LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9097, 25 May 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Hospital Sunday collections was composed of the following coins: —Half-pennies, 46; pennies, 855; threepences, 574; sixpences, 548; shillings, 525; florins, 50; halfcrowns, 32; pound notes, 1; cheques, ]; total coina, 2.632. The belt presented to the Eketahuna Mounted Rifles by Captain Herbert for the best aggregate during the season has been won by Trooper Marenzi, with a score of 350, Sergeant Hill being second with 347, and Trooper Preece third with 338. St. John's Church, Featfnrston, had closeu the financial year with a very satisfactory result, although the credit balance is £ll 5s lid short of that of the previous year. With £B4 7s 9d carried forward the receipts were £334 19s lid, and the outlay £261 18s Id, leaving a credit of £73 Is lOd. The chief items among the receipts were—offertries £BO 2s Id, and subscriptions to the general church fund £ll2 ss. The principal item<of expenditure was £176 5s towards stipends.

A quaint custom prevails in the Kaikoura and surrounding districts for naming a horse after 'he man from whom it has been bought. The coach-driver steering his team r; unci a sharp curve yells the names of prominent individuals encouragingly, and the party returning to the citron the Cheviot coach after the Prime Minister's visit to Kaikoura wan highly amused at the frequency with which an animal bearing the surname of a well-known local official had to be appealed to to "get up, thiie." Teacher or domestic servant—which am I? was the question prouounded at the Otago Education Board's meeting on Thursday by a correspondent. The chairman read a letter he had received from the teacher of a household school, resigning her position. The writer said she was forced to resign because of the number of domestic duties she was com| eUed to perform in addition to her sclnol duties; in fact, she was little more than a domestic servant. Several members expressed the opinion that many of these girls were fairly treated, but it was quite right that they should not be expected to act as general domestics.

"The Department has improved the laying capabilities of tne birds in its charge by 50 per cent, in three years," said Mr D. D. Hyde, chief of the Poultry Department, to an Auckland "Herald" representa tive. "We had a big demand for our stock last season, and a bigger demand for eggs—in fact, our stock of pullets is almost depleted. We keep the best for breeding purposes, but unless they give ua 100 eggs for the first six months they are cast aside. A few years ago birds that laid 100 eggs in a year would have been considered good enough to hold to breed from." Questioned as to what was being done in experimenting with the birds at the Department's farms, Mr Hyde mentioned that a good deal was being attempted in feeding and 1 other directions, and that he was very hopeful of the results.

Thirteen cases of scarlet fever occurred in Wellington last week. The Wairarapa Hunt Club will hold their next meet on May 30th at Te Nui. The annual meeting of the Masterton Y.M.C.A. will take place in the Association rooms this evening. Mr J. Hunter presided at the Y.M.C.A. stranger»' tea last evening, and also gave an address at the men's meeting. There was a good attendance. Mr J..Gray sang "The Holy City." One of the Gisborne freezing woiks is now run almost entirely .by producer gas, which has been so successful that at the other works Messrs Nelson Brothers are about to instal a similar plant. "Employers and employees are utterly sick and tired of it all, and a few.more nails in its coffin will soon bury it." Thus a delegate referring to the Conciliation Board at the sitting of the Taranaki Farmers' Provincial Conference recently. The Timaru Borough Council, after having dealt with the gas Company for the past 30 years, has now given notice that it will require no more gas for lighting purposes after June 6th next. The, electric light will be in use from that date. According to the Western Star (Southland) stoats and weasels are yearly inci'easing, and the Longwood ranges are now infested with these vermin. As a result native birds are becoming scarce, more especially the New Zeaand robins, torn tit, and fantail. A resident of the Chatham Islands Says that the present year has/ been the driest for the past 22 years. Nature is lavish at the Chatharns, and grass grows all the year round. Frost is unknown, the temperature being equalised by the wide stretch of sea.

Une of the lady delegates at the Secondary School Teachers' Conference at Christchurch, in referring to the superficial character of education in some cases, stated that she knew a girl who had a most brilliant secondary school and university career, at the conclusion of which she hal acquired such scanty knowledge in domestic science that she was ui.able to distinguish mutton from. beef. Mr S. E. McCarthy,. S.M., commented strongly at Hastings, on Saturday, says a Press Association telegram, on the prevalence of the use of obscene language, not only there, but all over the dominion. Drunken men stood in the streets and poluted the air with their filthy language within the hearing of women and children, who might otherwise never be subjected to the unpleasing ordeal. In fining several orchardists in the Nelson district for failing to eradiand prevent ita spread, the stipendiary magistrate said that everyone knew the importance of the fruit industry. Motueka alone last season sent out £5,000 worth. Tho industry should be guarded by proper precautions, and it was very unfair in those who took the trouble to keep down the pests for others not to do so.

A communication has been received by the Lands Department at Ferth from a person in Ceylon, desirous of settling on land in that State, provided certain concessions ax& made. Ha is asking for free steamer and train fares for himself, wife, and family, and then to be put on a farm without paying for the land or rent for it. After that he wishes it to be stocked free, and the necessary implements purchased at the Government's expense, and free rations for three months. There was a lengthy discussion at the annual Provinical Conference of the Farmers' Union at Auckland on Friday, bearing on the fact that mining companies were being allowed to destroy valuable agricultural and pastoral areas by daposits of tailings. "Which is the most valuable —the gold or the land?" asked one delegate, and a farmer .hailing from the Thames Valley, who had complained must bitterly of the devastation caused by thq gold-winners, made answer, "The gold will all be done 111 a year or two, but the land will be there for ever." A black pony lost in M.'i3terton on Saturday evening is advertised for. An advertiser has to let, a fiveroomed house. An advertiser has for.sale cheap, a type writer in good order. A first-class circular henchman is wanted for sawmill, in the Aacklat d district. The Masterton Borougn Council insert a notice with respect to the payment of outstanding rates. A list of Masterton house-property is elsewhere advertised for sale by Mr JR. Brown, land agent, Queen Street. Mr A. Webb,, tailor, elsewhere announces that he is giving 'special value in ladies winter dresses, and fit and style is guaranteed. The New Zeala-nd Railways Department advertise special excursion fares on Wednesday in connection with the football match at Wellington. A rewr.rd. is offered for the recovery of a ladies' gold watch, with silver chain attached, lost on the Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon last. Mr 0. Prague!!,, who is a candidate for a seat on the Masterton Trust Lands Trust, will address the voters in the Town Hall, at 8 o'clock tonight. The second term of the Girls Collegiate School, Church Street, will commence on Wednesday next. Miss E. L. Hampton, Principal, will be at home on Tuesday afternoon, from 3 to 5 p. 111. Messrs D. Finlayson and Son, bootmakers, have just received a further consignment of goloshes and gum boots. They are guaranteed thoroughly durable, and are quoted at reasonable prices. Mr T. Shields, tailor, of Queen Street, Masterton, has received at his premises a large assortment of the latest patterns in ladies costume cloths. At the request of a number of ladies resident in the district, Mr Shields has decided to undertake the making cf costumes at his local establishment, and is now prepared to fulfil orders.