LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 128, 29 April 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wire laths are Mii.l to bo tnkinc tho place of wood laths m tho erection of now buildings. It is claimed that a building m which they avo used is nbwltuely fireproof, so Car us taking tiro from inside is ooiuvimul, and thut nit buiiding can bo Cdtiaidcreil fireproof m which wood l.iths aro used, no matter how else constructed. The value of tho telephone patent is enormous, and we very much doubt (says an bxcliange;, if it could now bo pur* chased for £25,000,000. It is probably by far the most valuable single patent which lias ever been issued. An English judtfo lacely refused the ex" penses of three tradesmen who prose* cuted men for stealing' goods froiu tbei r shop«dours, on the ground that by exposing their goods m the way mentioned they hold out a temptation to steal. Mr J, G. Wilson will address his con? etitueuts at Foxton to-morrow. According to the Wangantii Herald ther« is some probabili'y of Mr P. aleCarthy editor of the Grey River Argus being appointed to the position oE uiansyer of the Press Association ?ice Mr E. T, Gillun, who takes up the editorship of the Post. The Cromwell Argus has the following j — ' On dit that overtures have been made to Mr Vincent Pyke to proceed to Eug* land for the purpose of" negotiating for the construction of the Central Riilway from Taieri Lake upwards by a firm of wealthy capitalists.' Exception is taken by a' reviewer of the Queen's book to tho cover not being brown and suggesting that the next should be. Tbe Marlbovouuh Express states that at Mr Couoliy's meeting at Picton, there were a large number of ladies present. The Herald thinks this is as it should be, and we hope th<it at future political meet* ings m Wanganui. the presence of ladies may lend a grace to the proceedings. Sir William and Lady Fox arrived at Wanganui yesterday from New Ply» mouth. He will on Wednesday proceed to Wellington, to complete the business conuected with his West Coast Commisaionership. In most of the towns of Java, it is said, the hotel system is utterly different from what prevails m Australia. There is no such thing as a bar. Spir ts and bitters are placed upon the verandah tables before meals and each one can help himself. There is no extra charge on the bill of six rupees a d'ty. Wine.», spirits and beer, are bought by the bottle. What is not used at table is taken to the room. Drunkenness is reported to be quite exceptional. On Saturday morning a loaded railway truck, m uso on Mr launders' contract on the Wellington Manawatu Railway, broke away from the tunnel, and came down the line at si tremendous speed, crossing tho public road and, coming into collision with an engine and some trucks on the other side. The engine was damaged and two trucks were smashed up. Fortunately no one was on the' crossing at the time of the accident. . The Gear Meat Company have made arrangements to ship 9100 carcases of mutton by the British King, which ar» rivus from London, via Auckland, m about three weeks' time. The company have also arranged with the Meat i< xjvort Company to assist m preparing the meut with which the steamer is to be loaded. Two immense circases of benf were on view at the YV<illitJj.:ton Meat Preserving and Refrigerating Company's shop m Willis-etri-'et, last Saturday night, and attracted a deal of attention fro-.u passersby. Each weighed Usolbs. The bullneks were reaied (says the Past) near Foxton, and aro an excellent sample of what can bi> oroduced m that district. Edwin Robertson, of Tauwnga, mail contractor, was charged at the Thames with cruelty to hordes. The animals were found to be girth 'galled, with sore backs and withers, and a mire with a running issue m the back. In this state they cat" ried tbe mails between the Thames and Pueroa, and back without being fed, a distance of over 40 milts, Ihe Bench concluded that the uwr« was cruelly treated, and should not havo been ridden. Defendant had carried on hia business so negligently that he must to a cumin extent be held responsible for the cruelty. Had it been fellow n that the defendant was awnre that the cruelty was being practised, a heavy, penalty would have been inflicted.: Under the circumstances, a penalty of 203 and costs, 13s, would be inflicted. In Mr Willis 1 shop window vWnnganui is to be se»n a specimen of gold-bearing quartz, which it is said cime from Tuhua. The specimen m question contains gdld visible to the naked f.ye, and under the microscope, it appears rery thickly im« pregnated. The specimen 1 was given to a gentleman m town a few days b>ck, by a half-caate'of Koriniti. Prom the de9crip« tion of this half«easte given to Mr Ret»s of Dm town, be is of opinion that the person who g>\ve the specimen is one of the most reliable, and trustwoithy natives to be fouiui on the river.