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Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 177, 13 March 1896, Page 2

Mr Pettigrew has been delighting the hearts of the young folks with an importation of cocoanuts which are a novelty in this part.

C. W. Brown pleaded guilty to having an illicit still on his property at Tutaekara. He was fined £SO and the plant confiscated.

The new erections and purchases of churches, &c, in the Wesleyan Methodist districts of New Zealand for the year totals £5,780 183 2d, and the debt is £1,634 10s 4d.

The following is the result of the voting for the Wanganui School Committee:—Pirani, 79; Lethbridge, 64; Bobbins, 60; Bridge, 41; Beckett, 35. The first three were declared elected.

We hear that Mr Morey has so much improved by his trip to Australia that he anticipates returning about the middle of next month. He will be welcomed back by the banks clients with whom he is a general favorite.

Mr C. McHardy, junr, is on a visit at Opunake, to his parents, from Victoria. He holds the position of receiver of gold revenue and is goldfields registrar at Wyalong, and has obtained two months' leave of absence. He is looking remarkably well. In the match in Sydney between the representative team selected to go to England and the Disconsolates—the next best team, the reps, won by two wickets. The Disconsolates scored 117 in their first innings and 355 in their second ; while the reps, made 230 and 245 respectively. It has been decided to take fifteen men to England. Writing on January 24th, a London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald says that colonial choice butter is quoted at 108 s and 110 s, a trifle better than it realised three weeks ago. Good is worth 100 s and 106 s. New Zealand brands are getting top prices, and a little has sold at 112 s. This season New Zealand is stated to be superior to Australian, and most butters described as choice are from New Zealand and not Australia.

A report has gained currency during the last few days that the Defence Department intend to enroll a first-class militia, which willl be composed of all unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 35 years. Enquiries made from those who should know support the report, and it is evident that the Government intenl to make the best provision they can for defence in the event of a European war breaking out and spreading its operations to the colonies.

The Bianch Hotel, Eit'uam, had a narrow escape of being burned down on Tuesday evening. It seems that a chimney connected with the fire-place in a sitting-room took fire, and shortly afterwards it was found that the woodwork in the passage of the second storey of thn hotel was showing signs of liei'.g heated. Mr Brewr stripped the . i- ~ ~■;<'■. i,„ f .i,.. , ,„.i ' ..ml a., -.i. l' ..til . OAilUliiifUiOM showed that the chimney had been badly built and is defective. h" hi 'i \% operations are still beh'g rtii'U il.v cavi ied 0-. in the I) re on Mr W. J. Honeyfield's land, iu which oil was struck some weeks ago. On Saturday night the bore was down to a depth of 1150 feet, the formation being sandstone, but no oil was obtained. To the depth of 1045 the bore was cased, thus shutting off the liquid mud vein that flowed in when oil was struck. The boring operations will be continued to depth of between 1400 and 1500 feet. Mr E. E. Fairs, the managing director, is expected to return from Sydney about the middle of April. When the boring operations are completed in the present hole the plant will be shifted over to Mr Putt's land, where another bore will be put down. —Herald. By announcement in another columu it will be seen that next Sunday and Tuesday, in connection with the Coast Mission, Harvest Thanksgiving Services are to be held. A decoration and arrangement committee was numerously attended on Tuesday last, and the ladies present' very cordially and enthusiastically took up the project with every prospect of a successful issue. Such services commend themselves to all Bible readers and are a revival of an ancient custom (Deut., 26 chap). Contributions of all kinds will be acceptable and gratefully received by the Decoration Committee, which will be at work we believe (in preparation for the services of Sunday) on Saturday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. We can only wish that they may have similar gratifying success to Pungarehu services, which in attendance, the promotion of good feeling and fiuancial results, exceeded the expectation of the most sanguine. A man named Bichard Hurst Wane, a relative of Mrs Wane, of New Plymouth, died rather suddenly at that town (reports the News), and under somewhat peculiar circumstances about 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. During the past few days he had been suffering more than usual. Dr Leatham was called in but did not discover anything to justify immediate alarm. About 6 o'clock he was hastily summoned, and on arriving at the residence he found Mr Waue dead. In the wind-pipe of deceased was found a me-dium-sized plum of the greengage class, which it was evident had prevented respiration. A few minutes before 5 o'clock Mr Wane intimated to Mrs Wane that he was going to bed, and asked her to bring in some plums. The lady did so, and shortly afterwards she heard a fall, and on going to the room she found the deceased on the floor. The deceased was about 38 years of age.

Tenders are called by the Town Board for ■tone-breaking returnable on Monday. The Waimate Road Board calls for tenders for various works.

Mr P. B. Atkinson, solicitor, notifies that he intends taking up the practice of his profession at Opunake and Manaia.

Messrs Nolan, Tonks and Co's sale advertised for Tuesday next has been postponed owing to that day being a public holiday (St. Patrick's Day). The fancy goods for the Catholic Fancy Fair oame by the s.s. Kanieri on her last trip and have all been opened and marked off. They are very choice and handsome and should meet with a ready sale.

The billiard match which was to have taken place on Saturday last at Middleton's Hotel did not eventuate, Professor Figoni's opponent not coming up to scratch, leaving the Professor master of the situation.

In referring to the opening of Messrs Rutherford and Son's flaxtnill at the Waiau we only mentioned the number of hands engaged in the mill proper. The total number engaged in connection with it i 3 twenty-one.

A social and entertainment in connnection with the Wesleyan Church will be held in the Town Hall on Wednesday evening. A first-olass programme is in course of rehearsal, and a very pleasant evening's enjoyment may be anticipated. A man was found in a gully at Pahiatua on Tuesday morning with his throat cut. He is still alive, but there is little hope of his recovery. A pocket-knife was in his hand. The man attempted to give his name but failed. It is believed he is Alfred Simmons.

Mr J. C. George, accompanied by Mrs George, has just been paying a visit to Opunake. Mr George is looking vastly improved after his trip to the Old Country, which has quite set him up in health again. His old friends here were pleased to see him looking so well.

The Hawera Mounted Rifles intend doing their week's drill by making a march round the mountain. They will be in Opunake on Sunday and will camp on Mr Pettigrew's place at Matakaha, close'to the Waiaa Eiver, for the night, and leave Monday morning for Okato, which is to be the next stopping place.

A Masterton correspondent wives to the Dunedin Star :—" Application has been made to the Premier to remove Mr Hutchison S.M. from Masterton. The Premier is known to favor the removal. The recent conviction of two publicans for Sunday trading is believed to have led to the application." Andrew Suttee, formerly a commercial traveller of Wellington, who was recently brought over from Sydney on a warrant, was committed for trial on a charge of perjury at Carterton by swearing that the bar of the Royal Oak Hotel was open on the night of January 23rd after hours and drink supplied. Bail was allowed.

At a meeting of the Wairavapa Racing Club the Secretary reported that the Government refused to issue a totalisator permit for the Easter meeting uutil the Metropolian Club had passed the Masterton-Opaki Club's programme. The Stewards passed a resolution strongly deprecating the action of the Government on the ground that they had nothing to do with the quarrel.

The United Methodist Free Church meeting, Auckland, passed resolutions protesting against the CD. Act, asserting the right of the people to vote directly for continuance or abolition of liquor traffic, asking Bible readings from Scripture Text Book to be introduced into the educational curriculum and protesting against the Government's action in regard to the totalisator.

The Lochers were before the Court on Monday, at Wellington. The husband was dismissed and Mrs Locher was committed. The medical evidence showed that Norbury is progressing favorably, but was not out of danger. The bullet had not touched the lung, Sir Robert Stout, who appeared for the defence, said he would apply for bail for \fr<» r,och°r wh a n th« nationt was out of