Untitled

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9393, 13 March 1909, Page 4

The Oamaru police raided the laundry of Won Sang, a Chinaman, yesterday, and seized five bottles of whisky. A prosecution will follow. An elderly man named Robert Hewitt, aged 60 years, died suddenly at Totara yesterday, presumably from heart disease. He is said to have a mother living in Christchurch.

Owing to the unfavourable weather* the picnic of Marton Farmers’ - Union, which was to have been held at Thoresby to-dav, had to be postponed. The date will be announced in a future issue.

The Manawatu Herald is informed that on Wednesday a Wellington firm were offering £2O 12s 6d for “good fair” hemp f.o.b, Wellington, and a firm of Christchurch buyers approached a miller with an offer of £3l.

At the Supreme Court, Hokitika, yesterday, A Bawden, miner, was acquitted on a charge of having carnal knowledge of a girl under age. Thomas Bust, charged with breaking and* entering at Greymouth, was convicted of common theft. Sentence was deferred 4 till Monday. A ballot was held at the District Land Office on Thursday for the 21 years’ lease, with right of renewal, of"a grazing run of 2755 acres in the Ruahine district. Mr James D. Anderson, of Kimholton, was successful out of eleven applicants. Dogald Sinclair, an old resident of Naseby, was burnt to death on Thursday night owing to his house catching fire. Appearances show that tlie old man made an attempt to escape. Another man who was in the house at the time managed to escape.

Daniel Watt, 60 years of age, was found dead in his hut at North Dunedin where he lived alone. It is conjectured that he must have fallen in the fire, where death overtook him, as his hands were badly burnt. A bank book showing a deposit of £6807 was found' among his possessions.

A meeting of the creditors of Ohas. Ed. Levien, land agent, of Palmerston North, was held yesterday. The statement showed debts £sll 10s 8d (all secured), and the only asset was an interest, valued at £386, in property. Examination elicited that the bankrupt had a bank book and statement of accounts from the solicitors with whom he has done business, but no records of Receipts and expenditure. The bankrupt had earned £4O a month for several months, and £SO from May to August last year, and £3 a week since. He estimated it coat £4 a week to'keep a family of five. He denied a 'charge of extravagant living.

Though the North Island Main Trunk Line has barely been put into operation, business is developing at a race so rapid that the Railway Department’s resources in rolling stock are being tiaxed to the utmost. Special arrangements have had to be made to concentrate all the available waggons in the North. A big traffic in coal from Waikato to the southern towns, Sven so far away as Wanganui, has sprung up, and to cope wifcn it 25 new waggons have just been sent from the Hillside workshops at Dunedin. Another consignment of 25 is packed ready for shipment, and 50 more will soon be despatched to the busy Waikato. The Hon. J. A. Millar says the timber trade also is developing, but at a slower rate. A number of mills were starting again in. the Main Trunk country. Forpassengerjtraffio the through line seemed to have already diverted most of the business from the West Coast steamers. It was his opinion that the Main Trunk Lina would immediately demonstrate itself a profitable investment to the Dominion.

The proprietors of Wirth’s Circus remind residents of ' Marton that most horses have an objection to elephants and that, therefore, drivers who are in the neighbourhood of the station on Monday should be prepared for eventualities. The seven elephants with the show are by no means idle, but are employed to unload the trucks carrying the cages and other baggage. They will be travelling between the Station and the Show ground most of the day on Monday. Unlike most elephants they are broken to shafts. The other day at Waipawa, when a traction engine was badly bogged in the river bed, the seven turned ont and with five in front and two pushing with their heads behind, soon moved the engine out of a difficult position. On reaching solid ground the driver sounded the whistle to celebrate the occasion, and the unusual sound caused a stampede of the elephants across the river. We understand that the Circus train will arrive about 7 a.m. on Monday. Those who are in the neighbourhood of the station at that time see some interesting work done.

A trial run was made the other day of the new taxi-cab service which has just been,, installed in Christchurch. In shape the new vehicle resembles a four-wheeled cab and can easily be opened to form a landau. Alongside the driver in the front with the recording face towards the ‘.passenger is the apparatus for indicating the amount of the fare. A sm.-ll handle to which is attached a zinc flag having words “For hire” on, it is the lever which, starts the recording apparatus. So soon as the cab is hired the handle of the lever is pulled over and the flag goes down. This sets in motion the machinery which indicates the faro to be paid, starting with lathe minimum sum. Then as the disanco is covered the sixpences and threepences appear on the dial. There is another showing the amount payable for waiting whilst a lady is shopping, etc. When a stop is made for the latter purpose the recorder is turned on to time and records this. When started again distance is taken into account unless the cab is hired altogether by time. This enables the passenger at once to ascertain the amount to be paid, and saves any dispute.

Mr Stanley JE. Head, real estate agent, Wanganui, has issued a very neat pocket calendar, a copy of which is to hand.

Trembath, Chalmers and are competing in the running events at Dunedin Sports to-day, while Arnst, the champion sculler, will be a starter in the cycling races. At the presentation of prizes at Trentham Sir Joseph Ward said that Government were providing £350 in order to send New Zealand marksmen to compete at the Australian championship meeting in October next. ;

The correct figures of Oroua Licensing poll are : —Goodbahere 840, Bruce.Bl2, Bailey 796, Mcßeth 775, Woolven 718, Bartholomew 704, Bndd 674, Orabb 642, Darragh 635, Tolley 632. The first-named five have been declared elected.

A fire' early this morning gutted two cottages in Lome Street, Auckland, owned by Mrs Orawford, and occupied by Phillip Gibb and George Erodreick. Broderick and family had to leave their cottage by an upstairs window.

A man named Ooxkill was fined £1 and costs at Ohakune on Thursday for selling hop beer of greater strength than that allowed by law. Robert Ash and John Fleming were charged with taking whisky into a No-license area. The Magistrate dismissed the information as it had not been suggested the liquor was intended for sale.

There was a fairly good attendance of the public at the autumn show of Fielding. Horticultural Society last night. A band, members of the Orchestral Society, under the leadership of Mr Edge, played lively music. The voting of the public on the three decorated tables was 57 for No, 3, 48 for No. 2, and 45 for No. 1. The judges had awarded first prize to No. 2, Miss Lethbridge’s, and the 2nd prize to No. 3, Miss Innis-Jones. The following information has been received from Raurimu by the secretary of the General Post Office Mr Wilson reports that at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Ngauruhoe was smoking visibly, although much quieter. The- crater is greatly altered on the west side. The snow fields of Ruapehu are_ blotted out with ashes. Visitors' wishing to ascend Ngauruhoe should do so from Waimarino, as this route is to the windward of the ashes still falling. At Raetihi on Friday a man named Ingram and his two sons were charged with having kept liquor which was for sale in a Nolicense area. The point was raised for the defence that two days before the Raetihi Block was proclaimed to a native No-license area it had ceased to be native land, becoming, by order of the Judge of the Native Land Court, vested in the Crown. The Magistrate upheld the contention, and dismissed the information.

The Miranui flaxmills are to be closed down next week, also Messrs -Seifert’s mill at Paiaka, the millers finding it impossible to continue under present conditions. About 175 men will be thrown out of employment. The loss in wages will he about £2200 per mouth. It is said that if the supply of hemp cannot be kept up cordage manufacturers, who have got special machinery to deal with the New Zealand hemp, will get rid of this and replace it with machinery, specially adapted for working sisal and Manila hemp. This will practically mean the extinction of the industry.

Several charges of breaches-of the Industrial awards were heard at Auckland yesterday. The first was against H. E. Phillips for breaking the Bakers’ award by employing a hand at a less rate than £3 5a per week. The Inspector explained that under the award, a first hand must receive £3, a second hand £3 10s, and other hands £3 5s per week, dry pay, one, except apprentices being allowed to board on the premises. The breach was in employing a young.man at £3 3s instead of £3 ss, and boarding him on the premises. It was admitted that a technical breach was committed, although the young man actually received better pay than he would have had the strict terms been complied with. A tine of 10s was imposed with costs, " New goods tor the autumn and winter season are now being opened up daily at the Bon Marche, Pending. By the end of the week, Messrs Spence and Spence will have a magnificent showing ready for sale, including all the correct modes in millinery, coats, sikrts and furs direct from the Home markets.*