LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 804, 27 January 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Miss Aitken notifies that she will re-open the infant school lately conducted by Miss Doull on Tuesday next. The Examiner is informed that a strong company is being formed to carry on bacon curing at the Woodville works.

Last year Australia exported 9037 tons of butter to Britain, 5065 tons for the previous year, and 344 tons for the drought year of 1902-3.

A well-known Masterton Maor 1 named Rangi, who recently inherited a fortune of is lying seriously ill in the Otaki hospital.

The adjourned meeting of all interested in the formation of a bowling club will be held in the Council Chambers to-night at 7.30 o’clock.

Expenses for a minor who, it was stated, had a betting transaction at the Miramar races last Saturday, were asked for in the Wellington S.M. Court on Monday. The Magistrate firmly refused the request, stating : “ I will not allow informant any expenses ; be had no business to be betting on the racecourse.” At the local Police Court this morning, before Messrs Henuessy and Stiles, J’s.P., Thomas Wilson was charged with drunkenness, and with committing a grossly indecent act in Main Street. On the first charge he was convicted and discharged, and on the second was convicted and sentenced to 48 hours’ imprisonment. Mr John Jackson, one of Palmerston's oldest inhabitants, has passed away at the advanced age of 85 years. Mr Jackson, who had been a resident of the town since 1873, was a native of Hongkong, and the only Asiatic who was ever granted the old-age pension, Mr Kettle, S.M., having granted it by mistake. He was allowed to keep it for a year only. The caterpillar pest seems to have been making havoc with the crops in the Ellesmere district. In one of Mr Wyllie’s paddocks of barley at Southbridge (says the Ashburton Mail) the crop has been almost entirely ruined in a very short space of time. In other places also crops have been visited by caterpillars with more or less serious results. Barley seems to have a greater attraction for the pest than other cereals, A man named George William Peufold, a resident of Waikino, who has been staying at Te Aioha for the benefit of his health, was arrested on Friday by Constable Mackie on a charge of committing an unnatural offence. He was brought before the local Justices and remanded till Tuesday. Whilst in custody he suddenly expired. No further particulars are yet to baud. Bishop Neligan said that in his diocese the State teachers would welcome the opportunity of giving ieligious instruction during school hours. He had been informed that the Slate school teachers were against this to a man, but his enquiries had proved the reverse to this. The clergy had no business on the political hustings, The laymen must cope with the matter. They could expect little support from the press until it found that the movement was a genuine one. I! the Government within twenty years, or whatever time it took to educate public opinion, did not put the Bible in the schools, New Zealand would be covered with de nominal onal schools, because the best people in New Zealand were not going to allow secularism to be rampant in the country.

Filled with confidence in his abilities to manage a sailing punt, a young man enveigled two trusting friends to accompany him for a sail at Sumner one day last week. All went well until the centre board touched the bottom, and the boat capsized. The captain forgot all the traditions about sticking to his ship, and struck out boldly tor New Brighton, while the passengers clung tenaciously to the bottom of the punt. However, the skipper had not swum far before he found that his leg was seriou-dy entangled with a rope, and he swam back and resumed command. In stern, albeit hasty tones, he ordered his passengers off the boat, “ before it sinks, you idiots,” The Sumner pilot quickly launched a boat, and rowed to the rescue, ultimately towing the punt back to safety. When the captain was reproachfully addressed, “ I thought you could sail a boat !” he replied with much asperity: “ Well, so I thought. How the dickens was Ito know ? I’d never tried before.”

It was reported the other day that a case of ptomaine poisoning that occurred in Wellington was attributed to sardines. As there is a widespread belief that the tinned sardine is a delicate aristocrat who declines to be associated with the vulgar ptomaine (says the Post), a leading medical man was asked for his opinion about the risk involved. On the evidence so far adduced, he doubted whether sardines had been the cause of the trouble quoted, for he could not recall any case in which ptomaine illness had been traceable to sardines. Possibly if the fish had been left exposed for some hours in the tin the food might have developed the “secondary infection” of ptomaine. The possibility of a “ foe in shining armour ” —a new tin —was extremely remote, too flimsy to be worth a thought in this workaday world, unless the tin had “ blown,” by the entrance of air through a fault, and then its unusual appearance would indicate that something was wrong, In fact, said the doctor, the ptomaine danger was remarkably absent, in these days, from tinned foods of all kinds. The two most notable cases of ptomaine poisoning ip New Zealand during recent years—one fatal and the other nearly fatal —were not due to tinned food. One was caused by fermented cream and the other by a sample o'f “small goods,” a compost similar to brawn.

Mr J, B. Fisher, the well-known solicitor of Christchurch, passed away on Sunday, after a long illness, at the age of 67.

Lieut.-General Sir Robert S. S. Baden-Powell is resigning from the array, in order to devote his time to the Boy Scout movement.

The death took place at his residence, Mauku (Waikato), on Thursday, of an old and wellknown colonist, Mr Heywood Crispe. The deceased gentleman artived at Auckland in the ship Victory on February 3, ISSI. and has been a resident ot the Mauku district for 52 years.

The championship at the Manawalu Rifle Association’s meeting was won by Corporal Kells, of Palmerston North, with a score of 193, Rifleman R. J. King, of Opaki, being second with a score of 19 1. The teams match was won by Opaki. The saddlers of Feildiug have determined to inaugurate the Saturday half-holiday on their own account, and have decided to close their business places in future at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, remaining open till 5.30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The total number of arrivals in New Zealand during 1909 was 38,650, and the departures 33,931. The largest number of arrivals was in January, February, and December —5822, 4141, and 5030 —probably due in large measure to the influx of tourists.

At the Mangaweka sports on Saturday, the local sprinter Alzdorf, ran second in the 220 yards handicap and third in the 440 and 150 yards races. On Monday at Kelvin Grove he won the 100 and 150 yards handicaps and also secured second place in the 220 yards. A special attraction at the Garden Fete on Wednesday next will be a large ’Xmas tree for the little ones. This is being worked up by Mrs Charles Robinson, assisted by Mrs John Robinson, and promises'to be a tree bearing much fruit. In the evening it will be lit up by myriads of candles and lanterns.

While walking on the South Beach at Fremantle on the nth inst., a young man named Lawrence Harper picked up a lifebuoy which has apparently been in the water a considerable time, being much knocked about. The name on the buoy was not visible to the naked eye, but examination with a microscope revealed the letter “W.” Separated at intervals were the letters “A” and “R.” There is a police launch at Fremantle named the Waratah, but the police say that none of their lifebuoys are missing.

A number of letters have been received at the Christchurch office of the Labour Department within the past week or two from Canada, the United States, India, Argentine and elsewhere, asking for information regarding the prices of land and stock, conditions of labour and similar matters. These letters come from intending immigrants, and according to their own statements the writers belong to a most desirable class. An Englishman who has been in the Argentine for the past four years, and is au electrical engineer by profession, has stated his intention of immigrating to New Zealand with a capital ot Several officers who have retired on pensions have written inquiring about the prospects of settling in New Zealand, and a retired drill instructor, whose pension would be sufficient to enable him to live comfortably in the Dominion, has been advised to apply to the Defence Department for a position under the new defence scheme. — Lyttelton Times. The twelve-year-old son of Mr J. McLoughlin had au unenviable experience one evening recently (says the Gisborne Herald), and but for the timely intervention of Mr W. Howard might have fared badly. At the conclusion of a bicycle race the boy was returning to town, and when near Whatapuko bridge he was unexpectedly and savagely attacked by a medium sized bull-dog. Mr Howard, who was riding at the time, heard the boy's cries, and on turning round saw the vicious animal make a second spring at the boy and seize him by the leg just above the knee, dragging him over. It then began biting at the calf of the lad’s leg, Mr Howard was galloping to the boy’s assistance, when his horse came down with him, and the dog, apparently frightened by the clatter, made off. Mr Howard, who fortunately was not hurt, carried the boy home on his horse, and medical aid was summoned. The lad was found to have some nasty teeth wounds about his leg, and was suffering from a severe shock. After the end of March it will be impossible to hold a race meeting in New Zealand under such conditions as would cause a repetition of the lively scenes witnessed at the Miramar pony meeting recently (says the Wellington Times). Race meetings, on and after April Ist, will only be permitted under the control of a racing club licensed to use the lotalisator. It rests entirely with the Minister for Internal Affairs to grant or withhold a permit, and all horse-racing which takes place otherwise than in conformity with these conditions, is declared illegal. Persons who permit, authorise, or conduct an unlicensed meeting will be liable to a fine not exceeding /50 or three months’ imprisonment, aud even the spectators will run a similar risk of forfeiting their money or their liberty to the la\y. If the offence is committed by a collection of persons, whether an incorporated body or otherwise, the collective penalty to which they are liable is ,£2OO. “ Horse race includes a trotting race,” states the Act.

It is stated that it is the intention of the Right Dr. F. Wallis, Bishop of Wellington, to retire shortly. The first sod of the water-works was turned on by the Mayor. It is estimated that the cost of the service will be ,£16,000.

R. J. Scott, of Stratford, the well-known wrestler, has (says the local Post) received word from the famous Hackenschraidt, arranging a conference at Wanganui or Palmerston North with a view to agreeing to a wrestling match at an early date.

According to statistics compiled by lulgety and Co., for the Shaw Savill and Albion Co. the exports of frozen meat from New Zealand last year are as follows (previous year in parentheses) : —Mutton, lamb, ySolbs) ; beef, 53,500,4321bs (38,103,4661b5).

Near Dargaville last week a man was discovered by some bushmeu suspended to -a tree by his braces. They cut him down and went to get assistance to carry the body to Heleusville. On then* return the supposed corpse bdS disappeared. Later 011 the mam was discovered and was brought to Auckland on Monday in charge of a policeman. ' The all-round capabilities'”bt a .■ country constable in New Zealand are amusingly demonstrated in Thursday’s Gazette. Constable Luke Spellman, of Cororaadel, has the honour of taking up over half a column of space in that official publication by virtue of his appointment as an Inspector of Sea Fisheries, Inspector of Factories, Licensing Officer under the Arms Act, and a police goaler. The theatres in Japan have a novel method of pass-out tickets which are positively not transferable. When a person wishes to leave the theatre before the close of the performance, with the intention of returning, he goes to the door-keeper and holds out his right hand. The door-keeper then, with a rubber stamp, imprints on the palm the mark of the establishment.

Dr Rayuer, father of a suffragist who was fined at Preston recently for resisting the police outside the hall where Mr Churchill opened his Lancashire campaign, said he would pay her fine, adding : “This is the third time my daughter has been fined in consequence of hired women securing her to make a profitable advertisement.”

The intelligence that Dr Chappie has been returned for is another proof of the cosmopolitanism of the British elector. It is also an evidence of the proverbial keen discrimination of the Scot. Dr Chappie is no political dullard who uses politics as a pleasant pastime. He is a serious man whose head is chock full of reform. He is, moreover, a particularly aggressive person, a fluent and forceful speaker, and full of the kind of energy which begets confidence. His professional and political training and his colonial experience—for he is a native of Central Otago—should stand him in good stead as a member of the House of CommonaL The door ot the Imperial Parli£F ment having been opened to Dr Chappie, the portals of its New Zealand replica will not, we may conclude, be closed to Mr J. A. Macpherson after the lifetime of the existing Parliament. At the last election the triangular duel between Mr Scott (Conservative) and Messrs Macpherson and Chappie (Liberals) ended, as such contests usually do, in the return of the Conservative, for, though the second ballot intervened, there were special circumstances which played into Mr Scott’s hands, but which we need not now specify. In the absence of Dr Chappie, Mr Macpherson’s task next election should be an easy one, though in any case, Mr Macpherson’s usefulness as a Member would, it is believed, have received proper recognition. —Oamaru Mail. Paiaka, the well-known flax and dairy property, of 347 acres freehold, and 160 acres leasehold, some of the richest ground in the Manawatu, with flax cuttable this year, will be sold at auction by Dalgety and Co., at Palmerston North, on Saturday, 26th February. Terms may be arranged.* djf In order to make room fresh consignment of goods, Mrs Hamer, Main Street, is holding a clearance sale of men’s and boys’ clothing, ladies dress materials, millinery and fancy goods, etc. All the above goods are marked at absolutely “give away” prices, and all those in need pf summer goods should make a point of visiting there before the close of the sale. I ''