MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1249, 6 February 1896, Page 20

MASTERTON.

Mastekton, January 29. The Borough Council has decided to continue 1 hursday as the half-holiday. A man named T. Nesbit, charged to-day before Messrs G. Heron and T. E. Price, Justices, with being drunk at noon yesterday and with using indecent language in tho public street within the hearing of a number of school children, was fined 10s and costs, or 21 hours, for the first offence, and was sent to gaol for 1-1 days for the second. Mr W. B. Abbott, Mangamaho, has left on a trip to Europe.

Mastebton, February 4. The following gentlemen have signified their willingness to act as judges at the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Show, which takes place on the 12hb instant:—Mr H, Campbell. Kawke's Bay, Lincoln sheep; Mr W. Wellwood, Hawke's Bay, draught horses ; Mr F. Ro>;en, Wellington, poultry ; Mr W. Woods, Wellington, fat stock.

The weather, which had been hot during the past fortnight, changed last night, when refreshing showers fell at intervals, 'this morning the rain continued, and although the broken weather will retard harvesting operations, still the change will be very welcome, as the country was looking vei-y dry and parched. Tho high, dry winds of the past fortnight did considerable damage to crops that were nearly ripe, in many cases a fourth being lost. Harvest work has been carried on without intermission in the district since the crops approached maturity, even it was not unusual to see reapers and binders at work and stacks being made on the Sunday. I regret to record the death of Mrs Bone, wife of Mr W. It. Bone, of Master ton. The deceased had been ailing for some time, and was on Saturday afternoon visited by Dr Butement and Dr Ewart, Wellington, who saw that the case was beyond the reach of medical skill, and Mrs Bone expired late on Saturday night. The funeral took place this afternoon, and was largely attended. Mr Hugh Williams has been appointed a director of tho YVairarapa Farmers' Cooperative Association in place of'Dr Hoskings, who has resigned. Mr Hogg, M.H.R., has received intimation from the Government that the railway line will be opened as far as Newman in about a week for the carriage of t'mher. It is not expected the lino will be ready for passenger traffic before October.

At the recent Koman Catholic Synod, held in Wellington, tho Masterton district was created a parish, and the Rev Father J. McKenna appointed parish priest. During the eight years of Father McKenna's administration a debt of £ 1000 on the church has been paid off, and the parish is now practically free of any financial encumbrance.

The agricultural statistics for South Wai T rarapa are now nearly completed. The returns show that there are about 210 acres of orchard in the district, and 93,149 acres under Native bush. The areas under grain and grass and roots are as follow :—Wheat, 818 acres ; oat?, 6145 acres ; barley, 02 acres ; rye, 305 acres; maize, 142 acres ; peas, 74i acres ; beans, B.V acres ; linseed, .1 acre ; hops, \ acre; mixed grasses for stock feeding, 80 401 £ acres; do, for hay, 1883 acres; do, for seed, 55 acres; red clover, 11 acres ; cocksfoot for stock feeding, 230 acres ; surface sown grass for stock, 205,256 acres ; Native grass, 162,807 acres; potatoes, 311 acres ; turnips, 6852 acres ; mangold, 50 acres; rape, 1252 acres.

The North Wairarapa Rifle Club held a match on Saturday, at 500 yards, 600 yards and 700 yards, when the principal scores were as follow : —J. McHattie, 57 ; H. Hoffeins, 55; R. Kebblewhite, 53; D. McLachlan, 51; V. Wardell, 40. The agricultural returns show that there are 554,000 sheep in the Masterton district.

A number of valuable exhibits have recently been added to the collection at the Masterton Museum.

The Rev Mr Watt, a New Hebrides missionary, intends giving a series of lectures here.

Two thousand rainbow trout were sent to Martinborouerh to-day by Mr L. F. Ayson, the curator of the fishponds. Another small consignment has been liberated at the head of the Ruamahauga River. A young man named Herbert Doughty has been arrested on a charge of obtaining money by means of false pretences. He has been remanded till Friday.

The affairs in the bankruptcy of John Alfred Jury, a half-caste, have been transferro 1 from the Gisborne Supreme Court to the District Court at Masterton.

During the month of January 20,300 sheep and 200-J bales of wool were despatched from the Masterton Railway Station.

Mr John Hessey, who is one of the most successful farmers in this district, has had a yield of 35 bushels of wheat and GO bushels of oats to the acre this season.

Two publicans of Carterton were charged on Tuesday with breaches of the Licensing Act in supplying liquor after hours. The informations wero laid on the affidavit of a commercial traveller, sworn before two Justices of the Peace. The traveller alleged that he had seen the local constable drinking after hours. When the case was heard the informant failed to identify the constable. Both cases broke down, and were dismissed by Mr T. Hutchison, S.M., wdio spoke stronglj' about the conduct of the informant. Inspector Pender watched the proceedings.