LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 80, 29 July 1896, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On our fourth page to-day appears correspondence, New Zealand telegrams, n sporting reminiscence, and other items. Nothing further has transpired as to the boily of the infant found oil Monday evening. The police are diligently engaged in making enquiries, but it is understood that no clue has been found to solve the mystery. A circular has been distributed amongst the Maori population by their leaders instructing them how and for whom to vote at the forthcoming elections for the Maori Parliament. Now that roller-skating has caught on in Hastings scoros of people will be interested in knowing that the Princess Theatre will be open to lovers of the pa - time this evening. At the Court House this morning there was an informal sitting in the matter of the Arawera Block, in order to endeavor to arrive at some satisfactory arrangement. The decision will not he final, but must be submitted to the Native Court for its sanction. Captain Blake represented tjie Native interests, and Mr Gill appeared for the Government. The wrestling match between Hall and Brightwell which is advertised to take place at the Princess Theatre to-morrow evening should prove most attractive to lovers of that sport. Popular opinion greatly favors Hall, who, by the way, for two years held (Cumberland style) the light weight championship of England, and has held the 11 stone championship of New Zealand since his arrival in this colony seven years ago. Hall is of Scotch birth and extraction. Brightwell is a young and promising wrestler, of New Zealand birth, and has on many occasions taken the laurels of victory. This is the first time the contestants have met, and the backers on either side seem sanguine. Those of our readers who take an interest in this sport should not miss the opportunity of ! witnessing what promises to be a keenly | contested and scientific exhibition. The prices of admission are 2s and Is. i The first meeting of the Hastings Literary and Debating Society, which was held in the Council Chambers last evening, | was largely attended. Mr A. McCorkindale was voted to the chair. The election I of officers resulted as follows :—President, Mr S. Pattison; Vice-presidents, Messrs j Tyerman, White, and O'Brien ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr . McLean; Committee, Messrs Hunt, Arnott, Darvall, ; McCorkindale, and Sutherland. Rules and regulations were considered, and after , discussion adopted. It was decided that j the subscription be 2s 6d for the term, ' and that the sessions last from the first : week in May till October. After the routine business had been disposed of Mr Pattison opened in the affirmative a debate ! " Should ladies be admitted as members of the Society." Mr Tyerman appeared | for the negative, and an interesting and at times amusing discussion resulted in favor of Mr Pattison's contention by a large majority. Judging by the speeches at the initial meeting the Society possesses a deal of debating talent, and the success of the institution is assured. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Matthew's Church took place in the Schoolroom last night, the Rev. Mr Hobbs presiding. The attendance was good. The balance sheet presented showed a reduction of the bank overdraft from .£96 to .£4B, and this now constitutes the only liability. The ordinary revenue for the year was £5Ol. The following officers were appointed: —Minister's churchwarden, Mr J. N. Williams; people's churchwarden, Mr C. A. Fitzßoy; vestry, Messrs Beilby, Brathwaite, Hunt, Fritchley, i Leonard, Long, Morgan, Philson, G. W. Roach, and R. Wellwood- Mr A. Tickner was re-elected auditor. On the motion of Mr Beilby, seconded by Mr Thornton, it was resolved, " That this parish endorses the Bishop's imitation to the Rev. Edwin Allanson, and that it endeavor to make suitable preparation in # view of the parochial mission to be .preached by him." On the motion of Mr Morgan, seconded by Mr Sam Ridgway, it was resolved " That it be a strong recommendation to the incoming vestry to take necessary steps towards moiing the school-room on to the church property." On the motion of Mr Beilby it was resolved, " That this meeting affirm the principle of women's right to vot# at parish meetings, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the president of the Diocesan Synod." It was resolved on Mr Leonard's motion, " That in the opinion of this meeting contributions to the Church Society might suitably be received by special envelope through their offertory, and forwarded by the vestry to the Diocesan treasurer," The business concluded with votes of thanks to the members of the out-going vestry, the auditor, the Sunday school teachers, the choirmaster aod the choir.

The Native Land Court is again engaged to-day in Pouliawa. A host of legal talent is engaged. Mr W. Y. Dennett sells at his auction mart to-morrow afternoon furniture, blankets, saddlery, &c. It is calculated that it will, cost £12,000 to restore the Lower Manawatu Gorge Bridge, whic.h was washed away by the flood. The damage done at the Kopua viaduct has been repaired, and through commuriifcion with Wellington was resumed yesterday. We beg to acknowledge the receipt from the Postal Department of the Post and Telegraph Handbook, ahandy compendium of useful information, neatly compiled. An incident of the Debating Society meeting is worth recording. A member had moved the insertion of a lengthy clause in one of the rules under discussion, when another speaker suggested that the mover should shorten his " clause." The latter rose indignantly, saying the reference was a personal one, and he failed to see why his " claws" should be shortened. Another wag moved that the words a3 spoken be taken down. The Hawera Dairy Factory has just received returns for two shipments of cheese, which have realised the highest prices of the season, viz., 445. The cheese is reported as being the finest ever received from New Zealand. Some sensation has been caused in Masterton in consequence of a report that a number of children were suffering from diseases contracted through the consumption of impure milk. Mr Park, Government "Veterinarian, came up the latter end of last week to investigate the matter. He visited several dairies, and reports that altogether they are in a disgusting condition. Many of the cows are suffering from ulcerated teats, and the conditions altogether are anything but conducive to general health. Writes the Masterton correspondent of the New Zealand Times : —A girl named Lena Satette, who, it will be remembered, was recently discovered working as a man in a brickyard near Wellington, was arrested on Saturday on a charge of vagI rancy. The girl, who had been here only a few days, endeavoured to find work as a domestic, but failed. On Saturday she attired herself in men's clothing and applied to the secretary of the local Benevolent Society for work. The secretary referred her to the police, who arrested her on a charge of vagrancy. The Magistrate let her off on condition that she returned to her friends in Wellington. The Benevolent Fund in connection with St. Matthew's Church consists of moneys raised by members of the church by means of entertainments, public subscription, and moneys given in trust for special expenditure, the whole being controlled by the Rev. J. Hobbs. An audited balance-sheet shews the manner in which this money was distributed in local charities during the past year, and the administrator must be congratulated upon the judicious uses to which he has devoted the funds. The balance-sheet shows the receipts at £ll2 4s Bd, which has been expended in paying bank overdraft, in groceries, firewood, bread, medicines, blankets, nursing the sick, ambu. lance and travelling, wine and brandy (medicinal), support of girls under special care, work given to men, money lent to those in temporary need, money gifts to the poor, a poor widow's support for twelve months, telegrams, stationery, and postage, and interest on overdraft, leaving a balance in the Bank of New Zealand of £6 5s lid. Although the fund is in the strict sense a Church of England charity, I Mr Hobbs in administering it never troubles himself with the creed of a deserving applicant. 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 * torekeepers.—Advt. 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 Tonic, 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 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. " Drunkenness is not a sin—simply an excess of conviviality," says a thirsty philosopher. " Nothing like a good skinful of whisky for a bad cold." Don't you belive it, my friends, take that unfailing remedy, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure for one shilling and sixpence.—Advt.