NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7542, 18 August 1902, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Gounty Council's overdraft stands at £4450.

A meeting of all interested in the question of Bible reading in schools will be held this eveaing in St. Mary's schoolroom.

Mr Robertson, who was one of the returned troopers by the Britannic, who is seriously ill with pneumonia, is this morning Blightly better.

The Hawera Borough Band gave a sacred concert on Sunday afternoon, in the Recreation Ground. The weather was beautiful, and there was a fair muster of the public A good programme was played. The Band funds, as the result of voluntary contributions, was increased by some £3.

The American Vaudeville Company concluded the Hawera season on Saturday evening, when a good programme, evidently appreciated, , was submitted. Kelly and Ashby's act was again the chief item.

Two anonymous contributions of £1 each have been received by the Colonial Treasurer as " conscience money." With the second one was a slip of paper endorsed: "Unpaid duty. Last instalment."

A meeting of the Palmerston North Farmers' Union was held on Saturday afternoon for the purpose of selecting a Parliamentary oandidate ; but.after hearing both the gentlemen standing in the interests of the Union, the taking of the vote was postponed.

"If you nse words like that to me, I'll have to meet you outside," was tbe excited remark of one counsel at the Christchuroh Magistrate's Court to another, who had, characterised, one of his questions to a witness as an impertinenoe. The Bench remarked (says Truth) that when lawyers lost their tempers in this manner, they did not set a good example to witnesses. He objected to the oourt being turned into a bear-gaiden.

The manager of the Opera House has been endeavouring to induce Jean Gerardy, the greatest living 'cellist, to include Hawera in his tour. Mr John H. Tait, Gerardy's manager, arrived in town on Saturday, and, although Gerardy's present tour is already booked, there x& a chance of him calling here, for one night on his way baok to Auckland, from whence he Bails for Europe to fulfil his heavy engagements.

At the Methodist, Anglican, and j Presbyterian Churches in Hawera on Sunday, sermons were preached on the subject of Bible teaching in schools, preachers deploring the absence from the State School time-table of any prevision for teaching Biblical knowledge and the need for action to correot this defect. It is understood that the sermons were preliminary to a series of meetings to be held in support of the aims of the Society for promoting Bible teaching in State schools. The programme of the Society has been drafted in Wellington by a conference of representatives of the Anglican, Baptist, Congregationalism Presbyterian, Primitive Methodist, and Australasian Methodist Churches, and the objects are set out as follows : — (1) To demand such alteration of the Education Act as will prescribe: (a) That Government schools be opened daily with the Lord's Prayer ; (b) That on certain days of the week simple lessons on selected* portions «f the Bible be given by the touchers during school hours. Provided ; (i) That these lessons shall be of a strictly undenominational character ; (ii) That teachers who conscientiously object to give these lessons shall not be compelled to give them, and scholars whose parents have conscientious objections shall not be compelled to receive them. (2) To urge members of Parliament and candidates for eleotion thereto to preßS the above alteration upon the Legislature. [*It is proposed that these portions be selected, and simple notes furnished by a committee of representatives of various Christian denominations.]

Mr N. King's horse fair advertised for Wednesday has been postponed.

A TOILET NECESSITY.

At this time of the year, ladies especially, suffer from chapped hands. Wilton's Hand Emollient is not only a core bnt a preventive for this trouble. Ladies using it will find that it keeps the skin cool and white, and the hands retain, even in cold weather, all their usefulness and charm. Obtainable from Geo. W. Wilton, 3, Cuba St., Wellington.