LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10156, 30 December 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wairarapa Age will not be published on Monday next, which is the legal New Year's Day. A hailstorm was experienced on the Taratahi on Thursday afternoon.

An important meeting of the Shearers' Union is to be held in Masterton this evening. Several parties of Masterconians who are camped at Castlepoint are reported to be having a most enjoyable time at the seaside.

During the chopping contests fit Patersonia, in Tasmania, the head of an axe flew off, killing a spectator named Collins.

The Auckland Central Mission Band gave an entertainme'.y!; ;./t. Featherston yesterday, and visit Martinborough to-day.

Twenty-three truck loads of sheep arrived at the Masterton railway station yesterday from, the North, for the Waingawa Freezing Works. Mr J. C. Boddington reports that the rainfall registered at the Upper Plain for the 24 hours precoding 9 a.m. on Thursday was 32 points. A Wakanui (Canterbury) farmer says that, in his opinion, some of the wheat in his district will, yield well over 40 bushels per acre. At the annual meeting of the Wanganui Rifle Association, Captain Welch, of Masterton, was elected one of the Vice-Presidents.

The New South Wales Minister of Lands states that in future land agents will be registered, and if their duty is not properly done they will bo struck off the roll.

Entries for the stacking competition in connection with the Masterton A. and P. Association, for which a prize of £5 has been given by Mr James McGregor, close to-morrow. A Sydney cable states that Peter Bowling's defeat fof the presidency of the Employees- Federation is mainly attributable to the voting of the Maitland men.

It is stated that more money was put through the totalisator at the various race meetings in New Zealand during the Christmas holidays than in any previous year in the history of the Dominion.

It is said that some ot the oat crops on the Ashburton Plains are so short in the straw that farmers will experience considerable difficulty in reaping them; indeed, it will be necessary to strip some of the grain.

The irrigation of the Steward Settlement is now just about completed. The water is proving a great boon to owners of live stock, although the construction of the races has been . a long and weary wait for the settlers.

A foreigner named Clemisha, who is a stranger to the town, was found lying very ill in a Woodville street on Wednesday afternoon. He was taken to the police station, and received immediate medical attention, but died an hour later.

After a thorough investigation into the alleged lifting and burning of a body by a sexton, the Church of England Cemetery Board in Duriedin is satisfied that the incident had been greatly exaggerated. The sexton's suspension has been removed, and he has been reinstated in his position.

A Timaru Herald reporter was told by one whose knowledge on the subject is considerable, that the prices for fat lambs in South Canterbury have opened at quite a penny per lb. higher than they did last year. Mutton has also opened fairly well, and at a better price than in 1909.

One solitary copy of the Decalogue does service at the Masterton District High School. It adorns the walls of the headmaster's office, and is only called into requisition on special occasions. If a boy or girl seriously misconducts his or herself, the Ten Commandments are produced, and the offender is made to stand for a given time and read them.

West Australia means to abolish the barmaid. Many of them are coming to Sydney and Melbourne, says a Sydney paper.. In several Sydney hotels there are girls behind the bar, strange faces, who have joined the exodus from Perth and Fremantle and Kalgoorlie. Legislators in West Atistralia are passing an enactment which will mean that after March, 1911, the employment of barmaids will be prohibited unless such barmaids have been engaged for at least three months in the year before the passing of the Act.

Mr A. Herbert, of Eketahuna, who recently returned from a trip to the Old Country, was much struck with -the contrasts which he witnessed in England. On one hand there was evidence of ' immense wealth —on the other extreme poverty. In London there were horse 'busses running in the same thoroughfares with the most modern electric trams. In the country he noticed a man cutting corn with a scythe, whilst on the adjoining field another was ploughing with' a motor plough.

A narrow escape from drowning occurred in the Waipoua River on Wednesday afternoon. A party of picnickers, with their children, were on the hanks of the river, when a child five years old, a daughter of Mr F. Moloney, by some means fell into a deep hole. One of the other children ran screaming to its parents*, and a youth in the party, named George Sandiford, rushed to the hole, and jumped in fully clad. The. child, Avhich was sinking for the third time, was brought out in an exhausted condition. Restorative measures were taken, and the child recovered. Had it not been for the plucky act of the lad Sandiford, a drowning fatality would most assuredly have been recorded.

NO HOME WITHOUT A PIANO. To make and keep homo homely, you need a piano in it. Thanks to the Dresden Piano Company's honest and reasonable system of deferred payments, there are pianos in thousands of New Zealand homes, and the number increases daily. The four best pianos are The Broadwood? The RonischZ The

Lipp! and The Steinway! A big new shipment of these famous and delightful instruments has just arrived. If you are thinking of a piano, write or call NOW. The Dresden Piano Company carries very large stocks, so that there is not the slightest difficulty in suiting all tastes and requirements. If you want a good reliable piano at a reasonable price, go to ' THE DRESDEN PIANO COMPANY LIMITED, WELLINGTON. M. J. BROOKES, North Island Manager; Local Representatives: Inns and Goddnvd. next Club Hotel.

The mail si.■-'";■:!•:;• ic-rdc arrived at Wellington yesterday with 701 passengers, of whom".*);"] were third-class.

A London cable says that the list of New Year honours will not appear until Monday next.. -

The traini!i;>':;H!!p af Feailierston for officers and in,.'nx tors of the Territorials, commences nil .January 7th.

It is expeeu-d ih-i! the coal export from West perl wil! exceed that of last year by something like 100,000 tons.

Masterton. old age pensioners will bo able to p .-or. ;;•<.: Lhi'; month's pensions to-morrew.

The Kaupo!\o-:;i!i Dairy Factory, in Taranaki, whieh. was recently destroyed by fire, v.:]! probably be rebuilt in concrete.

One or i\v« Masierlonians have booked passages fur the Sounds excursion to be made hv the Mokoia at New Year's time.

The Kaitanga'.:.•( branch of the Farmers' Union is advocating tho establishment of a Government experimental farm in the siUAhorri portion of the Dominion.

The total immigration into Canada for 1909 was 208,000. For the present fiscal year the figures wil! total 300,000. A still greater increase for 1911 is expeci.e.l.

Dr. David Havf.n!. who recently died at his farm at l.Vndre, Llangorse, Brecousliire, weighed thirtythree stone, though tie was only sft Sin in height.

A movement is on foot for a Scottishnational memorial io Thomas Carlyle. It is proposed to oYor-i statues at Ecclefechan, where the literary giant lies buried, at Edinburgh, and possibly; at Kirkcaldy and Glasgow. .

Although no actual date has yet been fixed for the meeting of the next Imperial Conference; it is expected, according to Reuters Agency, that.it will assemble in London in the middle of May, and will last about a month.

The British South African Company has issued a new and attractive set,of. Rhodesian'' postage stamps. The stamps differ materially from previous issues in that they bear, the portraits' of their Majesties the King and Queen.

Archdeacon has just returned to England after living for fifty years in China as a missionary. When he went out in April, 1861, the voyage toChina took four months; he returned home via the Siberian Railway, and did the journey to London in . sixteendays.

A tropical downpour of rain occurred in Masterton yesterday. The water-tables were flooded for a time. The rain will have a revivifying effect upon grass and vegetation, though it will result in the temporary cessation of harvesting operations. ...

It is computed by a competent,.authority that eight factories doing business in Stratford produced in .November of this year butter-fat in excess of that produced in November,: 1909, to the extent of some 27,0001b, representing some £I2OO.

The Taranaki Herald states- thereis plenty of work for all classes of labour in New Zealand just now, with the sole exception of men who are only able to take clerical jobs..Officials of? the Labour Department say that they are in a position to quickly place all classes of tradesmen, but that there is absolutely no demand for clerks.

A number of Anglican clergymen in Victoria have formulated a protest against the proposed marriage of a fellow-clergyman to his deceased wife's sister. The feeling among leading members of his congregation is not antagonistic, and there are already three Anglican clergymen in Australia married under similar circumstances.

It would appear (says the Waikato Argus) that it is only a question of time when a Government supporter who dares to differ from the Hon. R. McKenzie and has sufficient temerity to express his opinion will be sentenced to 14 days' solitary confinement on bread and water, and all votes for his district cancelled.

A rather important development has occurred which threatens seriously to affect the export of white pine to Sydney for butter boxes. A big Sydney butter box firm has ordered three million feet of Japanese -timber, which has been tested and found to be quite satisfactory for butter box manufacture. Japanese timber can be landed in Sydney cheaper than New Zealand white pine.

ATaranaki farmer put his name to a testimonial asserting the benefits of a certain cattle drench. This testimonial was advertised extensively, 'i and a copy of one New Zealand paper containing it was seen by a young lady residing in Glasgow, who thus was brought into communication with a relative, all trace of whom had been lost by his people at Home for nearly fifty years. That farmer is a great believer in advertising now, as he says one never knows when and by whom an advertisement is seen and read. 'He says he little dreamed that when he gave the testimonial it would lead "to such a happy result. He had lost all trace of his relatives for forty-eight years, and was not aware; till the letter carrier found him whether any of them were still living.

YOUR LAST CHANCE FOR THIS GREAT PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION. Don't hesitate another moment, or the chance of winning one of .thret* valuable cameras will be lost -for ever. Sit down right away, seize your pen, and write a short, simple message on a halfpenny postcard, asking: for entry form and rules. Then get imbued with the spirit of determination to win, and one of. these fine prizes will be yours as like as not. Take your camera with you during the holidays. "New Zealand Country Life" offers unlimited scope for prize' winning photography. There is some time for you to enter the Competition and get busy with your camera. The first prize winner may secure his picture on the very last day of the competition December 31st. Why should it not be you? The splendid cameras offered as prizes are valued at £lO, all three being right up to date in all points. Imagine getting one of these beautiful prizes for the mere trouble of writing a postcard and taking a picture. You will be able to improve yourself in the art with the new camera and qualify for remunerative photography. Remember, the competition closes on December 31st, so make no delay in sending for entry form and rules to The? Imperial Camera Co., Willis.Street, Wellington. '

Messrs Abraham and Williams, Liu. make additions to their Masterton stock sale list. Mr J. Henderson, bookseller, an nounces that he-has a full stock o 1911 diaries in all sizes. A woman to do plain sewing, todays a week, is advertised for. Ad dress may bo obtained at this office. Between 140 and 150 picture sho are at present running in Sydney am its suburbs. Gas cookers are on exhibition a the Municipal Gas Showrooms, Quee Street. The half-yearly summoned mecui: of the Foresters' Lodge will be held tii. evening at eight o'clock. A full ; tendance is requested. ■ All accounts against the Wairava Amateur Athletic Club arc to lie I'o warded to the hon. secretary, Mr Job. Coradine. Messrs McLeod and Young ; clearing out toys and calendars from the Christmas trade durirv day and to-morrow at twenty-five cent, off ordinary prices. A Yale Post Office key, founo the mountain house, Mount ? n worth, during the Xmau holidn,\ awaits ownership at this office. A six-roomed house, with all ■■■■■ veniences and close to town, is . <;■ vertised for sale by Mr W. H. Cnu\-; shank, land agent, on page 8 of thi issue. The great sale of Donaghy's medal binder twine is the best evl dence of its efficiency. The Masteri c. Farmers' Implement Co., Ltd., win their usual enterprise, have larg( stocks in hand, to which the specin attention of farmers is directed. TL. firm also have full stocks of harvesting requisites, and they will be pleased to supply the fullest information to anyono on application.