Local and General.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 20 April 1906, Page 2

Local and General.

:O: By announcement in another column notice is given of annual election for three members of the Waipukurau Road Board. Nominations will be received by the returning officer (Mr J. H. Nelson) on Saturday, 28th inst., and an election, if necessary, will be held on Saturday, Sth May. We understand Mr Huggins, whose time is up, cannot seek re-election through having ceased to be a ratepayer under the Road Board since the creation of the Town Board. He has rendered good public service. The other two retiring members are Messrs J. Groome and T. Butler—eligible for re-election. Mackay & Co. hold an auction sale at the mart to-morrow at 2.15 p.m., when a rustic cart, horses, and a large variety of useful goods will be offered. The matron of the Waipukurau Hospital kindly furnishes the following for the week ending Saturday last: — Number of patients admitted during week, 12; death, 1 ; discharged, 15 ; remaining in, 30 The committee of the Football Club held a meeting the other evening, there being present M essrs Chambers (chair), Booth, Lomas, Coneys, and G. Ellison (hon. sec.). Some general business was transacted. It was decided to enter three teams—First, Junior, and Third Class—for competitions during the present season. While in Takapau, Mr Norris offered to coach the teams; offer accepted with thanksIt is estimated that about 1100 natives attended the recent meeting at Te Hauke. The company consumed 208 sheep, 29 bullocks and 20 pigs—some of the latter weighing 6cwt each —in fourteen days, besides fish, many sacks of potatoes and other vegetables The diningroom was elaborately decorated, and capable of seating over two hundred at one time; and there was a large staff of waiters and waitresses. When you visit Taihape next New Year’s Day and strike the Rec. you will think you have come across the Crystal Palace or the Cremorne Gardens (says a local paper), which adds: The embellishments are to be on a lavish scale, qnite unprecedented in the history of the back blocks, and will include a padded cell, wherein all bookmakers will be placed and compelled to listen to their own harmonious voices. Miss Coalbrooke is acting as relieving teacher (vice Mr Jones) at Waipukurau until a permanent appointment is made. Owing to the recent decrease in the hours of work, an extra railway guard (making three) is now stationed at Waipukurau. The Governor visited Porangahau a few days ago. The Maoris of the place accorded him a characteristic welcome, and the school children presented an address, which was read by a fifth standard pupil. The evangelistic meetings now being conducted at Waipukurau have not been so well attended as might have been expected. The leader, Mr Robertson, informed us that at most townships the party had visited the tent had been well filled nightly, there being no charge for admission nor any collection. Mr Robertson is a forcible and lucid speaker, and his utterances command the audience’s fullest attention. The tent is large and well seated, and lighted by acetylene gas. During one of his discourses Mr Robertson mentioned that Evan Roberts, the Welsh revivalist, had been the means of converting two hundred thousand persons. Madame Melba, the great singer, is reported to be suffering from consumption. A departmental inquiry is to be held into the derailing of the express train at Eketahuna on Monday. In the meantime a porter is under suspension. Mr Hall, M.H.R., a member of the Education Board, has reported favourably to Inspector Hill on the advisability of adapting the old school building at Waipukurau for technical and sewing purposes.. A good deal of repairs and alterations will be necessary, but the main building is sound enough to last for a number of years. Mr Hall gives his opinion as an expert. The Southland Times says that prohibition has not decreased the demand for accommodation in Gore. The boarding-houses there are continually making additions. The latest announcement is that 18 apartments are about to be added to the Southland Hotel.

At Waipawa Court yesterday, H. Fletcher was fined £1 and costs 17/6 for exposing sheep infected with lice at Onga yards. The case was brought by the stock inspector (Mr J. Harvey). There has been an alarming increase of rabbits in the King Country, and at a meeting of over a hundred farmers, held at Kihikihi recently, it was resolved to request the Government to take steps to assist settlers in the destruction of rabbits.

There was an exciting bolt in the main street on Tursiay afternoon. The horse attached’to Dick the Chinaman’s vegetable cart became alarmed at a bot-fly, took fright, and sped up the road at a brisk canter—which the old brute seems to think was a mad gallop ; the owner held on to the ribbons and yelled out “ Way ! way ! ” and away the moke went right enoughMotor cars and other vehicles were hastily pulled out of the danger zone, though there were one or two narrow escapes from collision. The reins were not pulled hard, as the old man was afraid of their giving way ; but after crossing the railway line and travelling some distance the horse was brought to a standstill, the Chinaman designating his Judge Belden as a liar. It is supposed that a horsey aroma from the racecourse and a too plentiful supply of green cabbages made the crock feel unusually frisky. A Taihape correspondent says—Socially, things are much as they were, particularly dull. We have not even had a christening lately. I believe the game this year among the classes is to be bridge—for p.n’s—uoney being an unheard-of article.

A cable states that Jabez Balfour, who in 1895 was sentenced to imprisonment in connection with the Liberator frauds, has been released. He is in excellent health, and will devote himself to literature as a means of livelihood. A recent visitor to Taranaki informs us that the result of the present business slump is very apparent. Towns that boomed a year or two ago are now sickly and inanimate—notably Patea, Eltham, Opunake, Stratford and Inglewood. Building is at a standstill, and money is scarce, despite the fact that the province earns yearly a third of a million pounds for dairy produce alone- No improvement is expected before the spring. Said Mr Northcroft, S-M., to an accused person at Te Awamutu: “ You are like a good many other people who come before me. You make the most amusing statements and expect me to believe them. Anybody would think I looked as simple as a baby with a feeding bottle?’ The Colonial Secretary is offering prizes of £2O and £l5 for the best designs for an official coat of arms for the colony of New Zealand. The brand at present used belongs to England. The racehorse Fitzgrafton has been sold to an Indian sportsman for 1800 guineas.—Sydney item. It it understood that the expense of the excellent luncheon given in the marquee at Waipukurau races was borne by Messrs Hunter, Gaisford, and Ormond. The gentle art of poisoning rabbits is probably to-day the most striking feature in the working of many of the large-sized sheep runs in the back country of South Marlborough or North Canterbury. In some districts poisoners’ camps are, or ought to be, a necessary part of the landscape, and packing poison is one of the most important of thetransit departments. School attendance yesterday—--143. A feature of Bostock & Wombwell’s circus, now showing in Wellington, was the burying under ground for a week of Sam Williams by Professor Bonnor, hypnotist.. Describing the awakening, the N.Z» Times says :—The professor, having bathed his subject’s face with a wet sponge, proceeded to awaken him. He rubbed his forehead, passed rapid hands down his limbs, slapped the soles of either foot, and called upon the sleeper to awake. These tactics having been repeated three or four times, Williams moved his legs. Thereafter he went through all the business of a man awakening from sleep, stretched his limbs, scratched himself, yawned, and sat upright. A bottle of ale was eagerly drained off, and hestepped off the table, bowed, and retired, apparently none the worso for his 120 hours’ somnolence. Visitors to the races were loud in their praises of the beauties of Waipukurau and its surroundings. Visitors to Messrs Bostock and Wombwell’s Circus have been struck with the brilliant lighting of both the menagerie and the performing arena and surroundings. Some probably have mistaken this for the electric light, so soft and radiant is the effect, but it is the Kitson light that enables the performance so be seen under such pleasant conditions. For the purpose of lighting up cities, towns, boroughs, country places, and sup-< plying lamps for all purposes from 50 candle-power for house lighting to 2000 candle-power light, the Kitsoa cannot be surpassed. It ie a system of burning ordinary lamp oil without the wick, by which the light is enormously increased and consumption of oil greatly reducedThe light is applicable for nearly all purposes of inside or outside lighting; requires no machinery, can be erected by any person having the necessary instructions ; can be readily transported, and is the cheapest and the most efficient system of lighting ever produced. —N.Z. Times.

Lucky Waipuk. Man. —At a land ballot at Napier yesterday, W. Bassett, of Waipukurau, drew section 1, block 16, Patangata, Mangatoro survey district, containing 1169 acres 1 rood 17 perches sec-ond-class land, cash price 15s per acre, occupation with right of purThere were 441 applicants. The land, which is about seven miles from Weber, is described as being of hilly country, covered principally with burnt birch timber and toitoi, with patches ot rimu, totara, matai, and various other kinds of timber, with a sprinkling of grass throughout. Mr Bassett has already received some tempting offers. Bor the benefit of our numerous readers we may say that the annual elections of school committees take place on Monday evening. We applied to the Board’s secretary for the formal notification, but it was refused ; and the Board seems to lose sight of the fact that insufficient publicity often causes unnecessary expense, through further elections having to be arranged. The Waipukurau paper is as much entitled to receive the advertisement as those of Hastings, Waior Dannevirke. Perhaps some influence but enough. The long spell of dry weather experienced in this district is now being felt in a shortage of winter for domestic purposes, tanks generally being low and some quite exhausted. Mr Bogle, station master, resumed duty this morning after a pleasant hobdav. Mr Blackmore, who was relieving here, made a host of friends during his short stay. Hastings item. —Harry Hughes, late cook of the Te Mahanga staff, has fallen in for a house and competenev, owing to the death of a relative in the old country. He leaves as a saloon passenger by the Charleston for London. Mr Roosevelt has expresed a hope to visit New Zealand after his present term of President has expired. The transactions of the NZ. Trust Office for the year just closed show the enormous total of over £2,500,000. Towards the end (Mr Punch reports) King Alfonso's courtship was allowed to proceed in comparative privacy. On several occasions he has been seen about with Princess Ena, accompanied only by a pdy-in-waiting and 50 reporters.