LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10217, 19 April 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In spite of the plague scare, Auckland was honoured last week by the presence of three Ministers of the Crown. The members of the St. John Ambulance Nursing Division will shortly be called together to arrange classes for first-aid and home nursing during the winter months. A number of applications have already been made, and ladies requiring further particxir lars may cbtain same from Miss Gillespie, Lady Superintendent, or Miss B. Joy, the secretary.

A lonely inebriate sought shelter from the cold at the Masterton Police Station last evening. He will offer an explanation this morning. Six points of rain fell in Masterton during the twenty-four hours preceding 9 a.m. yesterday morning.

The monthly meeting of the Council of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce will be held on Friday afternoon next. '

The annual general meeting of the Masterton Horticultural Society will bo held in Murray's Hall, next Club Cafe, this (Wednesday) evening, at 8 o'clock.

One or two entries have already been received for the root crop competition in connection with the Masterton A. and P. Association. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce proposes holding an exhibition in 1913 to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal. The Government has been asked to assist in developing coal-prospecting operations in the Bay of Islands district.

The evening train from Wellington was an hour late last evening, owing to the exceptionally heavy traffic on the line.

A farmer's wife in the Hedghope district has (says the Southland News) milked 28 cows night and morning throughout the present season. In the Maiden Hurdles at the Auckland races yesterday, Excalibur fell, and his rider, A. Gray, received serious injuries to his head. He was taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition.

The diamond moth has done considerable damage to the turnip and swede crops in the Masterton district. In some places the leaves have been eaten completely off.

TJIO rain of last week has produced blight in the late potato crops in the Masterton district. One settler stater; that his crop has been completely destroyed. The totara posts which have been doing duty for the Masterton telephone system are being replaced with ironbark. This hafe been found necessary, owing to the increase in the number of telephone connections. The totara posts decay in the course of years, at their junction with the earth.

At Kno.: Church, Masterton, tomorrow evening, Mr Purcell Webb will continue his organ recitals. Some choice organ solos will be rendered, and leading amateurs will assist. Tickets may be obtained at one shilling each.

Mr J. C. Boddington reports that the rainfall registered at the Upper Plain for the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. on Sunday was 20 .points; on Monday, 17 points; and on Tuesday, 9 points. Since the rain set in on Friday, three-quarters of an inch has been registered at the_Upper Plain.

A Christchurch telegram states that after the running of the Great Autumn Handicap at Biccarton yesterday, the Stewards held an inquiry into the running of Cheddar, as , compared with the form he had shown in the .Great Easter Handicap on the previous day. The explanation given was. accepted as satisfactory.

A case is reported from Pleasant Point, near Timaru, in which a farmer's wife is' reported to have severely cut her husband's face, almost severing his' nose, with a carving knife while the pair were violently quarrelling. The woman is to come before the Court to-morrow.

All the North Island oyster beds are to be tHrown open for a short season from May Ist. Although a close season was preserved last year, the beds have not yet recovered sufficiently to warrant the opening of them for the full six months.

\.n offender before the Napier Magistrate's Court the other day, on charges of drunkenness, etc., appeared to attach little importance to the case, and evidently thought that; the police, Magistrate, lawyers, and whole paraphernalia of the Court was part of an unnecessary ceremony. "Hurry up and get it over," he mumbled; "I'm getting thirsty." Unfortunately he was remanded for a week for medical treatment.

A census enumerator in South Canterbury has communicated to the local paper an item of news which is highly intei-esting because of the light it throws on the conjugal condition of the rural population of New Zealand. Within a radius of 10 miles of Fairlie he discovered 64 bachelors, each of whom is in good circumstances, owni ing an average of about 300 acres. Each of these is well able to support a wife, and yet they are content to live in single blessedness. Although no nominations had been received up till yesterday for the seats on the Masterton Borough Council, it is expected that by to-morrow there will be more than the required number of candidates forthcoming. It is understood that the whole of the retiring Councillors will offer them,selves for re-election, and that at least three other candidates will offer their services. The Labour Party has, it is understood, decided not to run a candidate. Is a new-born child a "traveller"? j This curious question arose last week over a census return which was made up by a resident of Gisbdrne. The schedule was duly filled up at the specified time, but on Monday morning it was found that the family had increased by one, and there was much speculation as to whether the newlyarrived member should be included. The sub-enumerator, when collecting the return, was asked for his opinion, and promptly pointed out that the Act provided that travellers who arrived on Monday morning, and 'were not enumerated elsewhere, would have to be included, and, consequently, the little stranger was duly tallied.

An Eketahuna resident is reported to have developed typhoid fever ivhi'e away on a holiday at Easter. It is announced that the Gj3vern r ment intends to establish a herd of Ayrshires at the Moumahaki State Farm.

At the criminal sitting of the Magistrate's Court in Masterton on Friday, several by-law eases will be heard, and one or two parents will be charged with breaches of the truancy clauses of the Education Act.

A swarm of bees (or several swarms) living in the roof of a school residence in the Wanganui Education district for a couple of years proved rather discomforting to tho lady teacher, and their removal was included in a renovation contract.

"A very fanciful objection" was the term in which the magistrate characterised a request by a Woodville plaintiff to have all witnesses ordered out of court. It turned out that there was only one witness, and he was deaf.

A Nelson telegram says:—Edwin Arnold, lately from Wellington, and not unknown to the police, was charged with indecent assault upon an .imbecile girl. It is alleged that Arnold went to the girl's parents' house and claimed their acquaintance, but his behaviour compelled the people to call for assistance, Arnold being allegedly caught in an attempt. He was remanded for a week on heavy bail.

The Tainui arrived at Wellington from London shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday morning. She had .good weather throughout the voyage, and brought a number of passengers. Shortly after the steamer reached Capetown, William Taylor, a third class passenger, and a bricklayer by trade, who had been depressed since he left England, was reported missing. He had left his wife and children at Home.

A Wairoa telegram says that the premises occupied by Messrs Blythe, Ltd., were entered by the window last night and a cash-box, containing over £3O, was stolen. Several cheques were left behind.

An "Ambulance Saturday" will be held in Masterton on May 6th, under the auspices t>f St. John Ambulance Brigade. The proceeds will be divided beWeen the Nursing Guild and the Men's Division. It is anticipated that sufficient funds will be forthcoming to enable members of both divisions to have free lectures, or a reduction in the fees

What might easily have been a serious accident was narrowly averted on the Masterton road during the holidays, says the Express. Mr D. McMaster was driving in a gig to Masterton, when without warning, a motor came suddenly round a corner, and a collision was the result. The shaft of the gig was driven through the glass plate in front of the motor, and tho horse was practically on top of the machine. Fortunately the animal was a very quiet one, for had it been otherwise there would have Von trouble. The gig was considerably damaged.

The "motor hog" was the sub jest of a complaint made at the last meeting of the Pahiatua Borough Council. Instances were cited of the excessive speed at which cars from adjoining districts were driven through thftown. It vas resolved to erect notice boards on tho borough bridge, warning motorists that they must not travel through the borough at a greater speed than ten miles an hour.

A hearty laugh was raised at the complimentary dinner to the Hon D. Buddd, at Waimate, South Island. The Minister was explaining '.hat -i*. was not Iho dullest boys who wore put to farming nowadays; they were put to something else. At this point' the Minister was interrupted by the remark by one of the audience, "No, wo make politicians of them."

1 Why do men not go to church - 'This familiar problem, says r'r.e Ensign, was thus dealt with by tin* Rev A. Wingfield in the course of a sermon at Holy Trinity Chuich, Gore. 'Men are not naturally irreligious, Int tlu-y often meet in business other men who are not what they profess to be, and 'f there is fnjthing which men can't stand it i? claptrap, cant, an 1 fus:iness. Mei have a tremendou° power for service—that great forco of "e.\ ample which none can over-estiiaaie ''

Commenting on Mayor Lysiar's an itation and the sending to London of Mr formerly of Cisboine, the Poverty Buy Hei-akl says "'n Ah Sheldon lie Producers' Ass;i;iatioi have obtained the services of a maa after the Mayor's (Mr Lysnar) own heart in the matter of energetic persistence, and, even if there had not been a grievance of any kind to complain of, the presence of such an active representative in London will be a matter of considerable importance to producers, for ho part of the frozen meat trade is likely to escape his zealous attention.

A reward is offered for the recovery of a lost smooth-haired Irish ten-ier. A good housemaid or laundress, is required by the Club Cafe, Queen Street. A seven-roomed house is advertised for, west side of Queen Street preferred. A housemaid-waitress, or a cook is advertised for.

The plethora of sheep in Southland is amply demonstrated by the heavy yardings at the regular sales. Statistics show that there is an. increase of sheep in Southland as compared with previous years.

The export of fat lambs from SouthLand thus season is, says the News, expected to bo of much smaller dimensions than hitherto, owing to the difficulties experienced in fattening as the result of the dry weather which prevailed in the late summer and early autumn. The decline in prices on the London market has also had a considerable effect, and many farmers have now ceased attempting to fatten their ewe lambs, and purpose wintering them.

• Messrs Gillespie and Co. require two flaxcutters, men for draining, cowman, and housekeeper for country.

Messrs C. Pratt and Co., King's Chambers, Wellington, invite offers for the goodwill of the business of Mr Henry Inns, stationer, Masterton, together with the stock in trade and fittings. Further particulars may bo found on the front pago.

Programmes for the Masterton Competitions Society's first annual competition, can be obtained from the secretary, Mr W. Gillespie, who can also supply all particulars. A reward of ten shillings is offered for the recovery of a lady's black handbag, lost between Tauherenikau and Cartorton on Monday evening.

Mr D. G. Brown, the Wairarapa agent for the Bradbury motor cycles, reports the sale of seven machines in this district during the past month. You washed Tuesday, iron Wednesday, housework Thursday, Sunday cooking on Friday, to leave Saturday \ clear to attend at 10 a.m. the sale of Hooper's great drapery stock at Hooper's shop. It is impossible for anyone to imitate the great bargains in store for you. " Bought at 9s 4|d in the pound, bargains are easily made without losing money. And by selling for cash only, we are able to give you the saving effected by reducing expenses to the utmost. A large staff isengaged going through every line, ticketing and marking down to the very lowest. Cost prices are lost sight of with the intention of clearing: everything within a reasonable time, for our profit lies in turning the whole into ready money. As it is -impossible to show even a small proportion of the bargains in one day, you will be wise to arrange for a week clear to attend the biggest drapery sale Masterton has yet seen.*