ESTABLISHED 1875. The Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal. Published Every Morning. THURSDAY JANUARY 14, 1904.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7905, 14 January 1904, Page 2

ESTABLISHED 1875. The Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal. Published Every Morning. THURSDAY JANUARY 14, 1904.

The Manchester Bines will hold their annual camp in Victoria Park, Feilding, from the 25fch to the 30th inst.

The telegraph linesmen are at present engaged in running two extra telegraph wires from Feilding to Palmerston. An additional wire will also be added to the Feilding racecourse.

In his report on the public building* at D&nnevirke Superintendent Hugo «aid the town hall, classed as a fire risk, was unsafe. The exits in the drill hall and amosoaber of other buildings weae inadequate-

It is rumoured jfchat a proposal to reduce fire premiums will be submitted to the annual meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Underwriters' Association, ■which will be held in Auckland in February.

luvestigations are still being made by tho detectives with reference to the recent Feilding tire.

\\ rits have been issued against each of three local residents claiming £501 damages each for alleged slander, arising out of a conversation in regard to a woman's character. The cases will be heard at the sitting of the Supreme Court in February.

The campaign against the freehold will be commenced shortly. Mr Geo. Fowlds, M.H.R., who will probably be accompanied by Messrs Laurenson'and Taylor, M.H.R.'s, will reach Christchurch about the end of the month, and address meetings throughout Canterbury and Otago.

A company has been promoted in Wellington and Christchurch which undertakes to clean windows, do the " spring cleaning," and renovate offices and privato houses, inside and out. Tho domestic millenium is well in sight. Mere men we suppose will bo the executive victims of the new dispensation.

Rudgc-Whitworfchs from 16 guinoas, Warren gent's £11; 12 months' guarantee ; free wheel fitted 12s 6d. Clarkson's." Messrs Seifert Bros, are erecting a new flaxrmll near Turakina. Mr D. Waghora is building a. new flaxmill at Tokomaru and another in about to be erected for Mr Judd close to the same place.

The application for the recognition of Berg's chopping performance at Masterton, as a world's record, has not been considered by the executive of the New Zealand Axemen's Association yet. It is understood that it will be passed as a New Zealand competition record, but it is not equal to the world's record time.

The Premier has received a cable from the Agent-General stating the Foreign Office has authorised the British Charge D'Affaires at Mexico to sign a postal convention under which letters from New Zealand shall pay penny postage instead of 2£d.

The Hawke's Bay Herald, cotnnienting on the Petane disaster, strongly condemns the authorities for not bridging the Petane river—a hideous gap on an arterial road within several miles of Napier.

Verily the old order changeth! A meeting of Directors of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society has been called, what do you think for? Business: Notice of motion " That meetings in future shall not be held in an hotel !"

The Pahiatua Borough Council has accepted the tender of Rhodes and Tuck (of Auckland), in the sum of £10,966, for the construction of drainage and water works for Pahiatua. There were seven other tenders from different parts of the colony.

A nice tidy sheaf is what you want; you get it with the McCormic'k.*

The long reign of feminine supremacy at the Timaru Main School has at last boen temporarily ended. The dux this year is Eric "Johnson, who is the first boy that has been at the head of the school at all events for 10 years. Last year a boy and girl tivjvl "Vthe honour. This year the highest girl v ;iith on the list.

The editor of the Express, when in the South last week, saw a little of the dairy industry. One family was milking forty-three cows, night and morning, and amongst the milkers was a tender girl of five summers who milked four or five cows, and another of seven, who milked more. And yet it is denied that there is child slavery in New Zealand 1

The death of Major Ross occurred at Marton yesterday morning, at the age of 69. Tha deceased came to New Zealand in 1842. He lived in Wanganui for many years, where he was adjutant of the militia in tho Wanganui district during the Maori war. He afterwards obtained the rank of Major. He has resided in the Rangitikei district for about 40 years. The deceased was aistrict coroner and registrar of electors for the Manawatu electorate.

The Taranaki Herald reports that Messrs P. R. Skeates and W. Nixon made a good run on a Darocq car to Palmerston North on Sunday. Leavin" at 6 a.m. the^ arrived at their destina" tion at 8 p.m., the actual steaming thae being 11 hours on a consumption of 6s 6d worth of benzine. The distance is a little over 160 miles.

At the meeting of the Manawatu County Council yesterday, when the matter of letting the metalling contracts was under consideration, attention was drawn to the injury done to the roads by milk caits, especially in the Rongotea district. It was generally agreed that it would be necessary to amend the byelaws so as to compel the use of wider tyres; tyres four inches being mentioned as the width necessary.

Yesterday Messrs .Logan Bros., of Auckland, launched the racing yacht Southerly Buster, which they, have built to the order of Mr Mark Foy, the well-known Sydney yachtsman. The yacht will be sent to Sydney by the s.s. Westralia on Monday next, and after having some trial races at Port Jackson, will be sent to England in March next to compete in the Medway Club races for the Australian Cup. The same firm has launched a smart-looking 26ft pleasure yacht for Mr Bramley, of Stanley Bay.

We take the following from a northern contemporary:—When smoked bacon becomes soft in the shop, and the fat commences to drip from it during the heated season, this is due to either of the following causes; The green bacon comes from unripe material, not properly fed; the bacon was kept too long without salt; the pickle was too weak, or the bacon was washed too warm, or, finally, too much heat was applied during the smoking. Any one or more of these causes will have the above effect on bacon.

Mr G. H. Blanche has just put down an artesian well for Mr John Nairn in the section of land occupied by his nursery. At a depth of 200 ft a flow of 150 gallons .of water per minute was obtained on the surface, the water rising to a height of 40ft. This is stated to be a record for the district. Since commencing well-sinking at Palmerston 18 months ago Mr Blanche has successfully sunk over 25 artesian wells. He has purchased an additional steam plant of the latejt pattern in order to enable him to cope with hia numerous orders.

Mr Wilkinson, the contractor, and a large staff of men have commenced to build the new steward's stand at the FeM\ng racecourse. The plan of the building shows a handsome structure 50ft by 44ft and 22ft high, with a stand on top. The interior of the building contains several large rooms, including stewards', secretary's, jockeys', and Press rooms. It is situated adjacent to the old stand in the saddling paddock. The building will be completed in six weeks, and will be a substantial addition and add a picturesque appearance to the grounds.

In connection with native school work, a delegate to the Maori School Teachers' Conference relates the following story : —A storekeeper had had for some years the handling of the entire produce of a large sheep run belonging to Maoris. In his own words: " I sold their wool; T gave 'em stores; I lent 'em money ; I kept their books: in fact, I looked after the whole thing as if it was my own for ten years, and what's their gratitude? Pita's boy {Pita was the chief owner) goes to school for a couple of years, and what's the first thing he wants to do when he comes back ? Why, he wants to audit the station books."

The Premier is amongst us (writes a Gieymouth correspondent) spending his New Year holidays attending race meetings, picnics, and similar frivolities, and generally letting himself out, and showing that he is " still a West Coaster." A good many folk, however, notice a great difference. He has lost some of his former vitality, and there is wanting that keen mirth and evident enjoyment that used to serve him so well in the past. At the opening of the band rotunda, he chided the people of New Zealand generally, and those of the West Coast in particular, for their love of sport, and hoped the hint given would be taken ijett day. One of the Greymouth papers told the Premier that the West Coast had swallowed a deal of " bunkum " from Mr Seddon, but that his latest dictum would not be swallowed, even " to oblige our Dick." At Greymouth he attended the races, and was the guest of the club. He spoke in high praise of the sportloving West Coasters. At Hokitika he did the same thing. Whether he favora races or not, one thing is certain, he iSfiver misses a meeting when possible, and always Jikes to act on a " tip " given him at such meetings.

The Bon Marche was closed throughlOUJi the day yesterday for the purpose of marking &own stock for the end of season sale, commencing to-day, of which an inset with ou* gtcsent issue gives some particulars. Buyers, appteciative of bargains, will do well to be early on the scene of operations,—Advt.

Whilst in Dunedin last week, the editor of the EkfHnhunn Express had a short interview witn Mr J. A.Millar, Chairman of ConmiiUces in the House of Representatives. Mr Millar, who may be regtirdod ;is "in the know," asserted euiph .tically that the Premier would not face the next session with Mr T. Y. Duncan as Ministor for Lands. Asked who would be the likely successor to the Minister, the member for Dunedin mentioned the namo of Mr MoHab, but stated that the difficulty was that this gentleman represented a southern constituency which adjoined that of Sir Joseph Ward. The Chairman of Committoea considers there is not a North Island member competent to fill the position, and gives the member for Masterton very little hope of recsivin^ a portfolio.

The bridge over the Tuki Tula river at Waimarama, about IS mile 3on tho road from Napier to Te Apiti, is approaching completion and will probably be open for traffic in about a fortnight. It is one of the largest and most important of recent country works, providing a means of crossing the river where only n dangerous and shifting ford has hitherto existed, aud establishing a permanent means of communication with an extensive tract of the coast country. Among the properties benefited will bo the stations of Mr John Chambers, Mr F. L. Gordon, Mr G-. P. Donnelly, and Messrs Meinertzhagen and Moore, as well as tho southern portion of Mr E. J. Watt's run. By means of the bridge these station-holders will be able to rely upon a safe and regular outlet for their produce, and the increased road traffic to the advantage of the district generally. At the Feilding S.M. Court yesterday, before Mr A. D. Thomson, S.M., the following cases were heard:—W. Brown was charged with attempting to jump off the train whilst it was in motion on December 24. It appears that accused was journeying to Palmerston, and as the train moved out of the station he dropped bis umbrella. He attempted to jump after it, and would probably have fallen under the wheels had not a guard interfered. Accusod was fined 10s. On a second charge of insulting the guard a similar fine was inflicted with Court costs 14s. Chas. Dumford, manager of the Makino dairy factory, was charged on the information of the police with allowing offensive matter to drain into a creek adjacent to the factory, and was fined £1 with costs 30s. For driving three horses while suffering from sore shoulders, F. Allenby was fined £2, costs .£l.

In the course of his recent speech at Dunedin, Mr Bedford said he believed that tho great political battles of the near future were going to be on the question of land reform. All over the world this question at the present time had risen above the political horizon, and in this colony it had risen bo far that very soon it would impart to politics the heat of party warfare. Both parties in the colony were now beginning to rally their forces for a great struggle on the question of freehold and the unearned increment. He condemned tho policy of the Government in parting with the ireehold of Crown lands, whilst at the same time they were buying up large estates for settlement purposes. These Crown lands were not only an asset of to-day, but also of the future, and would increase in value as the colony increased in population. Ths citizens of Dunedin would not tolorato for a moment a proposal that the city reserves should be sold, and the same should be the case with the people of the colony with regard to the Crown lands.

Tho Post says tint rumours flew about town yesterday marning, arising from the detention in the stream of the Mararoa for two or three hours, that there was a case of smallpox on board. The facts, however, are not quite so serious as rumour portended. The Mararoa leftLyttelton on Tuesday night, and after her departure the discovery was made in Christchurch that a contact with a suspected case of smallpox discovered in Christchurch, and now under treatment at the Bottle Lake Hospital, was a salaon passenger on the vessel. Acting under instructions from tho Chief Health Officer, who is at present m Christchurch, the Port Health Officer (Dr Pollen) accordingly held up the vessel on her arrival. The passenger was sought out, the cabin which he had occupied-fortunately alone—was fumigated together with his luggage, and he and the stewards of the vessel who had been in attendance upon him were vaccinated. The passenger was afterwards removed in the Duco to Somes Island, where he will be kept under observation until the inoculation with vacine has taken effect. After the removal of the passenger and the fumigation of the cabin, the vessel was granted pratique and allowed to come to the wharf and unload her passengers (some 140 odd), mails, and cargo, and she will resume her time-table running this evening. The detained passenger was in contact with the Christchuroh patient last Sunday.