LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1674, 19 December 1911, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Lambs are very backward in the Masterton district this year. -

Tho Marama, and AYimmera will probably be within wireless range of Wellington this evening. Farmers in Masterton district arc now engaged sowing turnip and rape crops. The friends of Mr J. A'Court, Sandon, will regret to learn that he has been taken seriously ill. _ Tho R.M.S. Aorangi left San Francisco last AVednesday with 44-2 bags of mail matter for Now Zealand and 406 bags for Australia. No fewer than 200- swaggers were accommodated with bed and meals on ono Masterton station during a recent fortnight. The dehorning of cows, which is recommended as a preventive of injury in tho milking yard, is an offence in England, though it is permitted in Scotland.

A larger number of learners have occupied the shearing boards iv the Masterton district 'this year than in any previous season in the history of the wool industry.

A number of Masterton settlers who consigned their sheep last year to the London market are selling straight-out to tho freezing companies •this season.

' Miss Philip Morgan, of Brecon, is to bo presented with a testimony in recognition of the fact that she is the first lady in AVales to occupy tho position of mayor. She completes her year of ofiieo next week.

Tho first wool salo of the season will bo held in Dunedin to-day. Owing to the wet weather during tho past six or seven weeks, only 51)67 bales will bo offering, as against 8072 bales at the opening sale last year.

The banks will bo closed in Feilding, as in all other parts of the Dominion, next Monday, Tuesday, and AVeducsday (Christmas holidays) and on the following Monday and Tuesday (Now Year holidays).

r lhe London Express says that the New Zealand Government has just purchased for tho National Art Gallery at Dunedin the well-known picture by Mr Fred Roe, R. 1., entitled "The Night Before Trafalgar," which which was exhibited at tho Royal Academy in 1908.

The Hon. J. A. Millar, in a speech before .the general election, hinted that he might become Premier. Tho Dunedin Star_now says editorially that "the signal victory of the Minister of Railways, taken in conjunction with some other indications of public feeling, points to a likelihood that at no very distant date Ire may realise the honourable ambitions to which ho recently alluded."

In reference to .the benefits of technical education, Mr T. McPhillips, chairman of the AVaimntc AVest County Council, at Thursday's meeting expressed -regret that so many people as yet failed to grasp the importance of technical education, which he said, combined with practical experience, enabled a person to arrive at results years before he would be able to reach them by the. aid of practical experience alone.

Ernest Reid, aged 41, headmaster of the Moonah (Tasmania) School, whilst instructing a class by illustrations on a blackboard, dropped dead last week. Dr. Isabel O-rmiston, Departmental Medical Inspector, happoncd to bo entering tho school at the time, but, after a short examination, sho found life was extinct. Tho ■deceased had been teaching for 2b' years.

It was again notieeablo on Thursday (says tho Christchurch Press) that a very considerable number of aged people recorded their votes. Quito a large proportion of them, fortified o*y a sturdy independence, walked to and from tho pollingbooths. At one booth an old lady of 92 turned up, and cast hor voto with the experienco of a veteran of tho franchise. It was remarked that people like these aro an object lesson -to many of tho younger generation, /who languidly inform canvassers that they will vote if a motor car is sent for them.

"A recent shipment of Australian mutton to Switzerland created a jnild sensation among those who claim to have a knowledgo of meat," writes a correspondent to a London paper. "The carcases in question were considered to be the finest over seen bthese experts. They went off like hot cakes v At Netichatel, butchers have reduced the price of beef ■20 cents per kilogram. The frozen meat is shifting things, and the shops in which it is being retailed are chokefull of customers, a good many having often to stand in tho street awaiting their returns." This is an age of advertising. AVo cannot do business successfully without it. Recently (says a writer in Leslie's AVeekly), when the Chicago papers stopped publication for three days, business in the city stores'was practically at a standstill. I remember when certain large ;establishments in New York boasted that they did not advertise, \pr . said that a satisfied cvs J omer was the best advertiser. Tiffany, Brokaw Bros., and other well-known houses did not advertise ; but they do to-day. and so doea every largo concern. " In' those days the merchant sold his goods over the counter, and the manufacturer sent out his salesman, but today people buy the goods which they want and which they know something about because of the information given by the advertisements.. •

Air Frank Eyre, who was well known in Feilding for some years as the highly successful coach of the Feilding Thirds football team, vas a visitor to Feilding to-day. Air Eyre is looking very well, and r&poi _ that ho has had a good time with the football juniors of Hawke's Bay.

Air Wm. A. Mills, of the Feilding branch of tne Bank of Australasia, has been 'transferred to Rotorua. He leaves for liis-"new sphere of duties by to-morrow's Auckland express.

Air Charles V. Roberts-, Clerk of die Court at Feilding, left on his annual leave of three weeks yesterday, going to the Auckland district. During lr.s absence Mr Thomas Nichola-s will act as deputy-clerk, having been appointed to that position.

In the course of a false pretences case heard hy Mr R. S. Florance, S.M., in Blenheim last week, one oi' the .witnesses, a shearer, was asked ■why ho took up work on a Marlborough station under tlie assumed name. Ho replied that wiicn he arrived in. DJenheim he was prepared to give his proper name, but was told by •somo fellow-workers that it was no-. the pructico among shearers from other parts to work under their own name. The reason of this custom did ■not transpire.

The 'gold nugget valued at £20, which was drawn for at the Cargill Road Kindergarten building fund bazaar art union (says the Dunedin Star) has found an owner in a resident of South Dunedin near the Kindergarten. It seems that the winner had purchased two tickets and lost them. Sho decided, however, to buy another at the door of tlie Art Gallery, and tho ticket so purchased, by a happy stroke of fortune, proved to bo tho winning number. We are advised that tlie second prize, a valuable Japanese portiere given by Airs W. H. Rcwnolds, is still unclaimed (No.- 514).

Sir George Reid, High Commisisoner for the Australian Commonweal, h. writes to the "'London Express" to correct the misleading statements in a pamphlet which seeks to discourage emigration to Australia and New Zealand, on the ground that '"'compulsory military service, alias conscription, is enforced for all males between twelvo and fifty-Hvo years of age." "To speak of the new defence"'organisation as conscription in "Ilk* Continental sense is supremely ridiculous," says Sir George. "It can bo said practically not to interfere at all with industrial life." Sir- George chows that the training for the citizen forces is only sixteen whole-day drills, and for tho naval, artillery, and engineer forces twenty-five whole day drills. Moreover, the Act does not apply to any person who had reached tlie ago of eighteen on January 1 last.

A syndicate has been formed at i_okau "for the purpose of 'placing a house-boat on the river for the convenience of tourists and these who enjoy ihe picnic parties on the water (says the Taranaki News). She will ho 40ft. long, with a 7ft. beam, and guaranteed to draw no more than Oin. with a three-ton load. She will be fitted with two 10 h.p. oil-engines which will give her a speed of ten miles, and will be tunnel built and havo twin screws. The seats-*-may be removed to make way for cargo or be converted into sleeping bunks. She will bo able to carry about forty passengers, and the deck will be covered with an awning. The vessel is being built with a jarrah bottom and kauri sides, and will be installed with electric light, with head and searchlights for travelling at.night. It is expected that she will bo on the river in time for the holiday season. The enterprise will be the means of the coast being connected with the King Country and the AVaitonio Caves. An ideal trip for tourists will be from New Plymouth over Mount Messenger to Mokau by motor car, thence up the river to Totoro, and on to AVaitonio. It is expected the enterprise will prove of service in opening up settlement in the Mokau.