Local and General.

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

Local and General.

Messrs R Staines & Son, cabinetmakers, etc., desire to draw special attention to direct importations of rattan and bamboo furniture, gocarts, etc. The consignment is the best yet seen in this district, and the articles will be sold at the lowest minimum of profit. A new business announcement trom the firm will appear in next issue. The School committee meets on Thursday evening. There was another large attendance at the beast-taming exhibition given by Professor Bates in Bailey’s paddock on Saturday afternoon. The professor successfully lassoed and quietened two unridden horses and four bullocks, in quick time. The sport provided was greatly enjoyed by those present. Bates was successful in riding Mr Simon’s buck - jumper — a bay cob that several riders hand failed to sit. No mistake, the horse could buck; it seemed to be well versed in all artful tricks, but the man this time soon became the master. Afterwards Bates rode the horse with only a circingle. This event created considerable excitement and laughter. It may be mentioned that times for lassoing and tying two of the steers were 14 and 19 seconds respectively. Owing to bad woather, the plain and fancy dress ball held at Wanstead was thinly attended. An enjoyable time, however, was spent by those present. Miss Jolley supplied first-ciass music.

Apropos of the recent scandalous disclosures in connection with the Chicago meat packing industry, the following excerpt from Mr John Masfield’s recently-published book, entitled “ Sea Life in Nelson’s Time,” is of interest: —“A ship’s company had to start a cruise upon the old meat returned from various ships and routed out from the obscure cellars of the victualling yards. Frequently it had been several years in salt before it came to the cook, by which time it needed rather a magician than a cook to make it eatable. It was of a strong hardness, fibrous, shrunken, dark, gristly, and glistening with salt crystals. . . Strange tales were told about it. Old pigtailed seamen would tell of horseshoes found in the meat casks ; of curious barkings and neighings heard in the slaughterhouses; and of negroes who disappeared near the victualling yards, to be seen no more. . . . The salt pork was generally rather better than the beef, but the sailors could carve fancy articles, such as boxes, out of either meat.”

Marmalade oranges on sale at H. Poynter’s.—Advt. An ex-publican has bequeathed twelve hundred pounds to the Cnristchurch Hospital. He also left £lOOO towards an inebriates’ home.

There is apparently a risk in Church bell-ringing. On a Sunday morning recently the clapper of the Presbyterian Church bell at Kaikoura Sth., composed of solid iron and weighing several pounds, fell, and narrowly missed the boy who was tolling the bell. In the evening an ordinary hammer was used to obtain sound from the bell.

The southerly rain which commenced on Saturday afternoon was still continuing to-day. After three or four months of almost dry weather, rain was needed for many purposes, but probably no one craved a perfect deluge. Captain Edwin is evidently neglecting his duty by not turning off the flow before so much good water went to waste. To-day rivers and streams are in high flood, and the surrounding country has received a good drenching. Those persons whose tanks were empty are now consoled for the time being. The storm has been general throughout the colony. At Auckland rain has fallen on 20 consecutive days. Very wintry weather has been experienced in Wellington. Owing to bad weather the Tarawera’s arrival at Napier from Auckland was considerably delayed. Snow fell in the northern portion of Hawke’s Bay. A large part of the country near Napier is under water. The railway workshops are flooded. This afternoon the Tukituki river is very high. It was still raining at 2 p.m.

A country contemporary tells of a man who was completely covered by a fall of gravel, bnt came out alive. It was in a gravel pit at Halcombe, and the whole face (owing to the constant wet weather) slipped .away, and completely buried him. It was touch and go, as his mates did not know the exact locality, and had to be very careful with their tools. When rescued he was unconscious, and remained so for several hours. However, he is now rapidly recovering. In the course of a private lette** to Mr Claridge, Sergeant Baskiville says -I have just settled down and getting used to the big change. Getting up at 4.30 in the morning (every other morning) rather took the stuffing out of me for a time. It is a cold climate down here—snow Bin — but the change has freshened me up, and am feeling well, also the family. I was much struck with the country between Lyttelton and Dunedin, splendid agricultural land, level and well farmed. Christchurch is a beautiful city, well laid out, fine buildings; Dunedin also has </i and buildings, and I think it the most orderly city in New Zealand, and nice people. Living is fairly cheap here, clothing in particular, and rent is not out of the way; but no matai back logs here, which we miss. Regards to all Waipukurau friends.

A young man named McLeod, who was laying odds on the flat at Flemington, is alleged to have tried to get away without paying up on the Steeplechase. The maddened mob chased him, and kicked him to death. The rainfall during the last three days totalled 3.56in5., as follow :— July 14th, .55in, 15th, .99in, 16th, 2.2 ins. The rainfall for June was•sBin ; rain fell on 11 days, the heaviest fall being on June 29— •18in. Probably few Freemasons are aware that the craft includes a Gallery Lodge. It consists entirely of journalists, and originally comprised only the press representatives in the reporters* galleries in the British Houses of Parliament. The fact was mentioned at the send-off supper given to Mr Frank Bullen by the Savage Club in London. Mr and Mrs G. W. Venables, and family were farewelled last Thursday at Cambridge, where Mr Venables has been in business for some years. They were the re cipients of presents, and there was. a large gathering of friends. I learn on excellent authority that the proposal to give the Seddon family the Ministerialresideuce and grounds in Molesworth-streeu-has been abandoned. A friend of the family says that we shall hear no more of that idea. He suggests a monetary grant of from £ 10,000' to £12,000. — Herald correspondent. The London wool market is unchanged. Scoured® are somewhat slow of sale, but for greasies there is keen competition. There is excitement over a gold discovery near Ararat, Victoria. The town is crowded with goldseekers, and two miles of ground along Hopkins river has been pegged out. It is atated there is nothing to warrant such a rush. Waipukurau school re - opened this morning with an attendance of between fifty and sixty children. Captain Edwin wired yesterday s Rain probable (!) C. Jones, of the local post office, has been appointed letter-carrier at Nabier.