LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9099, 27 May 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Masterton Borough Council intend to discuss the cs'imates for the present year at their next meeting as a Works Committee, on Tuesday afternoon next.

Our Carterton corre.-pondent writes that the Rev. W. J. Elliott, of Carterton, has received a number of requests to speak on No-License prior to the general election in various electorates in the North Island. The fortnightly meeting of the Rechabite Tent, No. 38, was held in the Dominion Hall last evening, Bro. A. E. Prentice, P.C.R.. presiding over a large attendance of members. Matters relating to the section in Bannister Street were discussed, and it was decided to take steps immediately in the matter. It was decided that the Tent should meet at 7.3U p.m. during the winter months, and that the next.meeting take 'the form of "Found Night " The Y.M.C.A. Society held a "question box" last night, a wide range of questions being dealt with. The two questions which were keenly discussed were: "Was the British Government justified in importing the Chinese into South Africa?" and "Is inability to cook a sufficient cause to debar a girl from matrimony?" The discussions were greatly enjoyed by the members present, and a number of young members were induced to speak. Next Monday night Mr J. Hunter will give a paper on Socialism. After Mr Hunter has spoken, the subject will be open for discussion by the meeting. Judgment has been delivered by Mr W. P. James, S.M., in the case Saunders v. McDougall,,. heard at Masterton a fortnight ago, in which the sum of .£75 './ as claimed by way of damages for alleged non-fulfilment of a contract to fake a line of sheep, part only of which was accepted by defendant. The case was transferred to Masterton from Eketahuna. The main points at issue were whether plaintiff had contracted to deliver full-mouthed or fresh full-mouthed sheep, and whether he was entitled to make a second tender of the balance of the line ot sheep after having failed to be ready with the whole line when defendant called at plaintiff's farm to take delivery. Judgment was given for defendant, with £'s 15s costs.

An oft-iepeated complaint was again hsard at the Masterton Borough Council meeting last evening, voiced by Cr W. Prague!!, who said that Pownall street was being* used as a King's highway by nut only pedestrians but al>o by timber-wag-ons, horsemen and' herds of dairy cows. "it is a shame,'' lie sam, "to see the way these beautiful footpaths are used." The Mayor said the responsible officers should be informed of this, but Cr Pragnell said be was not wifiing to act as an informer. He strongly advised the executive officers of the Council to pay a visit to Pownall street, giving a guarantee "that at least ooe offender would be caught mutilating the footr.aths." There was a good attendance at ti~e fortnightly meeting of the Masterton Fire Brigade last evening. Captain .Jenkins presided. A letter was received from the secretary of the U.F. B.A. in reference to insurance premiums. The secretary of the l<'eatherston Fire Brigade wrote forwarding complimentary tickets for the annual ball of Featberston Brigade. Captain Jenkins, on behalf of Mr Winzenberg and himself, presented the brigade with a hanasomelyfrained photo of the dtlegates that attended the recent Fire Brigades' Conference held in Masterlur). The donors were accorded a hevuty vote of thanks. Captain Jenning and Branchnuin Pickering were congratulated on their appointment to the positions uf Superintendent and Deputy-Superintendent, respectively, under the Masterton Fire Board. A letter was read at the Masterton Boiough Council meeting last evening from the Town Clerk, Mr ii. Brown, pointing out that a comparison had been made of the Borough expenditure in connection with the recent Mayoral election and the general Council election of last year, ar.d complaining that a reflection been cast upon the writer's administration through this comparison being made. Mr Brovvi pointed out that the difference in the two txpendUures was really only about £4, and at the election conducted by him a new electoral roll had to Ijo printed, an expense which bail not been iiitusrmi this year. The Mayor said that it was unfortunate that any comparisons had ever been made, especially as the printing of che roll had been overlooked. He moved that Mr Brown informed that the Council was satisfied with Ins explanation, and they recognised that the additional expense had been caused in the manner stated by him. He considered this was due to Mr Brown, who, as Returning Officer for thirty years, had been always complimented on the manner in which he had carried out the elections. Crs Pauling, Yarr, Haughey and Pragnell considered that no reflection " had been cast upon Mr Brown, and wished the motion amended, though in what manner was not clearly defined, as the Mayor by putting the motion limited discussion. The motion was declared carried on the voices.

A meet of the Wairarapa Hunt Club will be held at Tinui on Saturday next. Judging by the preparations that are being made the "run" should be a decided success. In her report to the Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board yesterday Miss Kirk stated that the Henall-Soiway Home at Masterton appeared to be admirably managed by a very efficient matron. A shooting match was fired at Alfredton on Saturday last between the Tararua and Alfredton Rifle Clubs, and resulted in a win for the latter by 11 points. Alfredton scored 614 points, and Tararua 603 points. A communication received at Auckland from the Archbishop of Canterbury by the Governor of Fiji stated that the Rev. T. C. Tartchell, Vicar of All Hallows, hail been appointed Anglican Missionary Bishop at Polynesia.

The overdraft of the Masterton Borough Council on the District Fund Account now stands at £5,704 16s 3d. The position of the loan schedules is as follows:—Drainage, dr., £1 5s 8d; improvements, £25,000, schedule A, dr., £419 19s 2d; schedule B, nr., £687 3s sd; schedule C, dr, £532 0s 8d; schedule D, cr., £341; schedule E, cr., £lO5 15j Id. The rates outstanding amount to £1,026 Is Id.

The committee set up by the Masterton Borough Council to report on the water and drainage extension reports of Messrs D. Dobson and G.-Laing-Measnn have not yet held a meeting. The Council decided last night to call the committee- together to-mnrrow week, the Mayor emphasising the need for urgency in view of the length of time which must elapse in any case before the preliminary arrangements can be carried to finality. A gentleman of great scientific knowledge in the field of botany informs the "New Zealand Dairyman" that there is a chance of doing away with the rush pest without resorting !o an expensive method of eradication. He says that from his knowledge of the botanical constituents of the plant he believes its growth is often caused in 10v.% marshy lands by an excess of acid in the soil, and he recommends a heavy liming. The lime, he says, will correct the excessive acidity of the soil, and thus kill the rushes. To make an experiment that would prove this would not cost more than cne or cwo pounds, perhaps less. What is considered a record for the particular class of work was established at Mr George Richardson's farm, Willowbridge, one day last week, when a young man, named George Joyce, dug and picked up thirty-three sacks of potatoes. This he accomplished without the aid of anyone. He commenced vvo:k at 8 a.m., and knocked off at 5.15 p.m. He began work with the intention of digging arid filling thirty sacks for the day. The crop was a good one, but in spire of this, the work done must be considered a wonderful feat. Messrs W. Hayman s?nd Richardson vouch for the correctness of the tally, says the "Timaru Herald." The annual conference of delegates to the New Zealand Trades and Labour Council will open in Wellington on 28th June. Among the proposals to be made are the following:—lssue of State notes for the completion of Alain Trunk and other important railways, and for pei manent and reproductive works, abolition of sale of Crown lands and periodical re-valua-tion of State leaseholds; extension of the Parliamentary franchise to all elections of local bodies; the referendum; preference to unionists; abolition of the Legislative Council; nationalisation of the marine coastal and inter-colonial services; universal compulsory Saturday half-holiday; State saw mills, iron factories, bakeries, clothing factories, banks, and shipbuilding yards; increase of oldage pension to 12s 6d per week; and a Fair Rent Bill.

"Fnr many years this association lias uvged the Government to send Horn's one of our dairy slafF to examine and report en our cheese and butter as it lands in Britain," says the annual report of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand (South island). "The Government decided to do his. Mr Cuddie, dairy commissioner, has been Home, and another of the staff will shortly go for t'.vo years to attend to the matter. This is satisfactory, and we hope to learn something from this visit about man; things. For instance, we want to know how our cheese and butter prudes in London as compared with New Zealand grading. We have faith in grading, which has done much good, hut ws believe it ran be improved on and made more absolute, reliable, and instructive by knowing more about the condition of our produce on arrival in London."

The Minister for Agriculture, in the course of his speech at Midclemarch, said that stringent regulations had been passed in the interests of the fruit-growers of New Zealand. He believed these regulations would cause a big fight in the country, and the country would be asked whether it would carry out this policy in the interests of those who were engaged in the cultivation of the soil, and who could not raise a hand to protect themselves. The regulations must be strictly enforced. One result would be that a great quantity of the fruit now coming into New Zealand would be shut out* and people who wanted to buy fruit would have to pay a higher price for it. Otherwise, if fruit was allowed to come in unrestricted it would be a dear day for New Zealand. This country, he believed, was on the eve of a struggle with Australia as co whether its diseased fruit was to come in here, and that stand mast, he taken if even at tht risk of regulation on its part. That was an action that the Department of Agriculture could take and that no farmer cool;! possibly take n his own interests. It was one of the live questions that was facing the department at the present tiir|e, and a question about which the people might be appealed to later on. Mr 0. ¥'. B. Livesay, Architect of Wolingfcon, has moved to more convenien rooms in the National Mutual Chamber.;, Customhouse Quay, (adjoining the Head Ofliee of the Bank of Is r .Z.) Address— P.O. Box 771 - Telephone 2002, Never neglect a had cold or cough ; there is no knowing what it may develop into. Take TUSSICURA (Wild Cherry Balm).

The next congress of the New Zea land Chess Association will be held at Dunedin at Christmas time. In 1898 out of every 1,000 people living in the city of Sydney 15 died. In 1907 the number had been reduced to 11 per 1,000.

New Zealand imported in 1902 preserved milk to the value of £19,116. The import for 1907 was less than one-half of that amount. A mysterious disease is killing numbers of sheep in the Leadville districtj New South Wales. They rear in the air, fall backwards, and become paralysed, and die quickly. It is stated on excellent authority, says a Wellington Press Association telegram, that the insurance companies doing business in the Dominion will make a general advance in premium rates next spring. The first lambs of the season are noticeable on the Main Trunk line, near Cliff Road, Marton. They look well and lively, and judging by the feed and the present genial weather will do well. The Y.M.C.A. building campaign at Invercargill produced £3,629. Further donations are expected. The association has secured a site in the centre of the town, and intends to erect a structure that will provide accommodation for a large number. The Wanganui Supreme Court opened yesterday morning before Mr Justice Cooper. No cases-were presented to the grand or common juries, which is unprecedented in the history of Wanganui. The Judge said it was a matter for congratulation that there should he an absence of crime in the district. A Press Association telegram, states that after partaking of oatmeal porridae and bananas at breakfast, yesterday morning, four children named List, of Hastings, showed symptoms of poisoning, but the doctor succeeded in bringing them round. The mails which left Wellington on the 17th April, per the Maheno, and connected at Sydney with the mails, per the R.M.S. Omrah, arrived hi London in the afternoon of the 24tij inst., two days early. The mails which left Sydney on the 14th April, per the R.M.S. Aorang), via Vancouver, arrived in London on the 23rd inst., thiea days late.

The "Fiji Times" savsr—lt will doubtless be news to most persons to learn that the Chinese bocyott of Japanese poods has extended itsoperations to Fiji. Chinese merchants in Suva have taken all Japanese goods out of their windows,, and stock generally, and have issued orders that for the present they will receive no goods carried in Japanese vessels. The summit of Esrmont, Tarnnaki, is lower than formerly in the opinion of Mr N. D. Cochrane. F.G.S. He mentions incidentally in his report on gold prospects in the Kaitake Ranges that he believes the great deundation which has obviously taken place has affected the crests of the ranges and that Egmont itself must in past ages have greatly exceeded the present cone in height. Another meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of A. C. Elliott was N held at the offices of the official assignee, at Wellington, yesterday morning. The special resolution pnssed at a of the Bth May, giving Mrs Elliott the furniture of the bankrupt in trust for the bankrupt's daughter was, on the motion of Mrs Robinson, seconded by Mr Dunbar Sloane, confirmed. That was all the business before the meeting. "In many of the cases I have been investigating," state* Miss Kirk, in her report to the Wellington and Wairarapa Chr.ri table Aid Board, on case H in receipt of charitable aid in the Board's district, "rot want of thrift, but sheer misfrrtune has been the cause of no honourable a»d unavoidabli pnvertv which few ratepayers would feel any reluctance to relieve. But in such cares as No. 30, where a girl liviner at home has purchased a £ls bicycle, 'because the roads pre pood ard I like riding,' whilst her parents were receiving charitab'e aid, it does seem unfair that the hard 'earnings of thrifty ratepayer® go to heln provide luxuries." The monthlv cash expenditure in connection with charitable nid at p'rpppnt is as fellows:—Karori Teases £l4: Horowhrnna, 3, £5 4s; 4. Wairarrtna North, 4, £6 2s; Grey town, ?, £5 IRs; r*artprton. 4. £lO 10s; Petone, 12, £l7; Hntt Bc-rourK h. £1 10s; Hutt County, 4. £10: Pahiatua, 3, £5; Akitio, 1. £2; Mauriceville, 2, £4;Eketahuna, 1, £1 19s Bd.

Durinp the course a conversation with a Christchurch "Press" reporter, the Minister for Lands (the Hon. R. M'NaM foreshadowed the establishment of a State Apricultural Collejrpl "At the present time," lie paid, "we are equipping the experimental farms to take cadets. That is not sufficient for a country like New Zealand. We should hav> run bv the Government, on popular lines, an institution that will enable vnungfellows coming from the primary schools to go into it and obtain firstolass agricultural education. The Lincoln College just now provides a high-class agricultural education, hut. probably on account of the finances of the institution, Us sphere of operations is not so wide as a State institution would be. I frequently hear from men asking where their sons can go to get a good agricultural education, and it is the most difficult thing in the world to place them. Prohablv when the scheme is developed it will mean thot one cf our experimental farms will be made available. The fees will be as low as possible, as the establishment would not have to rely entirely upon this source of income for its maintenance. The scheme as yet is only in an embrvonic condition, but I am hopeful that something will be done along the lines I have indicated."

For rheumatism, backache, faccache, oamche, neuralgia, and other muscular pains nothing can equal WITCH'S OIL (registered). FEED FOR OLD HORSES. Horse owners, be merciful to your old horses. Feed them on SL It makes olcl horses young again. Gives them life and vigoui. Obtainable from W.F.C.A., Ltd. For Bronchi il Coughs take Woods* Great Peppermint Cure, 1,6 and 2/0.

, West Australia is imposing a tax *cf 2d in the £ on tho profits of comisnercjair travellers visiting the State.' jJjMaxt year the tax will be 4d. A contemporary says there are ' computed to be 5,000 Civil servants :in Wellington, and about four times i.aa many in the whole dominion. In Victoria it is an offence against i the Pure Foods Act to expose for sale l butter which is not effectively projected from dust and flies. The cadet movement n< Making ssteady progress in New South Wales. ...It is expected that the new e;;tablishi inent of 35,590 will soon be reached. Twelve steam ploughing plants will lbs engaged in ploughing in the Ashi burton County during tho winter i months. Amongst the disastrous results predicted in connection with the tramway strike is that the general health of the Auckland public will be .seriously impaired by the enforced exercise of walking, an almost forgotten recreation in these days, says .Friday's Auckland "Herald. It is , certain that Aucklanders tar too " little walking exercise, and probably .some o£ them will see moro of the .beant.od of their city as they walk f iinto and out of town than they have -ever noticed before. There was some grumbling at first, but they are beginning to find they can walk without much barm, and in fact rather enjoy the exercise, the weather being fine. If the strike is long continued the .tramway authorities may find that a walking craze has set in to the detriment oi shareholders in the company. The recent burglar scare in Auckland was responsible for a resident of Mount Eoskill, Mrs E. O. Peg- . ler, receiving a shock on returning .to her residjnee on Friday afternoon. A glance at the verandah .indicated that something unusual . had happened, bedroom adjuncts in . the shape of hand-glass, hairbrushes, several ornaments, and various other things, being strewn about. An examination of the interior of the house revealed a , further state of disorder, yet a .haaty .search failed to show that any property was missing. A distributor of the King's mail arrived at the house in the meantime, and stojd by, prepared to intercept the bold intruder phould he chance to pass by. A careful search of the premisses was made, and the desperado was brought to light. Being a pet inonKey, however, proceedings will be taken. ' A competent cook-laundress is Wanted by "an advertise*. A family used to>daary work 3eeks «empljyment ondairy farm. At the Arcadia Tea Rooms the , Missqs Whitcombe are now supplying hot dim.era daily. The pannevirke Pish and Oyster »Supply Company require a supply of 40 pair of rabbits per week. Messrs Brophy and Movvlem, land agents, Palmerston North, advertise particulars of a good sheep farm in Hawke'a Bay, and two dairy farms ..near Palmerston North. In order to enable members to attend the meeting of the Choral Society, to-night'.s practice of the Y.M.C.A. Glee Club will be held at 7 o'clock shaip. The skating rink over the motor ..garage, Chapel street, is now open daily. The particular hours will be found elsewhere in this issue. On Friday evening, at 9 o'clock, a nuvice race will bo held and a fancy dress ■ carnival on Thursday, June 18th. Messrs J. Hessey, T. B. Michell ,and E. McEwen, candidates for seats •-.on the Masterton Trust Lands Trust,.insert an addre33 to the voters, ih they give reasons for their Sction in reference to the exchange ■ «of sites proposal. Mr H. Owen, grocer, Pine Street, •offers a special discount on all cash purchases. An inset is circulated with • this issue in which a full price list is ..given, and it will be seen that the best class of goods is enumeated. The price list will repay perusal. On Saturday,'at 2 o'clock, at the -Post Office Auction Mart, Mr M. O. Aroasten wili o ( ffer at auction a large .assortment of high-class furniture, including bedsteads, sideboards, Duchesi pairs, couches and easy chairs. Some special )ine3 in dinner seta, toilet ,sets and ornaments will .;also be offered. In-order to effect a clearance, the whole will be offered .abailutely without reserve, as the : lMom is required for other goods.