LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9088, 13 May 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Masterton County Council decided, yesterday, to notify their roadmen that the heavy traffic by-laws came into force on May Ist.

A case of scarlet fever was reported to the Maaterton County authorities as having occurred in Ihuraua Valley on the 21st of last month.

The first annua] .social and dance of the Te Ore Ore Football Cluu will be held at Te Ore Ore on Wednesday, May 20th.

A meeting of the Wairarapa Yorkshire Society will be held in the Club Hotel, this evening, at 8 o'clock, when a full attendance of members is requested. Mr Sidney Nicholls, chief steward of the Greytown Club, was successful in gaining the position of chief steward of the Petone Working Men's Club out of about forty applicants.

The concert to be held in the Town Hall, to-morrow evening, in aid of the Instrument Fund of the Masterton South Brass Band, promises to be a great success. An excellent programme has been prepared.

There are at present three cases of scarlet fever in the Eketahuna cuunty—all in Newman. The health officer reports that all three cases were evidently imported from Dannevirke.

The Deputy-Oliicial Assignee, Mr W. B. Chennells, notifies that Mr John George Hayes, of Maaterton, labourer, has been adjudged a bankrupt. The first meeting of creditors will beheld in the Courthouse at 2.15 p.m., on Monday next. An election of three trustees in the Masterton Trust Lands Trust will be held on Thursday, 28th instant. The retiring trustees are Messrs J. Hessey, T. B. Michell and E. .VcEwen, who are, however, eligible for re-election. Nominations close at noon on Wednesday next, May 20th.

The final meeting of committees in connection with the dance to be held in aid of the Wairarapa Amateur Athletic Club was held in the Dominion Hall last" evening. The arrangements are now complete, and everything points to the dance being a decided success.

The Masfcerton Dorcas Society will re-commence work on Thursday afternoon next, May 34th, at2 p.m., in Mr Jag. McGregor's cottage in Church street, when it is hoped that there will be a full attendance of members. New ones will be gladly welcomed. The meetings, are held on alternate Thursdays.

The result of the canvass made by Mr H. N. Holmes, Secretary of the Wellington Y.M.C.A., of Masterton and district in the immediate vicinity of the town yesterday, for the purpose of raising funds for the salary of a district organising secretary, was an addition of £llO to the sum already guaranteed, making a total of £SOO towards the £750 required. At a special meeting of the Masterton County Council, yesterday, a special order was made authorising the raising of a loan of £l5O, and striking a special rate of 9-60 th of a penny to meet it, for Black Creek road deviation. A special rate of one-thirty-ninth of a penny was also struck to meet the interest on £3OO, being 10 per cent, on the £3,000 East Coast loan.

In Masterton, according to the Labour Journal just issued, "the building trade has somewhat regained its former activity, and several fair-sized buildings are in course of erection. A start has also been made with the local Technical School, which when completed will further add to the architectural beauty of the town. Coachbuilding and painting are quiet, but moulding has brightened up considerably." The building trades are summed up as being "good in all branches."

A meeting of the Masterton Municipal Fire Brigade was held last evening at the fire brigede station, Captain Jenkins presiding. The secretary stated that the average attendance of members during April was—meetings 22*, alarms 27. Branchman Fielding was granted a long aervire medal, and Branchman a three years' certificate. Lieutenant Maymond tendered his resignation, which was accepted with regret. It was decided to take part in the demonstration to be held in aid of the Masterton Hospital on Sunday, May 24th.

An indication of the extent of the Southland rabbit industry, says the "Southland News," can be gleaned frm the returns of the Mataura Freezing Works. An average of 4,000 crates a week is put through; that is to say, between GCO and 700 daily. For the four-weekly period just concluded 15,700 crates were received, a total of 410,000 rabbits, or an average daily receipt of 17,000. About double the business is done in Southland compared with Otago, where the Port Chalmers works put through between 7,000 and 8,000 daily. The "bleeding" system has been adopted with marked success, and a great.improvement has been shown, both in the quality of the rabbits and in their keeping power, especially in the warm 1 weather. The condition of the rabbits, as a whole, is much better than in previous years, but this is on account of the cooler weather.

The following motion, proposed by Cr W. J. Welch, and seconded by Cr W. Harris, was carried by the Finance Committee of the Master ton County Council, yesterday, and adopted by the Council: —"That in i view of the approaching local option pull in November next, this Committee recommends the Council to direct that the Government be asked to define what powers the Council, as the controlling local authority in this licensing district, can exercise under section 9 of the 'Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act. 1893,' with regard to the appointment of deputy returning officers, poll cierks and general control of the po'l. That failing any definite reply thereto being received the opinion of the County solicitor be taken on the question, and that for this purpose the clerk be directed to prepare a schedule of the number of polling booths, which, in his opinion, should be sufficient for the taking of a satisfactory poll in' this district, and submit therewith a schedule as reasonable fees for remuneration of the services, in this connection, of the returning officer, his deputies, poll clerks and assistants, and .prescribe a limit to the number and length of insertions of the necessary advertisements relating to the poll." Never neglect a bad cold or cough ; theie is no knowing what it may develop into. Take TUSSICUEA (Wild Cherry Balm).

The valuation of the two assessors appointed by the Borough Council and the Masterton Fire Board, of the property to he acquired by the Board under the Fire Brigades' Act, has been completed, and was adopted by the Council last night. The amount agreed upon was £562 8s 6d, the property comprised being the whole of the plant of the Fire Briagde in the borough. Mr A. Hathaway acted for the Borough Council, and Mr T. Wagg for the Fire Board.

A very interested audience listened to Mr R. Brown's lecture on "What Am I?" delivered to the Y.M.C.A. Debating Club, last night. The subject was very ably handled,, and several questions were asked and answered. Mr Brown enlarged on the composition of the brain and its various parts, and the different peculiarities;whieh follow any disarrangement of these parts. Next week the subject of debate will be "Who benefits the dominion most, the monied man or the worker?"

A meeting of the Hibernian Society, held last evening in St. Patrick's schoolroom, was presided over by Bro. H. O'Leary. Two new members were initiated into the Order. It was decided to lend every assistance in connection with ths proposed "Hospital Sunday." The social committee reported that the recent social, held in the Foresters' Hall, had been a decided success. A special vote of thanks was accorded to the joint secretaries (Messrs B. Chapman and S. O'Regan), to the ladies' committee, and others for the energeti: manner in which they worked to ensure its success. Other routine business was transacted.

The financial position of the Masterton Borough Council is at present as follows:—General District Fund. —General account, dr, £6,537 19s 9d; Gasworks, cr, £BO4 7s 4d; Library, cr, £l5B 8s sd; Deposit, cr, £l7B 10s; Waterworks, dr, £167 13s Id; Abattoir, cr, £159 9s; Special Drainage, cr, £2l 14s; Bannister Street, dr, £2 17s lOd; Loan £25,000, dr, £ll4 5a 10s. Overdraft and unpresented cheques, £5,500 7s 9d. Loans.—Drainage, cr, £43 14s 4d; Improvements, £25,000, Schedule A, dr, £345 0s sd; Schedule B. cr, £B3B 19s Id; Schedule C, dr, £246 Is 9d; Schedule D, cr. £341; Schedule E, cr, £lls 0s 9d. Rates outstanding amount to £1,052 12s Id.

A claim fo- £IOO for depreciation caused to property was received by the Masterton Borough Council last evening from Mr B. Brodie. The claim was in respect of the grading being, carried out in Queen Street by the Council, Mr Brodie's frontage being left at a higher level than the new footpath. Mr Brodie said that in addition to his property being depreciated, he had .suffered considerable inconvenience through the street being torn up for a long time, and the front entrance being blocked. The Mayor suggested that a small committee should be set up to investigate the claim, and the damage, if any, reported upon. On the motion of Cr Pauling, a committee composed of Crs Pragnell, Hunter, Ewington and the Mayor was set up to report upon the claim. There are at present 21 cases of scarlet fever in the local hospital the fever ward of which, in ordinary events, is supposed to contain only 8, (says the "Southland News.") The emergency ward, (used during the epidemic of some years ago,) has again been pressed into service, but is sufficient for requirements. On Saturday a whole family of eleven arrived on one journey of.the ambulance from South Invercargill, but their case was not serious. The other ten patients came in separately from various parts of Southland daring the past month, but the cases are not serious. Never before has the local hospital had such a "dose"of fever cases as during the present epidemic.

Dairying is rapidly becoming a staple inuduatry along *;he Main Trunk line. Although the present season has been rather a bad one, the indications are that butter producing is going to grow by leaps and hounds when the railway is through, though sawmilling now bulks largely in the district from Mangaweka northwards. The Taihape Dairy Company has bad a large increase in its miik supply, which will be augmented as the buj-h comes down, and the factory there is expected to become the largest in the North Island. An interesting fact hi connection with this factory is that home separated cream, detested by experts, is taken in, and so far the butter has turned out first grade. With the advent of the railway, the Raetihi dairy is now able to send its butter by rail to Wellington. Formerly it had to be carted to Pipiriki, taken from there down the river to Wanganui, by boot, and thence by rail to the grading stores at Paka. The saving .in cost of working is therefore very great.

Exception was taken by Cr. Ewington last evening to the manner in which Queen Street was tuiig macadamised from the corner of Hall Street, northwards. He contended that a resolution of the Council was being departed from in an ; unwarranted manner, as the work being done was not nearly so serviceable as that just completed. The Engineer, in explanation, said he made a suggestion to the Works Committee in respect of the work, which was considered a good idea and they adopted it. Cra Pauling and Pragnell supported this statement, Cr Pauling explaining that the frosty weather and wet roads had rendered further tar-macadamising impossible, and the present work was being done to allay muddy conditions in the meantime. Cr Hunter contended that where the Works Committee was at fault was in taking upon itself to do the work in a different manner willout first consulting the Council. The Mayor, while agreeing with this, considered it was hardly necessary to step the work, as it was evidently imperative, and the Works Committee had acted on expert advice. A wordy argument ensued, and resulted in the Works Committee's action being adopted, Cr Evvington dissenting. WITCH'S OIL. A compound of soothing, massaging oils for rheumatic, sciatic, and other li'fe pains. For cold weather aches, rheumatism, sciatica, and lumbago, it stands pre-eminent. WITCH'S OIL kills pain, and is the very best linimont in the world for all things a linimont ought to be good for. 2s 6d and 4s Cd. All chemists and storekeepers. 185

Over 30 public schools in the country districts of Victoria are closed for the want of teachers. A three-ton monkey, cast by the Victoria foundry, Wellington, for Messrs McLean and Sons, contractors, for the Te Aro Dock, is, it is claimed, the heaviest yet built in New Zealand.

Unemployment ii Melbourne is more pronounced this year than it was in the corresponding period of 1907. This is said to be largely due to the comparative failure of the harvest.

At Wellington, yesterday, before Mr Justice Cooper, Geo. fustin, for breach of the bankruptcy law, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, to date from November 18th last, prisoner to be treated a3 a misdemeanant of the first division.

Oamaru is troubled over a severe epidemic of measles. When the North school assembled after the Easter holidays 142 out of 367 children on the roll were absent through the complaint. The school had to be closed.

The Health Department is collecting and analysing a large nutr ber of foodstuffs including pickles, uauces, and cord'als in connection with the new Pure Food and Drugs Act. The work is likely to take a considerable time.

At present there it> a very great deartn of surveyors in Australia, particularly in New South Wales, West Australia and Queensland. The Hon. G. F. Richardson, who recently visited Australia, states that on this account settlement is being much hindered, and salaries are being advanced all round. The New Zealand principle of closer settlement has "taken on" in Australia, and has become very popu'ar in several of the States.

To show the destructiveness of tl e shag in regard to trout, the "Mataura Ensign" states that on tie opening day of the duck season Mr D. A. Purvis shot one of these bijda in the Kaiwera stream. Immediately it fell it disgorged a five-inch tiout, which it had just swallowed, and on opening its stomach three whole trout, each five inches long, were found, and the rest of the contents consisted of partly digested trout. The Otago Acclimatisation Society gives 3s each for shag's heads.

A miid sensation was created at the Bluff the other morning. No sooner had the Moeraki touched at the wharf, and before the ordinary means of communication with the shore had been established, than two persons slid down the bow lines and succeeded, notwithstanding difficulty, in scrambling on to the wharf. Making the best use of their oppoitunities, they reached the summit of Bluff Hill with amazing rapidity, and that was the last seen of them so far. It appears that they had omitted to pay their passage money, and as there was some doubt as to whether or not they were Mongolian, the Customs officers as well as the police are on the lookout.

Peter Anderson, a farm labourer of White Bluffs, Washington, has \ inherited a fortune amounting to £72,500 under most romantic circumstances. Anderson, who was toopoor to buy wallpaper, hasi covered the walls of his cottage with newspapers. Recently e qoticed an advertisement in one of these papers asking for information of his whereabouts. He replied to the advertisement, and on establishing his identity, he was informed that he was heir to the sum named. He received a draft of £3,000 to enable him to come to New York to collect the balance. Anderson left Denmark in 1873 aboard the ship W. J. Gottry, which was wrecked off Newfoundland. He was a powerful swimmer, and, seizing Peter Knudsen, a drowning passenger, kept him afloat until they we»"e able to crawl on to some wreckage, which floated them both ashore. After much privation, both reached New York, where they separated. Knudsen made an immense fortune in the glove business in New Jersey, and bequeathed it to his rescuer.

Mr W. H. Cruickshank advertises for sale several good farms in the Wairarapa district. Particulars will be found elsewhere. Mr F. P. Welch adverises for sale several cheap town properties, also the equity in half an aero in Cole street for equity in house. At the present timr. Messrs Townsend and Cowper, saddlers, are making a speciality of horse and cow covers. These are made to measure of best canvas and duck, with the latest improvements. Mr John Norris, land agent, Hunterville, advertises particulars of a valuable sheep farm of 750 acres; , also the freehold of a good livery " stable and boarding house, both of which show a good return on the capital invested. At the request of a number of clients in South Wairarapa, Messrs Dalgecy and Co., Ltd., have decided to hold regular stock sales at the Taratahi yards. The first sale is announced for Tuesday, May 19th, entries to date for which are advertised in this issue.

On Saturday, June 6th, Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., will offer for sale at their Masterton rooms the sub-division of Mr P. J. Dillon's "Fairfield" property, Matarawa. The property comprises 508 acres of choice dairying land, sub-divided into three blocks of 311, 97 and 100 acres, respectively. The land is conveniently situated, being close to the railway, and is seven miles from Carterton, and three from Grey town. Full details are published in an advertisement on page 8 of this issue.

Mr J. V. Gordon, dispensing chemist (by examinations) of the Medical Hall, Masterton, circulates aa inset with this issue which is of more than passing interest to residents generally. It gives particulars of a few of the family medicines prepared by Mr Gordon —preparations which it is claimed have proved their efficacy in hundreds of homed throughout this district. Country residents, who are unable to call personally, rely on their orders receiving Mr Gordon's personal attention, and having same forwarded by return mail.

Mr C. F. B. Livesay, Architect of Wol liugton, 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;

In 1907 the dairying industry of JNew SouthfWalea yielded £3,400,000; poultry, bees, and rabbits, £1,845,'000; and forest 3 and fisheries, .31,500,000. The good rains in New South Wales .recently have strengthened the demand for bunk slv.res, and full priceß . are quoted. The same remark applies to pastoral interests. Amon<? the wills lately proved waa that of a Dunedin lady, who ilaft personal estate valued at £1,530.' The testatrix bequeathed • one shilling to her husband, and the .residue of her estate to an aunt. Taranaki is well reprewented in the collection of fruit sont from New :Zealand for display at the Royal .Horticultural Society's show in con- • nection with the Franco-British Exhibition. Mr and Mrs H. Morison, of Carterton, entertained the employees of Booth and Co., and their families at a social in the Clareville Hall on Friday night, when a most enjoyable wa3 spent. Two men were recentlv interrupted iin the loading of scrap iron belonging I ta a Pakuranga resident. They abandoned their horse and cart, with sits can.-.ents, and fled in the direction of Auckland. The horse and cart were presumably stolen, and are now in the possession of the police. The second of the series of schools •of instruction in elementary agriculture for teachers under the Wellington Education Board will commence iin Grey town on Monday May 25th, .and close on Friday June sth. It is • expected that about 20 teachers from .iall parts of the district will be i present. Although there has been a good • deal of blight amongst the potato Vcrops of the Maoris this season, it has not been nearly so bad as in previous years, and it is not anticipated there will be any shortage of At any rati, no complaints have yet reached the Native Department. The Council of Defence, has decided '.that the provisions of paragraph 325 <«f the general regu'ations (officers .■■and men attending company camp may be allowed leave of absence to ccarry on their necessary daily avocations, but must atteni all the parades •of their companies, otherwise the allowance for that day shall not be ipaid) shall not apply to mounted rifles, also that class firing is noc to out during trjining camp, practice excepted. Several breezy interludes occurred at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening, and the moat trivial litems on the order paper were discussed at most inordinate length, weightier business was soon of. At one stage Cr Ewington suggested that Cr Pauling was "drawing a herring across the •••scent." The impugned Councillor i indignantly demanded, through His Worship, that such an accusation should be immediately withdrawn. '.The Mayor failed to see anything .■striking enough in the remark to take exception to, while Cr Ewington emphatically announced that he 'would not withdraw, it. He eventually modified it, or*perhaps explained it, by saying that Cr Pauling was misleading the Mayor, a modification which appeared to appease Cr Pauling. There was such a palpable drawing out of trivialities tthat Cr Yarr on one occasion J hinted to the Mayor that it was very desirable that such loquacity should bd met in a salutary way at future meetings. At the request of his backers, Wm. Webb, the champion sculler of the r world, has ordered a new boat from Chris. Nielsen, of Parramatta, for Miis match with Richard Arnst. Webb, speaking to a "Poverty Bay Herald" reporter, said that Arnst had asked for the match on the Parramatta, but ha (Webb) having been there once, did not care to go over again, and had replied he would • only meet the challenge in Australian waters if his opponent put up £I,OOO. He had no desira to have Wanganui, for the citizens of that town had found his stake tor his first professional race. They were very good to him, and he would not think of leaviingjthem without two races, and even then if he wa3 still successful he would not be inclined to run away. The contest with Arnst had been pretty well settled for 15th December next, at 4 p.m., when there would be dead water on the course. Arnst, he noticed, had arranged in ithe meantime to row Pearce in Australia, and if he was defeated, of course, the match would be off. As to jWhelch, the Akaroa oarsman, his proposed row could not be enterSainadl until he had complied ... with the customary rules and put iup his £IOO. .