LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 109, 1 September 1896, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

When all expenses are paid the promoters of the Catholic Social expect to net the respectable sum of £45. Owner of one mare and two ponies, which strayed into a paddock in King street, may have same by paying expenses to W. R. Kessell. The local rinking champion, Mr H. Sollitt, has been challenged by Mr J. Hayto a 3-mile skating contest at the Columbia Rink to-morrow night, which has been accepted. As the men are splendid skaters, and as both are confident of victory, a keenly contested race should result. These events excite great interest, and there is certain to be a big attendance. The Supreme Court sittings commence at Napier on Tuesday next. There is one Hastings case, that of John Neilson, for assault with intent to do grevious bodilyharm. Statistics prove that married people live longer than single, and those who have to work for their living will usually outlast those who do not. People of middle size live longer than those of larger or small physique. At Hornsby, New South Wales, Mrs T. Foster was bitten on the finger by a brown snake recently. While picking tip some wood she picked up the snake unnoticed. When it bit her she immediately ran for an axe and chopped her finger off. The Hastings Band instruments were inspected last night by the trustees (Messrs Maddison, Tyerman, and Goldsmith) who expressed themselves highly satisfied with the manner in which Mr Heyder, of Christchurch had repaired them. They are now almost as good as new. In handing over the instruments to the members, Mr Tyerman said he hoped they would take care of them, and in referring to the coming Art Union (the proceeds of which are to pay for the instruments), he felt sure that'the residents of Hastings would give the band every assistance in making it a financial success. The well known artesian well sinker, Mr W. Clarke, of this town, announces his business card in this issue. The thorough and efficient manner in which Mr Clarke performs the work which he undertakes is so well known and he himself is so ultimately identified with Hastings and the surrounding district as to require little comment at our hands. He possesses an extensive plant, and his long practical experience in his business has rendered his boring operations, which are always carried out under his personal supervision, invariably successful. A contract has just been concluded for Mr Melville, of the Flat, supplying from a shingle bed an abundant service of clear clean water, which spurts from a 2-inch pipe at a pressure sufficient to throw a jet 19 feet into the air. Wells have been sunk by Mr Clarke all over the district, and as he holds the confidence of the public his business, which is already extensive, is increasing daily. Beautiful New Zealand! The land overflowing with the buttermilk and applesauce of prosperity—produces anything and everything, such as petticoat government, unemployed, and coughs and colds veritably; but that's not a drawback, they can be cured in every form by taking Woods' Great Peppenaent Cure,— Adyt.

The new committee of the Bowling Club met yesterday and appointed the following sub-committees: —Ground Committee—Messrs Haszard and Ellis ; Recreation Committee Messrs Maddison, Newbigan, Goldsmith, and Reynolds. Mr Ellis was appointed delegate to the Northern Bowling Association. The Club expects to start playing about the middle of October. Dunedin schoolboys have invented a new game. They play at " Banking Inquiry." Half a dozen kids represent the Coinmitte, another boy is the Sergeant-at-Arms, and another poses a3 "Watson." A fence-paling does duty for the Bar of the House, and after Watson has been called to the Bar and declined to say his catechism, he is fined 500 marbles. " Watson" is regarded as the " star" part, and everyone wants to fill the role.— Exchange. A well-known traveller residing not a hundred miles from Invercargill was met the other evening on his arrival at a Western township by a deputation who mistook him for a well-advertised temperance lecturer who was expected the same evening to hold forth on " the evils of strong drink." After a hearty greeting Mr invited the deputation into the hotel to have a " taste" before going to the hall. This they declined, saying " There is plenty there." Now the Prohibitionists are nervously asking what this last remark means.