LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 112, 4 September 1896, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to the impediments caused by the recent heavy rains along the line the Wellington express was an hour and a half late last evening. The trains this morning ran to time. There is a probability of a certain lady in Hastings seeking the support of the ratepayers at the next Borough Council election. The influence of a lady's society might have the effect of improving the manners of one of our City Fathers in his dealings with the press and the public. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Hastings Literary and Debating Society will take place on Tuesday next the Bth inst., in the Borough Council Chambers, when the Question " Should women be allowed to enter the learned professions ?" will be discussed. Mr Harper in the affirmative and Mr Darvall in the negative. The Society has evidently filled a long felt *yant as there are now seventy members enrolled, including a number of ladies. Mr A. E. Haggen, editor of 1 pie has announced himself as i 1 e for Wellington suburbs,

The amateurs met at the Theatre last night and went through the opera with hardly a liitch. The public may look forward to a geuuine treat oil tha 29th. Mr MacKenzie's grand popular concert which is billed for to-night at the Princess is postponed until Friday next on account of the heavy rain at present prevailing throughout the district. At the Council meeting last night Cr Crosse called the attention of that body to the inconvenience members suffered by not having a sufficient number of the borough officers' and sub-committees' reports to go around amongst them. As a consequence members very often had not a sufficient knowledge of the matters under discussion and the business suffered. He suggested that copies be printed. The complaint of Cr Crosse is most reasonable, and one in which he is joined by the press, who are placed at a great disadvantage by not having the reports before them for reporting purposes. A meeting of a very interesting nature was held at tbe Wesleyan Church last evening, when the Rev W. Morley, President of the Wesleyan Conference of Australasia gave some particulars of Mission work in New Zealand, both among the Maoris and Europeans. He told us that when the first colonists lauded on our shores there were from 150,000 to 200,000 Maoris and now there are about 40,000. It is about seventy-five years ago since the first Wesleyan missionaries came here. The first district meeting of the the Wesleyans was held in Auckland in 1864, but the Rev. Mr Buddie labored among the Natives at Three Kings in 1842. Examples were given of the good work done among the Natives from Auckland to the Bluff. There are some faithful Native missionaries; the old chief who died at Waikato last year told his people to come back to Christ, accept the British rule and authority and do rightly. It appears that the Wesleyans spend nearly £IOOO every year in Maori work. The European work is also very important, and he gave some thrilling examples of faithful work done among Europeans by our early pioneer settlers, and the good work is still being carried on. There are various ways devised to help this fund known as the Home Mission Fund, among them the •' Birthday League." Several members -—about 30—were enrolled at the meeting. The idea of the League is that at every return of birthday the event is commemorated by a subscription of not less than one shilling to the Home Mission Fund. In this way nearly £IOO was subscribed in the colony. The age is not given, simply the name and date of birthday written on neat little cards for the purpose. The total expenditure for the year was £2790, and the income £2670. Altogether many encouraging features were given of this work. The following interesting paragraph is from a recent issue of the Daily Chronicle (London) : —Teetotal drinks had rather a bad time on Wednesday before the Licensing Commission. Mr Banister, the expert of Somerset House, began on teetotal sherry, which contained bisulphide of soda or salicyclic acid —a very unpalatable drink, said Mr Banister, which no honest soul would enjoy as a beverage. These strange compounds are put in to prevent fermentation. But herb beer, which is left to look after itself, is a perfect demon among teetotal drinks. Ordinary beer must not contain more than two per cent of proof spirit. ' The spirit' said Mr liannister, ' was developed generally by fermentation, and without the knowiedga, or intention "of the manufacturer, who was usually innocent in the matter.' As to parsnip beer,. Mr Caine elicited the stupifying fact that it contains 13-7 per cent more alcohol than public-house beer. ' Sweet' or made wine again contains as much alcohol as ordinary port or sherry. Realty, it is terrible, and to think that we would all of us have our old age pensions on a handsome scale if Chancellors of the Exchequer had only charged the teetotallers with their proper excise. Neil's Corn Cube 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. 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 Pepperment Cure.—Advt.