NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 7053, 24 October 1900, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

On fourth page; Articles on "The South African Casualties" (original) and " Chinese Affairs."

A London trade journal predicts that currants will be Is 6d per lb by Christmas.

Regulations respecting examinations for the Civil Service in Inaia are gazetted.

Latest mails note a great rise in cotton. The supply all over the world is to be very scarce.

A conference of the Chambers of Commerce of the colony will be held in Christchurch next January.

Ball at Normanby this evening, in aid of the piano fund. Patrons may rely on a night's good amusement.

This evening, in St. Joseph's Schoolroom, a " Welcome Home " will be given to the Very Rev Father Power.

The new M.P. for the Saffron Walden Division of Essex is Lord Wodehouso, eldest son of the Earl of Kimberley.

Since the abolition of capital punishment in Italy, 188 murders have been committed by criminals deserving of death who have broken out of prison.

It is slated that half of the twenty-two dukes who sjt in the House of Lords have no sons to succeed them. The dukes who are without heirs-apparent are the present Duke of Argyll, and the Dukes of Beaufort, Hamilton, Devonshire, teeds, Manchester, Newcastle, St. Albans, Somerset/Wellington, and Westminster.

The Nelson Mail says :— Mark Twain or Bret Harte tells of a patient man who twice lifted ( out into the open a cow that had persisted in coming down hje hut chimney, and whose only protest on the third occasion was that it was growing monotonous. What would have been that man's state of mind, howevejr, if he had bad the misfortune to be mistaken by a milch cow for her calf ? Yet that is the condition of affairs from which a Nelson resident is at present suffering. He owns a cow that was recently deprived of her calf in the usual conrse. The animal, however, took it into its head that her little one had somehow transmigrated into her owner, and now the latter dares not make a sound when in the vicinity of the cow lest he be overcome by the expressions and evidences of her o?erweening lore.

The Aorere arrived at Patea yesterday, and sailed the same evening. She returns, and sails again on Friday.

The following registrars of marriages have been appointed : — Messrs J. L. Harwood, Kaponga, and J. W. Middleton, Eltham.

Three brothers named Coles have each been fined £3 at Nelson for assaulting a constable.

In her evidence in the Masterton Magistrate's Court the other day a woman said that the time was coming when servants would rule their mistresses.

There has been a meat famine in Westport. Luokily the river was swarming with whitebait and grayling, and a fish diet mode an agreeable change.

South Africa is still a black man's land. South of the Zambesi there are 760,000 whites, and about 8,000,000 blacks— that is, the proportion is ten to one.

The Uruguayan Government is inviting tenders from engineering firms in all parts of the world for the great bridge at Monte Video. The amount of the contract will not be less than £2,400,000.

A woman named Mabel Bailey died suddenly at Kereru, Manawatu, after only 24 hourß* illness. No doctor was in attendance, and it is supposed that the cause of death was the effeot of eating green fruit.

Christchuroh dairies are in a very unsatisfactory state. The Government inspector examined fifty-six-dairies— about half the number in the distriot— and, to nee his own words : " Regarding the state of the milking sheds, milk storage, drainage, cleanliness, etc., my report must, on the whole, be unfavourable."

Troopers Alf. Coffey and Horneman, invalided from South Africa, are expeoted to arrive in Hawera to-morrow. With a view to giving them a formal reception, a meeting is convened for this evening, in the Borough Counoil Chambers.

When two Chinamen meet, each shakes and squeezes his own hand and covers his head. Instead of inquiring after one's health, it is etiquette to say: "Have you eaten your rioe?" " Where ire you going?" "What is your business there?" "What did you pay for your shoes ?" "How old are you ?"

Among the very few who live to read their obituary notice may now be included Mr J. O. Wilson, formerly sohool teacher at Okarito, on the West Coast. His death was announced in the Hokitika

Guardian of the 6th inst., but according to another West Coast paper Mr Wilson is still in the flesh, and living at Whangarei, ninety-five miles from Auokland. It is stated (says the Lyttelton Times) that Messrs D. and A. Maofarlane have offered another block of the Lyndon Estate for sale to the Government. The property, which consists of 16,000 acres, is about six miles from the Waiau township, and adjoins the Leslie Hills Estate. The Lyndon property already acquired by the Government is well under survey, and will shortly be open for selection. A return laid on thu table of the House during the present session regarding the N.Z. Mines itecord contains the following interesting information: — Number of copies printed, 1000; cost of printing, £280 per annum ; number of subscribers and copies sent to agents, 97 ; number gratuitously distributed— Agent-General, 100; members of Parliament, 120 ; general distribution, 480. Mr Bezar says .'—Twenty-one years ago

the Transvaal Argus spoke of the Boers'

oath as follows, and from recent experience we have no reason to credit them with attaching any more value to it now than they did then :— " We do not know how it may be in Natal, but oaths would appear to be one of the natural products of the Transvaal, and grow rank and strong, so one more or less amounts to little. Some prefer to take the oath with a little 6Ugar and water, while others take it neat, beoause Cape brandy has the effect of making the Boers bluster."

Hastings Standard reports that for some time past a " spook " has been making its appearance in the vicinity of the Catholic Church, to the consequent terror of the children of the neighbourhood, several of whom have been almost frightened to death. The grown-up brothers of one of the victims recently lay in wait for the apparition, which proved to be something tangible. The creature is of the female sex, and the police have the matter in hand.

As specimens of the silversmith's art, the silver feather badges turned out by Mr J. Brunette, watchmaker and jeweller, Hawera, to the order of the local bowling club are excellent. The whole of the work from design (which is very chaste) to finish was done at Mr Brunette's establishment, and the winners of the trophies (Bowling Club's fours) should be pleased with the reward. The four badges were made by Mr Brunette in the remarkably short space of ten hours, and are striking examples of what can be done locally in silverwork. The Manawatu and West Coast A. and. P. Association have reoeived valuable trophies from the New Zealand Collie Club for competition at the forthcoming show, open to members of the Collie Club. For beat collie, either sex, ladies' silver challenge shield. For best collie of opposite sex to winner of shield, gold medal, and handsome oil painting for collie puppy class. Entries close on November Ist.

If parents insist on sending their sons to schools conducted on the old lines in preference to modern commercial schools, surely they should be blamed, not the schoolmasters. A schoolmaster, like other people, has to face facts and supply what ia demanded. When the public taste changes, he, too, will change fast enough or teach to empty benches. " Educate our children " is a sound cry 1 it seems " educate our parents " is a more pressing one.— Commercial Intelligence. There is evidently a revival in business in Melbourne. The Bankers' Magazine for September Bays the activity manifested is reminiscent of old times. The causes are set down as being abundant rains, a phenomenal season, and the accomplishment of federation, which has " peouliar possibilities in favor of Melbourne." At all events, the business and trades connected with the building trades are now as busy as ever they can be. Prices in Melbourne are rising, no empty houses are to be found, and sales of land for improvement are effected almost daily in the suburbs.

That Britishers, as a rule (more especially those unable to travel), are ignorant of their own country, is a well-known fact, although it must be admitted that photographs and illustrations of every kind abound. As will be seen by advertisement, to-morrow night (Thursday) the British Workman's Lodge invite the public to the Oddfellows' Hall, when they will have an opportunity of seeing, through the medium of a powerful limelight apparatus, places that have won the admiration of foreigners from every clime. That the British Empire is rich with places of historical interest we all know, and to be appreciated must be Been. Since the programme to be submitted is a new one, and will be accompanied by patriotic songs, etc., an enjoyable evening doubtless will be the result. We are given to understand that the comic element will not be forgotten, and, since the prices are Buch as to meet the pockets of all, a bumper house should reward all connected with it.

The American railway king, Mr Collis P. Huntington, left a fortune amounting to £5,000,000. When 18 years old he began working for bis living, and earned the first year £14 Is Bd, besides his board and clothes, and saved every cent of it. Only the other day, speaking of this, he said, " I was rich then, having money ahead, and have been rich ever since."

When the "forty-niners" trekked to California, Mr Huntington saw his opportunity, and the foundation of his vast fortune was laid ' in a hardware business in Sacramento. With the oapital thus acquired he combined with half-a-dozen neighbours to start the Central Pacific railroad. By advertisement on front page the Public Trustee notifies that tenders will be received at the Public "Trußt Office, Weilington, up to 2 o'clock p.m. on Wednesday, the 14th day of November, 1900, for leases under the provisions of " The West Coast Settlement Reserves Aot, 1892." The returns of revenue on the Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth seotion for the four weeks ending 15th September are as under (shillings arid pence omitted) :— Passengers, £10,286 ; parcels, luggage, and mails, £1,532 ; goods,' £13,991 f miscellaneouß, £276; rents and commission, £233. Total, £26,320. ' At the Court this mornjpg, before Mr Kenny, S.M., judgment went by default in the oases A. B. Parkinson v. J. Mouatt, Llo los Bd, with costs 15i, and Bux v. Loft, L 5, without costs. The Bound of a train whistle about 10.20 last evening gave rise to the erroneous report that an accident had occurred to the train from South. The whistling was by the engine of a special goods train.

The Dresden Piano Company has an important announcement in this issue. Mr J. Maoklam is the agent" (High-Btreet). The good old way was all right ten or twenty years ago. The old washboard is being thrown out for Sellers' Washer,— Adrt.

A Beautifying Association has been formed in Ashburton.

Dr Dawson, a well-known Auckland medico, died on Sunday.

A lady doctor aspires to the position of medioal officer for Pioton hospital.

The Jewish residents of Broken Hill are taking steps to organise a Jewish congregation, and to build a local synagogue.

The Otago Anglican Synod passed a resolution in favour of giving women the right to vote at parish meetings.

Captain Walker, of Strathdon (New South Wales), has proved that wet coal is lesß liable to spontaneous combustion than dry.

Regarding the disappearance of Mr George Thomson, ex-Mayor of Balclutha, who is supposed to have drowned himself, the Southland News learns that it is understood he attempted to drown himself I near the same place in February last.

Native owners and lessees are reminded of a meeting to be held at Bua Moetahuna's house, Oaonui, at 10 o'clook to-morrow, to fix the rent for new leases to the Oaonui Co-operative Dairy Company (Limited) and Mr David |Lusk.

We have just been advised that at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900, Messrs Lever Bros., Limited, have received the following awards : — Class 87, sunlight soap, grand prix; class 29, model of works, etc., grand prix; class 106, sun? light cottage, grand prix; class 102, Bocial economy, gold medal; class 41, sunlight oil millß, gold medal ; class 90, toilet soap, silver medal. Messrs Lever Bros., Limited, have obtained more highest awards than any other soapmakers in the world, and, indeed, apart from soap-making, no other British firm has, we believe, received more highest awards.

Cromwell's baby clothes have been sold by auction in London for thirty-two guineas. This tiny wardrobe consisted of the garments worn by Oliver when an infant of a few weefcq. They were disposed of at Christie's. There were three shirts, one high top shirt, one knitted vest, and six articles for head wear. The little lace hood was a pretty little thing, and next for choice came the tiny shirts. They were of very fine linen, trimmed with Valenciennes lace. Miniature straps of this lace insertion went across the shoulders, the neck and baby arm-holes being finished with edging to correspond. One pretty cap was worked in fine needlework with the words: " Sweet Bab, don't cry." 1699, the year of Cromwell's birth, was dated on this.

At the annual meeting of the Aborigines' Friends' Association, held recently in Adelaide, Lord Tennyson, Governor, said :— " Are you aware that black women in the Northern Territory have very insuffioient protection by law from, I am sorry to say, the brutality of Borne of the lawless wbite men there, and suffer accordingly? Are you aware there is a great deal of illicit trading in liquor with the blacks there, which ought to be stopped — (cheers)— and which is ruining them body and soul? Are you aware of what your late Chief Secretary stated last year in Parliament, that the blacks are even now being carried away from their tribes by white men into virtual slavery ? All I can is that in God's name I hope South Australia will awaken to a truer sense of the responsibility that she owes to the blackfellows, and that she will put down with a strong hand these abominable iniquities." Dr Leyds is booming ex-President Eruger. If he spent his time in booming Sellers' Labour-saving Washing Machine he would truly be a public benefaotor. — Advt. Sellers' Washer saves time, soap, and the drudgery of washing day. Give them a trial; if not satisfied can return, Dixon and Bates, Hawera.