Local and General.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11713, 18 August 1902, Page 4

Local and General.

We would remind all members of the Chamber of Commerce of the annual meeting to be held at the office of the Chamber, Wicksteed Place, at 4 p.m. to-day.

An old WangaiHii boy, in the person of Mr. G. J. Roberts, Chief Surveyor and Commissioner1 of Crown Lands for the Westland district, is at present on a visit to this town. • . • . ■ 4 •

A concert and social will be held in the Primitive Metthodist Churchf to-morrow night at 8 o'clock, a good programme has been prepared, at the end of which refreshments will be handed round. The charge for admission will only be sixpence, and a good attendance is expected.

On Thursday evening a Lecture and social will be held in the fcSedgebrook Church. The Rev. J. CocKer win lecture upon the interesting subject of^'Topping the Question)." The lecture, we understand, will be both instructive and1 humorous. Refreshments will be handed! round at the cloee, and as the charge is only sixpence, no doubt! there will be a. good attendance.

Tho Mayor wishes to acknowledge, from the church-wardens of Christ Church, Wanganui, the handsome ■donation of £12 0s 6d, being the proceeds of the collection in Christ Church on Coronation Day, for the South African Permanent Memorial Fund; also from the Rev. Mr Ryburn the sum of £7 13s 6d, being the proceeds of the collec tion of the united service on Coronation Day; and three guineas from Mr H. F. Christie, St. John's Hill, for the same fund. .

A Napier resident who received a circular from the promoter* of a lottery in Germany "promptly returned it to the sender with a note stating that he did not diesdre to have anything to do with) a. nation which circulated slanders about the British army. The promoter of the lottery has written again to the Napier resident, and says, inter alia: "I am sorry to learn that such a bitter feeling exists in your country against Germany. I regret this the more as the groundless slanders whi'chhave been spread in a parMof the German Press in no way represent the general opinion of the German people, who, as a Avhole, is in no way antagonistic against England! or any British i colonies, but) who admiire thfei British na- f tion at;d the Great British Empire, with j whom Germany is connected with many , links." |i

Thanks to the alertness of the Fire Bri-; gade nigfrfwatchman,. what would almost' inevita—y have resulted! in a disastrous:! fh*e was promptly and quietly "nipped in' the bud" at an early hour on Saturday \ mroning. The watchman, noticing a; strong light of unusuail appearance shm-' ing from the windows of White's Furiri- ' ture factory, in St. Hill street, telephoned 1/j Captain Battle, notifying him of the' fact. Captain Battle lost no time in cycling to the factory, where lie found that some timber used "for manufacturing pur- , poses was ablaze on the centre of the floor. ; Without giving any alarm, Captain Battle, with the add of some of the firemen, soon had the firo out, and found that the flooring under the timber was charred through. It wag fortunate the fire was discovered in such an incident stage. ;

A "gathering round the stone" took place at- the "Herald" office on Saturday afternoon last, when the members of the staff gathered to bid good-bye and make a presentation to Mr. H. J. Kendall, who is severing his connection with our contemporary, and has joined the proprietary of the Patea "Mail." Mr. James Duigau, editor of the "Herald," made the presentation, which consisted of a silver tea and coffee service and a. silver tray. In the course >of a short speech, Mr. Duigan referred to the long period during which Mr. Kendall had been connected with the "Herald," and stated that. tha company deeply regretted his retirement. He referred especially to the successful manner in which Mr. Kendall had acted) as linotype engineer, and stated that the machines had been kept in such good order that since their introduction no serious delay in the work of the paper had occurred. Mr. Kendall suitably replied, stating that he and his family would look upon the gift/as their choicestJ:reasui'e'. We wish Mr. Kendall every success in his) new sphere.