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Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8299, 1 June 1907, Page 4

A depot for the sale of State coal has been opened in Wanganui. State coal is being sold at 32s per ton in Wanganui. A Starr-Bowkett Society is being formed in Dannevirlie. A previous effort in this direction a few years ago failed through lack of public support. The "Laughing Gallery" is to be fixed up at the Dairy Show. This side show was a great feature of the International Exhibtion, affording pleasure and delight to visitors. It is certain to catch on at the A. and P. Dairy Show. Members present at tlie annual meeting of the Athletic Park Company last night expressed satisfaction at the economical way in which its affairs had been managed from its inception. The management ex-' penses, it was said, very likely constituted a record for lowness. It was mentioned also that the company was one of the few, if not the, enly one, that being formed in the interests of sport, had even succeeded in paying dividends to. the shareholders.

Be sure to see the splendid assortment of Winter. Dresß Materials showing this week at C. Smith's next Post Office.—Advt, '

A striking testimony of the esteem in which Mr H. Okey, the Opposition member for Taranaki, is held by the settlers, with whom he has lived for the whole of his life, was shown by the fact that he polled no fewer than, 71 out of 81 votes recorded in the district in which he was born. A sheep-farmer in the Narribri district of New South Wales has a fine flock of 3000 merinos absolutely black. These have averaged 7£lbs of wool, rather more than white merinos in* the same district, and the wool sold at 13d per lb. The best lambing was 84 per cent, and there was not a piebald among them. The annual meeting of the Broad Street Methodist choir took place last evening. Several matters of importance were discussed, after which the election of officers was proceeded with, resulting as follows: —Secretary, Mr G. li. Bycroft (re-elected); treasurer, Miss C. Harper (re-elect-ed); librarian, Mr S. Beattie; committee, Misses M. Carty, L. Crooke, and M. Harper, Messrs A. Poad, A, Tregurtha and C. Bycroft.

The Tokomaru correspondent of a contemporary says: —"Speaking of the school brings to mind that Mr Gregory, the teacher, is living in such a small house that it must be most inconvenient to him and his family. I remember when he first came to this district and he built his home to suit the times. Then he got married, as all teachers do, and is now rearing a family of, I believes, four or five. Yet the Education Board does nothing to better his condition, and he is bemoaning his lot. The residents feel that the master is not being justly treated." Lhe Christchurch Press, in a report of the inaugural meeting of the Canterbury Bee-keepers' Association, stated that one man in the Wairarapa obtained no less than thirty-two tons of honey from his hives. A contemporary also has this information from an authoritative source, and the informant declared that the 750 colonics of t'his successful bee-keeper could be kept on two acres. As he sold all his honey, and that before it was m i ie, at 4d a pound net wholesale, tho returns amounted to £1194 13s for the season.

Superintendent J. G. Gilberd, of the Napier Eire Brigade, has for the past six years raised annually by subscription among the Fire Brigades of the colony sums of money which, have been forwarded as a donation to the Fresh Air Fund started by Pearson's Weekly. Tho funds sent by Mr Gilberd have been earmarked, and every year 300 or 400 children have the "New Zealand Firemen's Day" by an outing to Epping Forest or some other country resort. ,So far the moneys have been spent in giving a treat to London slum children. Mr Gilberd has now in hand about £28, which he intends to forward shortly with the direction that it be expended equally among the children of Birmingham and Leicester. It takes very little to give a hundred children a day's outing, and the pleasure thus given is worth many times the money spent on it.

A San Francisco correspondent wiites: —In these April days it is difficult to tell whether San Francisco is agitated more by the anniversary of her calamity of twelve months ago, the terrible exposures of municipal crime and corporation bribery, or the arrival of Squires, the pugilist! To the casual reader this may seem like sarcasm. So deeprooted are the affairs of the ring in the minds of thousands of Californians that the visitor or resident would realise that, after all, the truth is stated in the opening sentence. A tug-boat was engaged by the sporting fraternity to meet Squires on board the Ventura, the newspapers have printed pages about him, and he has had to pose so often for the photographers in order that his picture might appear in the papers that his manager has issued a solemn edict that William will only face the camera between 11 and 11.50 o'clock in the forenoon. On the stieet one hears discussed the possible opponents of the Australian boxer.

The annual general meeting of the Manawatu Athletic Park Co., Ltd., was held at the Grand Hotel last evening. Mr It. S. Abraham, chairman of directors, presided. Twelve shareholders were present, and fourteen were represented by proxies. Ihe report, published in last evening's "Standard," was adopted. Messrs It. S. Abraham and D. Pringle, the retiring directors, were re-elected to that office, Mr C. E. Dempsey being elected to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr W. Coombs. Mr P. Sim was reappointed auditor at the custooiary remuneration. Subsequently an extraordinary general meeting was held to consider the following notice of motion—'-That the whole of the assets of the company be sold to the Manawatu Golf Club for the sum of £3000 and that the company beiorthwith voluntarily wound up under the provisions of 'The Companies Act, 1903.' " The motion was moved pro forma, and the following, amendment was adopted by the meeting:—"That the directors be authorised to offer the assets of thecompany, comprising the property and plant subject to the existinsr mortgage of £1000, to the Golf Club for the sum of £2000, such offer to remain open till July 30th, 1907." It was also resolved to hold a special meeting of the company on Monday, the,l7th inst., to confirm the above decision. A number of those present expressed the opinion that the company, which was formed in the interests of sport, should not hand over its property to any other body without taking some steps to insure its being preserved for recreation purposes for all time. It was suggested that if the Golf Club met with a period of depression, it might sell the grounds to speculators. Ia reI ply, it was pointed out that the club ■was not at all likely to die out and that, in any case, the company could not hamper the sale with any such, conditions as suggested.

There is no place in Palmerston. where Holiday and Travelling Requisites for ladies and gentlemen can be obtained to more advantage than at The Bon Marche. Value and; variety always here, right up-to-date.. Ad t ° SS anC * *. nv^e i lls P ec tion. Special prices in Dress Tweeds this, week at C. Smith's, the Cash Draper, next Post Office. » Immense varietv. from Is to 4s 6d yard.—Advt. Woods' Great Peppermint Cure for Coughs nnd Cold's never fails. Is 6d B*Ad 2s 6d.—Advr A very pleasant incident toot place last Tuesday in Palmerston North, when a lady and gentlemen who were about to bo married were presented with' an Edison phonograph. Thegentleman in a few well-chosen words expressed his pleasure and thanks for the handsome gift. Wo need scarcely mention that the phonograph waa purchased from the Photo Stores,. Main Street. —Advt.

During the past five days, twentythree erring cyclists have been fined varying amounts. Summonses are now out for ten more. Arrangements have been definitely made by the Band to visit the Hospital to-morrow afternoon and play a programme of music for the benefit of the patients. The performance will begin at a quarter to three. The electoral rolls and defaulters' lists of the Kairanga County Council have been open for inspection for some time by those interested. They vero withdrawn yesterday. Objections thereto will be considered by the S.M. on the 17th inst. Smokers qhould take warning that the Railway Department is about to commence a crusade against smoking on the station platforms throughout the colony.* For some time past the regulation prohibiting smoking on platforms has not been generally respected. The vital statistics for the registration district of Palmerston North for the month of May are as follows:—Births, 33; marriages, 16; deaths, 13. Births are about up to the average for the preceding months this year, marriages are rather less, and deaths show an increase. The Government is very tardy in appointing a gentleman to succeed Mr H. S. Fitzhenbert as Crown Solicitor in Palmerston,. In view of the facts that the Supreme Court sittings open on Tuesday week, and that there are some ten criminal cases already down for consideration, it will be seen that the new appointee will have but little time for getting through his briefs. A female first-offending inebriate,

who pleaded guilty at the Courthouse this morning before Mr S. Luxford, J.P., was fined ss, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Two more cyclists appeared voluntarily and pleaded guilty to riding along the footpaths. They were each fined ss, plus 2s costs. Mr Luxford being a member of the Borough, Council, the consent of the offenders had to be obtained before he could adjudicate on the cases. The danger of allowing horses to wander was exemplified last Tuesday night in the Western district, where a Wairio farmer (Mr W. Keen) had four valuable young draught horses killed by the goods train on the Nightcaps line. .The animals were on the line at the foot of an incline, and, it being dark at the time, they were not, observed until too late. The animals were worth fully £160. The line is fenced, and the animals irust have got out of the paddock owing to the failure on some one's part to close the gate. The workmen are still busily engaged in digging up cracked sewer pipes in Ferguson Street West. The end of the defective portion of the sewer has not yet been reached, but it is expected to be found at the Pitt Street manhole. The work is particularly trying at this time of the year owing to the sodden state of the ground and the presence of large quantities of water in the trench. The exhibit of fragments of sewer pipes now on view along the side of the road is well worth inspection and should be particularly interesting to the ratepayers who have to pay for it.

A gleam of sunshine came to Picton, (says the Press) from a casual remark in a letter recently received locally from a young man employed near one of the Government engineers' camps on the North Island Main Trunk Railway. He says, inter alia, that the engineers expect that work will be completed in that portion of the colony about the middle of next year, and have already received official notice to prepare for a transfer to the South Island, where it is expected the pushing on of the Main Trunk line with all speed will be the policy of the Government. Strange things may happen in twelve months, however.

Following is the copy of a letter Mr J. J- Bagnall has sent to the Hon. G. Fowlds:—"Sir,—l see that in this morning's papers you are reported to have publicly stated: "That the testimonial recently signed by the business people at Ashburton left no doubt that prohibition was a great success there.", If that is so, will you kindly explain how it was that at the election of 1902 1734 voters recorded their votes in favour of continuance, and that in 1905, after three years experience. 2663 voters recorded their votes in favour of restoration, and which left the advocates of prohibition with a minority of votes?"

A Maori, writing to the Otaki paper, says: —"The Royal Commission, has done good work. They have purchased two blocks up the Wanganui, also the Rangitoto block —"all good land —the Ihuwaka block, containing 63,000 acres, at 7s 6d per acre, and the best part of Rangitoto at £1 per acre. I must congratulate the Hon. Native Minister on the able and, honest way in which he purchased these blocks. The native owners came forward and sold their land freely. Tlfis purchase supports the Treaty of Waitangi, where it mentions that the Maoris could sell to the Government if they liked, and not to confiscate."

Recently an octupus, estimated to have a spread, with its tentacles, of at least nine feet, made a grab for two visitors at Waipara rocks, north of Amberley. The men were bathing at .a spot round the bluff 'at a pinnacle rock which juts out, and where there are pawa fish shells to be obtained. A short spade was attached to a long stick, and some of the party were dislodging the shells from the rocks when the octopus reached for one of the men in the water. It was jabbed at with the spade, and on being turned over in about 2£ feet of water afforded a good view of its size and shape. It was then seen to make for a cavity in the rock, and though a watch was kept for some time by the party of five, who intended to give it a broadside of rocks and stones, it was not seen aaain.

The. bachelors' ball in the public hall at Oroua Bridge was largely attended last night, fully 80 couples being present, including visitors from far and near. The function was a most enjoyable one, being under the direction of Mr S. Birchley as M.C. The music was supplied by Mr Barrow's band, and Mr S. Clare was responsible for the catering. The ball was an entire success.

Mr Russell Grace, of Wellington, has purchased Mr H. Lethbridge's Tuscan Hills property, in the Pahiatua district. The area is about 2500 acres, and the price paid was £20,000. Mr Grace has also purchased the adjoining section of 1000 acres, owned by Mr 0. H. Bruce, at £12 per acre. The total price for the two properties was £32,000. Mr Grace intends to reside at Tuscan Hills.

There was a fairly large number of young men present at the opening of the social and gymnastic club in All Saints' Hall last night. The instructor in gymnastics (Mr Williams) was present, and a start was made in this department. Next week all the apparatus will be available. The social room was also used and a pleasant evening spent. A large number of members have been enrolled, and the club, for which there is ample scope, is well established.

Mr T. Lowes informs us that the flow of subscriptions to the Consumptive Sanatorium Fund has now ceased entirely. People, on being approached for donations, absolutely decline to assist at all until they know where the Sanatorium is to be situated. The sum of £210 is now lying in the bank at interest, and is thus slowly augmenting the fun<?, while Mrs W. T. Wood nas promised to work up a children's entertainment during the winter for the same purpose.

The Palmerston bakers announce that the price of bread (21b loaf) is now 4d cash, 4|d booked —that is, 8d and 9d respectively per 41b loaf. In Auckland the bakers have fixed the price at 6d and 7d, "in accordance with the scale agreed upon at the conference of the New Zealand Master Bakers' Association, held in Auckland in October, 1903, and reviewed and confirmed at the three annual conferences held since that time." The scale referred to (in which the price of bread per 41b loaf is fixed on a sliding scale, according to the price of flour is as follows: —Flour at £7 a ton, bread 5d per 41b loaf; £7 to £8, s£d; £8 to £9, 6d; £9 to £10, 6'd; £10 to £11, 7d. The price of bread in Auckland is expected to advance to 7jd.

Do you know the life of a machine is prolonged by occasionally having all bearings cleaned and overhauled in a proper manner ? A ring on 161 and we send and deliver your machine anywhere. Scott's.—Advt. For Bronchki Cougtos take Woods' fireat Peppermint Cure. Is 6d and 2s 6a. —Advt.