Local and General.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11738, 16 September 1902, Page 4

Local and General.

Dr. MacGregor, Inspector-General of Hospitals and charitable institutions arrived in Wanganui on Saturday afternoon, and left again yesterday morning. At the meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wanganui Girte' Cblilege.last evening; the appointment "of Miss Baker as instructress in gymnastics was confirmed. In connection with th* appearance of a ti'oupe of Greek Gipsies in the Noith Island, it is of interest to note that .m ther troupe recently arrived in Victoria, "but after wandering about the State for about two months they have decided t oreturn do their own country during this week. At Donald (Victoria) a few days ago a large ,uumber of farmers witnessed the trial of a recently invented six-furrow skim plough, with seed sowe* and fertiliser attached. The implement, which was drawn with ease by three horses, gave every satisfaction. It is to be exhibited at the royal rfivw in Melbourne this month. Gras* is, very backward in the Waira v rapa district, and in some localities there is absolutely ao growth of feed. So far, 'herbage in exposed places is phenomenally bare. Vegetables are very scarce, through slow growth. The winter has been a long and hard one, and spring is generally backward. At the District Court yesterday, a petition by 8. Griffiths, on behalf of W. and G. Turnbull and Co., to declare Samuel Thompson a bankrupt-, -was heard by Mr. District Judige Kettle. Mr. Mackay appeared for petitioner. Debtor was adjudicated a bankrupt. During the hearing of a judgment summons in the Magistrate's Court yesterday the defendant, on being asked by counsel whether he attended the racecourses and made bets on the totalisator and witlh bookmakers, replied, "Well, 1 suppose I do sometimes. The plaintiff (a woman) bets too. In fact, everyone bets now-ardays."

The visit of Mrs. Harrison Lee to Wanganui on Thursday and Friday is being looked forward to with eager intere&t by tho.se interested in the Temperance cause. Mrs. Lee's winsomeness and ability as a platform speaker were so fully manifested on her previous visit that all Who heard her then Trill eagerly avail themselves oil the opportunity of hearing her again. The members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union Jjaveiin hand the arrangements for the refreshments foir the social gathering on Thursday, which is a guarantee that they will be wejll carried out. Both Thursday and Friday's meetings will be held in St. Paul's Hall. An opossum trapper named Barton has (says an Australian paper) had a terrible experience on the Upper Clarence, and survives to tell a tale of endurance that is almost unique. While camped in a remote part of the bush he got both feet severely frost-oitten, and for a remedy placed them in hot water, which turned them complete! black as far as the ankle joints; The pain subsequently experienced was intense. After suffering for some days he made his way to the residence of Mr M'Pherson on his hands and knees, crawling some miles. He was on the verge of starvation when he arrived at the homestead. Constable Dowsett conveyed Barton to the district Hospital, 30 miles distant. His condition Avas terrible. The flesh had fallen from his fee*, leaving the sinews exposed to view. Their Royal Highnesses' the Prince and Princess of Wales have presented the West Australian Museum and Art Gallery with facsimiles of the original drawings by Hans Helbein in the collection of the King at Windsor Oastle. They number fifty, and cover the who!© period of Holbein's sojourn in England from 1526 to 1542. The pictures are portraits of the most notable personages of the period, beginning with Queen Jane Seymour and her son, Edward Prince of Wales, afterwards Edward VI. One of the most characteristic of the drawings is that of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester. Sir Arthur Lawley, prior to leaving Western Australia for South Africa, presented the Museum with a valuable collection of heady and antlers of deer, numbering thirty-one, as well as some weapons, which latter had been presented to him by Lewanika, the King of Barotseland. Mr Richard Stewart, whose death was recorded recently, saw the life of the player in all its phases of strangs fortunes and ad ventures. One interesting experience of the veteran actor is told by a Melbourne paper. On one occasion, when moving with a travelling company in New Zealand, the best building the manager co'ild get on a busy field was a big weather-board stable. The "house" was packed loii# before the hour fixed for the performance, and shortly" after a deputation of miners waited upon "Dick" Stewara with about half v hundred-weight of coins in a gunny bag, which the paople outside offered him if he would allow the weather boards to be stripped off the walls of the "theatre" to the height of 6ft, so thatthe patrons who were crowded out might see the performance. The diggers agreed to repair all damage to the building, and the affable management was persuaded, with the result that the company played to the biggest "house" it had ever drawn. Th-J "theatre" was repaired again within two hours of the conclusion of the performance.

Liedertafel in'actice Ib-nigafc at 8 o'clock sharp. Ail intending members of the Christ Church Cricket Club arc requested to meet in the Club Rooms this evening at 8 o'clock. Business important. The public meeting in connection with the Bible in Schools question ■which was to have been held at Westmere this evening has been postponed. We understand that Mr John IsTotman finds Mmself unable to accent the position of liquidator to the Wanjjanui Up-river Settlers' Steamship Company. A man named Danielson was on Saturday last at Taihape sentenced to a month's imprisonment in the Wanganui Gaol for vagrancy. • A general meeting of the Christ- Church Club is called for Friday next, at 8 p.m. All members are asked to attend, as business is important. The Union Boat Club's Assembly will be concluded by a long-night dance this evening. To those attending a pleasant evening's enjoyment is assured. Dancing commences at 8 o'clock. The Registrar of Electors has now a staff of assistants engaged writing up the manuscript for the Wanganui Electoral Roll, and it behoves all persons int-erested to see that their claims are at once sent in. A meeting in connection with the Bible in Schools question will be held at the Sed<*ebrook Church at 7.30 this- evening. Addresses will be delivered by the Rev. J. Cocker and Mr T. W. dapham. A Targe attendance is anticipated. - Last week a Wanganui man bought a bottle of whisky, and, evidently with the intention of enjoying a quiet "drunk," tooik the bottile to the cemetery and) drank the contents. His peace, however, was not long undisturbed, as the police learned at hia whereabouts and provided him with a more circumscribed accommodation. Sitting in civil jurisdiction at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Mr 0. C. Kettle, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiffs by default in the following undefended cases —Wanganui Supply and Agency Company (Mr Marshall)'V. F. S. Easton, costs 17k'; "Chronicle" Company (Mr Mcßeth) v. W. R. Morris. £14 14s, costs 10s 6d; J. P. Cowie (Mr Mcßeth) v. Alf. Butt, £11 17s 9d, costs £2 0s 6d ; W. H. Bird (Mr Lloyd) v. James Mitchell j 17s 6d, costs ss; F. Lovedav (Mr Gordon) v. P. Utiku, £17 19s lid, costs 335. In Victoria the State school teachers and their inspectors are (says the Melbourne Herald) showing a laudable spirit in connection with the introduction of the newprogramme 6f instruction for the schools. Saturday meetings are being held throughout the State, and the district inspectors are meeting their tea«hers^ in order to lay down the lines on which the work should proceed. It is now being fully recognised that the function of the district inspector is not' merely to examine and criticise the work -of his teachers, but to organise their methods and lead in educational advancement. In the town of Hildersheim, in Germany, is a rose bush 1000 years old, and ssprouts from its branches have realised fabulous sums. Some years ago a rich Englishman offered £50,000 for the entire tree, but the sum was indignantly refused. This wonderful plant clings, amid thickly-grown moss, against the side of the famous old church of St. Michael. It is claimed that it has bloomed perennially since the days of King Alfred, and this statement hasl never been disputed, for its record has been as carefully kept as the pedigree of the bluestblooded family in the kingdom. It is supposed to have been discovered by some mysterious means through the medium of King Louis of Hildersheim. The American railways are creating an offset to their reputation for the economical handling of goods traffic by piling up an abnormal record of accidents in the running of their fast passenger trains, the speed of which was increased in the course of a new rivalry that b°gan a few months ago. After taking into account the magnitude of the principal railroad systems, the engineering difficulties of the country and its-business population of nearly 80,000,000. and remembering that many of the established laws of the United rate human life on a comnaratively low basis, the chronicle of the railway accidents which have occurred since the middle of Aoril still remains- extraordinary. There have been within the three months no fewer than 1220 collisions, and 833 trains have been derailed. These accidents have accounted for the deaths of 813 persons, and the serious injury of 9958, an average of about 109 casualties a day. It is not surprising to learn that claims for damages aggregating £4,000,000 are being made against the companies, and that the usually complacent American public is clamouring for a Government inquiry and 8 restriction of the speed of express trains. Some sordid pictures of life among the foreigners who herd in the East End of London«.are drawn (writes' the correspondent of the Melbourne Age) in evidence which is being collected by the Royal Commission on Immigration. Polish Jews arc willing to work 16 hours a day and live on 6d. They crowd* together like animals, and in many cases exist in indescribable filth and immorality. Witnesses related how three families, comprising 24 persons, occupied a small house of three rooms, and 10 families are to be found in two other houses. Sleeping accommodation is often economised by hanging sheets across a room and letting the compartments to various tenants. In one case beds are occupied by bakers in the daytime and by laundrymaid» at night. The evidence given before the Commission is arousing very strong feeling among the English residents of the East End. One night this week Lord James (the chairman) had several times to threaten to suspend the inquiry through being interrupted py angry demonstrations,,