MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1200, 1 March 1895, Page 19

MASTERTON.

February 20. Sheep for freezing continue to be sent away from here in large numbers. Last week, no less than 10,000 wei.-e despatched. This morning, nineteen trucks left Masterton and nineteen Eketahuna, whilst fortyseven leave Masterton to-morrow morning. At an inquest at the Lower Taueru, concerning the fire which destroyed the house of Mr E. O. Smith, the jury returned an open verdict. , ,:3 7tp?^-*^^-*??~,

On Tuesday the thermometer registered | 90 in the shade, and so intense was the heat tha-t sperm candles fairly melted in the candlesticks. A labouring -!,man was fined £,2, or a month's imprisonment, at Pahiatua on Tuesday, lor serving liquor to a prohibited person. ~, : , At Pahiatua on Tuesday, John: Qummings, bankrupt, charged with obtaining | credit under false pretences,; was committed to take his trial at the next sitting, of the Supreme Court at Wellington. A second charge of having no reasonable or probable grounds of expectation of paying his debts when he incurred certain liabilities was dismissed. -

A ferret got into a poultry-yard here last night and killed all the fowls. In spite of the proclamation in 6he Gazette protecting ferrets, that ferret is now dead. Masteeton, February 21;

A meeting of the Masterton Volunteer Fire Brigade was held on Wednesday evening, when it was decided to invite the Municipal Brigade to combine for practice in view of a competition with Grey town. It was resolved to recommend Captain Daniell to the Borough Council as a fire inspector. Mr McEwan, the Government Dairy Expert, addresses a meeting of settlers at Te Bangitumau on Saturday evening. It is intended to start a dairy faptory at Te Bangitumau. The prime movers in the matter are Messrs J. Stuckey and G-. H. Welch.

The North Wairarapa Rifle Club will be represented at the Trentham meeting by Messrs Cameron (3), C. Anketell, R. and E. KibbleWhito, "McHattie, McLachlan, and one or two others.

The natural enemy to the Hessian fly has not received a fair" trial in the Masterton district this year, for the reason that comparatively little wheat was grown. It is satisfactory to know, however, that what little wheat was grown in the neighbourhood of the plot where the natural enemy was liberated shows very little signs of the fly this year. Masterton, February 21.

The autumn show of the Masterton Horticultural and Industrial Society was held to-day, and was a great success. Of pot plants, vegetables and fruit there was a capital show. The attendance of the public to-night was quite as large as usual. Mastekton, Febrtiary 23.

A lad named Daysh was getting off a 'bus at the Railway Station this morning, when his foot slipped and he sustained a fracture of the leg. The lad had the same "leg broken a few months ago. Mr F. H. Ibbetson, Clerk of the Magistrate's Court.at Masterton, has completed his returns of the criminal and civil cases brought before the local Court ...during the year ending December 31st, 1894. These returns show that altogether 268 males and 19 females were taken into custody, summoned or apprehended. Of these, 13 males were committed for trial, 93 males and three females summarily convicted, and 53 males and one female fined. Thirtysix persons were peremptorily imprisoned and two liberated on probation. The number of orders made was 52. No less than 45 persons were convicted and discharged with a caution.

The following tenders were opened toI day for various works in the .Wairarapa '-• North County:—Pori road, contract No. 4, 37 chains metalling—Smith and Frederickson, .£166 10s (accepted) ; D. Kennedy, .£2lO £ B. Cullotty, 6s. MastertonWaimata road, contract No. 51, carting 550yds metal —B. Cullotty, £BS (accepted); K. Manning, .£9O 15s; M. O'Connor, £96 ss. Eketab.una-Tinui road, contract No. 49, carting 154yds metal Smith and FredericKson, .£SO lis (accepted). Two men named Charles Phillips and James Jackson were charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with vagrancy. The police stated that the men had been loafing about town for some days, and appeared anxious to go to gaol. The accused were sentenced to a week's hard labour in the .Wellington Terrace Gaol, During the year 1894 the number of civil actions heard in the Magistrate's ,

Court at Masterton was 208. The aggregate amount sued for was .£44.61 9s 6*d, and the aggregate amount recovered £2538 14s 3d. February 25. The Masterton Railway Station was again surreptitiously entered on Sunday night. This time the midnight visitors procured a station ladder, got up to the window of the stationmaster's office, and by breaking a pane of glass and lifting the catch effected an entrance. The brass on the front of the safe (which contained £4O) was tampered with, but otherwise nothing was damaged or removed.

The residents of Lansdowne, near Masterton, are talking of introducing a water supply scheme for themselves. Mr McEwan, the Government Dairy Expert, addressed a meeting of settlers at Rangitumau on Saturday night. The chair was occupied by Mr J. Stuckey. The address was greatly appreciated. Mr McEwan speaks at Masterton on Tuesday evening.

Anniversary services in connection with the Kuripuni Wesleyan .Sunday school were held on Sunday. Sermons appropriate to the occasion were preached by the Rev John Dukes, who also presented the prizes won by the children. Special hymns were sung by the children of the school, under the leadership of Mr J. J. Boagey, Miss Williams presiding at the -organ.

The Rev John Dukes left Masterton for Nelson to-day to be present at the annual Wesleyan Conference. A Masterton syndicate received a letter from Mr G. Cameron on Friday last, dated January ,29th. In the letter Mr Cameron states that he has bought a one-eighth interest in a blue quartz reef ,4ft wide, situated between Broad Arrow asid Bardock, 46 miles north of Coolgardie. % The claim is called " Australasia," and is* a twelve-acre block. It has for some time been supposed that this country possesses good gold. Mr Lloyd Jones, who has been in the employ of the Wairarapa Farmers' Cooperative Association, Masterton, for the past 13 years, was on Saturday last the recipient of a handsome silver watch presented to him by his fellow-employees. Mr Mcintosh made the presentation. Mr Jones is going to make a trip to Australia.

A chrysanthemum ball will probably be held here this year instead of the usual chrysanthemum show. A Masterton rabbit agent states that he has found poisoned pollard splendid for killing rabbits: A little girl was passing along a Masterton thoroughfare on Sunday when a youth threw at her a portion of a cigarette which he had been smoking. The cigarette fell down the neck of the child's clothes, and, besides igniting the clothes, severely burnt the child.

There is some talk amongst Masterton footballers and athletes of applying for the lease of the Drill Hall for gymnasium and other purposes. The Masterton Football Club has received a good offer for the purchase of its ground in Workshop road. Masterton, February 26.

A slight shock of earthquake was felt here a few minutes after 9 o'clock this morning. The Town Hall at Eketahuna was destroyed by fire at 5 o'clock this morning. The origin of the fire is a mystery. The building was being repaired and decorated by Mr Neville Thornton, who will be a heavy loser by the fire. The hall was insured for .£3OO.

Mr J. W. Dyer, one of the oldest employees on Mr W. C. Buchanan's Tupurupuru estate, was married to-day to Miss McGuinness. Mr Dyer was presented last night by his fellow - employees with a massive gold chain and medallion, suitably inscribed. Mr Lionel Caselberg, of Masterton, was married at Auckland to-day to Miss Alexander. Flags were flying on several business premises in town this morning in honour of the event. Mr W. Cullen, of Masterton, had a smash-up at Carterton on Monday afternoon. His horse took fright and bolted, and before it was captured had smashed the vehicle to atoms and severely injured itself.

At the quarterly session of the Endeavour Lodge, No. 203, 1.0.G.T., Sister Agnes Warner was elected Regular Representative for the Lodge at the Grand Lodge Session to be held in Dunedin on April 16th next. Bro. Johnstone was elected alternate representative. At the aimual meeting of the North Wairarapa Liberal Association the balancesheet showed a slight credit balance. Mr T. E. Price, J.P., was elected president for the ensuing year, and Messrs J. Yates and W. L. Falconer vice-presidents. Mr A. Viie ivas re-elected secretary.

February 27. Mr McEwan, the Government Dairy Expert, addressed a meeting of settlers in the Temperance Hall on Tuesday evenh&g. The chair was occupied by Mr I. Sykes. The streets of Masterton had an animated appearance to-day, there being a, large number of country settlers in for the stock sale. A young man named Flint was cleaning: a gun at Lansdowne on Tuesday night,, when the barrel burst and blew off the top of one finger, besides shattering the hand. Another man who was standing by had a narrow escape, being struck on the side of the head. M&&TEKTON, February 27. A number of the residents of Masterton who are interested m reference to the Special Settlement Association are petitioning the Wellington Lan£ Board to enable them to do road-making fa the Mount Cerberus Block. Unless they' fire allowed to do this, it is unlikely that they will be able to comply with the settlement condition of the leases. •