LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10170, 21 February 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

-, According to a Gisborne telegram, a tlireeryear-old son ,of Mr John Christie fell intothe river at the Waimata Valley yesterday, while playing with his brother, and was drowned.

Native owners in New Zealand paid the enormous sum of £212 6s 9d in land tax during the year 1909-10.

The mortgage tax collected in New Zealand for the year 1909 was £168,318 os lOd.

There were in August last 5,455 occupation->\ ith-right-of-purehase__ settlers in New Zealand, holding 1,758,405 acres of land.

The Ma'sterton branch of tlio Government Stock Department has received orders for 40001hs of rabbit poison since Saturday last.

A raid was made on a fish restaurant in Wellington on Sunday by Sergeant Rutledge, and a quantity of liquor was seized.

There are at present- about 4000 sheep at the Waingawa.' freezing .works awaiting the knife of the butcher.

The total number of persons who paid land tax in New Zealand last year was 19,794: Of this number, 48 paid over £SOO each in taxation.

A public gathering is to bo held in Auckland to accord a fitting send-off to the Prime Minister and AttorneyGeneral. •. ■ • '"'".■• •:..■'.'■ «

A donation of £SO has been made by Mrs Meredith, of LI and a ft', to - the St; Matthew's vicarage improvement fund. \

Railway porters in New Zealand were paid a maximum of 7s 6d per day thirty years ago. To-day they are paid a maximum of only 8s per day.

A Dunedin telegram states that a breach of promise action, Susan Cameron versus Alex. Ness, was settled out of Court, plaintiff accepting £262 10s.

A New Plymouth .telegram, received yesterday afternoon, says:—-Light rain set in at 8.30 this morning, which will, remove all anxiety on account of bush fires and if continued will give the pastures a fresh start. During the year ending March 31st last there were 798 Crown land defaulters in New Zealand, in respect of: non-residence conditions. There were also 930 who failed to,effect the improvements required underHhe Act.

Th? Labour Journal for this month contains an account of the firsjt case, heard at Wangaiiui,re enforcement of section 13 of the amended Shops and Offices Act in respect to partners being employed after hours.

,',, The annual.. mooting; of • siibscribers" J to the Masterton Technical School, for the election of managers for thfc ensuing year, takes.place this evening. The..annual report of.the retiring managei;a will.be. to-day; '';. .:"'.,''■•:■■'•■'■■ "" '■■' ;"''."'; '■' "■ A .horse belonging to Mr Page, drover, of Masterton, which was running in a paddock in Johnston Street, was frightened by a traction engine yesterday momiug,. and suffered such damage through getting its legs into a barbed wire fence, thatjit had to be .destroyed. r ■ V .' '; With regard to the statement, that two of the Sedgwick boys hadrun away to Australia from Christchurch, it has. now been stated that the boys in question missed the boat at Hohart, but since then arrangements "have been made to bring them to New'Zealarid. Mr Sedgwick, who has been visiting the English boys recently placed on farms in the Wairarapa ex*pressed himself, yesterday, as being very pleased with the conditions under which the boys are. working. . The boys themselves appear'to be-very, ■'well satisfied." '-'•.'*•. '" ■". ' '.' ... ':-''.''

>The long spell of dry weather which has: heeni;experienced, in Masterton was broken yesterday afternoony when light.showers of rain fell. In the evening there was a heavy and sustained downpour. This will

most appreciable" effect yegeta tion in the district.

About twenty .members of the Opaki Rifle Club will compete in-the shooting matches, at Greytown on February 28th and March Ist, and at Trentham oh"*-March 3rd and succeeding days. The Club's "A" team has always started favourite in the match for the Champion Shield, and it is expected to do so again this year. The team has already won this coveted trophy" twice, and has never yet been . lower than third in the competition. - A Masterton resident, who has just returned from Wellington, inspected the damaged bows of the steamer Sussex, which rammed the s. s. Ruahine in the Las Palmas harbour recently. The vessel, is badly knocked ■? about, but the repairs will be effected without docking the ship; as the injured plates,are all above the water line.

The Veterinarian of the ' Farmers' Union writes as follows to the Farmers' Union Advocate:—"A _ considerable number of sheep harbour bots in most countries. Occasionally they cause some temporary trouble, and-in rare cases serious trouble; but as a general rule the sheep seem to be none the worse/for their presence. Like the horse-bot, the parasite has a miich worse reputation than it deserves.".

In his last report to the Labour Journal, the Masterton agent of the Labour Department writes:—During the past month the conditions of trade and labour have maintained. a fair standard. A number of summer sales have commenced, and so far report "good business. Harvesting tions have absorbed a considerable number of workers. The now freezing works are still increasing their staff, so that a ; large number of .hands> are now engaged in this industry. Stationholders and farmers are now going in extensively for rabbit "extermination ; consequently a large number of men are engaged in laying poison. There is, however, not any marked improvement in the majority of trades, which are reported as normal.

WHAT ABOUT HAWKES! TJio Wellington Garrison Band won the Championship and also (the Challenge Shield at the Plamerston North Band Contest of 1911. They used Hawkes' Excelsior Sonorous Band Instruments— a complete set! In the first test piece this noted Wellington Band was allotted the maximum number of points, the judge declaring that he had never heard better playing, and commending in eulogistic iterms the tone and blend 1 . The Wellington Tramway Band, also using a complete set of Hawkes' Excelsior Sonorous Instruments, won the B Grade. The judge congratulated this band on their playing. These two successes in Grade A and Grade B, on such a great occasion, are worthy wins for Hawkes, whose instruments are pre-eminent all over the world. Bandsmen! Buy a set of Hawkes—there are honours and valuable'-prizes' to be won with them* Write for Catalogues. Sole agents —The DRESDEN PIANO CO., Ltd., Wellington. Local Representatives: "Messrs Inns and Goddard, next dub Hotel.

Sharks are reported to bo very plen- \ tifii'l in Wellington harbour just now. The implement makers' strike in Melbourne directly and indirectly affects about ten thousand persons. It is stated that shags have proved very destructive of late to trout m the Ruamahunga River. A sitting of the Native Land Court is to be held at Grey town on February 24th. Deer are very mimerous in the.Wairarapa and Masterton ofstricts this year, and a good season's stalking is promised. The Masterton Co-operative Dairy Company yesterday paid out the sum of £lOOl Is 5d to its suppliers, for but- . ter fat for the past month. . Several interesting cases are sot down for hearing at the fortnightly kitting of the Magistrate's Court . in Masterton on Thursday An excursion to Wellington will ho ; ■'■,).. made by the children of the Parkvale, Dalefield, and Belvedere schools on Friday next. A considerable number of names ; - '.have..recently been added to the Mas- ' terton Burgess List. There are now between 1400 and 1500 names on the " residential voters'listi J Some of the settlers on the East Cqast intend warning deer-stalkers oft': their properties in the coming season,, as a protest against indiscriminate stalking. ■ c • ' r- ~ ' Some very fine specimens of cocksfoot grass, grown in the Masterton district, were on exhibition at the-, rev cent show. judge remarked: that . , it would be hard to find its equal in any part of New Zealand. The monthly meeting of the Council of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce is to -be held at 3.30 p.m. on Friday next. A general meeting of members of the Chamber willvb-3 held at '4 p.in..^r-"' -v.'' -, ; . .-.". : v--..' -' Thereceipts of the Masterton Techj nical School foi- the.year ending Decemb'er 31st last ...amounted to £742-lis. ' .lid, and the experiditure tbi£Blß 18s - . ' _2d.y The principal iteiii of expenditure was £540 IBs- 4d for salaries of ini structors.:.' • . ./'■■ \ u ■'■'-.' * ■■■Y'-: % [.' It was decided by the General \CoinI mittee of the Masterton Musical and. ; Elocutionary ' Competitions "Society to appoint Dr. Bradshaw,. .•: of Christchurch, judge of musjc at the 5- July competitions," and Mr B. J. Dol* l.an. pf Napier, judge pf the elocution- "■* - ary events. " '.'.,-,-'. /->.';'."'i The Masterton oimludancejvaS-twice : s ; called; intoyequisjtjoii ,V i; oncevto' talie, a yoiing hian ; tp 'tHe -lios- V pita I who was suffering from measles, and;the second timojto-convey to the- * institution a man. who had fallen from -: s 'the train.':.,- '"- ■,.''•.,,. '■'Y^.YY : [ YYYIi The Key. H..Wa&6n has given no--Y-a tice to move at tile next meeting of the. e General, Committee of the Masterton Musical. and Elocutioiiaiy 'Competifc tiona Society that prizes for thefprth-. - coming competition % given as far. as> s> possible in trophies instead.of cash: - ; '•- In a case heard in the Divorce ; ; *. Court at 'Christchurch, yesterday, Mr i a Justice JJerinfstpn said /it was' quite /; Y clear the petitioner had. been in com- ;-:,-?' g munication with the correspondent 1 and-; a others, with a view to securing eVi- \ ;. dehce agairistfiis decliiied to- ■): g encourage connivance at '. % , x Ultimately the case was,apjouraed for ■o a day. ..:■'■'"* '■' ■:' , --'.l--:v ':■:■, i"*''■■ .'s''Y<' 'Y' r ' ■' ■ n' ■ ""'■ ; .^^■'v3T--;—■■-'■ u Two; and ' *: leas6s-in-perpetuity in the ; 'obminion: h have made -app)ication/,for*;the riglifc n to:purchase.the>^fee^™p7e^o^^Vtheir"? n lands under "section the iLand e Act Amendment Act, 1957, or section 3- 177 of the Act, .1909,. r '.

It is probable/that-Mr L. G. Reid,. S.M., will on 'Thursday give his.decision on the points raised before' theCompensation Court as to jurisdiction in the case in which Mr W. Leit'z is claiming £lB7 from the Masterton Borough Council for land dedicated for street-widening.' Discussing the mice of hemp with a. Manaw&tu Herald representative, # a miller stated that lie would continue .■running so IpSg as/there was no further appreciable drop in the values at Home. He said that £l9 10s in London for "good fair" :at,thV present time was equal to £2l a year or so ago, on account of the good price now being received for tow. A meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton Musical .and Elocutionary Competitions-Society was held )&& ev ening,, -Mr R. W. Robsonpresiding over a good attendance, fudges for the. competitions in, July were appointed, and a -considerable/amount of routine business was transacted,. Sub-committees were set up ;to canvassfor members and trophies. The Secretary was instructed to. write to the Railway Department for commutation tickets for judges, etc. It was reported that competitors from a number of outside districts were eagerly looking forward to the competitions. The case of the estate of a; miner, who was killed in the mines at Reefton, affords a glaring instance of the gross injustice of, the new death duties. This estate as administered was-valued at. only £26 Bs, and the stamp duty on this small sum: amounted to no less than £6 9s 2d, and other court dues and expenses were 15s 6dj which sum was paid to the. Government. The widow got/ effects valued at £6, and after the sum of £l2 2s had been de : ducted by the Public Trustee, and" a few other items for expensesliad been paid, there was a balance of £l2 ss. Stamp duty to the amount of v £6 19s. 6d on such a sum as £26 8s Id seems an outrageous piece of extortion.

WEDDING CAKE.

Everybody is interested inl wedding cake, for matrimony is the lot of the average. To make > a . wedding cake rub to a soft and light cr-eam a. cup of butter and one and one-half cups of powdered sugar. When light, add six eggs well beaten. Mix together a teaspooriful each of cinnamon and nutmeg, powdered, and one-half teaspoonful of ground cloves. Put together one-fourth pound of minced citron, and onehalf pound each of seeded and halved raisins and well-cleaned currants: Dredge all well with flour, and add to the other ingredients, then stir in a pint oi sifted flour and, last of all, a "wine glass full of brandy. Bake in a tin with, a funnel in the centre. When cold cover with white icing. Tf the Wedding guests want tea, then serve Dragon Brand" Tea. at 2ssd per lb. This is absolutely the finest tea -procurable in New Zealand to-day. It' is rich, - strong, and well. flavoured, the colour is, bright, and the; exquisite. Dragon Brand Tea Is. procurable from most storekeepers in this district. Itis a good family tea.

The new convent at Wanganui will probably cost something near £20,000' before it is completed '.

A poll of Akitio County ratepayers is to be taken on Saturday on a proposal to raise a loan of £20,000 for road and bridge works. - The Pahiatua Herald states that eats are playing havoc among the rabbits in some parts of jbhe Alfredton district.

The reported find of coal at Retaruke, on the Main Trunk line, has proved to bo of little value, and the men engaged in prospecting have been •withdrawn.

The Feildiag people are talking of sending exhibits to" the Wellington Industrial Association's exhibition in May next. Masterton might,, with advantage, do likewise.

1 An Australian paper to hand states that Mr Roger Wilson, who purchased - the exclusive rights for Oklahama of the Reno fight pictures, was arrested the first time he tried to show them, and is to'be charged with committing a breach of the peace. .

Hearing groans and a sound of thumping from the grave of a man who »• had been -buried •■-.•the day bef >/?. >; some inhabitants of a village in Rou- *'- mania took to their heels. . Later ■an ■exhumation,was ordered, and the doc- ■ tors found that the man had been buried alive, and had died; of heart failure just before the grave was opened.

The trustees of the Alexandra Palace, London, have received from a man living in Melbourne, a moneyorder for Bs. This amount, he writes, is "double ib n cost of about three little books 11 -arrowed from the Alexandra Palace fading room about the ' year 1878 and failed to ; return—a thing which I suddenly remembered about a week ago."

■■' The dining-rooms of some of the large cafes in Russia containn»pool of fresh-water in which fish of various ikihds and stees.swim about. Any patron of the restraurant who may wish a course of fish for dinner goes to the pool, picks out the particular one he may desire, and in a moment a waiter has captured if witK a /dip-ii^l.\*uid sent it to the chef. . ' ■'"■'.

During last week a mob of sheep for auction at Levin were placed in a paddock at Weraroa. On two evenings they were attacked, by, dogs and some 50 or 60 were worried. One dog was captured ahdfth'emliberated, but would not go" Jwrhe ;until the whip, was uSeoV It then set off home and was fp!lpw*a xip-trj the ewher?8 i gate t . ■ Another%ds subsequently: caught ajid the question of damages is being considered. -.:•■

year-old farmer of Rock, otts, who has never been shaved, estimates that b'y allowing his beard to tirovf he had saved as much money as jui ordinary farmer accumulates from nil his sources in a lifetime..'.. He has missed 22,000:sn'aves, which, with tips, would have cost him £6OO, and would have taken in all nine months. As an instance of acute hydrophobia, it is' difficult to surpass the story of the Scotch boatman who, while crossing a loch, was asked if he would take some water with his whisky, and replied: "Na, there"was a horse drooned at the head of the loch two years ago." The head of the loch was 24 miles distant.

, Paris, the city of gaiety ' and newspapers, has evolved a truly novel journal. It is entitled: '-'TbiLittlelllustrated Hearse," and, deals, in grimly humorous fashion,*with the .art ; and calling of-the nhdertaker'j Cheerful descriptions'*of funerals ars given, and there' are competitions, the; prizes- b<£ ing ..wreaths, coffins, and gravestones'.

It having been discovered that acts of desecration had been committed in the family vault at the house at -Pless'i irij the grounds of the Furst«nstein Palace, in Silesia, the police dog Lord was taken to the mausoleum. • There the animal picked up a scent which led him to track down an employee on the estate, who was at once arrested on susnicion of being concerned in the mal-practices.' :

'Mr F. P. Welch requires shepherd, ploughmen, and mill, hands', etCj.

A cow in milk .calf is' adr vertised for sale. •'.'.. ■ ■?

A reward is offered for the fecovery of a gold, curb bracelet, lost between Taratahi factory and Carterton. Mr F. J. Robbins,, fruiterer," Queen Street, advertises for, sale tomatoes fdr sauce. :

''."" f 'A gent's free-wheel bicycle is ad--v vertised for sale.: The owner is leav- % ing the district and must sell.

An elderly woman'to take charge of small family in, §opd home is advertised for in the wanted columns.

A married man and a single tuph, experienced in general farming, require situations.

" Tenders are invited by Mr W. B. Chennells, D.0.A., for the purchase of the stock-in-trade of Albert Webb, tailor, of Masterton.

Mr P. Tulloch, land and estate agent, Pahiatua, advertises a sheep farm of 331 acres near Pahiatua, and a run of 1100 acres near Paengaroa. The Railway Department invites tenders for shunting waggons at the railway station, Masterton, for a term of three years. " Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., add to their Martinbprough stock sale-1000 sound mouth ewes, on account, of Mr Charles Harris, Hautotara. * This is the last week of the great sale at Cole's Cash Drapery Co., and it will positively close on Saturday. Heavy stocks of new goods are to arrive, and everything at present on hand must be sold to make room. The sale of Hornsby reapers and binders last season eclipsed all previous records, the demand being so great that late orders,could v tiot he fulfilled. 'Messrs Reid and Gray, through their local representative, Mr A. E. Upton, informs us that the latest machine is a great improvement on all others. Intending purchasers would do well to write for particulars, and to book early and save disappoint--ment.