LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9594, 14 September 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr J. C. Boddington reports that there were five degrees of trost at Upper Plain on Sunday morning last and four degrees on Monday morning.

An effort ia being mada to reestablish horse parades in Masterton, and enquiries are Oeiig made in the direction of ascertaining what support is likely to be accorded to the project. The Mauriceville Rifle Club have decided to open the season on Saturday next with a match Past v. Present members. Keen interest is being taken in the affairs of the club this season, and a large attendance at the match is anticipated.

A writer in the Dunedm "Star," dealing with the extent of the rabbit industry in Otago and South land, states that one firm has in store in Dunedin, Gore and Sydney, and afloat for other countries, £40,000 worth of rabbitskins. A man named Andrew McLeod, aged 48 years, fell off a trsmcar at Auckland on Saturday afternoon, and was found to be suffering irom concussion of the brain. He was removed to the hospital, and died at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon.

The usual meetme of Endeavour Lodge, 1.Q.G.T.1 wag held last evening, District Dep. Bro. Anderson being in the chair. Routine business was transacted. Fraternal greetings were received from Go Ahead Lfdge, Hunterviile Lodge, and Anchor of Hope, Dannevirke, and v.*.re heartily reciprocated, i A meeting of the committee of the luasterton sub branch of the Navy League was held last evening, the President (Mr H. Williams) being in the chair. There was a good at • i tendance, and apologies for absence : were received from Cjlonel Tate and Messrs J. D. Cruickshank and W. H. Jackson. It was decided to arrange a military review for October 21st, (Trafalgar Day), the Ruahine Battalion, School Cadets and members of the School branch of the Navy League to take part. The programme will be drawn up later. For a piece of unconscious humour the remark of a German prisoner during a recent gaol inquiry will be hard to beat, says a New Plymouth paper. The question was asked of him whether he had any complaint to make of his treatment in the gaol. "Well." be s replied, "gam'd gomblain." Then, evidently fearing the Court might get bold of the idea that be was perfectly satisfied to remain there, he added in doleful tones, "but it vasgaol." He turned and stolidly walked off to his cell leaving the court in a state of hilar ious collapse. Purveyors of Wejtport and Greymouth coals will have to "watch out" if they do not wish to lose their up-country trade in the Wellington provincial district, writes a correspondent. The advent of the Main Trunk line is being made the medium of a southward encroachment, by the Auckland coal-mining companies. It is not now an unusual thing to see truck loads of Auckland coal being brought south of Marton, and even into Falmerston North. Now Auckland coal is invading the Wairarapa district, via the Manawatu Gorge. It is said that with the cost of railage to Palmerston North and even to the Wairarapa towns it can be sold at a good deal under the cost of Westport coal. An organ recital will be given at the Knox Church to-morrow evening by Mr Purcell Webb. He will be assisted by Miss May Driscoll, of Wellington, Mr F. W G. McLeod, the choir, and leading amateurs. An excellent programme has been arranged. Mr Webb's sol os will include compositions by Elgar, Wely, Wagner, Ascher and others. Miss Driscoll will • sing Mascagne's "Ave Maria," and Mr McLeod will play Hoch's "Nordische Fantasia," with organ accompaniment. A double quartette party will sing Bennett's "God is a Spirit." and the choir will contribute two anthems. A final rehearsal was held last evening; and the recital promises to be a successful one. The programme shold ensure a large attendance. Tickes may be obtained from Messrs McLeod and Young, or from members of the choir,

The monthly meeting of the Directors of the Workers' Mutual Benefit Building Society was held in the Secretary's office, last night. There were present:—Messrs R. Krahagen (chairman), J. Prentice, W. H. Cole, A. Gardner, J. W. Gordon. J. Candy and T. S. Cresswell. The Treasurer said that the subscriptions were coming in very freely in anticipation of-the ballot for £3OO to be held next Thursday. He reported a credit balance in the bank of £993 Bs. It was decided to hold a sale of a further £3OO during the first week in October, if possible to take place at the same time as the annual meeting of shareholders. A good deal of correspondence was dealt with, and sundry transfers of shares were granted. The drawing up of the annual report was left in the hands of the Chairman and Secretary. The annual meeting of the Mauriceville Rifle Club was held on Saturday evening last, there being a good attendance of members. The report showed the club to have had a satisfactory year. The balance sheet showed a cash balance of £8 17s 2d. The election of officers resulted as folbws:—Fatron, Mr K Cameron President, Mr F. W. H. Kummer; Vice-Presidents, Messrs D. Caselberg, G. C. Summerell, E. J. Rose, T. Brown, D. H. Rutherford, F. Maunsell, J. J. Kennedy, C. Blewett, C. Hotfcins, C. H. Smith. J. D. Cruicksbank and J. Jorgensen; Captain, and Treasurer, Mr R. F. Wilton Vice-captain, Mr A. M. Rose; Secretary, Mr R. A. Wilton junr. handicapper, Mr F. W. H. Kummer; Auditors. Messrs C. Blewett and E. H. Dagg; Matc'i Selection Committee, Messrs F. Kummer, R. F. Wilton and C. Blewett.

The S. Matthew's Cricket Club will hold their annual meeting this evening, at 6.45 o'clock. The province of Marlborough is to celebrate its jubilee durnig the first week of November. A big programme of festivities has been arranged. Mr Aspinall was authorised by the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society to visit the hatcheries at Masterton, and the developing ponds at New Plymouth with a view to advising as to the esabhshment of such | ponds at Temuka.

There will be special services at S Matthew's Church on Tuesday next, the occasion being the annual festival The Bishop of Wellington has promised to be present, and he. will preach at the morning and evening; services. The neighbouring clergymen and some of the choirs are to take part in the evening service.

At the inquest on the late John McTavish, killed on Saturday last, at Christchurch, as the result of the express train from the" South running into his trap at the Sockburn crossing, a verdict of accidental death was returned, with a rider that the Department might, consider ihe question of placing a crossing-keeper at the crossing. The quesion of what was termedthe unfair competition between shopkeepers and street hawkers has lately been the subject of several complaints to the Napier Borough Council. Tlaat body has now decided that hawkers taking up a stand with carts, wheelbarrows, etc., shall, in future, pay a license fee of 'ss per month, and shall be under the direction of the police. / A very interesting debate on the question "That Fire Boards should be abolished," will take place at the Y.M.C.A. rooms on Wednesday nieht, at 7.30 o'clock, The affirmative taken by a team from the Fire Brigade, and the negative by a Y.M.C.A. team Those interesed in the question are cordially invited to be present to hear the debate.

Mr Humphrey O'Leary, son of Mr H. J. O'Leary, of Masterton, who was injured in the 'varsity football match on Saturday, is making rapid progress towards recovery. Dr Napier M'Lean, who attended to the player, found that there had been a dislocation of the collarbone, from the shoulder-blade. An X-ray examination at the hospital confirmed the diagnosis. * The manager of a large fish company says fish this season have been scarcer than he has known during the twenty years of his experience. Flat fish seem to have deserted Hawke's Bay, which used to swarm, with them. The round fish are not so bad, but then, he says, there is only one kind of round fish for which there is always a market, and that is the bule cod. Probably,, he says, feed has run very short in the old fishing grounds, and the fish have gone elsewhere to live, The Napier waters have beer, pretty well fished during the past few years. >

Respect for parental authority, it has been said by some observers, 'is not an eminently distinguishing characteristic of the young Australian: Mr u. H. Keid appears to have noticed this defect. How often, asked in a lecture at Sydney last week, did young people remember to be kind and affectionate &to thefather and mother at home as well as polite to the outsider abroad? He suggested to boys and girls that they should remember to say "Sir" to their fathers. (Applause). How often did it ever occur toa son to address his father in terms of proper respect?. If they were respectful to the silvered, heads of their own parent, they would begin to think with respect of the silvered heads of other fathers and mothers.

The president of the Metaphysical Society of Sydney prefaced a lecture last week on mental healing, with a few simple laws of hygiene, incidentally he gave a hint as to how consumption could be prevented. Just practice deep breathng for ten minutes each morning was his wrinkle, and ths would be an assurance against ever dying of consumption. If everybody would indulge in this little exercise when they arose each day there, would be ub need for all the concern at present agitating the public as to how the spread of the white plague could be comoatted, and it would be unnecessary for the Press to publish long and numerous articles on this dread disease.

A dairy farm near Manala, Taranaki, has changed hands at £65 an acre. The "Taranaki Herald" says the price is exceptional, "but it was not a speculative investment, made with the idea that the land would presently become town or sub--1 urban property, nor as far as we know were the improvements upon it of extraordinary value. The price appears to have been based upon what the farm has actually yielded during , the past year or two, and on that basis the deal may be, a perfectly sound one." The "Herald" suggests that "while values may be said to have reached their limit" based on the actual productivity of the land, and that a marked fall in the price of nutter fat would probably make present values too high, yet it is possible by a better system of farming to make the average value of dairying: land in the province considerably higher than it is."

At the annual meeting of the Mauriceville Rifle Club on Saturday evening last, the presentation of prizes won during the past season took place, the recipients being as follows:—Grand aggregate: Rifleman E. H. Dagg (holder of shield for 12 months) and Mr R. Cameron's £2), 442 points, Ist; Rifleman C. blewett. (Mr b\ Maunsfill'a £1 10s), 440 points, 2nd; and Captain R. P. Wilton (Mr R. Cameron's £ I), 433 points, 3rd; Rifleman R. (.-', F. Dagg (W.F.C.A.'s £1 Is), 430 points, 4th; Rifleman R. A. Wilton (Mr E. J. Rose's A'l Is), 426 points, sth'; Rifleman A. M. Rose (Mr F. Maunsell' 10s), 425 points, Gth. Special competition for young riflemen.— Rifleman R. A. Wilton (£1 ss) 514 points, Ist; Rifleman R. C. F. Dagg, (17s 6d), 501 point, 2nd; Rifleman H. Tildby, (105),267 points, 3rd. Some very consistent aggregates have been compiled by fCaptain Wilton for the last four years: 432, 434, 433, and 433, respectively, overthe same distances.