The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1889.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3135, 21 February 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1889.

Tenders for alterations and additions ' to a house inAlfretdon, close to-morrow, Friday, The usual monthly meeting of the Masterton School Committee takes placethis evening The Rev. W. E, Paige, will conduct Services at Pabiatua on Sunday morning next,

Out of four tenders received by the Castlepoint Road Hoard for metalling 144 chains of road, that of McMillan's at £072 was accoptod, The Masterton Volunteers meet for recruit drill this evening, and a full and punctual attendance is expected. An invitation has been sent to the South Wairarapa Cricket Club, inviting them to play the return match with the Greytown second on Saturday next in Greytown, The following tenders 'have been received for tho erection of the Church of England mission-room at I'ahiatua: Farley & Marsh, £43 (accepted); McLean & McCeune, 14310s; C. Nisbet £44 Is Od : Molnnes Bros,, £sl) 19a; Q, Daldy, iO2 8s; J. llyan, i2Blos. Messrs Blair, Bunny, and Dr Newman, members of tho Education Board, with Mr Dorset, the Secretary, visited the Greytown school on Wednesday morning and inspected tho buildings. AH the alterations suggested by Mr Turnbull aro to be carried out and iu addition the outbuildings are to be altered and put in thorough repair. While engaged in burning his bush on the Toritea itoad last week, Mr P, Stewart, says t-hs Pahiatua Star, had a very narrow escape. He lit the lire at the most favorable spot, thinking he would have plenty of time to get into the open j but the fire spread so rapidly that all hope of escape stomed cut off. Be made a rush for it, and being a strongman, managed to force his way through the tlame and smoke. Another minute or two would have proved fatal, as lie waß just about exhausted when he got clear of the tiro.

A. careful, inquiry into the recent seizure by the Customs of certain goods, the Christohuvch Press states, shows that after all the matter is but ono of trifling importance. It frequently happens that refunds have to bo.made by the Government on goods found net to dutiable, hut on winch duty has been paid, aud on the other hand merchants often pay amounts on goods stated in error to bo free. With regard to the main item in the seizure referred to, that was merely a clerical error, the clerk making out the list mistaking the initials " B.B," which referred to white shirts buttoning behind, for shirt buttons a consignment of which wos,included, Then again, another question has arisen as to the definition of a certain material. All the trad? hero aro unanimous in stating that the material i? as entered, tailors' trimmings, which comes in free, whilst the Customs export? declare that it is dreas material. The wholesale, firm importing the articles has consulted all the leading drapery houses in Christchurch, and they have expressed an opinion adyerse' to.thafc of the expert on the subject. It may lie atated that the whole amount of duty involved iu the soizures of which so much has been made, does not'amount to £lO, whilst the wholesale firm referred to paid a cheque for duty on'the consignment amounting to ovor £llOO.

The reduuiform of the British army, appears to have been adopted definitely during the reign of Queen Anne. The red stripe on the trousers dates from tji'e year 1824. Mrs M'Kny, (Kflujwite, : \vlio died a( Cawdor, the other day at the age pf 88, is credited with having assisted /it thg brincing-into the world of no fewer than 2500 children. • ■ . The lait battle fouglit ;on English soil was tho skirmish at Clifton, in the year 1745, when Princo Charles Edward's army, in retreat, fell' bask' upon the Duko of GumierM'sM diyisiou,

Messrs Lowes & lorns add to their stock .Sale.-for- Wednesday, : 27th, 500 ireeding .ewes, 25 atoers, 1 rams, and !00 fat wethers, ■ • • '■

The Porte has just signed ,an agreoment, acoording to Josoph Naboi a Jew : a concession for the construction of a railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem. The Dean and Chapter of Christohuroh Oxford, have formally elected Dr Stubbs ns Bishop of ; Oxford,- in tho room of Bishop Mackarness, resignted..

The Pope's Jubilee present to the Emperor of Austria was a beautiful image ot the Virgin in mosiiio work, made at tho Vactican and worth II2CO.

° At a meeting ot the eacred college, presided over by.tlie Pope in person, it wis decided',to'allow Catholics complete liberty of action in political'eleotioiis. . The ariny of tho United States, 13 decidedly top-heavy. It contains 24,549 enlisted men and 21fi8 commissioned officers, or one oilicer to about 12, mon. There are nine gbnerivls and 574 members of the general stftff. Thus to each general there are only about 2700 mon, but an average of 54 staff officers,'

A seaman named Valontine. has been fined 13 at tho Aberdeen' Police Court' for kissing a barmaid in a restaurant, Jack protested "vehemently against the prico put upon what he called his innocent frolic, especially as it took place in the presence ef othors, Tho Railway Press declares —a3 evidence of the increase of card playing by railway travellers-: that many guards of Biiburban : trains keep soveral packs of cards in their vans, which they lond out to regular passengers, who pay small sums weekly for their use. An article appeared in the curron 1 number of the Universal Review in reference to General Gordon's alleged "discovery of tho site of the Garden of Eden" and the "forbidden fruit" iii the Seychelles Islands. General Gordon made n close study of the subject, and /do similes of his drawings and letters in reference to it are given in the article, The "forbiddenfruit" which Eve ate was, according "to General Gordon, the "coco de mer," or double cocoanut; an extraordinary treo which is peculiar to the islands' named, and whose fecundity is dependent on a male and female eloment. By a singular coincidence one of these double cocoanuts arrived at the Atlienieum at the same time as the "Review containing the article, and the '■ forbidden fruit" was yesterday placed on view in the exhibition, where any daughter ot Eve who examines it may practically convince herself that if thu is the identical "forbidden fruit,' 1 and her remote maternal ancestor ate it and lived, she must havo been gifted with particularly good teeth and remarkable digestion.— H. B, Horald.

From advices just to hand from America by the mail steamer, it is learnt that Kilrain and Sullivan, the well-known pugilists, are matched to fight, The backers of the former deposited a cheque oii December 22, for 5000 dollars, and also and acceptance of John L. Sullivan's challenge to light Kilrain for lO.OOOdols. a-sido and the championship of tho world. Kilrain lays down ail his terms, that tho stakes shall be 20,000 dollars a-side, or for 25,000 dollars, and that the fight shall take place within four months after articles are signed, tho event to take place distant 200 miles from any city that may be named. Kilrain prefers New, Orleans or Sioux City. The referee will be appointed at the time of posting the final deposit. The was arranged at Toronto, on January 7th, for 10,000 dollars a-side, uncor tho London prize-ring rules, and will take place, according to Kilrain's preference, within 200 miles of New Orleans, on July Bth, probably in Catahoula Parish, Lousiana. The probabilities are that a meeting will soon bo arranged between Cardiff, a Western bruiser, and Peter JacksonJem Smith, the London pugilist, has challenged Jackson to light jor 1500 or £IOOO a-sido, in France or Spain, Jackson tonamo the date of the fight. If tho match is for £IOOO, Smith will give Jackson i! 100 for expenses.

It is now many years ago'sineo ladies in England first abandoned tho principle of opposing the practice of smoking in their preaonce. Tho old tradition that the smell chum to the curtains and furniture has long been dead. Gut until recently tho provilege enjoyed by wen was confined to tho consumption of cigarettes, but now woman seems to have wholly abandoned her defensive • position, and even to rush into the atmosphere of smoko whero her prosoiico would rather be dispensed with. The now and beautiful Lyric Club, which has already killed its royal rival ' ■' the Hew Olnb," makes it a practico to give smoking concepts on Sunday night. Last Sunday tho ladies, who wero dining at the Club, insisted on going to the smokiug concert. The point was so far conceded by tho committee as to accord them permission to sit apart in a gallery by themselves and listen. But the ladies, having gained this inch, proceeded to take an ell. They niarohed boldly into tho body of the threatre among the men, taking all the best places, and sitting the concert bravely out, amidst blinding clouds of smoke, They were 110 rowdies or demireps who did this, but women of great position, anil high birth, with such as Lady Londesborough and Lady Julian Goldsmid. 1 can't fancy that they liked it; but it seems that they have determined to do it again, and the custom is spreading to other societies beridos the Lyric Club, Verily wo are m the eve of great changes when such women do such things—and on Sunday night too,-Exchange'.

Signor Sonzoguo, the enterprising and philanthropic editor of the Secolo daily newspaper in Milan, got up lpst year a Christmas tree for 'the poor children in that city. Mi'b succoss was so great that he was enabled togivoa treat to 14,000 of them;' This year (writes the San Homo correspondent ot tho Scotsman) he undertook the same work, intimating that ho wished 80,000 objects,. in order to dive 20,000 poor children under ton years of age four articles each—namely, and article of drees, a toy, a piece ot sweetmeat, and a piece of fiuit. From the first day that this intimation appeared in tho pages of this journal until last Monday gifts for the " treo" in money and kind poured in upon him. These c,une not only from the wealthier families and shops in Milan but from all parts of Italy, and even from Tripoli and far-on Massana, Tho The Theatre Canobbiana was granted for the distribution of tho gifts on Christmas day, A tree, a veritable giant mountainpino, fitted "to be the mast of some tali admiral," was set up on the stage, its top lost in the blue gauze sky. A family of smaller trees stood round and round the theatre. wh|ch, with owners, statues, and fountains,' was transported into a veritable paradiso Twenty-two thousand tickets' tho gift of a Milanese printer, had been distributed amongst the poorest childrou in the town, At uine o'clock on Christinas morning tho doors of the theatre were open, and from that hour till six o'clock - j in-the evening a continuous stream of ohildten poured into tho building. Yqu should visit. Wellington , ar)d above all tlpgs go to the sale of overplus Sumpier drapery at Te Aro House, Wellington: You should visit this sale. Why ? ,Becauso you will benefit amazingly by so doing, and make your inoney go furtl\orthan it eyer did before, if yoti will but call at tho Overplus Sale at Te Aro House, Wellington. . You should- visit the Sale, Why? Because the bargains have been numerous and astonishing, and the remainder of the Overplus will be sold at still lower prices during the present week at Te Aro House, Wellington, . . You should , visit the Sale. Why ? Because it is the lost week, and it. posi- ! lively closes on Saturday next, February 16th, at 10 o'clock .in the 'evening. Fail 1 not, therefore, to give alook in at the Over- : plus Sale at Te Aro House, ; Wellington. ' •

Yqu. shqi|ld visit' the > Sale,, Why ? Because, yoi) wpnld enjoy the outing.— Bepaijse you would. Jurcliase clieiply.Becaiisp yoi}: wfjijjd save : money, gnd Beciiuso 60 many 6f your neigijbqrs haye dono so . by visiting tho Sale of Surplus 1 Stock at To Aro House, Wellington. -. - . Do hot dolay—We oannot'possibly extend the tiino-the Sale; will positively come to an end at 10 o'clock in the evening of Saturday Next, at To Ai;o House, Weiiugton, " " • ! ■ ■

,■ Messrs Lowes and lorns ;hold a' very extensive. Bale of new,? aiid'; : secondhand furniture for Saturday next. • Tlio Burn'of £11,528' passed, through the totftlisator on the first day of the Dunedm Races yesterday; Messrs \V, Booth and - Co.; invite tenders for several lines of fencing, and cutting onelundred chains of drain. Specifications can be seen at the' firm's OlHco,Timber Yard, Carterton." - Notice is given .that the staEemehts of values for all districts in the County of Wairavapa North have beon deposited for public inspection at the offices of the several local bodies; An able-bodied man about forty years of age, who pave the name of John Dully waß locked upto-day on a oharge of begging. He will interview the R.M. to-morrow.

Tho annual meeting ot tho Red Star Football Club will be held at tho Empire Hotel on Wednesday 27 th at 7.80 p.m. Intending mombers are requested to bo present, Messrs T. E. Chamberlain, . John Hessey, A; ff. Hogg, E. MoEiven, and J. Williams have been re-elected Licensing Commissioners tor the Borough of ; Mastorton without opposition. !

Tho Premier, when' in 'Auckland agreed to purchase, on behalf of the Government, the collection of Mr lteischeek, the naturalist, It consists of seven groups of New Zealand birds in glass cases and a scries 'of- single mounted birds and a collection of New Zealand birdskins, skeletons', eggs, corals, Maori carvings, and mats. It' is probable that the yeater part of the collection will be sent to Wellington, Mr Brycc, who has just wriiton a highly successful book on America, has not been an Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs and a negotiator of copy, right conventions for nothing. He took tho very sensible step of having two chapters of his book written by an American author and secured thereby the American copyright. As the book is creating quite a furore in . tho | States, Mr Brycoiß likely to bo considerably the richer for his forethought. At the Westminster (London) Sessions House, Mr John Troutbeck recently held an enquiry touching the death of Joseph Payne, aged fifty, for twonty-eight years in the employ of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, whose body was found in tho Thames. Dr Poarce stated there were no markß of violence on the body. Death was due to drowning. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." It transpired that tho deceased used to boast that lie would never bo drowned, he having been born with a caul, He had had soveral narrow oscapes frcm drowning. It was thought that the s>real refractor of the Lick Observatory would for some yoars at least continuo to. bo the largest telescope in existence, but it is now proposed (if indeed, tho order has not already beon given) to construct an instrument with an object glass six inches greater in diameter. This instrument is to be orected at Wilson's Peak, Sierra Madre, about twenty-five miles from Los Angelos. There is a rumour that American official astronomers are desirous that they should not bo surpassed by private observatories, and consequently wish to havo a tolescopo of which tho object glass shall bo (iOin in diameter, 24in more than the Lick telescope. It is confidently hoped that Congress will vote about £225,000 for the instrument, In England it has taken abonttwo and half years to get £SOOO for the two Government observatories to join in tho international photographic survev of the heavons.

Pardo, it appears, amused his last hours with Jules Verne's romances, considering them, perhaps, a 'useful preparation for tho last long voyage, "The Literatim) of the Condemned Cell" mig'it form the subject of a curious study, What books are best fitted to seize' tho attention" and solace tho fancy of men on the brink of eternity? If fertilities could bo collected, devotional books would, of course, head the list, if for no better reason than that prison legulations give them the preference. Whore freedom of choice has been permitted, however, dyin? men havo ofttn turned to very undovotional literature in their last momonts —witness tho invalid who thanked Heaven that his summons would pro> bably be, delayed long enough to enable him to enjoy the last monthly part of " Pickwick."