LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10426, 18 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

One Masterton gardener has already (this season's peas in pod. There are at present 23 patients m the Masterton Hospital.

A meeting of (the Masterton HospiV tal Committee will be held to-morrow morning.

Shareholders in the Worksop dredge will be pleased to learn that a substantial dividend will be declared on Monday next. TLo bulb from which some of the blooms exhibited in Masterton on Saturday were grown, cost as much as £l4 in the Old Country.

The total number of deaths from cancer recorded in New Zealand last year was 742, and from tubercular diseases 731.

The maori, Motete Paratene, who was severely burnt a week or two ago .through an explosion of gunpowder, is making rapid progress towards complete recovery.

The Prime Minister will receive -J deputation from the Chambers of Commerce between Wellington and Napier to-morrow night. The contractors have made a good start with the erection of the Coronation Memorial Hall in the Masterton Park.

Mr A. H. Herbert was to have addressed a meeting, of electors ax KaRariki on Saturday evening. He .speaks at Wangaehu to-morrow night.

The 'sale of two more town sections in Masterton is reported by Messrs J. Fraser and Co., land and estate agents.

During the year 1910, six deaths from cancer were registered in Masterton, as against twelve from this cause in Palmerston North and 1 twenty-two in Wanganui. At the Y.M.C.A. Bible Class yesterday afternoon, Mr B. Cook delivered an address on "The History of Protestantism." The new Courthouse in Masterton is now well-advanced towards completion. It is expected that in three months' time it will be out of the con-tractors' hands.

Mr David Jones, organiser of the New Zealand Farmers' Political Federation, addressed a meeting at Tinui On Saturday night. Ho speaks at Eketahuna to-day, and at Pahiatua to-morrow:

Mr Alfred Matthews, the wellknown Romney breeder of the Lower Valley, will deliver an*address before the farmers of Pahiatua to-morrow on 'the characteristics\of the breed! of sheep with which he has been identified for many years. During the past month the majority of trades in Masterton, particularly the building trade, have assumed an air of briskness, and carpenters, bricklayers and stonemasons have been in demand. .

There lias been a keen demand in Masterton during the last few weeks for seed .potatoes. A larger area is likely to be put down in tubers this year than last, as the blight has not seemed to .affect the crops so seriously of late as in former years.

reports from the back-country indicate that the winter poisoning of rabbits has been fairly successful in the Masterton district. Excepting in certain favoured spots, the pest now appears to be well under control.

FORMING A BAND.

It is a healthy sign of the times that every town and village wants its band. If you are forming- one in your locality, it will be to your advantage to communicate at once with the Dresden Piano Company, Ltd., Wellington. They are sole agents for HAWKES' EXCfELSIOR SONOROUS BAND INSTRUMENTS. These are the finest in the world. They are used by champion bands everywhere. The Ballarat Oity Band won the Australasian Championship again last year, playing on Hawkes' instruments. ■ They are -superb in quality and tone. Each instrument is specially tuned by one of the most highly-skilled musicians in London. The inclusion of one, two, or three Hawkes' Instruments in a band is immediately noticeable, owing to the great added; richness of tone. A band all Hawkes' must be the acme of perfection, so far as #ie instruments go. Write in for particulars. The Dresden Piano Company, Ltd., Wellington. North Island Manager, M. J. Brookes. Local Representative: H. Inns, DJanieM's Buildings, Queen Street, MJaaterton.

The pupils of Miss Eva Hood will give a concert in Knox Hall, Masterton this evening.

The Masterton South Brass Band rendered a choice selection of music in Queen Street on Saturday night.

The latest return from the Worksop dredge is 128ozs. lldwts. for 130 hours' working.

There is a good deal of sickness prevalent in Masterton at the present time. The most popular (form of affliction appears to be influenza. The Hinemoa Dancing. Assembly will hold an extended evening on "Wednesday, 27t<h inst., in the Exchange Hall, to mark : the close of the season. There will be no ordinary class night this week. Customs revenue collected at Wellington during the week ended on Saturday amounted to £13,455 lis 4d. Beer duty amounted to £255 lis sd.

A very painful accident befel Mr D. Heggie, of Masterton, on Saturday. He was engaged in chopping wood when his tomahawk slipped, inflicting a very nasty -wound in one of his legs, which necessitated surgical treatment.

Visitors to the Masterton Park are wondering what has become of the ducks and swans that used to bo about the lake. They added to the beauty of the lake, and without them their appears to be something missing. It is stated that the birds were killed by dogs when the lake was empty. The young man Grant, who was remanded for sentence from Masterton on a, charge of forgery <at Te Wharau, was ordered by the Chief Justice to come up for sentence when called upon. This was apparently his first lapse, and he is only twenty-one years of age.

A poll was taken on Saturday on the proposal to institute a system of rating on the unimproved value of property in Featherston county. There were 173 votes cast in favour, 181 against, and 5 informal. The proposal was lost. The Agricultural Department is alxnit to conduct a series of experiments witlh root and fodder plants at the Belfast Freezing Works, Ohristchurch, the area of land to be treated being about five acres.

A Greymouth resident (according to the Star) has offered to wager £5 that he can cure cancer. He has deposited the money at the Star office, accompanied (by a challenge to that effect.

Ah oid.: resident of the district, Mr J. BogaW has been, missing from his home at Stoney Creek for tihree nights, says a telegram from Palmerston North. He was last seen on his way from Ashhurst to his home. It is thought Ik, may (have wandered into the Manawatu Gorge. The police are searching.

Green peas from Nelson arrived in the Wellington markets on Saturday. They were keenly sought after at 2s to 2s 6d per peck. There was, too a strong demand for early asparagus at 3s 2d to 3s 7d for bundles of one pound. Other high-jpriced vegetables were french beans, at 2s 3d per lb, new potatoes 3d to 4d per pound, and for high-grade tomatoes 2s 3d per-lb.

The Primitive Methodist Church building at Timaru, pant of which was erected in 1874, has been condemned by the Borough buildings surveyor as unsafe for use, owing to .the weakening of the timber by the white pine borer. The structure is to be removed within three months, and the last service in it was Jheld last night. The congregation will not rebuild at present, but will await the result of the Union's movement, and are hiring a hall in the meantime.

At the Strangers' Tea in the local Y.M.G.A. last evening those present were favoured with an. exceptionally interesting address. Tihe speaker was Mr Eric Inder, and he took for his subject "The Parting Waves." On concluding he was accorded a hearty vote of ifchanks for his very able address. Mr J. Pryor occupied the chair. A vote of thanks was also accorded the ladies of the Knox Church for the ample provisions.

The annual meeting of the Masterton branch of the Royal New Zealand Association of H.M. Veterans was held on Saturday evening, Mr W. Oullen presiding. The annual election of a local Vice-President of the New Zealand Association was held, the chairman being unanimously elected. Mr IS. Kingdon was re-elected auditor, and Mr G. M. Wood hori. secretary and treasurer. Delegates to the annual Association Conference at Welington were appointed.. Messrs H. Walton and T. Capper being chosen.

A atonic came ratber unexpectedly on Friday, says the Post, from Mr James Allen for the moribund Budget debate. He attacked the .financial portion of the complication, and he spoke with vigor. He had evidently been busy for several days in cheeking the Prime Minister's figures, and the result of .his researches gave the House something to which it was compelled to listen closely. Other speakers in the, evening kept the interest fairly well maintained, and altogether enough was said to assure lively, hours for next week. .After much skirmishing the batifcle is now on in earnest. '..'.''

THE REASONABLENESS OF MACHINE MILKING. Milking by hand is a branch of farm labour unique in. its primitiveness, and has oftoen< to be done at unpopular [hours. We must admit that there is a wide gap between a good hand milker and a bad one. Stall the work is purely manual, and calls for little in. <t!be> way of mental exercise. How different it is in. every other department of work on a/ well ordered farm. TPLue drudgery is lightened, and a certain, pleasing interest evoked in tiie mind of the operator by manipulating, say an. ingenious machine like the "RIDD." The average man would sooner operate a machine than engage in work which tiis wholly manual. Wherever the mechanical milker is installed, a revival of interest can. at once be noticed; We shall be pleased to send you catalogues and full particulars of the "RIDD" MH.KING MACHINE, and "BLACKSTONE" KEROSENE ENGINE on receipt of your postcard. It will save you a lot of worry, and will increase your milk cheque to put in these tune and labour saving machines. MANSON AND BARR, District Agents. PALMERSTON NORTH.

The friends of Mr L. M. tatt, M.P., will be pleased to learn that he recovered his overcoat. It was in the Prime Minister's room, just where ho left it when introducing a deputation.

Monday, the 25th September (Dominion Day) will be observed as a postiand telegraph holiday. The post officer will bo open for the delivery of correspondence only between 9 and 10P a.m. All mails usually despatched aw this day will be closed to connect with) the early trains and coaches up to 8! a.m. A counter delivery of all correspondence, including registered, will; be made over the post office on Saturday, the" 23rd inst., between 9 and 10 p.m. The telegraph office wilF be open from 9 sf.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to midnight. All telegrams fori transmission after 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. respectively to. be presented at the telegraph office upstairs. The telephone exchange will .be open as usuaß j —continuously. .•'■.,'

The Lord Mayor of London has re-* ceived a letter from Paris from Lieut, J. Conneau (M. "Andre Beaumont"), the winner of tflie Daily Mail £IO,OOO air race, forwarding a cheque for ai £IOO for a charitable work in London, "I had the honour," he states in the letter, "of being the winner of the grand prix given by the Daily Mail, which has already done so much for* aviation, and thus of being in a position to offer this modest expression o£ my great gratitude to England, where I have received such a generous and! cordial welcome." The" Lord Mayoq handed the money over to the Hospi-i tal Sunday Fund.

Mr D. Speedy, Tumi, wishes to leti about 30 acres of ploughing and harrowing. Partisulars tare advertised? in the wanted columns.

With Spring comes the desire to re* new ones wihble apparel from head io foot. In his replace announcement to-day Mr J. Carpenter draws attention to 'his large stocks of spring and summer shoes for men and women. These goods come in new styles and} all sizes.

Mr W. H. Cole, painter and decora* tor, announces the arrival of an entirely new consignment of up-to-date wall papers, embracing all* the latest and most fashionable art shades. The> stock of friezes is also a particularly; fine one. Country customers eontem* plating placing their orders are invited to communicate with iMr Cole.