LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8300, 3 June 1907, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A cable in another part of this | issue states that thp '' N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co." had paid a dividend of 5 per cent. The company is really the "New Zealand Trust and Loan C 0.," an error in transmission having been made. William Stavert, a young man of Casino, New South Wales, was shot through the lung with a pea rifle oil April 27th. The proprietor of a shooting gallery, Charles Cooper, who is totally blind, was loading a rifle, _ and pointing the barrel, unknown to himself, straight at young Stavert, when the cartridge jammed, and the rifle went off, sending the bullet into the left shoulder of the lad. The doctor expects to save the boy's life. The loss at San Francisco through the (ire is not likely to* be ever accurately known. Probably the most reliable estimate yet given is that furnished by the Board of Trustees of tho San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Tho value of the buildings and contents destroyed by fire is estimated at about 350,000,000 dollars (£70,000,000). The total area burned is about 3000 acres, or about 4.7 square miles, containing 520 blocks and about 25,000 buildings, one-half being residences. An officer of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons says it is easy to tell a horse's character by the shape of his nose. If profile has a gentle curve, and at the same time the ears are pointed and sensitive', the animal may be depended; on as being gentle and at the same time high-spirited. On the other hand, if the horse has a dent in the middle of his nose it is safe to set him down as treacherous and vicious. A horse with a slight concavity in the profile .will be oasily scared and need coaxing, while ono that droops his ears is apt to be both lazy and vicious. Victoria is suffering severely from drought. At Deniliquin, on the 15th inst., a special stock sale was held, 5000 sheep and 300 head of cattle being yarded. None of the sheep were sold, but a hundred head of cattle changed hands. The situation is becoming very serious for graziers. Most of the runs are considerably overstocked for the short supply of grass. At Murrumburrali a farmer has stored about 3000 tons of fodder. He is now receiving sheep for agistment, and expects to make considerably more than he has ever done in the best of seasons. A Junee grazier is spending over £300 a week upon lucerne for stock. There are times, according to Sir Julian Solomons, when a deliberate departure from the truth may be regarded as justifiable. "I don't believe in lying," remarked Sir Julian, in the course of his argument before the High Court at Sydney last week, " but if a man came into Court with a loaded revolver, thinking that the Chief Justice had acted mistakenly, in deciding against him, and I should distinctly tell him that the gentleman in the chair was Sir Frederick Darley, and that Sir Samuel Griffith was not here, that would, of course, be an absolute lie from top to bottom, but I would be actuated by respect for something higher." The installation of Bro. C. L. Barnard as W.M., and investiture of officers of Lodge Te Awahou, No. 133, N.Z.C., took place at Foxton on Friday evening. Visiting brethren were present from Bulls, Palmerston, Feildxng, Rongotea, Levin, and elsewhere. R.W. Bro. R. Fletcher, Grand Superintendent, officiated as Installing Master. He was assisted by the following:—Director of Ceremonies, Wor. Bro. J. A. Nash, Wor. Bro. Neilson, Wor. Bro. J. Mclntyre (Horowhenua), Wor. Bro. C. H. Bowater (Rongotea), Wor. Bro. W. J. Phillips (Rangitikei), Wor. Bro. Bennett (Palmerston). Wor. Bro. A. D. Clemett, P.M., invested the officers: W.M. Bro. C. L. Barnard, I.P.M. Wor. Bro. W. S. Stewart, S.W. Bro. E. Healev, J.W. Bro. J. K. Hornblow, Secretary, Bro. W. Adams; Treasurer, Bro. M. Walker ; Chaplain, Bro. Bullard; Organist, Bro. G. H. Stiles; S.D. Bro. M. Perreau, J.D. Bro. A. W. Bradley, I.G. Bro. J. Senior, S.S. Bro. Charles Hood, J.S. Bro. L. W. Wilson, Tyler Bro. J. Johausen. The Grand Superintendent invested the Director of Ceremonies, Bro. A. D. Clemett. After the ceremony the usual banquet was held. A day or two before Easter a very carefully tied up little parcel was left at the palace of the Austrian Emperor. It was viewed with some suspicion, and as ' the orders are never to accept anything that has not ben commanded, it was about to be refused, when a sound of song was heard, from within. The servants made one the chamberlains acauainted with the facts, and it was ecided to open the packet. Inside was found a very neat little cage, and inside tho cage a spry young starling, which, as soon as the light and air were let in, began to whistle a series of the most popular airs of the season. A letter attached to the cage begged his Majesty to accept the gift. Though the sender was aware of the strict veto against offering presents to the Emperor, he hoped that an exception might be made in his favour, as he had spent nearly a year in training the bird to give a moment's Easter pleasure to his Sovereign. The tone of the letter pleased his Majesty, and whilst he was talking to the official who had brought it, the starling began to pipe so loudly that his ! Majesty broke off the conversation to : listen, and decided to send the bird to his grandchildren at Laimz, for ! their amusement, also giving instruc- ; tions to find out the sender if possible, and give him a suitable return present. The American papers announce the sale of the champion milk-producing " Holstein-Friesian cow known as i Pantiac Rag Apple," for £1600. j