LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9068, 18 April 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The following r.rc the latest dredging leturns:—MiuUcrton, 790z 3ilwls for the week; M.ywicry Flat, 40oz 12uwts for tli:'. week. The Y.M.C.A. Bible Class will meet to-night at 7 o'clock. On Sunday at T> p.m. the usual song service an'.! grangers.' tea will be held. ■A sitting of the Conciliation 1J0.v.r.1 will be held in the Courthouse, Ma.-iterton, at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday next, in connection with the clifiinue between the General Uibour;i\s' Industrial Union and their employers. The Kopnarar'ga annual sports meeting* will be.held on Monday, and should jirove an interesting outing. The committee have arranged with the Railway Department that the special and ordinary up mail trains will r.top to put down passengers at Kopuarunga. I

Mr Estcott has purchased Mr T. Millett's farm of 400 acres at Putara, (Forty Mile Bush district).

The motor launch which Mr George Gray has been busy upon for some three months past is now completed, and should bo seen on the Park Lake some time next week —possibly on Monday. The dairy factories in the Carterton district will in all probability cl ose for the season during the first week in May. At present the Dalefield factory is receiving 1.460 gallons of milk daily.

Good Friday was the occasion of special services in several Masterton churches yesterday. The congregations were large in all instances. The Salvation Army ' also held special services which were well attended.

The Management Committee of the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Club are busy learning the lifesaving drill under the methods of the Royal Humane Suciety. The classes in connection with the club, which opens the first week in May, will be under the tuition of the members of the management committee.

The Rev. J. N. Buttle will conduct both services at the Methodist Church to-morrow. These will be suitable to the Easter Festival, and Hymns and Anthems will be in keeping with the occasion. Kuripuni, Mr 0. Pragnell; Wangaehu, 3, Mr Heyhoe; Taueru, 3.15, Rev. J. N. Buttle.

Throe rinks from the Masterton Bowling Club visited Pahiatua, yesterday, and played two rounds of games against the local Club. The home team won each round on the aggregate—the first by 8 points and the second by 33 points. The visitors were very hospitably entertained, and at their invitation, the Pahiatua Club will send three rinks to Masterton on Monday.

The condition of the ceiling of the Town Hall was again discussed at the meeting of the Trust Lands Trustees on Thursday evening. The Chairman stated that an inspection had proved the scrim to be quite rotten, and not capable of standing the adhesion of a frDsh lot of pap jr. The question of converting the ceiling into a pressed zinc or stesl one was discussed at some length, and on the motion of Mr J. Hessey, it was decided to obtain information as to the cost.

Ideal weather tor farmers and townspeople has been experienced during the past week. Rain threatened at a late hour last evening, but the air was warm. Heavy dews have kept the grass well supplied with moisture, and the countryside generally is a picture of verdancy in striking contrast with its seared aspect of a few weeks back. Farmers are amazed at the speedy recovery of pastures from the effects of the drought. A tennis match was played last Saturday between the Manga-paki-ha and Tinui players. After a la-en contest the former won by three games to two. The following were the scores: —Dr. Dawson and W. 11. Brooks lost to N. Mcßae and K. Groves, G-- 4, 56, 4G, ; Mi.ss Sutton and W. II . Brooks won from Mrs Mcßae and H. Groves, 6—4, 6—5; A. J. Speedy and H. Groves won from H. Sutton and J. Johnston, 64, 63. Singles.— Miss Sutton won from Mi«s Violet Groves, 6-4, 6—5.

Masterton Park is wearing a spring dress just now, and thb Oval in particular is a picture of verdant grass. This, however, will be obliterated next week, as the custodian intends giving the Oval a new top-dressing. Two very handsome fancy cast-iron seats, with well-finished wooden bucks, have just been added to the botanical section. They were given by Mrs J. Wrigley—one in memory ot her late husband—and were made by Mr J. C. Ewington. A start is shortly to be made with the extension and deepening of the Lake at the western end.

Something in the way of a record j was put up by a Mastertun lady on Thursday, and. a record no one is likely to attempt to break. She owed two Masterton professional men, who happen to be brothers, a guinea each,- and to one she paid a ten pound rote v.nd a shilling, ana to th? other a fiv« pound note and a shilling, by mistake, of course. It • was not until the evening that the i recipient <;£' the .£lO note discovered | tiie mistake, and lie hastened to restore the .surplus. On informing his brother of the mistake the latter I had another look at his supposed guinea, tin.ling it to be four potmJs jin excess. He also returned the ex- [ cess. The foundations of the Seddon Memorial Technical School are now completed, and on Tuesday the bricklayers will commence work. Regret was expressed to an Age reporter, on Saturday, that so fine a structure, and one erected for such a worthy object, should not have the Unit honoured foundation stone, as the cost would be very little, and the building is certainly worthy of it. I is now too late, perhaps, for such ; suggestion, but it may be mentione< that a committee appointed to con sider the question thought it prefer able to commemorate the opening o: the school with a soiree in the build ing when completed. Bro. A. Cave presided over i , special summoned meeting of the Loyal Heart of Oak Lodge, Carter; ton, held in the Foresters' Hall or Wednesday evening, to elect a Treasurer in place of Bro. J. F VVallis, resigned. Bro. A. J. Lindop was elected to fill the vacancy. One new member was elected. On behalf oi I the members of the Lodge, i'.G. j Bro. T. Soailcs presented Bro. Wallis with a handsome P.G. .sash and apron in appreciation of his past work in various positions during the past seven years. A social was afterwards held, when the following toasts were honoured:-—"The King," "N.Z. branch, M.U.1.0.0.F.", 'Kindred Societies," "Our Guests," "Sick and Distressed," "Friendly Societies Council," "The Press," "Musicians and Entertainers." Songs were con- ' tributed by Bros. Sparks, Warner, Roydhousc, Cave, Butler, and Salmon and Bro. Herdman gave a pianoforte solo. The proceedings closed with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." For Bronchia] Coughs take Woods' Great Peppermint Curt! 1 0 amd 2/6.

: The Otaraia Dairy Company has ' paid out the sum of £l5O for milk supplied during the past month. The factory will close down for the season about the beginning of June. Boarding houses are said to be having a slack season in Masterton just now, and three are said to haveclosed down last week. Tho quietness of matters in the building line, and consequent lack of employment, is doubt'ess responsible in a degree for tfois condition of affairs. A visitor to Masterton, who has just completed a tour over the Main Trunk line, says that the work of railway construction is being pushed on with great speed, and now only about thirteen miles of rails have to be laid. The country passed through is lo'oicing in capital condition, better than for a long time past. He considers that Taumarunui has a great future before it, and settlement is proceeding around it with greater vigour than at any other point along the line. Masterton Volunteers had an active time on Thursday, particularly the Mounted Rifles, who had to tranship their horses to Ngahauranga, in connection with the Easter military manoeuvres. There was a large muster of both corp?, the mounted men numbering forty, and being in charge of Captain McKillop, acting - Captain Brighting having control of the Masterton Rifles. The horses were sately despatched by the 5.30 p.m. train, the men following on by special train leaving at 10.30 p.m. The holiday, yesterday, wa3 spent in diverse ways in Masterton. The bowling green was a busy arena all day, a large number of friendly games being played, the fine condition of the green ranking thst most enjoyable. The Park was visited by a large number of picnic parties, the Lake durintr the afternoon being a particular attraction, boats plying up till dark. A number of private picnic parties were also held in the outskirts. Tnere was a very large exodus of holiday-makers. On. Thursday and yesterday the trains which passed through Masterton were of greater length' than usual, and were packed with passengers. An oft recurring topic cropped up at the meeting of the Trust Lands Trust on Saturday—namely, tho financial unproductiveness of some of the Tru3t property. Mr R. Krahagen, who keeps this subject green, thought it now a good time for the Trustees to take steps to increase the term of its leases. He said that a comparatively large area of Trust sections was not wanted by speculators or others, and a lengthening of the tenure to, say, 40 I years, might stimulate the market, somewhat. "Its not the length if the tenure that's in the way," remarked an old Trustea, "it's because there are enough other sections in the town to last for t'.e next forty years." Other Trustees endorsed this view, and though the junior member said he would almost prefer to see them given away than that thsy should be a burden on the Trusf-, his colleague-! said " 'Bide a wee,' the sections will be taken up in the fullness of time." This curious statement appeared in the recently issufd report of the Director of Criminal Investigation (Scotland Yard):—-"The increase in coining during the past four or five years, though small, is noteworthy, as following on a period during which this offence has steadily decreased. It is unfortunately not improbable that some part of this increase may have been artificially produced by a new and mischievous development of journalistic enterprise. Illustrated i articles, describing the process of coining, were published in a monthly magazine in 1902, and in a daily newspaper in 1904, and at intervals in the course of the last five years four saparate cases have been brought to the notice of the Secretary of State in which prisoners were convicted of coining, and .in which it appeared from the facts disclosed at the trial that there was good reason to believe that the prisoners had been induced to commit the crimes by reading these aticles, and had been aided tj do so bv the information contained therein." An advertiser wants two furnished rooms. In another column Mr Joseph Dixon inserts a notice of interest to his customers and the general public. The finder of a parcel, lost in Pownall or Essex Stieets, is asked to return same to the Age Office. Messrs Varnham and Rose invite tenders, to close at noon on Wednesday, 29th instant, for the erection of a residence in Wrigley Street. Mr W. Bruce, land agent, Wanganui, has for sale a block of 3,800 acres in the Auckland provincial district. Particulars of the property will be found elsewhere in. this issue.

Messrs W. Morris and Sons, butchers, announce that from to-day [ they will sell best beef and mutton I at greatly reduced prices. Particu- " lars of prices appear elsewhere. i For the convenience of clients, the - Wellington and Wairarapa Motor - Company's premises will be open this * evening from 7 to 10 p.m., but all ; departments will be closed on Monday. 1 The W.F.C.A. are now in a position to supply farmers with seed oats ' of first quality at market rates. Tho firm stock the best and most popular varieties. Seed wheat can also be supplied, and intending growers arcinvited to send for samples. At tho Masterton Auction Mart today, tha balance of the British Woollen Company's " drapery and clothing will be sold privately at bargain rates. The mart will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and between these hours an absolute clearance is to be made. A gymnasium and physical training school has been started in Masterton, witli Mr A. E. Harvey as instructor. Arrangements have been made for holding classes in the Drill Hall, and the opening night is fixed for eight u'clock on Monday evening, April 27th. The classes are being looked forward to with keen interest, and the membership is increasing steadily. The terms are elsewhere adver* tised, and full particulars can be obtained on application to P.O. Box 114.

A •resident .of '.Nelson has maize .growing to a ihoight of 18ft. The •"Mail" says the growth probably forms caxecordionNew ZeaJund. Local. schoolboys have .now a craze which has relegated .marbles, tops, and other schoolboy delights well into .obscurity for the moment, the new joy being.a sequel to the visit of the aeronaut, Captain Jonassen, and consisting of a parachute craze. Handkerchiefs and other fabrics are converted into parachutes, and many find a resting.place on the telegraph or telephone wires. The telegraph wires in Dixon Street resemble a clothes line at one place., where several "parachutes" are suspended in close proximity, while hardly a street is without several of them hanging at various points along the wires.