LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Volume V, Issue 1424, 15 January 1901, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On our fourth page will be found cable news and other interesting matter.

Sergeant Hyde and Trooper Murfitt of the Hawke's Bay Mounted Rifles propose to compete at the National Rifle Association championship meeting, to be held at Wanganui next March. A special meeting of the Boroagh Council will be held on Wednesday, 23rd inst for the purpose of passing a special resolution appointing a day on which shops within the borough are to be closed in accordance with the Act.

The other evening smoke was seen to be issuing from a postal pillar box at New Plymouth, and on the box being opened it was found that two or three letters were badly burned, and others more or less so. All of the letters could however, be either traced to their writers or forwarded to their destination. Whether the fire was accidentally or wilfully caused is not known.

Mr John Burns has, according to a London journal, been taking the reform of the Hooligans into his own hands. The other day, he was riding through Tooting on his bicycle, when he saw four young ruffians molesting a couple of ladies. Mr Burns, who is, as the Hooligans say, " slippy with his hooks," dismounted, laid two of the scoundrels on their backs, and sent the other two scurrying for safety. In a letter received by a resident of Christchurch, on Tuesday, from GeneralBaden Powell, the writer says :•' It is most interesting to read of how you in New Zealand brought about the result which wo all recognise and appreciate here—viz - , the reinforcement of the army here by as fine and plucky a lot of men as have ever been seen." This letter, of course, has reference to the despatch of further New Zealand Contingents. Messrs H. A. Russell. O. Nelson, W. Mackenzie, and J. D. Ormond Jnr., members of the Hawke's Bay Polo Club, travelled by the express train this morning for Palmerston North, where they will play matches against the Oroua Club on Wednesday, and the Palmerston Club on Friday. It is also probable that a match will be arranged against the Rangitikei Clab, to take place on Monday. The ponies were sent by the early morning train.

Sergeant Hyde and Trooper Murfitt of the Hawke's Bay Mounted Rifles, whilst proceeding to the range at Te Mata yesterday for rifle practice, met with a nasty trap accident, which fortunately did not do any bodily harm to the occupants of the trap, although the two rifles and harness were badly smashed. It appears that they were driving a young horse which bolted twice, on the latter occasion among the blue gums at the range, where the rifles projecting from the trap were damaged. There was a large attendance at the meeting of the Hastings Co-operative Meat Company last evening. Mr T. Crosse occupied the chair. The Chairman stated that the required number of shaves for the floating of the Company had been obtained, and the share list snowed that there were over 90 shareholders, which in itself justified the starting of the company. It was decided to take over the butchery business of Mr Bousfield on the 30th January. The election of directors was then proceeded with, when the following were elected ;—Messrs T. Crosse, J. E. Mclvor, S. Pattison, W. Bridgman, W. Y. Dennett, D. Canning, and W: Hart. The meeting decided that the directors be recommended to appoint Mr J. Campbell as working manager. The newspaper Oerebladet, Christiama, publishes an interview with M. Henrik Ibsen on the subject of the Transvaal war. He said the Boers had themselves taken unrighteous possession of their territory after driving out the original inhabitants. The Boers- came as a semicivilised people, and not with the intention of spreading civilisation. On the contrary, they had for a, long time done much to hinder the spread of the higher civilisation. If then the British, who had a higher culture, came and wished to push their way into the country that was no worse, and, indeed, not so bad as what the Boers themselves had done. In conclusion, M. Ibsen said :—" The British are only taking from the Boers what they themselves have stolen; the Boers must put up with that, The Boers have defended themselves bravely, but they had also good positions to defend." Dr Conan Doyle, speaking of the miscalculations made at the commencement of the war, said they felt that somebody ought to suffer for it —somebody ought to be kicked, but as everybody had been wrong, everybody would have to be kicked. The first man to get near the figure of the number of men that would be required was Mr Winston Churchill, who, when he got back to Pretoria, said he thought there was work for n quarter of million of men. Dr Doyle said it was a good thing they had not correctly calculated what was required,- for, if they had, they would never have been drawn into it. For the first time, the whole country had pulsed together like one organic body. It was now one huge young giant which might grow to a size which no man could conjecture. The story of a " persistent beggar " is told in connection with the Otago and Canterbury detachment (says the "Wellington Post). They marched on board the Rotomahana at Lyttelton 168 strong. On arrival at Wellington they were 169. Now this was singular. They were paraded and counted—l 69. The roll was called—l 69; the corps was counted —169. Here was a mystery. They marched to the camp still 169. 'But here the mystery was solved . the men were paraded under the eyes cf a couple of ofhaers. As the roll was called each man wi- ordered to take two paces to the front-. Two stepped forward to the name of -•lac , and a few seconds later one disconsolate individual was without the lines on hi=s wav to town. He had paid his own passage up, and doubled a nauie_ with another man. in the hope of passing iu the crowd. But it didn't work. Cure Foe Cholera Ixfan-tum—Never Kxowx To Fail. During last May an infant child of our neighbor" v/lu from cholera infantum. The doctors had up all hopes of" recovery- * took a '&°ttk, at Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy to the house, telling ihera I felt sure it would do good if used according to directions. In two days time the child had fully recovered. The child is now vigorous and healthy. I have recommended this remedy frequently and have never kniwn it to iail.—Mrs. Curtis Baker, Bookwalter, Ohio. For -alu h)' J. W. Catvs, Ciiwuist. Hastunjs.

At Burnside (Dunedin) last Wednesday J a pen of forward wethers in the wool sold V for 19s 9d. Tenders for alterations, additions, and repairs to the Clive Police Station close to-morrow, Attention is directed to the fact that rates of postage, except for letters and letter cards, have not been reduced. Commercial papers, newspapers, etc., all require the same postage as before. We learn that Mr E. J, Watt, of Longlands, who has been on a visit to the Old Country, is on board the 'Frisco mail boat, and hopes to be back in time for the Wellington races, which take place next week. A Fiji merchant writes to a Wellington friend:—" One thing that is good might come out of federation wiih New Zealand. There are a lot of New Zealand runaway bankrupts, wife deserters, and " bad eggs'" generally down here, who would have to clear. ' A bright little boy of Irish descent in one of our public schools the other day heard the question asked :—" What is the latitude of Ireland?'' The youngster looked up and said, without hesitation : " Please, sir, they have no latitude in Ireland. The British Government won't allow them any." A very important meeting of the directors of the Heretaunga Co-operative Dairy Company was held in the Council Chambers last evening for the purpose of considering an offer from Mr Stock re amalgamation, and it was decided to meet him with that object in view. We understand there is inquiry from outside districts for rye grass seed, and one splendid parcel was sold yesterday at 4s straight from the machine, while another offered to sell yesterday at 3s 63, but would not leave the offer open till to-day. If these prices become the ruling ones for the district our farmers will be seen wearing smiling faces. A polo match between a Hastings team and the Ruataniwha Polo Club will take place at Ashcott on Thursday afternoon at 8 o'clock. Ruataniwha will be represented by Goring Johnson, H. Watson, F. White (captain), and F. Price, and the Hastings players will most probably be Baron Weddelborg, D. Hill, A. H. Russell (captain), and B. Chambers. The Radical, a Paris paper, made the following remarks on the reception given to Paul Kruger by the Parisians ; —" If cries were bullets the situation in the Transvaal would be considerably improved ; but thej' are not, and events will continue their customary jog-trot without paying more attention to shrieking manifestations than a carriage does to the noisy yelping of dogs. Less noise and more work would perhaps be more to the tasto of the people who interest us; but noise is all we can offer, and we do not spare them that. If they lose their independence, it will be at least to a musical accompaniment. We have even been assured that certain enthusiasts indulged in illuminations. This is quite a new way of celebrating defeat. Hitherto illuminations have been regarded as signs of joy. That is the terrible thing about this habit of shouting. By dint of shouting people end by not knowing why they are shouting or what it is all about." We extract the following from a Daily News interview with Mr H. M. S, ' Pearse, the well-known war correspondent of that paper :—" General Buller and Mr Pearse came home in the same boat. Each evening the band played ' God save the Queen' after dinner on deck. Of course, every Briton stood up and removed his head covering. A number of Hollanders, however, remained seated and uncovered. The Britons (says the inter. viewer) were very angry, and it was feared that serious trouble might follow. The anxious captain privately consulted General Buller. ' Sir,' he said, ' I wish you would tell me what you would do under the circumstances, if you were commander of this ship ? ' 'Me ? ' replied Buller, ' I should ask the band not to play " God save the Queen." ' This is the short, shrewd, humorous common sense which Lord Rosebery said the other day was Abraham Lincoln's chief asset. Apropos, Mr Pearse went on to give a rapid character sketch of one of the men of the hour, paying a handsome tribute to his tenacious courage, which inspired such devotion and admiration in the men. What is the secret of this devotion ? Buller never asks a man to go where ho will not lead the way. He is a hard hitter, he is tough, and indifferent to punishment, though blows fall fast, but he is no brainless, ruthless man of blood. He may be slow, but he is sure. When his men were beaten off in some attack he would smile, and say :—' Ah, they'll put it down to slow old Buller.' That is all. He is a shy man, and hates to talk about himself."