LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9535, 6 July 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

j During the 1 illness of Mr W..P. James, S.M., the magisterial; duties /or the Masterton circuit will be conducted by Mr C. C. Graham, 5.M.,of Dunedin, who acted as relieving Magistrate during Mr James's xecant holiday in Australia. Mr Graham arrives in Masterton to-morrow. \ A Maori was in New Plymouth on Wednesday exhibiting a fine piece of ambergris picked up on the beach near Cape Egmont. The find is said by experts to be the real thing, and as it weighs an ounce off two pounds, the Maori may be considered a very fortunate individual indeed. The valuable .stuff was enveloped in a sheet of newspaper, but needless to say, ; was Very jealously guarded by its fortunate owner. The choir of Knox Church, , Masterton, /intend .taking. in hand shortly /a-',iiew'muji^r|i^oi&tiu.^.;tQ,Jteai^-.; duced at-an early date. The organist at the church (Mr Purcell Webn)' is regarded by competent judges as a first-class player, and his manipulation of the new pipe organ is a treat to the congregation. Even in music of an every day religious character he displays the capabilities of the organ, to the fullest, and his playingjs thus becoming exceedingly popular. The sawmilling industry in Otago and Southland at present gives employment to about 1,000 men. There are in all 70 mills in operation, 60 of these being located in Southland and the remainder in the Catlins district. In Catlins the mills are working pretty constantly, but in Southland there are 10 or 12 mills closed dbwn for want of orders, while of the 60 that are running a large number are only working half time—that is, three days in the mill and three days in the bush'. The. feeling in the New South Wales police force, thoroughly bears out the report of the ControllerGeneral of Prisons that the more scientific treatment of criminals has been the cause of lessening their numbers. Men of experience in the police service stated that the prison reforms in that State had had the very best results. One part of the scientific treatment of criminals, about which those who had studied criminals for 20 or 30 years in Australia spoke with whole-hearted approval, was the indeterminate sentence for habitual criminals.

The usual meeting of Endeavour Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held last.even- | ing, Sis. N. Miller presiding. Routine business was transacted. The Lodge then adjourned to entertain the Juvenile Temple. The following contributed items:—thongs by Maurice Cronin, Agnes McCormack, Duet, C. Tyache and H. Bedford; recitations by L. McKenzie, H. Miller, C. Tyache, A. Lee, M. Cameron, R. Miller and Sis. N. Miller; dialogues by W. Morris, G. Morris, S. Moore, H. Bedford, M. McKenzie, A. Bedford. Short addresses were given by Bro. Anderson, Bro. McLean, Sis. Judd, Sis N. Miller, and Bro. Gilbert. Refreshments were supplied during the evening.

St. Matthew's Club held a most successful "smoke" social in St Matthew's Schoolroom Jast evening;. Rev. H. Watson was chairman, a most enjoyable evening being spent. Following was the programme:—Mr B. Potter, recitation; songs, C. McEwen, "Mine For Evermore"; Mr J. Berry, '"When the Sunset Turns the Ocean Blue to Gold; Mr D. Walsh, several comic songs; Mr W. Kemp, recitation,"Bill Adams" ;Mr W.Jago, "Good Company in Old Madrid"; Mr Fisher, "Fiddle and I," "A May Mornjng," "The Old Brigade"; Mr Cook, "Come Into, the Garden, Maud," "Queen of the Earth"; Mr Chapman, recitation; Mr Branson, "The Deathless Army," "The Little Hero"; Mr H. Claughton, "The Corporal's Duty"; Mr Permain, "The Skipper and His Boy"; Mr F. Truscott, gramaphone; Mr R. Brown, recitation..

named Tom Pbtroy, who had his leg crushed by a falling tree at Aukopae, was carried by his companions to Taumarunui, a distance of twenty miles. At Northern Wairoa a plague of crickets has so affected the pastures that a dairy farmer has been compelled to send his herd elsewhere in search of food. One kauri "stick," a special order, for a ship's mast, was taken out of a North Auckland bush lately which attained the unusual length of 80 feet and was guaranteed flawless. ' i According to the president of the Victorian Apiarists' Association, there were 4,974 beekeepers in Victoria in 1907, and the output of honey and wax tor that year was estimated to be worth £36,511. In reply to his representation on behalf of the Friendly Societies, Mr W. D. S. Mac Donald, M.P., has received acivice from the Acting-thre-mier that the Tourists and Health Department has agreed to admit lodge patients to the Sanatorium at Rotorua at £1 Is per week. A curious fact came to light on the completion of the last census in America. After allowing for tho i larger number of business men thanVbusiness women, a calculation was made, and it was discovered that a greater percentage of women than men were earping over £2OO ayear. - , , -'

A youth named John Jones, aged 17, while playing football at Sydney, was stabbed three times in the back with a pocket knife. A dispute "arose""*"" between him and another player airout 20 yea*? of age, Jones' aPßniJant cleared out, and the police have Hot yet been abli to secure him The wounds are not regarded as dange*-, OUS. The * Stratford Acclimitisatioft Society is an up-to-date body, sajs the Stratford "Post," and the beneficial results of one of its innovations is now visible at Stratford. , During the shooting season the society captures alive as many pheasants is possible arid house them in . a roomy enclosure erected for the purpose. At the end of the shooting season the birds are liberated, thus augmenting: the few sportsmen leave. I* is estimated that there. are-nearly one hundred birds at present in captivity,,

After the ordinary business of the Masterton' Rechabite Terit has been « transacted in the Dominion HaJI, this evening, the meeting will be thrown v open to the general public at 8.15. The programme for the evening is a "Mock Trial by Jury," the case be- . ing one of forgery. The following • are the', names of the different members Staking piart:*—Judge,' Mr J. of C&ufrt/ Mr L. Jones; Constable, Mr A. Miller; Accused,, Mr G. Huraey; Counsel foi>. Mif' D. Thread Wit- \ neeses for 'Defence Messrs P. Gil- -f bert, C. Pending and R Sutherland; .Counsel fdr- Crown, N Messrs Newlittg and Andrews; Witnesses for Crown, Messrs }L. Tornquist, L. Thoumine and W. 'Andrews. The jury will be impanelled at the meeting.; . The butter industry is proving an profitable ■ cne ,-to the country settlers, . and it is noteworthy that dairymen eveiywhere . in the dominion, are extending their operations as circumstances perthit. During the present year the product' of between four and five' thousand | cows has supplied to the Gamrj bidge> ti v e -Diiiry ( - and it is stated that owing to the influx of View settlers and the additions ' to present herdsi another thousand cows, will be added, next season, or ' roughly an increase of 20 per tent. This represents an increase in district revenue of abuut £B,OOO. The Company will pay out to suppliers next month between £4,000 and £5,000, about £3,500'' of . ich is the annual bonus. It is really wonderful to think what a fine district occupied by a mere handlful of people will produce. A second meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Henry George, carpenter, was held at the. Masterton Courthouse yesterday, before Mr W.;, ,B, Chennells, D.O.A. Mr C. A. Powhall appeared for bankrupt,/ Mr P; L. .Holilnga for petitioning- creditors, Mr La very for Mr Phillips, and Mr Robinson for Mr F. G. Wayne, y first mortgagee. * Mr Chennells stated that the meeting', had .been adjourned in order that an attempt might be made to sell the Te Ore Ore property. There appealed, however, to be no demand, and the position now was that the Te Ore Ore property , was mortgaged with principal and interest for close on £BOO, and the property at Lansdowne for £4OO, with a .second mortage over, the Te Ore Ore property. Mr Robinson that if the creditors were prepared to hold a sale of the Te Ore Ore property, and pay expenses, his client was willing to sell under his and would allow £SOO to remain on it at six per cent. It was resolved that Mr Robinson's- offer to sell the Te Ore Ore property be accepted, subject to a guarantee of £l3, the cost of* the sale, being.lodged with him by noon to-day.

If any householder desires to buy a battleship to be stored in his backyard or to float on the ornamental lake in his park now (writes Sir H. W. Lucy in the Sydney "Morning* Herald") is his time. Old ironclads are cheap to-day. In accordance with that much debated system of scrapping that will ever be associated with Sir John Fisher's rule at the Admiralty, a succession of vessels once the pride of the navy offered for sale by auction. For the taxpayer the transaction-is marked by two deplorable features. One is the (Comparatively brief term of life assigned to a costly construction; f the other, the stupendous difference between what an ironclad costs t<> build - and H wiist she brings when thrown'on the mjuket. Three men oE war whose flames are to be fou <i in,- the/ last issue of the Navy list have just" been'. offered for sale at Chatham Dockyard. They all ranked as first class battleships: ;One (the Rodney, .of over .10,000 tons) was built twenty years ago, at a cost of £664,000. She brought £21,350. The Collingwood, i,OOO tons smaller, built 35 years ago at an outlay of £636,000 'did not so deeply stir the blood of competitors. After some languid bidding, which did not goi beyond £1,900, she was withdrawn. Though battered by cruel experience, the Admiralty could not let her go at'that sum.

The transmission -of post, car. s •bearing imitation, postasre stamps * "within Mew Zealand is now prohib- - 3 ted. ) The latest return trom the ;Workisop Dredge is 370z 7dwt for a short week. Ihe Company has declared a dividend of Is, which will be payable to-morrow. An unknown man was drowned in the Tukituki River (Hawke's Bay) on Sunday last. He was seen to attempt to ford the river on foot. The river was high, and he was •13wept away before assistance could be rendered. At the Criminal Court at Hobart a few days ago, William Creeley was charged with shooting with intent Thomas WilJiam Albert Linger. The shooting was the outcomo oi a

tin-kettling affair. Creeley had just been marriad, and hi 3 house was 1 surrounded and tin-kettled. He "warned tha crowd several times without nvail. Then he got a gun and fired over their heads, and then •jn the ground. Finally he fired straight at Linger, wounding him. •Greeley's plea of guilty of misdemeanoua was accepted, and he was •released on entering into a recognisance of £SO to be of good behaviour for twelve months. At a meeting of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, last week, a latter was received from Professor Haslam, who criticised the Latin matriculation Standard and who •said the standard of knowledge seem-

•Ed to him decidedly lower than it be. Some of the students who had matriculated in Latin and : had been doing Latin for years at the college before the present year were not fit even now to pass any ..respectable matriculation examination for any university, and they ' would nol pass the entrance examination of any good public school at Home. He couH only infer, that the standard of matriculation in the New -Zealand University would be miserably low. Some of the students pere, mot fit to do lecture work, and simply kept the others back. The board '•appointed a committee to consult the Professorial Board on the unatter.

A "special commissioner" of the' Auckland "Herald" reports that Eeefton is a qurioug place. There "are 4DO houses in the town, and over twenty hotels. This latter fact is probably the outcome of the Ingrained hospitality of West Coasters! It cannot signify any great desire on their own parts to drink, judging by the fact that most of it hem are very moderate in that reaspect* The miners prefer to use rtheir wages in the exci ing bute idir -otic game of "two-up." "When* I -visited a certain mine the paymaster accompanied the buggy party, carrying with him some , £2,500 in cash. On arrival at the mine township a ?groap of men hailed our arrival with a'demonstration in the way of smiles, waited instantly upon, the paymaster, -obtained their wages, and started a game of i two-up'un thfr public road- * way. This precious pastime is frequently responsible for young fellows losing the whole of their month's " earnings >iri « day. "

A young Gdllie dog, lost in Master"ton on Thursday last, Js advertised for. .. " ' - The Mas&ert/>n Borough Council invite tenders, to close at noon on Tues--♦day* next, »u 1 v 13th, for the corstrucv >«tiop of th\; ( "Ho3king Bjith." Violet Snort Cream 13 recommended -as the bast preventative against . suparfluoua hair, while it imparts a freshness and, transparency to the >skii. A large consignment of furs is being offered at bargain prices by Messrs George and Kersley, at The Economic, Wellington. Particulars ; are. fully given on page 6 of this " issue. Excellent business so far has been ' recorded at the boot: and shoe sale now proceeding at Mr Masterton store. The price reductions made for the Sale period are ■ certainly of a substantial character, - and the public has not been slow to take advantage of it. On page 6 of this issue ths bargain Hines for to-day ;.-ara advertised.

The sales proceeding eft Murray's s*ores in Masterton are still drawing kbig crowds.of 3hr«wd bOyers, and the pil-a of superior goods <in 011 l depart • ments are rapiflly decreasing. * For -this week prices are 'to be particularly low, and the'buying power of a few 'shillings very great. Special bargain l'nes are shown in the win- > dows of both stores to-day. \ Messrs Veitch and Allau, "Wellington's Busiest Store,j|' draw attention in our advertising columns to the special advantages they are offering in their Hosiery Department. It is their intention in future to submit all their hosiery at wholesale prices, and this advantage is extended to country clients, who may obtain first-class goods at the cheapest possible rates by simply sending i;heir remjtt&nce through the post. All unsatisfactory articles may be rejurned.

Elsewhere in this issue Messrs Krahagen and Chapman, merchant tailors of Masterton, advance several reasons in support of their claim to jpublie patronage. The .firm have just received from the best British markets a consignment of high-class woollens, ineluSirig all the latest patterns, and cfjexceptional quality. The magnitude of the stock and the particularly good taste they have displayed in making the Selection is proof of the firm's up-to-dateness, in fact a better assortment of woollens is not to be found .in the Dominion. The firm's motto has always been to .give their clients complete satisfaction in Quality, style, and workmanship.

Edison's latest, tne Amberol Record, retains all the beauty of the famous Edison two minttte records, < yet plays for double the time, thus - giving an opportunity for songs and selections to be fully The 'advantage Is obvious, the Amberol ia a yeyglation in | phonographs, and the new records are procurable at moderate rates. Already seventy -splendid items have been listed, and there are more to follow. These records, however, cannot be played on the "Gem," but all other Edison r phonographs will take'them by using two attachments—a differential gear and a new reproducer. These attach- „ ments are to be had at the "Talkeries," Masteron, also the New -Amberol Records.

Finding a very pronounced demand for works on history, travel, biography, science, philosophy, in fact al 1 the best class of literature, Messrs S. and W. Mackay has arranged to get a consignment here for Saturday's sale. Unfortunately, the books which duly arrived had the misfortune to get drenched by rain, and in consequence could not be shown on that day. The firm wish to express their regret at having had to disappoint various clients whom they had advised regarding this consignment, and to announce that the books will be ready for sale to-day (Tuesday). The consignment is the most important yet received from Wellington. It includes such works as Krogier's History of Intellectual Development, Elson's History of the United States, Brighfc'a History of England, Alfred Russell Wallace's Wonderful Century, G. K. Cheswilson's works, R. L. Stevenson's works, Benn's History of Modern England, various volumes of the "Heroes of Nations, and "Story o£ Nations Lives," besides a number of standard works on education, pedagogy, nature study, botany, agriculture, and genera science.