LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9676, 15 December 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

After the 3lat inst. the Masterton —Te Wharau mail service will be discontinued, "and all mails for that place will be dispatched via Carterton. The continuous hot weather in Taranaki is affecting the milk supply very considerably. One big factory has suffered to the extent of six hundred gallons of milk in one week. 'lhe discovery of a deposit of kaolin north of Auckland has led to the formation of a company to work it. Kaolin is used for the finest pottery, and this particular deposit is said,to be freer from impurities than the great Cornwall kaolin. A Taranaki farmer suggests as a solution of the pig-price trouble that buyers of baconers be asked to classify the pigs and pay 4d per pound for top-fed, 3d for medium, and 2d or bad.. He thinks this would improve' 1 the class of animate produced. It is now mentioned as probable New Zealand breeders of sheep will take stock to the interI'hatipnaJLahow in Argentina, opening on June'3rd'next., They are Messrs E. Short (Romneys), Perry (Lthcolns), and W. H. Wybuurne (Lincolns). The notice board in regard to the running of trains at the Woodville station bore a somewhat unusual legend the other day, which ran as follows:—"All trains guaranteed to be late—Millar." There is some reason to suppose that the notice altogether substantially true wan not authorised by the Department. There is a scarcity of shearers on most of the runs in the Mackenzie country, Canterbury, and many of the sheds are working shorthanded. Machine shearers, as well as blade, men, are in request. Broken weather during the latter part of November benefited the .crops in South Canterbury, hut hampered shearing operations to a certain extent.

I During November 4,820 artisans and labourers were, employed on cooperative workß in New Zealand. The railways absorbed 3,816 and the roads 1,004. On the railways the principal number employed were:— Stratford-Qngarue 567, GisborneRotorua 443, Catlin's 492, Kawa-kawa-Grahamstown 307, Helensville North-ward 280, Midland, various sections, 604, Coal Creek railway extension 307. The monthly meeting of the Methodist Ladies' Guild was held yesterday afternoon, at "Badena," Cornwall Street, the residence of Mrs O. N. C. Fragnell. The weather being beautifully fine, there was a large attendance, and a. most enjoyable afternoon was spent. Musical items were givo'i by Mescbmes A. Daniell, Dupre an Edwards, and Miss Tait, and recii-ations by Mesdames Dupre and IJeale. After afternoon tea had been partaken of., the chairman

(Rev. C. E. Porter) apologised for the absence of the President, Mrs Port»r, through indisnosition. A hearty vo e i.f Uia'-ks w-s passed to the hostess :or her hospitality, Wairarapa residents who are so unfortunate as to be compelled to en- [ deavour to make use of the railway service provided by our paternal Government are impressed with their limited knowledge of the English language when describing the "service," and the agonies that they have endured. There are, however, words which although not poetical in character yet possess a sufficiently forcible sound to relieve the feelings to some extent. Such words, it i is to be feared are being used some- ' ' what frequently. A melancholy instance came under the notice of a Wairarapa Age reporter the other day when a well-known business man said to him in a heated manner, "you call the service what you lik" —I call it damnable," and the respectable citizen repealed the word with tremendous emphasis.

Over one hundred men are to be put on at the Arthur's Pass tunnel works after the end of the present} year. The Opaki-Lansdowne water sup} ply by-'aws as amended by the County Solicitor were adopted at the meeting of the County Council yesterday. Very few applications for casual relief are being received by the North Wairarapa Benevolent Society just now, due probably to the plentiful supply of work obtainable throughout the district. A copy of the Order-in-Council declaring three miles four chains of Hinemoa-Alfredton road to be a County road in terms of "The Public Works Act, 1908," was sub-, mitted to the meeting of the Masterton County Council yesterday from the Roads Department. Commissioner and Mrs Hay, the newly-appointed leader of the Salva-> tion Army for Australasia, have included Masterton in their list of places they have decided to visit in New Zealand. Ihe date of the visit to this town will be about February, 2nd next. At the meeting of the County Council yesterday letters were received from Mr R. T. Holmes and Mrs Cairns consenting to act as repre-| sentatives for the Council on the North Wairarapa Benevolent Society.; Mr A. W. hogg, M.P., also wrote consenting to act as the Council's representative on the Wellington and Wairarapa United Charitably Aid Board. "One of the greate3t curses that can fall on a young man is to have removed from him any necessity and every prospect of having to make his ovvn way in the world," said the Attorney-General in the Legislative Council. "Many a young man has been made, a shipwreck by having too I much wealth left him by his par* ents."

With regard to the petition to which Mr John Hunter is obtaining siarnatures, urging that certain pro* perties on the East Coast be acquired for closer settlement, it is understood that some 5,000 to 6,000 acres adjoining is, with the consent of tiae owners, being included *n the petition. Thus the total acreage which the Minister for Lands will be aaked to acquire is about 23,000 acres.

With reference to the Miki Miki mail service, a meeting of settlers interested was held in the Schoolhouse, Miki Miki, on Monday evening last, when ihe question was discussed at length, Messrs D. W. Forman, A. McLeod and C. Waif being eventually appointed a deputation to wait upon the Postmaster at "Masterton. Yesterday the deputation interviewed the Postmaster, , who stated that he would recommned that' fresh tenders be called for the service}

Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P., forwarded to the Masterton County Council yesterday the reply received ; . fromthe Minister for Roads in reference to the application of the Council ' for a grant of A'soo for metalling a section of the Alfredton-Weber Road from Tsraumea Homestead t0.....the Waterfalls School, stating that the representations on the subject had been noted for consideration when the Public Works Estimates were being prepared. The' following are the handicaps• for the 66yds race to be swum on the Park Lake on Thursday, at 6.30 p.m.,, under the auspices of the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Club:—lst Heat: Bridge scr. Carmine 2 secj McLaren 2sec, Winchester and Phillips 3sec. Second Heat: McLean 3sec, Ball and Waddington ssec r Byrn and 6sec. JTiiird Heat: A. Donald and Callister 6seci fi Keisenbarg, A. Iggul'den and D.. Donatd Bsec. fourth Heat: Dudson and Kyle Bsec, Syverston, Etlfs and Williams lOsec. I "After hearing the Engineer again on the subject of Mr P. Pabian'a claim for compensation for the accident which occurred to him while driving on the Te Ore Ore to Bideford Road on August 19th last, this Cook mittee does not see its way to; mak- , ing a recommendation to the Council • to reconsider the decision arrived at during the last meeting, refusing to recognise liability in the matter." This was the decision arrived at by , the Finance Committee of- the Masterton County Council f yesterday; which on being submitted to the meeting of the Council subseqiiiently was adopted. - i "Thank God we kept the flag flying," the memorable words of Sip George. White upon the reljef of Ladysmith, were called to mind by a large hospital flag which fluttered in the breeze at St. Paul's Fete m Auckland on Thursday night. It was, indeed, says ihe "Herald," the principal medical fl«tg that blew over Ladysmith during those 119 days of stubborn defence, which preceded General Buller's arrival in March, 1900. The war-marked flag is understood to have come to Auckland in company with a returned soldier, and some there are; who hint that thereby hangs a tale.

The presentation of medals won at the recent physical culture contests at the Y.M.C.A. are to be presented on Wednesday evening next. It is proposed to combine the presentation with an address to be .delivered by Dr Prior on "The theory of Kesuscitation," which is to be given in connection with the life saving classes, and to which the members of the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Club and Ladies' Club have been invited.) The medals, which were manufactured by Mr Jas. Scott, jeweller,' Masterton, are now on view in his shop window, and are very handsome trophies, giving an excellent idea o£ the class of work of which Mr Scott is capable. According to the Labour Journal' for December, trade and business in i Mastertc.n have maintained a fair? Ie«el. TK-ro in still an indication in most trid s towards continued im* provempnt. Shearing operations be-' ing in full awing throughout the district, have absorbed a great number of men; operations, have,' however, been considerably ed by the unsettled weather expert ienced. The dairying- industry still continues very busy, and there is a demand for milkers, especially youths. Tailoring and dressmaking trades continue to be fairly busy,; overtime being freely worked in several cases. The building trades are not improving as well as anticipated; on the other hand, coachbuilding, blacksmjthim?, and agricultural implement making and repairing trades remain firm.

The'running of special stock trains from Feilding to Auckland is being advocated to cope with the development of the trade. The gretrenchment policy of the Government is affecting the Wairarapa in various directions, the latest instance being the closing of the Te WharaUjTelephone Bureau. Good>rogress is being made with the proposal to hold a winter show in Hawera and 400 shares have been subscribed in a company to carry out the projects. Tha Masterton Ambulance Division intends holding a demonstration at the railway station to-morrow evening, where a serious railway accident is supposed to have happen\ed. A rocket will be sent up from i Messrs Fly and Young's stables previously as an alarm to the division to turn out. On arrival at the station several patients will be treated, and those who are interested in practical ambulance work are invited to witness the demonstration. Dramatic films will be a feature of Messrs Thompson and Payne's change of programme at the Forester's Hall this evening, and some fine subjects will be shown, including "The Royalist's Wife," "The love of a Pasha's Son," "Kind hearted Bootblack," "Truer Love," k "The Two Rivals," and "A Faithless Lover." "Comics" are also in good supply, and include "The Polite , Parson," *"A Lover's Obstinacy," ai'The Escaped Lunatic," and "Processor Puddinghead's Patents." A large number of industrial and scenic films will be shown, and altogether an excellent entertainment is promised.

Mr John Hessey, citizen of Masterton, and Mr Hessey, the gold-min-ing expert at work, are to use a figure of speech "two very different persons." This difference in appearance was borne home in a rather | striking manner to a Wairarapa Age reporter yesterday, who was afforded an opportunity «f seeing several Knap-shota taken by an amateur photographer depicting Mr He?sey at work prospecting and boring amongst the auriferous formations of the West Coast. A large staff of men were to be seen manipulating the boring apparatus, which appears to be much more elaborate than one might suppose. Mr Hessey in his prospector's garb is almost unrecognisable so great is the change from citizen to miner. ' That the unscientific person's opinion of hones discovered in un- , usual places is not worth much, says the"Otago Daily Times," was the impressiuh conveyed by Tlr. Benham, curator of the museum in Dunedin, at a meeting of tbe Otago Institute. When a slight d'scuasion occurred about moa bones. A member referred to the recent discovery at Whangarei of bores alleged to be those of a moa and of a human being in juxtaposi- * tion, and the deduction drawn from that that the moa had existed contemporaneously with humanity in these islands. Dr. Benham, who said be did not feel inclined to accept the statement that they were human * bones till he had examined them, prof ceeded to justify his incredulity by jelatihg the following iittle incident Me had recently been required to investigate an object that he was assured was a human skull, which, bad been discovered in a river.' Hia investigations showed *that this was 'nothing more than a sheep's bead.

The fact that Christmas Day. savs J the "Lyttelton Times," this year falls op a Saturday has given rise to some discussion regarding the celebration of the annual holidays on that day and Boxing Day. Following the usual custom Boxing Day* will probably be celebrated an the Monday'following Christmas Day, *> that places of business will be closed on three consecutive days. A proposal had been made that certain shops should remain open on Christmas Day, and it appears that it is riot an offence under the Shops and Offices Act nor the Police Offencea Act for shops to be opened for business on Christmas Day. Under the provisions of the Factories Act Christmas Day is a statutory holiday, and all female employees and all males under eighteen years of age must be given a holiday on that day. In the case of butchers* provision is made in the award that when a holiday falls on a Saturday followed by another fc6liday on the Monday, the Workers' Union and the employers ' may decide whether the holiday, shall be, celebrated on the Saturday «r on some other day* Provision is also made for the employment of workers for two hours on the morning of the second holiday. The half-yearly summoned meeting of Stonehenge Lodge, U.A.0.D., wasjield in the Dominion Hall last evening, Bro. W. C. Gourlay, A.D., presiding. Bro. F. A. Smith was awarded Bro. McLachlan's trophy for introducing the most members during the quarter. Bro, Pickering reported on matters connected with the Friendly Societies' picnic. The following officers were installed by Bro. J. M. Nicbolls, D.P.:—A.D., Bro. C.B. Anderson; V.A., Bro. R. Jenkins; Secretary. Bro. E. Pragnell; Treasurer, Bro. J. K. Bhnkhorne; 0.G., Bro. J. Higgins; 1.G., Bro. F. A. Smith; A.D.8., Bros. A. E. Miles, R. G. Russell; V.A.B.'s, Bros. W. Trudgeon, A. Miller; Minute Secretary, Bro. J. Georgeson; Auditor, Bro. E. H. Waddington. Bro. W. Erickson, of Totara Lodge, was unanimously supported for the office of D.P. Bros. A. Jackson and J. A. Shackleton, P.D.P.'s, assisted in the installation ceremony. Visiting brethren ware present from the Totara. Myrtle, Ponsonby, Poneke and Takaka Lodges, and were accorded Druidical honours. Two candidates were proposed for membership.

Mr A. Hendry has secured a lease of the handsome shop in Queen Street, recently erected by Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., and will open there on Saturday next with a fine stock of clothing and meicery. Mr Hendry has had a lengthy experience in this branch of trade, is thoroughly conversant with men's requirements in the above direction, and intends to cater for them liberally. The stock will comprise all the most stylish and dependable goods. in which particular attention will be paid to quality. The new premises Will definitely bo opened for business on Saturday next, and country residents forwarding orders in the meantime can rely on their instructions being promptly attended to, and goods despatched without delay.

An advertiser requires a man with dogs for rabbiting. ■.=££ r>M A caretaker is wanted for the Masterton Bowling Green. A The use of Brite'Glas makes work light and easy.for the housewife, and the result is in every case satisfactory. Brite Glas is sold by all stores. A bankrupt stock of ladies' and gents' hi cycles will be offered for absolute sale at Mr J. R. Nicol's auction mart on Saturday next. Special lines forgChristmas gifts, including the "Peggy" shoulder or waist purse, belts and handkerchiefs, are advertised by Messrs McGruer and Co., drapers, Masterton. Messrs George and Kersley, of the "Economic," Wellington, announce special Christmas bargains in ladies' gloves and hosiery. A Jist of lines and prices will be found on page 6 of this issue. Mr T. McCracken will make a gaslight display at his shop from now up till Christmas. A spciality in framed pictures is offered at the present season, which will make a suitable Christmas gift.

Mr P. Hamill announces that on Friday next he will start a special Xmas Fair, when very considerable reductions will be made in the large stock of goods held by him suitable for Christmas presents. Perusal ot the advertisement on page 7 of this issue will be of interest to readers. Mr W. H. Denby, of Oxford Street, Lansdowne, who is a practical and experienced gardener, announces that he is'prepared to undertake landscape and ornamental gardenng by day or contract. Mr Denby is well-known throughout the district, and for some time past has been caretaker of the Masterton Bowling Green, A most successful practice of the "Messiah" was held in the Methodist Church last night. Instead of the usual service on Sunday evening next, the service will be choral, when some of the principal solos and choruses wiJ/ be given, A final rehearsal will be held on Thursday evening, at 8 o'clock, and a full attendance is requested. Messrs S. and W. Mackay, booksellers, and successors of Mr R. T. Holmes, late of Queen Street, remind readers that they are cordially invited to call and inspect their stock. At present the firm are making a special display of lines suitable for Christmas presents. Their stock comprises all the latest novelties in fancy goods and toys, and in books they claim tnat no firm in the Dominion can offer a better or more varied selection. This week the firm have just received from America a very, large consignment of the most popular works of the standard prose writers and poetsi Most of the volumes have been specially got up for presentation purposes, and several of the bindings are quite new to New Zealand. Messrs Mackay state that these bindings in themselves are well worthy of a visit of inspec tion.