MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1193, 11 January 1895, Page 19

MASTERTON.

Masterton, January 3.

Heavy rain set in last night, and has continued all this morning. The effect upon crops and fodder will be most appreciable.

The picnic tendered to Mr C. E. Daniell by his employees at Potairau on Wednesday was very successful. Over a hundred persons were present. Mr Daniell was presented with a very handsome illuminated address in the afternoon. It is proposed to hold these picnics annually. Mr C. H. Hartley was married in St. Matthew's Church this morning to Miss Kate McGruinness. A woman named Emma Palmer was charged in the Magistrate's Court this morning with having no lawful visible means of support. The accused was found at 1 o'clock this morning bare-headed in the street whilst the rain was descending in torrents. She had walked all the way from Mauriceville. The woman was sentenced to one month's imprisonment in the Wellington Terrace Gaol. v The takings at the gates at the Caledonian Society's Sports on New Year's Day amounted to 2s 3d. This is the record taking. Mr C. E. Daniell, builder, Masterton, was entertained by his employees (numbering about 30) at a picnic at Potairau to-day. During the afternoon Mr Daniell was presented Avith a handsome illuminated address.

A man named Murphy had a narrow escape from death the other day. He was working in a gravel pit at Bridge Creek, when a mate, suspecting that a fall of earth would occur, called out to him to shift. He immediately jumped away, but no sooner had he done so than the whole facing came down with a crash.

A man named John Smith wa3 charged this morning with the larceny of a swag belonging to one Wilson. He pleaded guilty, but said that he was in drink; when

he committed the act. The Bench sen" tenced him to seven days' hard labour.

Constable Evenden, who has been relieving here, returned to Wellington today. The annual picnic in connection with the Masterton Presbyterian Sunday School was held in Mr Woodroffe's paddock on New Year's Day. A trap containing Mr G. C. Sage and his family capsized on the morning of New Year's Day, but, strange to say, beyond an injvry to the nose of Mr Sage, no damage was done.

Masterton, January 4

A lad named Percy Crawford, a son of Mr Robert Crawford, was swinging on a willow tree when he fell and dislocated both wrists.

A number of youthful trout poachers have been captured by the Acclimatization Society's ranger, and will be called upon to answer for their conduct in the Magistrate's Court. Two men named John Walsh and Richard Brooks were committed for trial this morning on a charge of having assaulted Mr Thomas Tankersley and attempted to rob him. The men, it is alleged, went up to Mr Tankersley, and asked him to have a drink. When he refused, one of them said, " Let's go through him," and suiting his words to action, put his hand into Tankersley's pocket. A man named Patrick Kelly was sentenced to a month's hard labour this morning for assaulting Edward Mould and Mrs Mansel, of the Universal Boardinghouse.

The quarterly meeting of the Masterton Rechabite Tent was held on Thursday evening, when officers were nominated for the ensuing term. Several Carterton brethren were present. Masterton, January 5.

Rain has been falling herein intermittent showers for the past two or three days. It has already had a most appreciable effect upon fodder, although it has meant the teoiporary suspension of harvesting operations. '■'■•/./■

Business has been very dull in Masterton since the Christmas holidays. The Waipoiia river has for years past been encroaching upon the town, parts of which are in imminent danger of being inundated whenever there is a- flood.. The residents interested are strongly advocating the construction of protection works. The monthly meeting of the Masterton Trust Lands Trustees was held on Friday evening, Mr W. Loves presiding. The report of the committee appointed to report upon,. the question of a town hall was adopted, and it was decided to consider the desirability of converting the Drill-hall into a town hall.

The wool clip this year is reported to have been 10 per cent, less than last year. This is owing, it is said, to the effects of a peculiar kind of rust which attacked the grass last year. At the fortnightly meeting of the Masterton Lodge of Foresters, officers were installed for the ensuing half-year. Mr A: W. Hogg, M.H.R., is to be presented with a supplementary purse of sovereigns at the meeting of the North Wairarapa Liberal Association on Monday evening. Mr Joseph Bennett, of Otahuao, supplies the following comparative rainfall at Otahuao for December: —December, 1894, •70in on four days ; December, 1893, 4'2oinon 15 days; December, 1892, l'39in on six days; December, 1891, l - 91in on seven days. The rainfall registered by Mr Bennett during the year 1894 amounted to 36-25 inches.

Masterton, January 7,

Constable Lawlor, who has been on sick leave for some weeks, resumed duty today. A young man named Apperley was climbing a tree in Masterton dn ; Saturday when he fell, breaking his arm. ...'"'"" "7. The Hessian fly is reported to be present in what few wheat crops there are in much less numbers than last year. The weather has again taken up, and it is now excessively hot. The bot fly is making things lively for horses in this district just now. A Masterton resident has discovered a herbal antidote for scalds and burns, which he intends bringing before the public; He states his intention of giving a public exhibition in which he will thrust his hand into a pot of boiling water and afterwards expose it unharmed to those present. Produce is very low in price here just now. Butter is selling at 6d p6i? pound, and eggs at Yd per dozen. The plum leech is playing havoc in the orchards of Masterton this year, and there is likely to be a scarcity of plums in consequence. The Masterton cricketers defeated Featherston on Saturday by 5 runs.

The return of the business transacted at the Magistrate's Court at Masterton during the December quarter of 1894 has just been prepared by Mr F. H. IbbetsOTi. This return shows that the Court sat on 33 days during the quarter, 22 of such sittings being presided over by the Stipendiary Magistrate and 11 by Justices. This total number of civil cases heard was 54 —43 of which were claims for accounts under .£2O, 9 for amounts between .£2O and £SO, and 2 for amounts upwards of <£so. The number of civil and judgment summonses issued during the quarter was ]O9, and the number of distress warrants executed by the bailiff was five. The total number of persons taken jhtp custody, summoned or apprehended, .oh , criminal charges was 61. Of thesg ''l2l were discharged for want ©f evidence or prosecution, two were dismissed r ,on, the"jinerits of the case, 28 were summarily icon vi6ted> four were committed for trial, .and/ were otherwise dealt with. , 5 , ; £\ P>'> <' Masterton,' January" 8. Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.&.; dressing his constituonts'h©re.iat t, ah%arly date. '/■ '- 1 : '° ' y rM -' i: r ' : - u r V, ; vLI -. There is keen competition' inivthe' bread |line just now, A few!.,mpuths / iagp i:/l the. t

bakers declared that they could not make both ends meet if they were to sell bread under sevenpence the 41b loaf. Then an opposition baker started, and the price was brought down to sixpence. A little later and the 41b loaf was selling 1 at fivepence, and now a baker is advertising his bread at a penny a pound. So much for competition.

The tender of Mr C. E. Daniel, at £56 13s 4d, has been accepted for drainage at the Masterton Hospital.

A man named Michael Shea, who is the proud possessor of several aliases, was charged in the Magistrate's Court this morning with having no lawful visible means of support. The evidence showed that the man had been loafing about the town for weeks without habitation, and with no money with which to buy food. The Bench sentenced him to one month's hard labour in the Wellington Terrace Gaol.

A poll is to be taken by the residents of Matarawa on a pi oposal to raise a loan of .£4OO to supplement the vote of .£SOO made by the Government for the construction of a bridge over the Waiohine River. At the meeting of the North Wairarapa Liberal Association on Monday evening Mr A. W. Hogg-, M.H.R., was presented with a supplementary purse. The presentation was made by the president, Mr C. Hughes, and was suitably acknowledged by- Mr Hogg. The following telegram from the Hon W. P. Beeves was read at the meeting of the North Wairarapa Liberal Association in Masterton on Monday evening:—" I see by the papers that your friends are making a presentation to you to-night. I ani very pleased that your steady and unflinching loyalty to your party will be recognised so fitly. Kind regards and best wishes for new year." The Canterbury Progressive Liberal Association has sent a circular to the North Wairarapa Liberal Association suggesting an exchange of resolutions of interest and conferences of all Liberal associations. Masterton, January 9. The Registrar of the District Court (Mr P. H. Ibbetson) read the judgment of District Judge Kettle this morning in the case ia which the Deputy-Official Assignee asked for an order to compel Mr A. G. Pilmer to hand over £l5O for the benefit of the creditors in the estate of F. J.Donovan. The circumstances of the case are briefly these: —Donovan purchased 400 head of sheep from Pilmor, and as he could not pay he gave a lien over a crop of oats. Before the lien matured Donovan sold the property to Mr B. Dawson, of Wellington, but the latter would not complete the purchase until the lien was paid off. Consequently Donovan made overtures to Pilmer, and the latter, agreeing to accept <£lso instead of .£164, the money was paid. A few days afterwards Donovan filed. The District Judge held that Pilmer must have been aware that Donovan was hopelessly insolvent, and could not have accepted the money in good faith. An order would therefore be made that the sum of <£lso be handed over to the Official Assignee, and that Pilmer pay all costs. Mr Pownall, who appeared for Pilmer, has signified his intention of appealing.

A large number of poultry belonging to settlers of the Upper Plain has been found dead, and the cause of death is a mystery. A conference of representatives of the Wairarapa North County Council and the Mauriceville Road Board is to be held this afternoon to adjust accounts. The Masterton Municipal Fire Brigade hold a monster picnic on Anniversary Day. Lieutenant J. Prentice, of the Municipal Fire Brigade, was presented with a long service medal on Tuesday evening.