LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 815, 22 February 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thousands of people attended the funeral of Pete Curran, the Labour leader, at Leytonstone, including the Labour Commoners and a thousand Trades Union delegates. Many wreaths were laid on the grave. Dr. Wallace, in an article in Harper’s Magazine, gives further interesting details of Shakespeare’s life gathered from documents in the record office. Valuable sidelights are thrown on the works of Shakespeare which were produced between the years 1598 and 1604.

The population of Sydney and .suburbs at the end of last year was 605,900, an increase of 13,800 on the previous year. The marriagi s increased by 393. The births unalled 15,461 the highest on record. The illegititnate births number 10 per cent. The deaths numbered 10.26 per thousand of the population, the lowest rate on record.

A garden party was tendered to Mr Massey, header of the Opposition, by his Franklin constituents at the Helvetia ostrich farm on Saturday, about 2000 people being present. M r Massey delivered an address and Messrs F. M. B. Fisher, Phillips, and D. Buick, M.’sP., also spoke, each paying a warm tribute ol praise to Mr Massey.

“An evil-smelling, insanitary hove! in the middle of a stockyard,’' was a teacher’s description of the " residence ’’ attached to a country school under the Wanganui Education Board. Unfortunately, the reduction of the grant by the Department will prevent the Board doing anything to remedy this admittedly bad state of affairs.

Mr Robert Thompson, assistant to the Rev. Charles Neville, of the Beaufort Presbyterian Church, was preaching at Waterloo 011 a hot Sunday night recently, when from the pulpit, he saw a large black snake entering the church. He beckoned to a young man in the congregation, and directed his attention to the reptile. The snake was killed by a crushing blow from a heavy hymnbook, deftly thrown by the young man.

Auckland merchants benefited considerably by the visit of the P. and O. steamer Malwa, as it; is stated that ,£2500 worth of stores were purchased for use on the Homeward voyage. The principal purchases were ; 25001 b of butter, 2000 fresh eggs, one and a halt tons of meat, 1000 gallons of milk, and a large quantity of fruit, fish, and vegetables. The steamer also took in a supply of 300 tons of Westport bunker coal. At Auckland on Sunday morning C. A. Redgrave, accountant, of Wellington, was leaving a ferry boat when he slipped and fell to the lower deck, striking his head against a projection. He was picked up unconscious and conveyed to the hospital suffering from concussion of the brain. An operation was performed, and hopes arc entertained of his re-ccv-ry.

Dord Kitchener inspected the Otago troops at Abbotsford on Saturday and watched a movement iu which the troops were to defend Dunedin from a suppositious enemy. He spent Sunday with his sister {Mrs Parker) at Kurow. He will inspect the Canterbury troops to-morrow.

It is reported that caterpillars have played havoc with the grain crops in the Beaconsfield district. The ordinary meeting of the Masonic Lodge will be held this evening.

A special meeting of the Foxton Borough Council will be held in the Council chamber on Thursday, 24th hist., at S p.m. Business; To meet Mr Climie, and general. The local Dramatic Society held the first rehearsal of “Our Regiment” last night. They expect to stage the piece within the next two months.

The exhibits ot the forthcoming Horticultural Show will be covered with wire netting in order to prevent them being handled and the prize tickets being taken off one exhibit and placed on another.

Miss Braddou, the novelist, in an article in the paper Clarion, says with regard to Socialism as exemplified by prominent exponents ; —“ With unmitigated terror it sets class against class, and tends to dry up the fountain of benevolence. I think we all love to help the poor, but not with a loaded pistol at people’s foreheads.”

The following are the actual passes for the teachers’ examinations held in January for those resident of, or who sat in the Palmereton district :—C. Certificate. —H. Oabites, T. D. McKenzie, Elizabeth Scheldt. D. Certificate. —Laurel Gascoigne, Ida Kerslake, B. M. Kibblewhite, E. Mcßean, Minnie McGouagle, F. McKenzie, A. L. Wilson and J. Williams. There are terrific gales in Britain and Ireland, the wind blowing at over seventy miles an hour in some places. Much damage has been done at Preston and Birmingham, and torrential rains fell at Carlisle. A train in Ireland was blown over a twelve feet embankment. Tim couplings held some of the waggons suspended in the air. The passengers had miraculous escapes. It is stated that Baily, the spiritualistic medium who visited New Zealand some months ago, is to undergo a series of tests by scientific men in England shortly. He will arrive at Southampton on February 17, and will give a series of seances under the direction of Professor Reichell. He will afterwards provide manifestations for a group of investigators at Milan.

The committee of the Horticultural Society have decided not to issue passes at the autumn show to be held on the 9th and 10th of next mouth. This action has been found necessary owing to the number of passes that have been transferred. It was noticed at last show that certain people after visiting the show in the afternoon, obtained passes on leaving the hall, which they transferred to their friends who used them in the evening. One of Kairanga’s oldest settlers, Mr Hans Peter Petersen, passed away on Saturday at the age ol 57 years. Mr Petersen was born in Denmark in 1853, leaving for New Zealand at the age of 23 years, and immediately taking up land in the Kairauga district. He was one of the earliest settlers, and obtained his grant as soon as the Kairauga block was opened up, and led a quiet life, being much respected. He was a prominent member of the Lutheran Church. He leaves a grown-up family. Mrs Perersen died some years ago.

Mr Fdward Haunau, a young Wellington mechanic, has invented a new lifeboat, which is now being tested. The boat can hardly be called a thing of beauty, being constructed on raft Hues, ft is 25ft long, has a beam of Bft, and a draught of Bin. It is built of wood and has airtight copper tanks for greater buoyancy, and to provide against such an accident as the staving-iu of the hull. There are lockers for water, food, oars, etc., and the construction of the boat is such that should she be upset, the passengers would have little difficulty in getting back into her. The invention is patented.

A Sandon correspondent to the Feildiug Star states that while the Sandon tram was coming up from Foxton the other day it passed through a drove of caterpillars, which had evidently come out of some crop near Rongolea, and were passing over the road and tramline to get into a young crop of oats belonging to Mr J. G. Doughty. The caterpillars were black, and up to two inches in length. When they came to the surface of the iron rail the foreign substance seemed to put them out of their reckoning; for they stayed there, which resulted in a continuous slaughter. All the under works of the engine and wheels were covered and splattered with minced caterpillars.

A German of distinction, speaking recently in England, remarked that while he was a guest of Prince Henry of Prusssa on board the flagship of that commander, the Deutschland, the prince had in the course of conversation at luncheon referred to the rumour in England that a toast was drunk regularly on German warships “To the day when the German fleet shall defeat the English in the North Sea.” The Prince and his officers at table were most indignant at what the Prince stigmatised as a “ beastly lie,” and said that such a thing was inconceivable. Prince Henry subsequently wired to the German in question in England, to the effect that such a rumour, being given currency by a London paper, was an insult to the German navy, as well as an utterly absurd and baseless thing.

A brief bag, lost between Palmerston and Foxton on Saturday night is advertised for. Reward on returning same to this office. The London Standard’s information that Lord Kitchener had been definitely offered the ViceRoyalty of India, is officially denied.

Reuter’s correspondent reports that Dr. Cook has been traced to Santiago, in Chili, where he is living in retirement. He is writing a narrative of his journey to the Pole,

At the local Police Court yesterday morning, before Messrs Stiles and Hornblow, J.s.’P., a prohibition order was granted for 12 mouths against Samuel Mason on the application of his daughter.

Mr W. O’Brien, notifies that he has taken over the butchery business lately conducted by Mr George Reay, and solicits a continuance of the support accorded' his predecessor. The London Daily Chronicle reports that a woodcutter named Ogay, a religious fanatic, built and lighted a fire under a rude wooden cross, and incinerated himself. The tragedy took place at Mouldon, in the Department of Vaud, Switzerland.

An old resident of Petone, Mr Samuel R. Johnson, died at the the Wellington Hospital on Saturday evening after a brief illness. Deceased was born in Wellington 65 years ago, and assisted in the formation of the patent slip at Evans Bay. Mr Chas. Sass, certificated cabinetmaker, notifies that he has commenced business in premises almost opposite the Manawatu Hotel. Cabiuetmaking in all its branches will be undertaken, also relief carving and French polishing. A speciality will be made of shop and office fittings and church ornamentation.

The Rev. G. Y. Woodward leaves for Wellington on Thursday, to attend a meeeting of the committee in connection with the Brotherhood scheme, which he brought before Smiod last July. Mr Woodward will be away over Sunday, but his place here will be filled by the Rev. J. Walker, M.A., vicar of Newtown, Wellington.

Thus the Palmerston Times: “Palmerston allowed itself to be treated as no other borough in New Zealand was treated at the last municipal elections. It elected councillors who didn’t think it worth while to address the ratepayers either through the Press or from the platform as to their views, and after that it is not surprising that large crowds do not interest themselves in matters which will count seriously for the good or ill to the town and district.”

The paper on the character of Judas which was to have been read at the Methodist Christian Endeavour Society to-morrow evening, will be postponed until a future occasion. The meeting will lake the form of a farewell to Mr A. Podmore, sou of Mr Podmore, blacksmith, who leaves Foxtou on Friday evening for Melbourne to enter the training garrison in connection with the Salvation Army prior to entering the work of the Army. It is to be hoped that all the endeavourers will be present. The public are also invited.