Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1895. LIGHT RAILWAYS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5189, 23 November 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1895. LIGHT RAILWAYS.

iVk notice thai, light railways—radically portable railways—arc row common in many Colonics, and t is a question worthy of considei-a-ion, as to whether Masterton might Kit be profitably connected with I'emii by such a system of commuui;ation. These light railways are said to be suitable for both passenger mil goods trallic. The principle .ipon which Hie system is based, is he distribution of the load on a jrcat number of small wagons, Irawn by horse power, and illustrations of the working of them 'arc jiven in the Ttmbtce World, a now journal, oof. f which we have just ■cceived the initial number. Tint railway is portable, and can be lain ipon any macadamised road, very :'npidly. A line, for example, from Jlastcrlon to Tcnui, could be con■ (traded within a week. It ii daimed that transport by means o: these light railways, is one fourth the cost of transport by ordinal- • road vehicles, and that it is mnc'i noreexpeditioiis. If the Wharcam i settlers could save half the freigli [ )n their wool and produce, by moans jf a light railway of this kind, its jonsti-tiotioii might bo very desirable. A. great variety of open' and closed M'iagoK are eonstruclcd for passenger use on these lines, also trucks uul wagons for (he conveyance of timber and produce. A light line of railway to Castle Point, would open ap that charming and niiiqno marine resort to Wellington as well as Wai--arapa visitors. Some day, Castle Point is bound to bo a thriving and Dopulous watering placo. Probably .10 other sea-side spot in New Zenmid, can compare with it for latm-al advantages. Of the cost of .hese light lines, wo know little, but i reference to London, indicating the ■eqnii'oinents of any particular localty, would enable interested persons io readily obtain all information on ihis head, Indeed, to ascertain this, t is necessary to specify the real ;uago proposed, tbo weight and ection of rail, the radius of sharpest tiirvc, tliDistcepest gradient, and tin icavicst load to bo carried on on< i-agon, and tho distance. A lighi ailway, worked by horse power, laic long tho main toad betwoon Master on and Toutri, has always been ou wn idea of developing tho resources tnd stimulating tho progress of th great, but little known Whaream district;. It is time that sued ai undertakingwefo seriously (lispusfiod,

Jlrllornblow, tlio! MR horkblow's perennial cimdi-jl mekeino. date for Mayoral j 1 .honours, held a mooting last evening which was very < well attended. His address was in 'much better form than his last year's I effort, being free;' from indiscreet personalities. His criticism of (ho Horougli administration was all very well us far us it went, but it is evideut that he himself is partly responsible for it, us weak councillors usually constitute a weak administration, and in his ronmrks he, to a certain extent, funled his own nest. Apparently ho has no policy at all, no well-considered seliemo of reform! Ho merely wishes to mako himself pleasant all round ns a sort of sugarcoutod pill that can bo easily swallowed by the burgesses. It is not necessary to consider his. views, he probably has none that he cares to stick to, but still we congratulate ourselves that, as a public man, he is showing some indication of development and is less a larrikin candidate than formerly. Tlio Key. John Dukes preaches at Paliiatmi to-morrow. The attendance at Hie ""Wellington liaces yesterday was very limited. Less rain has fallen on the East Coast than near llasterton. A coach service between Ekctahuna ami Pongaroa is talked of. A School Concert will be hold at Hawera, Forty-mile Bush, on the 2Pth inst. The showery unsettled weather is interfering with sheaving operations in this district. It is rumoured that the Uusli cricket clubs are endeavouring to get a rep team to play sonic of the Wairarapa clubs. The licv. J. W. Griffin of Pnhialiia will preach in the llasterton Wesloynn Church to-morrow evening, ■On Sunday the country afternoon services in connection with the Weslcyan church are at lfaugitunian, Bidelbrd and Wcrnili. Chicago has a bird hospital, the only one otthe kind, it is s<iid, in the United States. Here sick and wounded birds are received and cured for. An old couple niimed JNVnI, aged 80 and 74 respectively, were burned to death at Broken Shaft Creek, near Orange, the other day, The Midland ltailway Arbitration Court met on Friday niorninir, but ad. journed till 10 a.m. on Monday, when the real business will begin. The New Zealand Cup winner was nearly done out of Ins name, as it was at lirst intended to call Solano, his halfbrother by St. Clair, Euroclydon. Tickets for Los Cloches de Cornoville, may be obtained from Messrs W. Dougall, ,1. I*. Elliott, H. T. Holmes and J. Smith,of Queen-street. There is every probability of Tedding being lit up with electric light. It is stated on good authority that there will be no difficulty in obtaining the necessary capital. A telegram from Jiowden ((J.) states that a young girl, 14 years of age, daughter of Mr David Murphy, of Seliwi Creek, was burned (o death while attempting to extinguish a bush lire. Mr li. E. Itornblow's address last niglil-llic second he has delivered in piibhc-was a decided improvement on ; his previous effort and was fairly tree Irom personalities. The case T, Sewell v. ,], Mcliac, a claim on a disputed wages account occupied a good deal of time at the Masterton S.M. Court yesterday. His Worship reserving judgment till next silting of the Couil. While a family named Sawyer were attending the marriage ceremony of a daughter at Mudgee, word was brought that the bride's little brother had been drowned in a creek. Mr Hornblow at his meeting last night-" A dozen straight-out supporters arc more encouragement to me than lifly of those whose promises arc as trustworthy as some of our local mountebanks!" In some parts of Mexico there grows a grass which produces a somniferous effect on (he animals that graze upon it, horses after eating the grass, in nearly all cases, sleep standing, while sheep and cows almost invariably lie down. It has occasionaly happened that riders stopped to allow the horses to feed in places where the grass grows pretty thickly and the animals have time to cat a considerable quantity before its effects manifested itself, h such eases horses have gone to sleep on the road, and it is hard to arouse them. The effects of the grass pass oil in an hour or two, and no bad results have been noticed on account of it. The evil reputation of Friday as an unlucky day is, if we believe a German statistician, quite unmerited. We had suspected something of the kind before. This gentleman has, however, just completed aniutricatecalciilation.i'mule with a view of finding the exact proportion in which serioiiscalamitiesarotodividec! among the days of the week. In his results we find Monday lirst, with 17 per cent; Friday, Wednesday and Saturday second, with 15'3S percent; Tuesday third, with 15 37 per cent; Thursday fourth, with lo'il percent; and Sunday last and lowest with only 3 per cent. In spile of our admiration for German science, we may, perhaps, be excused from trusting these figures too closelypailictiliirly in the second place of decimals. One would like to know, for example, precisely what an accident or a fatality is—for statistical purpnscs.E.tdamjc.

Mr li. E. Hornblow is the pcrsonill- ' cation of persistence and energy, He told the ratepayers last night that if he is not returned at the present election he intends coming forward again, as he has quite made up his mind to be, someday, Mayor of Masterlon!

Blenheim is one of the biggest and most beautiful places of the kind in Eng. land, and the expenses of keeping it uj arc enormous, The lato Duke used lo say (remarks a writer in the World) that it cost him ,l'S0(l a year in putty; and this may be true since (here is a great deal of glass about the place; and it is supposed that Lord Exeter pays £I2OO ayearlo keep the roof of Burleigh in repair; but then Burleigh is a very old as well as a very lovely mansion. The Duke of Marlborough has £20,00 a year but out of this spends little more than C'SOOO on his personal expenses. His bride will, they say, have atleast £30,000 a year, so that at Blenheim there Trill, once more be very gay and grand times For some years a man named William Hodson has lived the life of a hermit in lladley Woods, Barnct 'Eng.). His idothiug was little better than rags, and at night he slept in a sack with the sky for a roof. Lately ho has entirely neglected himsolf.and his condition became I so serious that the local police were comI pellcd to interfere. Covered with dii i,

his hair and beard like tangled rope, and his nails unduly long, he presented a most miserable appearance. With much difficulty he was placed in the police ambulance and conveyed to Barnet Workhouse, where lie will remain for the present. The man is said to be at times strange in his manner, and to have an idea that Hadlcy Common is his birthright. Interviewed in London on her return from America, Lottie Collins said :-"Thc Mormons arc a serious lot; thoy don't care a fig for nonsense, though I have seen an cider's eye twinkle oyer 'Ta-ra-ra' but they must be demure. Perhaps it is because they have been overweighted with wives—they arc changing all that by law, you know-or perhaps it is becauso they believe thoy have got the Aii-I don't know which, They arc a bit scared anyway; the least suggestion '. of an ankle makes St. Abe look bilious, (j and at stockings, although ho may havo I' Fovea wives, ho turns ghastly," 11

Tho snoak thief is still about Master-1 ton, Another petty robbery is reported ; from Perry-streot, Lady Victoria Buxton has heen ovoroomo by the heat sinco her arrival in Adelaide. A Rood supply of water has been struck at tho Government well, Cano Grass, six miles from Hannnn's (W.A.). A new woman advertises in Wellington "That she won't bo responsible for any debt her husband may contract without her authority." The district of Masterton, under "The Ecgislration of Births and Deaths Act, 1875," has been divided into two, to be called the Mauriccvillc and Masterton districts respectively. On her hist homeward voyage from colony, tlio Tyser steamer Star of Victoria is reported to lmvo passed 22 icebergs and a quantity of drift ice between latitudo #SO S., longtitude ICO'4I W., and latitude 51.50 S., longitude 140'30 Mr W. F. Sliortt, of 57, Willis-strcct, Wellington, advises residents of this district to call on him when next in Wellington, as he is bound to have something they want, Messrs Lowes and lorns announce their next stock ( sale at Eketahuua, for Wednesday, December 4th. The ordinary meeting of Court Loyal Enterprise, A.0.F., was held last evening, Bro. E. i'ragncll, C.H, presiding. The ordinary Court business was transacted and three new members were proposed. Pari of the County of Wairarapa North and the Borough of Masterton has heen constituted the " Upper Plain Irrigation District" under Part 11. of the Laud Drainage Act, 1893." A. farmer named John Cameron, of Mnjiira, whilst holding a young bullorcil horse received an injury from which lie subsequently died. The horse reared and with his fore feet broke Cameron's jaw Ile was found next day insensible, and died from concussion of tlio brain. In Hie S.M. Court, Jlnstcrlon, a chief, witness in an alleged fraud case, said he cashed the cheque in question, as an ordinary commercial transaction. His Worship remarked that he considered it was tho very reverse of " an ordinary commercial transaction." Some Melbourne "society" ladies who think nothing of paying ,C2O or so for a dinner, lately engaged a woman to work at Is per day for three days. She walked from her lodirjngs at Fitzroy to Malvern-about four miles-only to be told that the engagement was oil' as, " visitors had arrived and it would inconvenience them to have her there." Jiemarkable are some of the prices paid in England for wines for the rich man's table. In spite of the prevailing depression, vintage wines still keep up their value. At a sale of a well-known private cellar in Staffordshire, the average price for nearly -100 dozen of old port was 85s per dozen. A quantity of 1817 port realised 145s per dozen. A . bin of jereboains of Grcslor's champagne sold at Lis per bottle. The oilier day at Edinburgh, lis per bottle was the [ price paid for rum of 1798; and some i very old rum realised 80s per dozen, 1 while old rum shrub went at 100s per ■ dozen.

When a widow has married a second husband, il is not pleasant to have number one come back from the dead lo disturb the new arrangement, remarks an exchange. A Swansea woman has gone through this experience in a dramatic manner. Her first husband had disappeared at sea, it having been reported Unit all hands were drowned on the shipiinvhiclilic served. Inconsequence of the report, the woman married again at the end of five years, choosing a sailor who determined to give up the sea and settle in A'eir Znkni J(e was to work his passage out, and his wile was to accompany him as an immigrant. Soon the day arrived for them to go on board. They put out in a cutter ami reached the side of the vessel, whose mate was looking on at the proceedings from tho quarter deck; but the moment the woman beheld him, she screamed and fainted, since it was husband number one who thus gazed upon her,

The. pig is not lo be trusted, as a Victorian farmer's wife found to her cost recently, when she was savagely attacked by a sow and badly bitten. It appears one of its young had n '.bad shoulder, and the woman phkod it up with the intention of dressing the wound, when the brute attacked her, and had it not been for the presence of her husband and two sons, she would have heen in all probability killed. As il was, every stilch ot clothing was torn off her, and the animal was so infuriated that it had lo be knocked on the head before it would desist. The new number of the Slmnil Mn/ti:iue contains sonic curious facts about asses and their milk. Asses' milk is retailed at (id per quart. As one might expect, the trade is practically mado by fashionable physicians and trained nurses who recommend the milk in consumption cases and for pulmonary complaints generally. The winter season finds the donkey dairy exceedingly busy, and wealthy invalids who fly to the Hiviora lo escape the London fogs actually pay lOgs fora milchass of their own, and take the animal with llicmfoal and all—so that from first lo last the humble ass costs as much as a decent park hack.

f FtiL'similcs of what is s,iid to bo the \' first newspaper ever printed were (lisf triljutcd lo the members of the Press I' Congress, which lias been sitting atllei- . delbiirg. It is n sheet published at i Slrasburg. in ltiO!) by Joliium Carolus, 1 with the following title :—" Account of - everything important and memorable ■ which may happen in the year lliOtl in r Upper and Lower Germany, as also in r France, Italy, Scotland, England, Spain, - Hungary, Mind, Transylvaunia. Moldavia and Turkey. All news received . will be printed with the utmost couscij eneiousness." Among other curiosities . the lirst number contains a lelicr from , Venice, dated the 4th of September in , the above year, _ The discovery or the . telescope by Galilcois therein announced as follows:-"The Government has added 100 crowns to (he pension of Master Galileo Galilei, of Florence, Professor at Padua, because he has invented an instrument which enables one lo _ sec distant places as if they were quite near, while objects eloso at hand appear much larger than to the naked eye," A case presenting some curious features is occupying the attention of a pro minent insurance company having its head office in Liverpool. A mercantile clerk took out a policy in the office in question. The Diiili/ Chronicle of September 23 states that about 11 mouths ago a man's clothes were found at Leasowe shore near Liverpool, and subsequently a body which, with the clothes were identified as those of the clerk in question, who it was supposed was drowned while bathing. The insurance company were notified, and the amount of the policy was paid over to the mother of the deceased, Within the past week the supposed drowned man walked into

the head office of the insurance company to make a" clean breast" of tho whole affair. He told a romantic story to the effect that, having become pressed in his financial affairs, he deliberately made up his mind to lead his creditors off his scent. He therefore went to the Lcosowe shore and deposited the clothing discovered. He then went to Birkenhead, and joined a ship bound for California, on board of which an extra hand was required. Arrived at the vessel's destination, he afterwards made his way to tho Colorado, where the wheel of fortuno turned in his favour. He became connected with an enterprise which proved so prosperous that ho determined to return to Liverpool to clear up his affairs. He lias accordingly done so, and represents that he has paid his debts, much to the surprise, of course, of tho credjtors who were equally deceived with tho insurance company. Thoiusurancecompany do not suggest collusion on tho part of the mother, whom the son had not been able to find, and as restitution lias been mado, uo prosecution will result-

A coloured man in America has a cortiticato from a former master setting torth that ho was bom 130 years ago. For the first time women aro now being employed in the loading and unloading vessels in tho London docks. Tho value of salmon and migratory trout taken in English and Welsh waters is slightly over £150,000 overy year. A good deal of rain fell in Masterton. yesterday afternoon. At tho Upper Uain, a smart shower of hail was experienced. , A meeting of members of the Excelsior Cricket Club will be held at Mr J. Williams' shop this evening. Services in connection with tho Mastaton Presbyterian Church, will bo lield to-morrow in the country, ntDrcyerton and Wangaehu, Mr Geo. K.Bond invites tenders for rc-instntiug cottages iu Queen-street. At the Presbyterian Church, Masterton, to-morrow evening, the Itev. liobcrt Wood will give a special lecture on "Why I am a Protestant," or I rotestantism, Apostolic Christianity. Messrs J. Graham & Co have received a special consignment of prime potatoes from Kniapoi and also aqunntityof fowl feed from the South. The case of the Southland Frozen Meat Company v. Nelson Bins., a claim for £30,001) damages, was concluded last Friday night, the jury returning a verdict for .63,500 Mr Bell is moving for a nonsuit and a new trial, In the Masterton S.M. Court this inornimr, Messrs Dixon Bros of Masterton sued E. J. Scarl of Eketahuna, for £3410s for goods supplied. Defendant disputed some of the items but after evidence, His Worship gave judgment for llie amountclaimed with costs £llos. Lady Dudley is probably tliconly peeress of the realm who has risen from the rank of a shop-girl lo her present social eminence. True, she bore prior lo her marriage the name ot Gurnoy.oneof the most ancient in Norfolk. The young countess' father, however, met with business reverses, resigned his partnership in the Gurncy Bank, and surrendered all his possessions for the benefit of his creditors. Mrs Gurncy opened a millinery shop in London, but met with scant success, her two daughters, who acted as assistants, ultimately becoming saleswomen in the shop of the modiste, Mine. Elise. About a year previous to Lord Dudley's marriage, the now widowed Duchess of Bedford and her sister, Lady Henry Somerset, interested themselves on behalf of the two young girls, and removed them to more congenial surroundings, llacbacl, the eldest became a member of the household of the Duchess, while the younger, now Lady Trowbridge, wasadoptcd by Lady Henry Somerset. It im« as the adopted daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford that liiichel Gurncy married young Lord Dudley, At a meeting held last evening the following Committee of Management was appointed to carry out the details in connection with the forthcoming production of the opers " Pirates of Penzance," by the Masterton Juvenile Amateurs:—President, Mr C. A. Powmdlj vice-Presideiits, Mr Jas. Mowlcin , and the Itev. Father McKenna | Ladies' Committee Mesdunies Giuders, Smythson, and O'Connor and the Misses L, Williams and Corbetl, Mr Bisli.'candidale, for the mayoralty, | addressed about 150 people at the Assembly Jiooms, Carterton, last night. The meeting which was somewhat noisy at limes lasted less than an hour. Mr I T. I'roelor.J.P., occupied the chair, A ' vote of thanks was accorded die speaker , for his address. It is expected that four soloists from • Wellington, will sing at the lecture on "Scottish Songs," in the Masterton , Presbyterian tlnircli, on Monday night. Mr Eliot, bookseller, who, has just come to Masterton, has kindly promised i to sing two solos. 1 , A peculiar incident occurred at (lie 1 Oddfellows'concert utßlackheath, JX.S. 1 W.on Wednesday. Aloealresident.Mr J. Basler, had contributed, in character ■ a song eutitled " Ask a Policeman," ' and (his gave offence to two daughters of Sergeant Haiiloy, who left the hall. After the performance Sergeant Hanley ; came among the singers and confiscated . the police uniform worn by Easter, and intends to summon him for wearing it. ' The affair has caused considerable local t excitement, and money is being freely , subscribed to enable Basler to defend lumself.

A Lime-light Lantern Lecture on Scottish Pictures and Scottish Songs, will be given iu the Masterton Presbyterian Church by IhoKcy. Hobert Wood, on Monday evening iXovember 25th. A large number of very fine Lime-light views of the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland will be shown. The lecture iviil be illustrated by songs and recitations. Members of the choir will sing solos and Mr James McGregor will recite" The Cottar's Saturday iiiglit" A the Cliriilchurch wool sales yesterday about 10,000 bales were offered. The prices current were:—Merino—Medium to good, lid to lijd > inferior, 4jd lo Sjd. Half-bred—Superior, (id to BJd; medium to good, 7d to 7:Jd; inferior, (id to Cjd. Crossbreds—Superior, 8d to B.',d--medium to good, 7d to 7Jd; inferior, Gel to Longwool—Superior, 7f to Sfd; medium to good, 7d to 7»d; inferior, (id to Oyd. Crossbred pieces mid bellies, good, od lo 7d; do. locks, 2d to 3:1(1.

The following, from the LgthUvit Times, is how Mark Twain bade larcwcli to his audience at Christchurch receutly —" You have never had such opportunities for enlightmcnt before. You have had the circus, (laughter.) That was spectacular. _ You have had Mr Haskelt Smith- iniagiiiatioii-tiiid you have had my well beloved friend and shipmate, Michael Davitt—philosophy, and then you have had me-cold fact. (Loud laughter). We are all fading away one by one. Haskctt Smith has gone, Michael Davitt has gone, and I leave to-morrow, and you hayo nothing left but the circus. I)c grateful for the opportunities you have-hang ou to that circus. I observe in this region a spirit of which 1 do greatly approve. That is the spirit which is leading us gradually and surely along to prohibition. Ido not see any signs of it here, (laughter.) It is coming and let us welcome it, I can tell you one tiling, that is if you get it, you will find it will put you into most difficult straits. In our country several years ago there was a man came into a prohibited town, and like you savages here, (hey said to him," you can't get a drink anywhere except at the apothecary's," So he went to the apothecary, who said, "yju can't get a drink here withouta prescription from the physician," but the man said, "I am perisliiug, I haven't timo to get ft prescription, The apothecary replied " Well, I hayen't power to give you a drink except for snake bile." The man said," where's tho snake ? (laughter.) So the apothecary gave him (he snake's address, and he went off, soon after, however, ho came back and said " For goodness sako give mo a drink. That snake is engaged for six months ahead."

Ono of tho drawbacks of country life, at least to the small settlor, is undoubtedly the increased price h,e has to pay for any articles of clothing or general drapery, by reason ot tho extra charges for freight or carriage. This drawback need exist no longer, for extra charges aro dono tuny with under the new system which has been inaugurated at Tk Alio House, Wellington, Under this system, any of tho parcels advertised, will be sent to nny address in New Zealand, post fuee, tho prices charged being exactly the same as those at which tlu> goods are sold ovor tho counter in Wellington. As may bo imagined, however, this liberal offer is only extended to cash customers, and all orders for advertised parcels, must bo accompanied, by cash for the amount, before tho order can bo exocuted at TeAhoHodse, Wellington. In illustration of this system, we will give an example. Take for instanco No. 3 Farcel, which contains 1 Lady's White Mainsook Blouse, trimmed with embroidery and with tho now butterfly collar; 1 Navy or Black Sateon Blouse, with white spots, now style; 1 pair of Blaok or Coloured Taffeta G!oves,and 2 pairs of Ladiesßlaok Cashmere Hoso. This complete pareol will bo sent post free, to any address, on receipt of 12/6' from Ib Abo Hovbb WeUinstoa,—Abvt. '