The Patea County Press, (With which is incorporated The Patea Mail.) "Be Just and Fear Not.” FRIDAY AUGUST 9th 1895. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 95, 9 August 1895, Page 2

The Patea County Press, (With which is incorporated The Patea Mail.) "Be Just and Fear Not.” FRIDAY AUGUST 9th 1895. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Messrs Jackson and Co.’s usual fortnightly sale at Waverley takes place on Monday next. Efforts are being made to try and estahlish a Master Bakers’ Association on this coast, embracing all the townships between, and including, New Plymouth and Palmerston North. If the bakers wore half as wise as the millers, an Association would have been in existence long ago. The following officers were installed at the Star of Patea Lodge, 1.0 (1.T., on Wednesday evening lastC.T., Bro, T, Inviu; V.T., Bro. T. Penn; C., Bro, J. Irwin ; S.. Bro. Glonny ; A.S., Bro. Jas. Graham ; T., Bro. IT. Locker ; F. 8., Bro. Sehultze; M., Bro. McChnchie; 1.G., Bro. Rhodes; 0.G., Bro. Thompson, Officers’ reports shewed that there were thirty two members good on tho books ; also, that tho lodge was in a very sound financial condition. According to the correspondent of the Lyttelton Times it is generally recognised that, on tho Agent-Generalship becoming vacant in October next, it would not be fair either to tho colony or Sir W. B. Perceval to ask tho latter to accept another extension of his term of office for a year, and it is therefore concluded that a new appointment will certainly bo announced before Parliament prorogues Speculation *o far favours the chance of the lion W. P. Reeves, but that conclu ion is only arrive 1 at by assuming that si r p. A Buckley will waive his claim, •vlvcii is recogui ed as superior, i’he natm- of Sir W Bullm- is sometimes in nioned as that “f a possible Agent-Genoml nit lie is not likely to bo chosen, except ii the event of no othei way being found > deciding th-cnntm.ding claims of Mr Itecvcß cittd Sir V Buckley*

About 200 designs have been sent in for competition for prizes for the best two series of design for the New Zealand postage and revenue stamps. Long, the hangman, whose services will shortly he required in connection with the execution of Mrs Dean, has been duly escorted to Wellington from one of his usual hack-block retreats. During tbo Franco-Prussian war, the Germans fired 50,0)(),000 rifle cartridges and 393,000 charges of artillery, killing or wounnding 77,000 Frenchmen, showing that. 400 shots are required to kill or mortally wound one man. Nellie Bly, perhaps the most famous woman journalist in America, has ju-4 married an American millionaire, Mr Robert Seaman, whose income is estimated at something like £50,0)0 a year. The bride is about thirty and the bridegroom seventy-two,. Nellie Ely’s journalisticfeats have been diverse and exciting. She bought a baby for ton dollars in open market, and exposed the traffic in New York infants ; she led the half starved army of the notorious Coxey into Washington ; she took a prominent part in the Pullman strike ; she laid hare the practices of the gambling dens of Saratoga, one of the most fashionable summer resorts in America; lately she has been investigating on the spot the sad case of the poverty-stricken Nobrasko farmer. As for her trip round the worll for the New York World, in 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 14 seconds, shall we ever forget the advertisement of it ? The prosperity of the Falkland Islands is wholly dependant on the use,of the vast tracts of pasture land for sheep. With no fear of drought, with no rank vegetation, but, on the contrary, succulent grasses, with an equable temperature throughout the year, these islands have proved to bo peculiarly well adapted for sheep. The pastoral prospects, according to the Colonial Secretary, continue to hi of a cheering character. The increase of flocks, the introduction of late years of machinery, tbo more careful shepherding and judicious breeding, have secured larger profits to the producer. Sheep continue to be exported to Chili and Patagonia, for the purpose of stocking the north of the Straits of Magellan, whore concessions of laud have been obtained from the Chilian and Argentine Governments by sone of the lessees of the Crown Lands of the Falkland Islands.

A fracas occurred in Bendigo recently which caused much sensation. A man styling himself “ Professor ” Eichardhad been giving lectures and exhibiting his powers as an electric healer, “Dr” Stanley and his wife were also visiting the town, and announcements appeared in the local papers which show that no love is lost between the parties. Stanley mot Eicbard in Mitchell street and assaulted him. Stanley appeared to get the worst of the encounter, and Mrs Stanley went to her husband’s assistance. She gave Eicbard a severe trouncing with a horsewhip, cutting his head and band. Eicbard had a warrant issued, and Stanley and his wife were arrested on charges of assault, but were afterwards bailed out. In tho watchhouse books A. M. Stanley, who is sixtysix years of ago, and an Englishman, and Amy F. Stanley, aged thirty nine, a native of England, are described as specialists. An observer of animal life (says the Vienna correspondent of the Daily News) has collected a number of notes upon the behaviour of animals during the recent earthquake at Laibach. A railway guard observed that some minutes before the first shock was, left bis owl, chained 10 tho tool bouse cried as if for help, and he was with it when the earthquake began, Somejforest guards observed hares running as if for their lives up a hill before the first shook. Partridges flew a long dis tance. A gentleman who spent the night of Easter Sunday in a carriage saw tbo pigeons and hawks on a tower flying round it every time that a shock was near. Sparrows and redbreasts also fluttered about, and seemed to overcome their fear of men. Tho most excited of ail were the horses. They trembled long before a shock occurred and some fell on their knees and sides. The dogs howled the whole night. When a shock was near their cries were so strange that they struck the car ns something not heard before. Writing on May 21 tho London correspondent of tho Otago Daily Times says : ‘ Lady Perceval was piesented at last Wednesday’s Eoyal Drawing Boom, a ceremony which, I understand, she had, been previously unable to ■ go through owing to ill health. This difficulty having been explained in high quarters, the Queen very graciously assented to certain special arrangements being made to spare Lady Perceval tho fatigue of long waiting, and, further, she was accorded the right of entree , which is quite an unusual privilege in such circumstances. She was presented by the Countess Spencer. The Court dress worn on the occasion by Lady Perceval was of handsome pink brocade, with a train of clove-carnation coloured velvet, lined with pink satin, and trimmed with magnifieent trails of La France roses. Miss Johnston, sister of Lady Perceval, and daughter of tho Hon John Johnston, member of tho Legislative Council, of Wellington, New Zealand, who had been previously presented, was also at the Drawing Boom. Miss Johnston wore a train of very soft and lovely shade of mignonette-green velvet, lined with pale Hue corded silk.” Details have Just come to hand of the death at Cincinnati of Aaron Lyman, a lineman employed by the Cincinnati Electric Light Company. While at work on a pole be fell and was caught on several wires, his throat resting on an electric light wire. Thousands gathered, but could do nothing for him. His face wag turned downward, and the eyes stared appealingly to the people below. Blue tongues of flame sputtered and darted all over his body, From the finger tips rolled green balls that danced from wire to wire, and finally j spent their force and disappeared, j From his eyes darted fiery flames, while 1 every hair on his head was the receptacle of a portion of tho fluid that was rapidly destroying life. Suddenly a shower of, reel liquid foil t tho ground below, j staining the upturned faces and clothing of flic spectators. It was tho life blood ' of the unfortunate man. Tho sizzling wire had burned it? way to tho veins in tho throat, Tho poor fellow was soon . beyond all earthly suffering. When at j la-t tiro electric company were notified, j and thf‘- : cuiTont shut off, it was found ‘ t ie victim was literally cocked . from |aut to head, 1

Tenders for the Otauto bush falling contracts close to'-morrow. The subject of the sermon on Sabbath night nest in the Wesleyan Church will be, “ The Christ of the Gospels. Is he Divine ?” We would draw attention to Mr Cowern’s sale of trees from Mr Mitch inson’s New Plymouth Nursery, which takes place to-morrow. When the jury returned into Court in the Pai-kvale arson case yesterday (says the N.Z. Times), some occupants of the ladies’ gallery received the verdict of “ not guilty ’ ‘ with slight applause. The Chief Justice said that if the offenders were brought before him they would be punished. A “ tell-tale ” milk jug has been devised. It is a glass measure, gradu ated at every quarter pint. BelOW the pint and half-pint marks three lines are etched, showing the thickness of cream which should appear in milk of average quality, in good and very good milk, thus measuring both quantity and quality. There exists in Mexico one of the most remarkable natural phenomena of which we have any record. The surrounding country is literally studded v i hj volcanoes, and in thc-ir midst is tbo “ Lake of Ink,” which covers about an acre of ground. The body of water or ink, or whatever it is, is so covered with ashes from the adjacent volcanoes as to appear part of the surrounding ground which is all of the s ime dull grey tint. Where this liquid comes from, what its chemical properties may be, where or what the supply is, are matters of conjecture. In contrast to his giant of a father (says a London paper) the young Cantab, Grace junior, presents a sorry spectacle. Although having gone through a course of luit on at the hands of the doctor, unquestionably the finest coach a man could possibly have, his batting is very third rati, wnile his strokes would only just about do nredit to the member of a gram mar school team. With the ball he certainly shows better than with the willow, hut as his deliveries lack “sting,” or “ devil,” as it is commonly expressed in cricket parlance, it is doubtful whether he will set his “ blue ” this year. Unfortu nately the young W,G. suffers from an affection of the eyes, which probably accounts for the mediocrity in the cricket field of the sou of such a father.

The following is culled from an American exchange “ Leo Bing Nung, a Chinese strong man, gave two perform*ances at his homo for the benefit of the Celestial residents of Boston. The room in which the exhibition was given was thronged with Chinamen, who came from all sections of the city. Nung is of a medium height, but of powerful proportion. His arms and legs look like bundles of twisted rope, and his hack is a network of muscles. A number of Baltimore Chinamen say they knew Nung when they were boys in China, and that his strength was so marvellous that he was suspected of having powers of witchcraft. Nung is now 60 years of age. This Chinese prodigy can move a sand bag weighing GOOlbs with a single blow. of his fist. When seated on a chair, he extended one foot, and two ordinary strong men were unable to move the foot in any direction. He bared his left log, and then beat it with three iron rods, each a half inch in diameter, until tho leg was black and blue and terribly swollen. Then he applied some liniment to the leg, and in ten minutes all visible signs of the beating had disappeared. Nung also gave exhibitions of heavy weight lifting and other feats of strength.