The Waipukurau Press. Friday, May 11, 1906. Local and General.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 11 May 1906, Page 2

The Waipukurau Press. Friday, May 11, 1906. Local and General.

AY. Reminder is given of the social to be held in St. Andrew’s Sunday School this evening. A pleasant time may be looked forward to.

In another column Mr W. A. Chambers, hon. sec., calls a public meeting for Wednesday next of all interested in the annual social.

It may be stated that the shares in the Taranaki Petroleum Company, which are now celling at £5O, had a face value of £5. The company has a capital of £2OOO in £5 shares, and there are also 4000 preference shares of £l. Shares have soldin Melbourne at £52 15s.

At Wellington police court, Lily Brown, “a 1 all young woman, whose piuk blouse, white boa, toque, and muff looked incongruous in such a place, admitted a charge of drunkenness, but denied being a rogue and vagabond,” says a city paper.

“I consider that a number of the Government departments in Wellington should be abolished,” said Mr Hogg, M.H R, at a social gathering. “ The work should be distributed amongst local bodies, because I think they contain men well able to do the work.”

The shortest of ghost stories is said to be that of a man travelling in a North-bound train. Opposite him was a silent stranger, his only companion. Between London and Derby no word passed. Then as the train drew out of Derby lie said pleasantly, “ Good iine this, sir, eh?’ The stranger replied, “ I think it a beastly bad line. 1 was killed on it two years ago.” The Railway Department have decided to dismiss the porters — Morton and Porter — responsible for derailing the train at Eketahuna, and the stationmaster (Mr Quin) will be severely punished for failing io see ihat the points were locked before the signal was lower ed for the train to enter the station. Porter Harley is also to be dismissed owing to the derailing of a train at Waitotara.

Curious error by the Wellington Post: —A man named John Harvey was found dead in his whare at Aohanga, Castlepoint district, on 27th A pril. Death had been in the employ of the Akirio county council for several years, and had been living alone in the whare for about four months.

There were good attendances at the Hawke’s Bay races, held at Hastings on Wednesday and Thursday, and this district was largely re| resented. On the first day heavy rain fell between one and two o’clock, and a drizzle set in at 4.30 ; a cold southerly breeze blew all the time, much to the disgust of the ladies who had been tempted by a fine morning to don smart raiment. The fields were large. Solution annexed the Hawke’s Bay Cup (cup and £250) pretty easily. The very handsome large silver cup was given by Mr George Hunter, and duly presented after the race with some speech-making. It is to be presumed that as the club runs the tote, everything is OK; nevertheless there” wr.i esmo growling about the working of the machine -—a huge, silent affair. For instance, the backers of Grand Slam in the Nursery Handicap reckoned they would receive a “divi” approaching £4O, judging by the totals on the machine ; but it appears that after the race several more pounds (presumably “ commissions”) were put on the winner, reducing the dividend to £l7 Ils. We have no doubt a satisfactory explanation of this could be given. On the second day, Porcelain won the Hawke’s Bay Stakes of 400 sovs; Zimmermann and Moscow were the only other starters. For the two days the sum of £19,716 passed through the totalisator. The Government has spent over £450,000 in acquiring estates in Hawke’s Bay. The number Yf tenants on the estates is 239.

“ Ignor-rent ” writes : —2 coachs run to Porangerhow 3 days a week on same dayes, Wood’n it be beter for the other to run on the other dayes and make a Dailey Servus ? This is From me.

During last March 2712 persons arrived in New Zealand and 3390 departed from the colony. During the same month of last year the arrivals numbered 2678 and the departures 2977.

Two Israelites of Wellington won a six thousand Tatt. sweep on the Adelaide Cup.

One applicant for position of probationer at the Hawera hospital wrote : “ I am of a cheerful, happy disposition, tall, fair, teeth natural and perfect full set.” Another applicant described herself as “just a plain, matter-oLfact girl.”

Another 12-year-old conscience has been discovered. A Wellington resident has received a letter from a man in England stating that twelve years ago his brother sold the Wellingtonian a horse, concealing the fact that it was brokenwinded. He enclosed a draft for £5 to recompense the purchaser for this defect.—N.Z. Times.

Two dairy companies in Victoria have divided over a million pounds sterling among their suppliers since the\ beginning of the year 1892. The two factories than have achieved this great record are Glenoriniston and Camperdown, and it is interesting to mention that the former holds another unique record, viz., that it runs more separators under one roof than any dairy company in the world, no less than 16 400-gallon-an - hour machines being run side by side. Another interesting feature of the Glenormiston factory is that land is dearer in that district (western) than in any other dairying district of the world, farms selling readily for dairying alone for £5O to £6O per acre.

The town of Waitara, Taranaki, perhaps a trifle larger than Waipukurau, is having an electric light plant laid down by a company. The system is rather costly. At last meeting of the Waipukurau Town Board a letter was read from the company offering to instal an electric system here for £lBOO for the whole town (providing about 500 lights), or £220 for 30 streetlamps. Such a huge proposition caused the Board to wear a pained expression for a moment or two.

Recently Judge Docker made some scathing remarks at the Parramatta Sessions, Sydney, about the conduct of some persons who remained in Court to hear the details of a case after he had suggested that all should leave. By their conduct, and their want of shame, he said, they had brought disgrace not only upon themselves, but upon their district. The only conclusion he could come to, after noting the determination which they manifested to lose no single item of the case, was that it was a reasonable deduction from their conduct that persons like them would be capable of committing offences of the char acter of that which the man in the dock stood charged. Captain Edwin anticipates fair weather. A lovely girl, A crowded car; “ Please take my seat,” And there you are. A crowded car, A woman plain ; She stands, and there You are again.

A recent arrival from the Emerald Isle staying at the Commercial Hotel retired to his room last night with forty odd pounds in his possession, which he placed for greater security within the pillow-slip. He left the hotel at an early hour this morning, and only remembered some hours later that he had forgotten his concealed treasure. Returning in breathless haste to the hotel he found that the pillowslip had vanished and with it the notes. He at once raised an alarm, when it was discovered that the pillow-slip had been taken by one of the servants for the weekly wash, and having duly boiled it, put it through the wringer and mangle and finally hung it on the clothes line. Examination revealed that the notes were still there and none the worse for the unusual process of cleaning they had gone through. No time was lost in taking them to the bank, where they were exchanged for their value in gold.— Pahiatua paper. One of Mr Riggir’s coaches has been nicely renovated and painted at Mr G. Lomas’ workships.

lan Maclaren holds that a sense of humour is a hindrance of success in life, and he recommends young men possessed of it to hide it carefully under a mask of solemnity, and treasure it for use and enjoyment in old age.

A meeting of those interested in the social tendered to Hatuma and Maungatarata settlers was held in the Oddfellows* Hall on Wednesday night, Mr G. Lomas sen. being voted to the chair. The hon. secretary, Mr Chambers, said that after meeting all liabilities there was a credit balance of £6 8s 3d. £2O 12s 6d had been expended on last social. On the motion of Mr G. H. Graham, seconded by Mr Chambers, it was resolved that the balance from last year be carried forward and that a social be held this year. Mr J. Barrie said the hall was too crowded last year, and suggested two socials being held, but it was thought such a course would involve too much work on the ladies’ committee. On motion of Messrs Barrie and Reidy it was decided to call a general meeting for next Wednesday evening, to arrange matters for social and fix date —probably a night early next month. On the motion of the chairman, hearty votes of thanks were passed to the ladies and all who had assisted. The number of subscribers last year was 63. Mr Chambers desired to give up the secretaryship, but on being oressed to retain the position consented to do so.

At a recent Taihape marriage a floral arch was erected over the chance], and from the centre of this was suspended a large wedding bell, composed of white blossoms and fern fronds. As the nuptial knot was being ti«d a cord released part of the suspended bell, a deluge of flowers falling on the bride, while the organist burst into the strains of the wedding march.

A Maori, to use a nautical term, was l .‘ half seas over ” on Saturday night and bought a 501 b bag of flour to take home. He shouldered the flour, but had to make sundrycalls around the town. Some person slit a hole in the bag, and the native was accompanied on his calls by the finest flakey flour drifting to the gentle breeze. When last seen the native bore the appearance of a piebald ghost.—Opunake Times.

The head of the Government Valuation Department explains to a Wellington reporter how valuations are made:—The valuers do not work in the dark. In estimating the selling values of property, careful record is kept in the departmental ledgers of every sale that takes place in every part of the Colony. These sales are distributed amongst the district valuers, with the result that valuers are enabled to see exactly how high properties in any particular part are selling. “We do not,” said Mr Campbell, “ take two or three sales as an index of general values. The whole values iu any particular district are carefuliy analysed and computations then arrived at.” Mr J. 8. Lennox, of Auckland, had a rather unpleasant experience while motoring from Rotorua to Tauranga. A bullet struck him in the back, cutting away a portion of his coat, vest, and shirt, but inflicting no serious damage. It was discovered that the shot was fired by one of a party of deer shooters. During last month 44,592 ounces of gold, of the value of £179,954, was exported from New Zealand, as compared with 39,084 ounces, of the value of £157,769, in the corresponding month of last year. It is generally understood that the legislators of the colony get a great deal oi hard work to do and very little thanks for it, but the position is not always without its perquisites. Five members of the Legislature, two from the Upper, and three from the Lower House, attended at the drawing of an art union at Christchurch the other night, and each was able to go home with a work of art under his arm. Yet there were only twentyeight prizes altogether. Mr Ira D. Sankey’s home at Brooklyn was looted by thieves on March 2. Paintings presented to the famous evangelist, who is now hopelessly blind and bedridden, were cut from the frames, silverware was taken, deeds and other papers, including manuscript hymns were ransacked and strewn about the floor. The total iuss is about £2OO. The paintings were so carelessly cut that they are probably about worthless. At the time when the robbers entered the lower part oi the house Mr Bankey was upstairs, attended by his nurse. When void of the robeery, the evangelist said he was thankful no one was iiurt.

The bankrupt estate of G. P. Gunzel shows all debts, all unsecured, to be £136 Is Id, and his assets are valued at £ll7 15s 2d, leaving an apparent deficiency of £lB 5s lid. Book debts are valued at £45.

The British Empire is 40 times larger than the German. Empire,, and 16 times larger cnan all the. French dominions. The smallest woman now on earth is Mlle. Paulina, of Holland, 20m high and 18 years old. She weighsless than nine pounds.

Bostock and Womb well’s circus got away from Hastings pretty briskly. The performance concluded at 11.15 on Tuesday night and the special train with everything, on board left at 3 a.m.-on Wednesday for Palmerston, where the circus performed that evening. Waipukurau was reached at 4.30,. and the only stop made was here,, for the purpose of testing the wheelsThe Te Aute Trust Commission’s order of reference sets out that certain lands were granted in trust for the use aud maintenance of schools, and that these lands were ceded to the Crown by the native owners so as to provide for a school at Te Aute for the benefit of aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand,, and for a school to be maintained in the Hawke’s Bay district for the education of children of British subjects of both races. Doubt hasarisen whether the leases and the revenues derived therefrom have been so administered as to fulfil in the best manner this trust. It is alleged that the lauds have not been let by public tender or otherwise to the best advantage, and that it seems expedient in the main» tenance of such school or schools that adequate provision should be made for the manual and technical education of children of both races, and especially of Maori children. The Commission is now sitting at Napier.

Zelrna Enting, of Waipukurau, secured second prize, a handsome book, from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,-for an essay on “ Kindness to Animals.”

The Census. —Under the heading for persons to state whether they are suffering from any illness, a Hutt wag wrote “ habitual laziness,” and another in the poultry space wrote, “ No poultry, but haw a fine Irish terrier.”

An earthquake shock was felt in Waipukurau at 9.30 a.m. yesterday. , The Presbytery of Hawke s Bay met at Napier yesterday. Rev. J. Pattison and Messrs Barrie and Merry lee’s were present from Waipukurau. It was agreed to request the session of Waipukurau to consider the spiritual necessities of the Presbyterian population at Porangahau, and to give such supply of these as would be possible. It was stated that the minister who had been at length settled in Waipukurau had just concluded the most remarkable work ever known in Havelock, a mission of four weeks’ duration. Other general business was dealt with.

Mr Seddon leaves for Sydney to-morrow. A conference of Sunday school delegates will be held at Waipukurau on Monday, 4th June. The officers of the steamer Taviuni, which arrived at Auckland yesterday, report seeing a sea serpent off "the Kermadic Islands. It was close to the steamer, reddish in colour, and about 601 t long. Six tenders were sent in for ploughing, harrowing, etc., on Waipukurau racecourse, that of Mr J. W. Cook being accepted. A function is to be held at Wellington on June 22nd to celebrate Mr Seddon’s 61st birthday.