PAHIATUA NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3077, 23 December 1908, Page 6

PAHIATUA NEWS.

(From Our Resident Reporter)

Tuesday.

Heavy warm rain commenced to fall about midnight last night and continued until about 11 o'clock this moiling. The ground has received a thorough soaking, and ths welcome rain will probebly have a tendency to advance the price of sheep and cattle. All haymaking operations are at a standstill, but a large quantity of the hay has already been gathered. Two of our leaciiDg tennis players, the Misses Hughes, left here by yesterday's express to take part in the tennis tournament at Nelson. The local cricketers are making great preparations for the visit of the Kilbirnie cricket team on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and should the weather prove favourable a good match should result. A special Christmas service will b.") held at the Methodist Church on Christmas Night. Special music will be*rendered and appropriate anthems will be sung. The Sunday School picnic in connection with the Methodist Church will be held on New Year's Day on Mr Robinsjn's property at Konini, kindly lent for the occasion. Visitors to the Public Eeadinp Room speak highly of its tidy appearance. There are over thirty daily papers from all parts of the Dominion on the stands, nesides the weeklies, monthly magazines, and all the important illustrated papers. At the Magistrate's Court, this morning, before Messrs J. D. Wilson and J. Hughes, J's.P., William J. Skilton, of Mangatainoka, was charged, on the information of J. B. Westlake, with aaving allowed a bull to wander on the public road. Evidence for the defence was to the effect that defendant had removed the bull from the road as soon as he knew it was there. The Bench warned defendant and dismissed the case. Mr OsburneLilly appeared for the defendant.

There was some excitement this morning at a local store, when a

cartridge, which by some means or other had found its way into the fireplace, exploded. No serious damage was however done. Three sons of Mr J. B. Tait, of Ballance, ,aged 13, 7, and 4 years, respectively, forded the Mangahao river at Girdwood's crossing, at the back of Mr Tait's property, yesterday afternoon. When starting for home the eldest noticed that the river had risen, and it was impossible to cross to get home again. So he decided to walk up the river and over the bridge at Mangahao -a distance

of fully ten miles. Tlie youngest of the three boys naturally got tired, and the eldest lad had to carry him most of the way, and they finally reached home, much to the joy of the distressed parents, who were becoming anxious as to the boys whereabouts. The mail brake to-day met with an accident just over the Borough bridge. One of the bolts came out of the shafts, with the result that the latter were broken. Fortunately the driver and horse escaped injury. Christmas services will be held at St. Mark's Church, Mangatainoka, on Christmas Day at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and on the Sunday following the annual carol services will be held. At the local bowling green on Saturday last, a team challenged the holders of the (feathers, but were unable to beat the holders, the game ending 21 to 19 in favour of the latter. MANGATAINOKA SCHOOL " PICNIC AND SOCIAL. The annual picnic of the Mangatainoka School was held on the Domain Ground on Monday last, and was a decided success. The day was an ideal one for the function. In the evening, a social was held in the Library Hall, and was well attended. The music for the dancing was supplied by Messrs T. Dray (piano), E. Sharp (violin), and Montgomerie (flute). During the evening sor,gs were rendered by Mr Brind (3) and Mr J. Vosper (2). Mr J. McTavish made a capital M.C. The School Committee desire to thank the ladies for providing refreshments at the picnic and social.

STOCK MARKET. Abraham and Williams report as follows on their weekly sale held today -.—There was a good yarding of 3heep and cattie. We quote: 2 and 4tooth wethers (shorn) lis 6d, 2-tooth do. 9s 4s, 9s Bd, lis, fat and for ward ewes (shorn) 9s 9:3, mixed 2tooth culls 8s 9d, hoggets in wool 13s 6d, dry ewes 8s 2d, woolly ewes and lambs 18s Id (good line). Cattle—3year steers £3 16s to £4 6s, 2-year do. £2 16s to £2 17a,' empty heifers £i 14e, fat cows £4 2s to £4 ss, store cows 30s to £2 3s, mixed yearlings 235, 18-month steers £2 2s, bull, aged, 365, forward 4-year old bullocks £4 13s, fat heifers (light) £3 7s.