LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 27, 23 July 1904, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Manager of the Gas Company, Mv H. Stunell, inserts an important notice to-day. Mr Cameron conducts the Baptist services in the Assembly Rooms tomorrow. We would give readers a final reminder that entries for the Feilding Poultry Show close with the Secretary (Mr D. Haswell) this evening. It is understood that the Flourmillers' Trust has been re-formed, and will recommence operations on 24th July. Recent callers at the New Zealand Agency-General, London, included Messrs T. T. Kerslake (Palmerston) and E. M. Lewis (Feilding). Loss ot beard through eczema, restoration by Plantekoa, will be found in a replace advertisement to-day. Nearly one-fourth of tho number of those receiving charitable aid from the Wellington Benevolent Trustees are of the class rendered destitute through wife-desertion, says the Rev. W. A. Evans. At a special general meeting of the Feilding Athletic Club, held last evening, it was decided that the date of the annual general meeting be altered from the first Wednesday in September to the second Wednesday in August. It is reported that swaggers are becoming very numerous in the hill districts of Ashburton and neighboring counties. The influx of Australian workers has made it hard to obtain employment, and many capable men are " on the road." The Government is being asked by Mr Field whether it will make provision in the new Licensing Bill for enabling the electors at future local option polls to vote on the question whether the sale of intoxicating liquors should be under State control or not. The Japanese naval officers repeatedly say that they regard their victories as England's triumph. One of them said, "England taught us naval warfare, and we fight in her way. Our victories are her victories." Another said, " England gave us the seed, and we raised the crop." Mr Parlane, who has just arrived from Ashburton, will speak in reply to Mr T. M. Smith, in the Square to-night. Mr Parlane was Secretary of the NoLicense League in Ashburtou, and is able to speak from personal experience of the position of affairs in that town. Revs. Lawry and Olphert will also give addresses. The Hon. James Carroll has intimated that when the Licensing Bill came down this session he would move an amendment that no liquor should be sold to a Maori on licensed premises unless the liquor was intended for consumption on the premises. Such a provision would prevent the many evils that ensued when liquor was taken into Maori kiangas. A Taranaki newspaper man is in danger of his life for putting together the following. The first is a report of a concert, and the last a partial report of a cattle show. The sentences appeared as follows : " The concert given last night by 16 of Storm Lake's most beautiful and fascinating young ladies was. highly appreciated. They were -elegantly dressed, and sang in a niost charming manner, winning . the plaudits of the entire audience, who pronounced them.the finest breed of shorthorns in the country. A few of them are of a rich brown- celor, but the majority are spotted brown, and lighter. Several of the heifers are fine, bodied, tight limbed, well developed animals, and promise to F ove good property."

Almond and Kowhai trees are in bloom at Akaroa. A lantern treat is advertised for children and their friends at the Band of Hope in the Wesleyan School on Monday evening. , Tae rroraierwill receive a deputation from shop assistants on Monday evening, in regard to the Shops and Offices Bill. Messrs Collins Bros, will display at their rooms to-night a largo number of oil paintings by the celebrated French artist, J. Rollason. The firm will also conduct a special sale of nursery stock on Tuesday, the 26th inst., particulars of which are advertised in this issue. The FeiWing Gun Club will hold several sweepstake sparrow matches in Messrs Gorton and Son's paddock on Wednesday next, commencing at 1.30 p.m. A great number of sportsmen have expressed their willingness to attend, and given fine tyeather a good day's sport will be indulged in. A South Australian inventor claims to have hit on an invention which will revolutionise the existing telephone system. He has written to the Post-master-General of the Commonwealth, stating that his scheme would reduce telephone-wires in each csty to 12; abolish switch-boards, and give magnetic bell oalls. The Commonwealth is asked to take the matter up, and to protect the inventor against piracy. One of the most consequential men in Wellington just now is the new Governor's chef, who has been imported, and gets the princely salary of £500 and perquisites. Half of the tradespeople of the city are running after him for orders. He is a veritable king in his own way, as he has supreme command of the culinary department, and struts about with the dignity that becomes his high and important office. — Waimate Witness. The discovery has been made that the Shops and Offices as at present framed would compel cable companies and press agencies to close their offices at 1 p.m. on Saturday. In order to prevent any interference with the usual flow of cable and telegraphic news, Mr Arnold, chairman of the Labor Bills Committee, will move an amendment when the Bill is in committee to include cable companies and telegraphic press agencies among the exemptions and so place them on the same footing as newspaper offices. Mr Frank Smith, hotelkoeper, of Wellington, has petitioned Parliament, praying ( for compensation for the compulsory'closing of his hotel, as a result of the Newtown licensing poll. The pecuniary loss suffered by him is set down at £1284 17s 2d, made up as follows: — Nine months' loss of net profits at £100 per month, £900; amount of fines and costs, £8 11s: amount of rent payable for the hotel, 86 weeks at £8 per week, £288 ; rates and taxes payable for the period for which the premises were closed, £6 6s ; insurance for the same period, £18 6s 5d ; licensee fee, £27 13s 9d. Mr Willis is to ask the Native Minister whether ho is aware that a considerable number of illegitimate English children are being handed over by their parents to the Maoris, and that these children are being brought up as Maoris, without education, and, while it is not denied that the natives are kind to such children while they are young, and in a few cases are adopted, still, as they grow older, they are neglected and looked down upon by everybody, and are in great danger of turning out useless members of society, and whether the Government will therefore take steps to put a stop to this unnatural practice, as the number of children so disposed of is increasing. A temperance lecturer of the true blue-ribbonj' type exclaimed to his audience, " No, I want all those who wish to go to heaven to stand up." All in the room started hurriedly to their feet, with the exception of one whose legs were not quite under proper control, through having dined not wisely but too well. When seats had been resumed, the lecturer again said impressively, "No*?, will all those who wish to go to—the other place stand up." Unfortunately, by this time the bibulous gentleman had managed to get upright, and, noticing that the lecturer and himself were the only two standing, he gulped out sympathetically, amid silence that could be felt, " It's no use, guvnor, we're evidently in the minority !' The coming into operation of the Orchard and Garden Pests Act has brought into prominence a difficulty which has alwaj'S been experienced by owners of small numbers of fruit trees, i.e., that of preparing or procuring the necessary quantity of spraying material. To prepare most of the compounds a number of utensils are required, and the processes are tedious and not agreeable to the senses ; while few of the preparations can be purchased ready for use. In Christchuvch a company has been formed for the purpose of pruning and spraying orchards. As showing the general desire to comply with the Act it may be mentioned that the demand for the services of the company named is so great that its staff of pruners and sprayers has had to be increased far boyond anticipations.