A WARNING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2183, 31 December 1885, Page 2

A WARNING.

Settlers in. New Zealand, not Ijejng used to dry weather, have little idea of what dangers attend a really hot summer. In Australia everybody knows that a loss of thousands and thousands of pounds may result because a traveller has thrown away a stump ofapigafifljra spark lias fallen out of his uncovered pipe There are even instances of fires haying been, paused through a horse's shoe striking a stone and producing'a spark, which found ready material in the parched grass. Precautions are therefore taken to reduce the danger of a general conflagration being started, Here, there is no thought of taking precautions of any sort, and the con. sequence is that whenever there is y,ery dry weathei a great deal of damage in s done. The present summer is unprecfidsntfiflUy jdry, and the country from the Rimufcaka .to tl),e north of Hawke's Bay is as dry as tinder! f e have already heard of quite a number of disastrous fires, and unless' proper precautions are taken; there will be many more, In the neighborhood of Carterton several buildings and a tramway have been burnt, and there is danger of more damage being done, In the Seventy. Mile Bush, at Makotoku, no less than six square miles'.'of bush country are reported to be ablaze, and a number of settlers' houseg and a saw.mill have been destroyed. "We Relieve: : that all the fires that have occurred are entirely due to carelessness, How the danger would increase.: with continued dry wearier is almost: beyond belief, bu't'ifc will perhaps be: understood that sheep and cattle runs, .that are still fairly green with grass: ,rnigh,t a,t any moment- W swept; over by fire, and that'farmers, in place: of cutting tjbejr props wjs a reaper,: may baye .them turned 'jntp ashes. With such risks staring us in'the face•; it is the duty ,of .everybody to use proper precautions,.and to abstain from lighting fires where there is the least danger, and to handle matches with the utmost care. By these means, and by these only, can all risk of further fires be averted.

. Messrs Foley and Berkley, assisted by Miss Seaport, gavm entertainment at the Theatre Royal Jaßfc night,, in which ( they war? fairly .patwnise.d bythe public. The first item onthe.programme was '' A Happy Pair," in which "Miss B'ea'ufort took tKpart of Sirs Honiton.'" The character js one in which.sho evidently delights, forshe is almost inimitable jn it, Mr Foley represented MF'flpniton, and was also very successful. The pre': sentation of prizes to the successful shots at the mooting-of: the Wairarapa Rifle Association (reported elsewhore) theri took place. The performance concluded with "Chic," an entertainment in which Messrs Foley and Berkley have always been most popular. During the evening theMastertonVolunteer Band rendered a number of '.selections, for whioh they loudly applauded.

To-morrow being ISew Year's, Day the WaibabApa Dai&ywill not'be published,

, Theproprietor of';tlie Red .House, in our wanted expresses a wish .for the prosperity of the public; in general, and he would like to sefe them. this evening- ' V,; .. - '', V; ": ' .-.■]y& Mr F. W. Temple has removed to jllis new premises' opposite.', .the Prince ,'of Wales' Hotel, where .his well-assorted stock •of groceries, ironmongery,■■' and crockerycan.be seen to much'greater advantage ... ~',' -, The pupils of the Masterton Presbyterian Sunday School will .have : then 1 ; annual treat in Mrs Yates' paddock to-morrow. A capital picnic is being, provided, so that children of-' ■ a larger growth will also bo able to enjoy themselves. The usual games, etc., will be provided for the juveniles.

The Featlierston races' which take - place on the\Ta'uherenikau course tomorrow, promise to draw a good attendance. The acceptances are good, and the Stewards have alwayß managed their meetings with the utmost care, so that the spectators have had the best possible snort, The train arrangements appear elsewhere. ,' . , The Hon, J. Ballance, Native Minister, accompanied by Mrs Ballance, his Private Secretary, and a Native Assessor, arrived from Wellington by the evening fraip yesterday. The party took up rooms at f-he.Olub Hotel, and left for Woodville in one of Mr James Macara's special con-, veyances at 8 o'clock this morning, Mr Ballance is on his way t,o Hastings, whore a large and representative gathering of Natives is abDUtjp beheld, •

The annual games under the auspices of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society will be held on the Park Oval to-morrow, Since the inauguration of this Society the sports which it has provided have grown in public favor, and the attendance of competitors and spectators has always been yory large. As the weather promises to keep fine, we may expect that there will be no falling off }n these respects, but that, on the other hand, the gathering will be the largest yet held under the auspices of the Society, It seems almost unnecessary to remind our readers that the Masterton. Amateur Dramatic Club has underlined the

"Colleen Bawn" for to-morrow (New When this general favorite was placed upon {he boards a few nights ago, tbd'audierioQ had a most agreeable surpriso'in's'eeihg no]' only oh} talent at its best, but also new members' who, were so thoroughly'well up in thoir parts as to. be able to take leading parts. The scenery will be as complete and faultless as on the previous ocoaaipn, and the day being a holiday, we look to .a fu)l house. ''

A correspondent ajijohnspnyille, '.'One of the Family," informs, us that a few days ago Mr Charles Mudgway, wl}Q 45 years ago landed as ft boy with bis father's family on Petone Beaoh from the good shipC.S. Forbes, re-visited tho Porirua district, and on Christmas Day invited all the members of tho family to dinner. No less than 51 souls were present, and ,s)f more who were entitled co take part on.lhe'femily rql), were unavoidably absent. A' b'ullobk was roasted whole, the poultry yard con'tribifte'd there were generous fluids to wash dof h all the good things, and a right royal feast took place, followed by a tag'op sward, to the music of a violin and ft concertina. The gathering was a moat pleasant one, and its number speaks yblumej for the healthful climate of New Zealand—ftost. ' . '■' It is possible for a harmless, }nnqcep.t .dog to be a great mural lever. .ThVhas just'been illustrated in Pal'mersto'ri! "It was originally a white dog, with a Bt'Umpf tail and a rather woe-begone appeararice, but somebody .dyed it a lovely a'jiiirp, and it meandered gaily around with the stump of its narrative elevated at an angle of ninety degrees, and wagging furiously, To those old tipplers who recognised tho features of the animal, the blue dog had no terrors. But there was one wayfarer who had nearly completed a contract, and was enjoying life on a progress payment. The blue poodle waltzed into the bar and was sniffing around, when it was observed by the wayfarer aforesaid, who had had sad experience. Shrieking out, "Got 'em .again, Can't, stand it like I used to!" ho dashed doiyn the glass) gonfcainirjg the demon drink'and'led'b'ack to his employe ment. 'Thus has a : combination of poodle and Judson's dye snatched another brand from the 1 burning,-Manawatu Times, ' :

Notice Extraordinary.-Owing to the large number of Coupons for Xmas presents being issued, L. J, Fooper & .C.O. §nd JJiat.it will be impossible to distribute the whole of the presents on the 24th of December as advertised. ' folders of Coupons will, thereifbre, : please present them on the 22nd or 23rd," and any' tim'e up to the 31st of December, 'until' which time Coupons will continue to be issued.' L, J, Hooper & Co., Drapers and Clothiers, Masterton.-[ADVT.I "" '''

We observe fet Mr J, Thorburn the well-known clothier and outfitter, of Willis-street Wellington, is offering a grand inducement to buyers of men's and boy's clothing &cy &c. Nothing lees than a cash bonus of 3s in the £ is given to every purchaser of goods to the value flf £sand upwards. This liberal distribution p'f pos/t. iyill last from the sth of December to the 9'th of ".Taupry.—Anvi, Venetian Blind and Revolving Shutter Manufactory, All Blinds guaranteed of the very best description, Price lis!'"oft application to R..W. Henn (late Honn & Hansen,) Poneke Steam Venetian Blind and Revolving Shutter ■ Factory, WeiIjngton,—Advt„ Cough, (tolds', Bronchitis, <kc, are quickly cured by using Baxter's celebrated "Lung Presery'er?' '"This olde'stabliahod, popular medicine, is plea? sanfc to the palate, and hjgjily extolled by the members of the medical, legalj and clerical professions. Sold by all Patent Medicine Vendors. .See testimonials in advertisements.—Advt,