LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 966, 14 March 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Agricultural Department gives the grand total of the principal products cxpo'ted for the twelve mouths ending Febuary, 1911, at ,£20,120,096 as compared with ,£19,768,880 for 1910.

Steps are being taken to form a local bra.ich of the Hibernian Society.

In onr advertising columns will be found an extract from the New Zealand Gazette, by which the Manawatu County Council is authorised to construct the Beach road and apportion the cost. A little girl named Peters, daughter of an employee at Glengarry station, near Dannevirke, died in the hospital from burns received through her clothes catching fire on Saturday morning. A man named George Davidson was crushed to death between a runaway dray and a telegraph pole near Mokau last Friday. The unfortunate man was literally smashed to pieces. The telegraph pole was split in two. Davidson was 60 years of age. Mr Jorgau Voss, one of the oldest settlers in the Kairauga County, was found dead in his bed on Sunday morning. He had previously been suffering from heart trouble. Mr Voss was a native of Schleswig, Denmark, and came to New Zealand forty years ago. We presume every ratepayer knows that a poll will be taken to-morrow on the loan proposal of ,£2,800 for the erection of a Town Hall to be owned and controlled by the people. The polling booth will be at the Borough Council Chambers and the polling hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The following four municipal loan proposals were carried by the Whangarei ratepayers last Friday : Streets and footpaths, ,£19,200, 165 for, 102 against ; ferro-cou-crete bridge, ,£Soo, 209 for, 60 against; municipal buildings, ,£B,OOO, 171 for, 96 against; scenic reserve, ,£SOO, 143 for, 123 against. The Palmerston milkmen have raised the price of milk as from March Ist to 4d per quart, owing to the dry weather and consequent scarcity of milk. Messrs Newth and Carter inform us that the dry weather has greatly reduced their milk yeild, forcing them to buy more cows and employ more labour, and as it is getting too late in the season for the cows to recover they may be compelled to follow suit, but are delaying as long as possible. Commenting upon the Judge’s attitude at the recent Supreme Court sittings at New Plymouth, the Taranaki Herald says that “it is not in the best of taste for a presiding judge to suggest, by way of a joke, that an old man applying for a divorce does so in order that he may be free to marry a young girl. Such a remark may appear witty to Mr Justice Edwards, but to many it was more offensive than humorous.’’

At Westport, last week, the Mayor (Mr Greenwood), on behalt of the citizens, presented Scout James Rennie with a handsome silver watch, chain, and pendant inscribed in recognition of his courageous conduct in rescuing a school mate from drowning in the Orawaiti River last month. The Mayor also presented Master Joseph Anderson, another lad, with a wallet and coin of the realm for valuable assistance given to Rennie.

At the inquest concerning the death Henry Mortimer Eeatham, who died under an anaesthetic in the Christchurch Hospital last week, the evidence showed that deceased was a strong muscular man, and all the organs of the body were healthy. Dr Talbot, who made the postmortem, said death was due to paralysis of the heart, caused by the patient’s violent struggles under the anaesthetic, which in this case was a mixture ol chloroform and ether in equal parts. Death was due to an accident which could not be forseen. A verdict was returned accordingly. Mr Skinner, the Education Board’s truant inspector, visited the local State school yesterday, and found that the attendance was* 309 out of a roll number of 324 — practically 95 per cent. He ex- ’ plained the Education Act, relating to attendance, to the children, and said that the old trifling excuses of keeping children away would not now be tolerated. Mr Skinner subsequently visited the convent school, and found the attendance there very satisfactory. He also spoke to the children in a similar strain, and added that compulsory attendance at that institution was just as incumbent upon them as at the State school. Mr Skinner is very pleased with the attendance at the local schools, and hopes he will not be compelled to have to cite parents before the Magistrate for neglecting to carry out the attendance clauses of the Act. Mr Skinner said that at several of the schools in the district the possible attendances had been recorded.

A Shannon correspondent to our Levin contemporary thus eulogises the Rev. Father Kelly, our local parish preist : “Father Kelly is ot that type of the Irish Roman Catholic clergy that once caused even the late Dr. Stuart (the once popular minister of Dunedin) to say ‘ 1 They are a noble body of men.” The rev. doctor, who was himself a nobleminded man, could admire the self-sacrifice of the Irish clergy, who without exception sided with the poor and oppressed, and incidentally were kept in dire straits of poverty and often brought upon themselves persecution. There is no instance on record of one of these priests deserting his post ; no financial or social reward could ever win them away from the side of their oppressed people. Father Kelly is such a type. There is no wonder that the Irish people show such veneration for their priests.”

On our hack page to-day will be found;—“Bull’s-eye Shooting Doomed,” and “Remarkable Case of Fraud.”

Messrs Coles advertise further particulars re the great sale of drapery being conducted in premises lately occupied by Mr Bauckham in Main St. The Foxton Harbour Board invite tenders for the milling timber and firewood on the Signal Station Reserve. Tenders close at noon on Monday next. The Mayor notifies that all local storekeepers have decided to observe the 17th inst., St Patrick’s Day, as a public holiday, and .vill therefore keep their business premises open all day on Wednesday. The picnic in connection with the local Presbyterian Sunday School, held at Herrington on Saturday, was the most successful yet held by the Sunday School. There was a large attendance of both children and their parents and a most enjoyable time spent. The proprietors of the Furness Shoe Store insert a series of questions in to-day’s issue, directing attention to their stock and mode of doing business. They desire searching inquiry regarding their aims and methods, and also the quality of their stock.* A euchre party and dance, under the auspices of the local Roman Catholic Church, will be held in the Masonic Hall, on the evening of St. Patrick’s Day, Friday next. Last week those responsible for the function advised that it had been postponed, but it has since been decided to hold same as previously advertised. All arrangements for the social are well in hand, and there will no doubt be a large attendance on Friday night. A farewell social was tendered to the Rev. Mr Mairs at Shannon on Thursday night. There was a large attendance, and Mr Judd occupied the chair. Mr Saunders eulogised Mr Mairs’ work. He could speak of him more as a man than a theologian, Mr Mairs had won by his simple, charitable ways —together with his labours for the good of mankind —the good feeling of all denominations. He did not believe Mr Mairs had left an enemy behind him. The Methodists of Shannon, continued Mr Saunders, would always have a warm place in their heart for Mr Mairs.

There passed away at Devin, last week, Mr Harry Ward, bandmaster of the Devin Salvation Army Band. The late Mr Ward was a son (by a former marriage) of Mrs R. Rand of Foxtou. The funeral cortege was headed by the Salvation Army Brass Band, and soldiers of the local corps, members of the Foresters’ Dodge, of which Mr Ward was a member. The deceased was held in very high esteem in and around this district by all classes. Amongst the floral tributes was a wreath from the Devin Defence Rifle Club of which deceased was a member. Major Rowley, assisted by Captain Rimmer, conducted the service at the graveside. After a hymn and prayer Mrs Captain Rimmer sang the solo “Sleep on, Beloved.’’ The baud played “ Abide With Me’’as a tribute to their late bandmaster. Envoy Arnold, Mr kaing (brother-in-law of the deceased) and Captain Rimmer spoke of their knowledge of Mr Ward, and the godly life which had been lived by their late comrade ; a life that had made a wonderful impression on the people of Devin. At the conclusion of the Salvation Army service, the brethren of the Foresters’ Dodge held a short, but very impressive service, Mr G. Davison officiating, after which Major Rowley pronounced the Benediction.