LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9077, 29 April 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Thenett overdraft at; date of the M,asterton Borough Coumtl: is £4,263 14S.

The Featherstom GuniClub made a I profit of £5 over their shooting meeting at Easter. There are uow thirty-two shops ; and thirty factories registered in M/artinborough.

The Eketahuna branch of the New : Zealand Farmers' Union has during ,the past year purchsed nearly 6,000 jeggs from children residing in the 'district.

At the end. of their financial year (March 31st)- the Eketahuna branch of the Farmers' Union had a crudit balance , after paying all expenses, of £2 13s 3d.

Owing to the rapid growth of the grass the milk returns on a number of farms in South Wairarapa have increased consderably during the past week.

A Maori tangi is now being held in Knhunui in connection with the death of Mrs Aporo, who was a wellknown resident of Greytown and Mangatainoka.

On Saturday evening Mr H. McDonald, of Spring Gro\e, stepped into an open drain at the back of the Martinborough Hotel, and broke one of his legs below the knee.

Mr C. F. B. Livesay, Architect of Wellington, has moved to more convenient rooms in the National Mutual Chambers, Customhouse Quay, (adjoining the Head Office of the Bank of N,Z.) AdcU'ftSfi— P.O. Box 771. Telephone ZWZ.

The duck shooting season will open on Friday.

The fishing season will close tomorrow.

The building trade in the Lower Valley is reported to be very slack. Mr A. A. Narby, butcher, of Masterton, has been adjudged a bankrupt. The first meeting of creditors will be held at the Courthouse at 2.15 p,.rn. on Monday next.

The dairy factory at Nireaha is still running daily, the supply being about 420 gallons. The grass in the district is springing up well, and the prospects for a good winter supply are of the best.

The Wairarapa District Court, which sits on the 21st of next month, has still a prospect of lapsing for want of business, as so far no cases, either civil or criminal, are set down for hearing.

Another case of scarlet fever has been admitted to the fever ward of the Masterton Hospital, making four scarlet fever patients now in the institution. There is also one case of erisipelas under treatment.

Those residents of Featherston who advocate rating on unimproved value are endeavouring to get Mr P. J. O'Regan, of Wellington, to deliver an address thereon the subject before the proposed poll is taken.

The Feathertson Rifle Club held their final competiuns for the Matthews' trophy and the cup on Saturday last. Rifleman Everton, with a score of 256, has won the Matthew's trophy, while Rifleman W. Wakeley, with a total of 95, has won the cup.

A slight error crept into our report of Mr P. L. Holhngs' speech at, the Town Hall oh Monday night. Referring to the roading of Yates' estate, Mr Rollings said that a road was lit—really suspended in the air owing to no levels having been supplied—not "wrong levels" as reported.

The following team will represent the Tararua Rifle Club in a match against the Mauriceville Riii" club at Nireaha on Saturdav:—J. Petersen, 0. A. Olsen, R. Thomasrin. A. Petersen, 0. F. Olscn, T. McKinley, E. Olsen, A. Nicol, W. Mason, W. Bell.

The following motion has been adopted by the Eketahuna branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union:— "That the several firms doing business in the sale nf live stock in Eketahuna be asked to form an association, having and owning one sale yard, properly constructed with ccnveniences for their clientd on similar lines to yards already established in Dannevirke, Feilding and Waipukuirau."

Quite an unusual amount of interest centres in the municipal elections to take place in Masterton to - day. The meetings of the two candidates for the Mayoralty have attracted record attendances for such gatherings, and generally sneaking the contest is attended with greater interest; than has been attached to Mayorcl elections for a long time in Masterton. The polling is expected to be very heavy torday should the weather keep fine.

At the annual meeting of the Eke* tahuna branch of the New Zealand. Farmers' Union the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:— Chairman, Mr Matheson; vice-chair-man, Mr J. W. Bridge'; general committee, Messrs Dowsett, Small, Pitcaithly, F. C. Turnor, Moss, Scharnweber, T. Youle, Stott, Lomax, Galton, Hickman, Tomlinson, Scott; secretary and treasurer, Mr R. J. McLean; auditor, Mr T. Youle; delegate, to the Provincial Council, Mr W. Matheson.

The following is the financial position of the Masterton Bjrough Council as submitted to the meeting of the Council last evening:—General account, dr., £6,355 18s; Gasworks, cr., £967 2s Id; Library, cr., £l5O 4s lid; Abattoir, cr., £149 5s 8d; Deposit, cr., £199 10s; Waterworks, dr., £166 15s sd; Bannister Street, dr., £3 4s 3d; Special drainage, cr., £2l 2s lid; Loan (£25,000) dr., £ll6 ss. Loans.-rDrainage, cr., £73 14s 4d; Improvements (£25,000): Schedule A, dr., £322 15s 4d; Schedule B, cr., £S69 19s 9d; Schedule C, dr., £lB5 16s sd; Schedule D, cr., £341; Schedule D, £lls 0s 9d.

A meeting of, the Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday morning, there being present Messrs R. C. Kirk (chairman), F. Cohen, P. Smith, Coles, and Morrah. The statement of receipts and expenditure for the year ended 31st March was submitted. The receipts totalled £13,085 9s, including the balance of Ist April, 1907, £1,496 15s sd; contributions from various local bodies, £5,420; Government subsidies on above, £5,420; Government subsidies on a-renvs, £3O 18s 9d; recoveries Government schools, £717 14s lOd. The expenditure totalled £10,299 12s sd, leaving a balance of £2,785 16s 6d..

The practical examinations this year of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music, will be conducted in the dominion by Mr Thomas Dunhill, who is already very favourably known in New Zealand, having, carried out a portion of the work in 1905-6. As the result of the 1907 examinations, Mr Henry W. Norris, a violin student of Invercargill,. has been awarded one of the exhibitions offered annually to candidates at the Board's examinations in Australasia. Mr Non-is will accordingly receive a free course of tuition of at least two years' duration at the Royal Academy of Music, London. It is considered probable that the various branches of the New Zealand: farmers' Union in the Wairarapa and Forty Mile Bush will! forward a. considerable number of remits for th© order paper for the Provincial Con~ ference of the Union.. The Eketahuna branch intend forwarding the following:—(1) That the Provincial Conference discuss and consider the proposed amendments to the Conciliation and Arbitration Act; (2), that the Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union be registered as an. Employers' Association, so as to bo able to defend the interests of the Association; (8) that auctioneers licenses be divided between the twa local bodies, and not paid exclusively to Borough Councils and Town Boards.

Dr ENSOR'S TAMER FRUIT PILLS headache, constipation, indigestion, costiveness, liver trouble, dyspopsia oured by taking Tamer Fruit Pi'ls. 161

At a meeting of the Cabinet on Monday, grants totalling £IO,OOO were passed for school-teachera' residences.

Denis Sulltvan was charged at the Masterton Police Court, yesterday 'morning, with being drunk and disorderly on Monday evening. Mr Eli .Smith, J.P., who occupied the Bench, imposed a fine of £2, in default 14 •days' hard labour.

The Masterton Borough Council ■came near establishing a record last evening, completing the whole *of their business in twenty-five • minutes, the first quarter of an hour being taken up with the readring and confirming of the minutes of meetings.

Mrs L. I levonprt, of Colombo Road, Mnet with a painful accident on Sunday last. She tripped over a piece of wire on the footpath, and falling heavily fractured a wrist. She was conveyed to the surgery of Dr. Archer Hosking, where the injury The Borough Sanitary Inspector (Mr J. Cairns), reported to the meeting of the Borough Council, last evening, that there had been one case of scarlet fever in the Borough during the past month. The patient had >beev removed to the Fever Hospital, and the necessary disinfection carried out. A case of erysipelas, which ended fatally, had been brought under his notice. The surroundings in each case were in a sanitary condition. The report, which was considered very satisfactory, /was adopted.

Our Tinui correspondent writes: — "The Mounted Rifle Club Ball, which was held on Friday last, was a great ■success. The weather was fine, -and enabled people to be present from all parts of the district. The pretty dresses worn by the ladies, ;and the gay uniforms of the volunteers. msde a brilliant spectacle. Mr C. Bell (secretary), and Sergeant S. Schofield, and Trooper W. H. Dickens, the M's.C., carried out their -duties in a praiseworthy manner. A special word of praise is due to Misses Brading, Perry (2\ and Langdon for valuable assistance rendered Mr F. McKenzie presided at the •piano.

The non-success of the horse sale Jield in Masterton on behalf of several, local breeders caussd soma inquiries to be made yesterday .by a Wairarapa, Age reporter as to the ■cause. One of the vendors said that the chief cause was undoubtedly the high prices ruling for feed, and another prime cause was that very few large contracts are being carried out just now, and horses are in poor demand. It was anticipated that the sale would (bring a large contingent of buyer?, as some fine animals w**re to be submitted, but not one appeared. The low prices realised were almost startling. One vendor received £6 10s for three animals, two being a yearling colt and dam (the colt by the throughbred trotter Chicago), and the third a two-year-old by the same sire.

The annual balance-sheet of the Masterton Municipal Gas Department, for the year ended March 31st, showed a gross „ pcofit on the year's working of £2,907 6s 3d. The total dr account was £6,301 16s 3d, which was distributed as follows:—To manufacture, £4,119 18s sd; residuals, £357 7s; cartage of coal, £232 9s 2d; maintenance and renewals, £353 13s sd; distribution, £268 19s 2d; departmental, £491 7s 2d; miscellaneous, £l4 16s Bd. Excess accounts and liabilities, 1907-8, £463 14s 9d. The cr account totalled £9,209 2s 6d. Gas rates, £6,611 13s sd; residuals, £1,501 63 2d; meter rents, £l9 18s 6d; coal sold, £579 14s sd; excess stocks, £496 10s 2d. From the foregowing balance of £2,907 6s 3d, has to bo deducted interest on loans £9OO 12s 6d. There has also been expended on extensions of mains, services, gas meters and plant (capital account), a |gtal of JB 1,248 Is Id, and on the new loan account a sum of £552 14s 2d. As no part of the new loan has been taken up, the question as to whether these two last items shall be repaid to credit of profit and loss account is & matter for future consideration.

A young man seeks employment as clerk or salesman.

Two horses will be sold by auction at the public pound at noon today.

Particulars of a heifer, impounded .at Mauriceville, ara inserted by the ,poundkeeper,

During the continuance of his sale, Mr McCay, draper, Queen Street, the public are offered exceptional bargains in all lines.

Dresden china and art pottery of the late3t designs are to hand at the Fancy Department ot the W.F.C.A. 'The new goods are particularly , adapted for presents. Tenders are invited, to close at noon on Saturday, May 2nd, for the formation and metalling of the Hospital Road.

A meeting of drivers will be held in the Dominion Hall at 7.30 on Wednesday evening, when an address will b9 given by Mr Blackcy, of Welhng- * ton.

The Castlepoint County Council ' notify that the electoral rolls and defaulters list are now open for inspection. Objections must be lodged not : later than May 31st next. Mr F. P. Welch advertises for 3ale n splendid dairy and sheep farm of 200 acren situate in the Forty Mile • Bush. Several good town properties : are also on his list for sale. New winter goods are to hand in ' larije consignments at C. Smith'?, . Ltd. The advert of winter necessitates the purchase of blankets and flannels, and the firm are prepared •' for a large trade in these lines. The auction sale of furniture to be held this afternoon, on account of Mr H. H. Cork, at the residence, No. 59, Worksop Road, will commencs at 1.30 p.m. The numerous lines to be sold are now on view, and as they are in especially good order the sale affords a splendid opp rtumty to .those requiring good value in furni- * ture and household effects. In another column Mr T. H. Tompson notifies that he has decided to relinquish business in Masterton as saddler and harness maker, and tanks the public for past support The whole of the stock will be submitted to public auction by Messrs i !R. E. Howell and Co., Ltd., at the •auction mart, Perry Street, on Satr. urday next.

A site for the coal depot at Dunedin has been selected.

Cabinet has authorised the expenditure of £537 on the Levin State Farm.

The steamer Morayshire has arrived at Melbourne with seventy-five immigrants for New Zealand. The chess championship of New Zealand has been won by Mr A. W. O. Davies, of the Wellington Working Men's Club. The State Cabinet of Victoria has decided to keep in its own hands the entertainment of the American fleet. This is regarded as a snub to the Commonwealth Government.

Appopriations for various railways, amounting to nearly £29,000, including £20,000 for the North Island Trunk Railway, have been passed by Cabinet.

A Press Association telegram from Palmerston North states that there is considerable interest evinced in the contest between the three candidates for the Mayoralty, which takes place to-day. The feeling is very high and it is anticipated that the voting will be considerably in advance of anything previously polled at a local Mayoral election.

The presence of one or two Chinamen at the banquet recently held at Queenstown in honour of the Premier's visit has been adversely commented upon by several who were present. It was, the "Wakatipu Mail" thinks, ridiculous as well as lowering to the ten; of the function for the Celestials to be present, and the Premier and members of Parliament must have thought it the reverse of complimentary to themselves. Based upon figures up £o the end of 1906 (writes a Sydney correspondent), a statement has been presented to the Chief Secretary (Mr Wuod) by representatives of'friendly societies which shows that the membership of the societies included in the Friendly Societies' Association oi' New South Wales was 106,220, and the number of branches 1,299. The total of the contributions paid during 1906 was £313,22-3; the total worth of the funds was £1,057,496; the total sick pay paid in 1906, £84,070; while for medical benefits £90,692 was paid.

Mr H. Kerr is going to London to compete as a walker in the Olympic Games. At the representation committee meeting on Monday evening, it was stated that over £7O had been subscribed by the public towards the cost of sending the amateur champion walker of Australasia Home. As a prospect of securing the balance of tha money required was favourable, the committee have decided that Mr Kerr should take his departure for London by the Tongariro on May 15 th.

The Melbourne "Age" reports that the New Zealand automatic stamp and telegraphic forms franking machine wa3 submitted to a thorough test on the 7th April, in the presence of Mr R. T. Scott, Secretary of the Central Postal Administration. The machine worked smoothly, and registered the, amounts of postage, etc., clearly and expeditiously. One of the machines is to be installed in the Department for External Affairs, and the correspondence and telegrams of that Department win be passed through it for a trial period. In reply to a petition the Minister of Lands informs Mr Dillon, M.P., that the Government intends to open Crown lands at Waimarama for settlement in as small areas as can be arranged, and as early as the survey can be completed. In regard to 500 acres leased, the Minister states that the decision of the Commission given under the statutory power is beyond the control of the Lands Department. The Minister will advise later what action the Government proposes to take in connection with the proposed establishment of a watering place at Waimarama.

The danger of leaving the paths about the boilirg pools in the Rotorua district was exemplified again last Thursday evening. Mr H. Tristram, a member of the mechanical staff of the Rotorua "Times" was showing a friend on a visit to Rotorua the sights of Ohinemutu. He saw a path opening through a clump of manuka, and turned into it, thinking it would lead to soma point of interest. He had taken only a few steps when he plunged to mid-thigh into a boiling pool. He came out very quickly; but not in time to save himself. Both of his legs were badly scalded from his ankle to above the knee,. It is anticipated that he will be laid up for about three weeks. The gentlemen of broad acres and many wool bales ar? generally represented as living at a swell club in town, and vainly endeavouring to spend the enormous profits from their sheep stations, says the "Pelorus Guardian." Some of the woolgrowers will tell you that this picture is "grossly exaggerated," and that their struggle for a crust lasts for 16 hours a day from January to December. That the business is not all that fancy paints it is proved by many recent experiences of sheep-farmers, but the most striking example of the fact is provided by a settler in the Mahakipawa Valley. This gentleman sent a fairly large consignment of lock 3 and pieceg to Wellington, and the lot realised Id per lb—the total receipts amounting to exactly £2 less than the farmer had paid to have the consignment picked over and baled.