Local and General.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 17 April 1906, Page 2

Local and General.

:O: A full house patronised the Mongomery show at Waipukurau. A number of new pictures were shown, and the entertainment from start to finish was of unusual merit. Though 1500 ’krect cards for the races had been printed, there was an acute shortage of this article by 1 p.m-, and another five hundred would have found a ready sale. Yesterday morning, near the post office, a boy was bowled over several times by a passing brake. But the laa proved to be unusually pliable, and escaped serious injury. If any sport had invested £1 on each of the “tips” given by “Toil ” in last, issue of this paper, he would have come out £4 18s to the good.

The telegraph construction staff at work in Feather ston street on Friday afternoon had its curiosity aroused by seeing an officer of police, accompanied by a constable, walking along; by the fence of the grounds at Government Buildings, searching furtively for something among the trees. It seems that someone had seen a pair of bootless feet poking our of an old irontank, and, suspecting a corpse, had informed the police. Sure enough, they found the feet poking out of the tank, and from the age of the socks and general appearance it looked as if something ghastly had really been discovered. A pinch, however, applied to a toe galvanised the corpse, and on Saturday it underwent conviction for drunkenness.— Wellington Times. One of the evangelists at present in this town collided with a post the other night,and part of the glass of his spectacles was driven into one of his eyes. The doctor was consulted.

A part of the up mail train when nearing Eketahuna yesterday became derailed, and the mishap caused a slight disorganisation on the Napier line, the trains arriving two hours late. The points had by some means become altered, and the foremost engine ran on to a siding and left the rails. Hodder, the rider of Gold Dust in the Waipukurau Handicap, lost his seat when entering the straight. He was stunned, but~not seriously hurt.

The passenger traffic on the railways this Easter is extremely heavy, and will probably constitute a record. People flocked in great numbers from the country districts to the larger towns, and accommodation was severely taxed. . Con Boyle was committed for trial at Hastings on Saturday on a charge of manslaughter in connection with the death of the young woman Daniels.

At Dannevirke sports yesterday J. Hitehins, of Waipukurau, was second in the Easter Handicap-

An episode of the Blackball floods, Queensland, as related in the Barcoo Independent:—By daybreak we made fast to a tree and found Mr and Mrs Sutton, with eight children, and Mr Daker, a carrier, roosting up aloft on two tables turned upside down. The tables rested on poles fixed in the forks of a tree. There they had been for forty hours, braving the torrents of rain.

Last week’s Weekly Press contained a photograph of the Waipukurau men who won the Government’s prize for the best kept section of permanent way between Wellington ana Napier. A number of residents gathered hospital grounds on Sunday afternoon, when the Waipawa Band discoursed excellent music, which was much appreciated by inmates and visitors.

The secretary of the Y.M.C.A. in New York advocates separate churches for the sexes, declaring that he doesn’t believe in sandwiching courtship with religion. “No man can hold a hymn-book with a charming young woman,” he says, “ and pay attention to what the minister is saying.” A professor and an Anglican clergyman held quite the opposite views to this. Tne minister, who was very broad-minded, although High Church, when talking to the girls of his flock, used to ask them to encourage their admirers to come to church. “ Come to church next Sunday (or Wednesday),” he would say, “ and bring that young man of yours along, too. He will want to meet you this week, and where better than in church ? ” The unfortunate young man Stubbs, who was recently shot dead while deer-stalking in the Lower Wairarapa, was well known in this district, having some time ago resided at Waipukurau.

A good story is being told of a chopping contest which eventuated not a hundred miles from this town (says the Grey River Argus). O’Rorke, the scratch man, wun in style, amid great cheering, and cries of “ O’Rorke’s won ” were heard all round. “ What it he has,” one of the spectators, evidently not used to these contests, is reported to have exclaimed, “ he dind’t start till all the others were tired 1” The Easter services at the Waipukurau churches were largely attended. The Anglican Church was nicely decorated with flowers, etc.; and Rev W. F. Martin officiated. At the evening service an anthem was sung by Mr Slade, Miss Jolley being accompaniest. The Wellington Acclimatisation Society has secured three pairs of Tasmanian bronze-winged pigeons which are now in Wellington, en route to the game farm at Paraparauuii. It is hoped to breed from them, and g t a good sporting bird. This pigeon is of very handsome colouring, a warm grey tipped with bronze, with white markings on the head. Potatoes in Greenland do not grow any larger than an ordinary marble. A lady was taken ill at the English Church on Sunday evening, and had to be assisted out of the building. Victoria in quite up-to-date in health matters ! The other day a female patient was conveyed from Mirboo, in Gippsland, to Sale Hospital, in a railway van wherein cream, vegetables, and other eatables are carried. She was subsequently found to be in the last stages of typhoid, and died the following day. Thereupon, there being now no possible doubt about the disease, the bedding and clothing were carefully returned in the same van ! Mr J. Maher, who recently met with a serious vehicle accident, is progressing favourably towards recovery. Mr Nelson O. Nelson, head of the great Illinois firm of that name, says that he has improved on Carnegie’s saying that “it is a disgrace for a man to die rich.” He says “ it is a disgrace for a man to be rich.'’ Feeling the oppressiveness of his own wealth, he has of his own accord converted his business in a co-operative one by giving all his employees a share of the profits. Evangelistic services are being continued in tent near schoolWhen Mr E. M. Smith, in voice aquiver with emotion, used to praise the fair land of Taranaki —the Garden of New Zealand — we were wont to yawn and smile, judging the eulogiums to be political exaggerations, to produce the needful vote, says a contributor to the Wairarapa Daily Times. But the little man with the button-hole and the white waistcoat was not ro nancing. Taranaki is a magnificient country — fertile, with its wide stretches of meadow, where the cattle feed in calm enjoyment, and beautiful exceedingly, its lovely mountain giving a grander note to the quieter pastoral symphony of the plains. The Taranaki people have every cause to be proud of Mount Egrnont, and it is delightiul to find the whole-souled admiration and love for it that is imbubed in these shrewd, hard-headed settlers.

The cricket social held at the Town Hall la.-t night was an unqualified success. The attendance was large, the music excellent, and the floor in good order. Miss Maroney (piano) and Mr Cosgrove (cornet) were the musicians, while extras were played by Mr J. Bailey and two lady visitors. Messrs F. Bailey and J. N Barrie capably carried out the duties of M’h.C. The hall had been tastefully decorated with flags, etc. Excellent refreshments were provided. Owing to not being able to secure accommodation in Waipukurau during race time, a number of people proceeded on Saturdav and Sunday to Waipawa and Tukapau to procure beds.

The cricket match, Hastings v. Waipukurau, played here on Good Friday, resulted in a win for the Waipuks by 98 runs to 52. Pirie and Wilson were highest scorers for the local team.

A young lady who tvas present supplies particulars of an interesting wedding which took place at Mr Mellor’s residence, Hatuma, yesterday, the contracting parties being Air John Curtis and Miss Eva Mellor. The officiating minister was Rev Frost, of Waipawa. The bride was married in her travailing dress, of a handsome blue material; and the bridesmaids— Misses Cora and Iris Mellor —wore white voile, with hats to match. A large number of relatives and friends were present and attended the wedding breakfast. Presents were numerous aud useful. The happy couple left for Gisborne, where honeymoon will be spent. Mr and Mrs Curtis will reside at Hastings. The Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association has received 167 entries for the butter and cheese classes at the winter show in June. Last year the number was 117. Mr W. J. Bowling has sold his farm at Onga Onga. The work of kerb!ng and forming the footpath from the Bank has been commenced by the Town Board staff. Waipukurau race train carried 541 passengers yesterday, against 348 last year. A contemporary states that just now great slaughter is going on amongst the rabbits in Otago and Southland. Over twelve thousand were packed at the Mataura freezing works one day last week for one exporter. Thirty men were kept working early and late inorder to be ready for the next day’s consignment. The Governor was presented with a specially bound programme of the races. Wm. F. MeGreevy, saddler, of Onga Onga, has filed a petition in bankruptcy. The estate shows a deficiency of £l6O. Reports to hand from the northern islands show that leprosy is making headway in the islands of Manihiki, Rakahanga, and Penrhyn while at Palmerston Island there is one suspicious case—that of a bov.