The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 727, 26 March 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1881.

The frequent recurrence of serious fives in Featherston during the 'past twelvemonths. ■ demands a little consideration, Whether by design '.or fatality, their number and the extent of property' destroyed, by them has been of an exceptional character. Of course 1 it is quite within the bounds of possibility that from inevitable and unavoidable causes all the fires have originated, but at the same time there is room for suspectingtbe existence of incendiarism. One or two fires in a township the size of Featherston might be regarded as an ordinary annual risk, but when the number creeps up to five or six the position of affairs may be described as abnormal. As a rule Insurance Companies protect, more or less, the owners of properties for their losses by fire, and the sympathy of the public is not required, for those whose goods and tenements are destroyed. It is quite unnecessary to add that very little sympathy is felt for the Insurance Companies who sustain the immediate loss, It must, however, be evident that when all is said and done it is the property holders themselves who have to pay the piper. Premiums, must cover risks, and if the latter are abnormal, the former will be equally so. The consequence our Featherston friends have to apprehend is an increased rate of premium, and it would be well for them to bestir themselves so that tliey may prevent the fires which they otherwise may have to pay for. In the Wairarapa there is only one fairly equipped fire brigade, and even that is undermanned, and short of many essential appliances. Still the Masterton brigade is tolerably efficient, and this town is absolutely safer from fires than any other in the district, The amount of property destroyed by fire in Masterton during the past twelve months is far less than in either Carterton, Greytown, and Featherston. Without the Brigade we believe it would have been far greater, Carterton lias made a fair start to emulate Masterton, but as yet its Brigade is not in any sense of the term properly equipped, and its power to deal witli a fire is but limited. In Greytown and Featherston there are no organised Brigades, and the sooner settlers there take the initiative to establish them the better. It is far cheaper for the latter township to maintain Brigades than to pay insurance premiums. When a fire occurs at Masterton the alarm bell rings, and in about five minutes the engine and its red-coated satellites are on the spot. The chances are, say five to one against the fire, but in Greytown I and Featherston the chances are five to • one in favor of it, The advantage of local Brigades is not as yet fully ( appreciated in the Wairarapa, and a , fire such as that we reported in our • issue of yesterday, is an irresistible argument in their favor.

The Wairarapa Jockey Olub meets at Carterton this afternoon. Mr Hutchison, M.H.R. for Wellington, addresses his constituents on Tuesday next. Wo remind settlers in Masterton of Mobsi'b J. lorns & Co.'s sale at two p.m. this day. Evening classes in connection with the Masterton Public School open onMondav next. The collector for the Masterton Borough Council has notified that proceedings will be taken for the recovery of outstanding rates.

The specifications for conveying machinery to Brandon's Reef may be seen at Mr J. W. Lnimbier's, Featherston,

Mr Kember, the representative of the United lusurance offices, is at Featherston.

With three or four days more dry weather the citizens of Wellington will have to obtain their supply of water by importing it in carts,

The traffic returns for the four weeks ending February sth, on-the Wellington and Mastei'ton railway, amount to £3473 6s lid, For tho corresponding period last year they were £2BOO 9s lid,

Tho engines on tho Wellington and Masterton railway are now supplied with spark arresters, Burning fences and grass was a small matter, but when tho department began burning its own carriages and passengers, a change had to be made.

Through the closing of Mr Fisk's store at Clareville, the local post-office came to grief. We should have thought that the Department would at once have made arrangements for the mails to be deliverod at and received from some other building in tho neighborhood. Instead of that, ■settlers at Olaroville have to go to Carterton for their letters, Fourteen subscribers to the extent of £SO each to the Church of England could not be found in the whole of Queensland in six weeks. The Bishop of Brisbane offered £7OO if fourteen of them could be found in that time,

The census of the whole German Empire was taken on December Ist, Each house-holder received some half-dozen closely-printed forms, containing over 200 questions. A householder was asked, for instance, hoyr many rooms he had fitted with stoves, and how many without; also the number of windows in the house, how many look on tho street ani} on the yard or garden,

In the city of Dublin there are 24,000 families, averaging five members, who are each living in a single room, The death rate of tho city is 40 per 1000 in the tenement house districts. These two facts, the enormous number of families living in a single room and the high death rate, prove that the horrore and dangers of Irish distress have not been exaggerated, These families of five shut up each in a single bedroom depeud for support on wages of from ten to seven shillings a week, News from Samoa (says the New Zeastates that trade is in an exceedingly depressed state, owing to the natives having converted the ploughshare into a sword. Tho late King Malietoa's nephew, who is his heir and successor, had worsted the insurgents at Savais, but there was still strife at Upolu, "of, which Island Apia is the capital, when the vessel left. While the natives are thus amusing themselves, the white settlers are suffering, for a large portion of the.business of' the latter consists in dealing, with the for-, mer. Until the natives take to peaceful, pursuits, such as gathering' copra, ;thero will be but little-inducement for trading vessels to visit Samoa, especially at'business would be attended with considerable risk,; on account of a commercial crisis on a large scale (for Samoa), which apparently is nigh at hand,

Notice is giveu of an eleotion o( a councillor for Alfredton Riding on Monday next,ith April.' A correspondent of the Lyttelton Times says that Beyeral residents in. the Port Victoria district had to dig their potatoes before they were ripe, to save them from the pheasants, which are also very' fond of apples and peas, ■. ; Says' Ruskin—What do you think the beautiful word' 11 wife" comes from? -It is the great word In which the English and Latin languages conquered the Greek and French; I hope ' the French will some, day: get. a word., for it instead of that (l femme." But what do you think itcomea.from? The great value of the Saxon Words is that they mean something. Wife means. "weaver." You must be either house moths or house wives—remember that. In the deep sense, you must either weave.men's fortunes and embroider them or feed upon and bring them to decay. ; At a recent bird show in Berlin, Germany, green canaries were exhibited, Others were red, light brown, and gray. The variations of color had been oaused by the daily use of cayenne pepper in their food, The pepper was at first given them in small quantities, and the birds appeared to like it, butj the feathers soon fell, giving them a- moulting appearance. In a short time new feathers of divers colors sprouted. The variations were ascribed to the qualities of the pepper and the quantity given.

The quantity of alcoholic liquor that is sufficient to kill, if takon at a single draught, is being satisfactorily determined by actual.experiment, The other day an aged colored man in Texas drank three pints of whiskey and fell dead, A German paper tells of a woman who has made a similar experiment in a tavern at the village of Wirrwitz, near Brislau, where she and her. husband, being engaged jointly ak travelling vendors of lampblack—a business'that is recognised specially in Germany—had put up for the night. The feat was occasioned by a boast made by her in the course of a conversation with a number of cabin loungers that she could drink a pint of brandy at a single draught if any of her hearers had the ability to pay. for it, The offer was taken up and she stowed the brandy away as proposed without winking. Then, however, sho sat down and covered her face with her hands, and when after some time her husband, becoming alarmed, tried to arouse her it was found she was dead.

A.London telegram of. Fob. 12 gtoes the following particulars of the marriage of the Baroness Burdett - Coutts: The Baroness was married to W. Ashmead Bartlott this morning, at Christ Church. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev W. 0. Cardineli, assisted by the Rov Henry ..White, Chaplain Savoy Chapel, None but the nearest relatives and the most intimate friends of the parties were present. Mr Lataita acted as "best man." Sir Frauds Burdett, the head of the family, gave away the bride. The wedding party were afterwards entertained at the residence of Mrs Travornion, the elder sister of the bride, whoso health prevented her presence in Church. The Baroness looked remarkably woll, Mr Bartlett, in accordance with the Duchess of St Alban's will, assumed the name of Burdett-Coutts before his own aurname, He and his wife leave this afternoon for the seat Gordon, in Kent.

While travelling in South America, at Corrientes, up the rivet Uruguay, Lady Florence Dixie, says a London paper, came across a South American jaguar with its cub. The mother savagely attacked Lady Florence, who in the most plucky manner shot her in self defence and captured the cub, a young male, In April, 1878, Lady Florence brought the cub to England with her, and all last winter the jaguar, which had grown considerably and had for its companion' a tiger cat, was out in the opon air during all the cold weather, having only a small kennel-house, Slightly heated by a gas stove, to go into at night. These two animals were subsequently transferred to the Fishery, Windsor, where thoy were allowed a large open space with an abundance of fresh grass and trees, which they were fond of climbing. Being close to the Thames they never omitted to havo a swim in the river of a morning. Their food was varied, but what they liked best was the heads of sheep and bullocks. Lady Dixie's jaguar is a beautiful specimen, so tame' and gentle that if ho were not so mischievous he might go at large, As Lady Florence is about to leave England for Africa, she has deposited her pets at the Zoological Gardens, where A. D. Bartlett liaa given the jaguar admirable accommodation in one of the large dens in the new lion houses.

William Anketell, Mastei'ton, farmer, gave the following evidence in the Asylum enquiry. He said he was in tho Asylum and saw a patient named Anderson there. He saw several attendants, who had Anderson stretched acrosg the passage, Some were holding him by the legs and others by tho arms. One attendant was beating him. He thought his name was Harvey but would not Bwear. He could identify him, The patient did not resist, but the next day his face was shameful to look at. Witness had great difficulty in getting out of the Asylum, He had to pay L 5 to a man to carry a message to his' solicitor for him, telling him of the injustice ho (witness) was suffering. He was. falsely imprisoned there, and applied to Dr France, but he refused to allow him to go out of the Asylum. He often, worked by himself without being guarded, Ho was afraid to write to his solicitor for fear of Mr Whitelaw, so he sent a verbal message. Mr Allan, his solicitor, came to see him, and talked to him a long time, and said he would take his case up if desired, Mr Allan said he would write claiming' his discharge at once. Afterwards he came again, and brought t)r Diver with him. Mr. Allan came tho third time, and brought the late Mr Mansford with him, who sympathised with witness. Dr Diver was talking to witness in the room when Dr France came in. He said to Dr France, " Why are you keeping this man here?"' and Dr France said it was Dr Skae who was keeping him. Dr Diver then asked i for his papers, and ho received his discharge. Witness saw Mr Whitelaw afterwards, who congratulated him on getting his release, and asked him to take up his residence in Wellington, and reside at the Asylum.—By Mr Edwards: He ought not to have been sent to the Asylum, as he was sane, and if he was guilty of the charge brought against hinj the gaol should have been his place instead of the Asylum, Would not trust Mr Whitelaw to . ?onvey a message to Mr Allan. (Laughter,)—By Mr Shaw: I can identify the man who abused Anderson.

• We hear from reliable authority.that it ia the intention of Messrs Schroder, Hopper & 00, to make their first grand display of Autumn and Winter Millinery, Drapery, and Clothing at the Hall of Commerce/ on Saturday,. March 19th, consisting of 71 packages and bales, As the bulk of-their magnificient stock has been imported direct from ' the manufacturers', the public can rely .upon obtaining all the latest fashions and designs of the season', at extremely low prices. We would advise all purchasers and lovers of fashion to make an early call at the Hall of Commerce and inspect their stock. Their advertisement will be found on the front page of this paper.—[Abvt].

•; Sii' ArthurQordotfraturriad to Wollina;-; tori yoßterdtiy. .. ' . :

The Oartertori Rifle .Volunteers para'di for monthly ihapeofion "on Monday 'iieit. At the wool salo on Wednesday 7500 bales were offered, and the tone of the market remained firm. ■

.There is a rumor that yesterday the Royal Hotel, Peaihtirston, naa a narrow escape ; from deatruction. lt caught firo,: but fortunately prompt steps were successful in putting out the flame before any material damage was done.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the Melbourne'lndustrial Exhibition Official Catalogue,, which has been courteously.; forwarded to us by the Commissioners, It appears to itou very, ably, compiled, and to, contain a large amount of, useful and interesting, information.

Miss Sutherland ex matron of the Wellington Hospital threatens the Borough Council of Wellington, with a'Parliameutary petition. •''/ 1 .

The Opera House at Nice was totally destroyed by firo on Wednesday. last. The conflagration broke out during the performance, and nearly one' hundred persons perished in the flames