LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1440, 5 October 1899, Page 46

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Along the Adriatic Sea swallows and other migratory birds are caught every year by the hundreds of thousands and eaten by the Italians, who spread nets, in which as many as 300 to 500 of the tired birds are caught at once. At a meeting of the Manchester City Council, lately, it was stated that the total indebtedness of that city is over sixteen millions sterling, the assets exceeding total liabilities by upwards of four millions and a quarter pounds. On Thursday evening Constable Worthington, of Masterton, was seized with a fainting fit, and his condition becoming serious, Dr Buteman was sent for. The doctor found .-e constable had broken a blood vessel in his head. Wonderful progress is being made with the reconstruction of the Royal Oak Hotel by a large army of workmen under the immediate supervision of Mr OTDea, the architect, in the absence of Mr McLean, the overseer, who has injured his knee as the result of a bicycle accident. Elaborateness characterises the whole of the work being done, and the building, when completed, will be one of the handsomest internally in the colony. The southern wing will be completed and fit for occupation within six or seven weeks. Sir Charles Dilke (in the "North American Review" for August) describes and distinguishes between the various forms of exercise resorted to by British politicians. For the extremely busy, unable to give much time to his physical development in hill-walking (as distinct from mountain climbing), which Sir Charles takes to be the best of outdoor exercises for men of middle age,or in riding and shooting, the writer recommends neithe: dumb-bells nor Indian clubs, but posture gymnastics. The one drawback to them is "their incredible and wearisome dullness." If a man have not patience f* go steadily through fourteen or fifteen extension exercises every morning his best remedy for the evils of a sedentary life is fencing, especially with duelling rapiers. The Chief Inspector of Machinery in his annual report states that if the introduction of new machinery is to be taken as a criterion of advancement, then New Zea'and has had a prosperous year. During the last three years the increase has, he says, been far above the average. Mining -and dairying accounts for most of the increase. Golddredge building has been especially brisk in the Otago district, "and at the present time over £IOO,OOO is being laid out on this important industry. There is hardly a river or alluvial flat in the whole of Otago without its gold-dredge. An outlay of £6OOO or £BOOO will provide a .first-class up-to-date dredge. Most of them are now fitted with compound condensing engines and ladders for getting rid of tai ings.' "Chats, for the Times," just published by Messrs Herbert Baillie and Co.. of Wellington, ought to prove of great value to those electors whose opinions on current political questions are unformed. The author, Mr Sidney Ritter, dedi-"j cates his litt'e work of eighty pages to "all just, upright and free men, wherever found, on earth or sea" ; and he has written it in a style that should appeal particularly to the masses of the people. Dialogues in everyday language, combined with the story of an electoral campaign, are made the medium for conveying a vast amount of enlightenment. The booklet should be special'y acceptable "to the farming class, but it also appeals to artisans. The "four F.L.'s" upon which Colonel Straight runs his election are—Free Land, Free Labour, Free Living and Free Laws. How these aims are to be achieved must be learned from the

book itself, which contains a number of illustrative pictures. Messrs Strachan Brothers, of Croydon, discovered a number of bones last week which clearlv demonstrate (says the "Gore Standard") the fact that the now extinct raoa was an inhabitant of the Hokonui Bush. There were two large shank bones, each measuring close on 7ft in length; also several bones of the foot, measuring between llin and 12in in length. In addition to this, the hind part of the body as far as the wing bones was also, found. The bones were found in the scrub, and partially covered by a fallen tree. When the Christchurch Hospital Trustees were discussing the wages porters received, one of the members, Mr Wallace, said there were many men in the country who only got ten or twelve shillings a week in wages and worked long hours at that. Mr Pav observed that the men ought to be paid more. The "Press" states that Mr Wallace, retorted with—" Wei, it is all very well for you city men, who are clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day, but what about the farmers who cannot be helped by trades and labour councils in any >yay. ■ They have to compete against the world, and have to struggle for long hours at a very little profit indeed." Mr Frank J.. Denton, who is wellknown in photographic circles in Wellington, and who has gained much distinction iji local and international photographic exhibitions^—having been awarded a medal at the Calcutta. exhiDition--has decided to devote his time entirely tO'the "art. Mr Denton has purchased the business so long associated with che name' or" •'Martin, of Wanganui, the patentee of .'the bas-relief process introduced insNjew Zealand a few years ago.

The revenue of Denmark is 40,000,000 crowns, one-half of which sum is absorbed by military expenditure. Mr T. J. James, of Mangatainoka, lias made a trial shipment of several hundred thousand eggs to the Cape. A beggar who died recently in Auxerre, France, was found to have a million Lrancs in bonds in a trunk, and in his cellar 100 bottles of wine of the vintage of 1790. The "Hawke's Bay Herald" understands that Mr Fairfax Fenwick, manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Napier, will shortly retire from the service of the bank owing to increasing ill-health and the necessity for complete rest and change. Mr Fenwick will oe leaving Napier in the course of a month or so. Mr John Roberts, of Roberts and Allport, solicitors, Hobart, died recently, aged eighty-seven. With the exception of ivir Adye Douglas, deceased was the senior member cf the legal profession in Tasmania. He was admitted to the Bar in January, 1841. St. John's Church, Christ church, on \i ednesdav, Miss Mathias, eldest daughter of the late Mr H. J. Mathias, of Racecourse Hill, and granddaughter of the late Ven. Archdeacon Mathias, was married to M~ T. F. Gibson, youngest son of Captain F. D. Gibson, Merivale. The ceremonv was performed by the Rev Hugh Mathias, uncle of the bride, assisted by the Rev H. C. M. Watson. Mr Andrew Carnegie is one of those whoh believe in helping those that help themselves. He has just written to Sir Swire Smith, of Keighley. expressing his willingness to give £IO,OOO to that town for a free library, on condition that it will provide a site, and adopt the Free Libraries Act. Keighley, he adds, is a town which has helped itself, and is, therefore, worthy of the help of others. The offer has been cordially accepted. A private letter received by the San Francisco mail contains the news that two ex-officers of the White Star line, well known in New Zealand, are now making satisfactory progress as officers m the Royal Navy. Lieutenant Beck, at one time second officer of ■ the Delphie, holds a commission on H.M.S. Buzzard. This warship recently collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic and had to be towed into Halifax for repairs. Lieutenant R. Bellis, also an ex-second officer of the Delphic, is at present on H.M.S. Royal Sovereign, one of the Mediterranean fleet. The lengthy drift of the disabled steamer Waikato is likely to delay the advent of the dining-cars on the railways, as included in the vessel's cargo is the plant for the lighting and cooking arrangements which will be installed in the cars. The system of lighting which obtains at present will be introduced on the diningcars, but gas fires will also be used in the cuisine department, and the necessary apparatus for this, which was ordered from Home, was despatched in the vVaikatp. The work of constructing and fitting tlie cars is so well advanced that they will probably be completed (says the •'Otaco Dailv Times") in a little over a month's time. & A nleasing function took place last night, when the spacious waiting room at the Government railway station was filled to overflowing with railway employees, the occasion being to bid farewell to Mr W. J. Robertson, who bas been connected with the Wellington station for the oast five years, and is now being transferred to InvevcnrfHll. Mr W\ A. Brebner, the recently appointed stationmaster, presented Mr Robertson with a handsome marble time-piece as a memento from his fellow employees. Mr Robertson replied in a feeling and appropriate speech. The meeting terminated with cheers for Mr and Mrs Robertson. Mr and Mrs Robertson will leave for the South by the Mararoa to-

morrow. A meeting of the Frcebel Society was held at the Technical School on Saturday night. Miss Richmond (president of the society) being in the chair. Miss Lorimer, M.A., read a paper on "Schools and Schoolmasters —Some peeps into English literature," in which she sketched the development of the system of education in England as shown by the references to it in English literature from the earliest'times. Particular attention was drawn to the change from the brutality shown to children at school in the days of Dickens, and before his time, to the care given at the present day to finding out the best method of developing the intellect and emotions of-the child. The paper, which must have required a great deal of preparation, was well read by Miss Lorimer, to whom a hearty vote of thanks was given by a large audience at the end of the lecture. A correspondent writing of President Kruger says he is reminded of a fact which illustrates how great effects from little causes spring. Mr Kruger was in the old days an employee of the British Government as FieM Cornet and magisterial officer, and was in receipt of a modest salary of some £l5O a year. He was not satisfied and made application for a rise, which was refused, and from that hour he wrote England down his enemy. This is not to say that a miserable £-50 a year would have altered the whole course of South African history, but it looks uncommonly like it. The anecdote illustrates also a trait in Paul Kruger's character. He is intensely avaricious, and whilst drawing £BOOO a year in salary and £SOOO for coffee money (the very limited hospitality of the President being a cup of coffee), has never been known to give anything away except his country and his country's wealth. The -love of money is the root of all evil. '

Mr Francis Sidey, who has been suffering from an affection of the throat, is making good progress towards a recovery. The opening of the cycling season will take place next Saturday. A procession of cyclists of both sexes is to start from Martin's Fountain at 2 p.m. The tender of Messrs McGrath and Co., of Wellington, for improvements to the Wairoa harbour, at a' cost of £6OOO, has been accepted by the Board. At the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning, two first offending inebriates, one a man and the other a woman, were dealt with by Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M. The man was remanded for medical treatment. Mr W. W. Bird. M.A., first assistant The Greymouth agent of the Press Association telegraphs optimistically that fine weather seems to have set in permanently there. The condition of Armit, the Otago footballer, who was injured at Dunedin in the tootball match against Taranaki, has not improved, and during the past two days, ' says the -'Daily Times" of Saturday, ne has not been so well as he has been for some time previously. The number of bankruptcies for the month ending September 30th was six, as compared with two for the corresponding period last year. The total number for the quarter just ended was eighteen, compared with seven for 1898 in the same quarter. Mr Graham. M.H.R.. was entertained by the members of the Old Age Pensions Department at the Cafe Victoria on Saturday afternoon, in recognition of the efforts made by him on behalf of the temporary clerks. Mr J. H. Reynolds occupied the chair, and Messrs C. H. Mills, W. C. Symes and G. Fisher, M.'sH.R., were also present. Mr Graham's health was enthusiastically drunk. A filibustering steamer, the Toneng, has been ordered to be confiscated by the United States authorities in Manila for carrying arms and rebels. In September, 1898. the steamer was bought by a Captain F. M. Plummer from Pardo, and leased back to the old owner at 3000 dollars a month, running then under the American flag. The vessel liact a chequered career under this ownership, but was at length captured and confiscated. Last, season (writes the Wyndham '•Herald' 5 ) Mr Johnston Wylie, of Mataura Island, had a good return from his dairy herd. He milked 27 cows, milk being paid for at the rate of 9d per lb of butter fat, and the average er 'ow was £9 18s As .. sup,.l.-r ;)•: also participated in the profits of the company, he being accredited with shares representing £3. This sum added to the amount received for butter fat would bring his average up to £lO 0s 4fd. An exhibition of fancy dancing by the pupils of Miss Estelle Beere took place, on Saturday afternoon at St. Paul's Schoolroom, Sydney street, in the presence of a large and fashionable audience. The dancing was much admired, the skill and grace of the executants being of a high order. Their efforts won repeated demonstrations of approval. The dresses were pretty and effective. Miss Beere, at the conclusion of the entertainment, was made the recipient of many congratulations on the successful results attending her tuition. During the last few days the weather has savoured distinctly of the spring, being invariably fine during the day and showery at night. Yesterday was a typical spring day. The total rainfall for the month was 3.61 m-, all of which fell during ten days. In September of last year the total was -A.26in, there Deing fourteen rainy days in the month. The Wainui-o-mata was well whipped on the opening day of the trout-fishing season. The weather was perfect, and the water had just the tinge of colour requisite for good fly-fishing. Only one heavy basket is reported, one of our most successful anglers having secured a very large catch. About a dozen fishermen, however, had fair sport, their takes ranging from two to thirteen fish each, the weights ranging from one to two and a half pounds. The bare fly was cue lure generally used up the stream, but live bait proved effective in some of the deep pools down towards the mouth of the river.

j&The late Mr A. McHardy, who died Suddenly at Palmer.ston North on Wednesday, came to New Zealand in 1861, having arrived in Sydney two years previously from Aberdeenshire. He started business at the Spit, Napier, and retiring from that occupation after a r 'ew years, he, with Mr J. H. Coleman, purchased the Blackhead station, but he subsequently bought out Mr Coleman's interest in the station, upon which he settled his sons. After an absence in the Old Country. Mr McHardy, on his return, leased the Longlands estate, where he entered upon sheepfarming pursuits. On the expiration of his Longlands' lease i?e purchased the Beaulieu estate, iVianawatu. where he had been residing up to the time of his death from heart cisease. He was seventy years of age, and' was one of the most enterprising settlers in the North Island. A Press Association message., from Palmerston North on Saturday stated :—The remains of the late Mr A. McHardy were taken through to Hastings at mid-day to-day, and the funeral will be held at Havelock to-mor-row. The procession through the streets was the. largest seen here, the route to the railway station being lined by fully 2000 people. All the local bodies m the district were represented in the procession, which was headed by a bagpipe band. Many beautiful wreaths were forwarded.;..' ■•' . ■ '