The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1983. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 241, 13 September 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1983. LOCAL AN D GENERAL.

To-night's entertainment m the Hall is looked forward to with ' considerable interest. The proceeds are m aid of the Terrace End Sunday School, and a wellfilled house is anticipated. In answer to an application from the secretary of the Feilding Public Library the Manawatu Standaed will m future be laid upon the table of that reading room. When the hoiler- explosion took place m Wellington one old gentleman stated that he believed the millennium had arrired. He was found sticking to his ((jcor) post several hours after the affair, waiting for the full fruition of that happy event. The license of £5 which dealers m arm 3 and ammunition have hitherto had to pvy, has been reduced to £1, and the troublesome shilling with which ahootist9 wert» wont to enrich the Government investing m warlike stores, has been en* tirely done away with. Our readers will be suprised to hear that Mr Frank Willmott. who played a short season m Palmea^ton recently, is a play-writer as well as a proprietor. He has just produced a drama m Dunedin entitled " The Road to Perdition Made Easy," which was highly successful, and the local press state that at the end of the fourth act tie was called before the curtain and received' a perfect ovation. Jf aDy theatre can be built fireproof, the new Alhambra, London, will be the nearest approach to it. No wood will be allowed m the construction of the building save for the stage floor and the banisters to the staircases. Instead of wood, iron is used, the floors are concrete, while the wall panels will be of fibrous plaster. The Wellington correspondent of the Taranaki Herald says Mr Bryce carries m his pocket a letter of resignation, which he produces when he cannot get his own way. The device is orignal, and we suppose effective. The correspondent speaks metaphorically, of course, Writing of lady-helps, 'Sylvanus Urban' says that m some parts of America they have • helps' who are by no means j ' ladies.' The difficulty of procuring good servants m that country is vastly greater even than m England. ' I was talking to a New York friend upon this subject lately, who told me that it was the rarest thing to retain the services of a help be> vond a year. 'My wife had one, how" ever, who lived with us eighteen months —and it would have taken much to part us ; but at last she had to go.' ' Why, what did she do V inquired I. ' Well, she did this—she boxed my wife's ears.' 'Are you travelling alone?' asked a tall agricultural looking gentleman, approaching a lady who occupied two seats m a crowded car. ' No, sir' she replied. * May I ask who is with you V asked the man, looking round vainly, for some other place to store himself. 'My husband,' snapped the lady, with flashing eyes. My husband is travelling with me.' ' Oh. ah ! excuse me,' and the tall man atraightened up and prepared to take a standing ride. 'Is this seat engaged V asked a dashing, well dressed young fellow of the lady fire minutes later. ' No, sir' she replied, and down he plumped. * I say, ma'am !' pro* tested the tall man, •is that your husband V ' No, he ain't and you need not ask any more questions,' retorted the woman. ' But you said you are travel* ling with him.' persisted the tall man. *So I am,' snorted the lady. * Where is he?' insisted the tall man. ' He's m the baggage car m a coffin,' replied the j lady. I It is said the loss by fire m the United States exceeds that of any country ia Europe, its average being about £15,000,000 a year. In the year 1881 it waß more than £16,200,000. It is a fearful drain upon the wealth of the country. MrS. Morley, M.P., presided at the opening meeting of a Young Women's j Ohristain Association, London, and m spea-ing on the necessity for such institutions, said it was deplorable to see how many were without any Christian m« fiuence. Owing to a dispute with the rector and 1 churchwardens, the bellringers at the parish church of Louth have struck work. They object to attend Divine service and become members of a local temperance society, as stipulated by the: new code of rules. The Supreme Court of California has affirmed the decision of a lower court, that drunkenness is no excuse for crime, and that a man who voluntarily made himself drunk would lose no responsibility because he committed a crime while labouring under this selfi-mposed insanity. Major Stapp, officer commanding the district, left Wanganui by train yesterday afternoon 30 make his monthly inspection of the Rangitikei and Manawatu Yolun-. teer companies.