LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9051, 10 February 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The insurance companies doing business in Masterton have refused to take risks on grain stacks this season.

An attempt is being made to resuscitate the Eketahuna Brass Band.

It is stated that... a, co-operative bakery is to be iormed at Pahiatua. The price of milk has been increased at Carterton by Jd per pint. The Pahiatua Racing Club made a profit of £789 16s 6d over the recent race meeting.

A crop of oats on Mr G. G. Stead's farm at Cooringa, Canterbury, threshed 102£ bushels to the acre.

The annual picnic of the Newmsn School will be held on the Newman Domain on February 20th.

An association to protect retailers against "bad marks" has been formed at Palmerston North.

The water famine in Eketahuna is reaching an acute stage, and residents are carting or carrying sufficient water for their daily needs.

It is estimated that the amount to be paid over by the insurance companies in connection with the Christchurch fire will exceed £300,000.

A start has been made with the work of altering' Government House with the view of preparing it for the next meeting of Parliament.

In connection with the recent summer meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, the sum of £1,056 was paid away in wages to casual employees. Shortage of supplies has caused

i the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy ' Union to refuse the application of a' Palmerston North firm for a winter. supply of butter at Is Id per lb. It' is understood that one of the contestants in the recent dairy competition,, held at Eketahuna under the auspices of the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union, has lodged a protest against the test allotted his cow.

Mr J. F.. Arnold,, M.P., who has just returned to Dunedin from Wellington,, is of opinion that Parliament will have to' meet in the Governor's residence' fos- at least two, if not three,, sessions;.

The demand for coveredt-ira space on. the Showgrounds during the forthcoming Masterton A. and P. Show is ffcr. greater than: that which exists in the grounds,, and. it will be necessary for. the Association to erect temporary additions to the sheds to accommodate the exhioits.

A fire was discovered, in an incipient stage yesterday in *Wrigley"s bush, which stands back fibomi Pine street. The promptness of Mr K. Richards, snr.. in quenching the outbreak probably saved the buan from being destroyed. It is- believed that carelessness with, a match on the part of a youth caused tne lire.

Bush fires have broken out afresh in the Kopuaranga and Rangitumau districts, aiffi *re burning in the direction of Opaki. No serious damage has been reported, but the flames burnt very close to MessrsRoffe and Thompson's flaxmill, and Mrs Cameron's house at Opaki. A large trac*-, of country has been burnt.

Twelve entries were received for the ''Yankee" combined tournament which was played on the Masterton Tennis Club's courts on Saturday. The result was a victory for Mr J„ P. Moodie and Miss Garr, who won ten games out of eleven. Mr R. H. Elcoate and Miss second with eight wins,, and Mr A. R. Sclanders and Miss Beard and Mr C. Carley and Miss Moodie tied for thud place with seven wins each.

According; to Mr T. Parsons, of Eketahuna, who is chairman of directors of the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union, retailers in the dominion are scrambling to enter into contracts with manufacturers for the supply-of butter irrespective of what the cost of this product might be, says the "Eketahuna Express." It is anticipated that the supply will, fall far :short % of that required for local consumption and heme the anxiety of retailers to secure.sufficient butter, to keep, faith with their customers.

j The water supply was cut off .fe» an I hour on Saturday morning about three o'clock, and though the hour was,early the members of the Fire Brigade, who s'eep at the Central Station, and Optain Jenkins, were informed of the- fact by a resident who noticed the occurrence. It was then t ; tcertained; that some repairs to a vahe in one o£i the mains were being effected by the borough:staff, and this necessitated the temporary cutting-off of the supply. Ropes were placed on the fireball for the purpose of ringing the bell in. the event of an outbreak of fire. Captain Jenkins informed, a. Wairarapa Age reporter that he intends to leave the ropes on. the bell until the spall of dry weather is over, and a satisfactory pressure of water is assured at all, times during, the day and night. The Knox Young. Bible Class have elected the following officers for the ensuing year:.—Leader, Rev. A. T.. Thompson •„ deputy leaders, Messrs M. Gordon and A. G. Crawford; hon. j secretary and treasurer, Mr H. McI Hattie; executive committee, Messrs W. E. Chamberlain, A. Donald and N. Marshall; membership committee, Messrs K. Miller, D. Hebenton, F. de Lisle and W.Kemp; social committee, Messrs F. Willoughby, R. Milne and A. Vaughan; syllabus commitee, Rev. A. T. Thompson, A. Donald, G. McFarlane and N. Marshall;; missions committee, Messrs 0. Ibbetson, A. Miller and A. Billington; library committee, Messrs A. Donald, W. Kemp, J. Joy and R. McKenzie; musical committee, Messrs R. J. Young, J. Gray and 0. Ibbetson; magazine controller, Mr N. Marshall.

The return from the Antonio Dredge last week was 12ozs 2dwt. Prayers for rain were offered in the Carterton Churches yesterday.

Five cases of scarlet fever occurred in Wellington last week.

A case of diptheria is reported at Dyerville (Lower Valley), and the school has been closed.

Two fever patients from Carterton < were admitted to the Greytown Hospital on Friday last.

The members of the Carterton Methodist Choir intend holding a picnic shortly.

The Auckland Working Men's Club and Mechanics' Institute have a credit balance of £5,000.

Private McKenzie, of the Carterton Volunteers, has been promoted to Corporal.

A start has been'made with the work of erecting the telephone line to Morison's Bush.

Two cases of infectious diseases were reported to the authorities at Greytown last week. '

Mr S. Check has been appointedcaptain of the Featherston Fire Brigade, vice Mr H. Rotter, resigned.

The Carterton Rifle Volunteers will be inspected by Lieut-Colonel Drummond to-morrow evening.

The Greytown Borough Council have voted the sum of £l2 to the funds of the Greytown Band.

There is now a deily mail service between Eketahuna and Pleckville. Formerly the service was a. tri-weekly one.

According to present facts and possibilities there may be no less than six candidates for the Bay of Plenty seat at next election.

The total amount won from the Waihi Gold Mine to date is £6,346,869 and the total dividends, etc, declared to date amount to £2,926,215.

Since the coming into operation cf the old age pension scheme 229 applications for pensions have been granted in the Carterton district. Several farmers in the Morison's Bush district are having their stacks threshed early this season. The yield is much smaller than usual, owing to the dry weather. '' A children's service was held in St. Mark's Church, Carterton, yesterday afternoon, a large number of children attending. The Rev. R. Youi g (vicar) conducted the servica.

The officers of No. 2 regiment of the Wellington Mounted Rifle Volunteers intend to entertain Major Bolton, who recently resigned, at a dinner at Eketahuna on Wednesdaynext.

It is understood that the Hon. J. who assumed Ministerial charge of the Roads and Bridges Department when the Hon. W. HallJones left for England, will retain control of the department.

The weather in Carterton stiU continues fine, writes our correspondent, and there is no sign of rain. A number of farmers have been compelled, to sell their stock at a low figure ;on aecouisife of the tcarcity of grass.

The anniversary services in connection with the Dalefisld Methodise Sunday School were he v d yesterday afternoon and evening. The services were conducted by the Rev.- C. Blair in the afternoon, and the Kev. W. J. Elliott in the evening.

A "lay-bird pigeon match was fired between the Peatherston and Carterton, gun clubs, atCarjterton, on Saturday afternoon, and resulted in a win for Peatherston by one point, the scores being— Featherston 404, Carterton 403.

Intimation has been received from England that the English Rugby Union has received seventy applications for inclusion in the team that is to visit New-Zealand,, this year. No less than twenty-seven of the applicants are international players. The supply of milk to the various dairy factories in the Lower Valley has decreased considerably during the past week or two. The Featherston dairy factory is now receiving about' <

2,100 gallons daily, the Otaraia factory 460 gallons, and the Tawaha factory 400 gallons.

It is understood, say the Carterton ; correspondent of the Gre'ytown "Standard," that Inspector Miller, of the Health Department, intends taking a trip to . Mount Holdsworth to inspect the water there, owing to reports having been made that in some places it is not fit for human consumption.

A large number of base silver coins of various denominations are being put into circulation in Queensland., Although the coins are turning up at widely separated places, it is evident that they are manufactured with one set of moulds, and circumstances seem to point to the fact that there is a central gang manufacturing the coins, with widely spread agencies for their distribution.

Mr Ross, M.P. for Pahiatua, who has during the past three weeks been visiting the settlers in the backblocks, of the bush portion of his electorate, and has been in communication with the Government with reference to the disastrous extent of the recent bush fires, has received the following communication from the Minister of Lands: —"Re the bush fires. Regret exceedingly to hear of losses sustained by the settlers in connection with bush fires.. When such calamities spread through bush country it has long been the custom of the department to grant assistance in connection with the grassing of the burnt areas. Those desirious to get such assistance as has been given by the Government, in the past, and will, be given in this case, should forward their applications to the Commissioner of Crown Lands for report and consideration."

There are now 32 subscribers to the Greytown Telephone Exchange. Owing to an obstruction in the outfall pipes, the public baths will be "iplosed all day to-day. ■ An effort is being'made to establish a mounted rifle corps at Woodpile. The Greytown Town Lands Trust " has made I 'a grant of £3O to-the •Greytown Library. Mr A. Coe, the new member of the Greytown Borough Council, took his seat at the last meeting of the Council. During the last week or so a large number of newspapers and magazines have been stolen from the Greytown Library. The Greytown Borough Council have decided to support the resi- ... dents of Featherston in their effoi ts J£'o secure telephonic communication Featherston and Wellington. A movement is on foot in Featherston to bring under the notice of the Royal Humane Society Mr J. Munro's plucky conduct in saving Mr E. Walker from drowning in the Tauherenikau River recently.

The Martinborough Fire Brigade have elected the following officers for the ensuing year:—Captain, W. Hobman; first lieutenant, H. Stallard, second lieutenatit, A. Houliston; first branchman, E. Maguire; second branchman, R. Manning; secretary, D. Thomas; treasurer, J. Jolly. It is understood that as a result of Mr J. T. M. Homsby's interviewing the Government with reference to jv=sisting financially towards the Miction of the proposed-new front JBNithe Greytown. Hospital, the sum of £2,000 will be granted by the Government, providej - £I,OOO is raised by publi: subscription. The following have been elected members of the Masterton A. and P. Association:—Messrs T. P. Saxeiby,, N. M. Douglas, J. Deans, A. Wall, R. Riddiford, Thos. York, Wm. Abbott. F. O. Matthews Donald Grant, A. McLay, A. C. Paul, F. S. !V'cRae, J. S. Heckler, W. N. Heckler, P. Southey, F. Brooks, J. K. Strang and J. McLachlan. The resignations of Messrs T. Reid, G. H. Sinsted, R. E. Blade, E. G. Eton, J. Mare, J. H. Gledstone, J. N. Lang and P. Dransfield have been accepted by the Associtaion.

The Ground Committee reported to -•» the meeting 'of the General Committee cf the Masterton A. and P. Association, on Saturday last, as follows:—That Mr T. Wagg's applica-. tion for space on the Show Grounds for a temporary shed on Show Days bs granted; that the application of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, for the use of the grounds for a special sale of stock on February 17th, be not acceded to, as the grounds had already been engaged ior ' that day, but the Company be informed that the grounds would be available on any other day when not otherwise in use, provided sufficient notice was given; that any paddocks not in use for Show sheep, after the second day of the Show, be available for Ram Fair stock at a fee of 3d per head per night, no Show sheeD included in the Ram Fair stock to be charged for. The report was adopted.

A meeting was held in Masterton on Saturday of those interested in the Opaki irrigation and the Lansdowne high pressure water supply schemes. There were abojt thirty persons present, and Mr H. G. Williams occupied the chair. The chairman stated that there was £5 17s 6d owing in connection with the cost of the last poll taken on the scheme, and £2l would have to be raised before they could go on with another poll as the County Council before taking any pdll required a guarantee of the cost. After some discussion it was decided, on the motion of Mr P. L. Hollings, seconded by Mr A. H. Wrightson, that a committee consisting of Messrs Hollings. Norman Beetham, H Williams, A. H. Wrightson, W. H. Cruickshank and V. E. Donald, be appointed to wait (n the County Council and urge them to take a poll upon Mr Laing-Meason's scheme for the Opaki irrigation and Lansdowne high pressure water supply, supplemented by the additional cost reiv dered necessary by the increase in the number of pipes owing to the increase in population. Mr Hollings •was appointed secretary, and Mr Cruickshank treasurer. Subscriptions amounting to about £25 were collected in the room to guarantee the expenses in connection with the. taking of a poll. The monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association Was held on Saturday. There were present —Messrs J. D. Cruickshank (chairman), W. Perry, J. C. McKillop, W. Cooper, W. Piatt, J. B. Mcodie, A. J. Perry, E. E. Chamberlain, R. J. Dagg, B. Rayner, R. Johnstone, W. McKenzie, J. Strang, G. C. Summerell, J. P. Perry, A. G. Pilmer, 0. C. Cooper, R. Gray,'' T/ P. Lett, Joseph Morris, H. Morrison, W. H. Buick, G. Shaw, E. Harper, D. Caselberg, D. Mc'Gregor, junr., W. D. Watson. The Finance Committee recommended the passing for payment of accounts amounting to £SO 14s 2d. Owing to the pressure of work, the secretary was unable to submit the monthly statement of the Association's finances. The report was adopted. A letter was received from the Eketahuna Borough Council stating .that it had been decided to take no action in regard to the Association's request • that a half-holiday should be observed in Eketahuna on the second day of -the Show. The Wairarapa P. and A. Society wrote stating that they could not endorse the Association's decision to reduce the fee for rams offered ■ singly at the Ram Fair from 2s to Is. It was resolved to engage the Masterton Municipal Brass Band to play on the second day of the Show.

Sore and swoollen joints, sharp shooting pains, tortured muscles no rest, no sleep. When you feel lite this it means that you have rheumatism. It is a stubbom disease to fight, "but Chamberlain's Pain Balm has conquered thousands of times and will do so again. Don't experiment with other medicine but get Chamberlain's Pain Balm at once find follow,, the directions; the first application will give you relief and by continual use it will effect a cure, For, sale by all dealers. Send the documents of your importations to MESSES J. J. CURTIS & CO. LTD., Customhouse shipping and Forwarding Agents, Customhouse Quay Wellington, who will quickly clear, pass j and forward the goods .to you. Moderate, •^charges.

Mr T. F. Valentine, late secretary of the Martin borough Fire Brigade, has been made a life member of the brigade.

■ are being made by. the Palmerston North Volunteers as to the quality of the ammunition supplied, whir.h they state is altogether unreliable and also unsafe, as in several instances cartridges have exploded inthe,breech. Despite the fact that welcome rains have recently fallen in the Palmerston North district, the milk supply is still decreasing to a somewhat alarming extent. Other districts are also suffering, and in some cases a decrease of 50 per cent, for the past month has been noticeable.

Mr William Bennett, of Lansdowne, is obtaining signatures to a petition which it is intended to present to the Government, asking the lea and Bowlands estates be" secured for closer settlement purposes. With vegard to the Bowlands estate, it is stated that the properly has been on the market for some time past, and that the owners have no objection to the property being acquired by the Government.

A gentleman s<?eks board and residence in a private family. The canvas cover of a baker's cart is advertised for.

' An advertiser requires a young girl for light housework. Messrs Beale and Parton, Ltd., will insert an advertisement in our issue of to-morrow of interest to all those who don't mind saving a few shillings on their ironmongery purchases.

The Taueru Hotel, under the management of Mr W. Eagle, is a popular country resort. Good accommodation is obtainable at reasonable rates, and the best of liquors are stocked.

The W.F.C.A. have to hand full stocks of all varieties of grass and clover seeds. These include the best British and colonial-grown seeds, and have been subjected to careful selection. Samples v w. ; !l be supplied on application. An exceptionally fine display of photographic goods is made in the window of Mr J. V. Gordon's chemist shop. Masterton, to-day. It comprises a selection of thej? best apparatus manufactured by the Eastmann Kod'ic Company of New York, and covers every branch of photography. A patent developing tank, which does away with the dark room and ruby lamp, is an extremely effective device, which should appeal to those who take up photography as a hobby.