LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 69, 16 July 1896, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Fire Brigade social, which was to have been held last evening, fell through owing to the sparse patronage on the part of the members. There appears to-day in our 'advertising columns nil important announcement by Mr H. AV. Briggs, of Pahiatua, in connection with an application for the validation of the transfers of the Waihingaliinga Block by the owners thereof. At the inquest on Reginald Blonberg at "Woodville yesterday, a verdict was returned that deceased took his life while in a state of temporary insanity. So far there have only been two frosts in Taranaki this winter, and those so mild that no injury has been done to the young crops. The season's grass is reported to be already six inches high. The Kinetoscope has been going at such an extraordinary rate since its arrival in Hastings that the supply of battery force has run out, and the management announces that after 5 o'clock this afternoon there will be no display until to-morrow. The phonograph will, however, continue right on, and visitors may take their choice from nearly a hundred records. The search for the body of Mr Lawson, who met with a tragic death while crossing the Pohangina River on the train lately, has been continued, but so far no trace whatever of the body can be found. Statistics prove that, of 3896 convicts in the State Penitentiary of Texas, there is not a printer or a newspaper man, while there are ministers, doctors, bankers, barbers, photographers, barkeepers, cooks, and members of most professions and callings. Something like a record in penalties was achieved at the Quarter Sessions, Newcastle, recently, when a young man named John o'Grady, who at one time promised to be a first-class boxer, was sentenced to one minute's imprisonment for abducting a girl aged fourteen years and one month, and afterwards marrying her. Exhibited in Messrs Land and Heighway's window are two oil paintings from the brush of our well-known local artist, Mr L. J. Houston. One canvas represents Mousquetaire, the handsome son of Nordenfeldt and Frailty, and the other the Arab stallion Star of India, the property of Sir Robert De Conyngham. Both pictures are life-like, and reflect the greatest credit on the talented artist. The ladies' leap-year dance, which was held in the Oddfellows' Hall last niglit, was successful from every point of view. About twenty-five couple gathered together, and the enjoyment was intense until the breaking up. To the committee, and especially to Miss Seally, tlxe honorary secretary, who was a tower of strength, is due the success of the dance. Refreshments were handed round during the interval, and the music was supplied by Messrs Stanley and Johnson*

Correspondence appears on our fourth page. A reward is offered to the finder of a brown leather hand-bag, containing purses, card fase, keys, &c. The proceedings at the Native Land Court are attracting a good deal of attention, and scores of Maories are in town again to-day. A spirited young mare caused a fall in meat this afternoon, a butcher's cart coming into collision with the pavement alongside the Carlton Club Hotel. Little damage was done. At the Native Land Court this morning Poukawa was taken. Twenty six separate claims were set up. .Judge Mair adjourned the case till to-morrow morning to allow the claimants to join their cases. The birth rate per 1000 in New Zealand for the year 1895 was 26'78. Ten years ago it was 33"15, and it has steadily declined ever since. - The number of marriages per 1000 of population in 1895 was 5'94 ; in 1886 it was 5"99. The postal authorities are now erecting a central post at the corner of Heretaunga street and Railway road for distributing wires through the borough in connection with the proposed local telephone service. Under the new arrangements Hastings will have a bureau of its own, the subscription being £1 entrance fee and £o per annum, but the service will be strictly local, and will only be available during office hours, namely, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and 7 until 8 p.m., and if a subscriber desires to communicate with Napier he is charged 6d for each conversation lasting live minutes or a fraction of that time. The new regulations do not in any way interfere with the present holders of telephones communicating with Napier, as those telephones belong to the Napier Bureau, but on the expiration of the contract, which we believe has still some two years to run, it will not be renewed. The annual general meeting of the members of the Athenaeum was held last evening, about twenty being present. Mr B. Brathwaite occupied the chair. The honorary secretary, Mr J. 8. Macarthur, presented his report. During the year the building had been repainted and several necessary improvements effected. Thirty new members had joined, and the members subscriptions had increased by £23. After discharging all liabilities and providing for the management, the outgoing committee leave a debit balance of £3 9s 6d, which, with cash in hand £5 4s, leaves the institution on a fairly firm financial basis. It was a matter for congratulation that, notwithstanding the year's disbursements having been so exceedingly heavy, the committee were able to present such a satisfactory balancesheet. On the motion of Mr Tyerman a hearty vote of thanks to the officers and outgoing committee was passed. It was decided to hold a plain and fancy dress ball early next month, in order to raise funds to provide the library with new works. The following officers and committee were appointed for the ensuing year: —President, Captain IJussell; vicepresident, Mr It. Brathwaite ; cemmittee, Messrs Darvall, Tipping, Russell, Holroyd, Webb,- and Tyerman. Mr J. S. Macarthur was re-elected to the position of honorary secretary. A writer in a Sydney paper, complaining of the hard driving round corners, is reminded that about eleven years ago a similar state of affairs existed in Chicago. Every day some one was knocked down and injured or killed, the drivers always making off at full speed to avoid recognition, and the law seemed powerless v One day, as Attorney Digby was crossing Lake Avenue, a sulky came round the corner at full speed and the wheel shaved him. The driver hurled a curse at him, and Digby returned the compliment by pitching two revolver bullets into the horse, fetching him down and nearly killing the driver. The idea " cottoned on," and for the next week every street in Chicago had its test match of shooting irons versus horse-flesh. Anyhow, when the writer left, in Chicago they didn't drive round the corners at full swing, but generally sent a small boy ahead to see if the coast was clear. Stop that Cough by taking Neil's Balm of Gilead, a positive cure for coughs, colds, chronic bronchitis, influenza, &c. In large bottles at 2s 6d, at Neil's Botanic Dispensary, Emerson street, Napier, and all leading storekeepers.—Advt. Neil's Celebrated Liver Toxic, a pure botanic remedy for all affections of the liver, biliousness, jaundice, yellowness of the skin, indigestion, &c. In bottles, 2s and 2s 6d, at Neil's Botanic Dispensary, Emerson street, Napier, and all leading storekeepers.—Advt. Neil's Compound Sarsaparilla. A household medicine for purifying the blood and toning up the system. In large bottles at 2s 6d at Neil's Dispensary, Emerson street, Napier, and all leading storekeepers.—Advt. Neil's Corn Cure removes either hard or soft Corns. A few applications only necessary. Is per bottle at Neil's Dispensary, Emerson street, Napier, and all leading storekeepers.—Advt It's a fact, says a well-known Christchurch divine the other day, to a friend, that Cough Mixture, called Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, is the very best thing for throat Irritation and Cough I have ever taken ; I notice all the Grocers and Chemists keep it —a never failing remedy. Wholesale Agents, N.Z. Drug Co.—Advt.