LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10014, 9 April 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

f] The latest return from the Worksop Dredge is 55ozs i3dwts. The return from the Mastertoir dredge this week is 26 ounces, and for the Mystery Flat dredge 9 ounces. Cromwell Dixon, an American boy aviator, seventeen years old, has made more than 275 successful flights in his home-made dirigible airship. A month's season for pheasant, quail, black swan, and grey duck is to be declared in the Auckland Acclimatisation district, to begin on May 14th. An Otago paper says the practice of oiling and colouring of show sheep for exhibition is one that is parried on to a considerable extent in New Zealand and it is a custom that it is to be regretted, is growing, especially in the North Island. Telegraph Exchange subscribers are reminded that to-morrow —Saturday—the 9th instant, is the last day for payment of subscription. Any connections for which the rent is not paid will be discontinued after that date. At Te Aroha on Saturday an eieht-year old boy named Joseph Wolfe was playing around the heels" of a horse, when the animal lashed out and struck him in the face, smashing the whole front of the upper jaw. Harry Flemming was charged at the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, with having committed a breach of the Borough by-laws by pasting placards on fences. Accused pleaded igno ance of the by-law, stating he bad not been prosecuted in other places. His Worship, Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., said he would only impose a j nominal penalty of Is, which would act as a warning to others. Mr William A. Prickitt, ConsulGeneral for the United States, states that the latest information from Washington is to the effect that the Humphrey Ship Subsidy Bill has received a favourable report from the Committee of Merchant Marine and Fisheries. The vote was 10 to 7. Mr Prickitt considers that he still has a better chance of passing now than heretofore, and should it become law he is very hopeful that a new service will be established between San Francisco and Australasia. At a special meeting of the Masterton Fire Board yesterday five tenders were received for the erection of the new Central Fire Station, in Queen street, in accordance with the plans and designs prepared by Mr Herbert A. Jones, architect. The tender of Messrs King and Son was accepted, the contract price being within a few pounds of the architect's estimate. The building will be a two-storey brick one, with the elevation finished in pressed brick and stucco. Accommodation is provided for the caretaker on the ground floor, and fireman's quarters en the first floor.included in whicn are two large meeting rooms, which can be thrown into one room by means of folding doors. On the ground floor is a spacious engine room 40 x 30 feet, with double folding doors opening into Queen street. The floor of the room is to be wood blocked, while special provisioi is provided for storing, cleaning and drying the hose, and also stabling for two horses. The firebeil tower will stands some 60 feet higher, which altitude is considerably greater than the present structure. The bui'ding, when finished, should cerainly be a decided acquisition to the town.

A somewhat remarkable phenomenon was to be observed at the Strath.-Taieri Agricultural and Pastoral Show at Middiemarch. The air was full of what seemed to he a coarse white dust, dancing and sh'mroering in the sunshine, and, as the result of a gentle breeze, drifting slowly across the show ground. Investigation showed that the dust was really myriads of tiny active mpects, best known to the harassed farmer under the name of turnip blight. This scourge is at present very prevalent in the Taieri and StrathTaieri districts, and when there is a warm sun and gentle breeze it rises off the more or less ruined turnip crops and drifts about m the manner described. The settlers in the Onewhero district are suffering from a variety of pests, caterpillars, grasshoporrs, crickets, and last, but not least,* use Californian quail, which are so numerous that many people consider poison to be the only way to reduce their numbers. On some of the bush "burns", says a orrespondant to the "Aukland Herald," they are like poultry in a farmyard, and the feelings of men who are sowing mixtures containing a large amount of clnvp r at Is per jb, may easily be imaging, as the quail leave very little behind them. The proposal to make this year a close season is viewed with alarm, and it is understood that the Government is to be again approached on the matter. Kabbits, also, hitherto quite unknown in this district, are this season appearing in alarming numbers. If the settlers make a determined effort now to shoot and poison them it would save them endtes3 trouble in the future. In spite of the pests, feed is very plentiful, stock look well, and creamery suppliers express themselves well satisfied witn the season's output. A student of sociology has recently compiled a statement showing the relative positions of women m the various countries of Europe. In this respect seems to be the most backward, seeing that a married woman cannot sign ' a cheque for her own money, "nor can she give evidence in a court of law. In France married women may'give evidence, but not without the consent of their husbands. Nor may they seek employment without a similar sanction. Women may practise as attorneys, but they may >ot be judges. In Germany one fourth <fthe female population is self supour. ■ ••><* and wives and husbands have a j . 7/t control over the children. In Norway the work of enfranchisement i d nearly complete, and in is probably the only country in which women are regularly drawn for jury service Turkey stands at the head of the list" in spite of the harem system. A married woman is financially independent of her husband. He must endow her with a separate estate, and over thia he has no control. Probably more laws for the potection of women ex ist in Turkey than in any other county in the world.

A specimen of the Chilian pumpkin was exhibited at Oamaru last week. The monster weighs 961b ahcl measures sft 6in in circumference. During the past twelve months approximately five million gallons of water was consumed by those having extraodinary supplies from the Hawera borough service. The water is supplied at a cost of Is 3d per thousand gallons. The sand at Motoroa is saturated with pet'oleum. The other day some of the ••beach-combers" set fire to a pool of oil there. It burned furiously for three hours and presented a unique spectacle. All the shell fish in the locality are tainted with petroleum, and consequently unfit for 'consumption. At the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, before Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., Alexander White was charged with having sold a packet of cigarettes to Jack Roland Douglas, a youth under the age of fifteen years. Accused said the cigarettes were a special quality used by ladies. He understood the boy was getting them for someone else He was fined 403 and coats '9s. A vote fur another lighthouse will be placed on the Estimates by the Government next session. It is thought that the part of the coas? which now most urgent.y requires lighting is the long stretch between Cape Palliser and Napier. As has been done in for.iier cases it i 3 i<t 'nded to consult shipmasters as to the best position for a light before the site is finally fixed. The Rev. A. Hodge will conduct the seivices in the Conigegatioriai Church to-motrow. The morning subject will be "God Helps Those Who Help Themselves," and in the evening the series on Job will be continued, the subject being "A Solemn Oath of Innocence." Miss Hodge will sing Jude's beautiful solo "Just as I am, and the choir will sing the refrain. Denis McMullen was charged, before Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., yesterday, with procuring liquor curing the currency of a prohibition order. Accused pleaded guilty, and stated he thrught the order had expired when "No license" was carried. His Worship informed accused the order held ■for the whoh of the Dominion. He ■wa; fined 40s and 7s costs, time be--.mij: given in which to pay it. Our Te Wharau correspondent writes:—A peculiar circumstance in connection with a "head" brought in by a Te Wharau sportsman may be worth relating. On the jaws of the animal being examined the teeth •Were found to be covered by a layer of yellow substance, which good judges have be gold. The teeth have been forwarded to the Government Analyst, and some interesting developments may result frtm his analysis. The affiliation case Cecelia Petersen versus Alfred Pond uccupied the attention of Mr McCarthy, S M„ at Dannevirke, for the better part of two days, and concluded yesterday. Mr Gordon Lloyd appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr C. A. Pownall for the defendant. The Magistrate found that there wa3 sufficient corroboration, and made an order against the defendant of 7$ 6d per week, with medical and nursing costs £6 lis. and counsel's fee £3 3s. On the applicati nof Mr Fownall, security was fixed or appeal.

Master uharles Whittaker, a son of Mr J. Whittaker, of Masterton, ha 3 grown a fine crop of peanut tubers from a dnzen se ds which he planted in'sand in his garden. The plants came up and looked like red clover m'mu's the flower. The crop has not been dug yet. but Mr Whittaker senr. had the curiosity to scratch away the 'earth of one plant, and found quite a fine lot of tubers growing. The sample brought to the Age office last night was opened and found to contain two perfect nuts of full size. It would be of interest to learn, the value of the peanut plant as a fodder. We know the nuts have a great sale, and if there is a feed value in the plants it would be well to cultivate a larger area as a trial. New Zealand is to be well catered for shows this year. "Peter Pan" is at present in Wellington, and in May, Williamson's Grand Opera Company will come across, followed later by the pantomime "Alladdin." Nellie Stewart will pay another visit, with a new . company and repertory, including the great American success, "What Every Woman Knows." it is also said that the Williamson firm will send through the Dominion and American comedy company. Clarke and Meynell will be represented by George Willoughby's "The Night of the Party" Company, and Mr Harry i Roberts with Matheson Lang's sue cess "Pete." It is also on the cards that the firm's new opera company will be seen in "The Arcadians." The saintary authorities at Hong Eong have been warned of the importation from Canton of large - quantities of mosquito larvae. The discovery, apparenly, was only made by accident, but it seems that this disease bearing commodity has been coming down from the capital of Kwar.gtung for a long time, and is used principally to feed gold fish. The larvae is brought into Hong ~Kong on a reed, which the Chinese , call Sa Chung, and which is sold in ~" the streets of the city. {For one cent, it is stated, sufficient Sa Chung can be bought to feed a gold fish for quite a while, but the owner of the fish who stocks this dangerous fodder is probably blissfully ignorant that he is rearing his fish at the great .risk of the health of himself and his family. Tiie Committee'of the Knox Young People's Association met last night ■and decided to carry on under the name of the Knox Musical and Literary Association. The following draft programme was drawn up for submission at a social evening to be h;ld next Friday night—A lecture on H'-ndlel illustrated on the organ, with vocal items; a companion lecture on Beethoven; magic lantern night; lecture on cottage songs; reading from Longfellow; the best thing from Sarton Resartus; Symposium, my favourite book and why I like it; good things from W. W. Jacobs; biography of lan Maclaren. It was also decided to ask Dr. Gibb and Mr J. T. M. Hornsby each to ffive a lecture. The opening will be -in the form of a conversazione.

At Gleicoe ! Southland, the verr>ge attendance f°r the month of 'larch was 100 per cent, not one of he children being absent a half day during that period. Thomas Henry Rutherf rd. Montague Iggulden a<d V. G. Darroch ' were charged at the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, with riding bicycles within the Borough of Masterton between sunset and sunrise without lights. A fine of 5s and costs was imposed in each case. A good haul of schnapper w>is made the other day off the New Plymouth breakwater by a coupe of local fishermen. They were out for five or six hours, and brought back in their boat ab >ut 360 fine samples of fish, all of which were caught on lines 1 One man caught . about 90 and the other about 70.

Some individual stuck up in a proI minent part of Uunedin on Saturday night an announcement that Whelch had won the sculling championship by half alength. The news quickly spread, so many being on the qui vive, and was accepted as genuine, with the result that the Telegraph Department for a time did quite a lucrative business in the way of congratulatory messages and otherwise.

A chanre of exposing a pen of thirty sheep that were infected with lice in a public saleyard waR preferred against George Donovan by Mr A. T. P. Hubbard, Inspector of Stock, at the Magistrate's Court, before Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., yesterday. Prosecutor stated as this was the first case of the season he did not press for a heavy penalty. His Worship held that the offence was a serious one. In view ofthe circumstances, however he would only impose a penalty of 20s and costs.

Norman Hooker was charged on information at the Masterton Magistrate's Curt, yesterday, with spearingtrout in the Maungaterere river. The ranger said he saw defendant in the centre of the stream with a spear in his hand, stabbing into the water. The accused, a lad, said he was spearing for eels, and had tound the spear on the bank. The Bench held the evidence of the ranger conclusive, and fined accused 40s and costs, fourteen days being given in which to pay the fine. The .police brought a charge against Maur'ce Mitchell and Martin Carr, at the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, of driving sheep through Uhapel street, from the Waipoua river, on Sunday, without the sanction of the Borough Council. The Borough Inspector stated in evidence that both Dixon and Chapel streets had been used of late by drovers of sheep. Stock was very frequently driven past the Borough Council Chambers, but he had not heard ol any complaint being made. Moat of the titock was taken over the Waipoua brides. He did not think there was any by-law posted up in town j with regard to this offence. Mr D. ' K. Logan, who appeared for accused, contended that no special instructions for a prosecution had been issued by the Borough Council, and that therefore the prosecution should not have been made. W. McKenzie, the owner of the sheep, stated that Chapel street was used more frequently than any other for sheep. It had been used now for a number of years, and no objection had been made. His Worship said he would take into consideration the fact'that the bylaw in regara to this matter had been a dead letter for some time, and would dismiss both cases with a caution. A lady's free wheel bicycle is advertised for sale at a cheap price. Mr H. A. Jones, architect, invites tenders for the re-instatement of a residence in Church street. The Mormon Elders will hold religious services in the Kuripuni Hall, Masterton, to-morrow, at 7 pm. Elder Erickson will take, charge. At the Methodist Church to-morrow evening Rev. C. E. Porter will continue the series of lectures on "The Foundation Stone of the Christian Religion." Tenders are invited by Mr C G. Monro, architect, for the erection of a residence in Cole street Plans and specifications may be seen at Mr Monro's office, at the Bank of New Zealand Buildings. To-day is the last day of Mr H. Hadley's great boot sale. Town and country patrons are invited to call and see for themselves the extensivenes of the range of bargains in every department. Mr P. Hamill has just received a beautiful assortment uf Derby; and handkerchief ties, and as he has purchased them at a price greatly below their real value he intends giving his customers thn henefit of this special purchase. Patrons will also note that his drapery and showroom values are decidedly reasonable. Messrs J. McQueen and Sons hold their poultry and room sale this afternoon, commencing at 1 o'clock, when a large number of lines will be offered. At the room sale a particularly fine assnrment of fancy plants from the nurseries of Messrs Benefield and Son, of Aramoho, will be submitted. Harvest Festival Services will be held at the Salvation Army Barracks to-morrow and Monday. There will be special singing by a male elee party, and action songs by chiirden The sale of goods and produce will take place on Monday. The proceeds will be in aid of the local Salvation Army work. "'Hot now—hot to-morrow''is the title of a nerf advertisement relating to the Thermos Flask inserted by Mr H. T. Wood, chemist and optician, elsewhere in this issue. Ihese remarkable flasks, which are last coming into popularity will keep liquid quite hot for no less a period than twenty four hours. On this account they are a boon during a long cold journey, in the sicK-room, nursery, etc. They are of the very best workmanship, durable and quoted at reasonable rates. The Thermos Jug is an adaptation of the Thermos Flask, specially designed for diningroom and home use Those interested are cordially invited to call and in spect the new lines which are now on view. When winter's cold blase Is afeared by all tongues, ACACIAN BALSAM is Best for the lungs. Take a dose now and then, TJ?e remedy's sure, For coughing, if left, is Not easy to cure. Barraclou&h'a Aeacian Lung