LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9081, 4 May 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It will be observed that the "Wairarapa Age" is issued this morning in an enlarged form—a circumstance that will doubtless be appreciated by readers and advertisers. This is the third occasion on which the paper has been enlarged within five years, and it now verges upon double the size of the original issue of the " Wairarapa Age. " The return from the Antonio Flat Dredge for the past £week is lloz 12dwt. At the Y.M.C.A. Debating Club's meeting to-night the question box will be dealt with. The pulpit at Knox Church last evening was occupied by Mr E. 11. Toeker, of Graytown. Two young men are to appear at tht Masterton Police Court, this morning, charged with the theft of same linen from the Central Hotel. The butchers at Mauriceville have instituted the cash system in connection with the businesses carried on by them. The Carterton Hockey Club has acquired the use of the Carterton Showgrounds on which to play their matches during the season. Mr C. Schultz (conductor) is making excellent progress with the Eketahuna Brass Band, which will shortly make its first appearance in public. A very large number of sportsmen ware out yesterday, the first Sunday of the shooting season. Game was found to be fairly plentiful, and some good bags were procured. Mr Jonos, of Matarawa, had the misfortune, on Saturday morning, to get his left hand caught in the cog-wheel of his traction engine, whereby his fingers were severely crushed. He was attended by Dr Bey, who ordered his immediate removal to the Greytown Hospital. A considerable amount of interest is being manifested in the annual scripture examinations to be held in connection with the Wesleyan Sunday School Union, writes our Carterton correspondent. Already a large number of the scholars attending the Cartel ton Methodist Sunday School have entered for the examination.

The"V.M.C.A. strangers' tea was very well attended last evening. An address given by Mr Matthew Gordon preceded the tea, and was of a most interesting character, the subject being "The duty of spreading my religion." Mr D. Hebenton presided at the tea, at which several strangers made brief speeches. The strangers' tea is increasing in popularity, last night every available seat being occupied.

T.V3 delegates to the conference of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, held a month or two back, visited Masterton on Saturday, and were formally welcomed by the local branch at the function at which Guard Hart was farewelled, at the Central Fire Brigade Station. The delegates, Messrs M. Lee and J. Moore, yesterday delivered an address to the branch on matters pertaining to the Society. A meeting of the Carterton Friendly Societies' Council was held on Friday night, when it was decided to affiliate with the Wellington United Friendly Societies' Executive Council, and to send a representative to Wellington when the deputation waits on members of Parliament with reference to the new Friendly Societies' Act. Bro. J. P. Wallis' resignation as secretary was accepted with regret, and a hearty vote of thanks accorded to him for past services. The 'second of the series of the young men's monthly meetings inaugurated by the Rev. A. T. Thompson, was hell at Knox Church yesterday , afternoon. The subject of the lecture was, "What does it matter what a man believes so long as he is sincere." The address was of a most interesting character, and was dealt with in a way which indicated a careful and studious reasoning of many controversial issues. These meetings bid fair to become increasingly popular. Two swaggers hoaxed a local boardinghouse-keeper a day or two ago by the very size of their swags. They were given accommodation amounting to tea, bed and breakfast on the strength of an alleged job in town, and as they left their swags on departing to commence, as was supposed, the job, their bona fides were not questioned. They never returned, and the disappointed landlady found their swags to consist of pieces of old horse-cover bound round straw bottle-covers.

Fixtures for the week in connection with the Y.M..A. are as follow: — To-night, the Debating Club, at 7.30. The question-box, a very entertaining method of inducing debates, will be held. This morning, the Hockey Club engage in practice at the Showgrounds. On Wednesday evening the Glee Club will holi its weekly session, under Mr H. S. Claughton's conductorship. This class has now a strong and increasing membership. On Saturday evening the Bible Class meets at 7 o'clock for an hour only, and those desirous of assisting at the stranger's tea are requested to attend.

Mr C. F. B. Livcsay, 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.) Address— P.O. Box 771. Telephone 2692.

A hockey practice was held at Lansdowne on Saturday between members of St. Matthew's Club and Tui Club. A match was intended to have been played, but as full teams were not on the field, some useful practice was engaged in instead.

About 25 miles of underground cable for the supply of electric light and power to consumers, irom the Co-poration electrical department, have bean laid in Wellington in the past six months. The work, which is costing £30,000, is Hearing completion.

Sittings of the Conciliation Board, to hear the Tailors' dispute, will be held at Napier, 18th May; Masterton 21st May; Wangnnui 3rd June; Palmerston North sth June; and Wellington Bth June.

The Opaki Rifle Club met on Saturday evening, when various details in connection with the firing of the "Daily Mail's" Empire Match were arranged. Captain W. J. Welch occupied the chair. It was decided to adhere to a resolution of the club of some months back that unless nine member? attended a competition it was to lapse. For this reason the competition of last week was declared no shoot, as only eight men went out to the range.

A correspondent writes to us: — "Your article on rural matters are interesting, especially thosa relating to the bot fly. In addition to the remedy prescribed, there _is a very old and simple one which is considered of great value in England. It is a decoction made from the tansey plant, given as a drench, and should be administered after the horse has been starved for a day or so. It is not known if the tansey is growing in New Zealand, but it is common in Great Britain." The work of enlarging and improving the platform and permanent way accommodation at Masterton railway station is proceeding apace. It will be about four months yet before the work will be comnleted. All the linking up of the various sidings at the south end of the vard has been finished, but the ballasting has yet to be done. A new culvert has been put in across the Waipokaka stream, and the new platforms are completed with the exception of the asphalting. The engine shed has yet to be shifted and the goods shed enlarged. Inspector Gillies, in the course of h chat with a "Lyttelton Times" reporter, said that he was astonished at the growth of the North Island. Eight or nine years ago, he said, when he was in charge of the Wanganui district, Taihape was a settlement with one or two houses in it. Now it was a thriving town, and there were many such places in the North Island now. The Island was waking up tn its possibilities, and it wauld carry the whole of the dominion's ponulaton now with ease. The future before such land as was being opened up was wonderful to contemplate, and he was confident that the North Island would become a land of plenty. Figures relating to the traffic on Government railways for the year ending 31st March, are published in last week's Gazette. The principal item? are as follows (less shillings and pence), the corresponding figures for 1906-7 being given in parentheses: Revenue, £2,761,937 (£2,624,600); expenditure, £1,949.758 (£1,812,481); passengers carried, 9,765.716 (9,600,786;) season tickets, 185,174 (165,504); parcels, 937,565 (929,929); dogs, 47,766 (42,081); cattle, 16.367 (14,741); sheen, 4.593,100 (4.661.001); pigs 125,987 (115.222); chaff, lime, etc., 169,767 tons (168,316 tons); wool 120,593 tons (128,161 tons;) Tirewood. 110,154 tons (109,236 tons); timber, 616.891 tons (567,834 tons); grain, 739,568 tons (770,706 tons); merchandise, 757,646 tons (712,398 tons) ; mineral?, 2.319,912 tons (2.135,446 tons). The number of miles of railway oien for traffic is now 2,474; the ro-t of onened lines is put down at £23.504,272, and of the unopened lines £1,934,296. The poundkeeper advertises particulars of a bay mare and chestnut gelding hrmnunded from the Waingawa and Villa street respectively.

Mr W. H. Oruickslutnlc, lanr? V.jrcnt, Maste'ton. has had placed in his band for sale a largo number of Queensland ]<ronerties, which he ran thoroughly recommend. Mr J. Lord, who recently sold his Clifton Orove estate here, left by the s.s. Ulimario on Friday to insnect (with a view to purchase) a large estate in Queensland. Messrs East awl East, land and estate agents, of Wellington. Auckland and Christchurch, advertise for sal** a good paving bakery business Iri Ekctahuna. The business is being fold on account of the present owner's ill-health, and as he is desirous of an early sale the business is being offered at a price that will give a good return to a capable and practical man. Particulars of the buoiness will he found on paere 8 of this issue, and the agents will give further information on application. Messrs D. Pinlayson and Son, boot and shoe makers and importers, have a large and comprehensive stock of seasonable foot wear for disposal at their Masterton premises. This firm has made a special importation of high quality winter boots fir both men and women, and as they 'were purchased for cash from the best English and American manufacturers, they are to be sold at very reasonable prices, as no middleman's profit has to be provided for. Repairs to boots and shoes are undertaken, and charges are as low as good work and material will permit. The Mutual Trading Co., Ltd., of Carterton, is a thoroughly enterprising concern, rarrving on the business of general merchants, auctioneers, and estate atrents. Their premises are in High Street, Carterton, and their clients come from all parts of the South Wairarapa and East Coast. Stock sales are held regularly in various parts of the district, and clearing sales where required. In an advertisement on page 8 of this issue details are given of some safe and sound investments which the firm has for sale, which, at the prices quoted, are sure to speedily find purchasers. Cough! Consjh! Cough! Don'q. cough. Tafco TUSSICURA. Soothes the inflamed membrane. Soothing and healing. Is 6d, 2s 6d. Woods' Great Peppermint Cure for Coughs and Colds never fails. 3/6 and 2/6. ,

Another case of typhoid fever is reported at Martinborough. There were three births and five deaths in Greytown during the month of April. At the election of two trustees for the Greytown Town Lands Trust, Messrs D. P. Loaaby, and S. Haigh were returned. The Treasurer of Queensland has promised to place before the Cabinet a proposal for the abolition of stamp duty. The vendors of milk in Gisborne have decided to follow in the steps of the butchers and bakers in that town, and trade only on the cash system. It is said that, in spite of the call upon its funds during the recent strike, the Sydney Seamen's Union has £20,000 to its credit. The increase of cattle in New South Wales last year over the previous one was 9,017 and of horses 25,917. There was a decrease of. 385,460 sheeu. A Preas Association telegram states that at Wellington on Saturday night T. Burrows established -MJP*: record by swinging a pair of clubs fo\' 62 hours 2 minutes, and Charles Parnell, leader of the orchestra at the Theatre Royal, also put up a if- • cord by playing a piano continuously for 38 hours 2 minutes.

The commercial crisis in America has given rise to a great flight of immigrants from the United States. The fear of "hard times" has thus emptied the country of many thousands of its inhabitants. But there is one significant exception to this homeward rush. There is no exodus of Jews.

Twenty-six years ago a Mr Thomas who was then gum-d'gging at Okahu, lost a little boy of about two years of age. Nothing could be discovered to throw any light on the mysterious disappearance, though it was conjectured by some that the Maoris had taken the boy. Mr Thomas has now received word from Bokianga that his long-lost son is there, and the father has gone to see his son.