LOCAL AND GENERAL.

After a talk with that gentleman, the Mamgaweka Settler thinks Mr Geo. Hutchinson will accede to a request that He should stand for his old electorate, Patea.

The jurymen engaged on Monday in the coroner's enquiry in connection with the death of the boy Hector Morrison very considerately donated their expenses amounting to 24s to the Hawera Hospital. This contribution will be subsidised by the Government.

The School of Instruction for military omcers now being held in Hawera at the High School is being fairly well attended. Last evening the instruction was in battalion movements, musketry, and semaphore signalling, Captain Brown being in charge.

At the Wallace A. and P. Show , tield last week, a yearling colt by Clydesdale Laddie won the first prize, and was said to be of exceptionally good quality. Clydesdale Laddie is now at the stud in this district, Mr H. Edgar, of Nolantown, being the owner. Another colt Mr Edgar is bringing to this district, is a two-year-old colt by Tarn o' Shontex, and this colt will probably be at the service of breeders next season.

There is still a matter awaiting adjustment between the Treasury and the contractors for the Exhibition buildings (Messrs Jamieson Bros.). It is in connection with a claim of between £7000 and £8000 for extras made by the builders. The claim has, according to an Auckland paper, been looked into by the Government architect, who cut it down by some hundreds of pounds. A cheque for the balance- has bean offered to Messrs Jamieson Bros., who have refused it.

The butter shipment by the Corinna on Monday was 11,705 boxes of butter and over 1200 crates of cheesa The produce will be transhipped to the Mamari for the Home market.

A final reminder is given of the public meeting to be held in the Borough Council Chambers at 8 o'clock this evening to consider, the erection' of- a' memorial on, the Turuturu Mokai reserve. It is' hoped that there will be a large attendance- and 1 that something, will be done to preserve and commemorate a site J that has played' a prominent-part in thd e^arty 'history Y of Ta»anakL ., ■ ••<■ -- r»- - -"; >"^ vv ] f >

lac attnger of the promiscuous use of firearms was well demonstrated an i t Timaru a day or two ago, when a man '< lying ill hi bed was startled by a bullet tomuig ihTough the window of his bedroom and lodging within six inches of his head. The matter was reported to the police, but as they have no evidence to go upon .beyond the clean-cut hole in the window, it is not expected that they will be able to teace the source of the bullet.

The Maoris, in ancient times, were in the habit of imprisoning native black crickets in little cages made of toetoe canes, or rarahue (bracken) stalks. These crickets sing with a very merry chiwup in the late summer and early autumn, during the sunny daytime. The English "cricket on the hearth" sings usually only at might. The song of the native cricket must not be confused' with that ot the cicada, vulgarly and very incorrectly called "locust," the locust being a grasshopper, while the cicada is a large tly with gauzy wings.

A French gentleman anxious to find a wife for a nephew went to a matrimonial agent, who handed him his list of lady clients. Running through this, he came to his wife's name, entered as desirous of obtaining a husband between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five — a blonde preferred. Forgetting .his mephew, he hurried home to announce his discovery to his wife. The lady was not at all disturbed. "Oh, yes," she said, "that is my name. I put it down when you were so ill in the spring and the doctors said we must prepare for the worst."

E. H. Bake well, M.D., writes from Pukekohe to the Wanganui Chronicle with reference to the reported Wanganui fastings as follows : Is it true that the big Maori who reduced his weight from 25 to 18 stone by fasting has since died? Is it also true that some of the people who aTe giving up breakfasts, and who, as my informant says, "feed like boa constrictors at their other meals," are sending their children to school without breakfast If so, they ought to be prosecuted. Hull, England, seems determined to no longer allow London and Liverpool to eclipse her in the handling of New Zealand produce. A file of reporte which Mr T. E. Donne showed to a representative of the Wellington Post recently forcibly proves that Hull is bent on making the _ liners from these seas go to her arms. This port claims that it serves a population of ten millions, and has steamers going regularly every week to all near Continental -ports, the Baltic, and Scandinavian ports. Hull is glowingly represented to be a very convenient distributing centre, with port charges "exceedingly low compared with London and Liverpool."' An agent from Hull will soon be making a pilgrimage through New Zealand.

An innocent abroad kmn,* •oimself in the Wellington Supreme Court one day lost week, says the Post. He was a jockey, aaadi Mr M. Myers was crossexamining him concerning a gentleman friend of bis. "Now isn't he a spieler?" asked Mi Myers. "A what?" returned witness, as the blank look of uncomprehending innocence spread over his features. Counsel repeated the strange term. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean," returned the guileless youth. "Oh, come now," protested Mr Justice Cooper with a laugh, "you a jockey, and don't know what a spieler is? Why, even we know what that means." Eventually, the unsophisticated jockey admitted that he had* some vague idea of what the strange creature was like, but added «a explanation, "Spielers are out of date nowadays."

Amongst other local residents who have recently returned to Hawera from a trip to the Home Country is Mr Saxgeson. He is immensely pleased with ibis visit, wnich was after an absence of 28 years. During that time the many places he was acquainted with have improved wonderfully. There was not much improvement to be seen in agricultural districts, and most of the workers seemed to be leaving fox Canada. Mr Saxgeson visited all the leading cities and places of interest in Britain, and experienced a delightful time. He was in Ireland at the time of the Belfast riots, and says '.that the British press exaggerated whole thing. It was simply a struggle between capital and labor. The wharf laborers had refused to work by the side of nonunionists, and* the outcome was a determined attempt to crush unionism. Living in the centre of a dairying community in Mew Zealand, Mr Sangesonwas naturally interested in New Zealand produce, but says that he scarcely saw any New Zealand butter anywhere, although he visited all the leading cities and many of the large towns. Where does it .get to? lie asks. Mr Sargeson does not know what is done with it, but is of the opinion that it is mixed with other butters and sold under other names. Canterbury lamb and prime mutton hie saw on sale wherever he went, and as he was privileged to taste some can testify that it was of excellent quality. In the country districts, particularly Lincolnshire, crops were phenomenally heavy, and some of them had been blown, down, and had to be cut by hand instead of the machine. The season was the wettest known in Britain for 30 years, although there was a period of fine weather for three weeks when the harvesting was done. There was hay out in the paddocks in the month of September, when a tot of grain crops had not been got in, owing to the long period of wet weather experienced during the hay-making season. Mr Sargeson lefct England during the latter end of September by a White Star lineT, aboard which there was a considerable number of assisted emigrants. He affirms that there is a great laxity with reference to the character of the people assisted, and that cheap passages • are obtained by fraud, such, as married women travelling as domestic servants, their husbands being on the same ship. Mr Sargeson quoted other oases which he strongly condemned, and says there should be more discriminatiom and enquiry as to the character of the people assisted. Mr Sargeson was accompanied on the trip by Mr F. Searhng and Mr A. M. Sargeson, thv> latter returning via the Suez route.

Waimate Road Board invite tenders for supply and delivery of gravel. Ralph and Archer, Opunake, call attention to the Douglas pumps they have on hand ; also their large stock of Christmas goods. ' '

"Mr Newton Sing's cable from Sydney advises that light hides are Jd lower, mediums $4 lower. ■ '

A t-omplimeniary banquet will this evening be tendered to Mr Boddie by the residents of Eltham and district.

His Excellency the Governor left Ha« wera this morning by the mail train, en route to Dunedim.

Bishop Wallis, who had attended Hawera yesterday for the induction of the Rev. Mr Cassell, left this morning i or Wellington.

The Premier, Sir J. G. Ward, passed through Hawera last evening by the mail tram, en route to Auckland. He is expected to return, to Wellington on Thursday.

The rainfall at Momohaki Experimental Farm for the past month was 3.47 inches. Kain fell on seven days during the month; maximum 1.26 on 9fch, and minimum .05 on. 25th. The corresponding month lost yea* yielded 3.09 inches.

ffcevs. Patchett (Inglewood), Bowie (Stratford), Gibson (Hawera), Haddon (Ukaiawa), and Mr E. Dixon (Hawexa) were passengers by the mail train this morning to attend the Methodist Church District Synod at Palmerston North.

Colonel Bauchop, C.M.G. commanding the Wellington district, will arrive in Hawera this evening, and will lecture to the military class at present, being conducted at the local school. The lecture will be open to volunteers of all ranks.

A cable message reached Sir Joseph Ward last night from London, ' stating that Mr Hall-Jones would sail for New Zealand on the 13th inst. The message intimated that Mr Hall-Jones was in good - health. The Corinthic is due to arrive in Wellington on Jonuarv 28th.

For some time past there haß been an agitation to have th« stock-yards at tne lailway station removed from tlieir present unsuitable position. In connection with this matter it is probable that a deputation will be arranged by the Chamber of Commerce to interview the Hon. Minister for Railways when he passes through Hawera op Thursday.

Dr. Embling, M.L.C., of Victoria, is seeking to obtain legislation providing that the scale of • fees paid by registered friendly societies to their medical omcers shall bo submitted annually to the Chief Secretary for approval. The object of the measure is to secure in the future a proper remuneration for lodge doctors. At present the amounts paid vary in the different lodges, and for some years past the tendency has been to lower the fees on account of the increasing competition.

An interesting sheep-shearing competition took place at Messrs Wilson's shed, near Mangaweka, last week. The contest was between two old veterans of the blade, who had seen more than fifty summers each, viz., W. Thompson, of Kangiwahia, and A. Milner, of Mangaweka. At the close of the day's competition, when the tally was taken, it was found they had put up the exceptional record of* three hundred and' nineteen, shorn sheep. The totals were : Thompson 160,' Milner 159. The result of such a good record was received with applause Dy those present. We doubt if this could be beaten by any other two men bf the same age in the Dominion. — Settler.

A witness in the agricultural laborers' dispute at Christchuxch said that there was no comparison between the English farm laborer who came to New Zealand and a New Zealand man. The immigrant was a better man physically, with harder and bigger muscle, and on work that he knew could "run rings round" the New Zealander. He was in serious difficulty, however, when he had to handle implements of which he knew nothing. He quoted the case of two men from the North of Ireland who, although good hands with the swing plough, had never seen a double-furrow plough or a binder till they landed here. Consequently they were almost useless for a considerable time.

A flippant contributor to the Wellington Post writes as follows : — "Wanganui still clings to the merits of the fasting mania, .in spite of the critics' scoffing, and Wanganui is quite right in keeping a grip on the glory. The following message amply justifies Wanganui in its pride : — 'Eltham, this day. — A farmer here has applied the fasting test to his cows. A fortnight ago his star milker, I Daisy, was weighed, in the presence of tiie Mayor, representatives of the press, and the gasman, and she scaled 5001b. In the meantime all the witnesses remained in the .paddock while Daisy, closely muzzled, was cut off from all food. She was then put on the weighbridge, and notched 20001b. Each day that she was minus food her output of milk steadily increased, and the butterfat percentage rose amazingly. It is computed that with another month's fasting, Daisy will shed butter straight ont, at the rate of a ton a day or more. Daisy has been patented, but already there is a rival notion on the market. A man has come forward with an 1 idea for compound fasting. He says that if a cow can be induced to believe that she is doing a double fast, she will double the yield of milk, and quadruple the richness. It only needs a few, handpasses. By this scheme he claims that.' one could could provide all the ,' .cheese and butter required for the wide world,; and Mars and "Venus thrown in.,. A local syndicate has been formed to exploit the > project." "

A Pahktua resident claims to be receiving a return of £9 per month, in eggs for his poultry farm, writes 'the Dominion's Wairarapa correspondent. Asked if he was making a profit, when one considered the price of wheat, he said, "Yes," and that he had bought wheat early in the season. A sceptic, who has also gone into poultry and with disastrous results owing to various reasons, considers that the Pahiatua resident has told an extraordinary story. To make £9 a month, with eggs at Is a dozen, he has to (receive toll from his hens at the rate of 72 eggs a day, including Sundays, which should really be days of rest for the barnyard. The resident must have over 200 fowls, in order that some of them may have a little leisure, instead of eternally sitting on neste. "If he has not 200 hens," concluded the sceptic, triumphantly, "he is sweating them,' and should be brought up under the Act."

PROFITABLE HOUSES. The fine healthy appearance and sleek coats of horses ied on "Sucrosine" is the best testimony of, its vafaa .No horse owner should' be without ii "' It is 'not only a valuable and economical food, but it ha§ a medicinal , value.: It prevents trouble from worms and internal . parasites. , Obtainable. ..ofronu Barmby and » Cole, Hawera. — A&jifc ;.,{„.. „ '*