases, but it is a variation from the contract, and must be paid for. The parcel arrives finally at the appointed place, the messenger takes a receipt for him or her, aud the transaction is complete. The utility of this human parcel service is endless. Messenger boys convey country visitors from railway stations to the suburbs. They take parties of children to pantomine matinees, and call for them when the per.formauce is over. Deaf, blind, and lame people are conducted all over London in perfect safety.

In . the Rugby international Scotland beat' Ehgiarid by goals and one try to a goal and a try on Sunday last. Mr P. H. Rae-Howard notifies that he has landed 47 cases of peaches which he is quitting at 3s 6d per case. At the local police court yesterday morning, before F. W. Frankland, Esq., J.P., a first-offending drunkard was convicted and discharged. Mr Perry, of the Newtown Museum, is about to attempt to hatch tuatara lizards’ eggs. Fourteen months is the time the process takes. He should borrow a few politicians session time —they will sit light. A despondent - looking landhunter, who had taken part in 23 . land ballots for • Crown lands, mournfully told a representative of the North Otago Times that he had grown grey in the effort to draw'the right marble, and had now given it up as a bad job. Some Wellington speculators are about to make an effort to obtain salvage from the hull of the ship Ben Avon, which was wrecked in Palliser Bay some years ago. Amongst the cargo was some £2OOO worth of jewellery and plate.

The lecture in All Saints' Schoolroom to-night will be given by the Rev Nils Friberg. The subject will be “Environment.” It is hoped many will avail themselves of these fortnightly lectures as a means of acquiring knowledge.

The sun and moon will cross the equator in the course of a few days, the moon then also being at the nearest point to the earth in its course. Mr Stevenson, F.R.A.S., of Auckland, regards this time, from now till 25th March, as a likely earthquake period. He says that the earth’s surface has been shaken up so much by recent disturbances that it is not possible to forecast the next few weeks with any certainty.

A Wellington correspondent reports as a matter of interest to ironfounders throughout the Dominion that tenders were invited some time ago by the Mines Department for the supply of a boiler and sawmilling plant, but Cabinet decided not to accept any tender, as a very favourable offer has been received of an up-to-date sawmilling plant in full working order, for a sum considerably below the tendered prices. for air-receivers are still under consideration.

The interior of the Primitive Methodist Church presented a very pleasing appearance on Sunday evening last, on the occasion of the annual Harvest Festival. The attendance was excellent, and the tasteful decorations aud display of fruit and vegetables added greatly to the attractiveness of the service. The Rev. Mr Mairs preached an appropriate and stirring sermon. The solo, “ Nearer My God to Thee,” was beautifully rendered by Mrs Clarke, of Wellington, and the choir, under the able and efficient couductorship of the Rev. Mr Mairs, sang a spirited anthem in good style.

An extraordinary accident happened to a young man named Arthur Williams, employed as a wheat lumper at the Hopetoun railway station, last week (says the Melbourne Argus). The night being very hot, he decided to sleep on the top of a stack of wheat 17 bags high. Shortly after midnight he dreamt that he was at work and appeared to see a load of wheat approaching. He arose to hasten towards the load, with the result that he walked right off the stack, aud only awakened when he struck the ground about 2oft below. He is now under medical care, suffering from a broken wrist and bruises on various parts of the body.

A boy named Godfrey, eight years of age, was attacked by a vicious dog at Mount View near Cessnock (N.S.W-) last week, and torn about in an awful manner. Luckily, a woman happened to hear the boy’s screams, and rescued him from the dog. Dr. Crooke was hurriedly sent for and attended the sufferer. Seventeen stitches were inserted in various parts of the lad’s legs and body. Pieces of flesh were bitten clean , out, and the animal’s teeth had made punctures all over the body. The boy was conveyed to the Maitland Hospital, his condition being regarded as serious; The dog was immediately destroyed.

A gentleman who is. well-known in Hawke’s Bay as a sportsman and in connection with freezing works and pastoral pursuits, raised a laugh in the Supreme Court, Napier, the other day—even Mr Justice Edwards joining in the hilarity—by his actual or assumed ignorance of Holy Writ. He had given evidence as to dealings in i stock, aud as to the difference be-fl tween prices asked for by and offered by sellers. Then Mr Coruford got up to cross-examine, and started thus : “ I suppose you have heard the quotation from an old book, a very old book, ‘.lt is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer ; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.’?” The witness hesitated but a moment, and then he said : “ Yes, I have heard that quotation; but I haven’t read the book !”