The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHBD DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, JANUARY 10. 1886. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1605, 11 January 1886, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1886. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Between two and three o'clock yesterday afternoon the fire-boll rang out a startling alarm when it was discovered that the grass around the Brewery on Foxton Line was burning very fiercely, and at one time it was thought that the Brewery and the house attached, also Mr McNeil's valuable property would be destroyed. A great many willing hands soon collected together, and with the aid of buckets of water succeeded in getting the danger averted. The Palmerston Rover's are requested to turn out to practice every evening this week, as the return match takes place at Woodville on Saturday next the 15th instant. A house in North-street formerly occupied by Mr Collard, had a very narrow escape from being burned down on Saturday afternoon, the grass having caught fire underneath the building. The dan ger was luckily observed in time, and by the aid of the neighbours was soon put out. A lot of the fences around had to be pulled down to prevent it spreading to e other houses, some of which were in close proximity. Mr Williams, chemist, desires us to state that the Pharmacy will be open on Sundays from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 6 to 9 p.m. Mr Cohen lent invaluable assistance yesterday in having extinguished the grass fire on the Foxton Line. The fire-bell brought a considerable number of people down ,but only a few seemed to realize the danger in which surrounding property was placed, the most of those present looking on with calm indifference. A meeting was held at the Commercial Hotel on Saturday evening in con nection with Mr J. King's departure from Palmerston. Mr McNeil occupying the chair. After considerable discussion it was resolved by those present that a farewell banquet should be given Mr King, and an illuminated address prepared to be presented him. Messrs Hawkins, Linton, and W. H. Smith were appointed a committee to make necessary arrangements. A terrible fire was burning on the property, of Messrs Nannestad and Co. all day on Sunday, and a lot of the workmen were set to watch it, as it was feared it would destroy the whole of their tram line, and so cause them great inconvenience and pecuniary loss. A considerable quantity of the line had to be taken up in order to prevent the fire spreading. No serious damage was however effected.

"Let me see," said a minister who was filling out a marriage certificate and had forgotten the date, "this is the fifth, is it not ?" " No, sir," replied the bride with some indignation ; " this is only my second." People should mind how they express themselves at public dinners. We read the other day that the builder of a church how in course of erection, when the toast of his health was given enigmatically replied that he was " more fitted for the scaffold than for public speaking." He wondered why they laughed. Mr Dibbs, the late Premier of New South Wales, in making his financial statement, said that during the period of drought of the last two years the total losses in stock had reached the enormous number of more than 200,000 horses, nearly 6,500,000 cattle, and 13,500,000 sheep. We regret to hear says the Wairarapa Star, that dry weather and other causes are telling disastrously on some of flocks of this district. In one instance on the East coast a settler is said to have lost over a thousand sheep, some being poisoned with the grain used for rabbit-poi-soning, and which, when feed is scarce, the sheep naturally devour, others killed killed by wild dogs, while not a few are presumed to have been stolen. The Feilding Star says that on Friday afternoon when a portable engine was being brought out of the E. and C. A. Corporation yard, an accident occurred which nearly cost Mr Gardiner, of Ashurst, driver of the horses, his life. When the engine ran down the incline into the water table at the roadside, there was a sudden jerk, the king bolt broke, and the whole carriage collapsed,. Gardiner was thrown forward on the shaft horse, and then slipped back on the after part of the shafts where his leg was jammed in the woodwork. The flesh of the calf was much bruised, it having been squeezed into the thickness of less than one inch. It is also suppossed that the small bone of the leg is broken. Mr Rees, coachbuilder, who witnessed the accident, rendered valuable assistance, in relieving the sufferer from his perilous position. In this he was assisted by some of the bystanders. Mr Bray had Mr Gardiner carried to his trap and drove him to his home in Ashurst. The French Government have decided to make Wellington the French consular headquarters, and a French consul will be sent out.