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Waipawa Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 4059, 2 June 1900, Page 2

Cable nows, stock quotations, and othor reading matter will be found on the fourth page.

A Government parade of the Waipawa Rifles will be held next Tuesday.

While shifting a piano from the hall to-day, those engaged in the job let at fall. Result, damage to the instrument.

A burning chimney at the Exchange Hotel created some mild excitement this morning.

Yesterday was observed as a close holiday in Waipawa, in honor of the Boer retreat from Pretoria.

MrJ. Neilson, watchmaker, Napier, inserts a business notice in another column.

The fire bell rang out an alarm last evening, when it was found that a chimney in the Commercial Hotel was on

The Queen is stated by the Westminster Gazette to have recently said that if she were only 20 years younger she would visit Australia.

A storekeeper, named John Cole, dropped dead at Christchurch, yesterday, while serving a customer in his shop in Ferry road. Heart disease was the cause of death.

Messrs Williams and Kettle sold by public auction, yesterday, Mr Standley’s furniture and effects. There was a large attendance at the sale and good prices were realised. Mrs Cracknell entertained the members of the Waipawa Brass Band at supper last night. What with songs, toasts, and recitations, a very enjoyable evening was spent.

It is understood that the Minister for Education proposes to next session introduce a Bill with the object of applying the system of capitation allowances to the high schools of the colony. The Hon. W. C. Smith, owing to being unable to spare the time the duties required, has resigned the Chairmanship of Directors of the Dannevirke Co-opera-tive Association, and Mr W. F. Knight has been appointed to the position.

The Government has fixed 31st of March, 1901, as the date for taking the census of New Zealand. This date is the same as that fixed by the Imperial Government for the United Kingdom, and the Australian colonies have agreed to adopt the same date for Australia. Attention is directed to the change in Mr W. Rathbone’s advertisement. Ho has just opened up a large assortment of Union Jacks, Royal Standards, patriotic ties and ribbons, which should meet with a ready sale during these stirring times. In addition to these all the requisites of a merchant’s business are stocked.

A male and female couple, living not a hundred miles from Eketahuna (according to the local paper) who were each in receipt of old age pensions, came to the conclusion that in double harness they could live more economically. They accordingly agreed to sacrifice one of the homes. They are now married, and live in perfect harmony and content. The following is the text of a petition to His Excellency the Governor, issued by the New Zealand Alliance, and now being circulated for signature : —“ We, the adult residents of New Zealand, recognising the need of instruction of the youth of the colonies in the properties of alcohol and its effect on the human system, respectfully request Your Excellency to be pleased to introduce legislation providing for their thorough instruction, through the medium of the public schools, m these matters; and that the subject be made a pass one in the curriculum.”

The constant rain of the last few days has had an appreciable effect on the river, which is now in flood and gradually rising. Last night was the worst known for a long time, the rain descending in sheets, while a strong wind was blowing. Up to the time of writing there are no indications of a change for the better.

At a representative meeting of grain growers in Marton on Tuesday, (says the Feilding Star), Mr J. G. Wilson presiding, it was decided to ship wheat to London in preference to selling locally at the prices offering. A list was signed by those willing to ship, the quantity aggregating over 5000 sacks, and it is expected this quantity will be increased to 10,000 sacks.

In a private letter, Mr Montimer Menpes (the well-known painter) says that he was one of the first into Kimberley after General French. He is unable to speak in flattering terms of General Cronje and his wife though he amusingly describes poor old Mrs Cronje as being in such a hurry to depart from the English camp that she left her back hair in the tent. This was at once eagerly seized upon by some eriterpr ising “ Tommy,” and distributed in locks to those desirous of retaining some memory of the fair lady. A remarkable instantaneous photograph is in the possession of a Bristol chemist. From some cause or another, while he was crossing the river, his camera fell over the side of the Clifton Bridge, and, as was afterwards proved, the shutter flew open as it fell. The camera happened to alight against the

sail of a passing ship, and was subsequently recovered uninjured by the owner. A plate, which was in the camera at the time of the fall, was developed, and turned out a very clear negative of the under post of the suspension bridge. Queensland has found it necessary to take strong measures in coping with the truancy evil, but, unlike New Zealand (observes a contemporary) they don’t make the enforcement of the compulsory clauses of their Education Aot almost farcical. The Government has just issued a proclamation which makes provision for sending to school all childron between the ages of six and twelve years, unless there is a valid excuse, under a penalty of £1 for the first offenoe, and £5 for the second or subsequent offence.

Amongst the cargo shipped to Sydney recently by the Waihora was a large consignment of New Zealand flax of superior quality, which is going through to Japan. Parcels of the fibre have in past years been sent to Japan, but this is the first quantity of note forwardod from these shores. It is said that the Japanese have discovered a mode of treatment of the flax which makes it of a very silky character, and it is used principally in making up “ silk ” goods for the colonial markets. A representative of a loading Japanese house is now on his way to New Zealand to prosecute further enquiries, and to obtain information as to the possibilities of opening up a regular trade with one of our staple industries. This should be good news to our flaxgrowers and manufacturers.

An enormous business is being done in the destruction of rabbits in the Otago and Southland districts, and the newspapers contain many records pertaining to the industry. A writer in a recent issue of the Mount Ida Chronicle says that he saw a wagon drawn by ten horses taking a load of 5300 rabbits from a district in Contral Otago. Rabbits for freezing were selling at 8d per pair, for preserving at 6|d. During his southern tour, say the Lyttelton Times , the Hon. J. M‘Gowau saw one train which was carrying between 14,000 and 15,000 rabbits to the freezing chambers. He also saw a one horse wagon which had no fewer than 4700 rabbits on board, and he was informed that one proprietor kept 100 horses for the rabbit carting traffic alone.

A contemporary is responsible for the latest and most pathetic parody on “ The Absent-Minded Beggar ” : “ When you’ve sold your wheat and butter, when you’ve got your cheque for bacon, eggs or hay, will you kindly cast your optic on your little printer’s bill, and settle it at once without delay. You’re an absent-minded beggar, and we are really tired of having to so frequently remind you, you come into the township on every market day, and always leave this unpaid bill behind you. Cook’s son, squatter’s son, son of a cockatoo— twice five hundred little accounts upaid on our books to-day. Every one could be settled at once if you would only try. Feel in your pocket for Heaven’s sake and pay! pay! ! pay! !! ” We are afraid there are subscribers that even these pathetic lines will not influence. Mr Borchgrevinck’s discovery that black whales are plentiful in the southern seas in latitudes that are easily accessible to a steam whaler has set a number of men in Tasmania, who have speculative and commercial interests, thinking (says the Launceston Daily Telegraph). These men have the dollars, and they are in the way of finding other individuals who are not at all adverse to throwing themselves into a venture which will embrace the equipment of a couple of steam whalors hailing from the port of Hobart. The steamer Antarctic did a little whaling herself, but her skipper and crew are as close as wax regarding the luck they met with. The barque Helen, a voyage or two back, met the steamer doing good business in whale catching, and when Mr Borchgrevinck publishes his account of the voyage he may see fit to disclose what prospect there is for steam whaling in the faraway southern seas.

A meeting of townspeople was held in the public library yesterday morning, in order to devise means of fittingly celebrating the Boer evacuation of Pretoria. Mr James Williams presided, and there was a good attendance. It was decided to hold a torchlight procession in the evening, in which the band, volunteers, fire brigade, school children, a Darktown fire brigade and citizens should take part. After the procession it was resolved to hold a patriotic concert in the Oddfellows’ Hail, at which speeches were to be delivered by Messrs Williams, Whittington and others. Owing to the inclemency of the weather, however, this programme had to be abandoned and the festivities have been postponed until Wednesday night, when it is to be hoped that the elements will prove propitious. All are invited to take part in the procession, and the committee will be pleased if those interested will organise any novelties in order to make it attractive.

The South Australian Minister of Agriculture is adopting a plan to further the interests of the dairying industry of that colony which is worthy of emulation by our Agricultural Department. In the sister colony the minister is offering prizes of £ls, £lO, and £5 for the best exhibits of export butter, the conditions being that the butter is to be made as for export, forwarded to the Produce Depot, Adelaide, by 14th October, and stored in the cool chamber for six or eight weeks before being judged. The object of the competition is to expose the butter to the conditions it would meet with in ordinary course if exported to London, then to judge the same, note any defects, and advise the makers as to the methods to be adopted to prevent the recurrence of such faults in the future. In order to make the test of greater value to those taking part in the competition, the exhibitors are requested to forward samples of the whole milk, separated milk, buttermilk, and the water used in washing; also to furnish certain particulars of processes of manufacture.

At the Court yesterday, before Messrs Johnson and Inglis, Justices, Piripi Hukanui, a distinguished visitor at the pa, and who hails from the Uriwera country, was charged with stealing* a cheque for £3 17s, the property of Kere Hokopatu. The informant with a faith in human nature that did him credit, but which has now received a rude shook, left the oheque along with other money hanging up in a coat in his whare. Accused seized opportunity and the cheque, and hid himself. The vigilance of the native police, however, was not to be denied and the powerful black arm of the law grabbed him. He was handed over to Constable Carr and when charged with the theft denied it. Piripi appears to be of a fickle nature, for when he made his bow to the Bench,

he admitted the truth of the impeachment brought against his honesty, and candidly confessed that he had changed the cheque at the Commercial Hotel, and that £3 of the change was hidden in the wharo in which he resided. This was found and the Court fined him £1 with £1 8s expenses, in default one month in Napier gaol. The cheque was ordered to be returned to Mr Jull and the £3 to informant.

Shortly after 7 o’clock on Thursday evening we issued an “ extra ” announcing that the Boers had abandoned Pretoria. Our oflioe was immediately rushed, many doubting whether the good news was authentic. Every conceivable noise was made. linpromtu kerosene tin bands discoursed music that was not calculated to soothe the savage breast. The hand bell performers were vigorous, if not musical, and the “irregulars” added to the general discord by discharging volleys at random. All the windows in the Empire and Commercial Hotels were quickly lighted up, many of the shopkeepers took down thoir shutters and illuminated their windows. The Waipawa band appeared upon the scene, followed by a cheering crowd. A number of patriotic selections were played and an effigy of Krugor was burned. Mr Jas. Williams, Chairman of the Town Board, thon appeared upon the balcony of the Commercial Hotel and read the following tolegram from the Hon. J. G. Ward, acting-Premier : News has been received through the Press of the abandonment of Pretoria by the Boers, and though not officially confirmed, I have no reason to doubt its correctness. The capture of Johannesburg and the abandonment of Pretoria are events so important to the nation that I think they should be marked by a public holiday to the school children and I shall bo glad if the school committees can see their way to give effect to this suggestion, which I am sure will meet with general approval thoughout the colony.” Mr Williams then declared Friday a public holiday. Mr Bennett briefly addressed the crowd and the proceedings terminated with the band playing “ God save the Queen.”