LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 946, 26 January 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Walter Bisemau’s iS-mouths old child fell into a copper of boiling water and died, atTe Kuiti yesterday. Yesterday was the 125th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth. The event was celebrated in several places in Otago and Canterbury.

On page 4 of this issue will be found the following ; “Sad Drama in a Concert Hall,” “Egg Production,” “ Brisbane Drowning Case,” and “Blind Student’s Feat.”

Canadians are urging a visit of King George to their Dominion in 1914, to celebrate 100 years of peace between Kngland and the United States. Martiuborough must he rather a “thirsty” locality. At the local Police Court on Saturday no fewer than eight prohibition orders were issued against local residents. Stingarees are reported to be fairly numerous at the mouth of the river, and provide a little excitement for a number of young fellows who wade out and spear them. The larger species are very ugly customers to deal with. In place of the usual Christmas calendars, as gifts to customers, Mr R. T. Betty has decided to offer to the public during the festive season something more useful and substantial. Two lines of ladies button shoes will be offered at Qs 6d and 13s 6d per pair, which for quality and price are guaranteed unequalled in any part of the Dominion. Call and inspect them.* A sum of money, amounting to was stolen from the Albion Hotel, Shannon, on Monday night last. It appears that Mrs Calligan, licensee of the premises, kept her takings and ready cash in a small safe in a private part of the hotel. During the afternoon the sum mentioued was lying in the safe, and through an oversight on somebody’s part the key was left in the lock. This being noticed by some evil disposed person proceeding along a passage close by they unlocked the safe and extracted the contents and decamped, leaving no clue as to their identity. The theft was discovered a little before closing up time by someone perceiving the door to be ajar. The robbery is supposed to have taken place between 2,30 in the afternoon and 10.45 at night. The police have the matter in hand, but up to the present have made no arrests in connection with the affair.

The case of Inspector Gillies has been considered by Cabinet, and it has been decided that his retirement must stand.

If in want ol Birthday, Wedding or other gifts, go to Parkes’, the jeweller, the shop for presents.*

There are to be found at M. Hamer’s, ladies’ dresses and costumes, fur boas and sunshades all at reduced prices for one month*. Mr T. Smith, of Kaiwaevvae, Wairarapa, last week celebrated his seventy-first anniversary as a colonist. He arrived at Port Nicholson in 1840. New police regulations have been dratted and are now being reviewed by the Crown law officers. They will be submitted to the police inspectors in due course.

Farmers and stock-owners are reminded by advertisement that Karsten’s Universal Kmbrocation can be obtained from Mr D. Banckham, saddler. The Shannon Dramatic Society produced the comedy “Sam,” to a large audience on Monday night. Ur. Adams, Mr and Mrs May and Mrs Selby sustained the leading roles very creditably. A special meeting of the local Borough Council will be held tomorrow night for the purpose of dealing with the municipal town hall proposal, sanitation and pound, and gas matters. Great ages were reached by a large proportion of persons who died in the Auckland district last year. There were 96 over 80 years of age when they passed away, and 14 who had their goth birthday, while the century was reached by two old settlers. The newspaper Statesman announces that the King and Queen, in the Coronation ceremony in India, will place crowns on their own heads, avoiding ecclesiastical participation, which would be likely to injure the susceptibilities of Hindus and Mohammedans. Three detectives raided a bookseller’s shop at Dunedin on Tuesday, and seized a quantity of literature which is alleged to be of an indecent nature. The AttorneyGeneral svill decide whether a prosecution will follow or not. It is understood the book has commanded a fairly large scale. The Siemenshueckest airship has made a successful trial trip at Diesdorf, in Rhenish, Prussia. The balloon is the largest in the world, its length being 387 feet and gas capacity 460,000 cubic feet. It is able to carry fifty passengers.

Captain Decaurry Bowers continues his sensational winnings at Monte Carlo. He has cleared £220,000. He employs five players, and his “method” consists iu staking 1000 francs on the red and letting it rim. He won eighteen maximums running at treute et quarantc. The bank had to send for more money live times.

Interviewed at Dunedin this week in reference to the Webster claim, Dr Findlay explained that Great Britain and the United States agreed to the appointment of an international commission to consider this and claims of a like nature between the subjects of the two Powers. The commission will sit at Washington at a date to be fixed.

Prince Leopold of Batteuberg, son of Prince Henry of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice, and grandson of the late Queen Victoria, cousin of King George, and brother of the Queen of Spain, arrived in Wellington by the Main Trunk express on Monday. The Prince, who is accompanied by Dr M’llroy, will commence a tour of the Dominion from the South.

What will probably be the largest hotel in the world is being erected in Thirty-fourth street, Old Broadway, New York. It will consist of 25 storeys, with j. 600 bedrooms and a thousand bathrooms. The cost of erection will be over two and a-half millions sterling. A number of old buildings have been demolished to make room for the new structure.

The Government is considering the question of having a Coronation medal struck tor distribution among the school children of New Zealand. A design has been submitted at a certain price, and in order to find out what the cost would be the Government is formally inviting tenders. The amount expended on providing medals to the children in celebration of Dominion Day was just over and was a shameless waste of money. Mr C. G. Wade, Premier of New South Wales, who recently toured New Zealand, says he found everyone in the Dominion in good heart, with more unbounded confidence than ever in “ God’s Own Country.” New Zealand, he said, afforded the strongest argument that advanced democratic legislation can be carried out in a State where a Liberal Government is in control, and where labour has not succeeded in achieving representation by more than one member in the Lower House.

The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, has received quite a number of requests to deliver political addresses in different places. He spoke at Stratford last night and will visit Kaponga and Inglewood to-morrow and will speak at New Plymouth the same evening. He will speak at Devonport on Saturday night. Sunday and Monday will be spent in Auckland, and on Monday evening the Prime Minister will attend the banquet to be given in connection with the mining engineers’ conference. Walker’s selling good dining chairs 5s each to make room for fresh stock to arrive/

Congratulations to our local bowlers, Messrs Witchell, Henuessy, Rimtner and Woods, for having wrested the Manawatu Kerns from the Levin holders yesterday afternoon. We hope they may be equally successful in detending them against the Terrace End rink next Wednesday.

In connection with the question of the rating of convent property, the authorities of St. Patrick’s Church, Palmerston North, have claimed a refund of the rates paid last year to the Borough Council, amounting to and have also declined to pay similar rates this year. The ground of refusal is a recent decision of the Appeal Court in a Christchurch case that convents are immune from rating under the Act.

A settler, residing somewhere in the Wanganui Education Board district was recently approached regarding the proposed exchange of sites for a country school. The condition suggested by the “simple-minded ” settler was that the Board should supply him and his wife with a free pass on the Main Trunk line for the rest of his life. “ How old is he ? ” asked the chairman. “ Twentyfour,” was the reply. The offer is still under consideration.

There are many ways of picking winners at race meetings, says the Wairarapa Daily News, but the most original method we had heard has been invented by a “ sport.” His idea is to cut a small piece of wood for each horse in a race, label each with a name, and plump them all into running water. He then runs a chain or so down the stream and catches the stick which reaches him first. Our informant says he has proved this method as infallible. At the recent Tauherenikau meeting he tried it in four races and won with three of them. In the fourth rach the “winner” chip was such a rank outsider that he did not back it, and it won and paid ! A telegram, somewhat mutilated in transmission, caused not a little distress in the family of a well-known Wellington builder re- {

ceutly The builder iu question, accompanied by his daughter, went to Auckland for a holiday, leaving in the best of health. A few days ago the family was startled to receive the following wire from the daughter: “Fathe died. Will be home Friday.” Then the wires were set going, and explanations sought. But it was another case of the report of a man’s decease being greatly exaggerated. What had been wired originally was: “Father and I will be home Friday.” Can anyone doubt, asks a writer iu a French newspaper, that the ladies of Jerusalem at Biblical times were impeded in their walk like the ladies of to-day. In the latter part of the third chapter of the Prophecy of Isaiah, says the writer, we get a glimpse of how these daughters of Zion dressed on gala occasions. We learn from a passage iu the Talmud that the robes of the ladies were so tight that they could only walk with short steps. By this means a greater opportunity was afforded to their admirers to observe them. The suggestion evidently is that the hobble skirt was in vogue in very far-away times. The following figures show the value of the principal products exported from the Dominion during the period from January i to 15: Butter £158,623, cheese £91,365. beef (frozen) £9876, mutton (frozen carcases) .£43,398, mutton (frozen, leg and pieces) £2230, lamb (frozen)£9i,oß3, wheat £l6, oats £l4, potatoes £SO, hemp £12,895, rabbits. £445, tow £643, kauri gum £10.229, grain and pulse other than wheat and oats £l6, hops £45, hides £5831, skins £18,601, tallow £25,359, timber £6717, wool £545,143, gold £62,485. The total is £l,088,964, compared with £l,310,763 for the corresponding period of 1910. Says our Levin contemporary: “Amongst the “surprise packets” opened on the second day of the local races was one marked “The Lark.” This “gay bird” quite failed to fly his jumps on the first day, and was well down the straight when the placed horses were at the judge’s box, but on the second day his wings were working early in the race and he flew all his timber safely, and finished first without being troubled. A judge of racing, who met a representative of The Chronicle at Shannon, after having cycled across from Foxton, assured us that perhaps the explanation was that The Lark was “short of a gallop” on the first day.

Present day settlers in Taranaki, except perhaps those in the backblocks, can hardly realise the hardships and disabilities under which the early settlers laboured (says the New Plymouth News). There was little money, and there were no metalled roads or railways, or any of those conveniences which follow in the train of civilisation. The women had to work as hard as the men, and many a settler owed a good deal of his present prosperity to the solid work put in by his wife. Mr Chew Chong instanced an example of this on Saturday. When in business at Inglewood, an old German woman came into his store carrying on her back a bag of fungus, which she had carried in this fashion from beyond Tariki. She received 14s for this, and as she said there was no food at home she immediately invested the money in a fifty of flour, some sugar and some tea, which she threw on her back, and then set out on her return journey. Walker’s jellies 5 for Is, take some beating. Try them.*

Mr F. C. Berthold notifies that he will commence his first term for musical studies on February ist.

Heavy fines are imposed at Hastings on cyclists tor riding on footpaths and without lights, viz., 30s and costs, in default seven days’ hard labour. Mr R. J. Fames, whose articles on “ Rural New Zealand under Review ” are appearing in a number of New Zealand journals, is visiting the district, collecting information on the hemp industry The days of the bookmaker are drawing to a close in New Zealand, as Irom ist February he will be extinct as the moa. A considerable increase in the totalisator returns is anticipated as one of the first results of the new Act coming into lorce.

Alfred Walter Charles Laroche was brought before the Helensville Police Court and charged with having committed three breaches of the Printers’ and Newspapers’ Registration Act, 1908. He was fined ,£lO and costs. The paper was unregistered, and tailed to carry an imprint.

Recently a woman who applied at Christchurch for an old-age pension could not tell the Christian name of her husband. In another case, where the parlies concerned were a man and a wile who had been separated for fifteen years, the woman could not identify the man with absolute certainty.

At the committee meeting of the local Horticultural Society, held at the secretary’s office on Tuesday night, the president, Mr Alex Speirs, suggested that a section of laud should be proem ed with a view, at a later date, to erect a building for show purposes. A well-known American, Mr David Graham Phillips, editor and novelist, was shot in New York. His assailant was a Harvard man named Fitzhugh Goldsborough. The latter shot himself with a revolver, dying instantly. He is believed to have been insane. Phillips will probably recover. The motive for the tragedy is unknown.

Miss Na.abe Allen, who headed the list for rue Dominion in the junior civil service examination, is a daughter of Mr B. B. Allen, chief clerk of the Government Printing office, and a pupil at the Wellington Girls’ College. Three years ago Miss Allen topped the list for the Dominion in the junior (Queen’s scholarship competition.

Some time ago the Wanganui liducatiou .Board forwarded an application to the Kducation Department from Cameron’s Line, Aoraugi, for the establishment of a school there. The other day an official was sent up from Wellington to individually examine the parents and discover whether the children were still living —and no wonder, says the Feildiug Star, considering the departmental delay in dealing with the matter.

Mr John Wood, who saw service with 11. M. 70th Regiment throughout the Indian Mutiny, died at the Auckland Hospital on Friday afternoon. His age was 75 years. After concluding his military service he came to New Zealand aud resided at the Veterans’ Home until some weeks ago, wheu he was removed to the hospital ou account of paralysis. He leaves two married daughters, one of whom resides at Coromandel and the other at Puui.

The year 1911 will have two eclipses ot the sun, one total and the other annular. The total eclipse will fall 011 April 28th, and will be best seen trom one of the Tougan Islands. The Commonwealth has voted towards the cost ol observing it. There will also be two peuumbral eclipses ot the moon, that is the sun, as seen from the moon, will be partially eclipsed by the earth. The moon will not, however, touch the central cone of the earth’s shadow.

jpor watch, clock or jewellery repairs go to Pakkks, the jeweller, Main Street.

We are in receipt of a speech delivered by Mr id W. Frank land at the Uuceii’s Hall, Langham I’lace, Eoudou, on October last, on the subject of “ Woman Suffrage in New Zealand.” Miss i’aukhnrst occupied the chair. In concluding his address, Mr Fraukland said :—” in these lauds of the Northern Hemisphere there is so much social unrest and so much abject misery that reform of some kind seems urgently needed. Under these circumstances can you afford —apart from the hideous injustice ot such a thing —to dispense with the service as citizens of the icmale sex ? In our happiest lauds, south ol the Fjqualor, that sex has shewn itself a potent aid in resolving the crudest riddles which face mankind. For a country like Britain, where, with exclusively man-made laws, out of forty million people, twelve millions are said to be on the verge of destitution, there is surely something lo be learnt from that daughter-laud svhere the sexes have so long co-operated in politics, and where extreme poverty is almost unknown. To me, as a New Zealander, the militant suffragists of this country seem like the Joans of Arc of a greater and higher cause. They are destined, I hope and believe, to go down to history as the heroines and martyrs who will have conquered for their sex that right which no man should even wish to deny, aud k if ma y judge by countries where women suffrage has been tried) will have doue more than auy other baud of political workers to bring in social righteousness aud justice, aud to establish the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Mr A. C. Cowie has tendered his resignation as pupil teacher of the local State school.

\.,u I’lymoiithiK'h IMI I 1-i.tli.T a liii.l -ran" remit ly. mving to tlm I'.'porl (‘il nn'a!i(lrrinL r r of a man in a nnili" stall". Tin-nn-on chinlly roin-rnn'd. who was iimso'ii in i ' irkrl inK Hamids, lias bi’i'ii •r : villi' graphic- ili-sfriji" : ons <1 liow “Jn» lias I I. dnusisl all <.v,-r tlm place-.”

During the voyage of the Atbenic, from London, James Denning, aged four years, whose parents were passengers for Hobart, died on December 13th from acute pneumonia. On the t 3th instant a third-class passenger tor Hobart gave birth to a daughter.

The Rev. W. Harris, formerly Methodist Minister at Foxton, but lately of Christchurch, arrived in Foxton on Tuesday evening. He will take the morning service at the local Methodist Church on Sunday morning and will also conduct a service at the Beach on Sunday afternoon.

The fifty “ Sedgwick ” boys who have been imported for farming work in New Zealand arrived in Wellington yesterday afternoon by the Atbenic. The youthful immigrants look a healthy, well-selected lot, and gave the medical officer, Dr. Pollen, no trouble. He took the names of three of the lads, however, for further observation.

The Rev A. Thompson’s suggestion that the Petone Borough Council should collect all documents and relics of the lauding of the early settlers on the Petone sea beach in 1841 is to be given effect to. At the last meeting of the council the Mayor brought up the matter, and it was decided to instruct the clerk to take steps in the direction indicated.

A meeting of the committee of management of the local Presbyterian Church was held on Tuesday night. A vote of thanks was accorded the Ladies’ Social Guild for taking out the old windows and replacing them with more modern ones. Plans were submitted for the erection of the school at the rear of the church, and it was decided to proceed with the work as soon as a certain sum was raised.

At a meeting of the sub-com-mittee of the local Horticultural Society, held on Tuesday night, it was decided to abandon the autumn show this year as the Masonic Hall, would not be large enough to accommodate the exhibits and the public. It was pointed out that the cost of erecting a temporary lean-to or hiring marquees would be too great. The president (Mr Alex. Speirs) suggested that a bulb show might be substituted at a later date. In answer to a question, the president said he had no doubt that the Municipal Hall would be erected in ample time for the Spring Show. The committee expressed regret at the necessity lor abandoning the show. Spite of the great strides electricity has made, the day when it shall supersede gas for lighting and warming purposes does not seem to have arrived yet, for gas too has made remarkable strides. A striking example of the favour given to gas is shown by the street lighting of Berlin, acknowledged as one of the best lighted cities in the world. In Berlin there are 32 miles of streets, only 19 of which are lighted by electricity, the remaining 313 miles being served by gas lamps of various candle power. High pressure gas lighting and the inverted system of incandescent lighting are largely accountable tor this, and while in the last live years high pressure gas lighting has gained 27 miles of streets in Berlin, the electric light has extended on only i l /i miles.

At the Gisborne S.M. Court this week, Edith Lilian Jobson applied for the cancellation of the maintenance orders taken against her husband in respect of herself and children, on the grounds that the applicant and children were being adequately maintained by her husband, with whom they were now residing. Tbe application was granted. “This is the most extraordinary case 1 have ever heard of,” remarked the Magisi;;ite, in granting the application. vciy much question whether a similar case was ever heard in the history ol the Dominion. If a stranger read the facts in print it would be looked upon as a fiction. In fact, if I were to read the story myself 1 would think it all nonsense.’’ Mr Finn said the parties were living happily together. His Worship : I hope it will continue so.

While there appears some difference of opinion amongst growers as to the cause of blight in districts which for years have produced only clean potatoes, there is no doubt iu the minds of experts. They pronounce clearly aud with emphasis to the effect that blight is one of the most easily-communi-cated diseases of the tuber, aud may be conveyed to clean aud healthy ones by the mere handling of those which are affected. Mr Massee, of the Royal Gardens at Kevv aud one of the accepted authorities ou plaut ailments aud pests, says ; —“Potato disease is present iu every part of the world where the potato is grown, and I have no hesitation

m saying blight is conveyed by means of hibernating mycelium iu the seed, aud not by means of spores.” If the spore theory must go, and instead of treating tbe ground for what may be iu it in the way of sickness, the seed potato will have to be treated for what is on it iu the way of pest.

Cordials is per bottle at Walker’s, rasjtberry, lemon, pine apple, lime juice A