MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE. Circulation, 2,800 Copies Daily FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1903. DISMISSING CIVIL SERVANTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7509, 6 February 1903, Page 4

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE. Circulation, 2,800 Copies Daily FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1903. DISMISSING CIVIL SERVANTS.

One of our objections to the present administration, and., which was brought prominently to the surface during the general election, was the shocking manner in which men were pitch-forked into billets. This was done not so- much on account of the applicants for places in the Civil Service possessing any particular aptitude for the work required of them, but for the reason 'tQiat they had a certain political standing and they had to be provided for in some Wciy, so that it was just as well that it should be done at the expense of the long-suffering This proceeding has been going on for some considerable time with the result that the departmental expenditure has increased to an enormous extent and the office room has become quite insufficient to hold all the friends of "the Ministry. According to our telegrams, some of the Government officials have.been dismissed, and more will follow shortly. Every one feels sorry for the men who have to bear the brunt of the pruningknife, but the Government is alone responsible for their misfortune through making unnecessary appointments bearing a very strong political flavour. We do not for a moment suppose that the "retrenched" will) be the incapables or even those recently appointed, but more likely those who are without friends at Court. The appointments were foolishly made and therefore it is only reasonable to presume that the dismissals will be on a par. From present indications it would appear that the Government will find it a difficult task to meet the increased expenditure, and the members of the Ministry are now puzzling their brains to find out the best and safest way out oi the difficulty. This is only the start of the retrenchment scheme and which has been brought about through incapable administration.

The Liberal picnic at Carterton resulted in a deficit of £15 17s. A social and dance is to be held to balance the account.

Mr Wh alley, of the Crown Studios has shown us the proofs of some capital photos of the plans of the two first opera house designs. The details are brought out with marvellous distinctness and a good idea of the designs can be gathered from the photographs.

The Shire stallion which arrived from London by the s.s. Mamari on Thursday last (says the Auckland Herald) was sent to Wellington by the s.s. Westralia. The animal, which is named Coombe Yeoman, is a fine black colt of 17 hands, with a profusion ot fine silky hair on the feet. He was foaled in 1900, and bred by Mr Percy G. Smith, Coombe Stud, Coventry, England, and is by Dunsmore —Inkerman. The animal is in splendid condition, and attracted a good deal of attention on tbe wharf while waitmg to be shipped on the steamer.

A horrible accident, in which a man named August Magussen lost his life, occurred in a timber mill at Worsley, Westralia. Magussen was crossing a connecting rod by which a movable saw is worked, when he was struck in the middle of the body by the whirling saw, and was practically sawn in two. The engine was stopped as quickly as possible, but Magussen, when dragged away, only gasped a couple of times, and expired. His right leg was seyered at the thigh, and his left hip bone was sawn through. The flesh on the hip was terribly mangled, and the abdomen was cut open.

Apropos of the Premier's National Purse a splendid cartoon by Carruthers Gould appears in the Westminster Gazette. It is headed " Another Insult," and represents Mr Seddon in the character of Poo-bah, of Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "The Mikado." Mr Seddon is shown in gorgeous robes with a hma feather in his hair, holding one hand behind him, into which another baud proceeding from an invisible donor behind a curtain, is depositing a bag marked I' _2850," while Poo-bah—Mr Seddon— is exclaiming—as did the original Poobah on receiving a gift—" Another Insult ! And this time a light one!" This is given with apologies to "The Mikado!"

Just before noon on January 27th, a peculiar accident was witnessed on the eastern beach, near Geelong. A horse attached to a dray laden with seaweed was driven up the new road which junctions with Garden-street. The gradient is very steep, but just as the horse leached the summit of the hill, it commenced to back, and very soon the dray was travelling down hill at full speed, dragging the horse after it. At last the dray smashed through a guarding fence on the roadside, and-after the horse had turned a somersault, it treed itself from the vehicle, which fell to to the bottom of the cliff, in the vicinity, and was broken to pieces on the rocks, about 60 feet below. _ Singularly enough, the horse escaped injury.

According to some of the evidence given at the police court trial of the Southwark publican, Chapman, who has been found guilty of the murder of Maud Marsh, he seems to have been almost as ruthless a monster as Deeming The girl was poisoned slowly with small doses of metallic antimony and tartar emetic, compounded with'skill, which Chapman had systematically acquired by the study of medical works. The table used by the lawyers and experts in the court at the trial was like that of a chemist's shop. The detection of the crime was accomplished only by very mmute and iabonous analyses. Even while Miss Marsh was being slowly done to death Chapman was planning to get another barmaid namedßaynerinto his clutches, but she had sense enough to evade him.

~MrW. A. Orchard, *__tfttjHHp^ 4. his departure for^.Syanbj^^pH»^^ *?; He was seen off-bya.' .largelHanfl»^|_pf^ % friends and acquWtoces.'' v4,'^^^^^pJ ) *$ IVKchael Com_ffl,''anWgine'dlnh^pS|^^ Hj the Victorian railways, was" cut infESS^T 3 by the wheels Wa^lbcoraotiTe wl__tfilgc 7 attempting to alight when the'train «■&. \/, moving a week ago. , . , sfflmPlu'Jk A girl named Jones, aged about' lJHKfef died suddenly at Balranald, N.S W., onofflßt -£j| day last week. This girl was one of «*%___» family reported to be ma starving, con- %9gl ditionsome three *eeks ago'owing to SB losses through the drought, "-Lr. *#^_S The cricket match, LawV'Banks "$$H arranged for to-morrovv, kas'becn. nost-^' -'$& poned till the Llth inst. owing to a «• "'"i number of players being engaged in af, '1 match with the Sherlock Holmes Co - I The arrangements made by the Banks ' M tor the provision ot afternoon tea need '*• ' ' not therefore be carried out. The following bankruptcy returns are taken from a statement compiled by the Official Assignee. Wellington :—Palmerston, 7 bankruptcies onpetition, lby ' ' adjudication, 6 discharges^granted, 3 suspended, liabilities £4380, assets • £1291, dividends £716, Government commission _.79, balance in bank' £60. The returns covers last year's business. The death occurred at the Private ■ -' Hospital this morning of Mr Thomas Kells, an old resident of Patea. Deceased, who was ' aged forty-foue % years, had been a sufferer from an internal complaint for the past two years, and had come to Palmerston for treatment. An operation was performed yesterday, but unfortunately without success, death- ensuing at four o'clock / this morning. Mr Kells, who was a ■. sl°Pk.man> was a son of Mr John Kells, of • Palmerston, and 'Cousin of Mrs S Taplin, also of Palmerston. A new venture is announced in ou advertising columns in the shape of the Intercolonial Land Agency, the head office of whicl. is at Sydney." The agency have purchased a number of businesses of land agents in this colony and intend to carry on operations on an exteniive scale. Mr A. W. Bell, who is we"known as an old Palmerston boy, has been appointed manager and auctioneer for this district, will have charge of the Palmerston North branch, and in his capable hands ■ there should be a good opening for business in connection with. J the agency. Fuller particulars will be 1 found in an advertisement in" another I column. { #An old man named Thomas Cross, ' living in Cumberland-street, Miller's * Point, N.S.W.. committed suicide by - blowing his brains out with a revolver. f He left the following extraordinary letter:—l am 77 years of age. I have ■ travelled over Europe, America, and over a large part of Australia; and . Australian society caps the climax. ' And how should it be otherwise when we take into consideration the materials that compose it ? If I were to tell you th;i story of the settlement of Australia, with my own knowledge of events, I f would be called a crazy old fool. I f could have all the money I want by I going to the bank for it, but I will not need money where lam going. lam fairly disgusted with Sydney, with its mosquitoes, bed bugs, fleas, etc., and I will be going to some place where I will not be annoyed by them. So here goes.—(Signed) T. C. Cnoss. Some time ago the" local patriotic committee was applied to by Quartermaster Sergeant Jonson, late of the Sixth Contingent, and now a resideDt of Foxton. for assistance from the funds, on account of illness. His illness was of such a nature as to necessitate his ' % removal to Rotorua for special treat- ' , ment. The committee referred tjie case to the Defence Department, asking amongst other things that the Govern" ment might bear the expense of Jonson's stay at Rotorua. The request has now been refused, the ground of the refusal being that Jonson has been back m the colony more than six months. The committee, however, recognising the case as one of urgent necessity, has given the returned trooper the sum of ' £20 and sent him to Rotorua to regain his health. As no further claims are anticipated, a" meeting will shortly be held to finally deal with the balance of the funds. N -,' Bishop Charles Abraham, whose death. c is announced by cable to-day, was 89 years of age. His father was a Captain in the Imperial Army, one of the t' first Sandhurst officers, and of the two - sons one was the late Bishop and the other the late Canon of Ely (Winchester School and Balliol, Oxford), the father of Messrs R. S. and L. A. Abraham, ot Palmerston North, who died in 1886. The late Bishop was educated at Eton and Queen's College, Cambridge, afterwards acting as one of the masters ■> at Eton. He came to New Zealand to loin Bishop Selwvn and "was Bishop of Wellington. When he returned to :a. England as Suffragan Bishop of Lich- •'.■.?• field to Bishop Selwyn, retiring a little .^v over ten years ago. He had ouly one '•'*■' child, who is now a clergyman in Staffordshire. It is rather a peculiar coincidence that about twenty years ago Bishop Abraham's death was cabled from Home in mistake for another Bishop that had died, while this morning we received a cable announcing the death of the "Bishop of Durham," which was subsequently corrected to " Bishop " Abraham." The complimentary concert to Messrs lombsand Meyrick p-omises to be a great success both musically and financially. The Programme Committee haye been looking out for attractions, and have succeeded beyond their most sanguine hopes. The result of their efforts will be one of the best programmes submitted for many year.. A tew days ago it was announced that "■- ---the services of Master Victor Harris, a musical prodigy, had been secured, and '•-> now the Committee have secured, the »t gratuitous services of a talented pro- ; : Sessional singer from the city of Wellington, Miss Ettie Hargood. Miss Hargood is the possessor of a sweet and L highly trained soprano voice of great purity and compass, and her generous offer to give her services free is much. - appreciated. Her contributions will be "A Dream of Paradise" and "The*! " Nightingale's Trill," two of the sing C.'-*! best songs. The former has violm and?! > 'cello accompaniment. Miss Hargood's \ services are in great demand in W elline- ' ton, so the music loving public may ex. '• pectatreat. In addition to the attractions mentioned, the best local talent available has been secured. The object "' is so good, and commends itself so mu-h * to the public that the tickets are selling 1 very rapidly. A box plan has been opened at G. H. Bennett's stationer's shop by special request According to their annual custom for' the past twenty-five years Messrs E. Hannah and Co. are offerino- +..„ JL. "7 of their stock of boofifhJes albar* ' * gam prices. • During the sale allgoods 'f reduced in pnce.—Advt. cau&ootls

Judge Kettle has granted probate of the will of the late Arthur Mangliani, of Halcombe, settler, to his wife, sole executrix, on the application of Mr Priar, of Feilding.

Messrs Jno. Mowlem and F. Aisher, Js.P., yesterday made an order for the committal of a Stoney Creek resident to the Porirua Asylum. The condition of the unfortunate young man is attributable to a severe injury to his head sustained through a fall on the ship he was working on.

Both civil and criminal work at S.M. Court shows a great increase -■during the last month, compared -with the corresponding month last year. Last January there were 52 -.plaints issued from the office ; this year tnere were 114 ; distress warrants last year totalled 14, this year 17. Criminal cases in January, 1902, totalled 41 ; last month there 129. The work generally in the office has increased very considerably, while at the same time the staff has been cur•Jailed temporarily, Mr Tudhope, cadet at the office, being at present Gn lelieving duty in Christchurch.

At a meeting of bowlers in Wellington on Wednesday .the members of the Victoria Rmk (Messrs Bra.enbridge, Bell .and Gooder) who won the Southern Bowling Championship, consented to meet the P_lmer..ton te. m (Messrs Mowlem. Nash. Drew and Bunting) who won ■the Northern Bowling A-^ociation's Championship, the match to decide the •Colonial Championship, and to be played •on the Wellington Green on Februaiy :25th. Nathan, President ot the Noiihern JBowling Association, has presented four gold medals for the winning team.

The sale now proceeding at the Bon Marche will shorty terminate. Meanwhile, attractive bargains are daily being -nffered iv drapery,, dress goods, blous-

■gs, mantles, r "'b"nery, aud show room j,oods.—Advt.

"The Times," London. November -26th, 1902, states:—"One of vre first steps on the part of the British Government m regard to the schools of the new colony has been the selection of pianos to be shipped to South Africa. The first 100 pianos wiU be despatched "by Messrs John Broadwood & Sons, early in January. The piano selected is of snecial design, and wi_ in future be known as 'The Imperial.' 'The Dresden Piano Company are the tsole agents for New Zealand. —Ad.vt.

We are now in the last few days of our clearance of stock sale which has been eminently satisfactory, tbe remaining balance of stock will be clewed in tbe next few days and huyers may look out for bargains.—C. M. Ross, the Bon JMarche.—Advt.

** Top up your pigs or not top em up " that is the question ! The answer is "Yes !" and be sure you do it with Shamrock Pig Meal, the original, best, and cheapest pig meal in the market, obtained from U.F.C.A., Palmerston North —You cannot make jam without fruit, there are no raspberries this year, use pure raspberry puip in 71b tins, obtained at U.F.C.A., Palmerston North.—You <cannot make jam in a frying pan, use a Ibrass, copper or enamel " Maslin " pan for the purpose.-of which, a very large •selection are to be^een at U.F.C.A., Vvl--rmerston North.—Among the many interesting features in stock held by the •U.F.C.A. is tbe consistent stream of American novelties arriving from time to •time. The enterprising manager of the "ironmongery department has secured from America a' surprising lot of _ rtirfiecrs and carpenters' tools and novelties, comprising numerous little laboursaving devices of surprising ingenuity, -amongst which are Botches turnsaws, •Rotches braces, augular borers, engineers' callipers, spring dividers, Bertiord's pliers, fencing pliers, bolt cutlers, special punches, tool pads, thread >guages, speed indicators, guage glass •cutters, hand drills and mitre boxes. It <will pay you to call and see them.