LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3167, 19 April 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association, on Saturday last, Messrs D. McGregor, jnr., and W. ferry were appointed to attend the annual conference of New Zealand delegates from A. and P. Associations to be held at Wellington on August Ist next. The annual meeting of the Masterton Branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union will be held in the Masterton A. and P. Association's rooms, Perry street, at 1.30 p.m., on Saturday, 24th inst. Mr J. Dowling, of Masterton, has been appointed judge at the Gisborne Coursing Club's meeting to be held on June 3rd next. Mr Dowling has acted in the capacity of judge at a large number of coursing meetings, all over the North Island, and has established a reputation as a competent and impartial official.

The cos* - , of gas for lighting the Town Clock during the past year was £4O. A new ten-stop organ has been installed in the Methodist Church, Eketahuna. It is understood that a South Island farmer has purchased one of Mr T. Parsons' farms at Rongokokako. The proposed visit of Madame has been abandoned. It is understood that suitable hotel accommodation was not available. At the Police Court on Saturday morning Michael Rock and Kenneth Matheson were each fined 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment,, for insobriety. The Masterton Fire Police, in charge of Captain Dixon, held a Church Parade, at the Presbyterian Church, yesterday morning, there being a full attendance of members. A deputatijn waited on Mr T. Parsons and asked him to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for the Eketahuna Mayoralty. Mr Parsons promised to give a definite answer to-day.

A Clareville poultry fancier, Mr A. Fisher, is sending a pen of Black Leghorns to compete in the Cambridge egg-laying competition, writes our Carterton correspondent. The Timaru "Herald" gives a hint to farmers who object to selling their heaviest lambs to the freezing companies for less money than lighter ones realise. According to that paper a well-known farmer sent a line of fine big lambs to Burnside recently. He found tljat big lambs were worth more than 12s 6d, so he put them into the fat sheep pens, and sold them as wethers at 17s 6d. The butchers, of course, did not mind the weight, and gave value for it. The effect of the recent flood in the Waingawa river has worked a curious change in the course of the stream. At a point a short distance above the bridge the river has been diverted into no less than five separate channels, stretching across the whole of the river bed. frior to the flood a channel was opened down the centre of the bed, with the idea of the flood assisting the river to make a permanent course along it, but the scheme was only partially successful. The next rise in the river should tend towards opening up the new course.

The weekly meeting of the Hope of Masterton Juvenile Temple (1.0.0. R.) was held in the Dominion Hall on Saturday afternoon last, C.T. Willie Morris presiding, assisted by the Superintendent. There was a good attendance of members. During the afternoon the C.T. gave an interesting reading or. Temperance, and an instructive address was delivered by the Superintendent. Two new members were proposed and duly elected. It is interesting to note that so far there has not been a meeting held without an increase in the membership.

"The Merry Widow" is to be staged by the Royal Comic Opera Company in the Town Hall, Masterton, on May 3rd. The opera has met with remarkable success wherever it has been staged. It is stated that the nonmoser, Mr Frank Lehar, has already netted, approximately, £150.000. The opera ran for 500 nights in Vienna, 400 nights in Hamburg, 300 nights in St. Petersburg, 600 nights in London, and is still being played io nearly every city in Europe and America. It was originally billed for ten nights in Wellington, but so great was its success that fourteen performances had to be given.

A party of motorists had a fortunate escape from a serious accident on the Masterton road, about three miles from Eketahuna on Friday last. The party, which consisted of Mr and Mrs W." Ferry, of Penrose, and Mr and Mrs Breechin, we»-e returning to Masterton from Wanganui in Mr Perry's car When the steering rod refused to act at a sharp bend in the road known as the "Devil's Elbow," with the result that the car shot over the embankment. Fortunately some heavy scrub impeded the progress of the car after it bad gone about twenty feet down the bank. Messrs Perry and Breechin jumped from the car, and were considerably shaken, it being feared that the latter has one or two ribs broken. The ladies clung to the car and escaped without a scratch. The , car was badly damaged. I

The Ground Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association met on Saturday morning, the / President being in the chair. The committee recommended that the Masterton Football Club have the use of the Dixon Street grounds for the season at a charge of £2 10s for the season, subject to arrangements being made with the Football Union regarding cup matches. The committee granted the use of th* grounds to the Friendly Societies' Council on May Ist, for a benefit football match for the Hospital, a charge of £2 2s to be made, this amount to be donated to the Hospital. It was reported that a working bee had been arranged for Tuesday, to work on Solway grounds. At the meeting of the General Committee in the afternoon, the report was adopted.

Among several matters brought down by a special committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association in a report to the General Committee, having reference to the improvement of the conduct of the Ram Fair, was a proposition to fire brand the entries, instead of tagging the sheep, as is the method at present in vogue. The committee recommended that the matter of branding be optional with the auctioneers, but one or two members of the committee considered that the vendor should have the option. Mr 0. C. Cooper, who had first suggested the branding, said that in conversation with breeders, the matter had been favourably commented upon by them, as by the tag system, losses and inconvenience were common complaints. The committee adopted the suggestion, leaving it optional, however, with the vendor to brand, and not the auctioneer. Music is the proper food of love, and if you have no music in the home, love is apt to languish. A good piano is a wonderful preserver nf domestic haimony. All over New Zealand there are hundreds of homes made happy by the Dresden Piano Company. The easypayment terms aro really easy. You feel no drag on your resources. Tf you have not a pianb, the matter is worthy of consideration. Consult the Dresden Piano Company, Ltd. Mr M. J. Brookes is North Island Manager. Localj representative, Mr T. B. Hunter.

It is understood that, in response to the request of a number of electors,. Messrs F. W. Temple, R. Rigg, and T. G. Hoar will be candidates at theforthcoming election of the Masterton' Borough Council. Each of thesegentlemen have previously sat at the Council table, Mr Temple withdrawing some twelve months ago, just, previous to leaving on a trip to Engand. A serious accident happened to Mr J. Anderson, an empjoyee on Mataikona station, on the 12th inst., writes our Tinui correspondent. A. horse he was riding reared up and. fell back on Mr Anderson, who was considerably injured. Dr Gunn attended the injured man, and he is progressing as well as can be expected. * A meeting of Fernridge settlers. whose properties are bounded by | the Waingawa river is to be held' to-morrow evening, for the purpose of arranging to carry out urgently needed river protective works in that locality. For some time past it has been recognised that the Waingawa river has been encroaching on private, property to a somewhat serious degree, and the recent floods experienced has proved the necessity of protective works being carried out: immediately. An advertiser wants a young lady - to do sewing by the day. Tenders are invited to close on Friday next for the r>ght to graze on the Showgrounds, Dixon street. Particulars of several handy-size<2 and well-improved farm properties are advertised by Messrs Hare and Evans, land agents, Pahiatua. An addition to the extensive list which Mr M. 0. Aronsten will offer at Lansdowne on Wednesday next ors account of Mr J. Lett, there is now added a handsome Daltop ware dinner set and a lot of carpenter's tcols and sundries.

Mr W. Pauling, tailor and costumier, will open his business premises in Queen Street, Master ton, to-day.. The shop has been thoroughly renovated, and fitted up, a spacious arcL well lighted workroom being provided. Mr Pauling has imported a very fine stock of suitings and cos—tume cloths, and those favouring him with an order can rely on getting thorough satisfaction.