LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9679, 31 December 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The tourist traffic this season is reported to be better than in previous years as regards internal travel, but the influx from Australia :s not so large as usual, owing to the strike. Up to the beginning of the month the visitors to Rotorua were not so numerous as last year, but the local traffic has since equalised the position. The .accommodation at Mount Ccok is fully booked for the holiday season, and the indications are for busy times at the tourist resortd generally.

Should the weather be fine row the Methodist Sunday School will hold their annual picnic on Mr Macara's farm at the Akura. Lorries to convey the children to the grounds will leave the school at 9 o'clock. Special attractions in the way of sports and races have been arranged. and altogether a very enjoyable timer is anticipated. A Press Association telegram received yesterday from Oamam states that the body of a middle aged woman drested in dark clothes and wearing' gl"' s -md boots was found on sandy teach a South Oamaru. The body has tee j identified as that of Lilian Mote, a married woman. Yesterday the Maaterton railwayofficials received instructions not ta receive any more wool until after the 3rd January. This is due to the fact that there is quite u difficulty in finding storage for wool for the sales in Wellington next week, and there are 135 trucus of wool in Wellingi ton waiting to be taken over by the Harbour Board.

If regular attendance counts for anything, the Mornington School must be one of the most popular in New Zealand. This year no fewer than 140 children did not miss a single half day, and Standards 11. and VI. both put up the remarkable record of an attendance of 97.8 per cent, all the year round. In addition: to this, at the break-up ceremony Archibald Davidson and Muriel Kelly were each presented with a gold medal to mark the fact that through; out their school life ttxy have never been absent. It is ■ something of a coincidence that a few years ago a boy named Victor Kelly, a brother'of Muriel Kelly, put up a similar record, ££ _m [ The following chanes in the coach i mails to and from Masterton Post Office will take effect as from the Ist January, 1910:—Masterton, Bide*ford, Glendonald (Ihu Koi) mail service: Mails will close at Masterton j for Bideford and Ihu Koi (Glendonald) on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 6.15 a.m.,and will arrive back at Masterton the same day at 3 p.m., instead of arriving at Masterton at 10 a.m. and closing at 12.30 p.m., as previously, Masterton, TaUeru, Tenui, Whareama, Whakataki and Castlepoint. mail service: Mails will cloae at Tenui at 8.15 a.m., and at Taueru at \ 11.35 a.m., instead of 8.45 a.m., respectively, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving at Masterton at i p.m. instead of 2 p.m. as previously. ":The "Lytteltoti 'rimes'' says 1 -- "In view of the rumours of Mr HallJones' impending resignation, it is essential that the Government should inquire very closely into the present requirements of the Dominion mLondon. The Commonwealth has had the good fortune to obtain the services of Sir George Reid, one of the most capable statesmen Australia ever had, a fine speaker, and a shrewd man of business. While Sir George is in London there will be no danger of Australian affairs being overlooked, and wu may Ik- sui\j that the details of his office will not escape his observation. Our contemporary says that at .the back of his political criticism of the High Commissioner's office there are many well-grounded public complaints, and it is theae that the Government should take into consideration.

The vicar of the mining village'of Selston, Nottinghamshire, discovered recently that years ago loaves of bread were annually distribuleJ to the aged poor on Lammas Day, and he accordingly took steps to rdvive the custom. An sppsal was made, with the result that about a hundred loaves, each containing a silvir coin of varying value up to a crown piece, were sent in. These were placed on a large tombstone in the diuchyard, and a number of oil folk, the majority of whom receive poor relief, formed up in double lines. Following a short service, the vicar distributed the loaves, expressing the opinion that Sunday was, after all, the best day that could be chosen for the purpose. 1 Mr P. A. VMiie, a New Zealander, j w..0 is well-known at Home, and whose various contributions to the ) press on spirting matters has earned for him some little notori.'ty and praise, has written a book on New *> Zealand for the series "P«_ep3 at Many Lands," now being published by Messrs Adam and Charles Blake, of London. The mail that brought Mr Scholefield's book, to whicj is reference is made in another column, also, brought Mr Vaile's New Zealand—a greater contrast in books in this country it would be difficult to imagine, but it must not be inferred thereby that Mr Vaile's book is without merit. Far from it, it is readable enough, and probably, exactly the thing that the publishers wanted. It is however, very "light " and somewhat like a great deal of the literature that is issued by the Tourist Department. With regard to trout in Lake Rotorua, the "New Zealand Herald" says:~-"As the case stands at present the fishing is being injured because there is no inducement to take the fish out of the water after sporting instincts have been satisfied—and sporting instincts are now very quickly satisfied at Rotorua. If free sale under State control were allowed, a trade would immediately spring up which would be to the great advantage ot the public, and would reduce the overstocking of the lake to the great advantage of the remaining fish. When it was found that the fishing was being injured, adequate regulations could be proclaimed, or the existing drastic precautions temporarily re-imposed. This course should commend itself to the Government, for it would be haartily ap. proved by every sportsman who visits Rotorua."

If credit is a convenience, The "Dro£ r d«n" will gladly extend the advantage a ot its )« iinUr and liberal titne-pavmeufc system .■*> that you will be able to fur* nish your home with a piano Yoa merely pnv a small deposit and then instalments of 20s a month, or more In no other warehouse in New Zealand—or in Australia either—are there s« many pianos and organs under one roof as at the Dresden Piano Company's in Wellington. It is a wonderful stock t» select from. Then, too, there can be n? bargaining with the Dresden. Its first price is its last-and lowest. Thus a. child could purchase a piano just as advantageously as could a man. This i* the essence of fairness, No wonder "The Dresden" possesses the confidence of the public. Ihe Company's manager in tha North Island is Mr M. J. Brookes and its local representatives are Messrs* Inn* and Goddard, next Club Hotel, Masterton. j£

Special New Year services will be held in the Methodiat Church on Sunday next, also a watch-night service to-night at 11.15 p.rn. At the morning services on Sunday a memorial atiilned glass window will be dedicated. The butter export from Auckland "lor the fortnight ended Friday last totalled 20,488 boxes, valued at about £50,000. During the corresponding period of last year the export was 16,144 boxes. While giving evidence on a judgment summons at the Feilding Court the other morning, a debtor stated that he had a daughter twenty-one years of age, but she suffered from a weak heart. Later, he admitted that the girl helped him to cut wood with a saw when he had contracts for cutting wood, and also assisted him in cutting gorse. Senator Mazzacchelli, president of the Court of Accounts, Rome, was -walking along the streets, with his nephew on the night of November 7th, when he was knocked down by a carriage, a wheel of which passed over his head killing him instantly. His nephew, who was a magistrate, in stepping back to avoid tthe carriage, slipped and fell on the tramway lines, and was run over and killed by -a passing car. An amusing and at the same time sannoyinj: departmental delay has just *ome to light {pays an Australian paper). In 1883, 2tf years ago, a Wagga resident lodged an application for the issue of a real property title to a piece of land. After repeated attempts to secure an answer frum the department the matter was apparently forgotten, until last week, when the applicant was surprised by the receipt of his title. No explanation was forthcomng for the delay of more than a quarter of a century.

Bowlers will be sorry to hear that the much-expected tour of a New 'South Wales team ot bowlers over .here will rot eventuate this season {says the "Auckland Star"). Mr A. M. Bryden, hon. secretary of the di.P.B.A., received definite news by this week's mail from the secretary of the New South Wales Bowling Association, in which it was regretted that owing to the coal strike, the ramifications and effects of which extend more or less through the whole community, the trip to £lew Zealan i would have to be postponed till a happier occasion. The sugeestion is made by the -"jaaw!:e\. Bay Herald" that the mutual syat.m should be adopted by "town and suburban residents *who •■own or.hi.rd 3 and gardens. One : sprayiig plant could deal numerous tmall cultivations within a 'Treasonable distance of each other. 'flown and suburban residents would themselves of the services of any on a who would undertake, at a reasonable charge, to go torn garden to garden, either with the large kind of pump mounted o i a ■dray or with the knapsack sprayer, .and trpat fruit tree 3, potatoes *nd other plants. M. Gabet, inventor of the radioautomatic torpedo, has made several remarkable testa of tht deadly machine in the Seine. The new torpedo is in two sections, one above the «ther, the upper section being merely a float'-r. The lower section contains a motor battery of accumulators, an apparatus for the reception oi! Hertzian waves, and an explosive <sarge weighing 1,800 pounds. The Hertzian waves are directed by an apparatus like a miniature piano, and by striking these M. Gabet was able to guide the torpedo in any direction he chose, his control being perfect.

The Orange Lodge at Timaru lias passed the following resolution, which will be sent to the Prime Minister:—"That the members of this lodge protest strongly aganist the action oi the Prime Minister in causing tha British flag co be hoisted at the ii'ost Office building at hall mast on occasion of tlie death of King :<.ldß»pold of Belgium, as the public • character of that dfceased monarch tHfl'nfflit warrant such a procedure, • espediaJly when his action? in the • v £ongo affair caused such a calamity : ias doing to denth thousands of its j inhabitants, an action most repretiefflßible in the highest degree, and respect." In abotft three weeks hence, writes the Bluff correspondent of the Otago • "Daily Times," there will, wind and • weather permitting, be such a dis- > J play of rata bloom on the faces at and I about Stewart Island south aJ has •'inot been seen for many yean. The Abloom is spasmodic in its growth. "Two, three, and even four seasons prove scant, followed by a season <>f abundance. Apparently this is • «ne of the prolific seasons, and it Jbida fair to be extremely eo. These iata faces in bloni form a magnificent scene, and therefore during the n xt month or two Stewart Is''land should be well worthy of attention. Some time ago it was announced ■that the 1 Rev.* F. 0. Long, son of Mrs ■Long, of "Rfihiri," Keilding, and at '.present vicar of Waipiro Bay, Waiiapu diocese, had offered himself to the Committeee of the Church Missionary Association of New Zealand, for missionary wor* in China. The current issue of the Church Mis<"3itottry Gleaner, which is just to hand; states that the Committee have accepted Mr Long's offer. His location has yet to be fixed, and this will be the work of the parent Society—the C.M.S., in London. Mr Ltng expressed his willingnes to undertake eipfer education! or evangelistic work, and although he would prefer to go to Chman, he i-i quite prepared that his wish should not unduly hamper those who have to -(lake the decision. ' Mr E. 'l'. Doxat, chairman nf Daluety and Co., in moving thejjadoption of the report and Balance-sheet of the company in London on November 19th, referred to the debatable question of local wool sales. The proportion of produce sold locally in Aus- ! ! tralia was increasing year by year, Ifie said, the continued subdivisions oi the large properties tending to create a clasa of small proprietors whc favoured local selling, and whose produce required more show-spaci ;t «n was necessary in the care ol the la»gtr flock-owners, whose woo •could he shown by a certain numbei of representative bales. Year bj year it was found that the spact ■which s at one time appeared likely t< he ample for many years waa nov quite insufficient.

As an outcome uf the Departmental inquiry into the charges recently al-, leged against certain railway officials engaged in the Wanganui wharf, three of them have resigned from the service.. The shearing at Mr W. Murray's station, Mangatoro, has resulted exceedingly well. A total of 1,620 Rom- ' r.ey-Lincoln-cross were shorn and produced 4* bales of clean fleece wool, which was well skirted. The average per hand was 12£lb. The Government Road Engineer states that the road through the Manawatu Gorge will not be fit for heavy traffic for three months yet. •He has discovered that all the bridges on the road are unsafe, and will have to be renewed. These will be attended as soon as the present slips are made right. "I am glad," said President Taft recently, "that I shall any property to leave my boya,'of whom I have two, but only good characters, prii J e in themselves, and a good education; but as for my daughter T am going to scrape as much as I can, and give her as good an education as i can, so that she shall marry only when she chooses, to marry, and not because circumstances compel her." The next sale of wool and skins in Masterton will be held on Wednesday, January 26th. Mr J. Robbins, of the Hawke's Bay Fruit Depot, is now booking 1 orders for jam fruits of all kinds. Mr F. P. Welch requires an experienced slaughterman and general hand for butchery business. Particulars of a bay gelding impounded from Te Ore Ore are advertised in this issue. The premises of Mr F. Dupre, watchmaker and jeweller, will be open on Monday as usual. A notice appears on page 1 of this issue with reference to a dark bay mare straying on the property of Mr G. H. Clarke, Kopuaranga. The Kia Ora Tea Rooms will be kept open for luncheon and tea on > New Year's Day, and for supper after the Caledonian concert in the evening. Special bargains in aprons forms the subject of Messrs George nnd Kersley's new advertisement which will be found on page 6. Mr Robert Russell has a Urge stock of second-hand furniture, toul and clothing, at his premises next to the Queen's H tel buildings?. Mr Russell is.a cash buyer of all desmutions of second-ha, d go ids and lef toff clothing. There will be a watch-night service in the Congregational Church to night, at 11.30. On Sundav the Rev. A. HoJge will conduct the ser ices as usual. There will be no Sm lay School in the afternoon. Mr A. Henderson reminds • atrons that his jewellery store is brim full of suggestions for New Year presents, and extends an invitation to both town, and country residents to call and see for themselves the fxtensiveness of the range ot goods. Yesterday Mr J. L. Murray discovered that some miscrtant had, with the aid of a diamond cutter, made a long, ugly cut across the centre of one of the large plate glass windows of his shop. In another column Mr Murray announce? that he 13 willing to pay a reward of £2O j for information that will lead to the i conviction of the perpetratur.