LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1100, 22 May 1913, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sir Joseph Ward expects to arrive back in New Zealand before the middle of July. Mr George William Deller, one of the best-known settlers of the Wairarapa, died at Carterton on Tuesday, at the age of 59 years. A three-year-old child, named Redin, drank some caustic soda water at Hamilton, with fatal effect.

Mrs Wrigley, who underwent an operation at a private hospital in Palmerston last week is, we are pleased to report, making a satisfactory recovery.

Groves and Fairley, who escaped from the Palmerston gaol, were each sentenced to • six months’ hard labour and two years each on other charges at the Palmerston Supreme Court on Tuesday. Delegates from local bodies and M’s.P., will confer with the local Harbour Board at Palmerston to-day in respect to approaching the Government with a view of acquiring the wharf. After the evening meal, the principal dish of which was stewed mutton, Mrs Mary Ann Rowley and her daughter, residing at Ponsonby, developed ptomaine poisoning. MrS Rowley died shortly after from heart failure. The daughter recovered. No explanation can be given of the cause of the poisoning. The suggestion has been made to us —and we think it of sufficient importance to pass on to the Council—that the Town Hall should be connected with the telephone. The importance of this suggestion needs no elaboration, and we feel sure the Council will bring the hall up to date in this connection.

On the occasion of the marriage of bis daughter, the Kaiser has pardoned Lieutenants Trench and Brandon and Bertrand Stewart, the solicitor, all of whom were imprisoned in fortresses in Germany on charges of espionage. The two former have been imprisoned tor about two years, while Stewart was arrested about a year ago.

James C. Rigby, Thomas A. Bunbury, Cecil J. S. Nicholson, Herbert Thomson and Robert Kirkness, who on Wednesday pleaded guilty to assaulting a Daily Times reporter at the Sutton territorial camp, were each fiued £5 and costs, in default one month's imprisonment at the Dunedin S.M. Court. Mr Widdovvsou, S.M.,said the defendants conduct could only be described as a very serious, cowardly, and unjustifiable assault. The commercial column of the Sydney Morning Herald of the roth inst. contained the following :—“ New Zealand wants bacon. An inquiry was on the market yesterday for 1000 pieces of “ green ” meat for prompt shipment —500 sides and 500 flitches. The same. buyer was also asking for a price for about 700 pieces for shipment in about a month’s time. Should this order be secured by a local merchant, it will considerably relieve the position in Sussex Street, where stocks are altogether in excess of requirements,” As there is a duty here of 2d per lb. on bacon, it is evident that prices must be much lower iu Sydney than here.

There was a heavy fall of hail in this district yesterday morning. At the Palmerston N. Supreme Court yesterday, Thomas Montague junior, for indecent assault, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

For assaulting John Hayes at Shannon on April 29, Norman Williams was fined at the Palmerston S.M. Court on Tuesday, £5, with costs ;£x 4s.

Mr Stiles has removed the temporary premises in Main Street next to Mr Parkes’ shop. We understand a block ot buildings are to occupy the vacant space at an early date. In the Auckland Supreme Court, Francis Reginald Si almonds and Herbert Montague Sterdson, bankrupt grocers, were sentenced to fourteen days imprisonment without bard labour for having failed to keep proper books.

The Government have just concluded negotiations for the purchase ot two estates to be subdivided for closer settlement —“Lake Run.” Tophouse, in the Howard Survey District, Nelson, and a property near Fortification Hill, Waimahaka, in the Southland district.

A terrific thunderclap startled Palmerston residents about 7 o’clock yesterday morning. It was discovered later that lightning had struck two big trees in Rangitikei Street, splintered them to matchwood, bored a big hole in the earth, ripped up the footpath, and burst the kerbing.

The Timaru Hospital Board has resolved to prosecute a young woman for travelling by rail when suffering from diphtheria. Two doctors, members of the Board, said this was a very serious matter as the consequences had proved. The young woman, however, did not know she was ill and a source of infection. Before the resolution was passed, it was stated that a penalty was not to be asked for, but that, as a means of warning others a prosecution should be instituted.

In citing If gal authorities at the Auckland Supreme Court in a case in which a man was charged with bigamy, Mr J. R. Reed, K.C., caused a good deal of amusement by mentioning a case of which a man in Ireland had given himself up to the police on the grounds that he had committed felony. The unfortunate man, it transpired, had married two wives. Both of them were living with him, and as there was no prospect of peace and quietness at home, as a last resource he had gone to the police station as a haven of refuge. Owing to the wet weather having hindered digging operations in the fields, the supplies of potatoes in the local market this week have fallen off considerably, thus bringing about a hardening in prices. But there is no immediate prospect of anything approaching the nature of a boom as was experienced last winter. Reports from Australia state that the Melbourne and Sydney markets are overstocked. In New South Wales exceptionally large crops are being lifted, in some instances averaging 10 tons to the acre. There is, therefore, no prospect of an Australian demand for New Zealand potatoes.