WAKEFIELD.

Colonist, Volume XLVII, Issue 11432, 11 September 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

WAKEFIELD.

August 31. Mr Benson, of 88 Valley, had the misfortune to lose his house aod effects by fire this morniag. Mt Benson rose shortly after 5 a.m., and after lighting, the kitchen fife went out to feed his horses. At about a quarter to six, on looking towards the house, he was horrified to see smoke issuing from the roof and back. He 1 ran to the house, woke Mrs Benson, who was in the front bedroom, and then broke the window of the children's bedroom and got them out, none too soon, the fire having already taken possession of their bedroom. Soon the house wa3 reduced to a heap of ashes. Little or nothing was saved. Mr and Mrs Benson have worked hard to make a nice home for themselves, and now they have lost nearly all, there being very little insurance. Now is the time for practical help. Some one should take their case in hand, and doubtles3 their neighbors will show their sympathy in a practical manner. .The members of the Juvenile Oddfellows' Lodge invited the members of the local Eechabite Lodge to spend a social evening with them. Messrs George Johnson, J. Ricketts, P.P.G.M., H. J. Harris, H, Tunnicliffe, G. B. Peart, and E. Hodgson were also present, and assisted to entertain the Juveniles. Mr B. Painton brought his new large phonograph, and greatly amused all. Mesars Johnson, Harris, and Tunniclffe contributed to the harmony. Mrs John Price, of Gum Grove, has sold her farm of 42 acres, and it. ! is intended to cut up the estate and give access to the sections by a good road a chain wide. This is just what we need, for building sites are ! difficult to obtain in Wakefield. September 1. The usual weekly meeting of the Waketield Literary and Debating Society was held on Tuesday, August 29th. Being "ladies' night," it took the form of a social gathering, the ladies supplying the whole of the evening's entertainment. Miss Faulkner occupied the chair, and in her opening remarks expressed her astonishment at having seen what she had said on the subject of woman's franchise in New Zealand the previous week so entirely misreported in the evening paper. She had not said that the "Colonial female was, on the whole, better able;to exercise her vote intelligently than the Home woman." That, she considered, would be a libel on her country women. What she had said was that the New Zealand women were in advance of thoße at Home in having the franchise, but that English women were working for it, and hoped to get it at no distant date. Later in the evening Miss Faulkner gave a short address, and, in a few well-chosen words, showed the benefit to be derived from literary and debating societies, and referred to the great men who dated the commencement of their careers from joining such societies. Other items of the programme were readings by Mrs Hooper and Miss Tidd ; recitation, Miss Prentice; pianoforte solos, Misses Watkins and Martin ; pianoforte duet, Misses E. and F. Hooper; piano and violin duet, Misses Uurrin ; songs, Misses Fowler, G. Faukner, Hanron, Williams, Price, Palmer, I. Baigent, Cole, Prosser and Prentice. During an interval refreshments were handed round by the ladies, and a most enjoyable evening closed with the usual votes of thanks.