LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 27 November 1900, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"A Magnificent Defence" is the heading to an interesting article to be found on our first page, in addition to postal and shipping intelligence.

A boy named Gault has been attacked by the 'plague at Spring Hil 1 , Queensland.

Three hundred persons in Manchester are suffering from the effects of beer made from hops which had undergone a peculiar chemical bleaching which produced arsenic.

Tho Wanganui Bicycle Club will hold a cycle run rest Thursday afternoon, starting from the town side of the bridge at 230 sharp. All cyclists are cordially invited.

Tho usual weekly practice of the Liedertufcl will be ht< d to-night at the usual time and place. The members are especially requested to attend, as the concert is now close at hand.

On Saturday Inst a cricket match wns played between the Fire Brigade and the employes of Messrs Gibbons and Hole. An interesting match resulted in a victory for tho brewery men, the scores being—Gibbons and lio'e 72, Fire Brigade 29.

Owing to the Flower Show being held on Wednesday night, the organ recital at Christ Church will commence at half-past seven, giving those who wish un opportunity to attend both. A first-class programme hu.s been prepared, the leading vocal talent being represented.

The large assortment of tli» very !atcst styles in American footwear now opening up at the Hannah's Cash Boot Market are certainly worth inspection. Messrs 11. Hannah and Co state that they have imported more this Reason than ever before and that their Wellington sales are phenomenal.

Charles Lillywhite, suspected of being Arthur Blatch, the man accused of tho Colchester murder, was further remanded nt the Wellington Court yesterday for a- week, and the Magistrate said such remands would continue for the next six weeks. It was stated that tho papers connected with tho case had been sent Home and two men were to leave for this colony on the 30th instant. •

Th* Chief Justice gave judgment at Wellington yesterday in the case in which Geo. Hutchison, M.H.R., sought to have vis namo struck off the list of shareholders of the Western Packing Company, P.aea. The Court refused the application, hoidi.ig that while there had been misrepresentation in the original prospectus, the posit 'on of the Company had afterwards beea made c-'.ear to the plaintiff.

To-day at 1 o'clock the great clearing salo of first-class drapery, clothing, tweeds and valuable jewellery will be commenced at his mart by Mr J. 11. 4 Keesiug. Buyers of tweeds may have their suits' made *o measure foi' 30. f. Amongst the goods to be sold will be some valuable 18 carat gold watches and chains. Altogether a, most useful lot of goods will be sold, und householders would do well to attend the' salt.

A meeting of the business men of Nelson, convened by the Mayor, has been held to consider tho holding of a carnival on lines similar to those of the Century Carnival which wo suggested would be of benefit to Wanganui. News as to the result of the meeting has not yet reached us, but the underlying object of the proposal was to keep as much money in the place as possible and to counterbalance the usual holiday exit.

Mr Evelyn B. Baldwin, the explorer, nnd Mr William Zeigler, the New York multimillionaire, are fitting up an expedition which will make a race for the North Pole against the, party headed by Dr Nansen and the Duke of the Abruzzi. Mr Zeigler declares that he is willing to pay 5,000,000d015. if necessary to have the Stars and Stripes the first flag to teach the Pole. His expedition will use two steamers, and it is proposed to make the last part of the journey to the Pole in balloons.

James P. linrie, lately railway stationmaster at Foxton, was charged at the Wellington Magistrate's Court yesterday with the forgery 'of. four receipts, representing £74, for moneys received by him on account of the Carnnrvon-Sanson Tramway Company, making it appear that this sum had been paid over to the Manawatu County Council, which was not the case. The accused, under the Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Act of last session, pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

A young student at the Bcino Universily named Trechnel, after passing first out of all the candidates for the.B.A. examination, determined to have a good rest from work. He decided to ascend the Morgenhorn, and engaged the guide Recchen, who explained that at this time of the year it would bo very dangerous, but Trechei was determined. The excursionists had hardly reached the half-way house when they "were swept away by an avalanche and killed. The bodies were recovered with great difficulty. The young student was the sole support of a widowed mother.

At tlio Wanganui Horticultural and Produce Society's Spring Show, to be held in the Drill Hall to-morrow, residents will have n splendid opportunity of admiring the results of the labours of horticulturists. In addition to the exhibition of flowers, which we believe will include several from Feilding and d'sewhere, there will be a nuinbar of side-shows, viz., gucrsing competition, hat-trimming for men, decorated bicycle, decorated table, etc. Tea and refreshments will be provided by Mr W. S. Dustin. As the clirage for admission is very low (Is), the Drill Hall will no doubt be crowded.

The benefit entertainment to be tendered to Mr Charles Voss, the popular and successful manager of the Opera House, should draw a bumper audience. "Charlie," as he is familiarly sty'ed, has certainly worked hard to promote the success of the "only municipal Opera House," and it is not his fault that he is about to let go the reins for a while. Mrs Voss has been in illhealth for a considerable time, and un extended trip for the purpose of securing at one and the same time the best medical advico and a change of air has been prescribed as imperative. Hence the benefit. A capital programme has been arranged, and a bumper house may be looked for on Tuesday evening next.

The claim of the Scottish Masonic Grand Lodge to the right to erect new Lodges is likely (says a, Wellington tefegram) to lead to a serious rupture. It was asserted some time ago, in connection with the proposed opening of « now Lodge at Dunedin, and on this subject a strong resolution was passed by tho New Zealand Grand Lodge at its recent Nelson communication, authorising the Board General of Purposes, in the event of the proposal being persisted in, to suspend fraternal relations with the Scottish Grand Lodge and appeal to the Grand Lodge of England and the sister Lodges. New Zealand Freemasons c'aim that all that was conserved under the recognition Wits tho existing rights of the Scottish Lodges, not rights thereafter to be created.

London has r. new public character. He is a boy, and he belongs to the ancient and independent fraternity of flagstone artists. His pitch is the rise of Westminster Bridge, in the shadow of Big Ben. His drawings betray no sign of genius. They are the drawings of n boy who has taken pains, and done wel" in his standard ; only that. A pear, a plum, or orange ; a pink heart whose rightful place was on a valentine, and only there ; a wondrous hybrid vessel most reminiscent of the early days of steam. But it is hard to draw on the' stone, and his crayons are few and poor. But it is not his drawing that matter most ; it is his inscription. And this is it — "I am the oldest of six brothers and sisters, and our father has died and left us tot-ally unprovided for, and this is all I can do to help as yet, as I am only ten years old."

The Bttptist Conference concluded at Christchurch on Siiturduy night. The treasurer's report, sho-ving receipts £301 and ex-psnd-Sture £316, w«s adopted. Mi- H. H. Drivers motion that the assembly approve : of tho proposal that steps be taken to secure the introduction into Pitrlinment of a Bill to decide, by means of a referendum, whether the people of the colony are willing to support Bible-reading in schools was carried, aftor considerable discussion, by 25 votes to 16. A deputation was welcomed from the Chiistchurch Ministers' Association. The ejection of officers resulted as follows:— President, Rev. Mr Collins, Auckland; vice-president, Rev. R. S. Gray, Nelson ; treasurer, Mr A. Cliidgey, Christchurch ; secretary, Rev J. MuiHiead, Dunedin ; committee, Revs C. Dallaston, J. Clark, F. W. Bureham, J. J. Doke, A. Dewdnoy, and J. J. North, and Mr A. Hoby. The Assembly resolved to express its yyiifpatljy wif.i its fellow-Baptists who have suffered through national causes in •SoiuMi Africa, and commended their appeal for financial assistance- to all Baptist Churches, The president was authorised to sign a- petition praying l'r.j''iament for the prohibition of liquor "licenses in the King Country. The Aiisombly resolved to protest against the unsatisfactory state of the law against gambling hh expounded by Mr Beethani, Stipendiary Magistrate, and to call upon the Government to amend the Gaming Act, 1894,. as a protest against the facilities giantod by the Govnrnment to national gambling, by the issue of licenses to totalisators and permits to .art unions and the transmission by post of TatterraH correspondence, '

A young domestic servant, Louisa Boulton, told a, sensational story at Tewkesbury Police Court recently, when she charged Philip Rice, a labourer, with using threats. The girl related that she had been on friendly terms with Rice until, last month, when it came to her knowledge that lio was addicted to gambling. She returned his presents ; but was persuaded to take a last walk with him beside the river. When th<;y had reached a secluded spot the young man suddenly said that he wi's going to shoot her. At the same moment a revolver fell out of his pocket. The plucky girl managed to secure it, and insisted upon his then and theie unloading the six chambers, while she held the weapon. He obeyed. The girl threw all tho cartridges into the river, pocketed the revolver, then walked off home. R'ce, who made no answer to the chaise, was bound over to keep the ipeacc Tor six months. The magistrate then fined him 2s 6d, with 8s costs, for gambling in a publio place.

At the Garrison Band practice last evening Mr and Mrs Meuli attended for the purpose of presenting the Band with a set of gold lyres as ornaments for their dress ■ps. Mrs Meuli, in handing the present I" Conductor Cricliton, expressed the hope that th? Bund would secure first honours at the foi!',ic?oming contest. Mr MeuTi also congratulated the Band on having acquired such a, tine practice room during his absence. Conductor Jt's. Cricliton, on behalf of the Band, thanked Mr Meuli, who, though thousands of miles away, still thought of the Band by purchasing a most suitable present for them. This showed that he still had the Band's welfare nt heart, and he (Mr Cricliton) could assure him that the Band would endeavour to attain a creditable position at the forthcoming contest, as he had every confidence that the members would all do their best. The proceedings terminated with three cheers for Mr and Mrs Meuli.

The Hon. Hall- Jones was entertained at dinner at the Star Hotel, Auckland, by Mr Witheford, M.H.R., and met a number of lepresentative citizens. Responding to the toast of the Ministry, Mr Jones da'ivered an interesting address. He advocated light lailways in place of maintaining roads in the North, where metal is scarce. Referring to the public expenditure in the North antl South, the Minister of Public Works admitted that some £1,700,000 extra had been spent in the South Island, but claimed that for the kst ten years attempts had been made to buhincc matters. Regarding tho pub r ic debt, the Minister claimed that the railways alone, costing 17 millions, would readily sel''. for 25 millions, and, excluding the money borrowed for commercial undertakings, the debt was less by £1 per head than it was ten years ago. Mr Hall-Jones k-ffc yesterday to inspect the northern end of the Northern Trunk Railway.