The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, April 26, 1910. THE PASSING OF A GREAT HUMORIST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 831, 26 April 1910, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, April 26, 1910. THE PASSING OF A GREAT HUMORIST.

The English-speaking world is lonelier by reason of the passing away of Mark Twain, who died at his home,Connecticut, last Friday, at the age of 75 years. It is some consolation to know that his works are still with us. Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was regarded as America’s greatest humorist, and as novelist, journalist,lecturer, his name was known throughout the civilised world. He was born at Florida, Missouri, on November 30th, 1835. At thirteen years of age he became a printer, beginning in the West. At twenty he was for a short while a pilot on the Mississippi river, and afterwards went to California as a reporter. He also edited a newspaper in Buffalo, and with Brete Harte wrote for the old “Californian.” Among his best known books are: The Jumping Frog, 1867; The Innocents Abroad, 1869; The Innocents at Home, The Gilded Age, 1573; with C. D. Warner, Roughing It, 1872 ; Sketches New and Old, 1873 ; Adventures of Tom Sawyer, 1876; Punch Brothers, Punch, 1878 ; A Tramp Abroad, 1880 ; The Prince and the Pauper, 1880 ; The Stolen White Elephant, 1882; I4fe on the Mississippi, 1883; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885 ; A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur, 1889 ; The American Claimant, 1892 ; The - 000 Bank Note, 1893 ; Puddinhead Wilson, 1894; Tom Sawyer Abroad, 1884 ; Joan of Arc, 1896 ; More Tramps Abroad, 1897 ; The Man that corrupted Hadleyburg, 1900 ; Christian Science, 1907.

The first really severe frost this year was experienced throughout the district this morning. Halley’s comet is the early morning attraction to hundreds of people throughout the Dominion.

Mrs Seabury intends to leave Foxton at the end of next week tor an extended visit to Sydney. The total births registered in March amounted to 602, as against 537 in February, an increase of 45.

A rehearsal of “Our Regiment’’ by the members of the local amateur Dramatic Society will be held in the Public Hall to-night at 8 o’clock.

Mr J. Rose intends to instal an 85 h.p. gas suction engine to replace the steam engine at present providing motive power at his Huia mill.

Tne ordinary meeting of the local Masonic Dodge will be held this evening. Business : Passing and election of officers Dodge tyled at 8 p.m. An attempt is being made to introduce the little grey owl into the Mauawatu district, but many doubts are being expressed by farmers as to the wisdom of the course.

Benjamin Campbell was charged at Mastertou last week with having used obscene language in Queen Street on March 26 and was fined ,£5 and costs.

At the Dannevirke Court ou Saturday, before Mr McCarthy, S.M., a man named John Crossland was sentenced to six mouths’ hard labour for striking his wife with an iron poker. We regret to record the death, which took place yesterday, of the three-year-old son of Mr and Mrs A. McKegney after a brief illness. The cause ot death was diphtheria. Sincere regret is felt for the bereaved parents.

A barnacle-encrusted bottle was picked up on the beach at Westport, containing an ocean current paper put over board from the s.s. Pericles on August 6th, 1908. The position of the ship then was northward of the Crozets. The bottle has drifted over 7000 miles.

Mr R. T, Betty has just received an indent order from the well-known English boot manufacturing firm of Marlow and Co., which includes special welted lines in black and tan suitable for winter wear. These goods are well worth inspecting. A man named Andrew Smith, aged 39 years, died suddenly at Port Chalmers on Saturday, when he came home for lunch. He had worked at his trade as plumber during the forenoon. Deceased leaves a widow and three young children. He was captain of the Port Chalmers Fire Brigade for several years, and only left the brigade recently. His death is attributed to sudden heart failure.

Tli? annual meeting of parishioners will he held in All Saints’ schoolroom this evening, at 7.30 o’clock. The vicar will read his report, and Mr Witchell (treasurer) will present the balance-sheet. At this meeting will he the election of churchwardens and vestry, and it is hoped many parishioners will he present. During the evening there will he a series of musical items, and at the close of the social gathering light refreshments will he served. No charge for admission nor collection will he made.

In conversation with different medical men a Herald reporter gathered that status lymphaticus, of which the young man Eric Cameron died in Timaru on Monday last while under chloroform, is fortunately exceedingly rare. Dr. Burns states that in an experience extending over thirteen years this was the first case he had met with, and when one considered that thousands were anaesthetised every year, without any ill results, it would be seen that chances of a person being in this condition were very slight.

Though the Yukon goldfields do not at the present time attract any particular attention, they are still making good yields. Since the great rush to that territory in 1897, when so many men lost their worldly all, and some even their lives, the mining industry has been steadily developed on sound lines, and the output has increased each year, Mr Congdon, M.P., for the Yukon Territory, the other day said in the House : “There are some, people who imagine that the Yukon has reached the end of its tether, but the fact is that the real developrdent has not yet begun. I believe that in twenty-five years Canada will exceed any other country in mining.”

An exciting chase of an Atlantic liner by a rowing boat took place last month at Queensland (England). A married couple who had engaged berths on the Cunard liner Ivernia reached the quay long after the passenger tender had left. The liner was just moving out on her voyage to Boston but it was suggested that a fast rowing boat might catch her. Considerable risk was involved in the venture, for a stiff wind was blowing, and there was a heavy sea. Nothing daunted, the couple offered a handsome sum to five stalwart boatmen, and in a few minutes they were racing from the shore. Crowds of people anxiously watched the dangerous attempt. Sea after sea broke over the boat, drenching the passengers and boatmen, but still they held on their way. At length the officers of the Ivernia saw them, and slackened speed until the boat came alongside. As the couple climbed on board the liner they were loudly cheered by the passengers assembled on the decks.

Many tributes are paid to the late Mark Twain in all countries. He will be buried according to his wish, in a white serge suit, with a white tie and white flower buttonhole. We have received from Mr M. E. t'erreau a sample ot Bermaline bread. It is nicely baked, and much more palatible than the ordinary brown bread. Mr Bovve, of Moutoa, complains that a number of persons have been shooting ducks on his property during the last tew days, and notifies by advertisement that he will prosecute any offender in this respect in future. The New York State Assembly, without debate, resolved to order a drastic investigation regarding charges of legislative corruption, which is believed to have some connection with the recent Congressional by-election.

Mr H. E. Michel, who has been re-elected Mayor of Hokitika unopposed, holds the record for the West Coast, having filled the office for 14 years. He has intimated that he intends to retire at the conclusion of his present term, as he intends to devote more of his time to general politics next year. The trial of Wardany, Cario, a Mohammedan student, for the murder of Boutros Pasha, Egyptian Premier, has commenced. The authorities have taken extraordinary precautions. The Court is entirely isolated. Thousands of persons who sympathise with the prisoner have congregated. We don’t know what the spirit of St. George has done to offend Foxton, but beyond the Bank suspending operations for the day the anniversary of England’s patron saint last Saturday was ignored. As British people we do not think that one patron saint is more entitled to public recognition than another.

The Bowling Club Committee, accompanied by Mr Harrison, of Eltham, visited the section wnere it is proposed to put down the green, opposite the windmill. Mr Harrison'was very favourably impressed with the site and discussed the question with the members. A price for the work is to be submitted to a further meeting this afternoon.

The mission in the Presbyterian Church was brougt to a close last night. On Sunday the missioner, Rev. Mr Pattison, conducted morning and evening services, and a combined children’s service in the Methodist Church. All the services were well attended, and the address listened to with interest.

Mr R. A. Wright, M.P. for Wellington South, will visit Foxton on Saturday, and will deliver a temperance address in Main Street on Saturday evening. On Sunday he will conduct both the morning and evening services at the local Methodist Church.

At the Magistrate’s Court, Palmerston North, yesterday, Herbert Vaughan, a young man, preferred a charge of assault against William Weekes, an old man over 60 years of age. The case was the result of an argument over Powelka, for whom defendant stuck up, and complainant spoke against. The argument ended in Weekes hitting Vaughan on the head with a stone. After hearing the evidence, the Magistrate fined defendant £2, with costs :4s, and solicitor’s fee £1 is. “Shockingly lax” is the opinion of Mr C. C. Kettle on the methods of dealing in land in Auckland. He was hearing a case in which there was a dispute between a would-be purchaser of a property and a firm of land agents. “These people should be registered,” said his Worship, “and the whole thing regulated by Act of Parliament. Of course,” he remarked, “this land business is a perfect harvest to the lawyers.”

The following tenders were received by the New Zealand Hemp Process and By-Products Company Rtd., for the erection of the company’s local works : Thomas Rimmer, Foxton, ,£1,125 (accepted) ; J. W. Tong, Foxton, ,£1,195 J A. Speirs, Foxton, ,£1,245 8s 6d; J. H. Fairhurst, Uannevirke, ,£1,296 ; Sykes and Shaw, Tower Hutt, £ 1,480 ; McArthur and Co., Kaiwarra, £ 1,534 (steel building). It is wholly unsatisfactory that some tool of a stronger mind may be dealt with as Coburn was on Saturday, while the arch-con-spirator and the chief offender gets off scathless. In the name of honest journalism and in the name of pure civilisation we demand that this pernicious evil shall be attaked at the roots and that Parliament shall be invited to take measures, if legislation is required to that end, to render prosecutions like Coburn’s unnecessary in future for the simple reason that there will no longer be in existence the causes to set the law in motion. —Dunedin Star.

Even in the application of labour laws there are at times somewhat humorous incidents. An instance of that character is reported from the goldfields. An employer was informed that he had broken certain regulations, and at once promised to look into the matter. He accordingly looked up the law, and as a result found that he had committed a breach, but by reorganising his staff was able to obey the regulations and save 30s per mouth, which he had been paying above the requirements of the regulations.

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