Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1034, 18 May 1894, Page 6

Local and General.

The Hon. G. F. Richardson is bo be entertained at a banquet shortly by his old constituents at Eortroae. Says an agricultural editor: — H Pumpkins are said to be very fattening for pigs, but be have never tried them ourselves." At a Waikato sheep sale recently the Stock Inepector ordered 6000 sheep, found infested in ths saleyaxd, to be dipped. Truth says the apieler now geta up as a masher. Several in Christchurch look more like" young Dukes out from Home than thieves. The Australian newspapers ridicule Mr Sedclon and his attempt to muzzle newspapers by appointing Commisioners to compel them to disclose the source of their information. The Tapamii Courier predicts that the local settlement of Green vale will as years 1 roll on show a move prosperous appearance than the Government estates, with j their special terms and condition. The Government of Victoria propose during the coming session to introduce the subject of constructing light railways in Gippsland on the narrow-gauge system. A Melbourne shipping firm has made an offer to the Government to provide suitable steamers for the frozen meat trade between Melbourne and London. The Government are considering the offer. A private letter from Hamburgh states that Australian meat is selling there 50 per cent, below the price obtained for the local article, The writer predicts that an extensive business could be opened up for the sale of Australian meat in Germany. The Rev. Dr Talmago, with his wife and son, are expected to reach Sydney by the Alameda on her next trip. The rev. gentleman is under engagement to Mr R. S. Smyfcho for a lecturing tour of Australia and New Zealand. Three kinds of English wild duek — Puuchavds, Oarolinas, and Gadwells — were. brought out by 'the lonic for the Wellington Acclimatisation Society. Of 23 birds originally placed on board only 10' survived the trip, owing to defective ' arrangements made by the sh'ppecs for j their comfort. In the "case of the two aboriginals, sentenced to death for the Dora Dora j murders, New South Wales, both sentences have been commuted — one to imprisonment for life and the other to imprisonment for 15 years. Canterbury is threatened with a new phase of the unemployed question — namely, females out of work. A correspondent of the Lyttelton Times states that the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory have notified about 80 tailoresses and three pressers that their services will be dispensed with this week, as No. 2 factory ia to be closed. In the Police, Court, Wellington, last week, Charles Manning and Madame Tiacher wore committed for trial for telling fortunes by means of palmistry. Bail was allowed in two suretiss of L3O ea^h. A woman named Ziuga Lee, for alleged fortune telling by palmistry, was also committed for trial Bail was allowed. A correspondent writing to a Welungton paper puts a query regarding the Ministerial residence in Tinakori road. He asks if the residence, which haa been let at L 5 per month to a osrtain gentleman who is about to marry the daughter of one of the Ministers, is done for re- | trenchment purposes, when the powers in charge refused only a short time back LIBO per annum from a good tenant? The subjoined motion will be discussed at the next meeting of the Wairarapa i South County Council .— " That this council is of opinion that the present system of allowing large bodies of unemployed to roam about the country levying blackmail on settlers, should be discouraged and if possible stopped, and that a committee be appointed to arrange for the establishment of food and lodging depots at convenient distances in the country. That, if necessary, an extra poor rate be struck to meet the cost." The Yicfcorian Minister of Lands had a lively time of it at the hands of a deputation' of women, who waited on him to protest against the treatment of Mr Robertson, secretary of the StruanRobertson village settlement. The Mini?* ter told the deputation that Robertson had accused him of being intoxicated when he visited the settlement. <f So you were," coolly replied one lady, while another coaxingly added " But its not very dreadful to get tipsy." The Minister denied that he was intoxicated on the occasion mentioned. He declined the request of the deputation, which left indignantly, thanking goodness that they would anon have another Minister of Lands. Regarding the electric lighting of Gore the Ensign reports that Mr Postlethwaite arrived there on Monday, and is arranging all necsssary preliminaries on behalf : of "the light and Power Syndicate for the ' speedy lighting of the town by electricity. Some of the heavy machinery is already at the works. The Borough Council havo agreed to have the street illuminated with electric light, j There are^ to be powerful arc lamps' at the post office and firebell tower, which; will make the whole of the main street and vicinity as light as day. Mr Postlethwaite h;.s very generonßly offered to instal and provide light for the Athenaeum for six months free of charge— an offer ,which the Athenaeum Committee very gratefully accepted. A ballot to decide prioritf~of application fora number of Cheviot sections was held on Tuesday, when 36 sections were allofced and 11 remained undisposed of. There werell7 applicants. At the auction sale of township and suburban sections 35 sold for L 875 10s. A run of 1642 acres, the upset price of which was LllO, aold for L 250. Among the applicants for the land balloted for were :27 labourers, 24 married women, 19 farmers,, 18 single women, 6 contractors, 3 shepherds, 2 storekeepers, 2 farm managers, 2 of no occupation, 1 carpenter 1 weaver, 1 brickraaker, 1 tally clerk, 1 boatman, 1 plumber, 1 factory hand, 1 clerk, 1 sheep-farmer, 1 messenger, 1 commision agent, 1 sheep-dealer, 1 ploughman, 1 dressmaker, and 4 of miscellaneous occupations.

The Christchurch police are continuing a successful raid on spielers. The Colonial Treasurer has prepared a bill for submission to Parliament dealing with the establishment and control oC abattoirs throughout the colony. A man named Hansoo, employed in a brewery, fell off the platform of a train in "Duuedin on Saturday night. The wheels passed over his hands, severing them above the wrist, A Melbourne stock and share-brolring firm is said to be liable for L 1.,000,000 in call 3on shares which it bought in its own name for clients, who are now " men of straw." 13 the way in which a New South Wales legislator i& described by the Opposition organ ;in Sydney — ' A blotchy and splayfooted genius who has about as much intellectual right to be in Parliament aa a dirty pig hag to stand at ease in a Dutchwoman's parlour." The Rocky Mountain Gelt, an American publication, coolly tells its readers the subjoined yarn : " A, revolution has broken out in New Zealand. Mr Stout is leading the Government forces, and a man .named Dick Seddon is in charge of the rebels." A blind man arrested at Newcastle, N. S. W. , for obstructing the footpath was found to have concealed upon his person a bank book showing LI4OO to his credit at the bank. On his card were the words " Blind and starving." A Chicago paper says :— That song " After the Ball," has brcen hummed by a | million voices, played by ,1 million orchestras, whistled by a million idiots, trummed by a million pianos, cureed by a million expletives until its very words, uttered with suggestion, are enough to start a tumult or send a man to gaol. At a meeting held in Wellington of the licensed vietualers, brewers and, others held on Monday afternoon it was decided to form an anti-prohibition league for the purpose of raising funds to protect the interests of the trade. Steps are also to be taken to counteract the action of the prohibitionists to have the present Act amended. The Ohisf Justice has voided the Masterton local option poll for counting the v informal?." Hia Honor had no doubt that informal votes were alsolutely void, and could not be included in the count for any purpose. It appeared to him that section 18 directed the returning officer to ascertain and give public notice of the number of votes recorded for and against the several proposals. It would follow that the same meaning must be attached to the § words, *' votes recorded" in the latter Dart as was plainly given to them in the e'tu-iier pact of the section. In his opinion therefore informal votes were void, and could nofc be counted for any purpose under section 18. Another house in New South Wales in being bombarded with stones in a similar way to the daily and nightly assaults upon the house at Maclean the year before last. The police are there but despite the utmost vigßence on their pavfc the cause is undetected. The stones fall upon tho one particular house nearly continuously the 24: hours round. There are many records of haunted houses and haunted places in the bush in New South Wales, some of the narratives being well authenticated end exceedingly grnsome and blood curdling. Sydney ought to establish a phychical research society.