SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1892.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 4008, 9 January 1892, Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1892.

We do not suppose that one race meeting is worse than another in the Wairarapa, but aro disposed to believe that they are more or less vioiousone with another, and that " the trail of the serpent" is over them all. The same characteristics aro of universal application, viz., poor stakes, big gambling, crooked running, and a motley crowd of spielers and loafers, Of course all men who attend these meetings do not gamble, do not run crooked, and do riot hold communication with loafers and spielers, Our contention is that a very large percentage of visitors to the meetings'are undesirable persons, It would he a good thing for the district if all race meetings as now conducted pope abolished, and a fresh effort made to have, on? oil two gathering] in the year of quite another pattern to satisfy the legitimate requirements of those who take an honest delight in sport, It is absurd to suppose that this oannot be done, because twenty years ago races used to be held in this district of quite an unobjectionable character. In those days substantial stakes wore offered, straight running wub insisted upon, and « modest half crown sweep was jtlie pppjil&r form of harmless gambling then iij vogue. In those days i settler wgulti takp his wife and daughters to t[)e rapes as a matter of course, The meeting was tho great re-union'of the year, and it was so conducted that nothing was allowed to offend the eye or ear of tiie wost fastidious lady visitor. The fi.M, of tiie ajsjrigt wjis the Hon. Secretary, and picked residents constituted the Stewards, The racing in those days was creditable to the district, and resident settlers weie wont to invito their friends from town and elsewhere tp partake in the amuse menl. The affair resembled a gigan" tic picnic, and it !b very roup!) (0 be regretted that an old-time sport should ha/e gradually come down to the level of a pandemonium. However, tilings cannot bo much worse than they are now, and there is some yeflsflfiablo hope of that amendment wiiicl; is so injjgh to be desired.

Constable Mullane, who was recently rfnljoiied at Masterton, from whence fie jyaa transferred to Nawor, is no jonger |n tlje forip'o, H,o is ojlegcfl fo have conserped i|)» pasfl of dfiuk'lns; after hours. ' Some of tho- Victorian paper# aro exceedingly modest. Wo have just been shown an up-country bi-woekly which states that it" onjoysalarce oirfiliation throughout all tho new districts, tKc Murray Valley, Victoria, Noiv South Wafes, Qqepp.sland, England, France and Germany," Tho Woodville paper says tho police investigations 30 to show that the Palliatua poisoning case will turn out a serious affair, tho potsop, ffhicli consists of antimony or arsenic, having been placed in the food by design, but whether the, result , was the act of ignorance or a praofel joke is not yet determined.

It costs about £12,000 to fit up a vessel for the frozen meat trade. The Nt>» Zealand Shipping Company, have ten steamers and three sailers so fitted—over £160,000 Bunk in the'business. The Alfredton Road Board gives notice of its intention to present a special order for confirmation at its next meoling. A yellow, wiry-haiied sheep pup is advertisod aa loss, 4 reward ib offered for its recovery. The Catholic Times of this week sums up the Empire City in a word, An article on the drainage of that city is headed 11 Sinellin gton. Owing to tne prevalence of smallpox at Mauritius, the placo has been deolared infected, Sarcasm is not wanting in the following paragraph from the Post Although a serious outbreak of typhoid fever, occasioned it is bejjeved by defective drainage, has broken out in Athens, it isnot announced that Her Majesty's representative at the Greek', Court has resigned his position and fled tho country, Harvesting operations lyill soon be in full swing in this district. The advertisement of Messrs John Graham & Co., apppearing in our columns,should therefore be rend with interest by farmers. Of binder twine, corn sacks, oils, etc., this firm has a most repleto stock. Two tons of clover and other grass seeds is also just arriving.

A handsome photograph of the delegates to tho recent Municipal Confer once has been presented to the [ton Borcush Council byMrO. A. Pownail (Mayor), and now adorns the walls of the Chamber.

The meeting of the Masterton. Town Lands Trust .which was to liatfe . been held last evening lapsed for want of a quorum.. The only persons present Were Messrs W. Lowes and S. E. Gappdr.

When tlw "unemployed" were re* turning to Wellington by the mail train the other day, one of thein flourished a chequo and said;" We got this out of the blooming squatters, and when it is done we will get more." Of course he was drunk. ,

Tho following Factory Inspectors are 1 gazetted:—Hawera, Patrick Quinne; Patea, P. L. Hartnell; Wanganui, W. Lyons; Feilding, J. J, Twuhoy; PalmerstoH North, W. Manning. Tho Mastprton, Woodville, Palmeriton North, Wanganui, and Fntea districts undor the Factory Act are also proclaimed. North Canterbury farmors gamed something by the gale of Sunday morning. Young sparrows and eggs were blown off tho nests by dozens in every plantation,

TließovD, MoNicoll, of Dunedin, told a good Btory in a sermon recently 011 "Gambling," He said that not long ago at a ministers' meeting in Napier, when they >vere sitting round the tea table, a difference of opinion aroso, and ono minister said, so as to settle the point, "I'll botyou——He got no further, for he saw the error he had committed and stopped short,

Foxes are on tho increase throughout Victoria, and in tho inallee country pro* ruise tobecomo as great a nuisance as wild dogs in former days, Youn? rabbits form their chief food, but wheu these are not available they make recursions on the sheep folds and poultry yards, It is calculated that about 7250 foxes havo beon destroyed during the year. Wild dogs to tho number of 1600 havo also been killed at an expense of £1650. One half of this amount has boen paid by the local bodies and the other half by tho Government.

' In Victoria the use of the lash is found as a deterrent to orimo, and of late in the serious robbery and burglary oases the Justices have been very severo in their sentences. At Melbourne four mon were sentenced from jive to six years' imprisonment with solitary confinement, and on several occasions to be whipped.

A committee meeting of the Eketahuna Athletic. Club was held in Mr Anderson's Hotel on Thursday evening, Mr F, Von Rcdin, president, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, thi Secretary presented a rough balancesheet of the Boxing Day spelts, which slnwed receipU £7B, oxpenditoro £OO, leaving a credit balance of about £lB. All accounts rendered wero passed for payment. The Club is to be congratulated on having such a successful day's sport, A very hearty vote of thanks was passed and accorded to Mr D. H. Botorts, Hen, Secretary, for his unocaiinn exertions in making the affair such a success. A vote of thanks' were also passed to the three papers for the manner in which they advertised the gathering, the Wairabapa Daily coming in for special mention, After a good deal of discussion it was resolved to onll a public meeting next Wednesday week, to see what steps should be taken to procure a ground in connection with the Football Oiub. As the botb Olubs are in a good sound financial position, it is not unlikely that they will have a good ground of their own by next meeting.

The Clutlia leader questions if anywhere elso within the colony can there be found a district lyhcre settlement is so rapidly progressing as at Owake and Cathns, Otago, The railway works are now being pushed a'noad from Ahuriri through the saddle and down the slopes of the rugged and romantio valley towards " the flat," and all along the route tho bush is studdod with tents, huts, and houses, theie being in every nook and corner signs of life and tivity,- Not only along tho routo of the railway, but ujwio ridges, almost to the tops of thohighest bills, settlement is jn progress,

What shall we do with our girls ? Iti New Zealand at tho present tints marriageable young mon appra? to be at a discount, Maaterton being no exception to the rulo. The following extracts from exchanges explain themselves Aalihurton and Mosgiel are complniuirig of the undue proportion of young women to men. One paper remarks that the only consolation that can be offered is to sit down and smoke the calumet of peace and wait until things get better fixed up." A correspondent of the North Otago Times says: "At a ineotjng of young ladies in Oamaru rocently, the subject of' What's to be done with lis girls V was debated. One speaker pointed out that, frqm a careful estimate, thero were about 300 gjrls of a marriageable age in Oamaru, and as agaiast tbis there were only about sixty* ono young men of a marriageable age, only thirty of whom, however, were in a jjosfiion to tojtry. These young rascals, instead pj, as toe poet has pointed onjt they should, allowing their |iijnds£oturh to thoughts of Isve, keep horses, play billiards, smoko cigarettes, and never—no never—t'ivo a consideration to the solemn realities of life."

Householdersresidentin country districts p often at a loss to know which is the best pja,ce ip for Floor | CiotJisj ftsrpets,"' Utorfaifls, .Quilts, Table Clothe, Table Covers, Crefop'es, 'Damasks and all otliorsrtiolca of liffljse foraubiqgY ! i'or tho following reasons the reply most emphatically bo Te Aro House, "Well-, ington. Ist Reason—All our goods aro splendid value, having been bought in the best and cheapest markets, not only direotfroin tho intjwrs but from the foremost manu* factors. We buy therefore at tho lowest possible prices arid pur customers reap a mrabohdinjj SdVaiitage'at Te Aro House, WeJlifigtOJi". 11 ' 2littßeason Our goods pre iuvariably: »(?,!' "p a' speciality' iff jjinolpim |Vj .filfjtjj's, ai)il carpus.' ■ ■' to | styles, feigP Wdjolgurings gw nqt pjjiy ill tlio most perfect puf are superior to anything to be seen elsewnet'e, ]?pr these things it is not easy for anyone to rival Te Aro House, Wellington. 3rd Reason.'- Our stock is at all times large, and the choice all hut unlimited, Tito yufiety is something extraoidlohfy, and is capable of satisfying the most fastious taste, Thoso wn6 v contemplate re furnishing, and young peoplo intent on matrimony should remember that tho best plapeinwhiohtoget their, wjnta satisfoctorJy supplied is the :\Vbolesale Family Drapery Warehouse—Te Aro House, Wei ington.

Sergeant Hannan, whoso transfer Las been deferred, intends sending his family to the West Coast, as the whole of his effeota have been paoked rendv for shipment.

The annual meeting of inhabitants, to receive the balance sheet of tho Master tan Cemetery Trustees, will be held in tho Temperance Hall on Monday next. Tho Labour Esohange ■in Blenheim lias been advertising for a" lazy roan." How inany applications there wore for tho position is not stated, Reports continue to come from Western Australia as to new finds of gold. A. fresh discovery of alluvial gold has just been made in tho Irwin district, which is said to bo extremely rich. One maw unearthed il7o worth in four days, whilo others found various nuggets,

Juab before Christmas an old miner named Sanderaon, seventy-three years of age, who had roughed it on many a goldfieid In tho early "colonial days," terminated his life at Melbourne, fie could not wait any longer for a natural death, so he hanged himself Mr H.M. Stanley, the African explorer, has been lecturing to crowded houses in Wellington, His season in that city concludes to-night. , \ The Wellington Concert Party, which appearoin the Masterton Thoatro Royal on Wednesday evening next, has been well received in every township it has visited in tho Manawatu and Bawke's Bay districts, The programme submitted is a most elaborate one, and one which is highly appreciated by lovers of music.

During a thunderstorm which prevailed at Sydney recently, a youth named Watson wasstiuck by lightning in his bedroom at his father's residence. He had just returned home, his clothes Soaked, when lie. was struck. Small hop« of recovery are ontcrtained. The fact of his clothes being saturated is considered to have prevented instant doath.

Tho firo by which the flaxmill of Mr C. Wagland was destroyed yesterday originated in the tow room, and is suppoßed x tu have been caused by a spark from the engine. The flames spread with great rapidity, and hardly anything was saved. The engine was, fortunately, not seriously damaged. Besides the destruction ot the building and machinery, a large quantity of fibre was destroyed There was no iiisuraneo on either build» ing or contents. The loss, which is shared between Messrs Wagland, Burslem and Livingstone, is estimated at £3OO.

Rabbits are dying in the Wilcannia (N.S.W.) district in thousands, on account of the dry weather and scarcity of food. The town itself is infested with them and Urge numbers are killed in tho streots daily. The Municipal Council has been compelled to omploy men to clear away the dead carcasses aa the stench caused by them is terrible. At the 26-mile tank on the Booligahwd, G, A, Green, the caretaker, has so far destroyod over 28,000 by means of poisoning the water with atsenlc. If the present dry weather continues the pest will loe considerably reduced, as, apart ftorn poisoning, thousands are dying from natural causes,

The London correspoMent of the Lyttelton Times writes;';—A worthy country doctor of adrn&stWhding recently informed me that'ho intended to settle in New Zealand' and practice there, sayinr also that he concluded from information lie had received that Palmerstou or Foxton would be tho best place for his purpose. Knowing that both towns are extraordinary healthy, I suggested that they woro scarcely " pitches 11 to be desired from a medical point of view, unleas indeod he could take out with him a select assortment of bacilli, and introduce them to the inhabitants, Last week the worthy medico wrote me that he had abandoned the idea of settling in either Foxton of Palmerstou, and had decided to try his hand in Wellington, which place he was told was not" abom* inably healthy,"