LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1106, 10 February 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Threshing mill hands in Canterbury are demanding to be paid Is 3i! .-in hour, and iiiid themselves.

'Some iiiL'ii fishing on the ueacl near Timaru on Saturday caught w shark measuring 10ft 6in in length.

We arc compelled-to hold over the .second ol' our series of articles -on the Kiwitci! Comity trip till to-morrow.

The Oakura Dairy Company (Taranaki) pays out £1055 16s 9d for January milk, as against £1345 13s 3d last yea1 , .

. Forty-one cases of . infectious disease were reported to the Auckland District Health Officer during the month of January from the city and suburbs.

A mob of 3000 store lambs, filling 'twenty-nine double-decked trucks, were railed from Palmerston South to Cheviot on Saturday for - MT 'Poter Drummond, of Lauriston.

The money market in Taranaki. is easier now than it has been for a considerable time (says the Taranaki News). It is stated that large sums will be available by April.

The Waikaro, which was wrecked on Dusky Sound on January 4, was sold at auction yesterday for £200 to Mi- J. K. Jamieson, of Invercargill.

The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph ai .'d) .has not qiiite recovered from his indisposition, but hopes to bo able to be about again in a day or two. He will probably go south early next week.

A consignment of twenty-three horses for harness purposes was forwarded to Nelson from Wellington by the Pateena yesterday. The consignors were Messrs Ho-ult and Sons, of Feilding

Mr William McCullough v— tor .of »-iser,^ts- rmei .jy-., member of'the Leg- , -I-SUwTve Council, will shortly leave on n tour of the world for the benefit of \\k health.

At the Magistrate's Court in Wanganui yesterday, A. H. Campbell was charged' with breaking an entering Levin and Co.'s store and stealing three hides. He was remanded till tho 17th inst.'

The M'angorei Co-operative Dairy Company will pay out to its suppliers on the 20tli- hist. £3484 15s 2d for January milk. The amount' for the corresponding month of last vearwas £3133 3s 4d.

■ The other day (says the Waipukurau Press) Mr O'Kane managed to secure a. splendid specimen of the bittern. The bird, which is quite young., was caught -close to the town, but how it came there is a mystery, bportsmen state that the species is very scarce in this district.

"Comet" writes in the Sydney Bulletin; Rumours of Ward's retirement from the M.-L, Premiership -are increasing. Heart trouble and doctors' advice are advanced in. one direction; in. another, the High Co-m----missionership and a baronetcy in England."

The Taianaki Centre of the Athletic Union decided last night that 24 athletes be disqualified in the running and field events at the recent unregistered meeting- of the 'Wanganui Caledonian' Society- The disqualification of five years imposed on Griffin was removed, it being a case of mistaken identity. \

Additional charges brought against William Williams, Secretary of the Iron and Brass Moulders' Union, allege the misappropriation by Him of £120 altogether from the Union funds. He appeared on remand m the Court ,to-day, when counsel intimated that a plea of guilty would be entered.

A further remand was granted. K.J. Scott, oF Stratford, champion « lustier of Australasia, has deposited a cheque for £50 "\i itli the editor of the New Zealand Times for a wrestling match with rTackenschmidt. Ar-li<-les have. hciMi signed for a maldi in Dmiedin, but Scott ilesiies. to v.'rostle in WVlliugLon now, as Llackenschmidt's. southern tour has been abandoned. The. preliminaries will be arranged td%iorrow. •

Entries for the Kiwitea Rifle Association meeting are up to former 'years, and a good day's outing is anticipated for Saturday. Refreshments will be obtainable on the range.

At the Horowhenua A; and P. Association's Show yesterday, Messrs Monckton and Fetch, the well known breeders of purebred pigs, were very successful with their exhibits, particularly in the Berkshire classes.

"The man or woman who depends on arbitration or conciliation to improve his or her industrial situation depends on a broken reed." said Mr McWilliams, bho Newcastle miners' delegate, speaking at Christchurch.

The luvercargill Native Land Court has been sitting for a week to ascertain the. native rights fto theftiuttonbird Islands. Last season's take of birds was valued at £12,000, which was divided amongst 300 persons.

If the following recent advertisement is anything but .sarcasm, there, should bo, a happy home somewhere for a domestic assistant: ""Wanted, a good general. No cooking or washing: every afternoon in the week off, .Sundays included ; private sittingroom ; dine with family; use of piano; good wages."

Mr J. K. Logan, 1.5.0., Superintendent of Telegraphs. Mr Buckley, Chief Electrician, and Mr It. M. Baird, Acting-Inspector of Telegraphs, are in Feilding to-day. Mr Baird is supervising the fitting up of the new Telephone. Exchange nero, which is based on the same system a& that of Wellington.

It is understood that Colonel 11. J. Collins, 1.5.0., who has been appointed Auditor-General, will be under the necessity of resigning Tiis position on the Council of Defence, as it is provided that the Auditor-General shall hold no other office of emolument or trust under the General Government.

Mr A. E. Ilivisoll, of Palmerston, who has for many years been a member of the General Committee of the Manawatu A. and P. Association, and who is among the twelve who annually retire from the committee, does not propose to .stand for re-election this year, as in the course of a few months he will be paying an extended visit to the Old Country.

There is a very luxuriant growth on the- Taieri Plain's (Otago) this season,

and dairying men, as well as owners of fat stock] are said to be prospering. The "cow cheques'' average ovm iifper cow per month, and one small herd of 15 averaged £2 l.s 6d for the month of December. The owner of this lot reckons upon taking £15 per head from his cows for the year.

This, however, includes his anticipated returns from pigs which are fed on separated milk tnkon back from the factory, topped off with crushed grain. Writing of the oyster season, the Bluff correspondent of the Otago Daily times says: J. have already pointed out that the bivalve is not at present m its best state for market purposes, fne same thing was noticeable towards the end of the past season-- indeed, 'the. defect, both before .and after the season, has been more or less apparent for some years back. The remedy is obvious. The season, as fixed, opens too early, and does not close again early enough. A month later as regards the opening and at least two weeks earlier as regards the closing is recommended/ An infuriated woman named Dolly iveeber created a scene at the Central Police Court in Sydney. She was

charged with being drunk, and Sergeant Mac key remarked that she should be placed under medical examination, as she appeared to be .siifleriug from tho effects of repeated intoxication. "Liar," screamed the woman several, times. She leaned over tho .solicitors' table and picked up a large inkpot, and hurled it at the sergeant. Tho ink splashed over everything, but the bulk of it struck the sergeant's white helmet. She was promptly seized, and carried fiiihtinoto the cells.

Says the: N.Z. Herald: The niaiuilaoturing of bogus messages from the sea should be recognised us criminal We do not hesitate to punish the altogether minor offender who calls out the lire brigade lor a ■■joke," which at worst is only stupid and eurails nothing more- than extra work. Yet maritime peoples, whose kith and kin arc constantly in peril on the sea, appear to have no way of punishing those who deliberately mock and inis~lead the life-saving energies of nations, arousing thereby false hopes and renewed grief in the bereaved lo regard such incidents as mciv practical jokes which the law cannot take notice- of is passing beyond thelimits ot toleration.

lhe (arm attached to Lincoln College is ißn acres in extent, unci varies hi quality—light land ovev]yiir»■shingle, 100 acres: good strong'medium land, 300 acres;"strong stiff soil, about 100 acres; and the- balance of deep nch land of highest capacity, lhe scheme of cropping for 1909 was as follows: Whe-at 131 acres oats lO'>acres, oats and wheat 19 acres, oats and vetches 6 acres, rape and mus(l9oß crop) 26 acres, mangels 16 acn\s, turnips 20 acres, potatoes 2 acres peas 12 acres, self-sown oats 24 acres' Italian ryegrass first year 98 acres! .second, third and permanent pastures acres orchard, plantations, and grounds <to acres.

l.be man who lias his wealth muinlv in land necessarily is the least dangerous of nil rich men. Ho is lareeiy immobile; his property is visible ami it he does anything hurtful to the state, or fails to carry out liis responsibilities, there i s his 'property to come down upon. Through his land 10 can always be got at. The land ■sa constant hostage for his good naii the State has no hold. He «m m-ol w and live where he likes, tie can enjoy his income without any regard to his neighbours or loi Jinn, he can invest in foreign sesTi 1 , !-?l S n 'i d - (uit tho iunsdiction.Saturday Review. The English mai.Lha.s aspill -t~ : >H~ ZiaWfs'er'Vice at bydnoy, and no mail arrived by the steamer from Sydney yesterday (say,, Monday's Herald). In consequence of this occurrence, the New Zealand public has to wait in some )arts or the Dominion almost a week Jierorc they can get the English mail. Ihe monotony of tliis missed connec- | tion js becoming wearisome, and it is I quite time jthat something definite was done to remedy what is a source ot great disappointment and annoyance. Owing to the mail havinn- missed again this week, it will be Wednesday before it reaches ■Wellington by the s.s. Moeraki, and it will not o*f ocursc. get to Auckland until Thiirsday.

The virtues of tho apple have often been extolled by enthusiastic reformers. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away is so old a proverb that it is almost forgotten; and the delectable fruit has had claimed for it special virtues in the cure of rheumatism and allied complaints. Among recent convertsto the cult of the«pple (says the Christchurch Press) is a S ai V'£ £ recen % visited Tasmania. He left New Zealand almost a cripple suffering very .much from rheumatic gout. 10-day he has discarded his erstwhile necessary second walkingstick, and looks far irounger and better than before his holiday. The rheumatic gout has completely ] e ft him, and he ascribes the cure'to his Jiaving eaten quantities of apples during' Ins six months 7 stay in Tasmania

funeral of the late John Thomas Thompson, of Mangaonoho, took place yesterday at the Himterville cemea large number of residents showing the esteem in which deceased was held by taking oart in the cortege, Mr Thompson was a son-in-law of Mr Towler, of' Feilding, having married his second daughter, and he leaves a widow and nine children. He used to live in Feilding, but some years ago took up a farm at Manqnonoho. Tt appears that Jie was driving a dray and three horses with a I load of wheat, and must have fallen off on the hill above Mangaonoho going , to Mr Dalziell's place. The wheel passed right along his body, and owing to the henvy load in the dray ho was dreadfully mangled. Mr and Mrs Thompson are highly respected in tho district, and general resret was expressed at the untimely death of such a capable settler at the early age of 43.

Ihe Manchester Rifles will hold a , parade this evening, when it is hoped ' there will be a large muster, in view | of Lord Kitchener's inspection. Those ! members who intend competing at ' Cheltenham on Saturday must defi- ' nitely give their names in to-night. Some of the rye-grass crops in the South Hillend district are reported by the Southland Times to be parti- ' cularly good this season, and the paddock on Mr Thomas Hazlett, junr.'s, farm should yield between 90 and 100 bushels to the acre. Ragwort is very prevalent in Gore, and the iieigTib'ourhoo't], and it is reported that several horses and cows have died there from "Wintoir' disease, caused through eating the weed. Along the River ton road hundreds of acres are overrun with the pest, which seems to be about the oniv vegetation that flourishes. Amidst a blaze of yellow bloom it is possible to discern only small patches of grass. ' . A Queensland correspondent writes: Immigrants are coming into the country at the rate of"about 500 a month, with small batches of settlors from different parts of the world. Railways are being rapidly pushed out, .settlement is going forward at an accelerated speed, there is ©very prospect of a large sugar crop, and in the pastoral districts the chief anxiety \s how to dispose of the herds and flocks which arc increasing so rapidly. , In order to prevent the destruction of the bridges in the Pakuivatahi district by fires lighted by picnic parties, the Hutt County Council has found it necessary to place a" man in charge of the structures at nighttime during: the summer months. On two occasions one of the largest bridges has been nearly burned down through pleasure-seekers lighting fares under them for the purpose or brewing tea ! A young athletic American, Mr Dravil Trawets, has arrived in Wellington from Nelson to commence a cycle ride through the North Island. He covered a thousand miles on the wheel in the South Island, and liar, a very ambitious cycling programme ahead of him, for he. is engaged on a rule around the world for a prize of £3000, offered by the Mayor of Turin, Italy. 1-|o has to visit nearly every country in the world during ;i period of five .years, and must livo entirely upon his own resources. By the mail were received particulars of the consecration of Rev. Ohas. as Suffragan Bishop of Derby. I\fr Abraham is'only son of the lute Bishop Abraham (first Hishop of Wellington), and is a native of the city. Many old rvew Zoalanders in England ivere present at the consecration, and felt much interest in the event. This is the second instance of father and son following each other in this respect, bishop belwyn's son, Rev. John Selwyn, became, a bishop after his father. A young man named Murcott, a visitor to New Plymouth, has complained to the police that he was sand-bagged or attacked by some .similar means on Monday "evening whilst passing down St. James , Lane on his way to the Taranaki Hotel, where ho was staying. Ho had been at the Theatre Royal during the evening, and when passing down the right-of-way was knocked down. Ho fell down, stunned, and upon coining io he found that ho had been robbed of over £7. He managed to struggle along to his hotel .and informed the liooiwe. .Mr Tuthill. of the attack.

The. extent of the knowledge relating to Australia and New Zealand possessed by some British people is aptly shown by two incidents which came under the notice of Miss Talbot, secretary of the Victoria League, in one <ase-, a. Now Zealand lady brought her boy to school in England, and one day the child was approached by a school fellow. "Say, how long have, you been in England?" "Throe weeks/' 5 replied the New Zealandor. "'Oh." said the English hoy, "how on earth did you learn the Endish language so quickly?" It- is well known that the Maori mutton-birders have a method of preserving their catches, without smoking or salting, to last for years, and in nothing more than their ingenious kits, winch are made thoroughly airtight. An tnstance of the effectiveness of this means of'preservation came under notice recently when ■! couple of Maori visitors asked a Wellington fishmonger if he had "any to mutton-bird- , from last season ' V search resulted in the discovery of an unopened kit of the birds asfrosh a.? they were when placed in the kit ten months ago. The birds were then cooked m native fashion by special request.

lhe .Southland News was recently shown a remarkably good imitation ol a half-crown. On first appearance tiie spurious com would have passed unnoticed, so exact were the features but a test by ringing, and the judicious use of a pocket-knife, revealed tho iact that instead of being worth 2s 6d it had an intrinsic worth of about 6d. It wae a silver-plated copper-lead alloy, but- the impressions on both sides were, beyond perhaps a slightly less clear lettering, perfect, while the size absolutely exact. The date k 18/5. There are several circulating in Dunedin and Christ church, it'isiinilerslood, the coins having come, it k thought, from Australia.