LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2124, 5 July 1898, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

We regret te hear that Mr Jones, formerly a blacksmith at Waihou, is lying dangerously ill at his residence in Te Aroha.

Yesterday was the 4th ofJuly, the anniversary of Independence Day U.S. America (1776).

In reply to “ Enquirer,” Mayor, the major or chief “magistrate of a city or borough, is derived through the French. maire from the Latin major comparative degree of magnus, great.

A touching poem by a sympathiser entitled “ The funeral of W. D...... 11,” which we received yesterday is held over on account of pressure on our space to next week. The well-known. Metropolitan Hotel, Auckland, has changed hands, Mr J. Morrison, late of the Eoyal, Thames, having purchased it from Mr J. Gallagher, who intends indulging in a holiday. Qa Saturday afternoon last a football match between teams picked from Te Aroha and Suburbs took place in Mr Geo. Lipsey’s paddock. The ground was in a very moist condition, but notwithstanding this drawback some very fair passing runs were indulged in. Neither side had a full team. The Te Aroha boys won by 15 points “to nil. .

Mr J. J. Bryers, who has been connectad with this district in various capacities for the last tinea years, is about to leave us for fresh fields. His friends intend to give him a send off, in the shape of a social and dance, which Will be held in the Waikino Hall, on Tuesday, July 12th.— Goldsfield Advocate.

During a discussion on his paper on * Tuberculosis ’ at Wellington the other night, Dr Chappell brought forth a unanimous ‘Oh !’ from his audience by declaring that butter also was to be added to the articles ofj food carrying tuberculosis. He also said that since his return from England he had had only five deaths among his patients and yet strange to say, all of them were from tuberculosis.

In tho Hot Lakes Chronicle of July 2nd appears a sympathetic echo to the followingln explanation of certain irregularities in the delivery of the paper and the cause thereof, the * Northern Advocate says :—“ During such times as these, candid friends are not wanting who can tell you how a newspaper ought to be runj they know more about the business than we do, though we have been at it for over thirty years. If some of them had a little of our experience of the internal working of a country newspaper office, they would most likely take up their permanent residence at Avondale ” We cordially endorse the Advocate’s plaint. In the course of his speech at Wellington the other night, Captain Russel said:—Kindly critics had said not unfrequently, * Captain Bussell does not take off the gloves.” The reason was that he was pot in the habit of wearing them. But he also liked to keep his hands clean. (Applause ) He felt that in public life, as in private life, a man should endeavor always to be courteous and to keep his hands clean/' ; As : he had acted iu the past so he must act in the future. We are afraid, however, Captain Russell does anything but give satisfaction to his party in the House by his scrupulous adherence to an ideal.

We take the following condensed report from the ‘ Waikato Argus':— A fire destroyed Messrs Fry Bros’ flax and grain storage shed at Morriusville early on Saturday morning last. The origin of the fire is : unknown. The shed and contents were insured in the Norwich Union for JE34O, through the local agents (Messrs H. and J. Clifford); but as there, was only a small quantity of flax stored away at the time the claim was for £148 ; this was only sent in on the Monday and a cheque for' the amount was forwarded by the return mail. Messrs Fry Bros’ have been unfortunate with fires recently, as in the summer,, a- swamp fire destroyed many thousands of tons of their green flax; this is the more to be regretted, as they kept the mill working for a long time when flax was only worth £l© per ton, and now that is worth £l6 to £lB, they would have reaped some reward.

Some American girls have found it pos« sible to earn pockat»money in a very pleasant fashion by taking up the profession of entertainer at children’s parties and picnics. They go early to assist m preparing the tables and arranging the menus, and during the party they act as elder Bister to the little ones and right hand to the hostess. Of course they mast have a repertoire of tales and riddles, and a genius for inventing and arranging games. A love for children and an unfeigned interest in their enjovment are equally indispensable.

The daily Chronicle learns that the ultimatum announcing the rupture of diplomatic relations between Spain and the United States was communicated to the Ameriean Minister in Spain under peculiarly dramatic circumstances. Mr Woodford was entertaining friends at dinner, and when the momentous document was handed to hira he was noticed to appear somewhat agitated. After a pause he rose and said in an unusually solemn tone—‘ I have to propose'the toast of His Majesty the King and of Her Majesty the Queen -Kegent of Spain.' The toast was received by all the guests standing, but in silence. Everybody guessed what had happened, and a few moments afterwards Mr Woodford communicated the truth to his friends, amongst whom was one American lady married to a Spanish officer, whose son will have to fight against his mother’s country.

A grim burial scene is described in Black wood’s Magazine for April, in an article bearing the title of * Life and Death on the Niger Delta' 1 That afternoon we took part in a function, which is only too common in every African trading station—a funeral A young clerk had breathed his last a few hours earlier, after four days suffering at a temperature of 107 deg., and now they were laying him to rest. A deputation from the steamer attended, and the scene was a striking one, impressive because of the curious mingling of the pathetic and grotesqueF -ur naked Krooboys were busy baling the water out of a 3ft trench, while a white trader stood above them mumbling some* thing from the book, held in a shaking hand —and an alcohol-soaked trader stumbling over the solemn words of the last office is not a seemly sight. A rough deal box, . such as * long Dane ’ guns are shipped in, lay sinking in the ooze, and a few dripping men stood bareheaded in the rain. Then,, at a signal, the naked aliens tumbled the case into the trench—and it refused to sink. Clods were-flung upon it, but the buoyant deal rose stubbornly to the surface, until two Krooboys stood upon it to hold it down and the mould was shovelled about their knees. Afterwards a cotton wood log was laid upon the whole, in case it might break through yet, and as we hurried away a mate expressed the feelings of the rest by saying, * When my time cornea I'll hold on hard until you can launch me from under the ensign into clean blue water.’

To the Dea.f and those troubled with Noises in the Head or other Aural Troubles Dr Nicholson of London, the world famed Aural Specialist and Inventor of Artificial Ear Drums, has just issued the 100th edition of his illustrated and descriptive book on Deafness and Aural Troubles This book may be had from Mr Colin Camp, bell, 160. Adelaide Road, Wellington, N.Z Mr Campbell was cured of his deafness by Dr Nicholson’s system, and takeß pleasure in spreading the news of the great specialist in Zealand. A little book on the cure of Rheumatism, Corpulence, Lumbago, and indigestion by the same author, may be had from Mr Campbell also —Advt