LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 808, 5 February 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

+ —■ —~ The good attendance shield at the local school this week was won by standard I with an average attendance of 94 per cent. The Rev G, Young-Woodward will not hold a service at the Leach to-morrow, but will conduct a children’s service at All Saints’ at 2,30 p.m. Oil continues to flow freely from No. 2 well at New Plymouth. It is estimated that fully 35 barrels were obtained in 12 hours yesterday. A man named Thomas Burke died in the New Plymouth Hospital yescerday as the result of a dray accident at Sentry Hill. Burke was an Australian, aged about 33. He is believed to have been working in Wellington for the last three years. The University Palaeontological Kxpedition discovered the remains of prehistoric saurians in German South Africa. One thighbone is 82 inches long, as compared with the Diplodocus Carnegii, which measures 59 inches.

Messrs Keiller Bros., intend cutting up 7000 acres of their property, five railed from Bulls, for closer settlement. Messrs E. J. Armstrong and G. E. R. Scott, of Palmerston North, are at present engaged on survey and reading work, and it is expected the land will be placed on the market about April. It is sure to" be eagerly sought for and its settl'enjeh.t should greatly increase the progress of this district.

Dr. Mandl inserts a thanks notice.

Additions are made to the Himatangi stock sale list. L. Alzdorf, the local sprinter, succeeded in annexing the 200yds handicap, lady’s bracelet and ran second in the half-mile at the Linton sports on Wednesday last.

The House of Commons contains 125 barristers, 56 landowners, 51 manufactuerers, 46 Peers’ sous, 44 military officers and 3S journalists.

At Masterton this week, three bookmakers named Collins, Shotlander and Hancock were fined respectively ,£SO and each and costs for betting with infants. The after expense is the thing. With the Lux the after expense becomes a direct saving in consumption of oil for the Lux will make an ordinary Rochester fount of oil last a full week whereas the old fashioned lamp will eat the same amount up in a night. See the beautiful white light at Fowler and Gordon’s store. * The Primitive Methodist ministers in New Zealand are sharing in the benefactions of Sir WHartley, of Aintree, in common with their brethren in England, in being the fortunate recipient of the two large volumes of the New History of Methodism, the entire cost being met by the above knighted member of the denomination.

At the Supreme Court, Palmerston on 10th February, a case of considerable interest to Eketahuna and Pahiatua residents will be heard, wherein Mr Walsh, of Pahiatua, is the plaintiff and Mr F. C. Tumor is defendant, a claim for damages for alleged libel arising out of a card tournament at the Pahiatua Club. Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., Wellington, is for plaintiff, and Mr C. A. Powuall, of Masterton, and Mr Page, of Eketahuna, are for the defendant.

At a meeting of the congregation of St. Andrew’s Church Palmerston North, the following resolution was passed : “That having heard that Mr Jolly was to receive a call they wished to tell the Presbytery that the congregation and all the various organisations were in a flourishing condition, this being chiefly due to the faithful service of Mr Jelly during his term of office. They would be pleased to retain his service, but if the Presbytery saw its way clear to put the call in Mr Jolly’s hands, and if he thought fit to accept the offer, no objections would be raised 10 his transference to a wider sphere at Auckland.”

A number of changes in regard to the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Wellington are announced. Two new parishes have been formed in Taranaki, Inglewood and Manaia. F'ather McManus, of New Plymouth, will take charge of Inglewood, and Father Bergin, of Westport, will be in charge ot Manaia. Father Tracey, of Stratford, has been granted twelve months’ leave of absence to enable him to visit the Old Country ; his place will be taken by Father O’Dwyer, of Hawera. Father McMeiu.nin, recently ordained at Dunedin, will take Father Bergiu’s place at Wesport. Other recently ordained priests will be situated as follows ; Father E. Daly goes to Feildiug as assistant priest ; Fathers Conolly and Queanly go to Palmerston N. ; Father Eccleton joins the professional staff at St. Patrick’s College. A new departure has been decided on in regard to the Marist Order in New Zealand. A new institution has been established at Island Bay, at which members ot the Order will, after ten years’ parish work, spend a period of six months for the purpose of revising their studies — a period known as the second novitiate. The institution will be in charge of the Rev. Father Goggan, for many years Bursar at St. Patrick’s College, who takes up the position on promotion. Father Goggan’s position as Bursar will be taken by the Rev Father O’Reilly.

It is well known that Ford Kitchener’s hobby is the collection of Chinese porcelain. The souvenir which he took with him from Japan and valued most is said to be a piece of old Chinese porcelain. Karly in the morning on the day following his arrival in Tokjo, says the Japan Times, Lord Kitchener, accompanied by .a Japanese military officer, paid a visit to the Ikeda Company, a fine arts shop of Ginza. He was very much delighted with the porcelain on view there, some of which was very rare. There was one old, small Chinese dish which especially charmed the ex-Commander-in-Chief. Taking it in his hand and gazing at it with admiration, he asked the manager of the firm to sell jt to him, saying tHaJ the dish vyas what fie had been looking for fqr years, jthqit he had been unable to obtain anything like it in China, and that a piece of the same description was in the possession of Mr Morgan, of New York, who had paid ,£2500 for it. The manager replied that he could not part with the dish, for he also valued it far beyond a reasonable price, and he added that it was broken and was pieced together. Lord Kitchener left the house that day without being able to make a bargain. He then went to the grand military manoeuvres, but the thought of • the dish would not leave his mind. No sooner had he returned to Tokio from Utsunomiya, therefore, than he sent for the manager of the fine arts shop. Lord Kitchener stated again his unconquerable desire for the dish. The manager was at last prevailed upon to part with it, and sold it to Lord Kitchener for

Mr J. F. M. Fraser, for miny years Crown Prosecutor at Dunedin, lias been appointed one of the King’s Counsel. Fred Horner, ex-Conruoner for North Lambeth, was committed for trial in London for telegraphing to the Daily Mail, as its local correspondent, false news respecting Mr Lloyd-George's alleged hostile reception at Falmouth.

The fact that the British Treasury is issuing three million worth of bills for one mouth to replace some falling due is interpreted to mean that the Budget will take priority over the question of the relormation of the House of Lords at the opening session of the new Parliament. The services in the local Methodist Church to-morrow will be conducted in the morning by Mr J. Chrystall, and in the evening by Mr G. Huntley. Himatangi, Mr H. Smith, prayer meeting at 7 a.m., Sunday school 2.30. p.m. Although Peggy McGurk, of Carrickmore, County Tyrone, has reached the wonderful age of 109 years, she still acts as caretaker of the local courthouse and dispensary. The King the other day sent her £2 and a letter wishing her lengthened days. The banks are now (says the Post) about to lower their rates of interest on fixed deposits. This course has been taken —and will be given effect to in a few days—in view of the abundance of money seeking profitable investments at the present time. It will be recalled that the building companies on January 13 reduced their rate of interest from 4.1 per cent, to 4 per cent, per annum. One of the most curious sights to those engaged in salving work at the Kaipara Was to see a big shark valiantly battling with a box of butter. The fish evidently fancied a little luxury iu addition to his ordinary larder, and the aroma of first-grade creamery tickled his nose. The box had dropped overboard, and was promptly snapped by the shark. But he couldn’t make head or tail of his capture, and regretfully abandoned it. A mild sensation was created yesterday afternoon by the clanging ot the fire bell. The cause of the alarm was an outbreak of fire iu an outhouse at the rear of Dr Mandl’s premises iu Main Street. Fortunately there was no wind blowing, and the outbreak being quickly observed, a band of willing helpers lost no time in getting it under control. The interior of a portion of the building was badly charred, but the damage done was trifling. Field-Marshal Lord Roberts has cabled as follows to the Press Association: —“I have watched with profound satisfaction the adoption by the people of New Zealand of the principle of universal manhood service iu the defence of the Dominion, and heartily oen■gratulate New Zealand, which has thus followed up its generous support of the Imperial navy by the example of a democracy realising its responsibilities in the defence ot the privileges which British citizenship confers. — Roberts.”

‘‘l want to correct the idea that Wanganui is a rich place,” said Archdeacon Jacobs at the Anglican Synod the other day. ‘ ‘There may be money there, but it isn’t in the Church. We live on the threepenny bits of the poor.” The archdeacon also said that the Church had many well-to-do members at Wanganui, but few or none who were wealthy, and if a man who was better off than most was asked for a subscription in aid of some Church object, the excuse was likely to be : ‘Tm not a Churchman myself; I only come to church sometimes with my wife.”

The services at the Presbyterian Chnrch to-morrow will be conducted both morning and evening by the Rev. G. K. Aitkeu. Tin quarterly celebration of the “Ford’s Supper,” will be observed at the morning service, and in the evening Mr Aitkeu’s subject will be the “ living Dead.” In the light of recent psychological research the state of the soul after death has received a new importance, and anything that can throw light upon the subject is particularly welcome. Mr Aitken’s address will be connected with this phase of the subject and ought to prove highly interesting. An exceedingly wonderful and interesting discovery of prehistoric pottery has lately been made in the Chimeana Valley in Peru. The pottery was found in a vast burial ground and there are authentic marks which date back five thousand years. Some of the inlaid silver is corroded, and the turquoises set in are dropping into dust. The glaze and figures are quite intact and perfectly plain. Evidently the people were very fond of elaborate dress, for there are any number of curious hats and head-dresses that will be a boon to the Parisian milliner, aqd we shall be going about no doubt in fac-similes oi those worn five thousand years ago. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun! These old folks were fond of whistles every shape and size. Most likely they were useful to scare away the ghosts that flourished with them largely. Their children too, must have had a pretty god time, for a number of pretty toys were unearthed. Arrangements are being made to get many of these curious old things for the British Museum.

Mr Parkes, he locai watch maker and jeweller is opening up a splendid assortment of gold, silver and electro-plate goods suitable for presentations. Watch he window displays.*

Some hoodlums at Kltham recentlv were before the Magistrate for assaulting a Chinese, one was , fined £2 and 21s costs, and another £2 and £3 12s 8d costs. In giving judgment the Magistrate said : “If the residence of a European had been entered and the occupant dragged out into the street as this Chinaman had been there would have been a great outcry and a demand for more police protection, but as it was “only a Chinaman” some people did not regard it seriously. He had seen a good deal of Chinamen and found that unless they were interfered with they seldom caused trouble. Complaints were made against them on account of their gambling, but probably they were no worse than many Europeans. With the exception of opium smoking and gambling Chinamen behaved themselves very well and they must be protected by the law. ’'

Mr Crome, of the Bell-Crome Company', inspected the pipe organ an All Saints’ Church this morning and tried its capabilities. He pronounced it a first-class instrument. We may mention that Mr Crome was for a number of years organist at the Perth Cathedral, and while iu Australia recently his old position was again offered to him, which he reluctantly declined. Mr Crome was a fellow student with Mr C. Naylor, the wellknown Wanganui and Palmerston musician. This is not Mr Crome’s first visit to New Zealand, as he toured the Dominion 23 years ago with the Lynch Family, bellringers. He was then seventeen years of age. After completing his musical studies in Loudon, he returned to Australia, where he married his talented helpmeet. Mr Crome is a member of the Craft, a P.M., and was a member of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia. It is Mr Crome’s intention to periodically tour New Zealand with his talented company.