LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9645, 10 November 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

American mails which left San Francisco by the Mariposa on October 17th are due at Wellington by the Hauroto on November 12th—Friday next.

A bad case of enteric fever is under treatment at the Thame', and investigation by a local medical man has shown that the patient an:i bi3 family had been eating mussels, gathered on the foreshore. Many of the flaxmills about Foxton and Levin are at present stated to be running night shift?, and within the next two weeks nearly ths wh.le »>f the mills will double their ordinary capacity, the millers baing anxious to take advantage ox the present satisfactory range of piice3 for hemp. Lang, who lately defeated Squires somewhat luckily, has received a cable message from Sam Fitzpatrkk in San Francisco, offering him £1,200 for a fight with Stanley Ketchel, win or loae, and £IOO expenses. Lang, says the "Sydney Referee," has accep ed the offer and leaves Melbourne in January, the fight taking place in April. "I have travelled all over this interesting Dominion," said Mr Foster Fraser in his final lecture at Auckland on Saturday night, slates the Auckland correspondent of. the Wellington "Post," "and yet, somewhat surprising to state, the only towns in 1 which I have seen any drunkenness have been Invercarnill and Oamaru —both prohibition places. While the American toasts about the temp3rance of bis people, you can find just about as much drunkenness in New York as you can in Glasgow." The four birds sent down to Christchurch for an intsrval race by the Masterton Homing Pigeon Club were "liberated exactly to time yesterday in fine weather, but with a strong cross wind blowing from the west. None of the birds negotiated the distance on the day of liberati n,' but the race does not lapse for six days, so those members who have birds away will bi kept on the alert until the birds arrive or the time limit expires. An accident that might easily have had more serious results occurred at Levin and Co 's railway store on Monday. Mr W. Corlett had'a waggon, which he had been unloading, standing with a team of horses across the railway track at the back entrance to the shed. Shunting operations were being conducted in the railway yard, Borne distance/* away, ■ and two trucks were sent spinning along over the tails, across the road, and through the shed, crashing into the waggon with such force that a spoke was knocked out of each of the front wheels, and the heavily laden vehicle was slewed round. Up to the end of last year (says the "Thames Star") the Waiotahi mine had producad gold valued at £655,166. The total to date, Including the October return juit published, lis £663,498. The lasc return is the be3t for the present year, in 1906,

when the company was working* on the last patch, gold, valued at £223,678 was won, while the next year (1907) the value of the gold output from the mine was £149,820. Then, to show the uncertainty of mining, at Thames, at any rate, next year that is in 1908—the returns dropped to £14,670 for the year. The following officers have beer I elected for the ensuing year in con J nection with the Peatherston Rifle Club:—Patron, Mr A. Matthews President, Mr T. Benton; Viee-Pesi dents, Messrs H. Matthews, J. 0 W. E.: BidwiU. J. Cundy W.Benton, J. Crawford; Captain, Mr T. Benton; Vice-Captain, Mr H Williams; Secretary and Treasurer Mr T. C, Everton; Executive Com' mittee, Messrs H. Williams, T. Ben ton, Nix, Bockett, L. Benton and T C. Everton; Handicapper, H. Wil Hams. Thera is a probability of the bar ren land between Alexandra ant Clyde being rendered capable of cultivation, states the "Alexandra Her aid." A local syndicate has beer formed with a capital, it is reported; of £14,000 to provide a pumping plant for the purpose oJ irrigating 1,000 acres of the district, and dividing it up into small fruit farms. There are reported to be twc gentlemen on the syndicate whc i have had considerable experience ol | irrigation works in various parts of the world. The Land Board has been approached, and it is stated that arrangements are completed for the erection of the plant for the pur pose of raising water from the Molr neaux River.

Picture a union at perfect amity with the employers, themselves, and all the world. In these dayn of industrial strife and warfare, it seems a dream of the future, but. &evertheless, such a union exists in Wellington to-day. It is true that little is heard of it, but it hag no grievance to air, no demands to formulate, and—let it be whispered—it is not affiliated to any trades council. The body in question is the Wellington Shipwrights' Association, which claims to be the oldest union in the Dominion, and one that has held aloof from all alliances from the date of its inception. The association has never gone before the Arbitration Court, and never worked under I an award. Of the original members, only four are now alive. They are Messrs P. Coffey, T. Dixon, D. | Noble, and S. Woods. "It is generally conceded," states the "Otago Daily Times," "that the publicity given to volunteering events through the medium of the general news columns and the special department devoted solely to military news has done much to keep alive public interest in the volunteers and to asaist them in their struggle to maintain efficient strength,

Application to the local office on FriI day was met with the polite intimation that in future no item of news of any kind would be furnished to the press, a memo, having been received from the Defence Council to the effect that any member of the permanent staff or civilian clerks attached to the District Staffs giving information of any kind to the press would be dismissed. The restriction is not made to apply to volunteers. In these days, when it is only by persistent efforts that a working enthusiasm for volunteer service can be maintained, it is, to say the least of it. surprising to find the defence authorities endeavouring to apply the gag in this way, thus adding to the difficulties its much worried officers have to contend with in their efft rfs to gather together companies of even moderate strength."

There is reported to a fair demand in Masterton for small properties. A Masterton youth was arrested on the ClarevilJe Railway Station, yesterday, on a charge of thett from a person. Mr J, Straiten, of Levin, has purchased l he farm at Waipawa recently acquired by Mr A. J. Cameron, of Masterton.

The tent pitching and striking at the military sports at PaUnerston North yesterday was won by the Greytown Rifles. The Martinborough Gun Club held three pigjon matches on Saturday, with the following result:—First match- E. Maguire, 1; C. Willacy, 2; J. Lawrie, 3. Second match: J. Lawry, 1; T. Harris, 2; W. Harris, 3. Third match: J. Lawry, 1; T. Harri?, 2; E. Maguirp, 3. A cablegram was received in Sydney ten days ago, to the effect that Jeffries and Johnson met in New York, and had agreed to fteht before Tuesday, sth July, 1910, 45 rounds or more, before the club off- ring the largest inducements by Ist December. The winner is to take 75 per cent. of the gross takings. Each of the contestants is to deposit 5,000 dollars (£1,000) forfeit, and also a side bet of the same amount.

The sth Ruahine Battalion spent a very protfiable ''field day" around Eketahuna, the north and south divisions of the Battalion, comprising, respectively, Dannevirke and Woodville Rifles, and Dannevirke Cadets, and Masterton, Greytown and Carterton Rifles, oparating against each other. Captain Skey was in command of the north division, and Colonel Tate of the south, while Major A. a. Charters was umpire. About 150 rank and file attended.

The Pahiatua bowling green was officially opened yesterday. Mr Burgess, President of the Club, in the course of a speech, said that they had one ot the best bowling greens in New Zealand. He anticipated a good season and stated that several tea ms had already been getting ready to wrest the Feathers from the present holders. He hopfd to see the Club represented at the North Island Tournament at Wellington in January next. He heartily thanked tne ladies for having supplied refreshments. Teams were then picked by the President and vice presi3ent,and an enjoyable game resulted. A probationer is wanted for a private hospital. Mr H. A. Jones invites tenders, to close at 5 p.m. ori Tuesday next* for the erection of a residence at Solway. A desirable residential property, consisting of ten acres of land, together with dwelling house and outbuildings, situate Opaki road, will be offered for sale by public auction at the Masterton Auction Mart, on Saturday next, by Mr J. R. Nicol, on account of Mr J. Daley. Further particulars will be notified in next issue.