LOCAL AND GENERAL

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 530, 25 March 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

So far this year, there has not been a single case of infectious disease reported in the borough, of Feilding. Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, is being invited to deliver a political address cither at Woodvillo or Pahiatua, in view of his visit to Wellington about three weeks hence. The Oroua County Council Clerk aud Engineer are to move into the Council's new offices this week. Tho offices will be found to bo most convenient for county work. Tho growth of the Auckland Savings Bank (says an exchange) is unprecedented in the history of the dominion. In 184.7 tlie bank was started with 19 depositors, and deposits totalling £49. In 1907 the depositors numbered 40,---000, the deposits £L330,000. The postal authorities advise that the steamer Aeon left San Francisco on the 17th hist., with a large American mail for New Zealand. _ The steamer's first port of call will be Auckland, and the mail is expected here about the 9th April. An enterprising Masterton resident is making an attempt to break the butchers' ring. Yesterday he placed sixteen lambs in an auction mart, butsold all privately at sixpence per lb., the prices ruling in Masterton being ninepence. Plenty of support is promised him. Tho Chronicle states that Dr. Porritt, who recently met with a serious accident w-hile motoring at Tokomaru, is making good progress, and hopes •shortly "to be able to return to Wanganui. At the present time the doctor is staying with Mr Edgar Smith, at Tokomai'u. Several settlers in this district (says the Woodville Examiner) were promptly supplied with all the grass seed they required, but others again complain that little or no notice has been taken of their applications, and tho present is a splendid time for grass seed sowing. Mr F. Y. Lethbridge, M.P., left for Wellington yesterday afternoon. During his visit to the Capital City the member for Oroua will interview the Minister of Railways regarding the rumour that it was intended to cut out Feilding from the list of stopping places for the Main Trunk tram.

The best of the sloped wools at rocent Sydney sales were purchased ; by Japanese buyers. A first prize of £4000 and a second of £1000 is offered by tho Transvaal Government and tlux Chamber of Mines for tho best rork-drills produced by January 1, 1909. A Jew, of Shabats, suspected of purloining a gold piece from liis neighbour, was found, when searched, to be wearing a waistcoat lined with banknotes. A girl of Newark, New Jersey (U.S.A.), climbed a tree to escape from a mad bull, and foil on tho animal's back. It carried her across a largo field, and threw her, unhurt, into somo bushes. Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell ("B-P.") who on tho 7th ult. open-sd the new Y.M.O.A, lecture hall at Leeds (which cost £49,500) said: "1 find it quite possihlo to be a "Christian and yet cheery." Tho "B" division of the London noli co has presented a silver watcli to Mrs Shaw, of Lots-road, Chelsea, for forcing her way through a 'crowd of roughs to a constable's side and blowing his whistle for help. A New Zealander who has just returned from Johannesburg, says that Taieri and Peninsula Dairy Co.'s butter (Dunedin) is selling in Johannesburg at 3s a pound, aud that it never sells below 2s. Tho Taranaki News states that an effort is being mado to got the Hon. Mr Carneross, M.L.C, "to stand for Egmont in the Government interest, and that he is in Wellington now on business not unconnected with political matters. It seems clear now, states the Hon. Dr. Findlay. that every fire district constituted' under the old Act. except Wellington, will adhere to the Act and accept its machinery. Some further applications to come under the Act have been received. A meeting of the. Chamber of Commerce is to be held to-night, to consider what further steps are to be taken in reference to the request for Feilding being mac]o__a_-.stopping-place for the train from Auckland to Wellington, and vice versa. A scourge in tho form of blight of the ordinary type has overtaken practically the whole of the turnip crops in the Taieri Plain, and many acres of the crop have been absolutely ruined. Should the coming winter be a severe one, it will go very hard with farmers, moro especially those who have depended upon their turnip crops for the winter feeding of cattle. Three men have loft the Nimrod (says tho Lyttclton Times), and it is understood that a seaman will leave this week. > One of the crew told a reporter that all the seamen would leave one by one. Ho stated that the chief reason of the men's departure was Captain England's resignation. "Yousoe," lie' concluded, "the boat will have a new crew when she goes sonth." Tlie congregation of Hokitika has forwarded "a unanimous call to the Presbytery of Wellington, addressed to the Rev. J. C. Jamieson, who durthe past few years has been the travelling secretary and organising agent in the dominion of the Young Men's Bible-class movement, which position he recently resigned in order to take up the regular work of the ministry. It is expected that he will accept the call. A point of importance to Borough Councils in connection with the subdivision of lands was decided in Wellington in the case of Fisher v Dwan on Saturday last. The plaintiff had sold land in Palmerston for subdivision, and it was,- proposed to subdivide it by constructing a street through it, but the Borough Council refused to consent upon tho ground that its bylaws prohibited a blind street being constructed, and on this ground the defendants refused to complete. Mr Justice Chapman in giving judgment doubted whether such a by-law was not ultra vires and decided that in any case it did not- apply to prevent the construction of tho street which it was proposed to construct in this case. At the Oamaru swimming sports on Friday an individual essayed to perform what is termed the "Monte Christo act," being tied in a weighted bag and thrown in the water. Tlie secret of the success of the performance consists in a trick in the tying of the bag, the performer, under water, being able to release himself and make a graceful appearance upon the surface. Unfortunately, the mouth of the bag used on Friday was tied not wisely but too well, and as the performer failed to re-appear in due time a couple of divers wont down to investigate. They rescued the unfortunate individual, still securely bagged, much to the relief of everybody present, and especially the central figure in what might easily have proved a regrettable tragedy. A carpenter who arrived in Wellington last Sunday from South Africa tells a woeful tale of the misery existing at tho Cape. In Capetown and Johannesburg relief camps have been established for unemployed, whilst the state of tho labouring classes in employment is very pvtiable, as they are only earning sufficient to live upon. At Durban nearly all the shops -in the main .streets aro empty, and the distress appalling. These conditions aro general throughout South Africa, and extending into Rhodesia. Work on tho Capo to Cairo railway has been stopped at a spot 360 miles north of Victoria Falls, called Broken Hifl.i Consequently numbers of men have been thrown out of employment, and had to make -their way back to Cape Colony. South Africa, he said, is no placo for tho working man to go to at present. Thousands would leave had they tho means to do so. The place may liven 'up after two years, but not before. Although it is not generally known, tho leading papers in New Zealand (city and provincial) have, during the past twelve months, rejected a number of advertisements which are considered ohjeetionablo from a moral standpoint. Most of these advertisements had hitherto been accepted by almost all papers whenever offered, and, as a result of a conference, it was agreed that it would bo in tlie interests of the public to cancel all that could bo placed in tho category cf "objectionable," and, for tho future, to declino all similar •advertisements. As a result of this attitude, it is estimated by a competent authority .tlnv« for tho past year alono the newspapers of New Zealand havo sacrificed revenue to the extent of not less than £12,000 in the aggregate. Tho amount would probably bo much above that i. a correct statement could bo obtained from all associated papers that have rejected "objectionable" business. It is also worthy of note that this action was entirely voluntary and not as a result of legislation, thero being no law to prohibit tho publication of the majority of the advertisements in question. Lieutenant-colonel Knight, provincial commissioner of the Salvation Army in the South Island, arrived in Dunedin on Saturday night, and is making a stay here over the next few days. In the course of a chat with a Times reporter, Colonel Knight stated that some important changes were pending in connection with the main centres of the Army's operations in New Zealand. .These changes will in all probability take place about the middle of next month, aud will affect some of the leading staff officers in charge of centres and Army corps throughout the dominion. Major Bickerton, who has acted as Colonel Knight's secretary over the past two years, has been transferred to Melbourne to take up an appointment as an educational officer at the big Training Garrison there, where there are over 100 cadets established Major and Mrs Ross, of.Melbourne, succeed him as provincial secretary, and are to arrive in Dunedin to-day. Another matter mentioned by Colonel Knight was Commissioner M'Kie's visit to New Zealand just concluded. He was pleased to say that the commissioner, who was in a very poor state of healtn for some months and was not expected to make a complete recovery, had benefited a great deal by his tour through New Zealand. The commissioner had received definite instructions as to his final departure from Australia for the Homeland, for which he takes his departure in July. No word has been received as to what his nest appointment is to be, nor as to who is to be hie successor.

Father Berry, who saw a man tampering with an offertory box in St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Preston (Eng.) last month, sprang out from a confessional box. Tho man ~eil, was cha-sed by the priest on a bicycle, arrested, and remanded. This scone would beat all tho cineinatogra^ phio "fake" pictures easily. Apropos its carnival, the Napier Telegraph says that the people who appear to be benefiting most by the carnival aro tho "cabbies." One driver who has been on the road here for tho last 24 years states that this lias been the most profitable week he ever experienced. If tho weather had been fine, he anticipates that his takings would havo been trebled. Strong pressure has been brought to bear upon the Government with a view to securing the establishment of experimental farms in Canterbury and Otago. The matter has been under consideration for some time, and a decision may shortly be arrived at, says tho New Zealand Times. Is tho Government also going to consider the Wairarapa claim for it farm? The entertainment, given by the Salvation Army Biovama Company in tho Drill Hall last night was quito up to tho standard of any previous olograph, company, tt'he humorous pictures created roars of laughter, wliilo the scenic and other records were greatly admired. SevePal illustrated songs were greatly appreciated. The local Army band rendered several items in a pleasing manner. Before Messrs G. Kirton and F. Piranr, J'.'sP., at the Court this morning, eleven cyclists were charged with riding bicycles without lights in tho borough of Feilding, between tho hours of 'sunset and sunrise. Throe who did not appear wcro fined os and costs, and tho others, who pleaded guilty, were fined os without costs. Three persons were charged with driving vehicles without lights. They were each fined os, with 7s" costs. Manv people can never aspire to the possession of a motor-car of their own, but non-motorists as well as motorists -appreciate humorous pictures and stories of tho motor. Mr Edward Koiiealy. says that a knowledge of the law doesn't always Jrelp one in a motor case. A friend of mine who was summoned for just failing to run over an old lady began to boast in court of his knowledge of law when ho was rudely interrupted, by a cold-blooded rural magistrate, who said: "You may bo a good lawyer., but what you don't know about driving would soon fill a cemetery." The Tuapeka' Times reports a sensational accident. As Mr McPherson's waggon, driven by J. Perrow, was descending the Beaumont side of the Big Hill about 8 o'clock on' Thursdaynight, the bra-kp failed to act, and the waggon, loaded with about five tons of general merchandise, got way on and forced the horses into a gallop. After going somo distance one of tlie leaders fell and brought down others of tho team, and tho heavily-laden waggon was brought to a standstill by running on to them. Two horses were billed outright, a-nd one had its leg broken, and had to be destroyed. As tho team consisted of nino horses, thero was great confusion in tho darkness. Tlie payment of witnesses at inquests was referred, to by Dr; McArthur, Coroner, at an inquest held in Wellington, where two men had to lose half a day's pay through having to attend to give evidence. The Coroner mentioned that he had that day allowed £1 17s 6d expenses to witnesses who had given evidence in a civil.case at tho Court. He thought the sooner the law was amended the better, for if men had to lose wages through being summoned to attend an inquest, their loss should he mado good. It ought, ho considered, to be left to tho discretion of the Coroner to say where such expenses should be paid. Even now jurors at inquests got little enough for their services, and witnesses certainly ought to get paid. This was, he thought, a blot on our system. Tho Greymouth Star of March 19 tells of a plucky rescue. While attempting to ford tho Otira river, while in flood, a man named- Thomas O'Leary, in tlie employ of Messrs McLean and Son, was swept away by tlie current, but gripped a wvwi attached to tlie footbridge, which had been carried away earlier in tho day. James Brady, a co-operative worker, went to his assistance, but was swept down stream among tho boulders. Ho regained tho shore, returning to the rescue, but was again carried .away, being much knocked about. O'Leary had sunk, but was still gripping the wire, and wan visibly drowning when Brady once more dashed in and caught O'Leary, ■and with fast decreasing strength brought him ashore. O'Leary was positive he would never have come out alivo but for Brady's gallant assistance, which tho onlookers declare was wori-hy of a medal. namastEaGßaasaEaamu