LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8344, 29 January 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr J. 0. Bidwill has presented a handsome silver teapot to the Featherston Rifle Club for competition. Mr W. Howard Booth, of Carterton, has just harvested a field of 17 acres of oats, estimated to thresh over 70 bushels to the acre. Tomatoes were planted very largely in Greytown this year, one grower alone having 8,000 plants in a pic* in Kuratawhiti Street. T. Myers, chief officer of the steamer Kanieri, has been missing since the vessel's arrival at Auckland from Whangarei on Saturday. The Geraldine Racing Club's grandstand, together with its contents, was completely destroyed by fire on Sunday night. Incendiarism is suspected. The building was insured for £2OO, and the contents for £SO, in the State Fire Office.

The many friends of Mr F. Armstrong, of Akitio station, will regret to learn that he met with a serious accident on Friday last. Mr Armstrong was kicked by a horse'and his condition is such that he will have to lie up for about two weeks.

Further evidence was taken at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, yesterday, in regard to the charge of manslaughter preferred against Palmer Spry and William O'Brien, of the Wellington Fire Brigade, in .connection with the death of Mrs Kensington on December 17th. The hearing had not concluded when the Court adjourned. At New Plymouth, yesterday, Mr Hutchison, S.M., gave his reserved judgment in th eases brought by the Taranaki Jockey Club against bookmakers for betting at the Club's Christmas meeting. Champion was fined £2O and costs on each of two informations. Notice of appeal was given. King was fined £2O, and Flanagan £lO.

At Grey town, yesterday, Mr J. Hastings was married to Miss Fannie Goode. A third beer depot has been opened just outside the Invercargill boundary by a Duiiedin firm. Mr Anthony Wilding, lawn tennis cha inpion of Australasia, left for. Sydney on .Saturday, en route for England. The floods in the Waikato district are gradually subsiding. A fall of seven inches in the river is recorded from Mercer. Two German scientists announce that they have discovered a new kind of rays, which they call anode, akin to the X-rays of Rontgen. The Auckland agents have been advised that the Sonoma with the outward San Francisco mail will not leave Auckland until the 3rd prox.

At the Auckland Police Court, yesterday, an Austrian named George Peear whs charged with assaulting 1 Michael Rice so as to cause him actual bodily harm. The injured man was knocked down, on Saturday nighi, by one of a number of Austrian's (alleged to be accused), and has since died from the injuries he received. His depositions were taken, and a more serious charge may -follow.

Unclaimed letters for the undermentioned persons are lying at the Masterton Post Office: —C. E, Bates, J. D. Cameron (Flat Point), T. Heenan. Llewellyn Hughes, Harrie Keene, Miss K. Lee, Hugh Y. Millar* Mrs M. J. Martin, Edward Morgan, Norman McLeod, Don Pilkington, Jno. P. Ramsey, Geo. H. Raymond, H. W.. Stone, N. G. Tyler, J. F. Vervan, J. T. Wheeler, Arthur Wilkinson, Fred Whitcombe, James

Younger.

At the conference of delegates of the New Zealand Athletic Union held at Cluistehurch, following officers were elected for the ensuing year: -- President, Mr G. W. Woods(lnvercargill); vice-presidents, M cssrs T. Duncan (Wellington) and James Clarkson (New Plymouth); auditor, Mr J. Kennedy (Geraldine)-; committee, Messrs R. Smith (Pahiatua) and D. Corcoran (Dunedin); secretary, Mr T. P. Gilfedder (Invercargill.)

The Postmaster (Mr W. H. Nicholla) advises that the departure of the outward San Francisco mail from Auckland has been postponed till Sunday, February 3rd. Mails will close at the local Post Office on Friday, February Ist, at 4.45 p.m. A supplementary mail will also be closed at 5.30 a.m. on Saturday, February 2nd. Money orders to con- f nect with this mail require to be obtained before 2.30 p.m., on Friday, February Ist.

The Victoria Tennis Club have de--cided to hold a tournament, commencing on Thursday next, when a start will be made with the Men's Singles. The following handicaps have been declared for the Men's Singles: —R. Buxtog, C. Carley, R. Hooper, A. Baker and G. R. Thynne scr, C. Smith, C. Fairbrother, and Mckenzie 10, L. Nicol 15, W. J. Vernon 20, A. Rees, Griffiths, A. Pragnell, C. Steward, G. Scrimgeour and B. Wilton 40."*

During the performance of the Besses o' th' Barn Band at Dunedin, the manager, replying to a criticism regarding prices, said the band's expenses were enormous, and had the New Zealand Government required its exclusive services for the Exhibition it would have had to pay £IO,OOO instead of £2,500. Before one penny was paid by the colony £3,500 was set aside to cover the expense of bringing the band to the colony and taking it Home again. The expenses frequently totalled £SOO a week.

An inquest was held, yesterday, at Wellington, concerning the death of Thomas Erskine, aged 61, who died in a cab on Saturday evening while being driven from a hotel where tie had been drinking. The deceased, according to a friend who knew him well, had never been ill in his life nor had he ever complained. The surgeon who made an autopsy, found all the internal organs in an advanced stage of disease, the condition of the liver pointing to the deceased having been a heavy drinker. Death resulted from regurgitation on the right side of the heart. The jury returned a verdict accordingly.

In some parts of the South Island, and even in the North, farmers have found that their potatoes have been sprouting in the ground, owing to the dry weather, and it was feared that great loss would result t'o the agricultural community in this way. Mr E. Clifton, Chief of the Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, who has just returned from a visit to the South, does not think that the matter is so serious as many people suppose, and if the potatoes are dug and properly stored comparatively little deterioration in value will result in most cases. In addition ,to affecting the potato crop in this way, the dry weather has had a very bad effect on crops. The recent rains, however, improved the prospects.

At the Wellington Magistrate's Court, yesterday, two informations were brought against the father of a bedridden consumptive alleging that the latter was a destitute person, and had been from .-August 19th of last year wholly or in part maintained by the Onslow Borough Council at a cost of £45, and that the defendant, being able to repay, an order against him for the amount should be made. The father is the owner of real estate to the value of £4,042. It appeared that the son recently sold a business at Petone for £2BO, and the house in which he lived had been conveyed to him'by the father. The Magistrate said the case would have to be dismissed.

The Celebrity of Sander and Sons Pore Volatile Eucalypti Extract is universally acknowledged. Royalty honours it, and the entire medical profession has adopted its use. Imitations sprung up without number. The latest of them—as styled •« Extracts "—was oil foisted upon the trusting and unwary under the grossest misuse of Sander ahd Sons' reputation. Sander and Sons instituted an action at the Supreme Court of Victoria, before His Honour Chief Justice Sir J. Madden, K.C.M.G., etc., and at the trial a sworn witness testified that he had to stop the use of counterfeits on account of the irritation produced. This Bhows what care is required to obtain an artiole that is scientifically tested and approved of. As such is surely endorsed and recommended the GENUINE SANDER AND SONS' PURE. VOLATILE EUCALYPTI EXTRACT

An astounding fraud has been perpetrated in London, a large and oldestablished firm of colonial merchants having been robbed of £7,200. A meeting of the Committee of the Masterton St. Patrick's Day Sports Association will be held on SaturdayFebruary 2nd, at 8 p.m., in the Exchange Buildings. Before Mr W. P. James, S.M., at the Masterton Police Court, yesterday morning, a first offender was fined ss, in default 24 hours' imprisonment, for'having been drunk.

Three arrests of high officials have been made in Brussels in connection with the issue of false railway tickets, by which the State has been robbed. More arrests are imminent, and startling revelations are expected.

It is stated that the real reason why the workers' dwellings are not being taken up in Dunedin js that just now there are a number of empty houses about, and workmen can have the choice of a number of localities at rentals that suit them.

A species.of ladybird recently imported by the Government from California has been found to do good service in attacking the potato aphis, the peach aphis, and the woolly aphis (on apples). The Deparment of Agriculture hopes shortly to secure a consignment of another species of ladybird which confines its attentions to the woolly aphis.

Steps are being- taken to bring Wanganui under the provisions of the Rating on Unimproved Values Act, and a poll will be taken shortly. A poll taken three years ago failed by 28 votes, and the advocates of the new system intend to make a determined effort to reverse the verdict. With this object the co-operation of the local labour organisations has been secured. A petition has also been signed to take a poll in Dannevirke.

The Christchurch Truth thus con. I soles farmers for the drought:—lt I means that crops must be short in yield; but while this is so, long prices will be obtained. From the settlers' point of view, it is much better that he should have a 20bushel crop worth 3s per bushel than one of double the quantity and half the value. There is less labour and time involved; less risk, less cost of storage, a good profit and a quick return. Harvesting wheat at 2s and oats at Is 3d is heart-breaking work, even though the season has been a fruitful one. Big prices and small crops are invariably best. But how the general public is affected in such circumstances is a horse of quite another colour.

The motorists in the Wairarapa have decided to form a Wairarapa Automobile Association. The following officers have been elected:— President, Mr W. G. Beard; VicePresidents, Messrs J. Bidwill, R. Maunsell, F. C. Turnor, R. Renall, and Dr. McCarthy; General Committee, Drs. Ross and Cook, and Messrs P. L. Hollings, Whishaw, C. Bidwill, Pgarce, C. Kebbell, Diddams, andO. Pragnell; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr W. A. Fendall. The question of drawing up a code of rules for the Association has been referred to Messrs Hollings, Whishaw, C. Bidwill, and the Secretary. " The annual subscription to the Association has been fixed at £1 Is. The Association will be registered.

"We had a very successful meeting with the Auckland Hospital Board, remarked Dr. Mason (Chief Health Officer) on 'Saturday, discussing the result of his visit to the Far North. A considerable number of medical men interviewed the board, urging that it was absolutely necessary to make provision for persons suffering from consumption/ The board concurred with that opinion, and also agreed with a suggestion made by Dr. Mason that a public meeting should be called, and that the citizens of Auckland should be invited to contribute, following the example of people in the other centres. The i Mayor said that he was in heartiest sympathy with the movement. Arrangements for calling a public meeting are now proceeding.

The death occurred, at Dunedin, on Sunday, of Mr Fred Kersley. The deceased was well-known in Wanganui, having for fjve years been in charge of George arid Kersley's business at Wanganui. For some time he was one of the' leaders of the Younjg Men's Bible Class at the Presbyterian Church in Wanganui, and he was also a prominent figure in volunteering circles in the latter town, being an officer in one of the rifle corps. He recently returned to New Zealand from a two years' trip round the world. On the voyage to this colony he developed pleurisy, but it was not considered serious until after he visited his sister, Mrs R. S. Gray, near Dunedin, some two weeks ago, when he caught a chill. Pneumonia set in and resulted in death on Sunday from an unexpected attack of heart failure. The deceased was a single man with relatives in Wellington, his brother being Mr H. W. Kersley. Mr P. Belliss advertises furnished rooms to let at Castlepoint. Grazing for 150 bullocks is advertised to be let. A good English piano is advertised for sale and may be seen at Mr J. R. Nicol's auction mart. The funeral of the late son of Mr and Mrs J. Collie, of Kaitoke, will take place to-day, leaving the residence of; Mr Deadman, Bruce Street, at 2 o'clock. Messrs McLeod and Young's clearing sale will be continued for two days only. Special low prices will be quoted to-day, and the concluding aucticm sale will be held to-morrow, when everything must be cleared. The programme of sports to be held at Hamua, on Thursday, March 21st next, under the auspices of the Forty-mile Bush Athletic Society appears in this issue. The Society allocate £BO in prizes, the chopping and sawing events are awarded £l6 10s, and the Bush Handicap (three events) £l9 10s. Liberal prize money is given for all the other events. The full programme will be forwarded to intending competitors on application to the Secretary, Mr F.' P. Walkley, at Hamua, with whom entries will "close at noon on Thursday, March 7th. Why spend money at Rotorua and ether thermal springs when Rhrumo will quickly dare you of rheumatism, gout, sciatica, or ombago. Chemists and stores, 2/6 and 4/6.