LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 17 April 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sparks Philp, hotelkeeper, Foxton, has been adjudged bankrupt •on the petition of his creditors, A cricket match is being played on the Park pitch to-day between a local team and a team from the Sanson Cricket Club. In another column the Commissioner of Taxes draws attention to the fact that owners of land must send in their returns on or before May x next. At the Mauawatu County Council meeting on Wednesday, the chairman pointed out that although the Hospital Board levy was 6s 6d per this year, it was anticipated that next year it would be reduced to ,-js 6d.

Subscribers are reminded that the Hkkai.d quarterly accounts are issued, and we should esteem as a favour prompt settlement of same.*

The secretary of the Albion Football Club acknowledges receipt of donations from Messrs Edward Newmau, F. W. Frankland and John Stevens. At Wednesday’s Manawatu County Council meeting it was resolved, on the motion of Cr McKenzie, that the overseer be iustructed to improve the Oroua Downs siding at a cost not to exceed £6. Five occupants of one of the Gisborne hotels are suffering from ptomaine poisoning, supposed to be due to the eating of tinned peaches. The patients were confined to their beds on Tuesday but are now improving.

Mr S. H. Baker has disposed of his farm in the Avenue to Mr Thompson, of Nireaha, and has purchased from him his property of 705 acres there. Mr Baker will take up his residence at Nireaha within the next two months.

Unquestionably the finest stock of new and fashionable goods ever opened up in Palmerston is now to be seen at the Bon Marche, where Messrs C. M. Ross and Co. have on display a magnificent stock of the latest goods of the London season in ladies' jackets, costumes, millinery, furs, neckwear, and general underwear."' Owing to non-payment of the necessary fees, no fewer than 169 subscribers to the Napier telephone exchange were cut off last Wednesday morning. In practically every case the default was due to oversight, although due notice had been given by the department; and those whose subscriptions were overdue, on realising the position, lost no time making their payments. Melba can scarcely have a valet, but she has a butler, described by an Australian writer as a grim, vigilant, black-clothed being, who is in evidence at every concert, and has a systematic way of carting off the superfluous vegetable heaved at his employer. The Melba entourage is small and concise. It includes Secretary Agues Murphy, Under-Secretary Annie Moore, Baritone Ranalow, with his Irish smileand pretty wife; also the grim buried-looking butler, and Fifi, the French maid. The Manawatu County Council is in an excellent financial position. It has of late years, been gradually reducing the overdraft until it ended the year ending March 31, only £6OO to the bad. Even this is a paper debit balance, as there is rates to bank and the Foxtou Borough Council owes to the Council being a loan raised to pay the cost of repairing the Whirokino Bridge, the cost of repairs having already been paid by the Manawatu Council.

Commenting on the rumour that the Hon J. Carroll is going out of the Ministry, the News (Christchurch) says : “Mr Carroll has become such a confirmed exponent of ‘Taihoa’ that it must be terribly irksome to him to sign departmental papers and collect his a year. Mr Ngata would really be doing him a kindness to relieve him of so much work, and Mr Carroll could retire to the Upper House, where it doesn't matter much whether a member takes part in what' is going on or not.’’

The average age of pupils attending Std. VI. classes in the various schools under th e Wanganui Education Board, is as follows: —Eltham D.H., 13 years 10 months ; Havvera D.H. i4yrs ; Queen’s Park, 13 years 11 fnonths; Marton D.H., 14 years; Feilding D.H., 14 years 4 months ; Campbell Street, 14 years i month ; Foxton, 14 years 6 months ; Manaia, 13 years ir months; Waverley, 13 years 10 months ; Turakina, 14 years 4 months ; Apiti, 13 years 9 months; Raetihi, 13 years 2 months. A pitiful case of poverty was revealed in the Eondon City Coroner’s Court on February 2 at an inquiry into the death of Jane Alice Noble, the three-year-old child of parents living at 14 Sydney Grove, Gosvvell road, Clerkemvell. The little girl was burnt to death during the mother’s absence. Mrs Norah Noble, who looked very ill, said she came out of the workhouse five weeks prior to Christmas. Her husband, who had been out of work for a long while, then had a small job to do. Coroner Waldo : “How much do you earn between you a week ? ”, “ Two and sixpence, sir.’’ “But you can’t live on that? ” —“ We have managed the best we can, and have a pennyworth of coal and a pennyworth ot bread,’’ “ How much rent do you pay?” “ Two shillings a week.’’ The Corner: “That only leaves you sixpence a week to live on,’’ The coroner’s officer said he had visited the room in which Mrs Noble, her husband, and three children lived, and found it exceedingly clean, but there was scarcely anything in the place. The Nobles slept on a table, which was covered with a blanket and rug. There‘was no chair in the room, and there was not a scrap of food in the clipboard. The only furniture was a table and a box, the latter being used as a cot. Dr Waldo said it was a very sad thing that in the largest city in the world such a case could possibly be recorded. He would give the poor mother 10s out of the poor box. The coroner also gave her is 6d with which to buy a fire-guard. Yet we in New Zealand talk of poverty! Do not forget you can buy the newest in Ladies’ Winter Jackets at sale prices fnr 1 d«.y§ only. ft. JJ, •?t'les, ?:

In our report of the recent State f/ School concert, we inadvertently omitted to mention the fact that the trident and helmet used for the tableau “ Britannia,” were the workmanship of Mr Hopper, who very kindly presented them for the school, free of charge.

There will be no 8 o’clock celebration of the Holy Communion on Sunday at All Saints’ Church. The xr o’clock service and also the evening service will be taken by the Rev Vincent Kendrick, assistant curate of All Saints,’ Palmerston North. The first of a series of socials under the auspices ot the Presbyterian Church, will be held in,the Masonic Hall on Monday evening next. The programme is being arranged by Messrs Clarice and McCall. Refreshments will be provided and an enjoyable evening is promised.

The mission services which have been so successfully held at the Primitive Methodist Church will be continued on Sunday, when the evangelisi. will conduct the final services both mo,rning and evening, taking tor the evening subject the ‘‘.social line,” so come early and secure a seat. Please biing Sankey’s hymn book. Prayer meeting in the school-room at 6.15 p.ra.*

The Rev Mr Budd, of Feilding, will conduct both morning and evening services at the local Presbyterian Church to-morrow. Mr Budd is cuiisidered to be one ot the most promising of the young ministers in the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and he should attract large congregations at both services. Mr Aitkert will conduct the services at Feilding.

Considerable discussion took place at Wednesday's Manawatu County Council Meeting as to the respective merits of totara and black birch for railway sleepers. Cr R. B. McKenzie pointed out that totara used in the old Foxton tramway over thirty years ago was still in a good state of preservation. The concensus of opinion was that sand was destructive to the timber.

Visitors to Taupo have had a magnificent view of the activity of Mount Ngauruhoe during the last week or two, the huge volumes of smoke which are being belched out continually forming a striking feature on the horizon. Close observers believe that there is more than one point of activity. Last week the steam appeared to issue from the lowerj slope of the cone in the vicinity of the spot known as Te Mare. This week the eruption proceeded from the crater on the summit of the mountain. The sight thus provided is not likely to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. A despatch from Cleveland to the New York Tribune records another remarkable outcome from the religious revival movement which has been in progress in the State of Ohio for some time, and has been attended by striking results. Some time ago a body of n,ooo revivalists pledged themselves to live for a fortnight exactly “as Christ would live if He were on earth.” This experiment it appears has proved so successful that three of the principal religious institutions of Ohio—the Christian Endeavourers, the Epworth Leaguers, and the Baptist Young People’s Union — have banded themselves together to engineer a national “ Live Like Christ” movement. The despatch adds that efforts are to be made to secure at least 6,000,000 adherents to this national movement.

In connection with complaints made concerning the alleged defective arrangements for the transport of troops in Canterbury for the Easter manoeuvres, the General Manager of Railways saysi “Thereis always trouble in regard to volunteers. They consider in«many cases that they should receive much-greater consideration than is extended to the ordinary public, and yet they are supposed to be acting under war conditions. We do the best we can for them, but our experience has not been at all satisfactory. There is a considerable lack of discipline, and as a general rule, we don’t get much assistance from the officers. At the Oringi encampment things went off very successfully, and officers worked admirably and gave every assistance. We only have a certain amount of rolling stock and I take it that women and children have the first claim on covered carriages. Most of the volunteers are young men, and most of them would put up with far greater inconvenience to attend an athletic contest or play in a football match.”