LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 513, 26 March 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Cheltenham Rifle Club will tire | for trophies on Saturday next. The Presbyterian Manso (Greystreet), which is occupied by tho ltev. O. Budd, is now connected with the telephone exchange (No. 185). The secretary of the Feilding Football Club considers that there is suf- I ficient "raw material" available to run two third-class teams. Miss Elizabeth H. B. Macdonald, AI.A., M.D., Ch.B., a young lady doctor from Dundee, is on her way out to Wellington/to take up professional work in that city. Sir William JUisseU has not done with politics yet, as lie has definitely decided to be a. candidate for the liawke's Bay seat at the next election. Tlkj chances of Mr A. DiLlon, \\ J ho displaced Sir William at tho last election, are said to be remote. liecent cable messages have been telling us of the ravages of influenza in London. But the experience of the world's metropolis wasn't a circumstance to that of Russia. A Odessa ialone on thfc. 9th' aft Ifagt month there were 40,000 cases. At a recent meeting of the Waimea County Council, cays the Jbivening Mail, a councillor stated that gorse was one of the finest fodder plants in Ne\v Zealand. He knew an instance of where 60 sheep were taken otf six acres of gorse and 40 of them wero fat. For some time past the Feilding Operatic and Dramatic Sooiety have been actively engaged in the preparation of tha/fe popular opera, "lolajithe," and they have decided to present it to the public on Thursday and Friday, April 10 and 11. From all accounts the publio will be given a treat worthy of liberal patronage. New Zealand had in 1896 one union of employers, its membership being 30, and 65 unions of workers with an aggregate roll" number of 8370. Ten years later, in December, 1906, there were registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 109 unions of employers, whose members totalled 3337, and 274 unions of employees, embracing 34,9 1 8 workers.

Members of the Feilding Football Club are to start practice immediately, after 5 o'clock in the evenings. At Ashlnirst yesterday, two wellknown residents — Miss M. Hauton, daugliter of a popular townsman, and Mr Frank Slattery, of Palmerston North — were married by the Rev. Father O'Gorman, amidst considerable rejoicing. China's postal service, says a recent report, shows a rapid development since it was established ten years ago. There aro now over 2000 post offices in the country, and during the past year the articles handled increaseu from 76,000,000 to 113,000,000. In several States in America, says the New Zealand Farmer, there areas many as 30,000 farmers connected with tho telephone at a cost of from £2 10s to £4 a year. Thus the telephone removes their isolation and links them up with everyday life. And yet New Zealand boasts of being up to date ! New York will soon have the largest restaurant in tho world, seating 8000 people. It is to bo built on Broadway, and £200,000 has already been subscribed. The roof garden with real trees and turf, a fountain, and a fiftyfoot lake, will be a reproduction in miniaturo of the famous gardens of tho Trianon at Versailles. It was remarked to a Carterton butcher recently how much more palatable meat is here in New Zealand as compared with what is sold in the Old Country. "That is due," he said, "to the grass feeding. Grass is the natural food for cattle. In the Old Country too much artificial feeding is used, and of course there is no real substitute for grass." Some amusing items of information were brought to light at the recent natural history competition held by the board schools of Lancashire. One boy said: "Cows arc expensive anij mals, but don't cost much to keep. | They live on hay, soaked bread, and i potater pelins." Another, in an essay ion the bull, said: "When alive it ! gives bovril in the same way that the cow gives milk." Another said : "Some farmers keep a bull to keep the cows in order." Says a telegram to London on February 11 from Antwerp : Six brothers, born of th© same mother in the same year, appeared before the astonished military authorities here yesterday to j participate in the drawing of lots for | compulsory service in the army. The ' case, which is probably the most rej markable on record, is explained by j the fact that the mother gave birth ! to two sets of triplets in the same year, the first set being born in January and the second during the fol-. lowing De-comber. Mr Frank File, who came to New Zealand some six months ago when Mr Ernest Short returned from his trip to England, left Feilding yesterday on his return to his home in Kent. During his short stay in this ! district, Mr File's hearty English manner made him many friends, who will heartily welcome him should he again visit New Zealand. Mr File i is a son of Mr Chas. File, the celebrated breeder of llomney Marsh sheep. Speaking of the establishing of shelter plantations in his leaflet on "Shel-ter-planting," Mr Barrett, .horticulturist to tlio Waercnga Experimental | Station, says: "It may be observed that, as with agriculture so with arboricuTture, the results obtained a,ro ( commensurate with tho amount of systematic attention bestowed, and it is certain that no portion or branch of the farm responds more liberally to cultivation and care in tho early stages than the shelter plantations." At a recent, meeting of tho Council of tlio Royal College of Surgeons, England, a large number of candidates, who had passed the required examinations and conformed to tho by-laws, were admitted members of the College. One of these gentlemen was Mr Alexander Todd M'Caw, of the New Zealand University and London Hospital. Another was Mr Harold Delf Gillies, 8.A., Cantab, Cambridge University, and St. Bartholomew's Hospital. "All days are 'Labour Day' on a farm!" a witness stated at the Canterbury Conciliation Board's sitting at Dai held. "Farm work is one continual picnic?" asked Mr Kennedy.' "Yes," replied the witness, "if you liko to call it so." "Labour Day,' 7 said another witness; "we know nothing about it in the country." StiH another witness, when asked if he would like to have a holiday on Labor Day, replied: "It wouldn't bo any good to me 3 there are no races on that day." Mi* A. E. M. Rowland was ono of the 23 competitors who took part in the oross-coniitry championship of tho Herno Hill (England) harriers; Rowland finished seventh in the race, but with 7min 20sec allowance he carried off the prize in the sealed handicap in connection with the championship. It is stated that his actual time for the full distance was 69min 55 l-ssec, as against the 64min 17sec of Deakin, the winner, it is remarked .that the New Zealanders success in tho scaled handicap; was, it seems, a considerable surprise to his club-mates, and ho is now looked upon a-s a useful coming man for tho Heine Hill harriers. The Shaw, Savill and Albion Co.'s line steamer Arawa, leaving Wellington to-day for London, will have on board the following residents of this district:— Messrs Kenneth "Wilson, Thomas G>riggs, Mr and Mrs T. Itimmor, Miss Runnier, and threo children, Mr and Mrs Park-hurst, and Mr H. Hansen. The next boat leaving for London is tho Mamari, ®n<l among those who havo booked for her are Mrs Anderson, of Kimbolton, and Mrs Dickson, of Feilding, and Mrs W. J. Baylis and Mrs Short, of this town. Mr and Mrs Fred Bryant and family and Mi's Blackley have booked passages for the Oruba, leaving Sydney on May 2, also Mr and Mrs W. W. Willsher for the Omrah, leaving Sydney on April 14. The Rev. J. Cocker, who was at one time stationed in Feilding, has arranged an enjoyable programme for his tour abroad, upon which he starts from Wellington to-day. He will represent the N.Z. Primitive Methodist Conference at the British Conference, of the denomination to be held in London to celebrate the centenary of the denomination. He expects to visit the Anglo-French exhibition, the famous Keswiek Convention (at which an attendance of 10,000 persons is expected), tho Oxford Summer School of theology (a great and unique gathering of Nonconformist divines), and lie hopes to take a trip to Germany, to visit the Holy Land, and to motor through rural England. It is also possible that Mr Cocker will take a hand in the fight over the English Lioonsintr. Bill. The energetic part which the suffragists are taking in Parliamentary elections (says a late London paper), is not viewed with favour by the older class of voters. A woman canvasser recently went with a petition to an old fellow in. the north, and politely asked him if he would sign it. He looked at the document suspiciously for a moment or two, -and then asked: "What is it about?" "It is a petition in favour of the women's movement," the lady replied, in her most insinuating tone of voice and with a gladsome smile. "Then I'm agin it." ejaculated the old man with emphasis of one who had come domestic felicity; "a woman who's allus. a-movin' is allus a-gettin' in trouble. If you've got anything ter keep her still, I'll sign it!'" Life for March marches with the times, and is brought as closely up to date as its enterprising editor and publisher can fetch it. Inside a striking cover is a mass of good things journalistic and literary, garnered from the past, gathered with scissors and paste, gleaned from the world's harvest of good things, and specially written for Life by wielders of clever pens. More "Strange Pages in Australasian History" are published, the editor tells the wonderful tale of the man with tho twelve-million-dollar brain (T. A. Edison), artist Nuttall graphically describes an "Amateur Night on the Bowery," a parachutist gives an impression of falling through the air, and there are other tilings too numerous to detail, but highly interesting to read. Life is good as it is, but they publishers, from whom the review copy comes, promise.even bigger and better things in the coming numbers. While there's Life there's scope certainly for enjoyment.

The handsomest of all this year's calenders comes from the Ocean Accident Co., through its local agent (Mr E. (ioodbelierei. A colored embossed picture, "Leaving the Harbour," is a work of art. A message from Johannesburg says that it is understood that a South African cricket team will visit Australia after the triangular test matches in 1909. A concert in aid of the Presbyterian Church Building Fund will be givon at Poolo's Hall, Kimbolton, on Wednesday, April 8, by the members of the Feilding Presbyterian Church choir. A mooting of the Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union is being held in Palmorston to-day. We understand that the chief business to be considered is the fixing of the date for the annual conference of delegates from Provincial Councils. The conference is always held in Wellington during the sitting of Parliament. Complimentary rofeituice was made at last night's meeting of the Feild- ' ing Football Club to the good offices of Mr Morton, Feilding's stationmaster, in studying the convenience of the travelling teams, and the hope was expressed that the evening train from Palmorston at 5.30, which was utilised in the first part of last year, would be available throughout the season. Mrs Oliver desires us to state that the report in the Manawatu Times of the inquest on the lad Walters, and which we republished, was absolutely untrue so far as the statement that she had no lights on her vehicle is concerned. Evidence to the contrary was given at the inquest, and she is of opinion that the reporter must have mixed up the fact that the b°ys had no lights on their bicycles with the traplights. Turnips, rape and grass have made a wonderful growth during the past fortnight, writes the Kirweo correspondent of the Lyttelton Times. There will now bo a fair amount of sheep feed for the winter. Oats and grass, of which a good deal has been sown recently, are looking remarkably well, and probably there will be a better strike of grass than there has been for the last two years. There will probably be a good deal of second growth in the potato crops, as the result of the wet, muggy weather. A remarkable example of successful cargo broaching came to light this morning when a case of goods from Home was being opened at Mr John Cobbe's premises. Through a narrow breach in the bottom of the case, where the zinc lining had been neatly cut away, an opening only wide enough to admit two fingers was made. Through this opening two narrow cardboard boxes were burgled, and out of each eleven ladies' ties, of the best quality were purloined. They certainly have great taste for the expensive, these cargo-broachers. It is not often that a newspaper can boast of the receipt of a presentation in recognition of services in a particular cause for the common good. But that was the experience of the proprietors of the Star this morning, when the captain (Mr Mason), on behalf of the Feilding Cricket Club, presented a framed copy of the photograph of the members of the team that won the Bavraiul Cricket C\ip in this season's contests of the Manawatii Cricket Association. The presentation photograph now hangs in a conspicuous place in out publishing office. During the Te Oranga inquiry in Christchurch Mrs Branting (matron) stated, that money subscribed by the public for providing Christmas far£ was not always spent for that purpose, because the inmates of the Home were amply supplied with gifts and food by other donations. She therefore put tho spare money aside, and I devoted it to tho laying down of a tennis court. Somo discussion arose as to tho logaOity of such a use of the funds. Mrs Branting explained that, not only had she bought a piano and laid down a tenalis court, but that she intended to have a swimming bath constructed that would cost £300. Slie had £94, and would need £150 before, with tho Government assistance, she could build the bath. The funds were subscribed by only a few of the public, and they were all in sympathy with her use" of the money they 'had given. ; ' Farmers in this district have at times given some thought to the freezing and exporting of their veal calves, instead of disposing of them to the limited market that offers locally. Nearly all of them have got no further with their proposition than to wonder how it would work; but Mr Chas. Carr, of Feildingj has gone into the matter in a pracitical manner. He has made a trial with th'irty-ono veal calves off their mothers, and sent them Home through tho Longburn Freezing Works. Mr Carr has just received the returns for the first seven carcases. The total charges for these seven amounted to £o 3s 9d, and they have said at home at £11 18s 7d. Thia has yielded about 19s. per head for the venture, and Mr Carr is satisfied that the 19s. return is more easily earned and a better result than the £1 per head that he received from local butchers. He is satisfied now that, in view of the poor return received from local butchers, who make a big profit out of the veal, farmers should develop the export of veal carves. A representative of tho Wairarapa Daily Times mado some enquiries as to a' rumour that ryo grass is dying out in parts of Wairarapa owing to drought. Mir D, Elliott, the Stock Inspector, said that ho had received no complaints regarding rye grass. Ag a matter of fact, said Mr Elliott, it is too "early to form any definite opinion on the subject, and ,to say that tho drought has killed the rye grass is only conjecture or surmise. Now .that the rain has fallen, -there is every probability of tho grass springing up after the sun .has exercised its influence on the soil for a few days. The Crown Lands Ranger endorsed these views adding that it .would be premature to make any pronouncement until after the winter, as the seed might lie dormant during the cold weather, «nd shoot with the early spring. The settlers have every confidence ■in the ryo grass, as there is great demand for the seed, which is being sown in largo quantities by tho burnt-out settlers. A resident of Mastorton who has to visit the outlying districts weekly states that round Carterton and Featherston the rye grass is on a level with clover. An ex.Hawera man whohas settled in Vancouver writes to his people that the severity of the \vinter in comparison with those experienced in New Zealand has particularly struck him. Short days, continuous Avet, and severe frosts, and the terrible effects these have in stopping outdoor work, and throwing thousands of people out of employment, are commented on as making life so much less pleasant than it is in New Zealand. The "yellow" trouble, ho says, is very acute, and is likely to grow worse, for the number of Japs is increasing, and they are in so many directions displacing white labour, owing to the small wages they are willing to work for. Even a white female servant is a rarity. A salmon fishery establishment on the Fraser river that at one time kept a thousand or two white men employed is now manned almost exclusively by Japanese. The feeling is that England is afraid of breaking with Japan, and that therefore it is difficult to exclude the Asiatic immigration—that British Columbia is sacrificed to Imperial policy. Vancouver, he says, is a go-a-head town of about 80,000 people, but there is a considerable amount of crime and lawlessness in proportion to the population. _____