LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 464, 1 July 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr Hogg, ex-Minister for Labour, has consented to d ;liver an address at Wanganui. The invitation was sent by representatives of labour union.

Thus a woman writing to the Taranaki Hospital Board with re-ference-to an account for hospital maintenance of her husband, who is now in another hospital:— “You will have to wait. . . .

I can do nothing till he is dead or better.”

Mr George Gibson, a very old and respected resident of Westland died the other day, the Westport Times reports, at the age of 74 years. Mr Gibson has resided for many years on his farm, Cape Foulwind, where he had reared a large family. Radium is rapidly enhancing in . value. Dr W. H. Hosking informed the Masterton Daily Times that the most recent quotation hie has received is £2O per milligram. A milligram is the thousandth part of a gram, which latter is equal tonearly 15£ grains Troy weight, so that a grain of radium would be worth 'approximately something approaching ,£I3OO. In reply to a note from Belgium, which merely repeated the former assurance regarding Belgium’s intentions, Sir : Edward Gray iptimated that Britain was unable to recognise the Belgium Government ip. the Congo until it was clear that the abuses of taxation and forced labour which are indistinguishable 8 from sjavery have ceased, and the treatment of the natives assimilated to that found in other European colonies,

When the religious instruction class began at All Saints* Church it was decided that a small prize should be given by the vicar to the best boy and girl for attendance. The attendance marks are made up on the 30th June and 31st of December. The winners for the first half-year are Doris Small and John Vidulich, who both obtained full marks. On his arrival at the Masterton railway station on Saturday night, Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P., who was accompanied by his wife and some members of his family, received a most hearty welcome from a considerable number of leading citizens. The Masterton Band turned out and played a number of selections. Mr Hogg addressed a numerous gathering of citizens from the balcony of the Club hotel. Items of interest in reference to the three large road races coming off, are: J. Colling wood, Esq., Feildiug, has kindly accepted the position as handicapper ; the Dunlop Rubber Coy. are presenting a set of tyres to 2nd place in each race; the course decided on is the Rangitikei line and Bunnytborpe block (twice round for the first two races). Entries close for the race first on Thursday, July Bth, and forms may be obtained from Mr E. Pees, Secretary, Nonpareil Cycle and Motor Coy. One of the most extraordinary phenomena of the present day, in all parts oi the civilised world (says the Hawera Star) is the prevalence of suicide. Nearly every paper that one takes up contains an account of one or more suicides, and these acts of selfdestruction are not confined to any one class ot society; they are perpetrated by the rich and the poor, the satiated and the starving, the ignorant and the intellectual. Statistics from all quarters of the globe convey the same story. The following are the results of the recent National Dairy Show guessing competitions: Weight of pig bs) guessed by Mrs S. R. Lancaster (Aokautere), Miss Mabel Smith (Palmerston North), Messrs J. G. Peers (Shannon), J. Hall (190 Main Street; Palmerston North), G. Euxford (Palmerston North), S. Gray (Colyton), G. Macdonald (Palmerston North); weight of gobbler, rooster and goose (2o|lbs) guessed by Messrr George Finn (Wellington), R. Lloyd (Stoney Creek) and Fred E. Selby (Palmerston North); weight of sheep (68Jlbs) guessed by Mrs S. R. Lancaster (Aokautere), Mrs Cleland (Palmerston North) and Mrs B. Eloyd (Palmerston North). The principal estates certified for stamp duty from the Wellingdistrict during June were:— Thomas C. Taylor ,£18,414, Geo. Milnes .£5970, Wm. Rowlands T. H. I. Howie ,£4769, Wm. Scott £3506, Ina K. Harvey ,£2297, Andrew H. Anderson £ 1776, John Ritchie /1550, Whitcombe Nicholls Francis G. Fulton Thos, Hall Jas. Marshall ,£IOO7. John Warnock .£944, Richard C. Howell ,£855, Henry S- Barton £6OB, Whatakorari Wiremu£6os, Mary A. Murphy £545, Jas. B. Hutchinson £sx3. An inquest was held at Sydney on Monday on the body of an unknown man, about 30 years of age, which was found at Prospect reservoir, with a gunshot wound in the head. Amongst a number of almost obliterated entries in his pocket-book was one, dated May 28th: “leaving Wellington tonight.’* Another showed he had a small account in a New Zealand bank, which on May 15 was increased to the extent of £SO, and which was received by cable. It is supposed to be a case of suicide. An open verdict was returned.

“ Millions of birds, any quantity of wild cats, and one solitary goat,” is the summary of animal life on Christmas Island, as given to a Herald representative by a member of the party which has just returned from the island after the unsuccessful * endeavour to salve the wreck of the s.s. Aeon. The birds consist of numerous varieties, and are so tame that members of the party were able to pick them up from the ground or from their nests. The cats were not so docile, and at the sight of a human being, they rushed madly away, and sought the nearest cover.

London newspapers of roll May state that an extraordinarj trial was to be held at Mohileff Forty peasants from the village o Sysoevo are charged with th( murder of a two-year old boy wht was proclaimed as Antichrist at s communal meeting. One of th( oldest peasants first addressed the gathering, and ascribed the chronic bad harvests to the presence of Antichrist in their midst The child was then denounced, and with the consent of the fathei it was decided to kill it. The mother was the only person tc protest against the “murder, bul her pleading was unheeded, and the child was trampled to death by the peasants. A week ago, the Rev. H. Mason, the water-finder, located a spot on Mr D.-Casey's farm, at Waihou, near Te Aroha, where he considered water was likely to be found. Boring operations were carried out by Messrs Stevens Bros., and at 240 ft a small flow of water was met with. A solid bed of rock was then passed through, and at ayfiftja splendid artesian flow of water, estimated at 14,000 gallons a day, was struck. The water, which is stated to fie the clearest struck in Fiako County is in a most convenient spot for distribution oh the farm. The total cost pf boring was

Messrs Millar and Giorgi of Palmerston N. , have a replace In this issue.

A new cottage in Gladstone Street is advertised to let or for sale on easy terms. A special meeting of the local school committee will be held at 7.30 o’clock this evening. Sharp frosts have been experienced throughout this district yesterday and this morning. The Railway Department notify that the Saturday afternoon train will in future leave Palmerston N. at 12 noon.

The Shannoh Tennis Club’s euche party and dance takes place next Tuesday. A cordial invitation to be present is extended to members of the local tennis club.

We acknowledge with thanks a phamphlet on the “Johannine Problem,” a few thoughts relating to the authorship of the Fourth Gospel, by F. W. Frankland Esq., J.P. A well attended meeting of the local Druids Lodge was held last evening. The trustees were authorised to invest certain surplus funds to the best advantage. Bro. Wynd A.D. presided. One candidate was initiated. At the social in the Masonic Hall last night, the Rev Mr Aitken strongly urged the young men of the town to band together with the object of starting a gymnasium. He promised to render what assistance he could to the movement.

Mr McKenzie, Presbyterian Home Missionary at Shannon and at one time employed at the locdl branch of the Bank of New Zealand, was present at the social in the Masonic Hall last night. He was cordially greeted by old acquaintances. His musical contributions to the programme were very much appreciated.

At the close of a lecture on “ Jack Cade ” before the Socialist party at Dunedin, Mr Barclay, late member for Dunedin North, said: “Even now we have a Minister of the Crown, Mr Hogg, considerably ridiculed, gibed, and sneered at for his advanced utterances from the Treasury benches. They say this man Hogg is impossible ; his ideas are absurd ; he has no sense, no understanding, just as they did long years ago of others. Yet I venture to predict that ultimately it will be found that Mr Hogg is much nearer the truth, and his views much more in accordance with the best interests of New Zealand than are those of his opponents at the present time.”

The efficiency of the Australian ladybird as a blight exterminator has been strikingly demonstrated on an extensive bluegum plantation at Rakaia. The bluegums were a few years ago suffering very considerably from the pest, •their trunks being blackened, and the bark peeling off in long dead strips. Some time ago a few colonies of the ladybirds were liberated in the plantation by Mr T. W. Kirk, and since that time there has been a marked improvement. The blackness has to a large extent disappeared, and the bluegums have taken on a new lease of healthy life. Fifty-three hotels in the South Island and fifty-four in the North Island were closed yesterday as a result of the last licensing poll, distributed as follows:—Auckland City (reduction), 5; Manukau (reduction), 3; Parnell (reduction), 2; Ohinemuri (No-license), 14 ; Eden (No-license), 4. Wellington South (No-license), 4; Wellington Suburbs. (No-license), 7; Masterton (No-license), 15, Bruce (No-license), 22; Taieri (reduction), 3; Dunedin City (reduction), 10; Chalmers (reduction), 3; Oamaru (result of additions to no-license area), 6. In addition six licenses in Ashburton and one license at Mataura are affected by inclusion in Nolicense areas.

It was on a Saturday afternoon in Wellington, and the tram was crowded with ladies rushing home for lunch. They talked loudly, they do so, so that any ignorant person can benefit thereby. One gushing maiden said, “ I washed my hair this morning, and really do you know, when I do this, I can do nothing with it; I am sure it must look awful! ” This observation drew public attention,, to the fact that the lady’s hair was the most genuine tint of gold. “Mine is just the same,” said the maiden with raven tresses, “I can do gothing with it when I wash it; it gets beyond my control.” Just then a schoolboy in the corner put his foot in front of a friend who was making for the door. “What did you do that for ? ” snarled the victim. “Oh, really William,” said the other with a fine gush of affectation, I couldn’t help it, I washed my feet this morning, and I can do nothing with them ever' since.” Needless to say, that the discussion terminated.