LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3166, 17 April 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In tendering his resignation as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, to tne meeting yesterday, .Mr Donald Donald, stated in his letter thatl he would like onc6 more to draw attention to the northern approach. He was of opinion that the piece of road referred to woull during the coming winter, be a disgrace to the public body in charge if something was not done immediately and would probably be the cause of serious accidents occurring. Mr J. Cooper's furniture, which was destroyed in the fire on Wednesday morning, was insured in the Australian Alliance Company for £258. Wireless telegraphy was put to a novel use at Eureka, Australia, last week. A steamer a hundred miles out at sea sent word that a sailor had fallen from the rigging and described his injuries. A Eureka doctor telegraphed back a prescription for the man's treatment. At the Police Court, yesterday morning, William Patton, was fined Is and 7s costs for having ridden a bicycle without a light between the hours of sunset and sunrise. Thos. Higlgins waß similarly fined for driving a vehicle without a light. The Rev. A. Hodge will conduct the services in the Congregational Church to-morrow. The subjects will be "Divine Providence in the Cloud" and "Calling Things by their Right Names." The anthem will be "As the H-srt Panteth," and Mr E. J. Chilton will sing the solo "Behold I Stand at the Door."

Two Burnhara boys, William Doreen and Ernest Doreen, who were sentenced to four months imprisonment on a charge of theft at Wairoa this week, appeared at the Napier Court yesterday,cnarged with stealing clothes andhoots from two hotels. •They pleaded guilty, and were committed to Wellington for sentence. A prominent Wellington Labour leader, J. Reardon, was charged at the Police Court, yesterday, with assaulting James A. Purchas. The assault was the result ot a difference of opinion at a recent meeting of the Trades Council. Reardon pleaded guilty, his counsel oleading extenuation on account of provocation received. He was fined 10s.

In some of the engineering places in Dunedin trade is very slack compared with what it was in recent years. There is a scarcity of big contracts thuse days, and the dredging industry, of course, has lost the buoyancy of its youth. Retrenchment is being exercised, and several workmen have been dispensed with. The present business of one firm is quieter than it has tjeen during the past fifteen years. 1 One speciality on the Moa Flat Estate, which has recently been cut up (says the Tapanui "Courier), that has succeeded admirably is sugar ■beet. The seed was secured from the Agricutlural Department, and roots sent to Wellington were pronounced exceedingly rich in sugar, containing a larger quantity of saccharine matter than any other plants reared to date in New Zealand; The Rev. C. Porter, who has succeeded the i\ev. J. N. Buttle, will conduct his first service at the Methodist Church to-morro«\ Mr Porter, who is a fluent and earnest speaker, will preach in the morning and evening at the Masterton Church, and at Wangaehu at 3 p.ir\ and there will, no doubt, be large congregations at each service." A charge was preferred against a young man at the Police Court yesterday morning for having, wantonly disturbed a resident of Villa street by knocking at the door. Accused pleaded guilty, and was fined £3 and 9s costs. He was in the compmy of two other young men who were recently fined similarly for creating a disturbance to the annoyance of residents. •The Town Hall was packed last evening, when the popular TaylorCarrington Company gave a cinematograph. entertainment. A large and vasied assortment of excellent pictures, all new to Masterton, were presented, and brought forth loud applause from the audience. All the films were very clear and free from flicker, while in coloured cinematography, the equal of the TaylorCarrmeton pictures has rot been seen in Masterton. , Mr „Sam Wood, of Clive, Hawke's I Bay, instructor in woolclassing to the Napier and Hastings Technical Schoels, has been appointed by the Managers as instructor in wool classing at the Masterton Technical School. Mr Wood is the possessor of' excellent credentials, and has had over twenty-five years practical experience at Home and in the colonies, so that the Managers may be considered very fortunate in having been able to secure his services. The classes will be opened as soon as the necessary arrangements re equipment, etc., have been completed. "As far as any war between the United States and Japan is x concerned. all such talk is buncombe," declared Rear-Admiral Rabley D.; Evans in an interview at Colorado Springs on March 7th. "The Japanese have their hands full in taking care of the Russian situation.lt is rebuilding its navy, getting its army into shape, and constructing a double track railway acro3s Siberia. Russia will not be satisfied until it has another try in the field with Japan." Admiral Evans scouts the idea that the school controversy in California will lead to war with Japan. "You might as well talk about an attack on a Chinese laundry causing war with that nation," he said.

The appointment of Messrs W„ Udy, A. 0. Considine, J. Brown and A. Donald as members of the Wairarapa Licensing Committee is. gazetted. A man went to the watchman of" the ferry steamer Maheno, at Dunedin, on Thursday night, and asked to' be allowed to sleep on board. The' request was granted. Yesterday morning the watchman found him; dead. He has been identified as; "Taff" Mills. He was well-known at Lyttelton. The body found in Manukau, Harbour has been identified as that of William Taylor, a single man, 28 years of age, who left his home at Ponsonby a week ago seeking work,, states an Auckland-Press Association telegram. As a capsized boat was= found in the vicinity of the body, and the latter was fully clothed, except boots and socks, it is surmised that, he came by his death through the boat being upset. It is probable (says the Hon. T. Mackenzie) that more specimens of the famous Notornis, the rare and solitary bird of the Southern Sounds,, will be found. During the past 28 years Mr Mackenzie has done a great deal of exploring in the Sounds district. He has pushed his way into places that men had not been "to before, and he is well acquainted with both the forests and the birdlife m those parts of the DominionHe told a reporter that if another Notornis was found it would probably be in some ot gullies, near lagoons and marshy swamps. Although he believes that the Notornis may still find a place on the list of New Zealand's living birds, he thinks that the bird is very rare. He speaks very hopefully of the prospects of the weka. Wh«n he went over the Milford track recently he was told of an incident which shows that the weka is able to deal with at least one of the natural enemies civilisation has let loose upon it. The movements of a weka and a weasel were observed, and it was seen that the bird was more than equal in corhbat with the rodent, which it pecked to death. Other South Island birds, notably the robin, are becoming very rare.

The hearing of an assault case against two young men named Arthur Jones and Herbert Jones the Police Court occupied for a long time yesterday morning, the presiding Justices being Messrs Eli Smith and E. McEwen. Two informations were laid charging accused with having assaulted an aged, grey haired man named Michael Cadigan and one William Murray, on the night of March 20th, in front of the Central Hotel. Evidence was given by both Cadigan and Murray. The latter witness said he was standing in the street on the night in question, and on seeing the disturbance he went to the old man's rescue, with the result that he (witness) was also assaulted. Both accused denied having assaultsd the old man, Herbert Jones stating that he had to hit Murray to protect his brother. Arthur Jones said he did not hit Cadican, but stated that Murray attacked him while he was with the o d n.an, and consequently his brother turned on Murray. Afcer deliberation, the Bench said the accused had committed an unprovoked assault. A sentence of two months' hard labour would be imposed 011 Arthur Jones, and one month on Herbert Jones, on each charge, the terms to be concurrent. Mr R. K. Jackson, who appeared for the accused, logded a formal notice of appeal, the security being fixed at £ls. ' Meetings in connection with the Y.M.C.A. are announced on page 1. Special servicesin connection with Knox Church, to be held to-morrow, are announced elsewhere.

Excursion fares in connection with the Weilngton races are announced in our advertising columns. A reward is, offered.for the return of a white fox terrier dog lost in .Masterton. An advertiser wishes to purchase a three ton lorry; also one or two shares in the Workers', Mutual Building Society. At the £os<t Office Auction Mart, to-day, Mr M. 0. Aronsten will hold a general sale ot household furniture and sundries. f "Cosy slippers for winter is the subject of an advertisement from Mr J. Carpenter appearing on page 6of this issue. It is worthy of careful perusal. Mr A. J. Minifie, signwriter and decorator, gives allround satisfaction in work carried out by him, and his charges are. always reasonable. First quality lavendar water is a boon in the sick room, and is an extensively used perfume. Mr H. T„ Wood, chemist, sells the first grade kind. Particulars of some safe and sound investments* in freehold property which Messrs J. A. J. Maclean and Co. have to offer, are advertised on page 8 of this issue. A the Masterton Auction Mart, tomorrow, Mr J. R. Nicol will sell on account of several vendors., without reserve, a quantity of furniture, also fruit and poultry. A meeting of the combined men's classes of Knox Church will be held, at 2.30 on Sunday afternoon, when addresses will be delivered by the Rev. A. T. Thompson and Mr J. McGregor. All men are cordially invited to attend the meeting.

On Wednesday next, at the residence of Mr J. Lett, corner of Macara and First streets (opposite the old hospital, Lansdowne), Mr M. 0. Aronsten will offer for sale by pubic auction the whole of Mr Lett'shousehold furniture and effects. The furniture is in first-class order, and contains all the numerous lines found in a well-appointed house. Full particulars are advertised on page 8 of this issue.

Although local property is Dot changing hands quite so freely as it did two years ago, there would still appear to be a very fair demand for the right kind. Messrs Chennells and Co., auctioneers, ofPerry street, state that no less than five sections of Mr Alfred Casalberg's estate, off Worksop road,, have been sold, within the last, fortnight, thus proving there are buyers for good yet ctieap building sites. The firm also report the sale of two houses at Lansdowne toMessrs Wilkinson and Jones, respectively, and a valuable frontagein Lincoln road to Mr Temple.