LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9033, 21 January 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

No rain has fallen in Masterton since early on Friday morning last, and the drought is upon us as bad as ever. The weather continues excessively hot, and the horizon is blurred by the smoke of distant bush and grass fires. The grass is withering into chaff, and the soil is baked hard as brick. Up to the time of our going to press there is no s Hifcatieir of a change in the weather. Masterton, following in the footsteps of the capital, has established an unassociated hatless brigade. During the past few days a number of youths and elderly men have discarded head-gear and have, paraded the streets, pedalled cycles, or exhibited themselves on horseback, with close-cropped chapeauless heads. They brave criticism and a torrid;sun with perfect equanimity. The new fashion of being out of fashion bidsfair to "catch on," and the hatters are likely to suffer from a boycott which has no malignant intent,, but will be none the less-ji Jisiurbing element in their commercial calculations.

A large number of swimmers have been practising on the Park Eake every evening for some time past for the sports which take place tomorrow. Last evening, F. J. Kernot, of Napier, who is expected: to put up a good performance at the sports, was among the number,, and his style and pace was much admired by the many spectators. All arrangements are now comple ed for the sports, which should prove a great success, as the number of entries rereived the most sanguine expectations—exceeding' 200. The committee wish it to-be understood that competitors must wear trunks over their' bathing costumes, otherwise ihey will not be allowed to start.

Recently a man paid a flying visit to the Lower Valley district selling hams, says the Carterton "News." Inspector Miller seized seven of these 'ir. Greytown and thirty-seven in Martinborpugh, all of which were condemned as being unfit for human consumption. It is alleged that the hams were nicely .varnished and bore a tempting appearance. They had apparently gone bad from the bone, and the coating of varnish hid any smeiruntil the hams were.- cut.

The custodian of the Park (Mr D. Jackson) wishes to acknowledge with thanks a generous donation of a pair of white swans from Mr T..G. Mason. These will be placed on the* Park Lake, where already there are two black swans.

The supply of cream; to. the Masterton Dairy Factory has decreased considerably consequent upon the prolonged spell of dry weather. About 150 gallons- aue now being received daily, which) iis only about half the daily intake- of last year. The output of butter has proportionately decreased, the- quantity now made daily befrng; Gmly about 15 boxes.

It is understood, that the owner nf," Moloch, who won the Wellington Cup, at Trentham, on Saturday, has beeni offered £1,00,0; for the horse, but thsoffer has been, declined. TWO SOVEREIGN REMEDIED

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The Masterton Municipal Brass Band is practising assiduously every evening, in view of the band contest at New Plymouth, in February, in which they will take part. Good work is being done in the quickstep under Drum-Major Hunn, who has successfully drilled the band for many years past: Last night the band cut out the required 120 paces in exactly 60 seconds.

The Finance and Gas Committee-of the Masterton Borough Council met last evening and adjourned as a mark of sympathy with Cr F. VV. Temple in his recent bereavement. The committee will meet again this morning for the transaction of urgent business.

Practically all the sheds in the Lower Valley have finished shearing. Sli2aring has been completed earlier in the Wairarapa this season than is generally the case.

The ordinary meeting of the Masterton Fire Police was held last evening, Captain Dixon presiding over an attendance of 19 members The corps decided to take part in the procession in connection with the aquatic sports, to-morrow, and nine members volunteered to do duty on the grounds. . A vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Wallace and Smallwood, plumbers, for effecting certain repairs at the station free of charge. One new member was elected.

Mrs Tomihana, who died last Wednesday, at Akura, and to whose memory a large tangi was held, was the daughter of Martina, one of the great native chiefs of the Wairarapa. He principally lived at Hamua, where he died many years ago. The early Wairarapa settlers welt remember him for his great benevo'ence. Mra Tomihana was by right of birth a chieftainess, and was the wife of Mr Rori Tomihana, who is also the son of a former well-known chief, who lived at Akura in the early cays. It was the latter who made the grant of 200 acres of land to Bishop Selwyn, now known as the.Bishop's Reserve, and situated along the west side of the Masterton railway station.' Two years ago a Royal Commission sat in Masterton 1o take evidence relative 4 to the conditions under which this land was given in trust to the Bishop. Mrs Tomihana was 57 years of age. Some five years ago she burst a blood vessel, and never afterwards recovered her usual robust health. About 350 natives attended the tangi, the locality being visited on Sunday by a great many Europeans. The deceased was interred on Sunday afternoon, according to the usual Maori custom.

During the quarter ended December 31st, 1907, seventeen renewals of old-age pensions were granted i M the Carterton Magistrate's Court.

The Tawaba Dairy Company (Maryborough) has paid out £272 10s for milk supplied* during the month of December,

The Featherston Dairy Company are forwarding to Glasgow, by the' steamer Fifeshire, 20O 1 cases of cheese. The last shipment of cheese sent by the Company to London was classed first grade.

About lOOigallons of milk are being 1 forwarded, from Featherston to Wellington* daily, .

The election held to fill the vacancy in the Otaraia riding of the Featherston County Council. resulted in the return of Mr TL F. Evans r who polled 62 votes against Mr F, Perry's 37 votes.

"The thirst for notoriety which Lionel Terry possesses/' observes the "Otago Daily Times/' "would be intensely gratified if he but knew how many of the leading journals in New Zealand had thought fit to make editorial, reference to his ineffectual' daslv foF Kiberfey this weefc."

We have it on. exeeLlent authority, says the "Wyndham Farmer," that advice has been received to the effeot that there is an ascertained scarcity of cheese at Home; moreover,, the market is nising, and there iia a strong' prospect of sales, reaching an abnormally hig>b figure.. The first parcel of this season's cheese' sent Home on consignment by several district dairy factories has realised a very/ satisfactory figure—a guod- deal better than the consignors anticipated would, be" given at. the "opening"', sales.. . . •

One result of the new gambling? laws that was not anticipated by a big majority of the public,, says the has been, the total abolition of tirade in Tattersalil's sweeps, in New Z'ealand. "TattV was- known .throughout -the length and, breadth of the land, and 1 many are the stories told of persons unexpectedly, lilted from penury to ; . affluence by. a. lucky ticket in one of the big. consultations. A Dunedin man, an agent,, says that since the,passing of the Ganaipg Act he has had numberless applications for tickets,, and bitter was the chagrin of the would-be "gamblers" on learning that their chance of a fortune was gone. It fs stated (though, on whose authority is not known); that TattersalKs propose shortly to fight out the legality or otherwise of- their consultations in the New Zealand law courts, with a view to continuing in the dominion the lucrative business thay have so long carried on. While New Zealand evolves her Wordsworth he will find it worth whiile to visit the little cottage home of a patriarch on the outskirts of ,'lMaseby. Wild cherries, red and jblac-k currants, pears, plums, rasp- 1 'berries, gooseberries: and apples, vegetables, shrubs and flowers grow together in almost matted profusion in the little back garden overlooking an old sluicing claim. The rear por-tion-of the cottage* is hidden by a* mass of hops. Tjae kitchen is oldh fashioned; the Replace being, as iti, were, in a little room by itself, wiitb, just enough rotw, ft>r a cosy armctfaau--on each,side. A strip of ivy is trained inside- along the wal as, a safeguard against flies, and tiie plaster is hidden by coloured pie-twos cut from joumaals as old as** the claim. Only one of the armchairs is in use, for, alas! the old man dwells there alone, 4 *the rest" having "followed each other to the cemetery," as ho sadly states. Their pictures hang in the parlour, rarely opened, and he sits solitary and ruminates upon the past. He has not been to Dunedin. for 42 y.eavs, and is always /'going to pay the old place a visit." Jf he ever does, how changed he will find it!

Mr F. Moore, a well-known farmer, formerly of Masterton, but who has latterly been residing at Wanganui, is at present' on a visit to Masterton. He informed a Wairarapa .Age reporter yesterday that there jTplenty of green feed and water in the Wanganui district, and the •country presented by no means such a parched aspect as that around Masterton. He was surprised to see the state of affairs existing here, as before leaving home he had been inclined to think that the reports of the dryness of the season in this •district had been exaggerated. \ At a land sale at Carterton, on Saturday last,-three sectiuns in the estate of the late Mr E. L. Wakelin were sold at prices ranging from £42 10s to £SO. Mr Edward Payson Weston, the veteran pedestrian, entered Chicago at 12.10 p.m. on November 17th,' ~. after walking 1,200 miles from Port.■f':H|land. Maine, in 24 clays 19 hours 10 *- thus breaking, at the age ■of 69, by twenty-seven hours, twenty-five minutes the record he established forty years ago. The inhabitants of Chicago turned out en masse to greet and cheer the famous athlete on the completion of hismar- «»-: vellous exploit. The actual distance traversed was over 1,300 miles, as Mr Weston several times lost his way, and had to make wide circuits to avoid rain-flooded roads. Tha longest day's walk was 95J miles. Mr F. P. Welch seeks employment for a waggoner with a good team. A light-hooded phaeton is advertised for sale. A well-appointed eight-roomed house in Bannister street is advertised for sale. , A*Miss Hood announces that she will ebmmence pianoforte tuition on Monday, February 3rd. A reward is offered for the recovery of a black and tan col'ie lost at Mauriceville on Sunday last. Full supplies of the best Hawke's Bay fruit are obtainable at Messrs R. E. Howell and Co.'s, Perry street. The Masterton County Council invite tenders to close at noon on Saturday next for metalling on the Blairlogie-East Coast road. Mr C. C. Aitken has on hand a large assortment of technical works by recognised authorities. A list of the principal books will be found in another column.

At the residence No. 5, Wrigky street, at 2 o'clock, to-day, Mr J. R. JVicol will sell on account of Mrs Sutler, who is giving up housekeeping, the whole of her well selected and nearly new furniture and effects. The whole of the goods will be sold without reserve. «,

A copy of the Chris';mas numte of the Windsor Magazine is to hand from Messrs McLeod and Young, who have just received a limited consignment. The magazine surpasses all previous publications of the kind, alike in size and in importance of contents. It contains no less than 320 pages of reading and illustrations, which include fifteen exquisite coloured plates, twelve short stories, by authors like Sir Gilbert Parker, H. A. Vachell, Mrs Thurston, H. B. Marriott Watson, Robert Barr, Charles G. D. Roberts, Mary Cholmondeley, E. P. Oppenheim, Eden Philpotts, Justus Mites Forman, Barry Pain, etc., together with articles by Harry Eurniss, R. Harding isDavis, Arnold Hamley, John Holt Schooling, etc. Those requiring copi2S cf the magazi e s'icu'd make a point of applying to Messrs McLeod and Ycung early, as the consignment is oily a limited ona.