LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 502, 15 December 1897, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Public Works Statement, a summary of which appears on our fourth page today, containsabout 14,000 words. Ar.dthat is all. A bacon-curing company is about to be started in the Wairarapa. The Magistrate's Court at Hastings will be closed for a week for the Christmas holidays. The officials of the railway station at Hastings were photographed the other day. The funeral in Hastings on Tuesday was one of the largest ever seen in the district. A man named Amos has committed suicide at Greymoutli by cutting his throat. Eighteen brace of English partridges were brought out bv the Gothic for Mr J. Stucke.y, of the Wairarapa. The Hastings railway station is now undermanned, a number of the officials having recently been removed. Mr Hill, the new station master for Hastings, will not arrive for some days, if, perchance, he arrives at all. Pickpockets were at work at Woodville on Saturday last, but none of them caught. The unusual stretch of dry weather is affecting the artesian water supply in Hastings, some of the wells having gone dry. The Southland Metropolitan Showopened on Thursday, but a warm rain fell in the afternoon, and the attendance was small.

The shearing throughout Hawke's Bay has been exceptionally good this season. Olrig station turned out 150 more bales this year than Inst, and every station shearing upwards of 20,000 sheep has increased its output. The Auckland Harbor Board have accepted a tender to repair the wharf tee damaged by the recent fire at .£2860. The total net loss to the Board by the tire is £3300.

The young man Hughes, who shot himself on Tuesday whilst being arrested by .Detective Campell, of Wellington, is dead. Jle was formerly on the servants' staff at Government House. Jn the Magistrate's Court at Hastings this morning, before Mr Beilby, -T.P., a drunk named Whiteside, who had been previously convicted, w.is fined 10s and 7s costs. A tirst offender was discharged with a caution.

Mr Beilby, J.P., stated in the Magistrate's Court at Hastings to-dav that the using of indecent language in public places was again becoming common. He intended, so long as lie was on the Bench, to try and put a stop to it. Mr N. Kettle, who has been on a trip to the Old Country, passed through Hastings on Tuesday evening by the express train on his return to Napier. His many friends who were at the station were pleased to see him looking well.

Mr John Dutliie is about to retire from active connection with the well-known firm of John Dutliie and Co., Limited. He will, however, retain the position of chairman of directors of the company, and contemplates a business trip to England shortly.

At the Supreme Court at Dunedin yesterday the case was commenced in which R. Brooks and Co., London, sued the liquidators of the Colonial Bank, claiming .£6500 and an order of the Court for account sales of oats held by the J. G. Ward Farmer's Association, and covered by certain warrants.

A silly rumour has been in circulation in Hastings to the eliect that Mr Dauvers, the wellkuown handicapper, has died in the Wellington Hospital. Mrs Dauvers requests us to contradict the rumour. She heard only to day from her husband, who is progressing as favourably as can be expected. The Hawke's Bay Trotting Club has acted wisely in including a couple of polo pony events in its programme for the March meeting. There expected to be over 150 polo ponies in the district for the tournament, During the course of his address at Palmerston North, the Rev. F. W ■ Isitt stated that the New Zealand Alliance intended to invite Mr Vaile, the Secretary of the South Australian Alliance, and the Rev F. B. Bryce, of New South Wales, to each conduct a three months' temperance mission in this colony. A fisherman named Allan Dawson had a narrow escape from a serious accident in Hastings this morning. He was crossing the railway line on the northern side of the station, when some trucks of timber which were being shunted came into collision with his vehicle. The horse was knocked over, the shaft and harness broken and the fisherman shaken, but otherwise no damage was done. William Smith was charged in the Magistrate's Court at Hastings this morning, before Mr Beilby, J.P., with drunkenness and with usiqg indecent language. The accused pleaded guilty to being drunk, but said he did not remember using indecent language. He hoped he would be given another chance. Constable Potter deposed that the language was used in the public stieet within the hearing of passersby. Mr Beilby .sentenced the accused to a month's hard labor in the Napier Gaol. On Tuesday evening next Mr Wyberfc Reeve is to introduce to a Bastings audience the original Ciuematogmphe Lumiere, which is acknowledged by our Southern contemporaries to be superior to any of those previously exhibited in the colony. The Otago Daily Times, in referring to this matter, says ; —" One feature about this cinematographe that could not fail to be appreciated was the steadiness with which the pictures were exhibited, and their freedom from that shimmering which has been noticed to be a defect in previous exhibitions of the kind. A picture depicting M. Truer executing a serpentine dance (a much more skilful performance, by the way, than any of the so-called serpentine dances we have seen here), a view of London on a feggy day. looking towards Holborne Viaduct, aiiftthpr depicting a street scene on a wet day m the great metropolis, representations of a game ol eca±'te and of a baby's quarrel, and views of a parade of the Grenadier Guards (whose splendid marching as revealed bv the pictures elicited hearty applause), and of a jumping gi"4ctice of Russian Dragoons, was received with so puch favour that It had to be repeated." We feel siue that Mr Reeve and his talented company will bti heartily welcomed in Hastings.

The annual distribution of prizes at the Hawke's Bay Girl's School, Hastings, is taking place this afternoon. Influenza in a mild form is prevalent in Hastings at the present tune.

Several members of Parliament are laid up with influenza.

A list of thoes who sent wreaths for the funeral of the late Arthur Maddison will appear in to-morrow's issue. The express train tVom Wellington was about half-an-hour late in its arrival at Hastings on Tuesday evening. The Native Land Court which is sitting at Hastings will adjourn on Saturday for the Christmas vacation.

Coustaple Earn sav, of Napier, passed through Hastings on Tuesday evening with two prisoners from Dannevirke. There are two residents of Hastings who were present at the first race meeting held in Wangnnui in 1848. They have both received invitations to be present at the meeting in March next, when the Jubilee of Wanganui will be celebrated.