LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2068, 15 January 1898, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Attention is called to advertisements for tenders for removal and re-erection of Domain fence; also for building a grand stand on racecourse, in another column:

i AU millinery goods reduced to about half price at A. W. Edwards’.—Advt ’ The burning of the poor old kauri tree has revealed one fact which may not previously have been generally known, viz., that the tree was hollow., This has been proved by the fact of the tree having been split into two fairly equal portions, revealing the cavity. The tree has fallen in a straight line down hill, and the branches and upper portion have been burned clean away from the bole, and rolled further down the hill while the two halves of the giant trunk lie side by side, bl ackened ruins., It is not quite certain when the tree fell but' it probably succumbed shortly before the recent heavy rainfall, for in the black*, ened cavities of the recumbent remnants the rain- has gathered The limbs still smoulder, and the volume of smoke is considerable;!; The gigantic roots; have been torn out ; of the ground for 20 ft.l round about the place where the trunk stood, and the place resembles the effects of a miniat ture earthquake. .JJnite a,number of people visited the spot dijf Saturday and Sunday afternoon® Some- of 'theirA 'following such commercial purposes as digging out gum or speculating on the quantity of timber the two great blackened halves of the trunk contained. Most Thamesites are, however, sentimental enough to look on the wanton destruction of the Big Kauri tree as the loss of an old and, familiar friend.

Ladies arid children’s hats must be cleared regardless of coat, A. W. Edwards;— i Advb At nine o’clock, last night a blaze on the south western;, slope .of the hill-’forming parVof whatiiakno wn as the MontezumaMt Morgan G M i Company’s property attracted the attention of passers by in Whitaker Street. Towards midnight our attention was again drawn to the fire Fanned by a steady northern breeze it had assumed the porportiona of a conflagration and the greater portion of the hill was brilliantly illuminated When we went to press the flames were sweeping towards the Bald Spur and threatening the bush in that vicinity, which forms one of the stock attractions to the picturesque background to our township,

An experiment tried at the recent largely attended Masonic installation proved an unmistakable success, The catering for the supper for the first time in the history of the Te Aroha lodge was entrusted to a storekeeper the hotelkeepers hitherto having had a monoply in this direction. From several source's we have received most flattering-accounts ef the excellence of Mr S. L. .Bygrave’s catering at the meeting on Thursday night at the Masonic Hall.

e Children’s white and embroidered hats reduced from Is 9d to Is; sun bonnets 2s lid, reduced to Is lid at A. W. Edwards, —Advt i ' «■■■•'■

News from Victoria, British Columbia, reports the discovery of the mother lode at Klondyke. It is immensely rich. The Te Aroha News Stationery Packet Price 3d. will be found to supply a long felt want. In reply to a communication from Mr Chamberlain, Sir George Turner, Premier of Victoria, stated that he did not feel justified in asking Parliament to contribute towards the proposed Royal Geographical Society’s Antarctic, expedition, as he failed to see the advantage the colony would gain. The Cambridge Fruit Evaporating Company will open on Monday next and will be prepared to receive fruit up to 12 noon daily. The company offer £3 10s per ton for apples, and as this is an advance on the price paid last year, they intimate that the conitions re size and quality of fruit will be strictly adhered to. This afternoon, as we mentioned in Thursday’s issue, a tennis match between the representatives of Paeroa Te Aroha will take place in the Domain at three o’clock. Tea will be provided by the ladies. We have received a copy of Bond’s almanac, diary and directory for the districts of Waikato, Rotorua, Te Aroha, and adjacent settlements for the current year. A glance through its copious contents more than ever convinces us that this volume is indispensable to the Waikato settler. The space devoted to a description of Te Aroha contains a well written account of local attractions and. the hot springs.-- ■

Meeting T.R.V. Shooting Committee to-night. . Holland has determined upon; a gigantic engineeringfeat—the reclaiming of 789 square miles of land, now lying under the Zuyder Zee. Eight hundred years ago all of Holland con-J tained hut ,600 square miles of lfiriq/; Gradually, by means of great dykes, land has been reclaimed, until the present area is nearly 13,000 square miles —more than 20 times, the . pfiginal,; area.

Mr R. R. Hunt, of the New Zealand Exploration Company, arrived at Tauranga per Clansman on Saturday, and proceeded to To Puke after lunch. He intends remaining in Te Puke for a few days, and hopes that local people will take up shares in the Te Puke Reefs G.M. Cot, f otherwise known as Fleming’s Freehold, which is now being floated.

We are informed that the Half-way House, between Tauranga and Rotorua is to be re-opened. „ An Indian paper says that the special Dum Dum bullet, has come triumphantly out of the trial in actual warfare. Reports show that in the attack on Sir Bindon Blood’s, camp at Nawagai the steady volleys! fifed by the Queen’s Regiment were most effective ing the rushes of he tribesmadf though these were made,with great determination. The enemy’s loss in killed alone isput at 330, these figures being based on trustworthy information gained since the fight took place. The bullet did its work most effectively, arid we do not hear, as was the case during the Chitral campaign, of men being riddled by the Lee-Metford pellets and yet being able to walk away. The British soldier now knows that he has a rifle arid ammuriition which can be absolutely relied upon, arid lie will face a ghazi charge with cool confidence, how-, ever numerous the enemy may be. !

Some people will remehaber that when the Rangitikei bridge at Bulls was destroyed a pile-driving engine belonging to Glendiuning and Co., which was on the bridge at the time, also disappeared. For some time it was supposed that it had been carried; down by the flood waters, but it remained where it had fallen, but was in deep water and partially covered with shingle. There it has been allowed to remain until last Tuesday, owing to lack of machinery strong enough to lift it. On Tuesday morning, however. Mr Glendinning and a few hands with a plant capable of lifting 90 tons, had the engine out of the water in an hour or two and on its way to Napier. Although the engine was only four tons weight it was so embedded in the shingle that it*required ‘a lift of 70 tons to uproot it.—Advocate. The current number of the Graphic is of special, interest this week, containing, as it does, excellent photographs of the unfortunate Kaipara railway accident,- with an account of the disaster. Sketches of the VVaiheke Regatta, and of a lucky Klondyker and his gold will be looked at with interest. The front piece is a representation of a Maori belle, tastefully: mounted. A trip through India arid Ceylon by Mr Lloyd, with beautiful illustrations, and an account of the Indian campaign with pictures.- of Colonel Mathias, and of some of the fights, are of special value at the present time. "

Local athletes are busily engaged putting in the winding-up gallops for the meeting of the Waikato Amateur Athletic Club, to be held on Saturday, 29th inst. (says the Waikato Argus). A most attractive programme has been arranged, and competitors are expected from Auckland, Thames, Paeroa and other centres, and no doubt the racing will be of a most interesting nature. As this is the chief attraction in the Waikato on Anuiversary Day, the popular little club can rely on a large attendance if fortune will for once smile on it and provide a fine day. The yield from the Woodstock mine, Karangahake, for past four weeks is stated to be £2058 from 651 tons. The Komata Reefs yield is £1450 from 320 tons.

A nine,-roomed house, owned and occupied by Mr J. 8. Bond, was destroyed by lire ori Wednesday", at Cambridge. The fire started in a; detached kitchen. Owing to the absence of water nothing could be done to save the building., The furniture in the main building was saved. The building was insured in the Norwich Union for £3OO. Mr Bond, himself, wbb in Te Aroha at the time.

A letter appeared in our last issue signed X.Y Z. which caused quite a flutter in certain local dovecotes. The celerity with which the contents of that letter spread all over the district.at that early hour speaks volumes for the avidity with which our columns are scanned,; the extent of our circulation, and the regularity of our delivery. At 12.53 we were threatened with action for libel and immediately afterwards partook of a hearty luncheon. That important personage ‘ the secretary of the late picnic ’ had our sympathy under the distressing charge of laches laid to his account—we say ‘had’ advisedly; but his action in accusing us of being instrumental in the publication of amalieious libel, and hurling such epithets at our head as propagator (only he called it alligator in the heat of the moment)' of suppressios vert and falsi has completely alienated whatever commiseration w may h&Yflieit for him.

The shooting team to Represent the Thames Navals against the Te Aroha Bifleeon January 29th will be picked from the following • Winslader, GrUndy, Dalton, Curtis, Thompson,' Sutcliffe, Bose, Weir, Morrison, Lukey, Savage, Newman, Boyd, Schofield, Brownlee, 'Mcponnell and Gibbons. rather amusing though unfortunate incidenti happened when thoex- ; press . train L was going out of the Christchurch station a few days ago. A couplerwholhad only just been united in wedlock were leaving by the 'trßbfoni their-hioneymoon. The bride had been duly installed in a carriage, and the happy bridegroom lingered on the platform to’ bid good-bye to some friends who Were down to see them off. The train moved off before he was aware of the fact, and as he attempted to jump on hoard he was seized by one of the station officials and prevented from doing so, and the bride had therefore to go on her honeymoon trip alone. Of copra© her spouse followed by a later train. On the same occasion an aged gentleman, Who was standing on the platform talking 10 his son, was carried away against Kis will, and had to go on to Bakaia and remain there until the evening train brought him back to Christchurch. :

A few days ago Mr Frederick Bruce Graham, lately editor of the Warren Herald, met his death at Sydney Under strange circumstanofis- Mr Graham was standing on the wharf near Cavill’s baths at Farm Cove, and he was seen to stagger and fall into the water. Mr Arthur Gavill, who was in the baths at the • time, heard that there was- a man and he jumped over and swam to his rescue. He managed ?to bring Mr Graham ashore, and immediate efforts towards resuscitation were made. After a time Mr Graham revived slightly, and in a little while doctors from two of the, men-of-war lying in the cove came to render assistance. However, Mr Graham quickly relapsed, and died shortly after their, arrival. Mr Graham met with a misfortune some years ago, which necessitated the amputation of one of his arms. , He has been in Sydney for the past six weeks, and has been stay'at the Metropolitan Hotel. Some two days previous he complained of feeling ' Unwell. It is ; thought that Mr Gra[ham’s death was caused by heart disease, accelerated thu dmtnersico.;3 fheodeceased gentleman . was'years old. ! f|f If jK $ Edith Louis (writes the Herald Paeroa correspond? ent) narrbwiy escaped being drowned: in a iSilyerton Gold Mining Company’s Imihe, ;at Waihi. It appears that she-vvae flaying will her little attempted to jump over the ’well,; when she, unfortunately, fell in. A lad, five years of age, named FreddiesMarShl was also, playing with the others, and, though he/to6k off his coat, ahd with great presence of mind and. pluck,ho stooped down,- and; banging on to the surface by hie toes and one hand, he succeeded in resouing his little playmate, there being quite 20 feet of water in the well. The little fellow’s brave/conduct is, worthy of* Commendation.

Ernest Hart, whose death is reported by cable from London, was 61 years of age. For several years he was 00-editor of the ‘ Lancet,’ and later editor of the ‘ British Medical Journal, and of the ‘ Sanitary Becord ’ and London ‘Medical Becord.’ He rendered great public service in exposing, in consort with others, the defectirearrangements for the poor in workhouses. He also established societies for the Protection of Infant Life. Abatement of Smoke, and the establishment of cheap concerts for the poor. He also aided in promoting the better organisation of the medical department of the army and navy, and in shaping the Public Health Act.

A. nugget weighing 67ozs and worth about £250, was found by Messrs Hadnett and party recently in King’s paddock, Tarnagulla, to which a rush recently took place. Several other smaller finds are reported, including nuggets of 50ozs and 20oz weight respectively. A large cumber of men are still working in the paddock, and generally speaking good results are being obtained. Baring Tuesday and yesterday a report was l current in Auckland to the effect’ that;Mr. J. McConnell, the popiular metallurgist of the Woodstock battery at Karangahake, had been overcome by cyanide fumes, and that in cohsequience of the inhalation of the prussic acid his right arm and side had become paralysed. The rumour, w© are pleased to state, proves to be incorrect.

Considerable indignation has been excited in Paris (a correspondent of the London ‘ Morning Post ’ writes) by a scandalous affair which recently took place at a well-known dressmakers in .the Rue de la Paix here. The proprietor had, it seems, missed a valuable piece of jewellery which he had laid on a table. He called In his chief sales woman, and ordered her to collect the entire staff in one of the rooms. The women and girls denied having seen the article in question, whereupon he ordered the saleswoman to undress and search every employee, which was done in his presence; and even with his assistances The ‘ Libre Parole * asks if it is possible that female labour is so unprotected in France that Paris seamstresses have to submit to eusfe revolting. treatments