LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10205, 5 April 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A slight shock of earthquake was felt at Feilding at an early hour yesterday morning. . '

A child at Townsville, Queensland, opened a trunk, and the lid fell upon its neck, suffocating it. •

The Ruapehu, .which arrives at Wellington to-day from London, is bringing twenty domestic servants.

A No-License Convention is to be held at Palmerston North on Easter Monday.

A fish-curing establishment on a large scale is about to be established at the Thames. ;

A Sydney cable states that grasshop? pers have devastated the crops in the Gundagai district. The Eketahuna Public Hall has been leased to Mr F. Wise for a term of years, at £lO5 per; year. An official analysis made by the. Government Analyst shows that certain chocolates which are being retailed in the Dominion contain alcohol. Proceedings are to be taken. A meeting 1 of the members and intending members of the Ramblers Ladies' Hockey Club'will be held in the Y.M.C.A. rooms at half past seven this evening.

Notice is given that trespassers on Fernyhurst and Mamuka, the properties of Messrs Westmoreland arid Erl Williams, will be prosecuted without further notice.

The month of March was the driest recorded by Mr*S. Mawley, of Ditton, during the thirty-one years he has been making observations.

The rainfall registered by Mr S. Mawley, at Ditton, for the month of March, was 69 pointsi. The maximum for twenty-four hours was 37 points on March 3rd. The average rainfall for the month is 4.14 inches.

The money in the hands of the Masterton District Nurse Committee amounts to £373 6s sd. Should the Government subsidy be forthcoming on this amount, the sum available will approximate £829. Mrs Tai Te Tail, of Lansdowne, Masterton, speaking yesterday at the W.C.T.U. meeting, said'that the Government of our Dominion compels the Native to register his dog, and upon his failing to do so he is prosecuted. s His child, however, can be born and die, and he is not allowed to register it.

A Gisborne telegram states : —An alarm of fire occurred at four o'clockyesterday morning owing to a peculiar experience. A crack had developed in a gas main left exposed by sewerage works- excavations, and the escaping gas mysteriously ignited, and caused a brilliant illumination near the centre of the town. The Brigade was called out.

A meeting of the provisional directors of* the Automatic Gas Pressure Lamp Lighter Co., Ltd., was held in the registered office" in Masterton last night. There were present: Messrs W. H. Jackson (chair), T. Wagg, C. King, G. H. Perry, C. Wagland, and T. M. Sandiford. The secretary notified the meeting that the paten? rights had been granted in New Zealand, and it was decided to proceed at once to get a number of lighters made. The statutory meeting was fixed for the 26th inst., at 4 p.m., when a report will be submitted. It was also decided that allotment calls must, be paid on or before the date of the statutory meeting.

In the Waimarino district tlWpo- aire 21 timber mills, paying about ;g4000 : a year in wages on the average.

During the past quarter ounces-of gold valued at £470,641 'wereexported from, the Dominion, being an increase'of 3970 ounces valued at £19,567 on the figures- for the corresponding quarter of last year.

Sergeant-Major McCrystall, of Masterton, has so far only received twentyfive applications for enrolment in the Senior Cadets, and Territorials, under the new defence scheme.

There is one firm in Masterton, at any rate, which is satisfied that there is not very much wrong with the town. Messrs John Graham and Co. yesterday landed a consignment of eight hundred bags- of sugar.

Writing to a resident of Masterton, a Chatham Islander states that thera are plenty of wild ducks and thousands of black swans on the islands. The big lagoon, called Te Whanga, is fast becoming over-stocked with them. Although thousands of eggs are taken every year, and many birds are shot, thirty thousand would be a low estimate to put upon the number of swans on the lagoon. »

A correspondent writes: —A Te Ore : Ore Native, formerly very much opposed to No-License, and addicted to liquor, was recently asked his opinion on No-License amongst his own peo- ' pie. He replied that lie ha.i entirely ' changed his views on this subject, and icould now say that No-License was the; best for the Maori. Formerly Satur-i day night and Sunday was a time of' drunkenness and quarrelling in thfcj pah. Now all was changed, and he has ' plenty of money for himself and his children. He expressed the wish that the bars would never be re-opened, i

Ihe monthly meeting. of the Masterton branch'of the W.O.T.U. w.% held in Knox Church yesterday afternoon, Mrs Devonport (President) occupying the chair. The meeting proved of a most interesting and instructive nature. Mrs Anderson was appointed local superintendent of the "home meetings," and it was decided that the next meeting take this form. A report of the recent conference at New Plymouth (which has already been published in the Age) was read by the local delegate, Mrs Devenport, for which she was accorded a vote of thanks. Mrs Tai Te Tau gave an interesting report of the work which is being carried on among the Native people.

The High Chief Ruler of the Rechabite Order, Bro. Phillipson, from England, will deliver a lecture in the Town Hall, Masterton, on Monday night, ,10th inst., on "Friendly Societies in England and the Colonies." The Mayor, Mr J. M. Coradine, will take the chair. Mr Phillipson comes with a very high reputation as a platform speaker. He is, in fact, one of England's best, and his subject, while of special interest to members of Friendly Societies, will also .appeal to all who | desire the welfare of those societies. i There will be no charge for admission, faiid no collection.

The Alfredton correspondent of the Eketahuna Express writes: —"You have to go from home to hear news. Press Association reports have been appearing in the papers as to the extensive damage done* by bush fires in the district from Tane to Pori. These reports can only be characterised as exaggerations, as they contain little, if any truth. Certainly there have been scrub fires on certain properties, and -good burns have resulted, but the damage described: is" a pure hallucination." '

The following unclaimed letters await delivery at the Masterton Post Office:—Prom the United Kingdom: P. C. Corbett, Mr Foley, John Gar"vey, Mrs H. Mitchell, Fred: J. Nicholson, Leslie Reed, John .Storry, Fred Sygrove, Jas. ajid Mrs Worth; from the United States:' Ted Edwards, Miss L. Karlson; from India; Mi=s B. McMahon; from Transvaal - :" John Ball, from New South Wales': Wm. Lyne, Mrs E. Neighbour; From Tasmania i Jas. Leitcli, Miss Linehan, and .William and Clark.

Fish are reported to be very plentiful in the waters about the Chathams •at the present time. Captain Eastick, of the Nora Niven, states that one day .last week he caught 130 fine blue cod for the ship's use by the means of a line, to which three hooks -were attached. The trawler, which.arrived at Wellington on Monday morning, brought 630 cases of. fresh fish, principally blue cod*, from the Chatham Islands Fishing Company's station /at Owenga. * .

At a social gathering -at. Trentham. the 6t|ier evening, Mr, M. . Welch,„ v hose name had been coupled with "Parliament," understood the chairman to say "The Farmers" and proceeded to castigate the Government, who had done nothing for farmers since John McKenzie died. "Look at the dairy regulations," said the speaker amidst applause, "what did it mean tome? They fined me thirty shillings and costs because I hadn't my name on my milk cart; they fined 15 of us about £l5O on forty different charges such as selling milk without a license, exchanging milk for vegetables, sup-, plying it to boarders (or rather the farmer's own hands living in his house) without a license."—Petone Chronicle, HOT CROSS BUNS. «■' Two pounds of flour, one ounce of compressed yeast, ;one ounce of < mix-' ed spice, three gills of milkj a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of caster sugar, a quarter of a pound of currants, two ounces of candied peel, two eggs. Mix half a pound of flour and the spice together. Put the yeast and ! a teaspoonful of caster sugar into a small basin, and' mix with a wooden spoon until liquid. ' Make the milk lukewarm and pour it on the yeast, mixing it in smoothly" with a wooden .spoon. Then cover the basin and let it stand in a warm place for about half an hour. Put the rest of the flour into a large basin, rub the butter into it, add the currants, the peel cut very finely, and the sugar. When the sponge 'is ready, beat it into the flour with the hand until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Continue beating until you can pull the lump of dough out of- the basin without any sticking to it. Cover the basin again, place it in a warm place until the surface is covered with cracks. Have ready greased baking tins. Shape the mixture into the familiar bun forms, put them in the baking tins, and bake in a quick oven for about hah Van hour. Serve with the "Mikado" Brand of Tea, and the family will be delighted. The Mikado Brand Tea costs only Is 6d per lb, and is the cheapest good quality tea on the market. It brews a fine, strong liquor, and the flavour is a revelation. Almost all grocers sell this tea.

! The mallard deck has, accwdfiwgf to , Mr Frsd. Earfe, of Auckland, beeosae tew tkuwesticftteSi for sport.

A member of the "All Black" football team awrive«l ia Mastertoa on Monday night. He 1* "on the roadE/' The 1 adjournal ewq-ssary into the circumstances attending; the death of Albei't Ernest Nfeefeow is to be held a* Carterton 1 to-day.-

For the- sixth year in succession the 1 Martinborougli' 1-owni BoaTd has been able to close its financial year without a penny iw outstanding; rates.

The population of Greater Auckland is now estimated to total 101,446, over 20,000 in excess of Chiustchurch, the next most populous centre of the Dominion.

Flying ants have been fairly numerous in the Tauranga district during the last few -days, and a number of poultry keepers report losses of fowls.

The little- girl Clayton, who? was run over by a tram in Wangamui on Monday morning-, and had a; leg: and arm severed, died yesterday morning.

A Poverty Bay farmer,, whe was proceeded against for failure'to take reasonable and diligent steps to destroy rabbits on his property,, was fined £5 and costs. , Infectious diseases are fairly prevalent in Timaru at. th©' present time, and, defective drains in' the outer area, where the underground drainage has not yet been installed, are blamed for the trouble. ' The Taranaki News asks, "Is money fan obstacle to great effort, or not?'* The question surely requires no answer. One of the greatest efforts in the world is to get money, just now.

Pork, 11s well as beef, is likely to be a dear commodity in New Zealand during the coming winter. Already in the South producers are receiving 4£d per lb for their output.

So keen is the demand for houses 'n Invercargill just now, that the Government is being urged to erect workers' homes in that township.

The time for the renewal of the registration of factories in Masterton under the Factories' Act closed on Saturday last, Details, of the-number of factories registered will hot be available for some weeks. Last year they numbered 148.

The late contest of the North Island Bands Association has not resulted as well as anticipated, there being a deficit of £25, which the local guarantors will be called upon to make up. The expenditure ran up. to £785.

About a dozen applications have been received for the position of Director of Geological Surveys, including three from Otago and several from the Commonwealth, and a lesser number have been received for the position of Mining Geologist. ■ ■"_

The Teachers' Institute recommend 'to the' Education Board that only 50 days in the year be allowed as school holidays, 40 as term holidays and the remaining days to be given on statutory holidays. The Board adopted the suggestion.

"Silver beet" is reported by some New Zealand garden experts as a coining forage plant. The beet, it is believed, will grow and bear, for .three years without being resown. It is prolific and immune from ordinary pests. Experiments are being made with it by the Agricultural Department in the South Island.'.. v« - '..'.'"■'

The, Auckland Harbour Board, at a special meeting yesterday morning, resolved to carry out a campaign against rats along the water front. Dr. Monk, assistant public health officer, stated that the Department had already started .an active inspection along the water front. The last plague case was traced to a warehouse on the water and it had heen ascertained that the patient only four days previously had handled two dead: rats.

A candidate for a seat on the Napior Harbour Board is not possessed of exc(*sivejnodesty. He says that al! that is required isthe development of natural advantages, the building of narbojirl? which can accommoda;/-* all ',n(ii and Ihe building of foundati jus solid. He •promises to provide all tfieso things, arid many others, for /'nothing.'' His name is Eustace Lane.

A meeting of all those interested in theJßoine Rule movement is to be held in- t the Dominion Hall on Saturday evening next, April Bth, for the pur- r po:e of taking steps.to receive a"Visitfrom the Irish delegates, who will be visiting the Dominion, shortly. ■■ The -'"*• meeting is convened by Rev. Deaii '■■■". McKenna, and Messrs M. C. O'Connell - and 0. N. C. Pragnell.

J The totara bush on the Kempton estate, near Greytown, has all been felled and the trees sawn, into different lengths ready for removal to the sawmill. According to the Martinborough Star, a great number of fencing posts and battens have been split from parts of the trunks, while the tops have been converted into firewood. What was once the most beautiful piece of totara bush in the Wairarapa" is now a dreary looking waste, and with the destruction of tEe well-known totara giants on Cross' Line disappears "the last of the Mohicans." Truly the native bteh', GEe the native race is fast vanishing. ...DON'T, BE BASHFUL. "There's many a good thing lost by not asking for it." The ; man wlio is now grinding away at a labourer's wage might have been earning a Cabinet Minister's income if he had exercised his will power earlier in life. That'.s the great secret of some men's success—when they see a "good thing" they decide to use it to the best of their* ability, as far as it affects them. Now, if you own a camera, or are interested in this most fascinating hobby, your success as a photographer largely depends upon familiarity with the numerous incidentals such as developers, mounts, re-touching apparatus, etc. There is one good way of familiarising yourself with these necessary articles, and that is by looking over the catalogue of Cameras and Photographic Accessories which is sent post free to any address by the Imperial Camera Company. We wouldn't ask you to send for this catalogue if it was no good to you. It is useful to every owner of a Cam" era, professional or amateur. You can make the photos you take at' Easter, life pictures if you know * the best means of finishing them—this catalogue will help you. It only costs a half-penny, the price of a postcard on which you write the short message asking for it. Step into.the post office when you are passing, buy the card, write the message, and post it to the Imperial Camera Co., Willis-street, Wellington. ■»

£• A civil sitting of the Magistrate's jCourt in Masterton takes place tomorrow.

A London cable states that the steamer lonic sailed for Wellington yesterday.

A New Plymouth telegram states that splendid rain fell in the Taranaki district yesterday afternoon.

The Rev. H. Mason is to be asked to visit the Hanmer Springs to locate a further supply of hot water.

A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Rimene Witinitara, Te Ore Ore, is to be held in the Masterton Courthouse at eleven o'clock this morning.

In the absence of anything more exciting, the people of Eketahuna were treated to a "sensation" on Monday over a chimney fire.

A number of large estates in the Waikato district have recently been subdivided into small dairying farms, and are finding purchasers at fairly reasonable prices compared with recent inflated values.

Another case of suspected infections disease has l)een reported at Auckland, contracted, it is believed, through handling a dead rat.

A party of Syrians from Melbourne arrived at the Bluff last week. They all passed the educational and health tests.

It is considered improbable that the movement to establish stock sales at the northern end of \Masterton will materialise—at any rate for some time to come.

The floor of a Masterton building was taken up the other day .and underneath it was discovered a leather purse containing nine gol£en sovereigns. How long it had been there it is difficult to say, and it is riot considered necessary to advertise for the owner.

Ten locomotives were built at the Hillside Workshops for the past year which is said to he a record. They were nil sent to the North Island for the Main Trunk line. .

Seven points of rain was registered by the Government recorder in Masterton on Monday night, A similar quantity wa registered by Mr J. C. Boddington at the tipper Plain.

A Cromwell farmer stated recently that weasel* were very plentiful about the hills and wove playing havoc in the poultry yards. No fewer tlwt 19 were seen together recently, says the Argus, and settlers find it very difficult to rear ■chickens and also to secure eggs, for unless they gather the eggs at once after being laid the weasels have them.

A start was made a few days ago with taking rabbits at the ■ Mataura Freezing Works, when about 5000 or '(5000 carcases were received by the various exporters. This is considerably below the total on the first day last year. ;

The 'Alexandra Herald' says a local resident has discovered a preventive for the spread of the potato grub by soaking potatoes in a mixture of water and Jeyes' fluid, which is said to kill the grub.

An exchange relates that there is a beekeeper in the Southland district who has 220 colonies of bees, which have a free run of a very large area of •clover. ' To test the working capacity of a hive, he one day placed the hive ■on the jscales, and for twelve hours' work they registered 101b of lioriey. It. •only''.wants"a little bit of figuring to tell "the returnjfche above number of colonies would give their owner. • Lord Islington, who has been undergoing a course of baths in Rotorua, expressed as delighted with the beneficial properties of the waters, and stated, rays the Rotorua Times; that he had never before derived such •exhilaration from any spa that he had visited in any part of the world,

The following, from the Hastings "Tribune," is paid to have reference to a Native of Masterton :—"A young Native lad whose marriage to a Maori maiden had been arranged in the traditional Maori style by the parents of the respective parties, did not approve his chosen partner, and, it is alleged, in a fit of despondencv. attempted to •upset the plan* by taking a dose of poison. The bride elect is also stated to be unfavourable towards the union desired by the parents."

Under the heading "An Important Enterprise," the Ohakune Times announces that a number of leading business men at Ohakune are occupied with, a proposition to run an electric tram service between Ohakune "East and Raetihi,- nd also ah electric lighting enterprise. An expert, it is further stated, ha"s been invited to report on the project.

Mr J..C. Alpass, of Cornwall Street, is a buyer of ducks and pullets, near to laying. ■ . •

A horse, gig. and harness are advertised for sale, also purebred roosters, Leger strain.

An owner is wanted for a black gelding, no visible brand, at the Masterton Pound. --■■

Mr Feter Tulloch, land agent, Pahiatua. inserts a fresh list of properties elsewhere, to which special attention is drawn.

Mr Bedford, umbrella maker, of % Lincoln Road, Masterton, requests ladies and gentlemen who have left umbrellas, china, and glassware for repair, to call and take them away.

It is reported that at least a dozen people are in the Wellington Hospital with poisoned feet through wearing coloured hosiery, presumably cheap makes. You run no risk of this sort if you 'buy your hosiery from the W.F.C;A., who only stock guaranteed makes.—Advt. , FAMILIAR MUSIC. If you are a lover of music, you must have music in your home. Theatres and concerts are all right, but they have not,the intimate and familiar charm of home-music. Don't make the mistake of supposing that you "can't afford a piano." By the Dresden Piano Company's Hire-Purchase System you call buy a piano and scarcely notice the cost. Tf you are interested, get into communication with "The Dresden" now. Full information will be given gladly, and advice that will be absolutely trustworthy. You'can get a piano by any of the famous makers. Specially commended for New Zealand are: .

the Broadwdbd. The .Ronlsoh, The Lipp. The Steinway. The Dresden Piano Co. have no specia to serve. They want you to have just the piano that suits you. M. J. Brookes. North Island Manager. Local Representatives: Inns and Goddartl, next Club Hotel.

A furnished house, with five or six rooms and all conveniences, situate in Cole Street, Essex Street, or Rennll Street, is advertised for.

Mr J. V. Godte. chemist, has a remedy for weqJfflHpts, cold feet, and other winter dffiPnints of that nature.

Indian Runner drakes, high grade laying and exhibition strains, are advertised for sale by Mr J. Pryor, 107 Bannister Street. Further particulars appear in the wanted columns.

Equal to all emergencies is the motto which housekeepers will appreciate in respect to sewing machines, and the popularity of the "Wertheim" sewing machine is well justified by the fact that for all classes of work they are par excellence —the xeliable machine. Samples of the latest machines are always on show at Mrs Adams, Queen Street, local agent, Masterton; or Mr W. Gandar, bookseller, Carterton.

Attention is drawn to the substitutes for rubber that are being used ' in the manufacture of various articles for which pure rubber only should oe used. The chief protection of thepublic is in buying what they require from firms of good repute. In this respect, Mr J. V. Gordon, chemist, Masterton, gives a guarantee to supply the real thing, and this is essential, more particularly for hot-water bottles, for which only the best quality rubber should bo used. I

Messrs 0. 0. Ross and Co.. land and estate agents, have removed into, more central and commodious offices m Queen Street, Masterton, havingtakeu over the busbies premises lately occupied by Messrs Cochrane and Butement. The offices have been equipped and furnished on the most modern lines.

A splendid assortment of blouses, direct from the manufacturers, is now being shown at Messrs McGmer and Co.'s, Queen Street. Masterto - '. An invitation to tlie general public is heartily extended to ealland inspect the novelties. These blouses are made in all the newest and most fashionable materials. Reference to the advertisement on the front page will give prices of the various qualities.

Notice of dissolution of the partnership recentlv existing between J. R. Nieol and S. R. Edwards is advertised in this issue. The business will in future be carried on by S, R. Edwards and Co., afc their address. Queen Street, Masterton.