LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10139, 17 January 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There are at the present time only four patients in the South Wairarapa Hospital.

The latest return from the Worksop dredge is 54ozs for 112 hours' work. The Masterton Hospital Committee holds its monthly meeting at the Hospital this morning. Two inebriates were accommodated in the Masterton police cells yesterday. They will explain this morning. There are thirty-one officials in the High Commissioner's office in London. Their salaries this year amount to £6310. An average of about 8001bf: of poisoned pollard per diem is at present being sent out from the Masterton depot of the Agricultural Department. Tokomaru Bay is becoming an important shipping centre. Recently there were no less than six vessels in the bay on one day. Quite a crowd of young ladies took advantage of the Carterton swimming baths yesterday morning, and enjoyed an hour in the water. The salaries of the Magistrate and officers connected with the Court in Masterton and district.are,,set down in 1 , the' appropriation list at £1445' for this! year. A large quantity of cooksfoot grassseed is being .harvested in the Pongaroa district this year. . The seed?j is said to be bright, clean, and of ex- j cellent quality. | An Edendale dairy ..rainier ..last. mon.tk.drew a cheque for £6O from the dairy company,.as theresult" tif "the milking of 32 cows." Grass- is very ■plentiful in the district. ' It is proposed that the South African campaigners'' dinner "■"' be held in Masterton on the second day of the show It is not improbable that the officers attending the instructional camp at Tauherenikau will be invited to be present. There are seven fruit inspectors in New Zealand at the present time, whose salaries aggregate £1295; thirteen orchard instructors with salaries amounting to £2230; and eleven dairy instructors, whose salaries total £3190. Rapid progress is being made- with the new portion of the South Wairarapa Hospital. The whole of the exterior of the building is finished with ' -the exception of plastering" Siidfpaints ing. The contractor is now busy finishing off the inside of the building. A Masterton resident, who has just returned from a visit to the Pongaroa district, states that the country thereabouts is looking exceedingly well just now. There is an abundance of grass, and stock has fattened well.

About twelve hundred invitations have been issued by the Masterton A. and P. Association for the picnic, to be held at Solway on Thursday. It is anticipated that fully two thousand persons will be present on the grounds. ~,,-A man named Ryan, ftko'was con- | victed last week at Timaru on a charge I of "ringing the changes," s;as discovered to be a notorious New Zealand .criminal as the result of his; fingerprints being Gaoler*'J. J. Weathered and • forwarded /to' Wellington.; . <% v ■■ *< Although the general entries for the Eketahuna Show, to be held on Monday,, January 23rd, closed on Saturday last, late entries will be receiveid by the secretary up till Wednesday night,, on the payment of an additional Is per entry. It;is stated (says a Ghristcfaurch telegram) that the woollen mills of New Zealand generally are suffering from;/a shortage of: hands,: .(especially girls. The manager of the Kaiapoi Company states that this trouble prevents him tendering for big Government contracts. Mr E. Richards, of Masterton. received a telegram yesterday, from Mr J. Hessey, stating that the "Success" dredge had started operations, and was doing well. This is One of tlie largest dredges gold-seeking in. the Dominion,' and a- considerable number of. the shares are held' in Masterton. , Californian thistle is declared to be spreading throughout the whole of the Gisborne 'district. One settler in the Mangatu is taking effective steps + t indicate the weed by chipping the thistle over his extensive property, and covering the top for some distance round with a heavy layer of salt. About 125 tons of salt are being used for'this purpose. A copy of a pamphlet entitled, "The Premier, and His Troubles," has reached us from Mr A. R. Barclay, 8.A., L.L.D.. late M.P. for Dunedin. At the outset it talks of the inept conduct of 13ir Joseph Ward, and in •conclusion it says, "the end is surely coming." Most people will agree that it is. The pamphlet should have a wide circulation, for it is being delivered "free." A one-innings cricket match was played on the Mrr-terton Park Oval yesterday afternoon between a team representing the "Dollar Princess" Company, and a scratch local team. The latter won, after a pleasant game, by 159 runs to 112. The most successful bats for the visitors were Quartley (40) and Ratcliffe (25), and for the local players, Moorhouse (64) and Waugh (51). Both of the latter players retired without completing their innings. The people of Nireaha, beyond Eketahuhav are anxious that the school reserve in that district should be converted into a, recreation ground. The Wellington Education Board has offered to dedicate the land to the dis-.-trict, provided that the Land Board ! will give an area.of land at Silverstream, required for school purposes, in exchange. Negotiations have now been proceeding for some months, and, it is hoped that finality will be reached at an early date.

An earthquake shock was , experienced at Wairoa at 4.30 on Sunday afternoon. The Williamson Opera Company leaves for Dannevjrke by the early train this morning. A rape crop at Ashburton has become aifected with blight. The owner hopes that rain may entirely disperse the disease. A book fiend named Stewart Scott was fined £lO and costs at Hokitika for a common assault on a married woman. The wretched ventilation and de- . fective lighting at the Masterton Town Hall were again the subject of unfavourable comments by patrons of the building last evening. The Masterton Homing Pigeon Club intend releasing about six or seven hampers of birds at the picnic, to be held in the new showgrounds on Thursday. This is being done to arouse public interest in the big bracelet race to be held in connection with the forthcoming show, i It is expected that there wflT Be about 300 ; 6iirds> entered! for the competition. The police raided the camp of H. Sorrcnsen at Wailii Beach Heads yesterday morning, and seized a quantity of liquor, some of which was buried in the ground outside and inside the 1 tent. The camp is situated just out—side the.boundary line of' the NoLicense.district of Ohinemuri and the ■■-• Tauranga electorate. Sbrrensen will "* be charged with sjy-grog.selling. ~' The bathers and residents atWorser Bay, Wellington, were considerably exGiiedi on Sunday afternoon by the appearance of a shark disporting •■ itself in shallow water close to the shore. A couple of young men, Messrs Skelton and Steele, in a boat followed it to deeper waters, where they baited it with a dainty morsel of conger eel.' It was quickly towed to the shore, and found to measure over eight feet. The perfocmance put up by tne Masterton amateurs at the provincial championship meeting in Wellington, ; on, Saturday last, -was highly creditiable.V'\4M£, J. H. Berry was.first** in.,.,,h* the 75yds event and seconcTin the ,100 yds:; "Mr- R.McKenzie ..was first r >.~ in the 120 yaids hurdles, third in the 440 yds hurdles, third in the 440 yds flat event, and second in the hop, step and jump; Mr H. A. Hodge tied for first place in the high jump, and was'second in the 120fds hurdles: while Mr fl. F. R. Messenger was second in the Ladies' Bracelet. At a dinner held on Saturday evening in connection with the Wellington centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association,- a surprise . was sprung on Mr W. L. Dunn, the Masterton Club's delegate on the Wellington Centre, and hon. secrer tary of that body, wHe'rf'the chairman, on behalf of the Masterton Club, ask' ed him to accept a sovereign case as a small token of esteem in which he is held by their club. >At a meeting held in Masterton on Saturday;,, night v df; the Wairarapa South African Campaigners' Association, a letter was received from the secretary to His Excellency the Governor, stating that Lord Islington would be pleased to attend the annual re-uniou in the event of his be* . ing able to visit "Masterton on Fcburary JSth. ■ avouid l)e ■forwarded later. decided that; the annual .re-union take the ". form of .a .dinner, to which the charge ' ; for admission would be 7s 6d, ;iA!com-' " : ; mittee was set up to -make' the neees- ""■*' sary arrangements. The committee of the Wairarapa Swimming Club, realising the futility of amateurs attempting to make a satisfactory display of fireworks (as .evidenced by repeated failures) undertook 1 v dt considerable - expense : to engage the Miramar Fireworks Company for their annual, carnival on, -Monday next, January 23. Mr-Hop-' kins, the director, will personally supervise the display, and has guaranteed the finest pyrotechnic display ever showmin Masterton. A set of moving pictures will be shown prior to the fireworks, commencing. at 7.30. Admission is, adults Is, children 6d, grandstand, 6d extra. Mr Richard Stewart, manager for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., requests lis to express his sincere regret that, through an unfortunate error, an announcement was made by circular in the Town Hall last evening that the American actress, Katherine Grey, would. appear in Masterton in "The Lion and the Mouse" on March 17th next. The Hall lias been Tjobked for that date by tlie Hibernian Society. The WilliamsonCompany appear hereon March 16th.. -. There are a large number of farmers who own stock that could successfully compete with the best shown at the various A. and P. shows, but for some reason or other they are never seen in the prize ring. We wonder if these' persons have ever considered the enhanced value that a first or even ac second prize would' give to the animals who win them, and the extra demand there would be for their progeny. It is never too late to make a start, and the Feilding Show, to be held on February 7th and Bth, offers exceptional opportunities for farmers to make their initial attempt. As entries close oit Friday next, the 20th inst., there is not much time to lose, and those contemplating sending exhibits should apply to the office ©f this paper or to the secretary for aprize list.

A ten-mile section of the Napier'Gisborne railway is likely to be put in hand before very long. A Spanish wool firm had a representative at the recent wool sale at Napier, which was an unprecedented occurrence. Heavy fines are imposed, at Hastings, on cyclists for riding on footpaths and without lights, viz., 30s and costs, in default seven clays' hard labour. ~ A case has been filed against the Hastings Borough Council for employing men at the sewer by piece work and failing to pay them by the hour as required by the Act, and, as an alternative case,,' for paying less than the award rates. A project is now on foot to build freezing Avorks at Whangarei, in the Auckland Provincial district. Expert evidence is being obtained as to the •suitability of the harbour for the loading of Home liners. If the report proves favourable the flotation of the new company is assured. .A meeting of the Programme Committee of the Masterton Competitions Society was held last evening.'A code of rules, based chiefly on the rules of the Dunedin Competitions Society, was drawn up. A programme was drafted to be submitted to the general meeting, to be held in a fortnight's time. The name of a judge for the •elocutionary competitions was proposed as a recommendation to the general meeting. A number of Wellington swimmers, including R. Healy, are arranging to arrive in Masterton on Saturday even-, ing nest, and will.be the guests of the Masterton Swimming Club until the carnival on Anniversary Day. Giving to the presence of such a large number of well-known swimmers from ■Wellington there should be no lack of interest in the day's sport. Keen competition should result in all the -open events, for as Mr R. Healy says, in a letter to the secretary, Mr J. , Georgeson, "the : cream of Wellington swimmers are arranging to make the trip." A smart boy for the office is wanted bythe W.F.C.A. A 'good butcher's boy is advertised for. -V A well-bred pony broken to either saddle or harness is advertised for sale. Tenders are invited by the Masterton County Council for 41 chains of formation, Mangarai Road. A 10-roomed residence, with 4 acres, 12 acres, or 20 acres of land, is advertised to be let. A reward is offered for the recovery ■of a gig cushion, lost between Lansdowne and Masterton. . Nominations for .the Whakataki Hack Racing Club close on Friday, January 20th. -Messrs Dalgety :''•■and Co., Ltd., make important additions to their Masterton Horse Sale catalogue .on '2lst. Also to their Taratahi; stock sale on 23rd inst. Messrs Nicol and Edwards, land agents, Queen Street, advertise particulars of a property for straight-out lease suitably adapted for grazing and cropping. Also a desirable farming property of 500 acres is offered that is well suited for sheep and dairy farming. " Messrs C. C. Ross and Co.. have had placed in'their hands for exchange for a farm some first-class town properties, being main. : street shops and residence's, .all let to good tenants. Particulars of the rents and outgoings are to be found on page eight of this issue. Mr W. H. Cruickshank, land agent, Masterton, advertises for sale a splendid fattening farm of 500 acres of land in the Wangaehu Valley. There is a largefam'ily residence, a woolshed, and all conveniences. Being within a. short distance of the market town of Masterton this .property should command attention". Wjith our country edition to-day we are circulating an inset of the Wairarapa Farmers' alteration sale, which commences on the 21st inst, and "closes on February 4th. The Masterton premises of the W.F.C.A. are to undergo extensive alterations, ami it is to save unnecessary handling that the stock is to be cleared out at a sacrifice. Mr G. H. Perry notifies that be has taken over the business of Messrs J. .!). Cruickshank and Co., Ltd., which, in future will be carried- on in the name of G. H. Perry and Co. A list of agencies in the firm's hands are published. Mr G. H. Perry is widely known, and has a thorough knowledge of all stock and farm requirements: Clients entrusting their business to the new firm may depend upon receiving prompt and efficient attention.