The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1905. LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 232, 27 March 1905, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1905. LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A slight shower of rain fell in Feilding this morning. A London cable aunounces the death of Jules Verne, the famous author. The Manchester Band will play in the Rotunda on Saturday evening next. The programme will appear in our columns later on in the week: Lord Roberts, who declined the pos* of Governor of Chelsea Hospital, ha 3 accepted the sinecure office of Master Gunner of St. James' Park. His pay as Master Gunner amounts to 3s 4d a I day. We must remind our readers that this is the last week of Milson and Coles' removal sale. Those who have nut taken advantage of the bargains should not fail to do so before Friday noxt, when the sale closes. Mr Palk, temperance lecturer, gave a very interesting address at Colyton on Friday ovening, and all those who availed themselves of the opportunity of listening to the address spent a very profitable evening. Mr G. P. Amor has an advertisement in another column referring to his excellent stock of paper-hangings, which comprises 17 bales of tho ktost artistic and modern designs. People requiring papers cannot do better than call on the leading house decorator, next Post-office, Feilding. A granddaughter of the Empress Marie Louise is a poor old sweeper of the Burg Theatre. Her half-brother, Prineo Alfred Montonnovo holds a high position at the Court of Vienna, and an influential paper in Vienna has taken up the poor woman's case in order to bring it to the Prince's notice. The Feilding Jockey Club Committee met on Saturday last and transacted a considerable amount of routine business. Satisfactory reports were received from the Ground Committee, so that all the improvements will be completed before the coming Easter meeting. At Kaitarahai (Gisborne) on Saturday night, William Somers, aged SO, employed at a sawmill, was drowned. H*i was crossing a railway bridge, and a man preceding him heard a splash, and looking round found Somers had disappeared. Deceased had probably struck the bridge when falling, but there was a drop of 65 feet. Australia has gained the equivocal distinction of having the worst roads in the world. An American millionaire motorißt, in discussing the condition of the roads throughout the world, said he considered France to have the best roads, England the next, then America, and Australia a bad last. He thought the 300 miles of distance from Albury to Sydney the worst he had passed during the entire trip of 23,247 miles. One of the most successful sales ever held in Ashburton took place on Saturday, when 4.115 acres of farming properties realised . nearly L 62,000. Tho Winchmoro estate, belonging to ihe Executors of the late Sir Geo Hart, containing 3000 acres, was submitted in 10 lots, sold at from LlO to Llo per acre The Braomor estate, adjoining, containing 1119 acres, was sold in one lot at Ll4 los per acre. Messrs R. P. Smith and Co., local agents tor tho Wertheim sowing machine, intimate that they will deliver machines to any part of the district, and that their expert will give free lossons iv the working of all appliances, These machines do the work so well, and are so very simple, that fellerBoaming, base-binding, braiding, ruffleriug, and quilting will never be done by hand when once the Wortheim eewing machine has been used. At a well attended public meeting of tho residents of Kimbolton and District, it was unanimously decided to erect public baths in Kimbolton. To show the earnestness of the meeting, tho sum of £30 odd was collected in the room. A committee was also appointed to canvass the district for subscriptions, and it was resolved that tenders be called for, and tho work proceeded with immediately. It was also decided that the Member for the District be interviewed for the purpose of approaching the Government for £1 for £1 subsidy. Mr Alexander McDonald, who died suddenly at Shannon on Saturday last, was one of the pioneer settlers of the Colony, having arrived with his parents in Wellington in one of the first ships. In his early manhood ho made a home for himself on this coast in the Rangitikei district, where he resided for some yoare, and afterwards removed to Shannon. The deceased gentleman was much ostoomod by a large circle of friends, and the Maoris have lost in him one who had sacrificed much to protect thoir interests. He leaves to mourn tlioir loss several sons and daughters aud grandchildren. The trial of Barger's patent double disc was held on Mr Mcßeth's property, Makino Road, on Friday last, instead of Thursday, as advertised. The machine was used on hard stubble land, which it worked thoroughly to a depth of five to six inches with oue operation of the machine, leaving a perfectly level seed-bed, and, to quote those present, fine enough to sow onions in if required. This machine, which, we understand, has been thoroughly tested on all classes and conditions ot soil, reflects great credit on the manufacturer, and no doubt he will meet with the success the machine is worthy of. Messrs Gordon and Gotch are the sole agents. This season alone the sales of New Zealand wool total 149,789 bales, and, reckoning (leece wool as worth £15 a hale, ancl a seventh of the total quantity as pieces worth £10 a bale, we find tho aggregate value approximately two and a quarter millions sterling ! Along Bide of this may be placed one or two more comforting facts. Firstly, our wool shows a considerable increase in quautitv by comparison with that of the provious season. The South Island has an increase of 23,196 bales offered at the public auctions, and the North Island an increase of 9,537 bales, tho total increase of wool offered being 82,733 bales. Nor is this all. The u-00l actually sold this season is 42,986 bales in excess of the quantity quitted in tho 1903-4 season. — Dunedin Star. An instance o? the liberality of the Australian Mutual Provident Society Its contained in the following : — Nearly four years ago the senior agent was approached by a Taranaki member for information as to the position of * policy on which no premiums had been paid for over sis years. Inquiry at the district office, Wanganui, elicited the fact that the policy was still in force, j Towards the end of last year the member died. As no claim had been sent I in, Mr O'Sullivan recently called on tho family to ascertain the cause of the delay. He learned that as the memter had paid no further premiums, and that as at the date of his death the payments were more than nine years overdue, the relatives* had deemed it a hopeless task to lodge any claim. A few days ago tho widow was agreeably surprised to learu from her solicitors that the agent of the A.M.P. had handed them a cheque for £216 in connection 'with this claim, and that w.^jsj the" "outcoramg bonus a further bSfti^tanoi) rcii^ht be expected. During fa merabarobip of upwards of 18 years, J premiums for only nine years had been jjaß

A reward is offered for a lost gold pin, Bet with greenstone and pearls. Favored by tha exceptionally fin© weather, the men are making good progress on tho water and drainage works. Those willing to donate refreshments to the Garden Party on Wednesday are asked to leave same at Mrs Froßt's or take them to the grounds. The New Zealand Clothing Factory draw attention to their new season's stock of gentlemen's hats and caps, and invite inspection of same. A large party from Auckland, including the Mayor and the Premier, left by steamer for Coromandel yesterday morning to attend the funeral of Sir Alfred Cadman. It is stated on reliable authority, says the Lyttelton Times, that last week 48 per bushel was paid for best quality malting barley, f .0.b.; at country stations, a price equal to in tkl f.0.b., with agents' charges, handling and commission. The following will represent Cheltenham in a cricket match against Marton at Cheltenham on Wednesday, 29th inst., commencing at 11 a.m.: — Barlow, C. Carter, J. Hare, Millen, Day, Oliver, Barroiv, G. Hare, Elliott, Brown, Mills. Members of the Choral Society are reminded of the practice at the Drill Hall to-night. As there is to be some special business brought forward during the evening, a full attendance is required. We are also requested say that the Conductor will be pleased to meet any lady or gentleman wishing to join the society, at this practice. A sitting in Chambers was held by his Honor the Chief Justice on Saturday morning. In the case of Bagnall v. Bagnall and another (Mr Myers for petitioner, the husband), his Honour directed that respondent pay her own and petitioner's costs, with £15 witnesses' expenses, and disbursementscosts to come out of the trust fund in the ostate other than the £4000 paid into it by petitioner.