LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 506, 20 December 1897, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Judge Butler, of the Native Land Court, left Hastings for Wellington to-day. A number of Napierifces came to Hastings on Sunday in buggies and on bikes.

The members of the local band meet for practice at S o'clock this evening. The banking institutions in Hastings will be closed on the 25th, 27th and 28th insts. _

The business places in Hastings are already being decorated for Christmas week.

The " ringer" at a large shearing shed near Hastings for sevefal seasons past has been a Maori.

The bush fire at Hukanui (FortyMile Bush) has destroyed the house of Mr George Turrant. Typhoid fever has broken out amongst the co-operative men working on the Makuri-I'ongaroa road. The Hastings Athenaeum library contains 2900 volumes. Some of the books are in need of repair. Owing to Christmas Day falling on Saturday, the usual Wednesday half-holi-day will not be observed in Hastings this week. In connection with the New Zealand Wheel Race S. M'Dowell, of Hastings, succeeded in picking tiie first and second men in the Cyclist guessing competition. The heat experienced in Hastings on Sunday was very oppressive. At 11 a.m. the thermometer reached 86 degrees, Fah., in the shade. At St. Patrick's school, on Tuesday evening, an entertainment is to be held, at which a presentation of prizes will take place. The Oddfellows of Hastings will be interested to know that the strength of the order is 9,10,000 members, and its capital £10,000,000.

We have received from the staff of the Wairampa Standard a very handsome Christmas card. We heartily reciprocate the kind wishes it contains.

A Featherston cyclist passed through Hastings on Saturday. During the holiday season a number of touring wheelmen will probabla come this way. It was announced from the pulpit of St. Matt-how's Church, Hastings, on Sunday, that the net proceeds of the recent floral fete were £l:-38.

We understand that the Bland Holt Company has been invited to pay a visit to Hastings. Should the company come here it will be sure of a crowded audience.

The programme for St. Patrick's entertainment to be held on Tuesday evening is published to-day. It comprises some very attractive items, and should draw a large audience. A special representative of the Standard, who travelled right through Hawke's Bay last week, reports that he did not see a single rabbit during his trip. This is very creditable to our rabbit inspectors.

The number of children examined in the Hawke's Bay public schools last year was 4,449, or 113 more than in the previous year, and the actual passes were 8,628, or 81*.') per cent of the whole number examined. We have received a neat little Christmas card from the Hastings telegraph messengers. that the boys will have luck as speedily as we secure their messages. And they will then have no cause for complaint. ' The continued heat is having its effect on the country surrounding Hastings. The hills are parched and slippery, whilst the crops are in a ruinous condition, the oats especially being stunted and straggling. Towards the coast the crops are better, but even here they are far from being what they might be under favorable conditions.

Theyoung men named George Cameron, who is missing from Masterton, was sent over to Coolgardie a year or two ago on a prospecting expedition on behalf of a syndicate. He lost his money and his health, and since his return has been of a melan= choly disposition. His brother committed suicide a few years ago.

Two weddings, the contracting parties in which are well known in Hastings, are announced, and will come off in due time. Mr Roger Winslev has the two bridal cakes on view in his windows' and they do credit to the confectioner's art.

Mr F. Cook lias lodged two informations against residents of Hastings for depositing nuisances in the street. The public health at this time of the year is a matter which calls for the serious attention of the authorities, as an outbreak of fever would be a calamity. The people should surely co-operate with the Borough officsr and refrain from letting dirty water and rubbish lie about tbeir premises. Mr Cook, the inspector, is to be congratulated upon his action in instituting proceedings against offenders. In liis annual report to the Education Department upon the schools in the Hawke's Bay district Inspector Hill says : —ln most of the districts the school buildings, ground, and fences are in good repair and the school provision which has been made in some of the larger centres has facilitated the work of the teachers, especially in the junior departments of schools like Gisborne, Port Ahuriri, Hastings and Dannevirke, where overcrowding had existed for some time.

The Seinde v. County cricket match concluded on the local ground on Saturday, the County winning by an innings and 51 runs. The remaining wickets in the first innings of the Seine!e did fairly well, the total being raised to 88 (Flint, not out, 25, G. White 20, S. White 14). Following on, the % r isitors put up the respectable score of 152 (T. Bear 36, Ashcroft 15, A. Martin 12, S. White, not out, 12, G. White 32, Cooper 12). Holland was the most successful bowler for the County, securing 9 wickets for 82 runs; White, 4 for 45 ; and Fannin, 3 for 68.

The Rev. Mr Marten, of Hastings, is indeed a broad-minded gentleman, and his views of Christianity are in great contrast to those which characterise clergymen in general. In speaking against the contention that Christianity tended to make a man cold and formal, he said he had no faith in the man who cringed and crawled, and turned up the whites of his eyes when praying. Suck a person reminded him of a new moon, with its long face, which dipped the corners of its mouth in sorrow. Instead of acting like Christians, many men in the professed intensity of their faith only burlesqued one suffering acutely from iadigeoUou or a. bad toetb«?he>

funeral of the late Mr Samlford ex-M.H.R. of Christehurch, was largely attended yesterday, the Government and many local bodies being represented. A Christehurch telegram savs:—a man of about 30 years of age, was found dead in the Gardens on Saturday night. On the body were £l6 and a packet of poison for destroying rats and mice, unopened. It is supposed to be a ease of heart disease. Deceased had lived at Fernside, and had just come back from shearing at Horsely Downs. An inquest is being held. The Wanderers' Bicycle Club sports held at Napier on Saturday were very successful. The one miie (novice) Bicycle Handicap was won by E. 13. Elliott, of Hastings; the Half-Mile Open Handicap by Pocock ; the 220 yds Flat Handicap by P. Munroe; the Three-Quarter Mile Junior Bicycle Race by H. Mountin, J. Hughes, of Hastings, being second ; the Bicycle Bracelet Handicap by Pocock; the44oyds Bracelet Flat by A. H. Holder, Wanganui; the Three Mile Bicycle Race (second class) by E. B. Elliott (Hastings) ; the Three Mile Bicycle Handicap -by R. Garrett, Wanganui ; the 880 yds Flat by A. F. Bowman ; the Five Mile Visitors' Handicap by W. Graham, Auckland ; and the Ten-Miles McLean Cup Bicycle Race by W. R. Jourdain.

Why pay a big price for your suits when you can get as good material with a superior cut- and style at two-thirds of the sum from Dodds' the popular Tailor, Heretaunga road.—Advt.