LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 965, 11 March 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Rev. Mr Mairs left Foxton yesterday.

The Presbyterian Sundy School picnic is being held at Herrington to-day.

The services at the Presbyterian Church to-morrow will be conducted both morning and evening by the Rev. G. K. Aitkeu,

In our next issue we shall reproduce a sketch of the front elevation of the proposed Town Hall together with a lull description of the building. The local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company Ltd., received word that the s.s. Ruahiue, from London arrived in Wellington at nine o’clock this morning.

A Capetown message states that the British India steamer Palitana struck a submerged object west of Last London. The vessel is beached and there is little prospects of saving her. The London Times suggests that the submerged object was the steamer Waratah.

Mr James Tennant, juur., of Raugiotu, who recently had an accident to his eye, is now recovering, and is expected to be able to leave the hospital some time next week. The accident was more serious than was at first anticipated, and necessitated the removal of the eye. The danger of carrying sharpened lead pencils in the waistcoat pocket was illustrated at Ashburton, when a clerk in a local office, while using a clothes brush, had nearly half an inch of plumbago embedded in ' his second finger from a sharpened pencil he was carrying. The wound was sufficiently ■ severe to require medical attendance.

At Monday’s meeting of the Patea Harbour Board a committee was set up to enquire about the purchase of a dredge. It was stated that at the present time the river was workable only ten days out of fourteen, that it was no use going on with the construction of the breakwater if the ships could not get up the river, and that the port must be kept open at all costs.

“If people bought their bread over the counter, paying cash and taking their purchases away with them, we could sell each loaf a penny cheaper than at present, and we should be able to retire in ten years.’’ This was the information given to a representative of the Dunedin Star by a master baker, who said he had the second largest turn-over in the Dominion. He said he had been over forty years in the bakery business and had not yet been able to run a trip to the Old Country.

A lady correspondent of a Sydney paper wonders it the wearers are aware where the rich seal skin jackets that they prize so highly all come from. “ The chances are,” she maintains, “that, if they are visitors from Australia, enjoying a Home trip, they may have met some ol those ‘seals’ before, on a rabbiter’s cart, on the way to the depot.” She adds, that ‘‘many a fond husband who takes back from Loudon a costly seal skin jacket as a present to his wife or daughter might just as well have stayed at home in Australia and shot that seal in a back paddock.”

A correspondent to the Oamaru Mail writes from Hampden with regard to a recent “Cowspankers' ” picnic at Hampden, asking that a balance-sheet be circulated to subscribers showing how the funds were expended. The writer complains that whisky and beer played a conspicuous part in the unofficial programme, ending with a “wake” on the Wednesday following, the subject being an old man plied with liquor to the stage of insensibility, who after serving his purpose as the butt at the orgy, was turned out into the street to make a public exposure of his shame. The correspondent adds that the authors of this carouse brought odium upon themselves and disgrace to the district.

A rather uncommon type of boy belonging to a respectable family in the city appeared in the Dunedin Juvenile Court, charged with attempting to commit suicide. It appeared the youngster, who is 14 years old, had been disobeying his parents’ instructions to seek work. He persisted in staying about the house reading. His mother took a book from him, whereupon the boy smashed a window with an axe, went into the garden and pulled up cabbages, then took a rope and climbed a tree and set about hanging himself, but neighbours prevented him. In the evening the father thrashed the boy, who, after getting loose, went to the tree where the rope had been left in position, put his head in the loop and dropped. His mother found him at a critical moment and held him up till help came. He was committed to an industrial school. The March number of the Review of Reviews has as its main feature a very interesting characteristic sketch of Mr J. L. Garvin, who is styled as “The Real Leader of the British Unionist Party.” The article gives a very good idea of the controlling powers in politics in the Old Country. There is also an interesting article on “Our Lady Mayors.” The “ Caricatures of the World” for the month are very amusing, while the section devoted to the review of the leading magazines of the world is very full and complete. The Book of the Month is more than usually captivating. It is a review of Dr. Arthur Russel Wallace’s “The World ol Life : a Manifestation of Creative Power, Directive Mind and Active Purpose.” Mr W. T. Stead’s evidence before the Royal Commission on divorce also makes an exceedingly readable article.

Good Friday falls ou April iqlh this year.

Mr Alex. Speirs is proceeding with the erection of the Sunday School building at the rear of the Presbyterian Church. Instead of term holidays in May, the Wanganui Kducatiou Board has decided to close all schools fcr Faster week. Mass will be celebrated in the local Roman Catholic Church to morrow at n a.m. and Devotions at 7 p.m., by the Rev. Father Kelly. A meeting of the Foxtou Borough Council will be held in the Council Chamber ou Monday, 13th instant, at 7.30 p.m., to sign district electors’ list, and transact general business. Special prayers will be said in All Saints’ Church to-morrow on behalt of the Bishop elect of Wellington, and the retiring Bishop, the Right Revd. Frederic Wallis, d.d. The vicar hopes all church people will join in these prayers. Ou our fourth page to-day will be found the following reading matter: “Moving Pictures and Temperance Reform,” “ Fditor and Doctor,” “Unique Surgical Operation,” “ Bishop Edect of Wellington,” and “liquid Pores.”

By a wonderful new process of photographic calico printing in colours it will be possible to have family portraits, landscapes and other pictures on your sofa cushions, curtains or tablecloths at a reasonable price. The new process has just been perfected at Freiburg by two German scientists.

A Servian teacher, M. Meclakovitch, has instituted the most successful method of teaching yet discovered. In his school each child is provided with a chocolate alphabet, and as soon as he can put his uame together correctly he is allowed to eat it. Word-making is taught on the same plan. M.’ Medakovitch’s pupils on an average can read fluently in three days. The euchre party and dance to have been held in the Masonic Hall on the evening ot St. Patrick’s Day, under the auspices of the local Roman Catholic Church, has been postponed on account of a similar function in connection with the Church being held at Shannon on that date. The date of the local social will be advertised as soon as it is decided upon.

Says the Stratford Post: —The Revs. Butler and Houchen are setting an example to all church workers which is worthy of emulation. They apparently are vigorous advocates of the principle ot personal service ; and yesterday they were to be seen, covered with paint, painting the roof of the Church of England, the roof having not previously been painted.

In order to make assurance doubly sure, the Mayor instructed the Town Clerk, while in Wellington this week, to ascertain whether the Government subsidy of was available on loan money in connection with the erection ot the proposed Town Hall. The Town Clerk was informed that the subsidy was available, as previously stated, on loan moneys. There was an impression abroad that the subsidy only applied to money obtained by public subscriptions. Mr Wm. Ross, who has just returned from a periodical business visit to Sydney, in conversation with us yesterday, stated that the heat over there was something terrific. At the Homebush cattle sales numbers of beasts had died. A rainstorm he likened to a hot bath. Speaking of the progress Sydney is making, he stated that upwards of two millions sterling was being paid in compensation for street-widening purposes and in order to wipe out slums and narrow avenues. Since his last visit great strides had been made in building. He says all trades appear to be enjoying a prosperous time.

Several applications have been received to join the National Provident Fund, states the Dominion. Most of these come from the smaller centres —from post offices in out-of-the-way townships, where, apparently, the scheme has been a serious topic with the settlers. In such places the post office, where the provisions of the fund are given publicity, is largely the centre of the life ot the community. From inquiries received, states the superintendent, people do not seem to be aware of the simplicity of the procedure necessary to join. As a matter of fact no medical examination is required, and a suitable applicant can become enrolled immediately. Dr Alfred Russel Wallace, the joint discoverer with Darwin of the principle of natural selection in Evolution, has been giving his opinion on things in general to an interviewer on the eve of his 88th birthday. "I do not think,” he said, that the world is a better place to live in than it was fifty years ago ; for the very poor it is a worse place. The wonderful discoveries of science and their application to industry, with the corresponding increase in wealth, have not lessened the increase in poverty, which is absolutely, and I believe, relatively, enormously greater than it was fifty years ago. It was very difficult to say whether there is any real improvement. I think the majority of men were just as well off and enjoyed their lives just as much as people do today.” A beautiful assortment of electroplate goods, brooches, engagement rings, etc., at Parkes’ jewellery establishment, Main St.*

The average attendance at the local state school this week was 308. The roll number is 323. .nor watch, clock or jewellery -epairs go to Parkks, the jeweller, Main Street. The attendance shield at the local state school was won this week by Standard 111, with an average attendance of 99.3 per per cent. Mr P. G. Jackson notifies, by advertisement, that continuation classes in connection with the local State School will be resumed ou Monday next. The services in the local Methodist Church to-morrow will be conducted in the morning by Mr G. Huutly and in the evening by the members of the Christian Kudeavour Society. Easterly moderate to strong winds, veering northerly, and winds freshening ; expect unsettled and cloudy weather, increasing after 24 hours, and glass fall ; there are indications for a change following ; sea moderate; tides low. The next statutory meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board will be held in the Council Chamber, Foxton, on Monday, 20th inst,, at 12 noon. Business : To receive balance-sheet, after which general business willl be .aken.

In January last 4411 persons arrived in the Dominion from overseas, as compared with 4130 in January of 1910/ and 2806 people left the Dominion, as against 2062 the year before. Of the arrivals, 2022, or nearly half, lauded at Wellington, and 1034 people left from that port. Mr and Mrs Bentley, of Stone, Staffordshire, recently received news from Canada of the tragic termination of a romance in which their daughter Lydia was a central figure. Miss Bentley, who was a trained nurse, came out to Christchurch to join her relatives, and subsequently travelled to Canada, a distance of 7000 miles, to be married to Mr Oswald Hill, a prosperous farmer of Alberta. On the voyage, however, she was taken ill, and at Edmonton, where she was met by her fiance, she was conveyed to a hospital. Shortly after her arrival at Edmonton Miss Bentley, while lying in what proved to be her deathbed, was married to Mr Hill. The day after the wedding the doctors found it necessary to perform a critical operation, under which the young bride died. Mr and Mrs Gumming, who have been conducting evangelistic services at Maugaweka and Taihape, and are now at Tiakitahuna are meeting with very pronounced success in their meetings. Their singing is of a most attractive kind, while Mr Cumming’s addresses are clear and forceful. There is nothing approaching excitement in all the proceedings, while there is much to appreciate and admire. They begin their mission in the Presbyterian Church, Foxtou, ou Sunday 19th inst., and we are pleased to learn that the afternoon meeting of that day will be a united one, when the children of the Methodist and Presbyterian Sunday Schools, together with their teachers, parents and friends, will meet in the Presbyterian Church, and will be addressed by Mr Gumming, and Mrs Gumming will sing.