MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 18

MASTERTON.

An impudent assault was committed in Masterton on Thursday afternoon. A man named Hugh McDougall Adams marched into tlie office of Mr T. Duncan, and slammed tho door behind him. Mr Duncan asked tho man what he wanted, but received, instead of a reply, a. heavy blow on the side of tho jaw. Tho police wero sent for, and after a violent struggle, arrested Adams, who was sentenced this morning to one month’s hard labour for assaulting Mr Duncan, and was fined £5, in default one month, for assaulting and resisting the police. The North Wairarapa Benevolent Society met last week. It was reported that during the month casual relief had been extended to 20 swaggers. The "Wairarapa North County Council has declined a request of tho South County Council to contribute towards the cost of repairing the Rimutalca road. Mr Frank Treder was married in St. Patrick’s Church last week tc Miss Mary Rzoska. Mr F. von Redon has been appointed to represent tho Wairarapa North County Council at tho County Councils’ Conference shortly to bo held in Wellington. About fifty tins of phosphorus belonging to tho Agricultural Department suddenly caught liro last week, and wero destroyed.

The Upper Plain Irrigation Board mot last night, and decid 'd to withdraw the offer made to the Borough Council regarding the construction of hoadworks. A man against whom • a prohibition order was applied for on Friday appealed to tho Magistrate not to prohibit him. lie offered to enter into a bond not to drink again for twelve months, but stated that if ho was forbidden entering tho hotels his business would suffer. Ho pointed out that ho had lost £2OO last year through being prohibited. Tho application was held over for a month. A meeting of the Masterton branch of tho National Association was held in tho Temperance Hall on Saturday night. The attendance was rather limited, and tho weather exceedingly cold. Consequently tho meeting did not enthuse. A “ ghost” scare was started hereon Sunday night. It appears that a young man had made an appointment to moot his inamorata at tho Park gates, and when he arrived at tho trysting place ho found thero an object clad entirely in white. Ho immediately gave an alarm, and brought a number of his “ pals” back with him, armed to the teeth. It was then that ho discovered that tho “ Spring-heeled Jack’’was none other than his fair one, who was attired in a somewhat unseasonable white dress, with a white shawl over her head to keep out the cold. Two buggy accidents occurred in tho neighbourhood of Masterton on Sunday. In one instance tho shaft of tho vohielo broke, and tho occupants wero precipitated on to tho road without much damage being done. In the other case, two buggies collided on the Masterton-Carterton road, and things were generally mixed up. Tho occupants of one vehicle were severely bruised, whilst tho conveyance was smashed to atoms against a telegraph pole. The adjourned annual meeting of the North Wairarapa Gnu Club was hold on Saturday. It was reported that tho Club was in a very satisfactory condition. Mr J. J. Mackorsoy was re-elected president. It was decided to open tho season on .Juno 4 th.

Mr D. Kerr, Stock Inspector at Manitotq, Otago, has been transferred to the Wairarapa to assist Inspector Walter Miller.

Thero was a narrow escape from drowning at Clarevillo on Sunday. A number of children wero playing on tho bank of a gravel-pit, when one of them, a child named Puarse, six years of ago, overbalanced and 101 l into six feet ot water in the pit. Tho screams of tho other children attracted attention, and tho mother of tho drowuing child, rushing out, threw herself into the water, and with much difficulty rescued t he child in an exhausted condition. Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., addressed tho electors in the .Masterton 1 heat.ro Royal on Monday evening. J leu-o was e. moderately largo audience, and the chair was occupied by the Mayor (Mr G. Heron), jMr . Hugg dealt, at length v.ith the I banking, legislation, maintaining that the action of the Government in this matter was for the good of tho country. \\ ilh reference to the tariff, lie described it as an abortion, and said that nobody would own it when it left the Legislative Council. Ho advocatod tho imposition of 6d extra on tea to provide money for public works. . The amendments made in tho Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act wero, in his opinion, useful. At tho samo time lie favoured tho granting of national option. Mr Hogg dealt at considerable length with tho land question. Ho commended the vigorous policy of tho Minister of Lands, but said that tho administration of tho Land Acts avixs bad. In support of this assertion lie cited several settlements in this island where selections wore abandoned or settlers starving owing to the promises made regarding roads not being fulfilled. In conclusion, Mr Hogg paid a high tribute to the memory of the late Sir Patrick Buckley. A vote of thanks and confidence in the member and confidence in the Government was passed, the only dissentients being certain members of tho National Association, who were present ill strong force,

Tlio theatrical editor of the New Zealand Mail will bo happy to receive and print route dates and any other information concerning the movements of companies. A post card giving 11 route dates ” for the week is recommended. Address all communications for this column to “Lorgnette,” New Zealand Mail office, Lambton quay, Wellington.