LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 287, 1 November 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There is at present staying, m Wellington (says the Post) a commercial gentleman, travelling for an Australian firm, whose muscular powers are some what out of the common. Although apparently a middle-sized main of/ no particular athletic appearance, the gentleman m question can lift single-handed and raiso above his .head, dumbbells weighing 1501bs. He is also famous as as a longdistance pedestrian. He lately won a wager m New South Wales by distancing Cobb's coach over a 2<Jmiles stretch of fair country pad. : We" extract the following from the •Otago Daily Times of Thursday Oct. 16th : — " A private telegram was received m Dnnedin yesterday from Wellington as follows ; The Government report on Cedar Creek quartz gives 4ozs. 13dwts. of fine gold per ton of stone, or about £19 worth, Dr Hector's report on ' a, small parcel of oxidized 'stone analysed gives 18ozs per ton." ' Say 8 the " special" of the Dunedin Herald. "There are no less tljan seventeen hon. members m the Lower House who stealthily write for newsr papers as special correspondents or otherwise, most of them not being members of the Fourth Estate. They thus financially improve the' parliamentary hour, utilising at the same time their legislative positibn to ' serve their own political ends. The North Otago Times riays:-u.«To show the rugged and almost inaooessible nature of the country through, which the East and West coast railway is expected to pass, we may mention that when the route was being surveyed, a number of chainmen and others resigned their employment sooner than risk their lives m hanging on ■, to precipices and descending into almost bottomless pits. The foregoing is no fiction, for our informant was one of the survey party. Writes a contributor to the Wanganuj Chronicle: — "The price of bread is a Suestion which is of great interest to je whole community, and that there , is a strong feeling that we are paying too 'much for the staff of life is undoubtedly the opinion of many Wanganui paterfamilias. Really, Mr Baker, we can't go 6a paying you your present prices.,' when other towos are getting their, bread fully 28 per cent, cheaper. And then, Mr Dough, the quality of the Wanganui bread has not been at , all up to the mark of late. Don't force the public to go iv for a co-operative broad bakery, which has been the result of high prices and bad quality m many an English town. Put your house m order and reform your ways friend Dough, Meat has come down of late a little, why. not bread ? Eightpence for a 41b loaf if) absurd, Mr Holmes was yesterday to ask the Government, if it is true that the Ministry, of which Mr Rolleston was Minister of Lands, allowed a syndicate m Wellington, of whom his colleague was one, to buy a large tract of Maori land m the Middle Island, extending from West .Wanganuj Inlet to - tke Turimawiwi RivVr," a*nd which land 'is of an auriferous character, and a portion, of which was a proclaimed goldfjejd' !

Ihe Napier Inspector of Nuisances has laid an information against the Postmaster at tho Spit for a breach of the borough by-laws. The Postmaster, it appears, wrote to the Inspector to say that as he had made other arrangements for the disposal of night-soil he would not peimit the contractor any longer to enter the premises. As it is necessary to the sanitary condition of the town, that independence of action m this matter. should not be permitted, there was but one course open to the Inspector which he has accordingly taken. ~\ The Palgrave, the largest sailing ship,, m the" world," has been launchod from a* shipyard of Port Glasgow, iv Scotland. She is a handsomely modelled iron fourmasted full-rigged ship, with a length of 340 ft., a breadth of 49ft., and registering 3,173 tons. • ,; \ The Bank of New Zealand held jits half-yearly meeting on Tuesday, Sat Auckland. The profits available for division {were . £96,093, and the. usual dividend of 15 per cent, was' declared, leaving £21,093 to carry forward. i From Wellington ye (Napier Telegrdph) learn that Mr Ormond has lately been interviewing the Hon. Mr Richardson, Minister for Public Works, with the view of urging the importance "of piishing'on the railway to WoodviUe. Mr Ormond has obtained a promise from the Minister that the section, TahoraiteWoodville sixteen" miles shall be )at ,once contracted for. The desirability, of connecting the .Napier line' with Palmerston, via the AJanawatu Gorge, has also been pointed out by Mr Ormoind, and this route will, probably, be : adopted- , . ';■■• ' : j A blue-eyed girl with fair hair may *be seen frequently cantering on a bloodhorse near Louisville. She is dressed ,m a grey habit, with big brass buttons, manages her steed .boldly, with t| grace arid the skill of a supple wrist. As she careers by, gentle and simple salute her with an affectionate interest. No wonder. 'They are southern people; and that isJulia, the only child 'bir'the; once famous southern leader, " Stonewall Jackson*" Mrs Jackson is still living, and js demure,-. and petite, with soft voice and courtly manners. ■ ■-', . , A witty member ; from a goldfields .district remarked the other day, says a contemporary, "Whenever I see a Bill with the' name of the Honorable Sir J. Vpgel-at. the -head' of it, I know I have struck gold, or else I am very,, near striking it. The 1 color may not; show on the surface, hut it is somewhere- about', arid nbr/far down either^ and I am quite content, to let the boss work the claim, forme m his own way^ -All I 1 have to do is to look*ra and vote straight, and when. we. clean-up at the; end of the session, I shall get my share of the pile' with the rest." ' i, : Mr H. P. Jones, of Halcontbe, has, one hundred and forty-two per cent, of lambs this season! Mr Jones' farm is ip ttie far-famed Manchester Block. Mr Ridderford, of Halcorabe, has one hundred and seven per cent, of lambs this., , season, not one hundred and' forty as previously stated. ' „. ; . j Cattle sales do not appear to be sue* cessful m Foxton. The local paper reports, that Messrs Thynne, Linton & Co held a sale of stock at their yards on Thursday.' Young stock, cows dairy, cows, and one pen of sheep were yarded, but buyers were very scarce, and nearly all the lots were passed m.; Pef erring to the late Napier Sho^y the Herald says : A good example for, the need of dairy produce factories was shown by the dispiriting fact that there, were no entries m the class for cheea&, of which sucn large quantities are a|i-. nually ebbsumed m Hawke's Bay? Itis to be hoped that a change m this respect may take place before the next show is < held, and that Hawke's Bay- may soon „ cease- to import an article that ought not only to be" made here for local consumption, but that should also help to swell the list of our exports. ...... .. .Napier has the highest birth rate m the Colony, and nearly the highest death rate, the amount beiug 16 ; y3 per 1000 bf population, while Christchurcb beats it with 16-82 and Wellington 16-54. New Plymouth was the next highest birth rate, and nearly the lowest death I rate, being 9-33. The Maori King, while in Parliament the other day, became warm and took, off most of his clothes and went t0 sleep. So says the Ballarat Courier of the, llth October. It .is rumoured m Wellington -(says the Waipawa Mail) that Sir Julius Yogel received 20,000 for floating, the Mana-' watu Hail Way t loan lin London. It jis 'said that ' before ■•■ long he"' will return Home to float the seven or eight loans already sanctioned this session. The. Rev., Matthew Wilks was once passing through one 'bf? the crowded streets of the metropolis; when; he heard, a carman, who had great difficulty m getting, his, car along, owing .to the numerous obstructions he met with, cursing and swearing at a tremendous rate: He quietly went up th the offender, and, tapping him gently on the shoulder, - said tb him :— "Ah I for that'cursing and swearing, of which you have just been v guilty, I will appear as a withess-igain'st' you on the great day of judgment,!'' "Oh, yea !" said the carman to his clerical rebuker, "the biggest rogue always turns king's evidence." The minister m relating this anecdote to his friends ' o wn^d i that this answer : . so completely nonplussed him that he was obliged to walk off without saying a word m reply. An Englishman, Frenohmau, and American were discussing the merits of painters of their respective countries. The American after listening to all the others had to advance m favor of their countrymen, remarked, " Well, yes, I guess they did some tall painting, but there was a young fellow m our village, and heigpt a pieoe of marble and painted it like cork and darn me if it didn.t floats .... ,■■•::..••! ' At the ordinary meeting of the Wellington Waste Lands Board on Thursday the dates were fixed for the Fortymile Bush land sales. Tenders for leasing must be deposited at - r the Land Office, Wellington, by 4 o'clock on Wednesday, 10th December next, and. will joe opened and considered by the Board lat the uadai meeting next day. "The do* ferred' payment lands will be offered 1 for ■ sale at the Institute,' Mastertonj-andthe Land Office -Wellington, on Tuesday 16th December. In the event of; there being two- or more purchasers of the ! land the sections will be put up to auction at Btastbrtonj on Thursday, 18th December. ' The cash sales will be held the same day, .-'■■■■■■> One of the last numbers to hand of the London Atheneaum contains a favourable review of Mr Thomas Bracken's book of poems,. A long extract? from «♦ The March of Te Bauparaha " is quoted with commendatory notes, and regret is expressed that a man who'coujd write such poetry should 'hot 'have ' given his readers more verse of equal, merit. : , On the llth of November .Messrs Stevens and Gorton will hold at their' yards, Palmerston, a very imporrtant Bale m the bankrupt estate of Mr H. J. Hayns. j A quantity" of- valuable stock 1 will be passed under the hammer, and also a number.; of freehold sections^ of. land situated m Palmerston. Particulars will be found m the advertisement. The. Wellington Meat Export Com.pany; are about to resume freezipg operations, a shipment of 7000 carcases^ of frozen meat being required for the" B.s. Coptic, which is due from. London to* wards the lend of n,ext month,

An amusing circumstance occurred a week or two ago in a central town of the Manawatu, (says the Feilding Star) the two leading characters in which are reported to be a member of the long robe, whose regimentals comprise a black gown and flowing wig, and the other a dispenser of oysters and red herrings. He who lived by the sale of the " treasures of the deep " found it necessary, as most mortals do sometimes, to take legal advice, and employed his learned friend" in that capacity. Being, however, rather short of the ready, the other willingly consented to " take it out, you know." On balancing accounts, the professional's bill ran thus:— To advice and conference, 6 dozen of oysters ; to writing a letter 12 bottles of" ginger ale," to attendance at court half a guinea, 5s in cash and the balance in mutton hams and fish. The Wanganui Rowng Clubs, having received their long-expected oars, will open the boating season by a joint procession, of boats in a week or ten days time. Mr Ward R.M. took the opportunity of the fiual official appearance of the bailiff, to make ' a valedictory speech apropos to the occasion. Tu£depart|ng bailiff Hn r/Bjplying. said that neither his worship or' the other people about the Court had < treated him lairly. This .particular bailiff iis evidently a man who is not easily "palavered" over even by a live 8.M,. who is of making compiime^ritaryspeecliei. A sensation has been caused m Wanganuib^two ladiea -riding dom^ the Avenue oh a « Sociable" tricycle ofr the Goyentr^Oompany'a latest typei 'These Rouble tncycler are very fashionable m England gust now^and ladies there go quite. long, journeys on them, The .VictoriAn-Crown Solicitor.has decided that churches can legally charge for admission tor- Sunday service^ and .the. Attorney-General that concert* and lectures can be legally^ given m licensed theatres on Sundays. \ , Becently jn; the Hogse Mr WvfV Bucklaud said that m the district he represented there were neither County Couqcils, Road Boards, or Town Councils, which drew from-an hon. membbr the^cdamation—"Wha.t a lucky fellow you are I" JSirT. Mason, -a-. settler at Hawera, lately lost by death a mare named Topsy who had attained the ripe old age of 22 years. This: is nothing wonderful, but itjawprthy-df record that Topsy's dam & still ahve, and is known to be 35 tears of age. " " rf The schooner Endeavour, on her voy- • age Vflrn.OaraarQ to.Aucklhnd, passed a quantity of saw n timber, BbyL ii the Jpay of Plenty. l . *-■<," The stock, lock, and barrel of the es- , tate of the Foxton Bowing giub ; were to . bo put to the hammer to-dav^ The catalogue is : as follows :— "Maqawatu M - - oared imtswing; "Dolly Vafderi;* 4. oared oytrigger ; -'Queen Mab,n.^ are d batswing; "Duchess of Deyonshire" pair-oared batswing. : •.,■.,;,, : .^ ,The forthcoming concert inlaid of bt. Mary s Church, Foxton, isi now under .«*ea«al, The.performance, weare informed by .Father Macm*nu>; will contain sacred and secular music, duets both vocal and instrumental, songs, recitatibns &c, whilst i novelty is promised intJie Bhape of some step dancing U the old Irish style.- The; ( members -of the Talßierstoa choir, assisted by Foxiou -performera,will,sopply- the programme, and a most, successful affair maj be looked forward to. '"'~ ' ■'"' ""