LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 96, 12 August 1895, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In a time of reducing and depression it is gratifying to learn that the Bank of New South Wales has just made an allround sncrease in the salaries of tho junior officers.—Post. An order has been issued to the permanent artillerymen that summary dismiosal will follow on proof of their being found in hotels during prohibited hours, whether in uniform or not. The whiskey drinkers in Dune Jin are debating this question Whether they will have to drink twenty per cent more or twenty per cent less, in order to gel level with the now tariff. At present the sides are even.

A splendid specimen of the noble kauri tree which was being transported on trolleys from the railway station to the Kauri Timber Company’s mill, Auckland, recently, attracted a great deal of attention. It was .squared, and its total length was 85 feet without knot or blemish, and its total weight eight tons. There is sudden mortality among the cattle at Ohaupo, Waikato. Fourteen head have died. Mr Cross, Inspector of Stock, was called in, and has taken some of the beasts' intestines and prepared them in spirits. Ho has also sent to Wellington for Mr Gilruth, Government Veterinarian. The cause of the mortality is unknown. Sir Westby Perceval has received a report saying that tho larger portion of each case of tho Rimutaka’s apples was thoroughly rotton. The remainder only filled six cases. The fruit .was over ripe when shipped and tho venture may be looked upon as a complete failure. The condition is not a fair test of pumico packing. The moss lined cases were tho worst.

Madame Melba lived, when in New York, at the Savoy Hotel, One day she was practising some part of the Queen in ‘The Hugenots,’ ih which there were roulades and trills. At tho same time there was a two-year old baby playing about in the corridor near her door, as she learned afterwards from the mother. In the midst of one of the trills—and what trills they are!—the little one ran to bis mother excitedly, and said: “Listen, mamma i Birdie, birdie!” And, said the great singer, relating the story, “that pleased me more than all, the things I have ever had said to me in my life.”

The two female sanitary inspectors appointed some months ago in the Kensing! on district, London, seem to be doing good work. The editor of the * Lancet ’ expatiates upon the excellence of their achievements. These two ladies have already made visits of inspection to about 5G7 dressmakers, ladies’ tailors, laundries and miscellaneous workrooms in North and South Kensington. The ‘ Lancet ’ discusses the conditions which either con duce to or injure tho health and comfort of the women workers, and there can be little doubt that the appointment of Miss Sqnire aud Miss Duncan has already borne good fruit. |Tbo inspectors have received many expressions of appreciation from the employes, who seem to have full oon fidence in the “ sanity ladies,” as they are called.

The quiet Surrey village of Asbstead was one day recently the scene of considerable and unwonted excitement, An entbusiasticcycling couple had determined to got married in the vrey latest up todate cycling fashion. The wedding procession started from Leatherhead. The bride and bridegroom were mounted upon a tandem bicycle, the attired in orange blossoms, veil, and a rational dress of fawn colour. The bridegroom did some tine pedalling church wards, and responded gracefully to the cheers of tho assembled natives who adorned the highway with their delight and amusement in Jmany ways. The bridesmaids and best man followed behind, also mounted, and the affair throughout was characterised with much good humour, the arrangements being completed without a mishap, —Exchange,

A terrible fatality occurred at IRamrod Flat, three miles from Brahen (Victoria), Stephen Preston being blown to pieces by an explosion of dyuamite, The de ceased was engaged in clearing a paddock, using dynamite for bursting up 1 the logs. He sent an adopted son to get a crowbar, and told him to return as soon as ho bad hear! the report of the charge, Tno lad did so and was horniied to find his guardian killed. The trunk of the body was found lying about five yards from the log he was working at. His head was another five yards away, and some portions of the bones were blown nearly ninety yards from the log. The arms and smaller portions have not yet been found, The evidence shows deceased received the full charge in the chest. He was married and was 01 years of age, but had no family, The officials of the Victorian Health Del) purtment report that several of the burial grounds in that colony are contaminating the water supplies, and they recommended that the greatest care should be exercised in future to see that sites on which the water lodges are not selected. In this connection an extraordinary story is told of one of the Gippslgpc] cemeteries The last two burials in this ground wars stated to have been carried out only after the grave diggers had overcome strong resisl.en.ee op the part of the coffins concerned, It is usual for interments to take place under ground; but here it was a gasp of going under water, which rpse jn the graves to about *1 ft from the top, and the coffins floated halfway down. The burials could not be completed till the cofl’ns had been pushed down with poles and held there till enough earth had been thrown in to weigh them down. Under the circumstances it was almost necessary to load the coffins with weights, after the ipethod adopted in burial at sea.

It will bp of interest to housholdcrs and others that to lino wall valuable preparations of P. Book and Co., manufacturing chemists, may bo obtained at H. E. Deane’s Bazaar :—Bock's Furniture Polish (tho result of this reviver on polished or varisbed woodwoik is a lasting an,d perfect lustre), Is ; Waterproof Cement, for mending dolf, china, glass, leather, otc., (a reliable cemein, testified to by many in this district), Is; Bock’s Putz Paste, for cleansing and polishing tinware, brass, paint, windows, and all metal articles, Is the tin; Mortoip Jnsect Powder, and spreaders, Is each ; Oumphylene Ba/lg, to protect clothes, furs, etc., from destruction through silver fish and moths, Is per jar; Herb extract, an infallible and permanent cure for toothache, guaranteed harmkep to the teeth, Is; Bock’s Neuralgia drops, 9 gradual hut certain cure, Is Cd ; Aromatic Tooth Powder, for beautifying the breath. a»d t > check all fiiptfoer ! decay of tho tooth, only (id a

Mr Robbins notifies a sale of drapery at “Excelsior House” on Wednesday next, commencing at half past one o’clock. The other morning the officer in charge of the Little Bourke street (Melbourne) fire station hastily turned out his men to put out a fire of which an alarm had been given. The fire was in the station, and had started in the hayloft. With unconscions humour, the official reports of the occurrence issued by the brigade state that “ th) fire was discovered by the in* mates and extinguished by the inmates with their own appliances,” Mexico has the most luxurious railways in the world. The rails of the Mexican Gulf Railway are laid on sleepers of mahogany, and the bridges are built of white marble. On the west coast of Mexico there is another line which has sleepers of ebony and ballast of silver ore, drawn from the old mines beside the track. The reason for this apparent extravagance is that the engineers had no other material on the route, and found it cheaper to use those than to import the ordinary material. Mr Fred Bennett, of London, played a billiard match (says the Wellington Post) on one of the Albert Hotel tables last night against a resident of Wellington, to whom he conceded 200 points in a game of 800 up. Bennett won the match by 440 points, his host breaks being 435 (compiled in 13min 40sec) and 159, while the other made breaks of 32 29. The Londoner gave an exhibition game in the afternoon, when he made breaks of 497 and 386, including 42 consecutive cannons. He leaves for the South at ths end of the week.

Late American papers give accounts of the ‘ boom in wheat.’ The boom at Chicago resulted in over being traded in. The pandemonium in the ‘ wheat 'pit,’ where ihe transactions were carried on, was watched from tho gallery by 500 women, who were scarcely less excited than the active participants in the wild struggle hj r wteat and gold. In New York something of the same kind was going on. There 287,000,000 bushels of wheat was bought aud sold in a few bours—making the total ‘counters’ employed in the two cities ou this memorable day greater than the whole crop o! the States.

In the old days in New Zealand the substitute for socks was a piece of rag, calico, or <eld flannel shirt -blue serge was the best. This was neatly wrapped round the toes and foot, like a surgeon’s bandage, and afforded abundant warmth and protection It is confidently affirmed by many working men that owing t > tho new tariff they will have to go back to fiist principles in this respect, and discard the manufactured article as a too expensive luxury. In this connection a gentleman from the Emerald Isle was heard to say yesterday : “ This is my only pair of boots, and they will have to last me until there is a change of politics, for till then, Lord help me, I see no chance of getting a new pair.” Yet he was not one of ‘ the unemployed.’ —Feildiug Star. , At Bridgeport the other day a daring burglary was frustrated by a domestic animal of the rarest type. Tho family received some time ago from a member of Barnum’s circus a lion cub, not larger than a cat, and determined to bring it up in tho house. The lion seemed perfectly tame, and slept in the basement At night the occupiers of tho house were aroused from their sleep by awful shrieks uttered by a human being below, They tuslied downstairs, and saw a man trying to escape through a broken window, but dragged back by their watchful lion who, with his claws was tearing the burglar’s clothes, and would have inflicted severe punishment on him but for their opportune arrival. Profiting by the diversion, tho man jumped through the window, and the owner only with the greatest difficulty prevented the lion from pursuing the fugitive. Tho editor of the Oarauru mail says that some fiend in human shape has in troduced into the town a new terror. This is a pocket edition of tho Tarawero’s syren, and anything better calculated to make night hideous it would bp difficult to imagine. The recipe for its construction seems to have been somewhat ns follows : To four offended tomcats add two ungreased cart wheels; mix in a few rusty tiles, a pig in the act of execufiop, a handful of squeaky slate pencils, and season with hysterics to taste. Serve hot.” Beside this interesting compound ,f Daisy Bell” is simpfy an angej, and “After the Ball” a hymn of peace, ( while “Sweet Marie” Justifies an infinitely more sugary title, Beginning with a low moan, as of an agonised ghost whose teeth are chattering with terror, it swells by discordant intervals to a crescendo yell pitched in a key which grates ou every nerve and sets every tooth (the ghost’s F) aching. The person who incontinently slaughters any fientl found using one of these syrens may confidently anticipate a verdict of justifiable homicide” at the hands of hfs fellow citizens.

Referring to Mrs Webster’s concert, the Wanganui Herald of the 3rd inst. says : “ Mrs Webster, a member of the Royal Academy of Music, London, has engaged the Harmonic Hall, Patea, for a; grand musical entertainment on the 30th instant This lady, who for many years occupied the important 'position of head music teacher to the Harris Academy, Dundee, fias, for the last two years, followed her profession wjtfi speh success in Hawcpa iind Pat.ea ijiat her friepds have prevailed ppou her to afford tire public pn opportunity of hearing the performance of her more advanced pupils. To render the entertainment more attractive and to leave nothing for lovers of music to desire, Mrs Webster has secured the assistance pf several leading vocalists both in Patea and other townjj, Mjgs MeAlpine, who has recently arrived from Auckland, will contribute two solos and also take parr with her brothers in two concerted pieces. This lady’s sweet and cultured voice should alone ensure the success of the concert. Those who have hoard Miss MpAlpine predict a brilliant future for hpr if she should embrace singing as a profession, Miss Isabel MacKonzie, the popular vocalist who bus recently come to Wanganui, Mrs and Miss Nowcombe, of Waverloy, Mr Arthur Bennet, of Palmerston, the Messrs McAlpine and other first class vocalists will contribute items and assist the Patea Glee Club with thpir selections. This Club was recently startl’d by sfr« Webster.’ and has made such good progress that two items on the programme have been allotted to it. Full particulars of the programme will appeariu a future issue.” On the evening of the' concert coaches will be laid on from Wayarley, Alton and