Local and General.

Hastings Standard, Volume XIII, Issue 4302, 3 November 1909, Page 4

Local and General.

Messrs W. H. Smith and F. Cook [ are the Hawke's Bay representatives ! at the conference of New Zealand Fruitgrowers which opened to-day at Wellington. Mr G. M. Williamson, dairy inspector at Gisborne, has retired on superannuation, having reached the age limit. Captain H. Holderness, Officer Commanding the Hastings Rifles, has received word that he has been successful in passing his examination. Blackbirds and thrushes eggs to the number of 5601 and 273 dead birds have been paid for by the Carterton Small Bird Nuisance Society since it commenced operations a week or two ago. The Stratford "Post " understands that already twenty of the prominent business people of the town have paid their subscriptions and undertaken to support the proposed scheme for checking the giving of credit to "bad marks." A movement is on foot to establish the sugar beet industry in the Waikato district. The tests made at Ruakura successfully demonstrated that second class Waikato land can produce a high-class beet. The new organ at St. Luke's Church, Havelock North, will be dedicated to-night by Bishop Williams. The ceremony will commence at 7.45 o'clock. The choir of St. Matthew's and their organist, Mr P. Tombs, will take part. The steamer lonic, which has arrived in Wellington, from London, brought 675 passengers, of whom 540 were in the third class. She is the first vessel in the Mercantile Marine visiting New Zealand to be fitted with a wireless apparatus. The installation is the invention of Lieut. J. Holland, R.N.R., second officer of the lonic. rvt the present time there are 340 acres of trees in full bearing in the Roxburgh district, 145 acres just coming into bearing, and 266 acres just planted. The output of fruit last year 1,380 tons. In three years there will be added 587 tons, and in seven years 1,077 tons, or a total of 3,004 tons. This from the orchards now in sight. Before Messrs A. L. D. Fraser and E. Basil-Jones, J's.P., this morning, Richard Nichol, charged with disorderly behaviour, and the use of obscene language, was fined £5, with an alternative of one month's imprisonment. The Justices declared their intention of putting a stop to this offence being committed in the streets of Hastings. The pictures shown by Messrs Hayward Bros, at the Princess Theatre are to be classed among the finest that have yet been seen in Hastings. The selection comprises scenesjof travel, industry, and drama. To-night an exceptionally fine film, 1560 feet long, entitled "The Three Musketeers," will be thrown on the screen, and all who have read and enjoyed Dumas' exciting novel of that name should make a point of witnessing the picture. Messrs Hayward's exhibition is of such high merit as to deserve a good house every evening. The November issue of " The Lone Hand" is full of bright stories, interesting articles and instructive writing. In it ex-President Roosevelt continues to relate his experiences while hunting big game in South Africa. Tennis players will find interest in the article entitled "Modern Lawn Tennis." Other subjects of interest are "The American View of Australia," " The First Chinese Invasion," and ' A Maori Race Meeting." The serial stories are continued, and under the heading " For the Public Good " is an article revealing the harmful effect of freely I indulging in the unbusinesslike habit of purchasing unnecessary things on the time-payme.it system. I

A Press Association telegram from Hokitika announces the death of Mr J. B. Lewis, President of the Westland Law Society, aged 67. An examination for non-commis-sioned officers' certificates will be held at the Garrison Hall, Napier, on Friday, sth inst., commencing at 8 o'clock sharp. At the N.apier Magistrate's Court yesterday George Gray was convicted of failing to destroy rabbits on property known as Kahurau, and was fined £5 and costs 495. The total cost to the State of the Statutes Compilation Commission was £5625. Sir Robert Stout, Dr Fitchett and Mr W. S. Reid received £1413 each. The successful tenderers for the new General Post Office in Wellington are Messrs J. and A. Wilson who were the contractors for the Public Trust Office. The price is just below £IOO,OOO and the whole of elevations are to be constructed in longa Bay (Nelson) stone. There is an eleven-acre orchard da the banks of the river above Clyde* that gave a return of £320 in stone fruit alone. The apples and pears swelled the total sufficiently to give a net profit of over £4OO. The owner expects to make £SOO this year. The next mail for the United Kingdom and Europe via Colombo, due at London December iQth, will close at Hastings on Thursday, nth November, at 8.50 a.m. The next inward mail via Colombo is due here about sth November. The death is announced by Press Association telegram from Dunedin of Mrs Stephenson, widow of the late Mr John Stephenson, of the firm of Wright, Stephenson and Co. It is stated that she, recently joined the Roman Catholic Church. Sir John Logan Campbell, the patriarch of Auckland, to-day enters upon his ninety-third year. He is still hale and active, with full mental capacity. He still daily attends his office in the city. A meeting of citizens will be held in the Council Chambers Hastings on Friday Nov. sth at 8 p m. to form committees and make arrangements to entertain the delegates to the Fire Brigades' Conference commencing Feb. 2lst 1901. The first shipment of cirned beef, consigned by the Hawke's Bay Meat Corning Company, is due to arrive, ex Otaki, at Bristol to-day. The vessel is considerably overdue at that port owing to the delay caused by the fire which occufred during the voyage. Shareholders are confident that the shipment will arrive in first-class condition, and the people at Home have evinced their confidence by placing every cask before its arrival. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday judgment went to plaintiff, with costs, in the case Dalgety and Co. v. Reid and others, claim for £l7O 3s, value of certain sheep mortgaged to the plaintiffs by one T. N. Baker, and alleged to have been unlawfully distrained and sold by the defendants being owners of the land on which the sheep were depastured. The case was heard on October 26th. The whereabouts of a young man named B. B. i'odd Stratchan, who it is said, was to have been married yesterday to a Wellington ladv, at Wellington, is being inquired for by the police. On Thursday morning he dissappeaied. and since ther j|be has not been seen or heard from, be is a native of Scotland, sft loin or Ilin ! in height, of medium build, ruddy complexion and clean shaven, with dark curly hair, and he was dressed . in a dark greei suit, hard black hat and tan shoes when last seen in the + city. [A message received late this afternoon states that he has turned up safely.] At the Napier Magistrate's Court yesterday, David Munn, alias William Williams, alias David Jackson, alias Thomas Williamson, was charged that on October 25th, at Napier, he did break and enter the dwelling of Richard Bestall with intent to commit a crime. The accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The accused appeared at a sitting of the Supreme Court later in the day, before Mr Justice Sim, and was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with bard labour. The report of Inspector Dwyer, on the Napier police district, shows that the total number of offences reported during the year ended December 31st last, was 2311, as against 2161 in the previ us year. This shows an increase of 150, but this increase was chiefly for drunkenness. The licensing laws, he says, continue to be well observed in the district. There were ten prosecutions for sly grog-selling during the year, resulting in 6 convictions and fines amounting to £62 imposed. The conduct of the members of the force in the district has during the year, with a few trifling exceptions,JDeeii exemplary, and the utmost hartmHßkM prevails amongst all ranks. Twelve thousand miles is a far cry. ■ Nevertheless Mr Lloyd-George is ex- M erting an influence in the New Zeal- fl and Parliament (says a Wellington correspondent.) Sometimes the crus- ™ ted Tory is a " sport," and he admires the courage of the British Chancellor, who has at one great stride entered the political arena against so many monopolies, and the New Zealand Radical, of course, sings his praises and follows his fortunes. In the lobbies his name iff' frequently heard and his principles J are often discussed. Prophecy in j politics is a dangerous undertaking, | but if the British Budget goes i through, it will be easy to follow jits influence on our future legisla- ! tion.

Mr H. A. Mosstr.an, of Hastings, left for Auckland by this morning's express in order to join his wife there. As soon as her health will permit Mrs McsMiian will accompany him back to Hastings. William Averill Humphries, charged with the manslaughter of Captain Pavitt, was at Christchurch, yesterday, further remanded until Thursday. There are latge supplies coming forward for the hide and skin sale to be held by Mr J. A. Miller at Hastings on Friday next. 800 heavy skins and 250 hides, have already arrived at sale rooms. Mrs J. A. Miller (Mayoress) has promised to give a prize to be awarded to the best baby under 12 months of age entered for competition at the forthcoming Floral Fete. Mr J. T. Blake left by the express for Wellington this morning. Mis and Miss Kathleen Blake will leave to-niorrow morning, and with Mr Blake will take boat for Melbourne on a pleasant holiday jaunt