LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9993, 14 March 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The latest return from the Worksop Dredge is 25ozs 9dwts for 118 hours' working. Several Masturtun residents have journeyed to Wanganui to be present at the Band Contest, which will take place at Wangariui this-- week. The contractors for t.n 3 erection of the freezing works at Waingawa expact to commence the preliminary operations frr the work to-day. The supply of cream at the Masterton butter factory is keeping up remarkably well this season, and at the present time, only one box of butter less per day, is being made hna was made a month ago. Yesterday afternoon the Master-, ton Municipal Band played a programme of aelected music from the Park Rotunda. There was an unusually large attendance of the public, and the various selections were listened to with keen appreciation.

Applications for acoramodation are coming in freely from visitors who will be attending the Masterton race meeting this week, and judging by the number already booked in different parts of the" town .the„»isacihg. Club may confidently- expect a record attendance at the Opalci coarse on Thursday and Friday.

Instructions have been given by the Minister of Labour for action to

be taken by the Labour Department against the wharf labourers who ceased work while discharging cement from the s.s. Wanaka on Saturday last because they were not allowed to use hooks. The secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, Mr T. Smith, will also be proceeded against for aiding and abetting.

On Saturday afternoon, Mr J C. Cooper, in company with some of the other Directors of the Wellington Farmers' Meat Company, visited the site of 'he works at Waingawa. Mr Cooper tated to an Age representative uiat the contractors have made a start with pegging out, and levelling the site, and a commencement is expected tn be made with the work of erecting ths building during this week.

A special train in connection with the races at Opaki has been arranged to leave Featherston at 9.40 a.m., while a train will also leave Greytown at 9.40 a m., connecting at Woodside and picking up passengers at intermediate stations, arriving at Opaki at 11.30 a.m. In addition a race train will leave Masterton at 12.10 p.m. for Opaki. A return train south will leave Opaki at 6.5 p.m., thus allowing visitors to see all the races and return,

At the meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association on Saturday afternoon last a letter was read from Mr E. Hale, of Te Ore Ore, offering to supply trees to the value of two guineas to any members of the Association on the condition that the money is paid to the fund of the institution. It was resolved that steps be taken to avail the Association of the offer, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the donor.

Successful tests have been made of Thomas A. Edison's storage-bat-tery tramear. The inventor has hopes that, by making a few more improvements he may put a car on the market that will make current wires unnecessary. The car which he tested on the tracks at West Orange, New Jersey attained a maximum speed of twenty miles an hour. It was equipped with two 1\ n.p. motors. It would run 150 miles without renewal of the charge of electricity. The car's weight was five tons—h?lf that of the ordinary trolley-car. The cost of operation \% estimated at £d per mile.

Mr Rangi Kerihoraa has presented a handsome sterling silver cup to the Masterton Homing Pigeon Club, of which he has recently become a raemoer. The cup, which i 3 on view in Mr A. Henderson's window, rest 3 on an ebony plinth, and in every way is a fine specimen of the silversmith's art. It has been allotted to the chief young bird race of the season, viz., the Young Bird Championship Interval from Blenheim, to be flown on the 14th May. The cup is to be won three times, not necessarily in succession, before it becomes the absolute property of any member. Although it is well-known that the Stewart Island oyster is distributed northwards for a considerable distance, few persons are aware of the immense distance sometimes traversed before it finds its way into consumption. A Bluff merchant, with a large export business in oysters, told a "Southland News" reporter that not only is there a keen sale as far north as Auckland, but, as regularly as clockwork, there is an average weekly shipment of about 250 sacks (11,250 dozen) to Melbourne. Melbourne* is 1,200 miles distant. It is on record, however, that Melbourne merchants have stnt a few bags on to Adelaide, a distance of over 2,000 miles from the bedf» in Foveaux Strait.

Mr George Aitken, farmer and stock dealer, at Musselburgh, Scotland, of which town he was a Councillor, who died recently, aged seventy, while on a phasure voyage to New Zealand, leaving considerable property, inserted a curious provision in his will. He states that bis trustees, who include the provost and town clerk of Musselburgh, shall remove some house property at a street corner in the town and erect an artistic equestrian bronze statue of himself in an ornamental plot to be there constructed. No cost is to be spared in carrying out the scheme, and provision is made for the upkeep of the plot and statue for all time. This is in commemoration of his family connection with the town for centuries, he being the last male and also of bis having acted as "town champion" at the riding of the town's marches.

) A correspondent writes to the "Evening Post" suggesting caution in responding to circulars inviting investment in the Hamburg lottery drawings The lottery itself, he says, is perfectly genuine, being legalised by the German Government, and constituting one of the German nation's stupid amusements. Bat through the action of certain intermediaries (not Germans, he concludes from internal evidence) who forward circulars to the colonies, he alleges that investors are charged one guinea for what in Hamburg is purchased for 9d. Enclosed with the circular is the prospectus of a Spanish iotcery, with a display of very large prizes and figures, The correspondent encloses a copy of a letter sent to the German authorities on the subject, but he asks if, in the meantime, the Government cannot be induced to do something to prevent colonial money from flowing into this channel.

An eight-roomed house in Cole street is advertised to be let. Notice is given that annual licenses issued by the Borough Council expire on 31st instant. Applications for renewals must be sant in to the Town Clerk's office on or before 15th inst. Tenders are invited for the erection of a gas manager's residence at the works, Masterton. Plans and specifications may be seen at the office of Messrs Varnham and Rose, architects, Academy Buildings, Masterton. Messrs McGruer and Co. advertise latest novelties for autumn and winI ter, with some special quotations for [ high-class values. A discount is al- ; lowed on purchases of ten shillings and over of five par cent. Particulars of the leading lines to be sold by Messrs J. McQueen and Sons, o*r Wednesday next, on account of Mr J.» C. Sc&tt, are advertised today.. The gooda are to be sold without reserve-at the residence in w oe street

£ The North Island Commissioner has * written to the Leut. Commander of Wellington district as follows: "Please convey to the lada who took part in the inspection by Lord Kitchener, my congratulations upon their discipline, behaviour, and cheerfulness under exacting circumstances, and upon excellent showing. The steadiness of the boys is excellent testimony to the efficiency of training received from scoutmasters." Hockey and football players will find some special quotations for jerseys and knickers on the second page ■of this issue. The W.F.C.A. made a special arrangement with an English r manufacturer to make a special line and a special price. An invitation is extended to call and inspect the new lines.