News and Notes.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4284, 20 July 1899, Page 2

News and Notes.

Mr Leslie Reynolds has been engaged as engineer to carry out the Masterton water and drainage works, subjects to a satisfactory arrangements of details.

The lambing season has commenced at Feilding.

One of the theories advanced by the San Francisco detectives to account fer the mysterious disappearance of 5000 sovereigns from the treasure vault of the Alameda, is that three stowaways may have secured the gold. Three stowaways left the ship at Honolulu, and as they had been working on board and were looked upon as ship's hands, the police think it would have been an easy matter for them to have carried the Btolen money ashore.

The largest searchlight in the world was exhibited at the Columbian Exposition, in Chicago, Amerioa. The reflecting lens, 60m in diameter, weighs 8001b; and is mounted in a braßS ring whioh weighs 7501b. The refleoted light ii equal to that of 750,000,000 candles. A newspaper could be read by its light one hundred miles away. Next, please !

' On Friday evening (writes our Alton correspondent) the much looked for debate on " Who has the right to the enhanced value of property " came off. Mr Gibbs in the chair. The debaters were Messrs Ross, Silvester, and Johnston, defending the State, whilst Messrs Walsh, Bowater, and Beaky defended the Individual. The subjeot proved rather ponderous, and the speakers inclined to lose the subject under debate. On being put to the meeting t'«e " Individuals " won ' by a large majority — almost unanimously. j At the end of the debate it wav deoided to hold these meetings monthly, two recitations to be given each evening. Mr | Besky was elected seoretary, and Mr | Johnston chairman. The subjeot for next evening's debate Will be " Will it be advantageous for New Zealand to Federate with Australia." Surely oar club mast turn out politicians, who will be renowned in the coming history of New Zealand, after handling suoh momentous questions. The date of the next meeting will be 15th August.

The Hawera Prohibition Electoral Council meets at Manaia tomorrow afternoon, at 2. Mi3B Kirk, of Wellington, lectures in the evening.

A further reminder is given of the Wesleyan social this evening. A good pro. gramme has been prepared, and refreshments will be provided.

On Mr Cliff moving at the Harbour Board meeting in favour of raising a loan of £200,000, the chairman mo red as an amendment " that until the Board has full information as to the proposed rating area and details as to expenditure, etc., the matter be not proceeded with." This was carried by sto 4. Mr Goprge MoLean said he would suuport the New Plymouth people having a loan of a million if they wanted it, but not at the expense of the country districts.

An apprentice at Whitehead's torpedo works has invented an electric gun that is at once deadly, noiseless, and smokeless. The model, which at present represents his idea, weighs only 71t>, but with this tiny gun the most satisfactory experiments have been made. At a distance of one mile a target was shattered several times by the explosive contents. At a distance of five miles, in spite of a premature explosion, the tnrget was also shattered. The velocity of the shot is estimated at five miles and a-half in two seconds. It is said that the Admiralty have offered the lad, who is only 19, the son of Mr J. H. Newman, a Portland grocer, the sum of £75,000 for his invention, and that he has refused it. In the meantime, the clever inventor has been asked to build a gun that will Weigh lowt. He is now busy doing it at home, in each a way as to safeguard his secret. The bigger model will probably be ready shortly when a better opportunity will be given of noting the deadly effect of this weapon, which shoots in silence and without betray'ng its presence by a puff of smoke.

A large number of members of the Egmont Hunt Club went to Momohaki for the purpose of attending the Hunt Club Steeplechase Meeting. Owing to the very rough weather prevailing it was decided to postpone the meeting for a fortnight.

There was a sharp shock of earthquake at Tongaporutu on Wednesday evening.

Arbor Day was generally a failure on Wednesday owing to the rain.

Napier Prohibition Conference on Wednesday passed resolutions similar to those adopted at Taranaki gatherings.

A Wellington telegram says : — Aorere waiting for cargo ; leaves Friday at noon.

Attention is drawn to an important notification by the Eaponga Dairy Factory Company in another column.

Woods' G);eat Peppermint Cure for Coughs and Colds never fails, 1/6 and 2/6.