LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1046, 4 January 1913, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The services at the local Presbyterian Church to-morrow will be taken by Messrs Bett and Munro, of Palmerston N.

Automatic telephones are to be set up iu Wellington, Auckland, Blenheim, Hamilton, Mastertou and Oamaru.

Upwards of 200 people are suffering from ptomaine poisoning in Wanganui—the result of eating ice creams on New Year’s Eve. Similar cases have occurred at New Plymouth. The following are the vital statistics for the month of December and the quarter ended December 31st, 1912: Births, nil and 17; deaths, 1 and 7 ; marriages, 6 and 10.

Foxton possesses at the present time a sneak thief who has a weakness for poultry. A number of local residents have bad a number of fowls and ducks stolen during the past week or so. There is an escaped monkey around Foxton at present. The animal belongs to a native residing on the other side of the river. It escaped some days ago and when last seen was in the vicinity of the racecourse.

Messrs O. Cook and Co., family butchers, notify that in future coupons will be given with all cash purchases, entitling the purchaser to one shillings worth of meat for every £1 spent. They guarantee the quality of the meat supplied and the prices are the lowest possible. Customers are recommended to try their dairy fed park at 6d per lb.*

The services in connection with the local Methodist Church tomorrow will be held in the supperroom of the Town Hall. The Rev T. Coatsworth will conduct both services, the morning subject being, “Walking with God," and that for the evening, “The Soul’s Anchor.” The Rev N. Hyde will conduct a service at the Beach church in the evening, at 7 o’clock. A hearty invitation to these services is extended to all.

Try Perreau’s steak and kidney pies, baked in dishes. They are delicious. Fresh daily.* We have been appointed local agent for Star No. 1 Cocoa, fib tins 2/10, lb tins 1/6, %lb tins lOd. We can recoinniend this. Thomas Rimmer.*

The services in All Saints’ Church to-morrow will be at 8 a.m., xi a.m., aud 7 p.m. The services in St. Mary’s Church to-morrow will be held at 11 a.m. aud 7 p.m., by the Rev Father Kelly.

The weather for the Christmas and New Year holidays, excepting for a downpour on New Year’s afternoon and evening, was perfect.

The funeral of the infant child of Mr and Mrs Smith, of Oroua Downs, took place on Wednesday. The Rev. G. Y, Woodward officiated at the graveside. Frederick Joseph Clark, a dairyman, residing atSpreydon, Christchurch, died on Thursday as the result of injuries incurred while unharnessing a horse. The animal took fright, and knocked Clark down and dragged the cart over him.

It is reported that very little interest, outside the Federation, is being taken in the conference convened by the Federation of Labour and to be held in Wellington this month. Unions not affiliated with the Federation will not be represented.

We have been asked to call the attention ot the Borough Council or Railway authorities to the growth of lupin which obscures the railway crossing near the racecourse. Unless tbe lupin is cut, a serious accident will be recorded. Already, some narrow escapes at the locality have been recorded.

The death is announced of W. H. Vereker-Bindon, headmaster ot the Mauaia school, aged 60. He was the first inspector under the Wanganui Education Board, and in that capacity was very well-known in this district. Falling health compelled him to relinquish his position as inspector some years ago, and he took up the lighter duties of teaching. Dr George Wilson, of Palmerston, passed away after an operation for appendicitis, last Tuesday evening. The deceased physician was practically in the prime of life, being only 48 years of age. He had been practising in Palmerston for a number of years, and was in the active discharge of his medical duties till within a few days of his untimely demise. He leaves a widow to mourn her loss.

A motor car, occupied by John Young and Frederick Butterworth, collided with a train at a level crossing at Normauby on New Year’s Day, The motor car was smashed, aud Young killed and Butterworth seriously injured. It was stated'in evidence at the inquest that the usual warning whistles were sounded by the driver, but that the crossing was a dangerous one, the public view being obstructed.

The Hemp Process Company’s property adjacent to Messrs Coley and Bock’s mills has been purchased by Messrs Gibbs aud Speirs, The new owners are converting the buildings into a flaxmill tbe necessary alterations being practically complete. The machinery is being installed and stripping will be commenced about the middle of next week. It is understood that two strippers will be run, tbe supply of green leaf being drawn from the Bulls district.

The district coroner has been advised that Walter Clough, 35 years of age, died at Wairoa (Gisborne), on Thursday, as the result of injuries received when working on the harbour works. _Clough was engaged with a number of men stripping over the top of a papa quarry,. and a slip occurred, throwing Clough off a ledge. He fell 70 feet to the bottom of the quarry, and his back was broken. He was a native of Victoria. In view of the fact that a record number of people were carried over the railwaj s during the holiday season, the small percentage of minor accidents and the absence of fatalities stands as a monument to the efficiency of the department. Statioumasters, guards and subordinates vied with each other in despatching trains to time and dealing with the extra rush of traffic. The Dominion has cause to feel proud of its railway department. “Is it a fact,” asked a delegate at the Teachers’ Conference at New Plymouth yesterday, "that the Minister of Education has just appointed a physical expert for schools at a salary of £6oo V' “It is quite correct,” replied the chairman. “It is almost equal to the Inspector-General’s salary.” The secretary remarked what was more there were two inspectors to be appointed under the director with salaries commencing at ,£250, and with the addition of travelling allowance. Various delegates commented that was considerably in excess of the highest salary paid in the teaching profession, and were of the opinion that it afforded good grounds for asking for more. General Lindsay, who had command of the Territorial camp at Kirkham (England) a few weeks ago, made reference to his oratorical abilities when speaking at the annual prize distribution of the St. Helen battalion. “I was rather perturbed when I found I had to give an address,” he said, “for I am at a disadvantage because my wife and daughter are away in London. You may not see much connection, but there is, for I do not mind telling you that my wife writes the speeches I have to makej and my daughter puls in the jokes—and pretty old jokes some of them are.”

The mo# attractive shop tor toy of every description is Mrs Hamer s Have you seen the window display?*

There was a very large number of visitors at the local seaside on New Year’s Day. People who ■ have never visited Foxton’s seaside before are loud in their praise of tbe fine stretch of sandy beach. One visitor who has had a good deal of experience in surf bathing, both in this and other countries, stated that this beach is one of the safest he has ever' bathed in, being practically free from the treacherous undertow. The number of visitors this year constitutes a record. When those who had faith in the agricultural potentialities of Auckland province foretold that in a few years the dairies would produce more wealth than the goldfields, many regarded their confidence as due to an unfounded optimism (says the Herald). During 1912, however, the butter output of the province reached the satisfactory value of ,£1,300,000 a sum exceeding that which the gold output would have reached even had the uulottuuate .Waihi strike not taken place. Judging by their large families, quite a number of the Mamari’s third-class passengers are firm disciples of the full cradle creed (says the Otago Daily Times). One family of nine rosy-cheeked, well-clad girls mustered before-the official for inspection, aud one of the officials told the proud father, in a burst of admiration, that he was a “plucky man.” The remark was apparently overheard by the mother* of the nine, who fairly beamed approval when the admirer of her numerous offspring spoke, aud caused that gentleman to remark later that it was a smile - of quick-witted appreciation that he would not readily forget. Wah - haguu - ta, Chief Fire Maker, a Blackfeet Indian from the Glacier Reservation, said to-be one hundred aud thirty years old, last mouth travelled to Chicagd to attend a land show. He is said to have been born in the region now known as Glacier National Park, in 1781. The chief was the first; of bis race to visit the “Great White Father,” and his visit to Washington when President Jefferson was at the White House (1801-1809), was a memorable event in his life. In his tribe he is regarded as an oracle. At the time of bis birth, according to the Indian legend, the Father of all Spirits, standing on a mountain, shot an arrow which found a mark in a tree near his father’s topee. The prophecy, as interpreted by tbe medicine man, was that he would for ever and ever assist the gods in their councils. About fifty years ago Maori and pakeba were at war in Taranaki. That the native bears no animosity towards his whilom foe was shown yesterday, says the News, when in response to the invitation of the promoters, the Taranaki War Veterans, to tbe number of about thirty, attended the native sports at the Park. They were hospitably treated, too. On their way to the grounds they were-oklr-by a number of Maori girls, poipois in hand, and escorted to the enclosure, where they met with a stirring welcome at the hands of the Maoris. Here with the poipoi dancers they were photographed. Later tbe Veterans were regaled to afternoon tea, which was dispensed by the dusky maidens.