LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1755, 31 July 1895, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The premises at Oxford occupied by Mr T. Marsha! l ., saddler, were totally.destroyed by fire on Thursday, but o particulars of the cause are to hand. The stoc* was insured for <£2oo in tne Phcenia Office, for which Mr G. Dickinson is the Cambridge agent.

A meeting of the shareholders of the Stoney Creek Prospecting Syndicate will be held ; in Mr Snewia’s office to-morrow. (Thursday) evening, commencing at 8 o’clock. The business, is of. great importance, and it is hoped that all share-holders will pnt in an appearance.

Large consignments of maize are being shipped by farmers in the Bay of Plenty district.

Mr J. McKenzie advertises for a lost cow, particulars of which will be found, e’sewhere.

• A sheep-breeder in the Wanganui district was : so confident of the market in Sydney that he refused two guineas pec head for h’s rams In this country before shipment, only to find when he got them there that he could little more than realise the price of tbeir passage by their sale.

A hint for Gardeners.—A German farmer, in sheer absent-mindedness, sprinkled some beer on some plants one night, arid was amazed next day to find' 177 dead snails lying about the plants. With, the object of further testing the efficacy of the liquid, he filled two saucers with beer, and placed fresh lettuce leaves in them, with the result that he found next morning the lettuce untouched, and 218 dead snails.

The reckless firing of a revolver in the streets of Ballator, a little place near Balmoral, where the Queen is staying, by a young man named Thomas the village' on. June 7th, . The/ offender proved to be the son of a farmer at Criell, on his way to Balmoral to interview the Queen. He was found to ho insane, and was put under restraint. He had in b's pocket a letter addressed to the Queen, another to Mr Gladstone, informing the ex-Premier that he (Don) was about to become, the King of Great Britain, and another to Mr Vanderbilt offering to marry the millionaire’s daughter. He resisted arrest and fought desperately before he was overcome. -

During the past few days alarge number of sheep in the Pahautaoi district have been found dead, each havng a sm.dl puncture behind the ear. They are supposed to have been attacked by ferrets.

A telegram from Wellington states that fifty-three cases of Martini Henri rifles, came out by the Taiuui from London consigned to the Defence Department. Mr E. P. Jones, auctioneer, etc., from Paeroa, conducted a most successful auction sale in the Te Aroha Public He ll on Saturday, A large amount of furniture,, crockery, poultry, produce, etc., was entered for sale and very satisfactory prices obtained. Mr Jones, by his excellent good humour and strict attention to business, is fast becoming popular in Te Aroha, aid no doubt the monthly sale which he is inaugurating will meet a long felt want. If a : lion and a horse were to pull in opposite directions the horse would pull the lion backwards with comparative ease; but if the lion were hitched behind the horse, and facing in the same direction, and were allowed to exert his strength in backihg, he could easily pull the horse-down on his haunches' or drag him along, so much greater is his strength when exerted from the hind legs than in forward pulling. We are pleased to inform those interested in mining matters in To Aroha that the Government Gazette notifies that miners rights and business licenses may now be issued at the Post Offices In view of.the revival in mining this will be a great convenience to those concerned, as under the'old system all business with the Warden’s Court could only be transacted once a fortnight, when Mr Jordan visited Te Aroha.

The monthly meeting of the Waitoa Road Board was held on Saturdry last, when the following tenders for works were received for clearing tea-tree on the Ngutumanga road: W. J. Swney, 8d per chain (accepted); J. Parr, SJd per chain; H. Bell, Tod per chain : P. Elion, lid petchain; J. Wilson, Is 9d per chain: P. D. Ewin, 9d p9rjchain ; Johnson & party, ll jd per chain; W. Cornes, 9d per chain- E. Adolph, 1b Id per chain. Clearing d.-vins and formation at Manawarn : —P. A. Swnoy,- £47 ; J. Parr; <£34 10s; Johnson and party, £39 5s 6d; M. Rowan, <£44; K. Gieazer, £45; E. Adolph, £36 19s (accepted). A large furnishing shop at home makes the following tempting offer. Newly married couples furnishing entirely from their firm will have the full value of the goods returned to them on their silver wedding day.

Under the Voluiteer regulations three men in each corps and members of the Garrison Band have to be instructed in ambulance work.

The weather during the last three or four days has been intensely cold, and on Tuesday morning last the Te Aroha mountain was capped with snow, in fact, the hll's for miles a’ong presented quite a picturesque appearance.

To-day being the 31st of July, it is the last day of the shooting season. Very few big hags have rewarded‘our local sports, and the birds seem to have had the beat of. the’season.

The monthly meeting of the Band of Hope will be held in the Town Ball on Monday evening next, aad preparations are being made to present the usual good programme to those present. The meetings are free of charge, but a collection is generally taken up to defray the expenses of .hall, books, etc. The members of the Te Aroha Rifles mastered in full force on Sunday morning last for Church parade. There was some 35 all told, including the band, which headed the company in tbeir march f rom the Domain to St. Mark’s Cbfirch, playing a number of sacred selections. The Hon. Chaplain, Rev F..G. Evans, preached a very appropriate sermon to a large congregation. Daring the offertory the band playod an anthem.’

About thirty natives belonging to the. Hauralu tribe gave an entertaiment of big shoe dancing, war dance, hakas, etc, in the Town Hall on Saturday last." The natives were very well patronised, the. back seats being crowded, wh : !e not a few availed themselves of the front seats. The programme was a lenghty one, and well worth the price of admission. A big shoe dance by some 10 young men being worthy of of special mention, and they well deserved the hearty applause accorded them.

Owing to some misunderstanding the combined match between oar local footballers (Momnsviile and Te Aroha) and Hamilton did not come off. The match has been arranged to take place on Sydney Square, Hainilton, on Saturday next, 3rd August. The team will leave for Hamilton by the-early morning train, play the match, and return by train the same day. The following players have been- selecfctd to represent the local team:—Full-back, Clarke; three-quarters, Gregory, Pavitt and Gome; halves, Kirby and ; Keesiag ; forwards, Hinton, Vincent, Orr, Glynn, Grange, Cornes, Smardon, Renaick and O. Liosey. Emergencies, Mahon and Brevier. Any player being unable to put in an appearance will please communicate with the Morrinsville secretary, Mr E. Cla- ke, as early as possible. The colours are blue and white. Hamilton team : Full-back, Johnson; three-quarters, Wright, G. Gillett, Kitching; halves, Black and Hunt; forwards, J. Gillett (captain), Harrison, Jack, Jumbo, Williamson, Nickisson, Pascoe, nnes, and P. White. •

A meeting of the shooting committee of our Volunteers met on Monday evening last to arrange a firing competition for prizes, including t)ie suit of clothes presented'by Hallensteln Bros. The maten is to take place at the butts on’Thurs.lay, Bth h August,,the ranges to bo 400,500 and 600 1 yards, seven shots at each. The committee fch's time'have very sensibly placed the best shots in the Company on scratch, and handicapped the remainder accordingly. If the weather should prove fine we have no doubt a large, muster of our defenders will take part in the contest.

Our auction sales will bO fouid 'duly advertised as. usual. Messrs McNicol and vb.’siOhaupo sale will be held cn Tuesday, ijiih ult., for which 160 forward weathers have been entered. The Cambridge Spring Horse Fair will be held 1 o a Wednesday and Thursday, and 25th and 2Cfch September, Hus fair is. held in connection with the VTaikato Farmers’ Club annual st.iToi parade. The date of Mr W. J. Hunter’s special horse sale at Cambridge will be he'd the first week in September, whea some 300 horses of all sorts will be offered. • The football match between tV* Thames Rovers and a repl-esentat : vo team from Waihi, t o': place at Par wai on Saturday last, and resulted in a vie-o: y for the Waibi team by 9 points to nil. , A meeting of milk suppliers was he’d i i the Te Aroha West school-house on Monday evening last. The meeting was well attended, but many of those present had very little to say, and appeared- anxious for a. few to start :he creamery, and if all went we 1, they would then come in and supply. . It was eventually decided to draw up'a petition to be signed by those will lag to supply to the factory under Reynold’s and Co’s terms. It was also the opinion of most of those present that the creamery should not start till October. •

In the late Chlna-Japanose war it is estimated that the number of men kt I •ed in the Japanese Treaty was, 253, including 17 officers and 24 non-commissioned officers. .The total number of deaths from -cbo'era among the Japanese troops at the Pescadores Islands up to the 2nd of May was 1172; cases-under treatment, .150 ; dysentery cases, 20. 'lt is reported that 30,000 medals have been 'manufactured in Japan for distribution to soldiers who distinguished themselves in the war. They are described as ‘Medals of the Go'den Falcon,’ the Falcon being historical (y regarded in Japan as a bird of victory and a good omen in war. ' .

The quantity of gold exported from the colony ddring the June quarter was 63,7270 z, valued at £250,907. Du-Ing the half-year ending 30bh June the amount was IJliUlQbz, valued a.t £5.18,492, agaiusj 119,53G0;;, val ued at £482.407, in the corresponding half-year of 1894. .

One thbnsaad three hundred and ful.yfive Canadian physicians were leiently asked if general,health wouV, be improved by total -abstinence, and 1268 replied in theaffimatlve. Out of 1340 who rep'ied to a, question on moderate drinking, 901 said that ahe use of intoxicants, even in moderation, is iujurloasto health and to an active condition of body and fn.ind. At the Waitoa Road Board meeting held at MoiTinsville on Saturday Mr Chepaxell, Chairman and Treasurer to the Board, staced that the Board had been iu existence for 20 years, during which time the revenue had been £30,000, an average of £ISOO ner annum.

Mi-s Dean, sentenced to death for child murder, is 48. years , old, spare, and of medium height. Her husband is not n educated, man. Mrs Dean on the r © rtrai y, is said to be well brought up, and possesses a keen intellectual capacity. Dean is her second husband; prior to that she was a Mrs McCulloch. Since her sentence she has increased in weight, and loots much better in health. She sle.eps well, eats well, chats pleasantly, and can talk of the incidents of the trial with the greatest ease and utmost unconcern. Hanging has no terrors for her, and she is not at times averse to a mild joke on the subject. She has become very particular about her appearance, and intends wearing a new and very neat dress ‘ for the occasion.’

It is stated that the. St. Patrick mine, adjoining the Golden Fleece and Marmion, Karangahake, has been placed under offer to a Wellington syndicate. Mr McGruer, manager of the Crown mine, visited the ground last week to report, and is well satisfied with the prospects. 1 v The St. Patrick have on hand a splendid reef, showing gold occasionally. It is making for the Golden reef, a special claim recently taken up.

The champion mean man is often being found;now-a-dayi£ At Christchurch recently •he called at the Post Office to send a paper —asked for a. half-penny stamp and tendered a copper. Clerk had no halfpenny to give in change and offered another halfpenny stamp. * I don’t want ;four stamp, give me a halfpenny.’ Clerk very sorry, no halfpennies in the till. He insisted; grew hot; threatened to report the clerk. The obliging counter clerk took him to the chief clerk; he too hadn’t a halfpenny. Still he blustered; he would have his change in copper or know the reason why. More bluster. . The'.chief clerk passed him on to the chief postmaster to lay his complaint. He too happened not to have a halfpenny; veryjsorry; such a very small matter—rand after all a stamp is as good as- coin. ‘ Good !’ he roared, ‘ what good is it to me ? I leave to-day-by the mail steamer—what use will a New;Zealand stamp be to me in Scotland?’' He-wris not to be appeased, and the generous chief postmaster pulled out a penny and smilingly tendered it. * Sorry it isn’t a halfpenny; but pray consider it a halfpenny. You may find it useful at the end of your voyage—to tip the stewatd, you know!’ That man would stand a big show for the championship of New.; Zealand. It’s a pity he has gone Home, his talents will be Wasted—in Septland.

It has been stated that the corse!: has So maliformed the human form divine that, in the rationa years to come, skeletons of to.day will puzzle the excavator of tombs. All the beautiful natural curves of the sculptor;s dreams are flattened in the unnatural efforts to obtain a waist.