LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 December 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wairarapo Age will not he published on Thursday and Friday Christmas Day and Boxing Day. .Masterton tradesmen report that, in spite of tho unfavourable weather, a very animated Christmas trade is being experienced. Several towns in the Taranaki province are still suffering from shortage of coal supplies. In Stratford, conl is almost unprocurable. It is stated by reliable persons that shearing operations in the Masterton and Wairarapa districts will not be completed until the end of January. Large drafts of aheep are being received daily at' the Waingawa freezing works. The slieep traffic over the Rimutaka is also becoming heavy. It is estimated that the butter and clieeae factories in the Pahiatua district are manufacturing nine tons of produce a day, which is valued at £BO3. '

Several Masterton farmers- who cut their hay last week report that the lower portion of the grass, particularly clover, is in a state of advanced decay.

Mr J. 0. .Boddingtan reports that the rainfaU "registered at the Upper Plain for the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. on Sunday wag 34 points, and on Monday 1 point. . The first crop of lucerne at the Ruakura farm of instruction was mown on October 17th, and the weather being unsuitable for hay, it was converted into ensilage.

A GisWne telegram stains that tbe twin sons ctf Mr P Kendordine, a sheep farmer of Hangaroa, died on Sunday night as-the result of eating tablets containing; strychnine. .1 We have to acknowledge the, teason's greetings from the staffs of the; Marlborough Express and Otaki Mail, and from the manager and staff of the Masterton Municipal Gas "Department, and the Masterton Lodge of Oddfellows

American'fibre authorities declare that Wnder-twini from New Zealand hemp does not retain its strength if kept for a period of years, AvMle-jMa-nila and sisal twines do not deteriorate perceptibly for a longer time. The' Man<iwatu Times urges that the Palinerston North Chamber of. Commerce should wake up, and attend to something more than the violets in the Square. It even suggests an effort to capture the Pabiatua and Pongaroa trade* .-.: Dnr kg the month, -of November, t^-elver(»ot€rjs^'a'n4':fiitmgs- J :f £6m : r ihe" Maf^toh'-^, department, making .a total of ■ ty-nine 'fofp.tlio yearV ; and the, approximate number in use 583. The value of cookers sold for the month amounted to £9l 18s 9d.

A man named Frederick;. G. De, Lisle, who'is not unknown to Masterton, was arrested at Wellington on Sunday on a charge of having stolen a hand-bag containing legal and other documents, the property of MivNortm>n L. Gurr, of Pannevirke, *ml valued at £lO. . i

The following handicaps lijiye been declared by Mr T., Wyeth for th© quoits competition, at the Caledonian , sports on New Year's Day:—E. Peterson scr, H. J. Thomas and T. Pmhev 5, E.' Hodge, G. Hodge, H. Vibert, W. De B. Compton, M. Gallagher,. F. Punch and C. H. Anderson 6. It has been decided to commence the competition at 9.30 a.m. A civil fitting of-the Magistrate's Court was presided over in Masterton yesterday by Messrs M. C. O'.Oonnell and E. McEwen, J's.P., who gave judgment by default for plaintiffs in the follbwing cases:— Charles Lett v. George Taylor, claim £3 10S,. costs 10s; C. E. Daniell v. Alex. Reside, claim £3 19s sd, costs 10s; Walter Whittaker V. John McLaehlin, claim £4 12s, costs 10s. Mr L. G. Reid, S.M., presided at a sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. For breaches of 'the Defence Act, William Palamoninin, Joseph Ewington, Daniel Davey,' Richard John Andrew and Richard Webber were convicted and ordered to pay 7s costs; Thomas Byrn, Eli Astwood, and Harold V. Falk were fined 20s arid costs 7s each', in default seven days' military Second charges were preferred against Harold V. Falk and EH Astwood,veach accused being, convicted and discharged.' In judgment summons cases, John Savage was ordered to pay Mc- \ Gme> and Co. £1 17s 6d, in default three days' imprisonment; Karii te Hnk.i* was ordered to pay McGrue,* and Co. £3 9s within Wpmontlis, in ; default seven, days' imprisonment; and "William DavieVwas ordered to pay W. G. Butchej:,.£4 3s 6d within one irpnth in default seven) days' imprisonment. An important move is afoot in connection with-the New Zealand Shearers' and Woolslied Employees' Association,, the principal object being amalgamation with Austialian Workers'. Union, a very strong industrial body of country unionists, whose headquarters are in Sydney. A ballot paper has been issued to each member of the union, one of the questions (in effect) to be answered being: Are you in favour of amalgamation with the Australiai Workers' Union? The*other two queries (also in effect) on the paper are: Are you in favour of joining the Social Democratic Party and the United Federation of Labour? Are you in favour of-, accepting ,£1 pei-100 for shearing for'a further term of three .years at the conclusion of the present season? The, ballot papers are to be sent in to the returning officer (Mr G. Farland) before March Ist of next year. The opinion among the-officials of £he union is that'jthe proposal to amalgamate, with Australia will be carried by a large .majority, the .guggestion haying generally found favour among the members. 1-"