SECOND EDITION

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3978, 2 December 1891, Page 2

SECOND EDITION

The Ma»terton Borough Council invites tenders for the Borough cartage for twelve months, and the construction of nine chains of Columba-road. It iB understood that the member for Masterton has received a communication from Wellington, stating that Messrs Ballance, Seddon and M'Kouzie will probably be prevented by other engage* menta from attending the Eketahuna banquet. Mr Beeves will be a certainty, and every effort is being made to get hold of another minister, hut the Cabinet lions seem to be a little shy of again regaling themselves at Eketahuna. Mr Skerrett is fighting to tne bitter end the cause of che Picturesque Atlas Company in the Wairarapa. In Wellington, however, he is fighting in the interests of tbe subscribers. Mr Skerrett no doubt wishes his clients to understand that everything was not known in Judaea, and that it is possible for a man toser/e two masters.

A quantity of paper caught fire in the butcher's shop of Mr John Elley thia morning, and caused quite & blaze. The flumes were fortunately discovered and extinguished before any damage was done.

It is understood that some time back | the member for Masterton presented a petition fron Eketahuna praying for the removal of Constable Boache, and Minister Seddon, always happy to oblige a friend said, "certainly Iwe will move him on. " Then the member for Masterton kindly took charge ot another petition asking Minister Seddon not to | remoye Constable Boache. The language used by Minister Seddon when he got the latter memorial, supposed to be equivalent to a command, will probably uever be published. He has, however, apparently chucked the affair over to his colleague, ihe Minister for Justice, who it is hoped will be able to run*with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

The duty collected by the Customs lust month was £117,509 14s lid For the corresponding month of lasu year the sum received was £127,364 8a 3d, and for the previous month (October) of this year, £139,757 17s lid, Laat month the principal ports contributed at fol» lows : - Auckland, £26,235 8s 3d ; Wellington, £23,742 15s 6d ; Lyttelton and Christchurch, £19,555 6s 7d ; Dunedin, £26,035 3a. Ttie amount received for the eight mouths of the financial year is £1,046,166 5s lOd, which, compared with the Treasurer's estimate for that period, shows a surplus of £22,832 19s 2d,

There hap been tome talk (writes the N. Z. Times in ita Home lettur) of establishing a newspaper in the Government interest in Wellington. It was introduced with a flourish of trumpets, a prospectus was issued for a newspaper company, provisional directors were appointed, an arrangement entered into for put chasing the Wairarapa Star, which was to be a sort of branch of the uew evening paper to be started at the capital. Mr Hogg, of tha aforesaid country paper, was to be the editor, and Mr Smith, of the same, was the prospective manager. For a short time it seemed as if the project had a good destiny. But the brilliancy of the destiny has paled considerably during the last few days, and on dit that nothing more will eyer be heard of the new paper.

The second annual report of the Longburn Slaughtering and Freezing Company shows that their operations during the year have been most successful. Freezing operations were begun in November, 1890, and have been continued with a short interval till the end of August, during which period 36,029 sheep, 8,256 lambs, and 2604 cattle have been frozen and shipped, these numbers representing a total equal 10 76,404 sheep of 90Jba each. Arrangements have been otfinpleted with the shipping companies so that a reduction in freight came into force on December Ist. The ayerage rate next year will be Id per lb on mutton, l£d on lamb and Jd tor beef. The nett profits for this year, as shown in the balance-sheet, amounts to £1989 4s 5d ; of this sum the Directors recommended that instead of paying a dividend, £1374 19s Id be used in liquidating the debit balance from the previous year, and the balauce of £614 5s 4d be carried forward. Mr Batchelor was elected a director to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr McLen» nan. The retiring Directors are Messrs C. Bull and D. Buick, who offer them* selyes for re-election. The Auditor, Mr J. Scott retires, but offers himßelt for re-election.

In a New South Wales cattle district, says a country paper, a grazier mißeed a purebred Shorthorn cow. lie rode in hot haßte to the hamestead of one whose pickle cask wu about empty. He saw I his cow in the stockyard amongst beasts belonging t>» his neighbour, and so overjoyed was he at finding the animal alive that he went inside for a social glass On coming out, lie returned to the stookyard. Lo 1 the Shorthorn cow was missing, and an unidentifiable carcase hung from the slaughtering gallows. He knew it would be folly to complain, so he returned meekly homewards. But he drove before him one of his neighbour's heists—a fine, red, fat bullock with a bell round its neck. Next day the neighbour visited him and said: " I've come to enquire about a red bullock," and the reply came -"I shouldn't wonder if he!s strayed away with my Shorthorn 'cow. A pause, and the neighbour spoke thus, wifh impressive gravity—" Mind ye. it's no fair o' ye to keep yon bell."