LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11866, 17 October 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Borough Council meet this evening. His Honor the Chief Justice Bat in Chambers yesterday morning, and.having completed the business of the sitting, left by the afternoon train. The Wanganui Harmonic Club having decided to give the oratorio "St. Paul" at an early date, a full attendance of mem bers and friends is requested- at the practice this evening. To-morrow Messrs Couchman and Stuart will sell a quantity of furniture and houEehold effects on behalf "of Mr H. 0. Stockburn, who is leaving the colony. The sale will be held in. their upstairs room, and commences at 1.30 p m. Mr J. Vk. Baker, of Warrengate, left by yesterday afternoon's train for New Plymouth, en route for Auckland. Mr Baker, who has consented to act as one of the judges at the Waikato A. and P. Show, was accompanied on his journey by his daughter, Miss Baker. The Hawera Star says: — The 'Wanganui Chess and Draught Club will play the Manaia chess players by telegraph on Saturday evening, 28th October, over six boards. The names of the players representing Manaia will appear in the course of a few days, but will in all probability include those who were mest successful in the recent tourney, Mr A. Martin's canvassing agents, we understand, were well received by the townspeople yesterday, and were succes3- ' ful in disposing of a large number of coupons. Mr Martin informs us that the canvassers will continue their work in the town and surrounding country so that everyone may be offered tbe opportunity : of securing the advantages which he offerß. W© learn that Mr G. S. Bridge, of : Waverley, has been asked by a numbor of prominent settle^ in the Patea electorate to contest the seat at the general election, : Mr Bridge has not yet given a definite answer to his requisitionists, but is, we understand, favourably disposed towards coming out should he find that there is a '■ pretty general wish that ho sbpujd do so. ' It was only drink that did it — so there is nothing more to be said. Had he been murdered, everybody would have been shocked, and a great sensation would : have been created, Had he come to his : death by an accident public sympathy \ would have been stirred became of tho cad occurrence. But to tumble into the river, and g<>t drowned while drunk! ' Paujh! Who cares? An inquest was necessary on poor Patrick Uuidar, to ! make sure that nobody killed him. Mere form ! Drink did it— but who would depiive a poor man of his beer. In reference to the paragraph iv our issue of the 13th inst., taken from a ] Wairarapa exchange, to the effect that j the Wanganui-N.ew Plymouth District Court was to be abolished, we find on inquiry that the statement is ontirely groundless. On the contrary, an Act was passed last session greatly increasing the jurisdiction of the District Court. What our contemporary probably meant to say was that Mr Hutchison, the EM. »t Masterton, might be appointed to take the District Court in that part of the : colony in addition to his other work. Our contemporary, the Wairarapa Daily . Times, has ample reason to complain of the verdict of the jury in the libel case. The article complained of as libellous was not libellous. It very properly described that to be blasphemous which was blasphemous in reality. The application to the ordinary incidents of private life of words used in a special form of prayer publicly offered is blasphemous in law, and tl-at the law is supported by tho human conscience no one need take any trouble to prove, It was exactly such application of the language of tho church service which the article had condemned as blasphemous. The fact was in evidence, and the Judge laid down the law. "Very probably the blasphemy was not intended ; the words having been used without any intention of being profane. But that ought not to save the man who used them from criticism, still less should it impose pecuniary loss on the journalistic critic who does his duty of speaking : plainly for tho public good without re- ; spoctof persons. — N, Z. Times, i

A concorfc and dance will ba held in tbo , Maxwellrown Hall on Thursday evening next. a Morns F. Hill and Joseph Poolo, book- ?' mikers and tart commission agents, have ? dibsolved partnership. £ The I'osfc says that' the Seddon Goveru- ti ment— if judging- from the Premior's f, speeches at Petono and Feilding— are as n destitute of a policy for the future as the \j needy knifegrindor was of a story. i During the two race days the ordinary a 'bus time-table will be suspended. Par- 1 ticulara of the special cervices will be * found in another column. * Mr W. H. Kraus callb attention to the ' fact that tho luncheon and refreshment crooms at the forthcoming spring melting of the WanMnui Jockey Club will be in his charge. Tho Aucklaad Herald, in a notice of the death of Mrs Cornford, -Kite of the Ker. P. H. Corn ford, of Napier, says of the deceased lady : - Some 30 years ago, when her husband was pastor of the Wellealeystreet Baptist Church, she took a great interest in social reform, rescue work, and the care of neglected and doatitute children, and was an active member of the ladies' committee of the Howe-street Industrial Home. She died at the residence of her son, Mr H. A. Cornford, solicitor, of Napier, at the advanced age of 84. Mrß Cornford is survived by her husband, who is in somewhat frail heilth, and two sons and a daughter. One admirer at lea3t of the old preseganp is still among us, says the Daily News, in the person of Major-General Tyrrell, who confesses to a feeling that this rough and ready mode of recruiting for the defence of the country was " not an unmixed evil " whenever he soes a " lot of 'corner-men 'loafing about at public houses. 1 share "(he adds) "the Bame feeling whenever I go into a draper's shop, and when I see those able-bodied men dribbling out yards of ribbon, cutting off yards of calico, and asking their lady customers what is the next womanly office they can do for them." Then it is that Major-General Tyrrol feels, as he puts it, " real regret that the pressgang is not in existence. Mr Smalley .has been describing an incident in one of his London letters, which tends to confirm, ha says, the theory now strongly held- that Mr Gladstone is immortal. He was at Dollis Hill from Saturday to Monday, and his physician, Sir Andrew Clark, had been invited to meet him. Sir Andrew arrived shortly before dinner, saw Mr Gladstone, thought him looking white and tired, and proposed a walk. " Yes," said the Prime Minister, and they left the house together. When the old man's foot touched the turf and a breath of th 9 open air had filled his lungs, he turned to Sir Andrew and said, " Why not make it a run ?" and off he went. He will bo eighty-four, Mr Smalley reminds his leaders, in December. A great arboreal misfortune is threaten-' ing jloeraki (Bays the correspondent of the North Otago Times), which is nonhing less than the loss of its kaiao trees. A b-'g, brown, nocturnal beetle ia ravaging them to an alarming extent) and now, instead of the teautiful billowy masses of dark green foliage the tree top 3 present a brown, bare, aud withered appearance, and many of them are dying out. If one gets under a kaiao tree on a quiet evening just after nightfall, and boks up through the bare branches, hundreds of beetles may be seen against the clear sky, and the noise of them almost resembles that of a Bwarm of bees, This haa been going on now for two or three years, • A correspondent from Manaia writes as follow* : — " The bad weather experienced foi a considerable time since the reported discovery by Mr Mannex of a hot spring on the southern slopes of Mount Egmont, has delayed the intended re-exploration of the ground, but Mr Manner has been out for a twelve hours' search, finding nothing, and reaching his camp greatly exhausted, Mr Wilkie, of Kaponga, has also been out, but returned with the idea that there was no foundation for the report. Mesßrs Hornby and Hurley intend leaving Manaia on Friday and spending a few days in a systematic search for the spring This will make the fourth visit by the latter, two gentlemen in search of the cause of the smoke or steam so long seen. The usual monthly meeting of the Wesleyan Band of Hope was held last evening, a large number being present. Mr J. E. Jol ns, who occupied the chair, presided over the following programme, which was muoh appreciated '—Songs, by Misses Foy and Bason j recitations, by Mis 3 Bason, and Masters M. Wallace, \V. Fe *e':t, H. Day,H. Jarrett, and Misses E. Cannons, hi. Hose, and It. Hartwell; pianoforte solo, by Miss May Warwick, and dialogues "The New Curate," by Miises Cannons, Arthur and Smidt, and Mr G. Spurdle; "Dr Quack and his> Patients," by Masters Andrew, Watson, Carrett and Ashwin (this dialogue caused ranch amusement) j " The Birthday Party," by Hilda Muroh and Beatrice Johns. The Chairman announced a competition would be held in December, for which prizes would be given. ' A pleasant evoning was brought to a close with the Benediction. Little Is known by the ordinary public of the late Sir Arnold White, private solicitor to her Majesty and other members of the .Royal family, bnt he was a man who exercised a considerable influence in the private affairs of eminent personages. The Telegraph says that those quiet rooms in Groat Marlborough street, which Sir Arnold White occupied for so many yoar3, could tell many an interesting talo were their walls endowed with the gift of Bpeecb. The senior partner, tall, lean, grey-haired, and clean shaven, but with an eternal cigar between his lips, looked to perfection the part which had been assigned to him in life. He had made marriage settlements for all the members of the Eoyal family I who in his time had entered the holy estate of matrimony, and had also pre | pared their wills for signature. The mysteries surrounding the last will and testament of the Prince Consort, as to which so much vague and utterly baseless hypothesis ha 3 been indulged, were locked in his faithful bosom. M. Riviere tells the story of the first appearance, under his auspices, of a well, [known singer:— "lt so happened that I had made all my engagements for the season (1873) when this lady called upon me, bearing a letter of introduction from Sir Julius Benedict. I was compelled, therefore, to give the conventional answer about my list of engagements being complete; though I am bound to add there was sincerity in the regret J expressed, fpr I should have been really glad to do honour to Sir Julius' rscomr mendation. Madame Antoinette Sterling, however, seemed determined to carry her point, and tho result of her renewed entreaty was that I consented to put her name doiyn in the Coyent Garden programme for one song, without payment. The singer selected Bach's ' Cradle Song,' and her success from the first verse was assured. And bo it came about this since famouß contralto, who was then wanting to make a name in London, offered me her services for one week at a nominal salary, just enough to pay for her cabs and gloves— an offer, I nesd not say, I gladly accepted. Tor two songs a night now I should have to pay the same artist thirty guineas or more." Practical results have ensued from Baron Edmond de Eothsohild's visit a short time ago to hig colonies in Pales tine. The Baron (says the Jewish Chronicle) is so thoroughly convinced of the future that lies before his colonies, judging fcom the substantial progress already made, that he has purchased extensive property adjacent to Zichron Jacob, which will be utilised either for the extension of that colony or for tho establishment of another. The colonists of fflcbron Jacob have given effect to Baron Edmond's wish that they should substitute pure Hebrew for JudischDeutsch as the medium for conversation. They now speak nothing but Hebrew. The "Wine House" established by the managers of the 'Resbon Lezion Colony has yielded such ample results that they intend to found other houses of a similar character. Not Jews alone, but Christians and Mohammedans are consumers of the wine produced by the colony. There is not a traveller, be he on business or pleasure beat, who does not taste the excellent wine made by the Jewish colonists. Baron Edmoad de Rothschild has applied to the Turkish Government for permission to erect a glass factory at Haifa, where a largo number of hands would find employment. He has aleo given 20,000 francs towards tho establishment of a refuge for tho destitute of all religious creeds.

/ igue3 Mortes, the littlo Southern f ;own which was the theatre of the violent I inti- Italian demonstration in August is )uk of the most picturesque, and little mjwn corners of provincial France. It L^ joasts, with more or less truth, of being ;he only modern "cite" entirely contained within its walls, for, owing to the fact that it is set down, literally, in the midst of a marsh, no houses have been ,j t built beyond the fortifications, which are w , in themselves well worth a visit from any archroologist. If we are to believe local tradition, the sea, which has now y. retreated three milo3 over the salt marshes, once washed the walls of the „, town ; and in support of this assertion is quoted the fact, well known to historians, that ttrice St. Louis sailed from Aigues „< Mortes for the Crusade. A Paris correspondent of the Daily Telograph relates an amusing instance of o] the manner in which a baker was out- n witted by a farmer in a small town in V France. The baker obtained his supply t) of butter from a farmer in the neighbour- j< hood. One day he discovered that the " pats, which were supposed to weigh 31h \ *' each, were not. up_ to the standard, and . further examination revealed a steady ' diminution. At last the bakor lodged a formal complaint against the farmer, and : the affair was brpught before the court, j, 'Have you any scales? inquired the magistrate. ' Yes,' was the reply. ' And have you any weights?' continued the judge. An answer tin's time in the negative was given. ' But how did you C manage to weigh your butter?' asked the Magistrate. Then the farmer related that ever since the baker had taken the butter he had returned the compliment by buying his bread. The baker snp- c pliod him with 31b loaves, and he used them as weights for his butter. 'It is f his fault, not mine, if the weight is not s correct,' added the farmer, who was £ speedily acquitted, and left the Court in c triumph with an escort of friends. The following clipping from an English journal reports the burning of an ' ' oak tree that was alleged to be morb than * a thousand years old : — Early on Saturday an unusual spectacle was witnessed * in the Home Park at Hampton Court, ! when a magnificent oak, growing about J twenty yards from the Long Water, wns ' discovered to be on fire. It ib said to bB 8 1100 years old, and ono of the eight * largest oaks in England. It is thirty- v three feet in circumference, having an c average diameter of eleven feet. The I trunk was hollow for about ten feet, and ' several of the branches above that are also in a decayed condition. The Sire { was extinguished in a few hours, but not ! before the tree had been almost con- ' Burned. The cause of the fire is unknown. ; The largest oak now standing in England ' is the " Cowtliorpe," which measures ' seventy-eight feet in the circumference at - the ground. At one time this tree and its branches covered more than an acre . of space. The gigantic old " Parliamen- : tary oak "in Clipstone Park, London, is : believed to be 1500 years old. The tall- ■ est oak in the British Jelee is called the ' Duke's Walkingstick. It is higher than the spire of Westminster Abbey. The oak of Gelemos, whioh was felled in 1810, j realised £870 for its owner. The bark ' was sold for £200, and the trunk and ' branches for £670 more. An extraordinary story is told by the Daily News, which states that Dr Macgowan has returned to Tien-Tsin, bringing with him, among otbev curious discoveries, sumo particulars of a race of Manchurian monkeys inhabiting the mountain region of the Great Wall of j China. They are said to know how to make pottery; more remarkable still, they are represented as having made extraordinary progress in the art of making' wine. A recent edition of the official history of Yungt'ing states that lately a large body of immigrating monkeys passed a certain village in crossing from one mountain to another. The boys of the village clapped their hands, and the monkeys, being frightened, fled, taking their young in their arms, but dropping in their flight a number of earthenware vessels, some of which would hold a quart. On opening these, the villagers found that they contained two kinds of wine, a pink and a green, that has been made from mountain berries, It is affirmed that the monkeys store this liquor for use in the winter when the water is all frozen. Dr. Macgowan cites other independent testimonies to similar facts, including a Chinese account of monkeys in Chekaiang who pound fruit in stone mortars to make into wine, and asks, "Is it likely that nil these statements are pure inventions ?" The American cycling papers give full descriptions of the international cycling tournament, held at Chicogo from August 5 to 12, by the League of American Wheelmen. Prom 15,000 to 20,000 cyclists arrived in Chicago to take part in the festivities. At the Mecca Hotel, four blocks away from the racing track, there were 1,000 wheelmen under one roof. Much disappoinment was expressed when Sanger, the English championship winner, fell heavily during his first race, and was unable to compete -in any other erents. A great surprise was sprung during the third day's racing, when J. S. Johnson beat the famous champion, A. A. Zimmerman, in the Fve-mile National Championship. Starters: Zimmerman, Tuttle,Johnson, Munger, liinsley, Smith, Steenson, Gary, Githens. Fifty yards from the tape Johnson began moving up on Zimmerman, and in another instant was past him like a flash, and won by two lengths. Zimmerman looked surprised and chagrined, but said nothing, and the general opinion was that he had been beaten fairly and squarely. The prizes given at tlie tournament were valued at 7000dol. In diamonds alone tlie Prize Committee invested SOOOdol. As may be imagined, there was a great amount of racing for these trophies, and when the events were decided in heats, tlie beats were run off in the mornings, tlie finals being reserved for the afternoons. 0° tlle Sunday evening there was a cyclists' church parade, when 250 rode to church aud listened to an address. The machines were stored in a room under the church during service. On the fourth night a lantern parade was held. The display was exceedingly unique, there being 675 wheels in the procession, including 100 ladies. The illuminated designs carried were novel and fine. One pulled a huge Ferris wheel mounted on a waggon, At one point the concern ' caught fire, so the wheelman speedily cut tlie painter and left his fireworks in tlie lurcli. The greater number of wheelmen carried but two lanterns. For anything choice in "■ Tennis " (amj other) Shins, Straw (ans other) Hats, Ties, Braces, Underwear, &c, <tc, &c, see " Houses V window.—" The White Shop," (next Black.)