LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12632, 20 October 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Supplementary Roll for the Wanganui electorate has now 350 rames.

A notice to consignees re Wanganui cargo ex the Tyser Line s.s. Mimiro, appears in another column of this issue.

Th* New South Wales Labour Compassion reports that the labour market is improving and tho number of unemployed decreasing. ,

"We nuderstand that Mr. J. C. Richardson has consented to be a candidate lor the vacancy in the Borough Council caused by the retirement of Mr.. Johns. .

Tho secretary of the Wanganui Hockey Association desires to acknowledge with thanks a donation of two guineas towards the ground fund: from Messrs. H. I. Jones and Son,, linefeed. Mr. W. G. Bassett, candidate' for Parliament, will address the electors in the Opera House oh Wednesday,! the 25th instant, arid at other centres as per advertisement. ,

District Judge Kettle has been instructed to hold an inquiry ajb Taihapo into tlib complaints made by a local solicitor as to the manner in which the d'strict constable conducts Court cases.

An effort was recently made to in duco Mr. F. H. Haselden, formerly M.H.It, for Kangitikei, to. deliver a political address in Marton. We learn, however, that Mr. Haselden is compelled to defer this for some time owing to his other engagements, and to "the fact that he is busily engaged in connection with his candidature for the Wanganui seat.

At the Police Court yesterday movning, a man named Bert Collins, alias "VMiittal, alias Bobbie, was fined £1 and costs 17s. 6d., in default 48 hours' imprisonment, for having used indecent language in the Mangamahu Hotel. He was also fined 40s. and costs, in default one week's imprisonment, for having refused to leave the same hptol when requested by the licensee to do so. A first offending drunk was fined ss. and costs.

Tha annual meeting of the Wanganui Auxiliary of the British and l(or-< eign Bible Society will be held in St. Paul's Hall on Wednesday night, the Ist of- November. 'Will subscribers kuidly remember that all subscriptions shouid be given in before that date? Collectors are heartily reminded that their books ought to be handed in to the local treasurer, Mr. J. L. Stevenson, a fe wdays before the date of the annual meeting.

We give a final reminder of the en« tei tainment to be given in the Westmere Public Hall this evening, when the Westmere Amateurs will reprotftice the pretty comedietta, "Furnished Apartments." In addition to the play, a fine programme will be given, it-c-ms being rendered by Misses Ashton and Powell, and Messrs. Swan> Forrest, Duigan, and Wixey. A dance will be held after the performance. A coach will leave Jefferson's stables at 7 p.m. Tho proceeds of the entertainment are in,aid of the Westmere Presbyterian Ladies' Guild.

At the Dublin Street Primitive ' Methodist : Church on Wednesday evening the Rev. B. Dudley, ,of Halcombe, delivered a most interesting and able lecture, entitled "Helen Keller, the Story of a Spirit in Prison." The story of the blindj deaf, and dumb. j child, -who eventually graduated B.AC' at Ratcliffe College, was lucidly told.'. During the evening the report of tho . late sale of work was given, the nett. proceeds being £62 10s., and it was announced that the church anniversary woujd be held on November 19 and 21 l'.oxt. Refreshments were provided after the lecture. There was a large attendance. **"

A concert and dance in aid of a very deserving case will b9 held at the A.B.C. Mall this evening. The enter- ' tainment is being given in aid of Mr. A. Eadie, who by reason of the great misfortune of losing one of his legs, is prevented from earning his livgliSood at his trade, that of a boiler'-m&keis. A number of charitably disposed residents have very thoughtfully arranged a programme with the object of raising sufficient money" to procuro for the unfortunate man an artificial leg, in order that he may once more bo able to work for the maintenance • of his wife and family. A really good programme has been arranged, and we sinoarely hope that there will be a large audience.

The Citizens' Life Assurance Company, Limited, has taken up the loan ; of £16,000 required in connection with tho Palmerston North drainage scheme, and also the £26,000 loan required for j the town water supply extension. Tho Garrison Band havo postponed their open-air concert (which was to **~ havo been given on Monday evening next), till Monday week, the 30th instant, to avoid clashing with the Watkin Mills concert. At a meeting at Wellington of representatives of tho whole of the wholesale drug trade in the colony, it was decided to form a Wholesale Druggists' Association of New Zealand. Mr. ilenton, general manager of Kempthorne, Prosser and Co., was elected president. A Perth cable says that Mr. Rason, in an election speech, declared that in ttaa event of Western Australia not receiving justice in connection with tho transcontinental railway, it would possibly be his duty to ask the people to cut adrift from the Federation and row their own boat. At the concert to be held in St. Paul's Hall next Thursday a programme of an exceptional nature will io rendered, and one that, will be enjoyed by everyone As the concert is In'aid of the Hockey Association ground fund, xhere should be a large attendance. The committee meet to-night at ".30 in the T.Y.M.I. rooms. The renowned "Pelorous Jack," which fur upwards of fifteen years ha.1* accompanied every steamer for some miles after leaving the French Pass, is still very much in evidence, and is, in fact, quite tho idol of the seafaring men engaged in this particular run. ".lack," however, was rather too daring one evening some months ago in h s diving tricks, and the steamer he came into collision with was the Penkuin, which struck him on the side, leaving a mark that has been discernsible ever since- It would appear .scarcely credible, but it is a fact that <nn be vouched for, that he would notdgain follow the Penguin, and has not (•one so since! How he can discern one .steamer from another is a problem Inrd to solve, but it seems this remarkable denizen .of tho deep is endowed with this faculty. The steamer Peng.iin did him an injury, and for so do,ing he pays her no further attention, y-^hut accompanies all the others as usual in his accustomed amusing manner! Among the flags that floated from the poles that bore Nelson's signal at the Sports Ground yesterday was one with a history. It was a red ensign and floated from the centre pole. Thi* flag is now the property of Mrs. Knowles, of Palmerston North. In tha year 1860 it was presented to the friendly Maoris at Motueka, Nelson, by the English Government, having been sent cut expressly from England. One day the North. Island natives sent emissaries to Motueka to persuade th« Maoris there to join them in rebellion ag.ainst the whites, but they refused. The story goes that, the northerners in their anger then tried to pull the flag down from the pole on which it waved, and to confiiscate it. But an old wall me, who some years before had been stolen from tho North Island and shamefully treated, in the melee thaifc H followed, gained possession of the flag ■ and hid it unseen. It remained seH. creted in her possession, till, many H years afterwards, when the old laxly H Was 96 years old, and on her deathbed ■ she, out of the fullness of her heart H presented it as a great keepsake to a H lady who showed her kindness. SubH sequently it came into the present Mrs. H Knowles' possession as a reward for atH t*ntion shoM-n the owner on her deathH bed, and in Mrs. Knowles' care it has H remained ever since. The flag is valH ved at over £20. H Tho Chief Constable of Chester told Ha strange story I'ast Friday (writes our H London correspondent under date Ist H September), when a shop assistant namHod Thomas Aubrey Griffiths was senHf Jtenced to three months' imprisonment WjMot having stolen £56 from his em■Ppioyers. Griffiths, it was stated, stole the money from the safe, and then H went to Chester and Blackpool. Ho appears to have been of an amorous nature, and he was, very successful in his love affairs, so successfully indeed that he was engaged to four girls at one time. He had actually arranged H to be married to two of them, and the wedding days had been duly fixed. All the material for the bride's trousseau to be nsed at the first wadding had H been stolen by Griffiths. The date for the other wedding was the day before his appearance in Court, and his viehad made every-preparation for the In his effort to finance this «?vent the prisoner obtained the key of his employer's safcj and stole the sum of £56. His complicated position, with affianced brides on his hands at K^ same time, compelled him to change his quarters, and accordingly he fled suddenly to Manchester. He had in meantime arranged for a honeymoon tour in New Zealand. While in he still remembered all his four betrothed ones 3 and sent presents of jewellery to each one with' the inscription, '"'Thine for ever," and so on. I Copies of letters which he had sent to his different sweethearts were discovamong his correspondence. In of thesD h« wrote: "Soon we shall be in the land where Dick Seddon holds darling. He, too, was a Lanman." However, as events out, all the plans were frustratand Griffiths is now in prison as result of helping himself to £56 of employers' money to pay for the of one of the prospective brides. - The question of the further importaof coloured labourers is now can sa deal of excitament in New Cale(says tho "Sydney Daily TeleThe depressed state of thinga the French colony has caused a large in the number of unemployed, of whom are said to be in a piticondition. There are already hundreds of Japanese there, most them working in the mines, and now of the chief mining companies has six hundred more labourers that country, who are expected to during the next few weeks. Conopposition is being manifestto their coming. It is pointed oiyfc the convicts, after serving theii of imprisonment, are not alto leave tho colony, and must themselves as best they can. introduce coloured labour to oomwith them, since tho Japanese are* riaid tenpenee a day, is regarded H most unjust, as it will compel tho men to work for similar wages or starve. Attention is called to-tho that New Caledonia is only a small and it is urged that if a vast like Australia, with its unlimresources, has thought it wise to tho importation of coloured imit is much more necessary to similar restrictions in that colTho Japanese, it is said, are no except to themselves and then as the rice and fish on which live is imported from Japan; they spend little or nothing, and to their own country all their It is, therefore, urged that if Government is determined to allow importation of coloured labourers, should bo heavily taxed, not onty n landing, but pay a fixed sum anLn this way, it is thought, the might derive some benefit.

I The Rake of Rakes is made by Mciormick. It gathers all the hay. gents, Williams and Harper, Wananul.

We understand that Mr. C. E. Mackay intends to offer himself as a candidate for the vacant seat on the Wanganui Borough Council.

Tho scow Moana, which was wrecked some time back &% Mokau, is reported ha the Taranaki "Herald" to be breaking up. Tho plan of floating her off has of necessity been abandoned by' the purchaser of her hull—Mr. G. H. Stubbs.

Tho following crews have been picked for the U.B.C. Fours:—Whitcombe. (stroke), Christian, McKinnon, Ruscoe; Gage (stroke), Hogan, T. Anderson, Jarrett; Murray (stroke), Scarfe, Couch, Ogilvie; Swanger (stroke), Ransom, Halligan, Hardley; Neilson (stroke), Armstrong, T. Prideaux, A. Anderson; Slyfield (stroke), Seeling, Jenkins, Carthy.

The following Ar-amoho Boating Club crews have been picked to compete for the "Mitchell" Shield:—G. Tasker (stroke), W. Smith, R. Humphries, L. Brandon; A. E. . Benefield (stroke), J. Morrison, R. Briggs, W Benefield; A. Ander (stroke), A. Gibson, W. Keys, C. Bridges; A. H. Benefield (stroke), T. Shepherd, R. Benefield, A. Slight. As reported in our yesterday's issue, the Christmas Carnival Committee have voted £10 for the purchase of a champion belt; to be called the "Christmas Carnival Belt/ on condition that tho Association holds its annual shooting fixture during Carnival Week, instead of in February ,the dates suggesfcsd: being the 28th and 29th of December. The decision of the Carnival Committee will, we feel sure, meet with the full appreciation of members of tha'Rifle Association. It has been suggested to us that the Association may see its way to increase the prize money to some extent, and we commend the suggestion to the favourable consideration of the officers.

"The Cost of the Cluo" is the title of ,a brilliant new story, which is to commence running as a serial in ouJ Supplement next week. This story, which is of a very powerful nature, is written by Frank Yerlock, a writer well known to a large number of readers. Our readers should make a special effort to get the opening chapters, of this story, which is of a mysterious and thrilling character. The Supplement to be issued with to-morrow morning's "Chronicle" will be found to be well up to the standard, of its predecessors. A very interesting short story, entitled "An Awakening," occupies a prominent place. As usual, ilie "Man on the Look Opt" has 1 some interesting remarks to make on things in general. "Marguerite" has a fine budget of news for her lady readers) while illustrated articles,- wit ami humour, etc., go to make up a very acceptable budget of weekend reading

'Life" for October: This is ,the month for the publishing of Nelson memorials, and one of the first but is Dr. Fitcfoett's magazine, "Life," the main feature of which is a magnificent article on Trafalgar, by the editor himself; there are also lengthy reviews of two recent Nelson books, and a choice selection of stories about England's greatest naval hero. The issue is, however, not overbalanced by Nelsoniana, for there are several other fine special articles Of these, the more notable are a sketch of Marchesi, the famous French teacher, by Mme. Maggie Stirling; a second section of the history of an Australasian sovereign, by W. A. Somerset; and a useful article on how to become a mining manager, by D. Avery, M,Sc, chief of the Chemistry Department of the Working Men's College. In the sections devoted to general and Imperial topics are some dozen articles, ranging ;ov&r a very wide area, and placing the; reader ati" fait with most of the interesting topics of the day. The lover of books and magazines, is supplied with a readable resume" of the best current literature, and some entertaining gossip about authors and' artists.* - Politics, history, science, religion, sport, travel, poetry, and half-a-dozen other subjects lire treated under'"1 separate _- departments, and "Life," far from showing any abatement of vigour, is, rather, increasing in quality as it grows in circulation. It is (quite up to any, and better than nine-tenths, of the imported magazines at. twice its price.

A discussion upon the question o? marriage and divorce was commenced at the meeting of the Auckland Anglican Svnpd on Monday evening, when the Kirn A. S.-Buckland moved, "That in view of the growing frequency of divorce in this.colony, and recent legislation on the subject, this Synod desires to record its conviction that tho present legalised facilities for obtaining divorce are undermining the family life of the nation, and that the Church should strive to educate public opinion towards upholding the sacredness of the marriage tie, and to demand the removal from the Statute Book of Acts legalising divorce with, tho right of remarriage in any case excepting that o? adultery." The mover, in speaking to the question, pointed out that the matter was at present in the air, and was ono of greatest importance, especially as during the present session another alteration entirely in the wrong direction, had been made in facilities for obtaining a dissolution of marriage. The marriage bond evidently was noi held as a holy bond, but merely as a civil one. As showing tho tendency towards obtaining dissolutions in marriage, there were 136 in the colony last year, as compared with 32 granted in 1898. New Zealand, he showed, had a very high percentage of divorce cases as compared with those of some othercountries. Bills were apt to get through Parliament before they knew where they were, and so they sometimes had hasty and ill-advised legislation. As clergymen they should en-^ deavour to* induce people who wei\i about to be married to be married in tho church, and not in houses. (Applause.)