LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9693, 18 January 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Welcome rain is falling over a wide area in North Otago.

The' Cabinet, yesterday, authorised votes of £28,950 for railways, and £1,456 for roads.

A Press Association telegram from Oamaru states that William Wade, a single settler at Airedale, was found hanging in his hut on Sunday night, life beaig extinct.

The plans for the works for the ■Wellington Farmers' Meat Company, Ltd., will be submitted to the Directors at their next meeting early next month.

It is estimated that the wool shipments for the year ending March 31st, 1910, should approximate to £7,393.800, as compared with £5,537,861 for the year ended March 31st, 1909, an increase of £1,855,939.

An inquest was held, yesterday, concerning the death of Mrs Matthews, who died while under chloroform in a dental surgery at Wanganui. A verdict of heart failure was returned, no blame being attachable to anyone.

The ladies' committee of the Wairarapa Amateur Swimming Club have completed all arrangements for the caterine at the sports. Working bees, consisting of members of the Club, are busy each evening carrying out work at the lake connected with the sports. A boy at the Christchurch Court made a new and original defence in answer to a charge of having exploded crackers, and then added: — "But he —pointing to the arresting constable—didn't see us let them off He couldn't see through a corner, could he?" The Magi trate admitted the force of the boy's argument, but explained that even if a police constable did not se j , an offence committed, it was no less an offence. The boy acceptedjjthe position {i.ilosophically with: "I suppose so." A very appreciative audience attended at the Foresters' Hall, last night, when an excellent programme was submitted Ihe various items were received in a manner which left no doubt as to their popularity. The applause was so consistent that it would be difficult to pick the most popular picture. The whole programme is meritorious one, and is well worth a visit. This series will be shown to-night and Wednesday, and on Thursday a complete change of films will be presented. The following names were inadvertently omitted from the list of handicaps in connection with the Wairarapa Amateur swimming sports:—so Yards—McLaren, scr; F. Ball, syds; W. Francis, 10yds. 66 Yards Handicap—McLaren, scr; j Francis, 12yds. 75 Yards Youths" Race—Francis, 4sec. The following ! are the entries for the Club Championship, 110 yards:—J. McLean, J. D. McLaren F. Phillips, J. Winchester, L. J. Carmine, E. V. Ellis, 1 D. Clow.

Shearing operations are still being carried out in the Lower Valley. The holiday for Anniversary Day is to be observed next Saturday in Featnerston.

At Gisburne, says a local paper, over 700 cases are to-be dealt with by the Native Land Court at the sitting commencing this week.

Donations of stock in connection with the forthcoming Solway stock fair are coming in very freely. The organising committee will meet tomorrow to arrange further details.

The pairs . hampionship in connection with the Northern Association's bowling tournament has been won by Brackenridge Bros., who defeated Geddis and Lock yesterday by 24 to 21.

The membership of (he Masterton A. and P. Association has now reached a total of eight hundred. Members' subscriptions are coming in freely, much better than in former years.

It is worthy of note fhat over £I,OOO will be distributed in prize money in connection with the forthcoming Masterton show. In addition there will be cups, bowls and trophies to the value ol £2OO.

The Dixon Street showgrounds ara at present being nut into order in readiness for the Show to ba held there next month. The cour.-e for the jumping compatitions will be irrigated with water, as usual, to soften and improve the ground.

The usual meeting of Endeavour Lodge, 1.0. U.T., was held last evening, Sis. McLean, P.C.T., occupying the chair. Rouii ie business was transacted. Sisters Miller Flanagan, Br„s W. Morii*, C.T..: King, each gave a readhg. Thomas McGovern was charged at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, before-Mr W. H. Beetham,, J. P., that he was found in a state of helpless drunkenness on the public road at Taueru, rm Saturday. He was remanded to the Wellington gaol for medical treatment, till January 25th.

A Press Association telegram from Invercargill states that James Moyle, married, aged 34, met with a fatal accident yesterday morning. He was employed on the top storey of Catson and Co.'s wool store, and fell down the lift a distance of fifty feet, striking the beam in his descent. He was taken to the hospital, and died soon after admission.

Rural habits appear to be still prevalent in the town of Gisborne. According to the "Times," a complaint was made last Wednesday night to the Borough Council of the stagnant water in the Waikanae drain. Councillor Smith affirmed that the residents of the localiiy were largely to blame, as they had been in the habit of damming the drain up in places for duck-pondg.

Spurious half-crowns are in circula tion in Christchurch. These base coins on first appearance are, reports the "Christchurch Press," likely to deceive, as the edge 3 are milled, am? in other respects they are a colourable imitation of the real article, though on closer examination the colour is seen to be duller and' more like lead. A feature by which they can be detected is their lightness, whilst an additional indication is that they do not ring true.

The Government Inspector of Fire Boards visited Masterton yesterday, on his road to the north He was met by Messrs 0. N. C. Pragnell (chairman), Pauling, Prentice, and J. G. BJwington, members of the Masterton Fire Board. Mr Hugo informed the latter that the pla.is for the propromised building had been inspected and a written report would be sent in, with a recommendation. There will probably be a full meeting of the Board next week.

The Mauriceville Rifle Club fired the second trophy competition on Saturday last, the ranges being 500, 600and 700 yards. The following were the scores:—'Rifleman A M. Eose 90, Rifleman R. A. Wilton 87, Rifleman A. Rutherford Bfi, Rifleman E. Dagg 83, Rifleman R. Dagg 82, Rifleman C. Blewett 78, Rifleman H. W. Wilton 76, Captain R. F. Wilton 72, Rifleman W. Payne 72, Rifleman H. Tild.ley 54, Rifleman B. Young 43.

It is now three months since the young men of the Y.M.C.A. were set the task of raising among themselves the sum of £SOO towards the extension scheme. It is thought by some that they have done well in realising promises to the amount of £l4O, and before the canvass of the whole of the membership is actually complete a much higher figure will be reached. On Thursday evening next a meeting of the members is being called to finally go into all proposed schemes of extension, and several items of inetrest will be discussed, namely, swimming carnival and annual festival—things that it is considered ought to be made revenue bringers to the institution. The following judges tor the forthcoming Maaterton A. and P. Show, to be held next month, have consented to act:—Harness classes—Mr T. H. Newman, Nelson. DraughtsMr J. Elliot. Middlemarch, Oia/o. Herefords—Mr Hector Booth, Feilding. Fat Cattle—Mr R. Steve, s, Dannevirke. Jerseys and AyrshiresMr J. A. McCrea, Whakarongo. Lincolns—Mr R. Barribal, Waiuku. Leicesters—Mr J. Reid, Darfiold, Canterbury. Romney Ewes—Mr H.V. Fulton, Duneciin. ~ Southdowna—- Mr J. Johns, Belfast, Canterbo»y. Fat Sheep—Mr M. Baird. Hasting* Pigs —Mr R. Perrett, Sanson. D.-gs —Mr S. Johnson, Palmerston Nortn. Agricutlural Produce—Mr J. E. Macassey, Napier Dairy Produce—Government Grader. Horticultural—Vegetables, Mr W. H. Taylor, - Levin; fruit and flowers, Mr H. Pode, Wellington. Knitting—Mr Turner. Bread, Scones, Cakes and Preserves —Mesdames W. ;Perry, W. MrKenzie, Teacher of Cookery Education Board. Judges have yet to te secured for Shorthorns, Romney Rams, Farmers' Classes and Sbrop.>hires. The committee have experienced some difficulty in securing the services of South Island judges on ac T count of harvesting operations clashing with the date of the Show. They have, however, been very successful in securing some of the best judges in the respective classes. Millions of people -at any rate, thousands—are likely tn be keenly interested in the putting up of a new world's record of 50 yards— W.A.S.C. Carnival, Monday next.*

A monthly meeting of the Masterton Veteran Fire Brigades Association was held in the Fire-Station last •evening. Vice-President J. Symes presided over twenty-one members. It was decided to hold a card tournament with the members of the Fire Brigade. It was also decided to hold a friendly game of cricket with the Brigade on Saturday. 29th January A committee was set up to submit a syllabus relative to Brigade matters past and present, for future discussion at the meeting. ■' Bargains for boys is the chidf subject of Messrs George and Kersley's advertisement, which appears on page 6 of this issue. Mr Wm. McKenzie, of Manaia, Masterton, announces that he ia a cash buyer of fat sheep, cattle and lambs for freezing or otherwise. ::;;» In their sale announcement Messrs C. Smith, Ltd , make leading lines of sunshades.millinery and remnants, which are being cleared at slaughter prices. Mr P. Hamill, draper and clothier, announces that his summer sale will commence on Saturday next, when .something big in bargains will be obtainable. • Messrs C. C. Ross and Co., land agents, Masterton, advertise particulars of a 7,600 acre block of good sheep country and of two havdy-sized farms of 138 and 150 acres of plougn--able land. Owing to the busy seison many farmeis ov.-rlojke:l the fact that for the Feildi ie A. and P. Show closed on Friday last, and as ''a consequence thev cin::ot enter their stock now without paying double entry fees. The association, however, have decided to extend the time of closing entries until Friday next, 21st inst, up till which date ■they will receive entries at the ordinary rates. Schedules may be obtained from the Secretary of the association, from Mr G. R Sykes, secretary of the Masterton A. and P. Association, or from the office of paper. To-morrow (Wednesday) Mr L. Stein, draper, of Queen street, opposit- Knox Chnrch, will commence a J 5 days' sale of bankrupt and other •drapery stock, when some exceptional bargains are promised. Mr Stein has for the past month sold goods at low values, but as he is determined to close the sale at the time mentioned further reductions are being,made so a3 to ensure a clearance. An inset is circulated with to-day's issue, which gives particulars of the prices to which a number of lines have been reduced, and which will repay perusal. An inspection of the goods and . comparison of prices is cordially in <vited.