MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 19

MASTERTON.

Masterton, January 21

Mr G. A. Burgess, formerly of Carterton, and more recently of Reefton, takes over management of the local branch of the Bank of New Zealand" to-day from Mr Boddingt ■ u, who has had charge in Masfcertonfor upwards of 17 years. The many friends of Mr Boddington in Masterton, where he has taken an active part in public affairs during his residence here, will be pleased to learn that it is his intention to commence business on his own account in Masterton very soon. At a meeting of the Mastorfcon School Committee last night it was decided to nominate Messrs W. C. Buchanan. M.H K-., and J. Robertson to the vacancies on the Wellington Education Board, and to vo'e for Messrs Buchanan, Robertson and McCardle. A competition under the auspices of the United Wairarapa Fire Brigades' Association will take place here to-morrow, when it is expected that teams representing all the brigades in the district will compete.

Our friends in the other colonies who are just now experiencing the unpleasant effects of the great heat wave would have cause to envy us last night, when a decidedly cold sou'-wester set in, followed by heavy rain. This" morning the air was quite wintry, and the Tararua .Ranges were clothed in a mantle of snow, a phenomenon at this season of the year Quite beyond the memory of that venerable personage, the oldest inhabitant. Mr F. O'Connor, who has been foreman of the Star for 12 years, severed his connection with that paper on Saturday afternoon, when he was the recipient of an illuminated address and a piece of plate. The creditors in the estate of E. Jones, cab proprietor, have resolved to accept an offer of «£IOO from the creditor's son, provided the money is paid within three weeks. Mastkrton, January 25. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before MrT. Hutchison, S.M., A. J. Jacobs, taxidermist, was charged at the suit of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society with killing protected native birds, at Puketoi, on January 13. Mr Beard appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Pownall for the defendant, who pleaded no*: guilty, which plea he afterwards withdrew. Hanger Mel l wraith and District Constable Murphy proved to meeting the defendant on the above date, and findingin the inside of some blankets and a tent covering, which were strapped on a pack horse, seven huias, one Native pigeon, and a sparrow hawk, partly preserved, and apparently killed within a recent date. In mitigation of the penalty, the defendant stated that he had never killed any protected birds before, and that he was then only acting under instructions from a Wellington gentleman, by whom he was paid 10s per day. A fine of «£5 and costs was inflicted, His Worship remarking that he considered it a very flagrant breach of the Act. The man H. McKay, who was injured by being thrown out of a buggy on Wednesday night, is, although still in a very weak state, progressing as well as can be expected, considering the nature of his injui-ies. Messrs Tullyand MoMaster are considerably better, and will be able to be about in a few days. ■ At a meeting of the Upper Plain Irrigation Board, it was decided to obtain the services of an engineer, and also to make enquiries respecting the success and cost of irrigation schemes in other parts of the Colony.

It came out during the hearing of a case at the Magistrate's Court that a preserved and stuffed kiwi is worth about «£l, and a huia 15s. The vicissitudes of a double bass instrument on a dark night in the early part of November last were the subject of an action for damages, computed at =£l2, in the Magistrate's Court the other morning, before Mr Hutchison, S.M. The complainant was Mr Von Keisenberg" and the defendant Mr J. Hooper. The circumstances of the case, as set forth by the evidence for the plaintiff, were that after a practice at the Theatre Royal Messrs Papworth and Candy were carrying tho unwieldy instrument along Queen street, and when just at the corner of Church street, Mr Hooper, who was coming at a run from the opposite direction, attempted to make a high jump record, but only succeeded in landing on the instrument, much to its disfigurement, as was apparent when its owner displayed it in Court* The contention of the other side was that the battered condition of the double bass was tjie result of an accidental collision.

partly due to the negligence of those who were carrying it in not keeping parallel with the buildings, and to the darkness of the night. The plaintiff said that the instrument Co3t .£l2 some years ago, but the solicitor for the defendant pointed out that since the purchase it had developed a lengthv crack along the side. The plaintiff replied that such cracks were very often beneficial to the tone of the instruments, as had been the case with one which was the subject of the action. Amateur violinists should make a note of this, as the absence of such an abrasure may prevent them from developing into future Musins. Experts were called on both sides as to value, but, as usual, they differed materially in their estimates. One of them, however, hazarded the opinion that it was "made in Germany." Judgment was eventually given for the amount claimed and costs, about £2 10s. Masterton, January 27.

The members of the Wesleyan body here intend to entertain the Rev J. Dukes, who is shortly leaving the district, at a farewell picnic at the Parsonage grounds on Thursday. The rev gentleman has made a record stay in Masterton, having been here for five years, during which time he has earned the esteem and goodwill not alone of his own congregation, but of members outside of that body. The Masterton public schools re-oponed to-day after the Christmas holidays. A lad in the employment of Messrs Cameron Bros., Te Ore Ore, met with an accident on Saturday afternoon, through a hay fork entering his groin. He was attended by Dr Hosking, and afterwards removed to his home at Taratahi.

Ihe people of the other side of Pahiatua are protesting against the railway line being opened as tar as Pahiatua before it has been completed to Woodville. The children attending the Clarevil.'e public schools will be taken on an excursion to Wellington on Friday next. A meeting is to be held at Mangamaho shortly for the purpose of asking the Government to vest the recreation and cemetery reserves in local trustees.

A serious bush firs occurred at Upper Fernridge on Saturday, by which a fiveroomed house and a stack of hay, the property of Mr W. M. Cole, were destroyed, besides a quantity of grass seed and fences belonging to other settlers. The building was insured in the National office for ,£IOO, but there was no insurance on the hay. Mr Cole estimates his loss at .£IOO over and above the insurance.

The Rev Mr Yorke, in the course of his sermon, at St. Matthew's last night, spoke strongly against the tendency of many newspapers to give nauseous details of Police Court cases, and thus tend to lower the moral standard of their readers.