LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9620, 13 October 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Settlers' Club nag been formed in Carterton, The first rehearsal of Handel's "Messiah*' will be held in the Methodist Church, to-morrow evening, at 8 o'clock. There are 12,689 in New Zealand, in which 34,119 persons are engaged, of whom 20,701 are assistants. At a special meeting of the County ■ Council yesterday afternoon, a special order was made appointing Messrs A. H. Wrightson, W. H. Buick, J. Hirschberg, V. Donald and W. H. Cruickshank a Managing Ratepayers Committee of the Opaki-Lansdowne water supply scheme in compliance with the requisition presented to the Council by the ratepayers. In order to facilitate the sale of tickets the box plan in connection with "A Bachelor's Honeymnon" will be open at the Masterton Town Hall, to-morrow morning, fmtn 9 o'clock till 10 o'clock. The plan will afterwards be open at Miss Rive's, Queen street. Rabbits have been much in evidence during the past winter and early spring on some of the East Coast poperties. S ttlers in some cases are again employing men with packs of dogs to combat that pest. On one station which for years was practically free from these rodents, one rabbiter accounted for considerably over two thousand skins. The fortnightly meeting of the Masterton Borough Council was held in the Council Chambers last evening, there being present His Worship the Mayor (Mr P. L. Hollings) and Crs J. H. Pauling, Jas. Eliott, F. W. Temple, R. Rigg, W. Pragnell, J. C. Ewington, J. Prentice and W. Morris. Very little business outside of a discussion on the ladies' swimming baths (a report of which appears elsewhere) was transacted. An extension of the coal carting contract between H. Cole ana Son and the Borough was granted. At a meeting of the Canterbury Women's Institute the follow ine: resolutions were passed:—"That this institute urges upon the Government that women Justices of the Peace should be appointed with power to visit all women prisoners in police stations, lock-ups and prisons, and having power to investigate abuses (if any) in the administration." "That trained nurses should be subsidised by the Governments.'* "That motherhood should be subsidised by the Government by the payment of a bonus at the birth of everv child."

( The Borougn Council offices will be closed to-day (Labour Day). Shean'ng will commence at Te Parae Station on Thursday, October 21 at.

Cr. W. J. Welch. Chairman of the Masterton County Council, has been appointed a delegate to represent that body at the next conference of the New Zealand Counties. nscuini -vnc.'Vi'hiH were not shorn last year there has been a great loss in wool, owing to the dirty condition of the hoggets. On that account many sheep farmers will revert to the old system of shearing their lambs this season. The Directors of the Wellington Farmers' Meat Freezing Company will meet at halt past ten this morning to consider the replies received fronn the shareholders on tha Directors' selection of as the site for the works. The 1.0. G.T. will hMa* a social and concert in the Foresters' Hall on Thursday evening. An excellent programme of vocal items has been arranged, and a first-class supper is being prepared by an energetic ladies' committee. A. deputation, consisting of Messrs G. 0. Donovan and J. J. Cottle, waited on the County Council yesterday requesting that a deviation be made from the Factory Road to the railway yards, Kopuaranga7 It was decided that an endeavour be made to accede to the request according to the plans submitted. Dr Frengley, Chief Health Officer, Mr Reid, Government Veterinarian, and Mr A. S. Mitchell, Engineer to the Wellington Farmers' Meat Company, will arrive in Masterton by the mail train from Wellington to-day. They will be met here by the directors of the Meat Company, and the party will then journey to Waingawa for the purpose of deciding on the exact locality for the works. Mr Alexander Haftka and others wrote to the County Council yester day asking for repairs to be effected to Nursery Road, as it waa in a dangerous condition. Cr J. Morris, junr., said the Borough Council had coutroJ of the boundary roads, and the road in question was one of them. Fie moved that the application be forwarded to that body, which resolution waß carried.

The fortnightly meeting of the I.U.R. was held last evening in the Dominion Hail, Bro. L. Jones, C.R., presiding over a fair attendance of members. Bro. Threadwell furnished a report re the Friendly Societies' Council meeting. Discussion of the proposal to hold a picnic was postponed till the next meeting. A meeting of the Management Committee of the Carlton Cricket Club was held last evening, there being present:—Messrs E. Colhnge (Chairman), E. Welch, A. Hoar, H. Roberts and F. P. Welch. Votes of thanks were passed to Messrs D. Nicholson. H. Douglas and T. Wyeth (Vice-Presidents) for donations. Ten new |nembers ware elected. Several important matters in refernce to the payment of subscriptions, etc., were discussed in committee.

The wages paid in New Zealand factories last year trailed £6,710,226, or an increase of £391,207 over those paid the previous year. The food, woodworking, iron, and clothing trades are the biggest employers of factory labour. Taking the chief cities, Auckland disbursed £921,314 among 11,369 employees, .Wellington £784,177 among 8,263. Chriatchurch £860,702 among 10,284, and Dunedin £723,962 among 9,643 employees. Mr G. Laing-Meason, Engineer for the Opaki-Lausdowne water supply scheme, wrote to the County Council yesterday suggesting that the Council should apply to the Carterton, Featherston and Maryborough Councils for copies of their by-laws from which they could compile a set suitable for the Lansdowne water scheme, as the works would be completed very son, he did not think any time should be lost in framing and confirming the water by-laws. It was decided that the Chairman and Crs Morris and Foreman be appointed a Committee to confer with the Committee of the Managing Ratepayers on the question on October 20th at 3 p.m. It was also resolved on the motion of Cr Toogood not to grant permission for more than one water connection to any one property and that the clerk of works be notified accordingly. .

Prior to the days 01 no-licence there was considerable discussion as to whether its inauguration would result in houses to let, but it was scarcely anticipated that "lock-ups"' would have to be included among the list of empty dwellings. However, the advocates of the open-bar can now include the Masterton lock-up in the rest of the list, where dullness reigns supreme as a consequence of doing away with the rows of tempting bottles, bright glasses and Hebe triumphant. Yesterday a reuresentative of the Age noticed that the local lock-up had affixed upon it the appealing words "to let," and he concluded, therefore, that the exemplary members of the Masterton Police Force felt that in these days of idleness some use should be made of the structure, for which at present they are unable to find inmates. Evidence of such a sterling sense of humour among the local men in blue is in keeping with the nest traditions of the New Zealand Police.

Extraordinary mistakes and mishaps sometimes take place in connect tion with letters and property dealt wih by the Post Office. It is mentioned in the annual report of the New Zealand Post arid Telegraph Department, as illustrating how the department is often blamed wrongfully for loss of articles passing through the Post Office, that a postal packet containing six watches was wrongly delivered at a boarding-house. Owing to the addreas being so hadly written, it was believed to be intended for a person who resided there. Whilst the packet was awaiting disposal at the boarding-house, a friend of the supposed addresses noticed it and re-addressed it to him, and it was only when the article was passing through the Post Office a second time that the rightful owner was identified and delivery effected after a delay of about five months. A letter, unregistered; from Christchurch to Wellington, containing £425 in bank-notes, was discovered open in the pust. A case occurred at Palmerston on the 25th June, 1908, of the abstraction of a letter from the posting-box by a starling.

There are now 57 Clubs affiliate to the Northern Bowling Association with a membership of nearly 4,000.,;

The monthly meeting of the Masterton Fire Brigade was held last evening, Superintendent Jenkins be* ing in the chair. Leave of aD3ence was granted to Branchman Morris. The secretary's monthly report showed the average attendance to be as follows:—Meetings, 19; false alarms, 17; all musters, 18 1-3. Conatable F. Boyle, of the Fire Police, wrote thanking ths members for their sympathy and assistance on the occasion of his recent accident. The competitions committee recommended that a one-man hose and hydrant competition be held in one month's time. Deputy-Superin-tendent Pickering was elected secretary vice Mr E. Pragnell resigned. On the motion of the Superintendent it was resolved to place on record the services of ex-secretary Pragnell during his long term of office. The Brigade decided to convene a meeting of ex-firemen with; a view to forming an association of veterans. After a lengthy discussion: a motion was carried expressing satisfaction with the administration of the local Fire Board, and that a copy of the resolution be sent to Mr 0. Pragnell, Chairman of the Fire Board. It was also decided to ask Mr Pragnell to address a public meeting on the subject of Fire Boards. One new member was elected.

the year the number of workers on roads and railways rose , from 6,000 to 10,0000, says the annual report of the Department of Labour, Through the medium of the employment bureaux 6.201 men were given employment by the Public Works Department, as compared! with 3,328 the previous year. The number of men for whom these bureaux found work with private employers has also greatly increased as compared with previous years. The report states that "to find work for 4,190 men on a falling market has demanded both zeai and intelligence." Of 1,679 assisted immigrants from Britain, the majority were sent to farming work. Some of these immigrants were tradesmen, who accentuated the over supply in the local labour market.

The number of factories in the Dominion (12,040) shows an increase of 454 for the year, states the annual report of the Department of Labour. The number of factory workers, however, has only increased from 78,<525 last year to 78,848 this year. One ot the causes for this setback to the increase in the nutnbtr of workers isthe difficulty of procuring young people as beginners in the clothing and food trades. In some manufactures business would have been greatly crippled by the industrial shortage of New Zealand born boys and girls but for the arrival oC thousands of immigrant families, the younger members of which took factory employment. Tha explanation of the large increase in the number of factories as compared with the number uf hands is thai workers discharged on account of slackening tradr have in many cases started small factories on ttieir own account.

Mr R. Brown advertise a number of cottages to be let. Mr F. P. Welch has vacancies for station hands and domestics.' Particulars of a brown mare impounded from Wangaehu are advertised by the poundkeeper. Tenders are invited, to close at noon on Thursday, 21st inst., for repairs and painting at the Fernridge School.

A general meeting of the Mastertion Amateur Theatrical Society will be held in the Exchangp Hall oc Friday evening next, at 8 p.m., and not to-night as previously intimated. Mr J. Carpenter advertises particulars of a number of special lines in ladies' summer footwear The gooda are all new and up-to-date, specially purchased from the principal British and American factories. An unreserved sale of household fnrniture will be held at the residence, No. 161, Chapel Street, this afternoon, by Mr J. R. Nicol,, on account of Mr W. J. Chappell, \fho is leaving Masterton. There is a good range of desirable lines to De iffered, and everything is to be cleared during. the afternoon.

Particulars of the furniture and household effects to he sold by auction at the residence, Cornwall Stree on account of Mr F. W. G. McLeod, by Messrs J. A. J. Maclean and Co., will be found elsewhere. The list is an extensive one, and the whole of the furniture is in first-class order,

Mr T. Petersen, dyer and cleaner, has returned to Mpsterton, and entered into business again with Mr Johnston, as partner. Mr Petersen will attend to the expert part of tire business, whilst Mr Johnston will wait on residents for orders and deliver same when completed. Work entrusted to the firm will be carried out promptly and satisfaction is guaranteed.

Residents who have a few shillings to spend in seasonable drapery anrf clothing, should make a point of calling upon Messrs Hendry and Buxton, Queen street, and expend it on the great bargains obtainable there until Saturday evening , next. No offer for any line now in stock will be refused, and goods that cost 20s can now be bought for ss. This is no false statement —come along and see for yourselves. Remember we close definitely on Saturday evening next.*

At the meeting on Monday night of the men's and ladies' committees of the Blossom and Butterfly Fair good reports were received from all sub-committees as to the progress of their different sections. Good entries are being received for all competitions, with the exception of the senior piano playing, which so far has not met with the support it merits. A working bee was arranged for in the Drill Hall on Thursday next at 2.30 p.m., to make a start with the decorations. All" willing workers are invited to attend. Tickets are selling freely and contributions are coming in well for the produce and cake stalls. It was decided to add to the list for competitions "two pounds of dairy butter, heaviest dozen hens eggs, and cream puffs."

Customs and forwarding Agents—J. J, CURTIS & CO., Customhouse Quay Wellington, will clear your goods and forward to you, or you may consign goods l to them, and they will forward to theiql ultimata destination. Moderate charges jfl