LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Volume III, Issue 864, 7 March 1899, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An important meeting of the Hastings Fire Brigade is to be held this evening. One of the oldest Justices in Hastings to-day forwarded his resignation to the Governor. There was no quorum at the meeting of the Hastings School Committee last evening, and the meeting consequently lapsed, At the Auckland Horticultural Society's Show, held last week, no less than 600 plates of fruit were exhibited, and there was a magnificent display of dahlias.

The steamer Ohau landed 1350 store sheep from Wellington at Lyttelton on Thursday last. The sheep were landed at the cattle jetty, and were driven over the Port hill. Mr J. Mayo, of Palmeraton North, late Government Pomologist, who is to act as one of the judges at the Horticultural and Industrial Society's show to-morrow, arrived in Hastings last evening. The Hastings Borough Council had proposed sinking an artesian well to a lower strata in the Borough to ascertain if an efficient water supply could be obtained. As the Railway Department has decided to make a trial at the local railway station, the Council has determined to await the result.

When the Pukaki, frcm Westport, was nearing the Wellington heads yesterday afternoon, it was reported that a young woman, named Boss, aged 23, who was travelling with her mother, both having come on board at Westport, was missing. The vessel iyas searched, but no trace of her was found, and it is surmised she jumped overboard. Mr Fred. Duval, the popular representative of the Pollard Opera Company, arrived in Hastings last evening, to make arrangements for the appearance of the company in the Princess Theatre next week. The opening night is fixed for Tuesday next, March 14th, and the season is limited to live nights. Full particulars will be advertised in to-morrow's issue. As this will be the last visit to Hastings of this ever-welcome combination for at least two years, admirers of the clever ccmpany should endeavour to make it a record one.

The Khedive's hobby is farming, while his favourite reading' consists of works on military history. His model farm at Koubba.'i is to him a source of unbounded pleasure, and the model village on the estate forms a striking contrast to the sijnalid collection of mud huts which constitutes the ordinary village in Egypt. Five years ago, oa an esfate of acres, which he acquired near Damietta, only 178 acres were producing crops. The Khedive, however, caused over fifty miles of drainage canals to be constructed, and to-day 1500 acres of laud are £t for cultivation.

The Papanui has 2000 tons of cargo for Auckland.

Ngaruahoe gave a splendid eruptive display on Saturday at sunset. A sitting of the Native Land Court was opened in Hastings this morning before Judge Mackay. Chief Judge Davey, of the Native Land Court, was in Hastings on Saturday. He left for the North.

Weather permitting, the Hastings Town Band will play a number of selections in the open air on Saturday evening. Lady Prendergast, wife of the Chief Justice, whose death is announced, has been an invalid for some considerable time.

An Order-in-Council has been issued prohibiting the export of rock oysters from New Zealand.

The two sons of Captain Russell, who are suffering from typhoid fever, are reported to be making satisfactory progress. We understand that the Presbyterian congregation of Hastings intend making a call to the Rev. Raeburn, of Wairoa, to the vacant charge. We have to acknowledge receipt from the Secretary (Mr F. I). Luekie) of complimentary tickets for the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's meeting next week. Crops are turning out badly in the Wanganui district, 25 bushels to the acre being an ordinary yield. This, with grain at its present low price, makes the outlook rather dismr.l for agriculturists about there.

The Premier leaves Wellington overland for Auckland to-day. Mr Seddon joins the vice-Regal party at Helensville, and will accompany them in their tour in the northern portion of the Auckland province. Mr Sullivan informs us that his firm are now landing, ex " Lady Mable," and " Lady St. Aubyn " from Newcastle, best selected household and steaming coals, which can be purchased, ex truck, in Hastings, at satisfactory prices. *

It is stated that Mr Malcolm, of the Kelso School, will contest the Clutha seat at the general election in the Prohibition interest. He is, writes the Bruce Herald, a prominent advocate of the cause in the Prohibition electorate.

A boy named Cecil Bodes, aged 5 years, was drowned in the Taruheru river. He fell from tne jetty and was dfowned before assistance could be procured. Efforts to resuscitate were tried for over two hours but were unsuccessful.

The rabbit export merchants are already pushing business, and offering, in some cases, £1 per thousand for the right of rabbitting on some large propertire;. It is reported that one firm of runholders in Central Otago are getting £loo for their rabbits this year. The freezing season starts next month. Trapping for the tinning factories has already started. — Tapanui Courier. Speaking at Wellington the other evening Mr John Duthie said he regretted to see that during the time that Captain Russell was troubled with illness in his family certain newspapers had thought it necessary to state that the Opposition Party was not satisfied with Captain Russell as its leader—that it was looking round for another leader. He {Mr Duthie) had never heard any member of the Party give utterance to such views. They realised that he was the best man in the Party that they could get for the position, and he hoped that Captain Russell would be able to resume the leadership and proceed on an active campaign in a very short space of time. (Applause). A large native huia is being held at Pakirikiri, 14 miles from Gisborne. Upwards of a thousand natives were present. The natives are assembled, partly to show gratitude to the Government for their "kindness in erecting a monument to the memory of the late chief Herini te Kani, and also to obtain funds for the rebuilding of the Kaiti Church, for which the sum of JESO3 has been collected. The Te Aral Native Churoh was consecrated by the Bishop of Waiapu, 25 native and European clergy being present. Mr L, F. Ayson, curator of the Masterton fish ponds, who returned from an acclimatisation mission through England and America yesterday, brought with him two million white fish ova for distribution in the southern lakes ; sis Canadian geese, which will be kept at the Masterton pond, for breeding purposes ; and a further consignment of 78 Virginian quail. Mr Ayson has made arrangements for the importation of a million salmon ova ((yiinnat) ; a number of Waipiti elk, grey duck, and California mountain quail.

One of the effects of the Old Age Pension Bill is the shifting of the burden of taxation from the ratepayers of the colony to the taxpayers of the colony, who now, through customs and po.stal revenue, &e., have to proviso charitable aid. According to Mr Solomon, Chairman of the Dunadin Benevolent Trustees, out of 270 inmates of the Benevolent Institution, 61 have already been granted old age pensions. Of this number about one-half intend leaving the institution, and twenty persons have already left. There were 430 outdoor cases on the books of the institution. Of this number, 70 persons had been granted old age pensions. "Within a month, all the allowances for these persons would be stopped.

Thus Mr JohnDuthieat Wellington : The making of Justices had been made a mere tool for the purpose of giving at election times or at any other time. (Applause.) There were instances of men who could not write being appointed, another had an order against him for 10s a week to support his aged mother, another was co-nmitted to gaol on a judgment summons, and he also was a J.P. (Laughter). . " Gracious me," said Mr Duthie, " What have we came to in this country?" Then there was the case recently before the Wellington Court where a man, a J.P., had a judgment out against him for 2s 6d, and it was left to his brother justice to pay. In yet another case the J.P. could not even sign his name, and declared a signature said to be his a forgery. A committee meeting of the Hawke's Bay Cricket Association was held in the Ma"sonic Hotel last night, the president, Mr E. H. Williams, in the chair. It was reported that the negotiations about playing the Xew Zealand team in Napier had fallen through, as the team were returning via Wellington instead of Auckland. A letter was read from the Mnnawatu Association urging the local association to send a team to Palmerst&n in Raster ; and the committee elected for this purpose reported that they would be able to get a team together lo leave here on Good Friday. It was decided to play off the match Rivals v. Hastings next Wednesday, on account of wet weather last Wednesday. A complaint was made about the state of the Farndon wicket, and the secretary \va.= instructed to write to the caretaker and see that better pitches were made in the future.

ADVERTISING MEMOS. Mr AY. G. Faulknor, coach builder, has a number of cheap second hand traps for sale. Mrs Tyeruian announces a dancing class to be opened shortly after Easter. sosfTij psnsu place on Saturday. Special train arrangem?n's for Danuevirke Caledonian spoils published this eyeniDg-