Local and General News

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 81, 7 January 1892, Page 2

Local and General News

It is scud that Mr Atkins, architect, Wunganui, will be selected as reforeo to decide on the competitive designs for the Palmerston Hospital.

The Borough Council will meet this evening. There are now about two thousand natives assembled at Pirikina, up the Wanganui riyer. Eough weather was experienced at Nelson on Tuesday last, and the residents of Waimea describe it as the heaviest thunderstorm ever known in the district. In the half-mile race, won by Kenneth Bayne at Hawera, H. R. Woon entered thecurious protest against the winner that he had lifted the tape over his head in* stead of breasting it. An English firm of manufacturers re cently took out a patent tor some new fabric. Linen of the very same texture has since boon discovered wrapped round the mummies of people who lived in the time of Moses. A live snake was found in a consignment of bananas recently received in Pal nierston, and the Chronicle reports the finding of a millipede in a consignment of the same fruit received at Wanganui, — Manawatu Times. We have to thank the staff of our contemporary, the Eyening News, of Napier, for a card wishing us the compliments of the season. We return the compliment, and sincerely hope that they will have a more prosperous time in 1892 than they appear to have had in 1891. Our readers will regret to hear of the death, in Adelaide, of Mr G. H. Norman, for many years Manager of the Bank of Australasia at Patea, and Feildmg. Mr Norman succumbed to an attack of typhoid fever, on Friday last, New Year's Day. Visitor and small boy — Do you ever see trout in the Oroua ? Heaps of 'era every day. Any big ones ? Saw one three foot j yesterday. How long is three foot ? It's that much (draws a line four feet six). I don't believe you ! Small boy off guard : Anyway he bent our big spear and cleared out. Joseph Newman, sharebroker, 77 years of age, once a member of the Auckland Provincial Council, and for a short time member for Franklyn in the House of Eepresentatives, died at Auckland on Monday from m-juries received last September by a blow on the head from a falling signboard. We learn from the Palmerston Standard that a movement ha3 been instituted by some influential local residents to construct a tramway between the railway station on the Foxton line and Terrace End. We commend the Palmerston people for their pluck and enterprise. There can be little doubt as to the financial success of such an undertaking. The Public Works Department will allow the successful tenderer for the Te Aro Railway Extension (Wellington) six months from the date of the acceptance of the tender to complete the work, and a penalty of £50 a week will be enforced for any further time occupied in the work. The Government reserve to themselyes the right to commence the building of the station, &c, before the other portion of the work is completed. The programme of the Auckland Con • cert Company, to appear in the Assembly Eooms to-morrow night, is published today. As there is certain to bo a considerable crush at the door of the hall, we would suggest that those who intend to enjoy this musical treat should secure their tickets at Mr Carthew's without delay. The company had crowded houses at Wanganui. A private letter from Melbournp received in Oarterton, contains the following reliable information: -" The repre sentalive of a British insurance company, who is at present in Melbourne, informed me that his office has over £250,---000 inyested in Now Zealand on mortgage,and thai positive instructions have been seut to their agent to withdraw every penny of it as fast as their engagements expire. This is owing to the taxation proposals of the Government. A grievance has arisen between traders to Earatonga and the administration of affairs there by the British Eesident. The former complain that tho laws made by the Federal Parliament, which consists of native members only, and for which the Eesident framed all laws, are burdensome to them. Mr De Lisle, member of a trading firm, has arrived in Wellington with a petition from the Chamber of Commerce in Barotonga to Lord Onslow, asking to have some voice in framing the laws which affect them. Iu an action against John MacDonald, a settler at Helensville, near Auckland, charged with having allowed cattle to stray on the railway line, it was contended on behalf of the Eailway Commissioners that the bye-laws enabled them to prosecute any one whose cattle strayed on to a railway, whether it was fenced or not. The Bench decided that the bye-law was ■ultra vires, and dismissed the case, at the same time expressing their opinion that the line at Eewiti, on the Helensville branch of the railway, ought to be fenced by the Commissioners as soon as possible in the interests of the public safety. The many friends of the family will regret to learn that on Tuesday afternoon, when Mrs H. L. Sherwill was in her garden she slipped and fell, with the result that her right leg was broken close above the ankle. Dr Johnston was sent for and reduced the fracture, and the injured lady is making good progress towards recoyery. When Mr Sherwill saw the accident he called in Mr Milson, who was riding past at the time, to assist Mrs Sherwill into the house, which he readily did. When he had mounted his horse to ride home, the animal played up suddenly before Mr Milson was properly seated, and threw him with great violence to the ground, where he lay insensible for some time. We are glad to know that beyond a few bruises and a discoloration on the face he suffered no very great harm. Tawhiao, the Maori King, passed through Hamilton with several of his followers a few days ago. He had made a somewhat prolonged visit to that part of the King Country, advising the natives to hold on to the land and neither sell nor lease. His latest religious phase or crochet is that the dead for some generations back will rise again, and the whole of the lands taken from the Natiyes will come back to them again, and they will all, living and resurrected, occupy them, enjoy them together, and live after their old modes and customs. In the meanwhile Tawhiao keeps up the old Native custom of living, together with his suite, at the expense of settled Natives as he roams about. In some of the smaller settlements his party nearly ate tho residents out, — Wanganui Herald. The Burlington Hawleye gives the following parable as a hint to young men of a pugilistic turn ; — " Don't carry your pet hobby too far. Take note of the shoulders and legs of a man before you sass him. Out here on West Hill there is a goat that for three long years lias ■ butted everything a&d everybody the brooding empire of Burlington qould send him. He ale the circus posters before '] the paste was dry, and when tho advance agent remonstrated, the goat iust stood up and crowded the rash man clean through the bill stand. He once upset a hay wnsgon, .jammed his head through ' the end of 'a wood shed, and flattened Officer Hoefer up against' a brick hcupe. And one day last week lie wandered down into a saw-mili, and butted the fly wheel— only once. When he came down hi,s neck was bent. He couldn't make a dent in a sack of meal now. Young men, be content wijth reasonable victories. Some' day" you, too, itiiiy rua against a fly-wheel."

Mr Stanley, the famous explorer, lectured in Wellington last night to a crowded house. The Wellington Gear Company have declared a dividend for the past year of 10 per cent. Mr F. Y. Lethbridge, Chairman of the Manchester Eoad Board, is still, we regret to announce, confined to his room [ by ill health. Messrs D, and W. Manson, of the Pines, Feilding, will have shorn 32,000 sheep by the end of tho season, including 11,000 lambs. One hundred tons of butter passed through here by train for the " Coptic " on Tuesday. This represents about 225,0001b5, worth nearly £10,000. The Hawera Star states that over six tons of gooseberries have been gathered from a settler's garden at Mauaia for the purpose of wine-making. During the past year there were '17 bankruptcies in the Wellington district, against 60 in 1890. Of these seven occurred in the niontn of December. Acceptances for the Flying, Hurdles, Foxton Racing Club, and Stewards' Stakes Handicaps, and nominations for the handicap hack races close at Foxton on Saturday next. Captain Edwin telegraphs : — Weathe r forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. to- day — Warnings for southerly gales with rain after from 12 to 20 hours have been sent to all places southward of Napier. Mrs Rose Woodward, the relict of the late Mr Samuel Woodward, who formerly resided near Wadestown, and was well known as a very old Wellington settler, died recently in Wanganui at the age of 71 years. The Eey Mr Birks will give a lecture in connection with the Feildmg Mutual Improvement Society, in the Wesleyau Church, on Monday evening: next. His subject will be "Mr John Bright." All are inyited. The funeral ot the late Mrs J. E. Johnston, of Cheltenham, which took place at Kiwitea yesterday, was attended by nearly every settler in the Kiwifcea district. The Eey- A. Hermon conducted the funeral service in St. Agnes' Church, and also at the grave. The casket was borne to the cemetery by four of the sons of the de ceased lady. Mr A. Eade was the undertaker. The " solitary meal " system introduced into the Pentridge Stockade, Vic toria, to minimise the opportunities of the prisoners for making a combined rush upon the warders, seems to be practietilarly obnoxious ta the convicts. Recently a murderous asault was made upon a warder, who was felled to the ground, and rendered insensible. One of the convicts has be.en charged with intent to murder. The criminals at Pentridge are making a violent resentment of the strict discipline enforced. The Stewards of the Feilding Jockey Club met last night. The summer meeting was reported to be a complete financial success. It was decided to effect several changes, which would be improvements in the position of the totalisator stand, and in the general management of the club. It is not improbable that the money to be paid away at the Easter meeting will be largely augmented, and the club, at a meeting to be held shortly, will probably be asked to sanction two days' races. The lovo of fun is not altogether unknown among the seriouslooking Celestials A storekeeper, wishing to advertise his articles in the Chinese language, engaged a Celestial to paint him a sign, expecting, of course, that it would be a very enticing one. It did not answer his expectations, however, for the only effect it had on tho relations of the sun and moon, as the Chinese term themselves, was to excite a grin of the broadest dimensions. At length the storekeeper, by a considerable bribe, obtained a translation in English of the advertisement, and found it to be as follows : — " Don't buy anything here ; storekeeper a rogue." Messrs Stevens aud Gorton held a sale of education reserye leases at the Club Hotel sample rooms, Palmerston North, on Tuesday last. There was a fair attendance of buyers, but several sections were passed in, no offers being received for them. Part of- section 453, Foxton, containining 104 acres 1 rood and 12 perches, was leased to Mr M. Ferdinand at lid per acre. Several allotments situate in Palmerston were then offered for sale, and section 125 and 126, Duke street, were sold to Mr W. dimming for Section 1017, 4 acres, corner College street and Botanical road, was passed in at £500, Two allotments, part section 666, fronting Church street, were also passed in. — Manawatu Times, A portion of the intestines of the late Mr Peter Dickson, one of the victims of the poisoning fatality at Pahiatua, were brought into Wellington on Tuesday afternoon by Constable Cooper, and will be forwarded for examination to Mr W. Skey, Government Analyst. The constable also brought samples of the food partaken of by the wedding party at Mr Naylor's house. The belief is gaining ground in the locality that the poison was contained in some cold lamb which was served on the day after the wedding. Twenty of the guests are still suffering from the effects of the poison, but are reported to be progressing satisfactorily. Enquiries are still being made at Pahiatua by Inspector Thompson and Detective Herbert, who will stay up there until after the adjourned inquest on the 9th instant. The inquest into the circumstances surrounding the mysterious poisoning has been adjourned for a fortnight.