NEWS OF THE DAY.

Bush Advocate, Volume II, Issue 134, 19 March 1889, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

* The Danevirke Town Board invite tenders for carting metal for a period of 12 months. A post office is now open at Mangatera. Mr L. Friis has been appointed postmaster. The culvert on Miller's Road which was burned by the spreading of the recent lire, which started in McCallum's bush, is being replaced by a very serviceable brick structure. The opening football match of the Danevirke Club will be played on the 30th inst. against a Native team. A meeting of the club is called for Thursday evening to choose a side, and also to receive annual subscriptions. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Danevirke Lodge of Odd Fellows, M.U., was held in the Town Hall last evening. Bro. Dolman, P.G., in the chair; Bro. Louden, N.G. ; Bro. Haines, V.G.; and most of the other officers, with a good attendance of visiting brethren, and members of the lodge, were present. The minutes of the previous meeting being read and confirmed, correspondence was read and dealt with accordingly. It was proposed and seconded that on next lodge night the meeting be a summoned one, to go through the proposed District ByLaws, copies of which were received, and to transact other general business. After some lengthy discussion on the subject of the doctor visiting Danevirke, the secre* tary was instructed to write to the seoretary Court Rising Sun Lodge of Foresters, asking if that lodge would be willing to form a sub-committee to discuss the advisability of getting Dr Williams, of Woodville, to visit Danevirke once a week. Accounts amounting to £3 Gs Od were passed for payment during the evening. A vote of thanks was accorded visiting Bro. W. Williamson of the Abbotsford Lodge for his attendance. After going into harmony the lodge Avas closed at the usual hour. The Rev. It. Stewart preached at the Presbyterian Church, Danevirke, on Sunday evening last to a large congregation. He look for his text the latter part of the seventeenth verse of the fourteenth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, '" Come, for all things are now ready." The rev. gentleman pointed out that the rich man spoken of in the parable signified God, and the splendid feast to which all were called in was the knowledge of God, expressed in such plain and simple language in the Bible. He said that the Gospel of Christ was the root and foundation of our national greatness. The leading men of the United Kingdom had been imbued with the spirit of the Gospel, and missionaries had always been advancing the interests of the United Kingdom, and not only missionaries, but travellers as well, such as Livingstone and Gordon, and other honored men. After the sermon the rev. gentleman said that the district had been divided into two districts, and now he must thank them for their great kindness tolriin while he was their minister, He had never met with greater kindness in New Zealand than he had received in Danevirke, and he would always have a good word to say for them. He was not saying good-bye to them, as being in Woodville ho hoped to make frequent exchanges with Mr Douglas. To him and others the time seemed ripe for the change, and he had no doubt they would be eminently successful in the affairs of their church ; and he impressed upon the congregation the desirability of attending tiluu'ch as often as possible.

The railway from Mangaraahoe to Eketahuna will be opened on April 2nd. At the present time 80,000 people in Melbourne have no settled means of subsistence. An " electric pill " is the latest inven. tion of a Tiraaru man, who is applying for a patent. A New Plymouth drapers' assistant has filed, and with admirable honesty he sets down among his list of assets — " Cash in hand, 6d." The flax industry is going ahead in Taranaki. One mill owner sent away 30 tons during Febuary. The telegram referring to the Colonial Bank's dividend was headed by the Feilding Star " The blood of the people." The expenditure on outdoor relief by the Dunedin benevolent trustees is estimated at £807 more than last year, the total being £11,057. Chief Commissioner McKerrow says he has received so many requests for concessions that if they were all granted the railways would be carrying everything for nothing. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast." A Gisborne paper welcomed the Jubilee Singers because it was of opinion that the people would calm down after the Te Kooti scare. At Garland's farm at Woolston, North Canterbury, there was hatched the other day a chicken with four legs. It uses (says the Press) all its legs in walking, and, as may be imagined, is a comical looking creature. The Ormondville Hall is now approaching completion, and in about fourteen days will be ready for use. The firs* entertainment to be held in the new hall will bo a concert in aid of the funds of the Norsewood Band. There are 32£ miles of cable tramway in Melbourne. The number of persons carried during the last six months of 1888 was over 19,750,000, being an increase of 9,400,000 as compared with the returns for the same period of 1887. A meeting of ladies was held at Mr Groom's on Monday evening for the purpose of making arrangements for the Ormondville school concert on Friday. Some thirteen or fourteen ladies were present, and everything was satisfactorily settled. The Christchurch Telegraph says that Sir Robert Stout does occasionly " get on the track of common sense," as for instance, which he moved the other day in the direction of making the subject of Latin optional in the pass subject for the B.A. degree. An anti-drinking syndicate has been formed in Coromandel, the members of which pay £5 each into a fund. In the event of any member being known to drink intoxicants, his £5 is divided amongst the others who have not broken the pledge. Mr Hamlin, M.H.R. for Franklin, told his constituents that he would like the whole cost and charges of hospitals and charitable aid thrown on the con* solidated revenue; and this, he understood, was what the Premier intended to propose. Here is an instance of what economy can do. Three years ago the overdraft of the Piako Connty Council with the Bank of New Zealand stood at the respectable amount of between £9000 to £10,000. At a recent meeting the clerk reported it as being £100 18s. A Pahnerston journal understands that a Feilding gentleman has produced a composition to take the place of salt in the preservation of butter. It is claimed that the composition, which will shortly be patented, effectually removes all water and buttermilk, and keeps the butter in a firm state. A farmer in the South has given the recommendation to encourage hawks as an antidote to the small bird pest a trial, and with satisfactory results. The carcases of rabbits are laid down all round the crop, or in clear spaces at intervals throughout the crops, and the result is the entire clearance of small birds from the field frequented by the hawks. A new use for skim-milk has been Recommended in an American paper. If one quart of hydrualic cement be mixed with a gallon of milk and stirred until it is the consistency of cream, it will make, we are told, a cheap and durable paint for farm buildings, with or without the addition of colour. The skim-milk must be sweet when the mixture is made. The four-year-old son of Mr Jeremiah Breen, of Kakahu, met his death on Thursday, (says the Timaru Herald) under very distressing circumstances. Mr Breen was engaged carting straw, and when returning home with a load placed his son on top of the straw. The dray had to pass over a, small drain, and in doing so jerked the boy off' the load. One wheel of the dray went over his chest and crushed it in. When picked up the boy was quite dead. There is likely to be a law suit over the Norsewood Lutheran Church. On Sunday the chief churchwarden and chairman of committee, Mr H. Finsch, attended and opened the church in readiness for divine service, but the clergyman did not come to hold the service. Mr Finsch has been threatened by the trustees with an action to recover possession of the church key, which he declines to give up to them, and he in turn threatens to take proceedings against the trustees for the recovery of moneys that he claims to have paid away on behalf of the congregation, and for services rendered by him in connection with the building of the new church. At the meeting of the Norsewood Licensing Committee held last week in : the Courthouse, Ormondville, Mr L. A. Mathiesen was unanimously elected Chairman of the Committee, all the mem" bers being present. It was decided to communicate with the Returning Officer I for the purpose of having the future meetings of the Committee held in the Norsewood schoolhouse instead of at the Ormondville Courthouse as at present. The Chairman had received the police report on the death of William Savage, who died at Norsewood, and on whom an inquest had been held, and this will be laid on the table at the annual meeting o f the Committee \w Juw.

Mosquitos have been worse in Auckland this summer than for several years. The estimated wheat deficiency in New South Wales is 6,413,000 bushels. Attention is directed to Mr W. Dixon's announcement in another column. Hawera has subscribed over £100 to the Pain ell Fund. Mv P. Grarer is now " mine host " of the Ferry Hotel, Wairoa. The pear slug or leech is ravaging the fruit trees in the Wairoa district. The late Te Wetere was in receipt of a pension of £100 a year from the colony. It is rumoured that a rich find of stream tin in the Greymouth district has been made. In Victoria the average yield of barley this season is nearly 10 bushels per acre below that of last year. The New Zealand Rifle Association meeting commenced at Blenheim yesterday. Capt. Preece has decided not to allow costs to a witness unless a subpoena has been issued. The Governor was entertained at a farewell luncheon by Wellington residents on Saturday. Yesterday we issued an extra containing the results of the first four races of the H.8.J.0. meeting. Mr Limbrick's books and cash (£140) were preserved from destruction by the hotel fire through being in one of Tann's safes. The yield of wheat in Canterbury this year is 198,546 bushels less than in 1888. Oats show an increase of 24,253 bushels, and bailey 194,672 bushels. Twenty-five tons of pig iron have been run from the Henui furnace at New Ply. mouth. It is intended to run 70 tons before the furnace is blown out. Notice is given in the Gazette by the Colonial Treasurer that all applications under the Local Bodies Loans Act must be received at the Treasury not later than the first of April. It is to be hoped that till those who intend signing the petition for the Manawatu Bridge loan will do so without further delay. The sacred concert was given by the Norsewood Band at Makotuku on Sunday, when the same programme that was given at Norsewood on the previous Sunday was repeated. The attendance was good, and the music up to the usual standard. A collection was taken in aid of the county hospital and amounted to £1 16s 3^d. The Eev. E. O. Perry inflicted a disappointment ou quite a number of his Ormondviile friends on Snnday. Owing to some cause or other Mr Perry did not arrive in time for the morning service, which had to be conducted by Mr Stenbcrg, and it was expected that he would arrive in time for the evening service. He, however, did not put in an appearance and the evening service was taken by Mr Westlake. The "muffs" had another battle with 'he Danevirke cricketers on Saturday afternoon, when a very enjoyable game was played. There were " heaps "of fun and the "form" shewn by some of the players was quite phenomenal. The game was a close one as the scores shew, but at the finish " vantage " remained with the pick handles by three runs. Cheers were given by the respective sides before the teams left the ground. Scores : Muffs 48 and 37 ; Club 59 and 29. Considerable annoyance was caused at the Danevirke Railway Station last evening by a mob of some twenty rowdy youngsters, who should have been in bed instead of getting into mischief. They started throwing stones in the station yard, but were stopped by the stationmaster, and they then took possession of the station, interfering with the weighing machine and inspecting the ticket officei and were again caused to desist by the stationmaster, but they did not leave until the train had arrived and departed, about 10 p.m. The Horticultural Show at Woodville on Saturday was exceedingly well attended. Tho display of flowers was meagre hut there was a grand Bhow of vegetables. The potatoes were magnificient and would have done credit to any show in the world. It is a mystery why potatoes should be imported from the South when such a splendid article can be grown in Hawke's Bay. Some of the rhubarb too was wonderfully fine ; indeed all the collection of vegetables was highly creditable to the district. Apples were the most prominent feature in the fruit classes ; other fruits wore few and inferior. Mr H. A. Bamford judged the above classes, while in the produce department, where there was a good display, Mr J. C. Fraser acted as judge. In a remarkable leading article headed " Puritanism in politics," the Pall Alall Gazette, says : — It is impossible not to re" call the names of three men who six years ago, were the hope and pride of three of the greatest nations of Europe. In Eussia Scobcloff, in France Gambetta, in England Sir Charles Dilke were regarded, not merely by their personal adherents, as certain to exercise a supreme power in their respective countries. Where are they now? Scobeloff died in a drunken orgie in a house of 111-fame, Gambetta was shot by a jealous mistress, and Sir Charles Dilke has met the still more tragic fate of being buried for ever while still breathing beneath the infamies of his life. The fate of these three of the foremost among modern men should burn a lesson deep into the memory of this generation. Mr J. Williamson, of Makotuku, has just completed a small cabinet for MiAndrews of that place. The cabinet is made out of the wavy part of totara that surrounds a knot, and docs more to prove the value of our timber for ornamental purposes than any other thing could do> especially when, like this, the article is intended to be sent to England. The cabinet is highly polished, measures 9x6 x 4 inches, and contains a number of small compartments in hou, honeysuckle, and other woods. Another cabinet, a trifle larger (10 x 7 x 6) is made out of a " bhurl " or matted knot, and is as pretty a piece of wood and workmanship as can be seen. A number of picture frames in hinau, and rata have been also turned out by MrWilliamson, and show a grain that one would not expect to see in these little