LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 143, 12 October 1896, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Hastings Brass Rand turned out on Saturday night, and enlivened the main street by its strains. A quantity of correspondence and an article referring to the Press Association appear on our fourth page to-day. Quoting the remarks made by the Rev J. Hobbs on the liquor question, the "Wairarapa Star refers to the reverend gentleman as " one of the greatest moral clergymen of the colony." Two respectable-looking men named Dave Ross and J. Flanagan were to day arrested by the police on a charge of vagrancy. The denouement is awaited with considerable interest. St. Matthew's Church was yesterday draped in mourning in memory of the late Mrs "Williams. Rev. J. Ilobbs preached an eloquent and impressive sermon, and appropriate hymns were sung. The Pollard Opera Company left this morning by the 9.50 train for Napier, where they open to-night in Rip Van "Winkle. There were quite a throng of the friends of this popular company assembled on the platform to see them off. We have the authority of Mr \Y. O'Sullivan for stating that the Hastings pit audience is one of the best behaved and most respectable in the whole colony. The management desires to return its thanks to Seageant Mitchell for having a member of the force at the Princess Theatre every night last week. Charles Godfrey, the famous London music hall singer, who is at present touring New Zealand with a variety company, has engaged the Princess Theatre, and appears in Hastings on the 24th inst. The show is spoken very highly of by the Pollards, and there are many people in Hawke's Bay who remembering the enthusiastic receptions Charlie received at the hands of Londoners will revive old memories whilst listening to an old favorite. The pneumatic boat which attracted so much attention at the show was exhibited by Mr A. E. C. M'Gregor. It is a Philadelphia patent, and should become popular in New Zealand, especially for duck shooting. In the water it is propelled by the action of the legs, a Hange, opening and closing with the motion of the pedal extremities, gives it a hold on the water by which rapid progress can be made. "With straps for the shoulders land can be crossed as comfortably as water, a pair of india rubber gum boots forming part of the '• boat." There are sockets at the side bv which a screen of manuku or scrub can be made, which makes it specially attractive for " sports" in search of the wary duck. The cost of the boat is £ls. Mr M'Gregor «iil! be pleased to give full information as to its adaptability for this colony.

Beautiful New Zealand! The land overflowing with the buttermilk and applesauce of prosperity —produces anything ajid everything, such as petticoat government. unemployed, a'id coughs and colds veritably; but that's uot a drawback, they caft be cured in every form by taking Woods' Great Peppermeut Cure.—Adyt.

Impromptu speaking will be the attraction at the Debating Society's meeting tomorrow night. The Magistrate's Court sits at 4.30 this afternoon to hear the charges against Ross and Flannigan. A watch belonging to Mr D. O'Rielly was missed yesterday, and as all endeavor to trace it has failed, the spieling faternity who are pretty strong here now, get the credit of being connected with the matter. The Poverty Bay Herald states that Mr C. A. Fitzßoy, of Hastings, who is contesting the Wa : npu seat against the Hon. J. Carroll, will remain in that district until after the election.

As the dancing season will terminate this evening it is expected that there will be a biunper attendance at the social, and that lovers of the light fantastic will avail themselves of the opportunity of having a final trip before the curtain drops. A very attractive programme of songs and dances has also been arranged. There is at present on view in the window of Mr M'Corkindale the handsome trophy presented by Mr A. E. C. M'Gregor to the Gun Club for competition. It consists of a silver shield, suitably engraved, fixed in a beautifully polished ground of puriri. The smithing was executed by Mr M'Corkindale, while Mr Kershaw is responsible for the woodwork. A misunderstanding in the terms of the debate on prohibition is corrected ill this issue. The mistake in the wording of the subjects for discussion was not intentional, but as the advertisement was written from memory the exact wording was not correct.

The Nnpier Garrison Band visited Hastings yesterday afternoon, and played an excellent programme on the racecourse. There was a very large number of listners, but the nimble shilling did not appear to be there in quantities. A well-known farmer living not a humdred miles from Wallingford introduced himself to the Governor at the show the other'day, and was surprised to find in him such an affable gentleman. The said farmer was delighted with the experience, and invited some of his friends to refreshments on the strength of it. The debnte in Nnpier between Dr lloskingand Air Sutton on the evergreen subject of prohibition attracted a good deal of attention both from the Press and the public. They meet in debate upon the same subject in the Princess Theatre to-morrow and Wednesday evenings at eight o'clock, and as a good deal of useful and interesting information maybe gained from the speeches of both gentlemen those interested in the question at issue will be present in large numbers. The prizes offered at the Woodville Show, to be held Nov. 11. total £3")3 9s Bd, exclusive of silver medals given for championships in various classes, and certificates of awards. At liaywood. Melbourne. Mr Daniel Thomas (.'ail, a well-known farmei, met with a fatal accident through the bursting of a crenm separator. His legs and the lower portion of his body were smashed to pieces, and death resulted live hours after the accident.

At a meeting held at Brunnerton to consider a letter from the Itoyal Humane Society of Australasia, asking for recommendations for m wards to those who liad risked their lives endeavoring to rescue the men killed in the late explosion in the Brunner mine, it was unanimously resolved "That taking into consideration the large number who took a prominent part in the rescue work, it would not be advisable to recommend a lesser number than fifty to be rewarded. Should the society not see its way to carry out the above resolution no recommendations be made."