LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 420, 8 September 1897, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At 6 o'clock last evening the iirebell rang out for the third time within a week. The alarm arose from a chimney of the Hastings Hotel being ablaze. The brigade were promptly on the spot, and the fire was extinguished without much difficulty. Judging by the keen demand for tickets the Wesleynn concert in the clmrch this evening will be extensively patronised. The programme is a decidedly attractive one, and all the principal talent of Hastings is engaged. refreshments will be provided, and everything points to success. The attendance at the Debating Society's meeting last evening was not as large as usual. In the absence of Mr Sydney Pattison Mr O'Brien occupied the chair. The evening was spent in impromptu speaking, all present taking part. Some smart speeches were made. It is stated that the Auckland police have been making inquiries as to the purceases made of revolvers and life preservers lately, and find that there have been very large sales. One firm have sold four dozen revolvers within the last six weeks. An erstwhile Hastings divine is evidently greatly appreciated in the Waikato district. The Argus of a recent date says : — ll The Ilev. Pr Hosking preached at the Te Awamutu Church on Sunday last to crowded congregations ; in the evening the building was taxed to its utmost capacity, seats being in the aisles and several outsi do the building." In the same paper appears a complimentary reference to the doctor for a lecture lie delivered at Tuhikaramea on " Astronomy." The New Zealand Herald asserts that Auckland has a speciality in the suborning of witnesses and the corrupting of juries. It is, the Herald says, a matter of common knowledge and of free conversation that for a certain sum, ranging from £i> upwards, witnesses can be procured and purchased to swear anything that may be necessary for perverting justice in our Courts, and that through the same agency juries are approached with the object of successfully defeating the ends of justice. Nearly eighteen months ago (says the Dunediii Star) Mr Duncan Wright, as the agent of the Dunedin City Mission, witli the consent of all concerned, started classes for Bible reading in live of the Stale schools. He reported to his committee a day or two ago that the attendance of boys and girls for the past four weeks was just nine short of 2000, and last week the attendance (531) was the best yet attained since the start of these classesAn attempt is to be made in the United States to sell a substitute for wheat, a grain called sorghum, raised in Kansas. One variety it is said, makes excellent biscuits and muflins, while another is peculiarly adapted for pancakes. Sorghum bread does not seem to be mentioned in the report on the subject which has been presented to the Kansas Board of Agriculture, and unless the proposed substitute for wheat can be converted into bread it can hardly enter into competition with it. Samples have, however, been submitted to an agricultural chemist in England, who predicts that sorghum will be cme of the crops of the future. The lN'ovsewood correspondent of the Bush Advorate wires as follows The Norsevvood Koad Board meeting last evening was exceptionally interesting. All n.cujbefs \yere present. Mr Magnussen referred to the fact that at tI)C last meeting of the Board the Overseer disputed his word and said that officer called him a liar. He wished the Overseer to apologise, and Mr Brieske refused. Mr Magnussen requested the Chairman to order him to leave the meeting. The Chairman refused, and Mr MagtfUfsser} attempted to forcibly evict the Overseer. The proceedings were particularly lively. Two other members joined in the fray, which proceeded to the inspiriting tune of the Chairman s calls far order. As the fun was at its highest the yoice of the Chairman was heard from the outsidp declaring the meeting closed." Ec«.es' Quinine and Ikon Tonic contains Quinine and Iron in a high state of purity, and is the most agreeable] strengthening, and efficient agent yet covered. 2s 6d per bottle. To be ob. tained from A. Eccles, chemist, Napier and Hastings, and at all leading country stores*—Advt. Tyerman and Co s Weed Destroyer, for warden paths, carriage drives, &c. One gallon of this to 40 of water will destroy weeds and prevent growth for some two years.' Price, jbottl.es 'is, §s per gallon; reduction in larger quantities.—Advst. Eccles' Corn Paint quickly removes either hard or soft corns. Only a few applications necessary. In bottles Is 6d, from A, Eccleb, chemist, Kapier and Hastings.— Adyt.

Sergeant-Major Scanlon is reported to be lying dangerously ill at Palmerston. Moderate cycling is recommended for ladies who have a tendency towards consumption. The N.Z. Rugby Union has disqualified for two years the three players who created a scene in Auckland on their return from Australia. The number of swaggers is increasing in the district (says the Waipawa Mail). Last week twenty-five men were accommodated in one night on a station near Te Aute. Mr Ilausmann, who accompanied the Godfrey Company on tour with the cinematograph, will shortly visit Hastings with Cinematograhic views of the Jubilee procession m London from various standpoints. Mr W. Y. Dennett announces that bicycles are coming down in price. Besides lied Birds and Ruby Kims he has Rudge-Whitworths, and he guarantees to sell a better bicycle and cheaper than any dealer in Hastings. At tl". utifJtSt on uie body of the young woman iv.hth Carter, who died in the bent a' Inciitute, PalmersUiii, on Saturday **' • HIU-i a snort retirement, brought in st verdict of paralysis of the heart. oAUstsd by the iiiJiaimioii of methyA new Mud" of infiuit- incubator is the latest side show which has been added to the other attractions of the Earl's Court Exhibition, says the Westminister. The principle of the ordinary incubator is many years old, of course ; those on view at Earl's Court differ only in the ingenuity and nice construction of their details—the essential feature of which is that by the use of a thermostat the air inside the chamber is kept automatically at a temperature required. The difficulty with incubators of the old-fashioned sort has always been the constant attention which they had necessitated for the purpose of keeping the temperature uniform. By the device adopted in the case of the new system (described as Altaian's patent) this necessity is entirely avoided. A couple of infants crowing lustily at intervals in their cosy little prison houses occupied two of the four incubators which were on view at the Exhibition. Further particulars of a shocking wifebeating case which occupied the Auckland Supreme Court last week are to hand as follows Issac Cam was found guilty of illtreating his wife by assaulting her in a brutal manner on several specified dates. The details of the case was most revolting. The wife in her evidence said that on the 27th July her husband wanted to go out shooting, and told her to call him at five o'clock. She set the alarm clock, at halfpast four, but did not hear it go off, and when she got up it was five o'clock. Prisoner said it was too late. He told her to dress the four children and send them to a wliare, because he intended to thrash her. "When he got up he took a supplejack and beat her over the head and back, holding her hand while he did so. He then took a titree stick and beat her with that, and broke it over her back. He was beating her for about half an hoar. She told many other stories of ill-treatment to which she had been subjected since her marriage. In passing sentence His Honor said he looked upon such cases as far more serious crimes than those in which money was involved, such as stealing, forgery and" similar crimes, but the law for the prisoner's crime did not carry so heavy a punishment as some of those he had alluded to, though to his mind it worse. The prisoner would be sent to gaol for three years with hard labor. I STOPPED THAT COUGH AND CURED A very bad COLD by a single bottle of Dr Pascall's Cough Mixture. Signed, R. McDowall. 4s 6d and 2s 6d. Eccles' chemist, Napier and Hastings.—Advt