LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2071, 27 January 1898, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The South Auckland Eacing Club'a meet* ing is fixed for Saturday, 6th March, on the. Claudeland racecourse.

We are pleased to observe an upward tendency on the Auckland aharemarket, a gradual increase on previous quotations is reported. The Engineer to Ohinemuri County Council invites tenders for: various road and dther works in the County, tenders for which close on Thursday, 3rd February.

Messrs Sutton and Sons, the successful tenderers for erection of St. Mark 0 Vicarage, have started on the job, which will he completed in lour or five week’s time, Mr A. W. Edwards, draper, notifies elsewhere that his premises Will ho closed as usual this afternoon, also on Saturdav next (Anniversary Day). He will open on Saturday night at 6 o’clock. > The annual report of the Westport Coal Con.pany shows a profit of -£l4-282 180 8d for the year. The directors recommend a dividend of 4 per cent for the last half year, making a total dividend of Qh per cent for the year and carry forward .£5,972. At the Crown Lands Office on Friday, the small island of Motubaraka, was offered for lease, but there was no offer made. The kauri timber on block 3, Tutamoe, Hokianga county, estimated at 670 trees, containing 2,800,000 feet of timber, was passed in, the upset price £2,140 10a not being reached. Te-day Mr W. J. Hunter will hold his usual sale of live stock in the Hamilton yards. ; large number of entries have been received ; at To Auarautu on Saturday, horses, choice calves, pigs, etc., will bo offered. Mr Hunter’s Waikato Sheep Fair takes place on the 16th- of next month, when some 16,000 sheep will he presented.

During the Hon A J Cad man’s visit to Paeroa, he was waited on by members of the County Council, and promised sab* sidies. to that body to the extent of £3,116. Yesterday Mr Cadman visited the principal mines at Karangahake, and also the extensive plant “of the Waihi Company at Wain kino.

Mr Thos. Hofcchin, who some ten years ago left here for Broken Hill, returned to Te Aroha by yesterday’s train. Mr Hotchin haß visited most of the Australian goldfields of importance, and speaks in glowing terms of the prospects of the country.

For A some months past improvements have been made in connection with the appearance of our local Masonic Lodge. The building itself has been lengthened, while the interior was thoroughly overhauled and finished off in a thorough workmanlike manner, presenting a very pleasing appearance. The work was entrusted to. Mr F. Smith, and great credit is dueto him. for the way’in .which ho fulfilled his contract. !

-Official intimation has reached the Rev W. Rortaldson, ■ secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, from the Grand: Secretary of the Grand Masonic Lodge Of England, to the effect that recognition wilt now be given to the New Zealand Grand Lodge. The granting of this recognition has been a subject of discussion ever since the formation of the New -Zealand: Grand Lodge, ■ •

Messrs McNicol* and Co.'s usual budget of sales will be found elsewhere, to which we draw the attention of our readers. The Hamilton sale takes place to-day. The annual Sheep Fair at Ohanpo will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, 2nd and 3rd February, w‘>en they will offer upwards of 20,000 breeding ewes, fat and store wethers, ewes, and wether lambs, a detailed list of which will be found else* where Hi this issue.

On paying a visit to the various farms in Te Aroha and neighborhood, we were pleased to note the excellent stacks of hay gathered in during the season. Borate of the farmers, notwithstanding the somewhat dry season, state the crop is one of the best obtained for years past.

We remind bur readers of the exceptional attraction at the Wesleyan Chursh to-night in the Lantern Lecture by the Rev W. Slade, of Fiji. The rev gentleman delivered a lecture at Hamilton on Monday evening to a large audience, and the greatest inters eat was manifested throughout. Our con* temporary, the ‘ Argus,’ states the lecturer handled his subject in a masterly manner, and some beautiful illustrative limelight views were shown. We learn that the Christian Endeavourers have decided to forego their usual meeting that all may attend the lecture, and ho doubt there will be a crowded house. Proceedings commence at 7.30 p m. At the Police Court yesterday, at Auckland, before Mr H. W. Brabant, 9.M., Charles F. Spooner was charged with having', oh January 18, 1898, unlawfully certain paper entitled, th 4 New Telephone, and 24 copies thereof, in which said paper and copies respectively the name and place of abode of the printer thereof was not printed, as required by the Printers and Newspapers Registration Act, 1868, 3Sr Theo. Cooper appeared for the accused: and admitttd a technical breach of the Act, He had seen a receipt from Mr Spooner for the price of a number of copies of the paper, and did not deny that the leaflet was published by Spooner. As far back as. his memory extended there had not been a similar prosecution before in the district, in fact the law was more honored in the breach than the observance. He would enter a plea of “ guilty,”-and ask His Worship “to inflict the minimum penalty, £5. Mr MeAlioter, for the prosecution* said that there was some reason for the rareness of such cases, as private individuals could have no object in prosecuting unless attacked, But the leaflet in question was a großslylibellous production, and was an insult to all the Roman Catholics in the community. He did not concur with Mr Cooper in the opinion that the minimum fine was £6, but submitted, that according to tho wording of the Act the minimum penaly of J 65 might be ex* acted in respect of oaoh of the 24 copies. His Worship said the wording of the Stock Act was similar to the present and rendered a; person failing to dip sheep liable to a penalty of 3d for each Bheep, As th® matter is of considerable importance, it has agreed to adjourn the case till Thursday morning.

On looking over the Visitors' Book, kept at the Hot Springs Domain Ticket Office, we were amazed at the number of really excellent testimonials contained therein, from those who have been restored to health by using the baths and drinking the mineral water. This is a very gratifying state of affaire, and one which every citizen should feel proud of.

There is one improvement in connection with' the new private baths that meets with our approbation. Nowadays those in the habit of using these baths complain that the beat of the water is unbearable, and to bring it down to anything like bathingtemperature a tap of cold water from one of our many mountain streams is brought into requisition. This water, aa ottr readers; are doubtless aware, somewhat deteriorates in value the baths to those using them for sciatica, lumbago, rheumatism, and the, many other complaints the healing of which our baths are known far and wide. We understand the Engineer in charge of the erection of the new bath-house, has so arranged that a cold mineral Water tap will be provided for each bath, so that none of the curative properties of th® water will be lost. ,

A Not very long ago, in one of our garrison stations in the Mediterranean, died a sergeant, who, by the way, was a married man; The funeral took place duly, when . most of the noncommissioned officers belonging to the garrison paid their last respects to their departed comrade. When the chaplain commenced to read the burial service for the dead, the widow of the deceased sergeant was sobbing quietly. A certain corporal, belonging to. a well known regiment, was seen to tear a leaf from the Prayer-book and hand the following hastily-scribbled note to the widow, “Give me the first chance.”