LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 22 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The last meeting of the Masterton Borough Council prior to the election ; takes place this evening. The Masterton Territorial contingent, at present in camp at Oringi, are expected to arrive back in Masterton on Saturday. A motorist and motor cyclist ware the subject of much unfavourable comment by pedestrians at the lower end of Queen Street last- evening. The pair were very evidently racing, and the pace at which they were travelling was a complete violation of the Borough by-laws, and at the same time a positive clanger to life and limb. According to the Otautau Standard lioring operations at Lilburn Valley have resulted in a seam of magnificent coal of the true West Coast variety being struck. Particulars are very brief, but the prospectors are confident that they have got on to a very valuable find, which may prove of considerable Importance to Southland. There has been a considerable falling off of late in the supply of milk 'which arrives daily at the Masterton Dairy Company's factory. The cold weather, following so closely on a long spell without raiii accounts for the falling off. The majority of the suppliers will, however, continue to send milk to the factory for some time yet. The "Voice of Labour," an Auckland labour journal, says it intends preparing a list of the people who are making an easy living out of the socialist swindle in New Zealand. The "Voice" says will expose the whole inside working of the game whereby trusting workers are rooked to keep a gang of scheming loafers and ignorant wasters travelling round the country. A Waterfalls correspondent writes to the Age: "Much excitement was occasioned when it became known that there was a. possibility of the •children attending the Waterfalls school paying a visit to the battleship New Zealand. Mr A. Murray, who has been chairman of committee for many years, took the matter in hand, and one by one the obstacles disappeared. Mr Holmes, of Tiraumea, vety kindly motored the children and their teacher out to Eketahunn, Where they were most hospitably entertained by Mr and Mrs A. H. Herbert. On Monday .morning they were motored 1 to the Eketahuna station by Mr Herbert, and their comfort was further assured by their being able to secure a first-class carriage in the excursion train."

Orutching operations arc* now in progress in the Mastorton district.

Tbreo new membera wero elected at tho annual meeting of the Wairarapa Referees' Association, held in Carterton on Sativrday.

"Deeds, not words," should bo the motto of every Borough Council, said a candidate for municipal honours at a meeting in Hamilton the other day. A motor car driven by a Greytown party is reported to have come to grief on the Rimutaka hill on Sunday. One of the lady occupants is said to have been injured.

The Ditned'in Star ways that farmers are reported to bo holding their yields of grain in the hope of a boom in the market. Very little grain is coming forward, and business is almost stagnant. Four men who ware engaged in erutchdng operations on Te Parae .station struck work 'yesterday morning. They demanded an increase in pay, compared with the pay given in the previous year, and, as this \va6 not conceded, they "downed tools.*'

There is a. possibility of the price of cheese being increased slightly before the coming winter is over. It appears that many of the large factories that have butter-making plants ■intend to make butter during the winter, thus causing a scarcity of cheese.—Dunedin Star.

There is no immediate prospect of a recurrence of last year's boom in New Zealand potatoes. The Melbourne market.has collapsed, prices having dropped to £6 per ton and it : s anticipated that Sydney will draw largely on the Victorian market instead of dealing with New Zealand merchants.

The young man Glyn Ivor Hazel, charged . with stealing jewellery valued at alxout £BO, the property of Mr Alex. .Henderson, of Masterton, was brought before the Court in Wellington yesterday, and not in Masterton, as was expected. The accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Mr Henderson ha-s recovered a large portion of the jewellery that was taken from 'his shop. * An English trade journal, The Grocer, reports that the shipments of New Zealand cheese to London up to March showed an increase of nearly 30 par cent, over* last season, which was the largest on record. As for the quality of New Zealand cheese, the paper states that complaints throughout Great Britain are .general. Sonne of the best brands are strong flavoured, iaind; of very open and loose texture. The rind is also very soft, which possibly accounts for the excessive loss in weight shown after arrival.

A little boy named Ellis Toogood, the youngest son of Mr and Mrs A. J. Toogood, of Featherston, had a painful experience on Saturday. He filled an empty carbide drum with water and iset a match to it, when an explosion occurred, and the little fellow had the clothes almost burned off him. One of his legs and an arm were also severely burned, Luckily bo had turned the drum on jtS side before applying <bh© match, or he would! have revived the injuries about the ■&>£& and head, with more serious results than at present. He is now under medic'al care and doing as well as caff |>e expected,

.Mr W. H. Jackson, in conversation with an Age representative last ' evening, said the arrangements in * connection with the school excursion ' to Wellington worked admirably, and ' the children on the going and return journey behaved sptendidly. The '■ tramway arrangementis were excel- ' leratly carried .out, fund reflected ' great credit tupon the tramway authorities. The children were enabled to spend an enjoyable twenty minutes at Newtown Park, where a good supply of eatables and drinkables were provided, and .greatly appreciated after the train journey. Not the least enjoyable part of the visit to Newtown was a visit to the Zoo. which was greatly enjoyed by the juveniles. The annual meeting of the Wairarapa Referees' Association was held in Carterton on Saturday evening, Mr H. E. Booth presiding. The balancesheet, showing a .small credit balance, was read and adopted. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follow :—President, Mir H. E. Booth; Vice-President, Mr Waterwon; secretary, Mr E. McKenzie. The same officers were also elected: an appointment committee, to act in conjunction with *he Rugby Union officials. The secretary was instructed to draw the attention of the Rugby Union to the ruling of the N.Z.R.A., .which says: "AH games must (be.played in two equal spells, otherwise the game shall be replayed." -Mi- W. Barton, of White Rock, who has recently returned from America, and who bought fourteen fine Holstoin cattle in the States, relates the' following tale about American railway methods. Being anxious to bring the •stock along .with him, he had double rates (a mere £l5O was charged) to have their truck attached to the through express train. They were attached immediately behind the engine, but the draw-bar broke during the journey. Then the cattle truck v.a.-j taken to the other end of the train and attached to the rear of the olvsen-ation car. The latter was occupied by a party of wealthy and titled English tourists, who protested in the good old empliatic British ma.nnah. don'tehe-rknow, against being herded with the cattle. They didn't aippreoiato the pastoral scene provided. The American railroad style is very abrupt—and that is how the New Zealander got his shock. The railway guard simply detached the cattle truck, .side-tracked it miles from anywhere, and left the Holsteins and their owner lamenting such methods! "There a.re worst railways than these of ours in New Zealand," is Mr Barton's latest conviction. —'News.

This year's Now Zealand fruit crop! is estimated at /524,50Q bushels. Auckland has exported 328,358 boxes of butter this season as again&tt 280,680 last season. Damage to roads and bridges in the Southland County during the recent floods is estimated at £-WOO.

Owing to shortage of feed, largo numbers of sheep are being sold to go out of Gisborne district. The recent grass fires, which swept large areas of country, are mainly responsible for tills action being necessary. In Auckland the other day, under one of the city by-laws, a man was fined 10s and costs for distributing hand-bills an the streets. Another man, £6r dropping hand-bills on a pavement, was convicted, without a penalty.

A member of the Auckhuid Industrial Association isays that it is .absolutely necessary that imported goods should be analysed before being allowed to be put before the public The association, he considers, shou.d urge the 'Government to bring this about.

The police connected with the Sydney Central Police Station recently received a ".Black Hand" letter, which read: "To the Officers, Sergeants, and Men of the Central Police Station, —You are all condemned to die in three months. If'this »i>-pca-rs in any of the papers you will die within three weeks. The Black Hand of Sydney has sworn it." Underneath the missive drawn two* large -hands, which we.r& -painted black, and a red heart with dagger through it.

"The court does not intend to encourage laziness," said Mr Justice Sim at the Arbitration Court at Auckland. This remark was occasioned by the secretary of tho Auckland Baker's Union bringing forward an application to have an employer's name attached, to the award without having ascertained the Christian name of the party to be added. "It is perfectly easy," .said his Honour, "for a union secretary to find out what his employer's first name is. If he doesn't do it, it's laziness. On that ground the court intends to dismiss the application." An Invercargill commercial man, when questioned as to the effect of the flood upon Southland's prosperity, said that the province had received nearly a "knock-out" blow. It would have to steady things for a time. The farmers, however, had done well during the past few years, and hj« thought could stand the strain fairly well. The situation would not prove so black after all, as undoubtedly the * individual loss in several cases had been exaggerated. "Southland," he contended, "has wonderful recuperative powers. We have the winter hefore tis, and if the winter is not too severe and we have a fine spring, the flood wil soon be forgotten." In his report to the Rangitikei County Council, at its last meeting, the engineer said: 'During the month I inspected the two bridges designed and built by Mr Dawson for the Awatere County Council at Upton Downs, Awatere Valley, Marlborough. These bridges are entirely a new departure, being suspension with reinforced concrete deck. The bridges have undergone a very severe test, and satisfy me that wood is now obsolete for all class of bridge Woi'l:. These bridges are the.finsb of their kind constructed in New Zealand, and are a credit to Mr Dawson, who, by his enterprise, has opened up a new era for suspension bridges."

Mr W. T.'Goodwin, Government orchard instructor, was in Balclutha on Friday (says the Free Press) in connection with the proposal to establish an "experimental acre'* at Balclutha. the plan, arranged by the MoKenzie Government, was to plant about 5° varieties of trees on each acre, with the object of finding'out suitable varieties of fruit for commercial and domestic purposes in the particular district in which the experimental orchard is located. The Department was to supply th:- trees, fertilisers where necessary, and supervise the planting, pruning, and spraying for a term of seven years. The fruitfarmer was to supply the land amd labour, and in return he was to get fruit and be allowed to grow suitable crops between the trees. The sent Government, we understand, inV tc-nd proceeding on similar lines, ancfl in; addition to the plot at Balclutha' there will probably be one at Owaka.

Some of the people in the Sutton district seem to be indulging in the rather unique pursuit of farming the rabbits (says the Otago Daily Times), for these, abound in such numbers as to suggest theh fact that they have been encouraged to increase and multiply and inhabit-the land. Nobody is thanked for shooting them, and one . rabbiter was heard to remark ruefully that if there were not so many sheep there would be far more rabbits. As for the relative numbers of these animals, it may be said that there l£» about one sheep to the acre, while a hundred; or so rabbits can be counted in the gullies of the hills at any time. Wherever the troops at present in 1 camp there go they drive the rabbits I in dozens before them, and in some oases have even got near enough to a day-dreaming "bunny" to knock him on the head. The Agricultural Department has" replied to the suggestion of the New Zealand .Jersey Breeders that records should be kept at experimental .farms, not only of milk.and butter-fat duoed by the dairy cattle, but of feed consumed. The department says that unless they had a number of breeds of dairy cattle at each experimental farm for comparison, the records would be of no u se in the direction of indicating which breed gave the best results. Trials made on one farm only would merely show which breed - did best in that special environment, and would not help a settler to decide which .breed was superior in the different environments that could be provided. There would also be no method of establishing with any degree of accuracy the value of the grass consumed by each beast, and a« in this country grass is the predominating element in food for dairy cattle, the experiments would bo useless if grass were not taken into account.

Mr W. I). Lysnar delivers an address before'the farmers of Pahiatuu to-day. The Greytown Defence Rifle Club jiropose. starting Morris tube shooting at an early date. Teh Pahiatua, school children are to be taken to Napier ito -see the battleship 3s*ov." Zealand. .Up till Sunday,, evening. SO .000 people had inspected the. cruiser" New Zealand at Wellington. Mr A. R. Thompson will sing popular airs between the pictures at the Masterton Town Hall this evening. A wedding in whi*. h considerable local interest manifested, takes place in Masterton to-morrow. The Greytown Chee-ve Company will rail 140 oases of cheese to Wellington on Friday, for shipment by the llotorua. Heavy frost's have, during the pawf week, bean experienced in various parts- of tho Wo<t Coast of the. South Island. The onliy candidate announced for the position of Mayor of Palmerston North, is tho retiring Mayor, Mr J. 'A. Nash. Work in connection with the Auckland Exbihit'on is proceeding apace, and a larg i •■.rmbr-r of men are engaged in tho various work's of construction. An Auckland telegram states that Frank Pater-son, aged 17, employed on the Harbour Board launch, accidentally foil overheard yesterday morning, and was drowned. An Auckland teelgram states that tho Albans ilopeworks at Mangere wc.!v> totally destroyed by. fire on Saturday night. The building and plant were valued at £750, and were insured for £4OO. The gross receipts in connection ■ with St Matthew's parish, Masterton, for the pa-st year, amounted to £912 7s lid, of which £291 15s Id represented offertories. The Women's Patriotic. League of Wellington is presenting the battleship New Zealand with a pair of silver kettle-drums. The drums are. to he purchased in England by the: High Commissioner.

A wracking agreement for three years has been arrived ab between tire South Auckland Enginedrivqrs' Industrial Union of Workers and the Waihi Mining Companies. A slight nil-round increase in wages has been granted. The Cook County Council has decided to accede to the request of the Akitio Council te urge upon the memher for the district, the importance of securing an amendment of the Act to enable County Councils to establish joint accident insurance funds. Probably four land ballots, for an Aggregate area of.approximately 30,000 acres of Taranaki land, will be held from now until June (states the Taranaki Herald). The first will be held at "New Plymouth on or about May 31st, a later-one at Tammnrnui fiearer the end of next moufh, and several move at tfbort intervals The sun-bath ■to bo put down at Auckland. Among several new bylaws considered by tbo City Council nt a recent meeting is one which vides that no person shall remain in bathing co>stumo on any- beach for a longer time than' is reasonably necessary to enable him to pass from th? dressing .place to the water, or from the water to the dressing place, as the case may be. . The Ashburton Guardian has learned from a bona fide source that gold ~in .payable quantities has been found in one of the hill districts in or near Ashburton. County. A great deal of ' secrecy is being observed in the mat- : iter, and certain legal difficulties have to be encountered and overcome. In the meantime very little information regarding the matter can be ascertained until the difficulties have finally • been disposed of.

The Masterton Picture and Entertainment Company, with characteristic enterprise, lias secured a kineiroatographi film showing; H.M.S. New Zealand coming up Wellington harbour. The film will bo screened tonight for a first time, and will doubtless draw a crowded house. The picture will afford l a splendid l idea of the proportions of the warship, and, with the mushroom (fleet "that .surrounded her on her progress down the harIjoiir, will present a magnificent study in shipbuilding ancient and modern. It speaks well for the arrangements made ,by Mr W. H. Jackson in connection with yesterday's- excursion from tiie Masterton schools to Wellington, that out of close upon 600 children, only five foiled to return by the first train. This was accounted .for by the fact that whilo the children were being transferred from the battleship to the ferry steamers, the time allowed for catching the train was rather limited, and in the rush five children were omitted. Arrangements were made for their return, two senior teachers being left behind to see to their requirements and safe return to Masterton. The Masterton YM.C.A. Gymnastic and Physical Culture classes are increasing apace. The boy's' class, which was postponed yesterday on account of the visit of the Masterton and Lansdowne boys to Wellington, will be held this afternoon at 3.45 o'clock. The ladies' class, which is steadily increasing in membership, •will ako' he held this evening at 7.30 o'clock. Great interest is being evinced at the men's classes in the new American game of Medicine Ball, the pupils seizing every available opportunity to play the game. Messrs .Tarrett and Williams have some good material to work on this year. The cost oE living in Auckland is fairly high on occasions. A man who had on Thursday morning got drunk twice, fallen into the sea off Hobson Street wharf and been rescued, all before 8 o'clock in the morning, had i£lo 3s 2d on him. when he came before the Magistrate next day and was fined ss. The following morning ho was back again, with a companion, for fighting on the street and damaging a. motor car, and both men 'were fined 10s and 7s fid costs. The hero of the previous day's record, before the case, had £2 12s lOd on him, and ho settled nip both fines, with the result. that. Ivp- .started out in the world again ."with 2os 4d. His few simple; wants during a couple of days "seeing Auckland" had, therefore, cost him feomething in the vicinity of £9. —Auckland Sta.i\

Tho Palmerston North butchers observed a holiday yesterday to enable them to pay a vusit to H.M.S. New Zealand. Nominations for scats on tho Masterton Borough Council, and for the representative of tho borough on the Wairarapa, Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, close ji.t noon to-morrow. One. of the engine drivers of the WeHington-Taranaki express stated at a coroner's inquiry at Wanganui to-clay that motor tiaf'fio was th? greatest "hurdle" which the engine drivers of this train had to fats.. This was particularly so on the I'Vild-ing-Pahnorston section" where lie had seen snnifl of the most daring tricks imag.ina.blti performed. ft wa.s not iinu-itia.l, ho said, to see motorists attempt to race the train when the road was running parallel with the railway truck, and then to cro«s over in front of the engine wlhen there was not two feet to spare. Frequently he had had to blow his whistle on such occasions, and, by way of acknowledgment, the motorist would simply turn round and grin at him.

Holiday excursion tickets to Masterton and Opaki will bo issued at stations between Wellington and Woodville on the 24th inst. These will be available for return on the 26th. On the 24th and 25th, a special passenger train will leave Masterton at 11.30 a.m., and arrive at Opaki racecourse at 11.40 a.m. Passengers for Opaki must travel by this train. They will not be permitted to travel by the train leaving Masterton for Woodville at 11.50 a.m. Return. trains will leave Opaki at 5.45 and (5.1") p.m. The 2.40 p.m. train from Woodville to Wellington will leave the racecourse at 5.45 p.m. This train will have cars attached from Cross Creek to "Wellington, and will set down passengers where required. All trains up and down will, if required, stop opposite the Opaki racecourse for passenger*. The statement of Rupert William St. Leger and Nellie St. Leger, of Masterton, who have been adjudicated bankrupt on their own petition, shows that the total debts amount to £5(39 18s. Tho assets total £231 13s 3d, leaving a deficiency of £338 4s 9d. Tho principal orediors are Thomas Lewis and Co. (Wellington) £l3O, Kernot, Ltd. (Wellington) £95, Phoenix Mineral Co. (Wellington) £SO, M. J. O'Halloran (Wellington), £SO, G. O'.lTalloran (Masterton) £SO, Levin and Co. (Mangatainoka) £44, Mrs Sullivan>(Wellington) £4O, A. D. Kennedy (Wellington).£29 16s, J. MeGrath (Wellington) £2O, Ballantyne and Hunter (Wellington) £l3 Bs, Rodd (Johnsonville).£l2, Radford and Co. (Wellington) £l6. The estimated val'iic of securities' held by isecured creditors is £1578 13s 6d, leaving a surplus to contra of £l7l 13s 3d.

A good general is required by Mrs R. Cameron, "Snowdon," Mauriceville. The Masterton Racing Club advertise for gatekeepers for the races on Thursday and Friday. Messrs J. Alpass and Co. advertise for waitresses for the Masterton races >n Thursday and Friday. "*- The Masterton A. and P. Association invite tenders for grazing stockpaddocks at the Sol way show-grounds. A reward is offered for the recovery of a black Cocker Spaniel; anyone found detaining same after the notice will be liable to prosecution. Members of the Masterton United Labour Party are requested to meet at Murray's Hall to-morrow night, as there is important business to transact. The annual meeting of parishioners of St. Matthew's Parish, Masterton, will be held in" St. Matthew'?. Schoolroom on Wednesday, April 23rd, at 8 p.m.

The evening wear fashions for the coming season are most beautiful. Tis indeed a pleasure to inspect the fine displays of gowns and trimmings at Messrs Hugo and Shearer's. , Further, this firm makes an interesting announcement in this issue.

In. a replace advertisement in this issue Messrs J. L. Murray, Ltd., drawattention to their up-to-date stock of high-grade underwear. All leading makes, including Wolsey, L and R. Morleys, Dr Jaegers and Roslyn, are represented. The underutear has been made to the firm's order, and is specially fashioned. All goods are of an unshrinkable finish, and made so as not in any way to irritate the skin. A full range of boys' underwear, including combinations, flannel unders, singlets and knacker drawers are always stocked. In response to the demand for economy, combined with the pleasure of motoring, the cycle car has been evolved. On page 6 of this issue is shown an illustration of the "Humberette," the latest production of the Humber Company, for which Mr P. W. Wear- ! don has taken up the sole Wairarapa agency. The attention of readers is drawn to this, for it seems to be the very thing to fill the requirements-of the'market. Light weight, although with all necessary strength, and a special carburetter to ensure long tyre mileage and low petrol consumption, and these with the small initial outlay bring the Cycle Car within the reach of everybody. KIDNEY DISEASE and all allied complaints have their prompt and effectual remedy in Dr Sheldon's Gin Pills, which act m a wonderfully speedy manner. Give bhem a trial. Price, Is 6d and 2s 6d. Obtainable everywhei .