LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8100, 1 October 1904, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In Deniliquin, a township in the Riverina district, New South Wales (winch has lately emerged from an eight yearsdrought), bakers have for some time teen advertising their bread at 4d per 4lb loaf.

At a small dance given in Wellington last week, there were all elements of a tragedy. A loaded pistol was left on the dressing table in the room used by the men to put on their dancing shoes. It belonged to the son of the house, who had been in South Africa, where familiarity had perhaps taught him contempt of firearms. A guest, taking it up, and never thinking it was loaded, pulled the trigger, and the bullet struck the corner of the room and detlected to the ceiling. Had he pointed it at any of the men present the consequences might have been fatal. The Wairarapa Daily Times says it is estimated that it will be fully two months yet before the work will be overtaken in connection with the repairing of chimneys damaged by the recent earthquake. Some of the bricKiayers employed were procured in Wellington, the wage paid being 15s a day, 5s a day for food, and travelling expenses paid both ways. Some of those earning these large wages are not over five-and-twenty years of age, and, as might be expected, the extraordinary demand for their services has made them somewhat independent in their choice of an employer, and also how long they choose to remain.

The mad speculation in wheat which is again agitating the great grain towns of the United States has once more brought into prominence Mr John W. Gates. "The biggest plunger on Wall stri-et," his friends call him. always ready to Let on anything, he has risen, though he is only forty-eight, from being a farmer's boy to the position of one of the money kings of America. It was he who first saw the possibilities of barbed wire for fencing purposes, and he owes his rapid rise to his consolidation of the conflicting elements in that industry into the American Steel and Wire Company with a capital of £18.000,000. Mr dates favorite pastime of late years has been in checking the vast financial schemes of Mr Pierpont Morgan, who refused to give him a place in the directorate of the Steel Trust, on account of his gambling proclivities.

At the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, on Thursday, the case against Arthur McAuliffe, in which the jury tailed to a<*ree the day before, was re-heard. Ine charges were (1) That on August 3 he did unlawfully set fire to a dwelling at Midhirst, the property of Mrs Caroline Wins Kee; (2) that at the fire inquest at Midhirsl on August 9 he committed perjury by swearing that on that night the lamp he upset contained kerosene; and that he purchased the lamp from Messrs Honnor and Vcale when lie first arrived in Midhirst, some nine or ten years ago. Acosed was found guilty after a retirement of fiftem minutes by the jury. His Honor, in passing sentence, said : "Prisoner at the bar. it is an unpleasant duty to l>e obliged to send an elderly man of your age to prison for the first time, and I will inflict a lenient sentence You am sentenced to serve with hard labor to IB months on each charge, sentences to run concurrently." An effort of a novel kind was made recently by a well-known individual in Christchurch to do something for the beneJit of hia fellows who suffer from a. Sunday thirst and are without the means of allaying it. It is stated that the benefactor of this kind was discovered seated in a right-of-way close to one of the city hotels, a barrel of beer, minus the top, between his knees, a pot in his hand, and a collection box at his side. In the open air, hardly twenty yards from a public street, so it is stated, be did a roaring trade until he was rudely deprived of his stock-in-trade by a policeman, and an information was laid against him for slygrog selling. At a special meeting of the Committee of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, the Trade Monopolies Prevention Bill was .discussed, and the following resolution passed in reference thereto :—" While not questioning the policy of legislation for the purpose of regulating the operations of commercial trusts or monopolies in the colony this Committee objects to the present bill, on the grounds that, as drawn, it is too comprehensive in character, vague in terms, and cumbrous in machinery, and generally goes beyond the scope for which the legislation was understood to be intended. The committee would therefore recommend to the Government tho appointment of a commission to enquire into the subject and report before next session."

The Government are in recipt of a letter from three ex-New Zealand Contingenters in South Africa, asking for free passages bai-k to the colony, on the ground that the Transvaal Government has not kepts its promise to give them Government employment, and that they are in a destitute" condition. "Since our Celestial friends have arrived," they go on to say, "we find it difficult to exist — in fact, even a swag has no chance, which we have experienced. We feel it very much, after serving with the Imperial force during the late war for three years, that we should be treated in this heartless fashion after our patriotism; so therefore we have no hesitation in throwing ourselves on your mercy."

The house agents in Christchurch state that Mr Tregear's "curse of landlordism" memorandum does not apply to Christchurch. They declare that rents are not exorbitant, and only correspond with the value of property. There are plenty of comfortable cottages to be obtained at 10s a week. These cottages are in good situations and have about an eighth of an acre of land around them. More land would be regarded as a drawback. It is easier to buy a small property suitable for a laborer on good tentiß than to rent it. A laborer can borrow money on his property at 5 per cent, and pay off the capital in the shape of rent. But a landlord is not prepared to remain satisfied with that rate of interest on the money he has invested. He has to meet rates, taxes, depreciation, and loss through nonoccupation, and he therefore demands 10 per cent. The agents state that there is no rack-renting in Christchurch. True, rent's have risen, but hot proportionately more than other expenses of living. There are plenty of enquiries for small cottages, and for 10s a week a laborer in Christchurch can get all that he ought to require in the way of house and ground.

CAUTION TO FARMERS.

•The extraordinary success achieved by the use of SYKEB RED DRENCH has elicited letters of praise from all parts of the colony. In order to obtain the genuine drench ask expressly for BYKES' RED DRENCH. Every ingredient in this Drench is selected by an expert in London, fresh supplies arriving every three months.. Only materials of tho highest quality are used in tße manufacture. Shun the dealer who, in order to gam a larger profit, tells you he has something better. Beware! . Hit advice may cost yon the Hfe of a most valuable animal. -For cows, horses, sheep and pigs. Price, Is 6d. Each packet contain* 2 drenches.

F« Bnqobjftl rjotf&t !■*• Wood* ________ \l9^fl^tea^^Mtfflk^' fWw^L is 4WI ' * '■

Edward Arthur Raven, who was sentenced yesterday morning by Mr Justice Jbxlwards, in the Supreme Court, to two years' imprisonment with uard labor on a charge of procuring another person to perform an illegal operation, was released from tue local gaol at 4.30 yesterday afternoon. Representations were made to the authorities at Wellington regarding Raven's position as a Crown witness, having turned King's evidence, and these resulted in the forwarding of an order to the eaoler for Raven's release, under the authority of the Governor, his sentence having been remitted by the clemency of the Crown.— Taranaki News. Professor Lugeon, of the University of Lausanne, has been studying the population of the valley of the Rhone between Martigny and the Rhone glacier. The statistics show that the right bank of the river between these points has a population of 34,000, while only 20,000 persons live along the left bank. He has found that along a part of the river banks which present exactly the same topographic conditions, the side which is most exposed to the sun has from four to five times as many inhabitants as the other bank, which is in the shadow of the mountains that ward off most of the direct rays of the sun. With one or two exceptions, all the villages haye been built on the bank which is most fully exposed to the sun's rays. The voting machine invented by Mr William Dall, of St. Clair has been attracting attention in the lobbies of the House. On the whole opinion concerning it is distinctly favorable. It is recognised that the machine goes a long way in the direction of further preserving the secrecy of the ballot. The objection is raised that the machine does not keep a record of how each elector votes, but the inventor wishes to guard against that. Before the machine could be brought into use electors' rights will have to be adopted Mr Dall urges that a trial should be given to the machine in the first instance in connection with municipal elections. In the House on Thursday afternoon Mr Kaihau. member for the Western Maori District, made one of his customary impassioned appeals on behalf of the Maori people. Referring generally to the grievances of the native race, and his own representations on their behalf, he said it was always a case of "Taihoa Kaihau," "Taihoa* Kaihau," "but," said he, "I am not going to stand down any longer. I can assure the House that my constituents are now being educated in regard to Maori matters. Where are the Maori members of this House unless they can get the voice of the Native Minister? We are like the chicken whose fostermother was a duck, and went into the water, and when we run for shelter under the wings of the mother, expecting to be nice and cosy, she makes us wet. That is the Native Minister. The Native Minister: I think it is the other way about. The duck runs into the water, and leaves the poor hen on shore. Mr Kaihau : We want a bill brought down which will place the Maoris on such a footing that there will be no longer any grounds for these complaints. When these matters are brought up people say, "Oh, the Maor.s ar<; not fit to manage their own affairs; they aie only children." f It is high time thai should not be said." A writer in the Christchurch Press has dared to adversely criticise Paderewski. He says: "Paderewski's technique goes without saying, but as he himself truly declares: "Technique can always be acquired with practice and execution likewise. But technique and execution alone never did, and never will, make an artist. Bearing this in mind, and judging him by the greatest artists of our day, 1 make bold to say that he is a comparative failure. So far from being great in all styles, he was mostly Paderewski, often Chopin, but never Beethoven. Indeed, his playing of Beethoven was positively irreverent. With the vivid recollection of Rubinstein's performances of the Waldstein Sonata still fresh in my mind, Paderewski's rendering seemed to me sheer burlesque. In spite of his technique, many of the passages in the first movement were blurred, and suggested nothing so much as the smearing of butter on bread. The second subject in B major was slowed down to a 50 metronome beat, and treated like a sentimental ballad ; and the whole movement was wanting in dignity. The last movement of the "Moonlight" was another "slap dash" performance that was as unwelcome as it is unwarranted. Why, if the text was good enough for the poetic scholarly Bulow, is it not good enough for Padcrewski ? Why for instance, should we have one chord instead of two, struck with emphasis and marked by Beethoven fo be so struck, at the end of the arpeggio passages? For the most part I enjoyed his playing of Chopin. The Polonaise and the Ballade were things to be remembered." A deputation representing the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Society d'scusved with the Education Board on Wednesday the scheme of beginning the teaching of agriculture on lines already reported. Mr Pearce laid emphasis on the importance of first making teachers themselves competent to give the country children the kind of teaching which was nively to be useful to them. If it waa decided to import an expert he strongly advised that the Board should engage a man who had been trained under Professor Robertson, in Canada. Mr Luke (Chairman of the Board) said the scheme of Mr George, the director of technical education, was similar to that now advocated. He proposed to import an expert to first train teachers. He asked whether, if the Board contributed £300 per annum towards the cost, the Agricultural Association would give another £100. so that the Government might be asked to give a subsidy of £100 to bring the amount up to £500. Mr Peacocke said the contributions must be made by farmers individually. The association had no power to contribute from its funds. Mr Dick said the Board taught other smaller trades at their own expense, but wb.es the farmers asked that the Board should tpach the most important industry in the colony the Board immediately asked 'them to pay. Finally a committee was appointed to act in co-operation with the three members of the deputation to draw up a scheme. The late Mayor of Wanganui, Mr A. Hatrick, who has just returned from a trip to England, says that the Agency-Genwal is doing nothing to bring New Zealand before the British public. "It's humiliating," he says, "to see the prominence obtained for such places as Queensland and Western Australia by the diligent and not too modest advertising of their respective agents, while Canada has made a splendid system of flooding the country with exaggerated accounts of her advantages for the settler and the tourist. It's with the settler we are hardest hit. There is a mighty tide of emigration from Ireland and Scotland, and a smaller one from England, setting outward every year for the lands beyond the seas, and we get little or none of it. I take it that this colony wants good settlers. Do we get them? Of course we don't, as you know — at least not numerously enough. Our agents are resting on their oars ; they seem content to let the merits of the colonly dawn of themselves on the enquirer, whereas Canada and Queensland get on the housetops and shout the praises of their countries. We lie by out of the stream of activity — we who can offer the settler some of the best land in the Empire; we, who have the finest scenery in the aggregate the Empire can boast. Even our London agency flees the atmosphere of business. We have a couple of rooms upstairs in a building on the Thames embankment, with a small brass plate indifferently announcing the fact that for New Zealand you may enquire within it. The best thing that can happen to us is for Mr Scddon himself to go home and set things straight. The agency is little better than a visiting place." Mr Hatrick suggests as a remedy rather that we should avail ourselves of the opportunity afforded by the Earl's Court authorities for small exhibitions, as is done by other countries, or for the Government to get a building in one of the business parts of London and establish there a branch of the Tourist Agency, and make it the AgentGeneral's and Lands for Settlement Office. A post card addressed to us will bring you one of our illustrated catalogues, showing all particulars about the "Little Wonder" Seed Sower. Price 20s delivered. Morrow, Bassett and Co., Christchurch. — Advt.

FISHING TACKLE.

F. J. Wrigley announces the arrival of a very extensive assortment of Bartle't and Sons' fishing tackle. 'An especially fine assortment of wooden rods, inclui'a< sulit cane, green-heart, lanoewood end hickory, at all prices from £4 to 7s M. Bristol steel rods a speciality, 10, 11, and 12 feet long. These rods are justly celebrated throughout this district. A wry large assortment of flies, including seveial new varieties. New minnows, new casts new traces, everything new. Inspection invited. Bartlett's best casts, at Is, Is 3d, Is 6d each, or ss, 6s, and 7s 6d the halfdozen. Flies, minnows, casts, etc., sent post free. Postal orders receive prompt attention, and must be accompanied with cash. Rods prepared by competent workmen. Fishing licenses issued. F. J. WRIGLEY, Hawera.

Witch's Oil for rheumatism, lumbago, sciatica, all deep-seated muscular or rheumatic pains.— Advt. I had tried many dochtors qn.d swallowed their shtuff, And a4T«rtlscd noshtrums more than enough; Till my coppers w«r« gone, and my throat . was on fire, And the lungs in my shtumaeh refused to reshpire; When « bottle of "Woods'" gave * new lease of lito, < . And brought back the shmrfes.to the faoe of my wife. So take my advishe for colds, faith be shore Yon get Muhtez ,"WoooV Great Pepper-

7v. !a&a*<

Mr J. B. Godkin, of Ngaire, returned I / home on Friday after a trip to America I and Europe. He left via Auckland about | live months ago in company with Mr James Robson, going by the San Francisco mail steamer. He and Mr Robson visited the St. Louis exposition, and subsequently went to Great Britain, and after hat mad 3 for home by different routes. Mr Godkin came out by the White Star line, as he desired to visit Africa, and Mr Robson is on his way by the Suez route. The St. Louis Exposition, Mr Godkin says, is a wonderfully great show, so great fl that it is difficult to take it all in, and still more difficult is it to give an adequate account of it. His experience did not justify the complaint that the expenses of living have been materially increased in St. Louis. H« got a capital room for a dollar a day, and excellent meals were to be bad for 50 cents. In fact, he * found living more expensive in Liverpool ■ than in St. Louis. He travelled across in on» of the great liners, and as an in- * stance of what they carry remarked that in the steerage of this particular boat there were no fewer than twelve hundred paisangers. Altogether it has been a great work to do the trip in five months, Ifut he had a very fair time. ; The State Control party, recently formed in Nelson, has set out its platform as follows; "(1) That the State should acquire by purchase all interest in hotels, breweries, and 'stocks of liquors in New Zealand; (2) that the entire importation, manufacture, and sale of all alcoholic liquors should be under the control and management of a non-political Board of | Commissioners, answerable only to Parha31 ment ; (3) that the net profits should not 515 1 be used for increasing the fiscal revenue, 1 ' but that all surplus profits accruing from D he sale of liquor, after providing for in- * tcrcst on capital invested and sinking fund, 0 should be directly devoted to counteract- , " ing the attractions of the bar, by providd ing healthy recreation, amusement, and '" instruction for the people." I : " The habits and mannerisms of cricketers are often interesting, and sometimes n not a little amusing. Many a bowler (writes E. H. D. v Sewell in the King) | '" when hit for four stands on one leg and * looks at the spikes of his delivery boot, * while the policeman is sending back tho 1 ball and losing his helmet in one and the * same action. When I first had the j honor of playing with W. G. Grace I Z. could not help noticing how he, when tell,v ing his side the order of going in, invarin ably said, "Come in third or seventh !." wicket down," or whatever was the place 1V on the menu. Force of habit. AH his "> life he had been in the habit of seeing the , r l rest of his side come to him at the wicket, 1 " so that he never, as every other captain n . in the world does, made use of the verb ng "to go-" •t. The following new books have been reve ccived at the Public Library : "Deficient ay Saints" (Marshall Saunders), "The Origin'd nal Woman" (F. F. Moore), "The Silent v: Places" (S. E. White), "A Weaver of ill Webs" (John Oxenham), "Joshua Newiat ings" (G. F. Bradby), "Erromanga, the or Martyr Isle" (H. A. Robertson), "The ire Path of Empire" (G. Lynch), "Lin rTs McLean" (Owen Wister), "The Earthly ■s; Purgatory" (Lily Dougall), "The Conflict,' 1 ne and "A Lost Eden" (Miss Braddon). TOWN CLERK OF KUMARA, N.Z., ,a B, a 8 CURED OF SCIA-IxOA. ki, George Robert Ruikin, Town Clerk, }e^ Kumara, N.Z., says : "I have very great jjy pleasuring in staling that, having used a( T. Chamberlain's Pain Balm in a very severe !t e . attack of sciatica, I found immediate re >ne lief. Had before tried -many other em' t>> brocations for the same purpose, but found j' m this tho most efficacious. Several of mj k e friends who have been afflicted with rheumatism * matism have on my advice tried Chamber 11 lain's Pain Balm with equally good re .* suits. I confidently recommend it to thos< ~, in need of a good household liniment 01 ■ ' embrocation. For sale by W. K. Wallace ir ' ( chemist. Hawera. — Advt.