LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, 17 May 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Standard objects to us heading the article about the bankruptcy of Parker, "A Palmerston Bankruptcy." If our contemporary would put on its thinking cap it would have no doubt of the appropriateness of the title. The Wanganui Education Board approved of the accountancy class conducted at the Feilding Technical School, the Chief Inspector pointing out that even if the Department did not recognise it there was nothing to prevent the work being earned on, as it was self-supporting. The question of cattle straying on the streets was brought up at the Feilding Borough Council meeting last night by Cr. Tolley, who said* there was a practice of turning out cattle to stray on the streets all night. He characterised this action as that of the sneak thief. People who went to the trouble of beautifying their properties, often had their shrubs spoilt by straying stock. "He hoped the ranger would take steps to stop this nuisance. A very enjoyable social was held in the Drill Hall last evening by the members of the Manchester Rifles. Cards, quoits, and various other fames were indulged in with vigour, n ample supply of light refreshments was provided, to which justice was done. During the evening the first and second-class belts of the company, and also shooting medals, were presented to the successful winners. A Government medal for long and efficient service was also presented to Lieut. Pleasants. At the Feilding Borough Council meeting last night, Cr. Goodbehere referred to the fact that fish were being found in the reticulation pipes of the water service. He had just heard another pipe had been blocked up, and was told there was a whale in the pipe. (Laughter.) He suggested something should be done to prevent fish from getting into the service. A motion was passed instructing the Engineer to take steps to prevent fish entering the water pipes.

The Feilding Borough Council last night decided to order ten trucks of screened limed sand, for forming footpaths. In the case of P. J. Murtagh against the Atlas Insurance Co., at Hawera, a verdict for plaintiff for £200 claimed and costs was given. The Borough Council last night decided to commence all meetings at 7.30 p.m. in the future, instead of eight o'clock. The Borough Council last night decided to take steps to have a bicycle rack erected at the Post Office, as suggested by the Chamber of Commerce. Mr John Rankin, Town Clerk, was last night appointed collector of rates for the Borough of Feilding. This action was taken in view of an action at law at Dunedin recently. The Resident Engineer stated at the Feilding Borough Council meeting last night that he was satisfi id the Kimbolton road contract h_J been carried out in accordance with the specifications. The business for the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board plaoed on the order paper totalled 118 items, in addition to several communications received late, but dealt with as matters of urgency. Cr. Tolley, at the Feilding Borough Council meeting last night, suggested that tenders be called annuady for printing and stationery, ironmongery, cement, etc., and ail stores required by the Council. The estimates for the year, as brought down by the Finance Committee, were read at the Feilding Borough Council meeting last night, and on the motion of Crs. Tolley and Atkinson, it was decided to call a special meeting for Thursday next, at 8 p.m., to consider them. Probate of the following wills has been granted by Mr Justice Button, at Wellington:— Fred. Pope, Feilding, on application of Mr Haggitt; Jane Payne, Palmerston, on application of Mr Cooper; Anne Fleming, Rongotea, on application of Messrs Hankins and Loughnan. At a meeting of the Shooting Committee of the Manchester Rifles, held last evening, the following team was chosen to represent the corps in the Shield shoot at Wanganui, on June 3: — Capt. Barltrop, Lieute. Pleasants and Domigan, Col.-Sergt. Aitken, Sergt. Fisher, Vols. Parker, Evans, Stewart, Mayhew, and Belk. Our supplement to-morrow will contain the conclusion of that interesting serial, " The Chase of the Golden Plate," the commencement of a series of "Letters to Unsuccessful J fen," Ladies' Corner, The Churches, 'arm and Station, the report of Mr Hay on the best method of improving the Feilding water-supply, and other interesting articles, eto. During the Borough Council's meeting last night, one of the Councillors was speaking out of order, and Cr. Goodbehere drew the Mayor's attention to the fact, and told him he would have a certain high authority pointing out to him the -duties of a chairman. A smile went round the table, which was choked by the offender indignantly exclaiming he was quite in order. A young man named John Robinson, of Tinwald, met with an accident on Sunday last at Ashton, in the longbeach district. While beating a paddock covered with corse with other members of a .hoofing party, he was accidentally shot in the face, head, and chest, at a distance of 25 yards. Robinson had two of his teeth, knocked out, but. otherwise he is not seriously irjured, although his wounds had to be attended to by a n'edical man. — Press. . Mr Leadley, speaking at Rangiora, said that the Hon. Mr MeNab did not explain the primary object of the Land Bill until coming up from Temuka in the train, the other day, he told a reporter plump and plain that its object was to cheapen land. 1 c said: " The Land Bill has got to go through if the people want to get land. It is the dearness of land that ie causing the trouble. That is why the Bill is before the country." There they had the whole brutal truth. The most dreaded of all sharks, the white shark, frequently attains a length of 35 feet and a weight of 2000 pounds. It's head is long and flat, with the snout far overhanging the mouth. Its six rows of teeth are sharp as lances, and notched like saws. Its mouth is so large that one has been known to cut a man' body completely in two at a single snap of its cruel jaws. Near Calcutta, one of these sharks was seen to swallow a bullock's head, horns and all. It is usually the white shark which follows vessels for days at a time. Cabinet has decided to appoint Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., at New Plymouth, to act as second Magistrate at Wellington. Mr H. S. Fitzherbert, of Palmerston North, has been appointed to the Bench, and takes Mr Riddell's place in Taranaki. Mr Fitzherbert is the eldest surviving son of the late Sir William Fitzherbert, and was born in Wellington, representing the Hutt for some years in the House of Representatives. He has been a resident of Palmerston for some twelve years. He has no less than three sons practicing as barristers and solicitors. The origin of the calamitous circular of the Labour Department respecting the factories' naif holiday was explained by Mr Hornsby last night (says tho Wairarapa News). When the Hon. J. A. Millar was plain Mr Millar he challenged the late Mr Seddon, then Minister for Labour, to carry out the provisions of the Factories Act in their entirety. Some time after Mr Millar was appointed Minister for Labour. Then the. labour unions unearthed Mr Millar's challenge to Mr Seddon, and said, "Now, you carry out the law." Mr Millar had to face the music, and there was a lot of discord in the music. (Laughter.) Some consternation was caused at Hastie's Feilding Hotel yesterday and last night by the failure of the water supply. There was no explainable reason for the trouble, and all sorts of wild theories were promulgated, including direful hints about the Prohibition Party, but the . latter were discounted by the suggestion that whiskey would be more likely to be the objective thai}L water, where cutting off was meditated. All efforts to locate the mischief were unavailing, until about six o'clock this morning, when two eels were discovered fast in the service pipe. An eeling party to the reservoir some evening this week is projected, and rare sport is anticipated. We are asked to make an appeal to the charitably-disposed in connection with several cases of destitution in the town, mainly caused by the illness of the breadwinners. There are a number of ladies in the town who do not weary in well-doing, but it is manifestly impossible for th*in to provide the funds necessary to make their work what it should be. The local branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union would like donations of warm clothing, '. "Tlaiikets, adults' clothing, and es- < pecially clothing tor children. The i ladies will undertake to cut down or '. mako clothes for the children, and ' as all cases the W.C.T.U. help are 1 carefully inquired into, those who i assist may rest assured that their i charity will not l>e abused. ] The Cheltenham Literary and Debating Society held its first meeting < in the Cheltenham Haß last night, • when there was an attendance numbering close upon 126. Mr Hector j Booth occupied the chair, and a de- ■ bate took place on the advisability of ' allowing women to sit in Parliament. Mr Harre led in the affirmative, and 1 was seconded by Mr Home. Mr W. i Mills led in the no/rat?-*-, being sup- i ported by Mr J. . Mu..*/. After a 1 most interesting debate, which work- i ed up the excitement to an unusual ( gitch, a vote was taken, the question 1 .ing decided in the negative by 35 I votes to 15. Musical items were J rendered, and refreshments handed 1 round. Officers of the Society were t appointed as follows : — President, Mr W. Mills ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs J. Bruce and H. Booth ; secretary, Mr J. r Harre ; treasurer, Mr J. Murray ; and { a Committee of five. The Society in- c tend to put a fresh man in the chair i for every meeting, and to alter* the «■ Committee regularly. I

There is a good yarding of sheep and a fair yarding of cattle at the Manawatu Auctioneering Association's Feilding sale to-day. The price of flour in Sydney has been raised from £7. 10s to £8 per ton. This will probably prevent further shipments to New Zealand in the ireantime. The rise in the prioe of wheat on the London market has oome as a Sodsend to Australian farmers, and uring a recent fortnight 6,600,000 bishel. of wheat from the Commonwealth changed hands in Mark Lane. Mr W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, has replied to the request from the Feilding Branch of the Farmers' Union that he will be ui'able to speak here before Parlia ment sits, but he will be pleased to give an address some time during the session. The Wairarapa Standard says:— -A well-known authority in cheese **'*-:•";.- declares that prioes for cheese must rule very much lower next season. They are keeping up very well at present. A Southern factory sold its May and June output the other day at 6d. Mr Laurensoi, M.H.R., in his speech at Lyttelton, characterised the Fur mors' Union pamphlet on the Land Bill aa "a document containing more misrepresentations end untruths to the square inch than anything that had been published since Ananias mado his declaration to the Apostle Peter on tho same subject." A Dunedin correspondent telegraphs that the Council of Churches has decided to call upon Pailiament to amend the Gaming Acts by isolating racing orrespondonce and telephonic and telegraphic con munication, abolishing the license of the totalisator, excluding betting odds from the newspapers, and preventing circulars legardmg gai. ling and State lotteries from passiu v through the post. A party of three duck-shooter. " om the Oamaru district diopped upon a colony of stoats and weasels on the banks of the Ahuriri river last week. The neighbourhood of the camp was littered with bones, mostly belonging to water-birds that they had taken from nests or caught in other •a ays. The vermin had given up hunting and killing rabbits, which no doubt had palled on their appetites (says tha North Otago Times) ard had taken to trapping and killing wild fowl. The party accounted for a good many of the animals. A lady had an amusing experience in a Ponsonby car. # The car was empty, with the exception of one man ana he was the reverse of the car. As she entered he rose, made her an unsteady, but magnificent bow, and said, "Madam, please be kind enough to accept thish plashe." Bather than offend the man, there was nothing else for her to do, so she thanked him and sat down. And for seven blocks he .hung from the strap, swaying in the breeze, with not a soul in the car but the two. The lady says it is frequently that she is taken for other women, but never before had anyone thought she was a car-full.