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Waipawa Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 4696, 11 August 1904, Page 2

Cable news giving particulars of the attack on Port Arthur and particulars concerning the earthquake appear on our first and fourth pages. All persons having claims against the estate of the late Peter Lennox Mitchell are requested to forward them to Mr David Scannell, solicitor, Hastings. Forty-nine parents or guardians have been summoned to appear before the Wanganui Court on the 26th inst., for breaches of the School Attendance Act.

There is a girl in Christohurch who should make her way in the world. She cycled along the streets the other day steering with one hand, the other towed a four-wheeled pram.

A Methodist Church in Auckland, with a view to providing an alternative to the streets and other places of resort on Saturday nights, has organised a series of free oonoerts.

The treasurer of the Waipawa District Hospital begs to acknowledge the receipt of £1 10s, forwarded to the hospital funds, as a donation by the Bennett Presentation Committee, Te Aute. A West Coast business man has hit upon a novel plan for getting his outstanding debts in. According to the Westport Times , h© is exhibiting in his shop window a list of his debtors.

A New Zealander who went to Canada to go on the land, writes to the Otaki Mail. His experiences may be summed up in his concluding sentence : *• I am glad I have come to the place for the experience, but will be glad to be back in New Zealand.”

A speaker at a social at Mosgiel (Otago) mentioned as a rather noteworthy fact that of the members of the Mosgiel Borough Council two-thirds were teetotallers, and there was only one member who indulged in the soothing influence of tobacco. We would remind our readers of the concert to be given by the Austral Guards’ Band, which takes place in the Oddfellows’ Hall, to-night. The combination is a very strong one and as the programme to be submitted is of a popular character, there should be a very large attendance.

During the year which ended on 31st July the sum of £l6l was realised by the penr*7 collection which is taken up on Sundays in the two Catholic Churches in Te Aro. Since its inception twelve years ago these collections have yielded £IB6B, which has gone towards the maintenance of the schools of the parish. A meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Master Builders’ Association was held in the Empire Hotel, yesterday, when there was a large and representative attendance. Several important matters were brought forward and discussed. These will come up for ratification at a meeting to be held here, on Wednesday, 24th inst.

An unusual feature in New Zealand appeals to the Privy Council was presented in the case of Heslop v. the Minister for Mines, recently decided, in the fact that New Zealand counsel appeared on each side in addition to members of the English Bar. Mr C.P. Skerrett appeared for Heslop, and Mr H. D. Bell for the Minister for Mines.

Mr Alio, the electrical engineer who has been on a visit to this district, estimates that 2000 horse power is procurable at Kyber pass, Makaretu. This would generate electrical power of about 20,000 volts, which could be transmitted to Napier, and would serve for lighting and motor purposes for the whole of the northern part of Hawke’s Bay. Sheep-stealing is rife in the Gore district, according to the local paper, several thefts of a daring nature having been committed during the past week or two. From a herd of 909 sheep-grazing near Croydon, 83 were removed on Monday night list. A few weeks ago another impudent theft was committed on Mr Dodd’s property ou the hills above East Gore. A herd of ewes, when counted a few weeks after being put in one of the paddocks, was found 58 short, and nothing further has been heard of them. A theft of 40 odd from Mr B. Smith, reported a few months ago, has likewise remained in mystery. It was remarked says the Hobart Mercury that among the passengers for New Zealand per s.s. lonic from England there was a large proportion of young men of what may be termed the better class, seeking their fortunes in the Britain of the South. They were not working men, but, as one of them said, they were going onward to seek work, starved out, in point of fact, from so-termed genteel employment in the Home Country. “Clerking,” said another, “is just slavery, and yet we’re looked down upon if we take mauual labour.” A characteristic, is this, of the many graded distinctions of life in the Old Country, where the householder sporting a brass knocker on the front door looks down upon the householder who has only one of common iron, distinctions, by the way, not unknown this side of the globe.

The methods of the pushful American were brought under the notice of members of a prominent looal body in Christchurch last week in a rather surprising manner. Several of the members were meeting as a committee and were beginning to discuss important confidential matters, when the door opened suddenly, and there entered a smart-looking, well-dressed young man, with a bag in his hand and business in his aspect. “Do any of you gentlemen shave yourselves !” he began with a pronounced American accent. “If you do, I have here the best shaving soap made in the world.” Without stopping, he wont on to dwell upon the splendid lather yielded by the article he represented, and was about to take samples from his bag. By that time, however, the members had recovered from the effects ot the surprise his presence had created, and he was shown to the door by the secretary.

“ There would be no demand for the appointment of under-secretaries,” remarks the Lyttelton Times , “if all the Premier’s colleagues took their share of the work as Sir Joseph Ward, Mr HallJones, and Colonel Pitt do, and if the Premier himself spent less of his time and energy in profitless directions. It is very nice, of oourse, to have the head of the Government moving about the country and giving his personal attention to every detail of every department, but this sort of thing makes a terrible tax upon his power of endurance, and must sooner or later be attended with disastrous results. And there would be no guarantee that the appointment of a score of under-secretaries would afford Mr Seddon any relief. So far the multiplication of offices has merely added to his burdens. The only safe oourse for him to follow is to divest himself of the greater part of his portfolios, and to insist upon all his colleagues doing their fair proportion of the work.” Particulars concerning the death of Mr J. B. Rhodes show that he went to Masterton about twelve or eighteen months ago. It had been his intention to start a poultry farm at Manaia. It was evident that death had occurred some days ago. On Monday week, it is supposed, he had breakfast with his son, previous to the latter leaving that morning for Napier, where he was attending college. The son rode into Masterton on his father’s horse, which it was arranged should be left at the Masterton Club, to be called for later in the day. It is thought deceased must have committed the deed soon after his son left, as the table had not been cleared after their having had breakfast together. A bottle which had contained laudanum was found, with the name of the chemist frem whom it had been obtained scratched off the label. A note, written by deceased, was found, requesting that he should be buried by the Roman Catholic Church, and stating that he was perfectly sane, but “ wanted a ten pound note.”