Local and General.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11796, 2 December 1902, Page 4

Local and General.

His Honor Mr District Judge Kettle left for Palmerston North yesterday to take the sittings of the Court' there. Members of the Liedertafel are reminded of the practice to-iyght at 8 o'clock sharp. Every member is requested to attend punctually. W acknowledge receipt of a handsomely bound blotting pad, a handy wall memorandum calendar, and a. wall .calendar from Mr A. E. T. Nixon, the chief local iigent for the Royal Insurance Company. It is understood that the telegram printed yesterday reporting that Mr Kettle is tio be relieved of licensing ;ui.d magisterial work in Wanganui. and given emended duties as District Judge, is preliminary to the .carrying out of the arrangement, rumoured some months airo. under which a new magistrate will be anointed to reside at Hawei*a and take up work hitherto performed by Messrs Kenny and Stanford. —■"Star,"

At a meeting of tins Wairaraua Liberals on Saturday night, it was decided to reorganise the party and present Mr Hornsby with a testimonial.

The many friends of Mr J. G. Swan, the popular captain of the Irish Rilies, will be pleased to hear that he has sufficiently recovered from his late illness to be once more on business bent.

Mr Andrew McFailane, the well-known local express driver, obtained first prize at the Egmont A. and P. Show with his fine dark chestnut horse' Ronald in the clam for spring cart horses.

Messrs Aitken and Duthie, the two senior members for Wellington City, arrived by the through train yesterday afternoon from the Empire City, and intend spending a feAv days here. They were met at the railway station by the John Bryce and other friends.

Although the climate of New Zealand) is suited for the cultivation of every kind of fruit, the Napier dealers, according to the Napier "Daily Telegraph," are selling apples from California, oranges from Australia, and peanut* from Japan, not to mention imported lemons, pines, and bananas .

News was received in Christchurch on Wednesday last of the death, at New York on October 25, of Mrs J. Poetz (nee Leah Moeller). sister of Mi's P. A. Herman. The deceased lady (says the "Press'") was well known, not only in Christchurch, but throughout New Zealand.

The "New Zealand Herald" understands there is good reason for believing, tthat Sir Cr. M. O'Rarke, who was defeated by Mr. Kirkhride for the Manukau seat, will be called- to the Legislative Council, in which case it is considered certain that he will be elected^ Speaker of that Chamber. Sir H. J. Millars term of office has expired.

Mr Eugen Sandow, on his arrival in Palmerston on Saturday afternoon, was met at the station by a large number of local athletes and followers of his system, on whose behalf he was welcomed by the Mayor, Mr W. T. Wood. A conveyance was then placed at the disposal of Mr and Mrs .Sandow. and they were driven to the Club Hotel.

At the examination of a class of women in "home nursing." held last Saturday in connection, with the Sb. John Ambulance Association, the following students succeeded in securing a pass, and will be "entitled to the certificate awarded by the Association—Nita McDonough. Emma P. Laird, Margaret Prakes, Annie Tucker, Mragaret A. Hoger. "Barbara- Coombe. Millie Humphreys, Nellie Currie.

A Christ church wire says thai at the inquest at Oxford concerning the death of Alice Petters, 8 years of age, who resided with her grandmother, the jury returned a verdict, that the conduct of the child's father was very reprehensible and deserving of severe censure. When the child was taken ill her grandmother wrote to its father,: who resided a short distance away, asking him to send medical aid. He did not do so. neither did he visit the child! himself.

For the annual chess tournsy, the entries foi' which dose on the 12th' instant, the calibre of the competitors will be much above the average. Auckland will send three of its leading players, and Wellington will be strongly represented. It is hoped that Hollins, a crack English player who is now resident at New Plymouth, will be among the competitors.

In response to a. European petition in favour of licensing hotel accommodation for travellers and tourists, the ordinance regulating the importation and sale of liquor passed by the Island Council at Raratonga has been forwarded for the Governor's consent, and provides that only one license be granted during the first ten years; no spirituous liquor to be soltl to any native except, upon the authority of the Government Medical Officer. The" law prohibiting the sale of liquor in the other islands remains in force.

R. M. Snowden, a millionaire banker of St. Louis, Mafs., was recently convicted by the Grand Jury of spending' £30,000 in the past five years in bribing aldermen to pass Street Traction Bills. This is the outcome ef a crusade begun a month ago, against the "boodle aldermen" of St. Louis. Twelve aldermen are now in prison charged with accepting bribesl, and searches have been going on for some time to discover the bribers themselves. Mr. Siiawdon is the first one caught, and the police say several others will shortly be placed in custody.

They were heckling a Parliamentary.candidate in Australia, who Mas very deaf. Said they: ''What are your views*on the liquor question?" He, thinking- they said land question, in confident tones replied!: "That is a question to which I have given a good deal of attention. There is na one who, by •actual experience, knows more ■about it than I dv?. My opinion is this: That no arrangement wlil ,be satisfactory that docs not include free selection, and deferred payment."

The Sydney "Telegraph" publishes a leader appreciative of New Zealand's prosperity, and savg that in substantial respects she progresses apace, and instances the large increases, in the expoit of meat and butter. The explanation given of the development is that the Government in good time has been wisely as often as it was badly administered. Good government set in under Sir Harry Atkinson.. Since the latter put the country's House in order it has never looked back. Saying this, it does not desiro to disparage the present Government o<r question Mr Seddon's striking ability in employing opportunities to modernise social legislation, but simp)v assorts the historical fact that Now Zealand's prosperity dates from the inauguration of retrenchment.

An interesting feat of seamanship, in which a yuong Aucklander was concerned, is reported from Hong Kong. A disabled Ge-imtin steamer, the Tai Lee, Mas picked up at sea and towed 500 miles to Hong Kong by the British steamer James Brand, of which Captain A. Tbvrance, a gentleman well known in the petroleum trade, is muster, and Mr James A. M. Pollock (of Auckland) is chief officer. The James Brand was on her wa.y from Shanghid to Singapore, when Mr Pollock, whose: watch it was at the time, sighted a steamer in distress. This was the Tai Lee. bound f<»r Sumatra, with close on seven hundred Chinese on board. She desired to be towed t<> Hong Kong, as she had broken clown, and a boat under the charge of the chief officer took a hawser to her. The work of running the towing lines was one of great difficulty, as a fresh monsoon was blowing. Next day the hawser parted, but after (■oven hours' hard work the lines were reconnected. The following day the James Brand* patent steering gear gave way. and for a time the steering had to be done by the hand gear. Eventually both vessels arrived in Hong Kong safely, after an exciting voyage. Mv Pollock, in a letter to his mother in Auckland, says—"As our boat wan running between our ship and tho Tai Lee several large sharks followed us. and it. would have been all up with us if we had upset. I firmly believe those brutes knew there wn,9 something wrong. When we picked up the Tai Loo there was only seven days' food on board. Farcy no grub on hoard a vessel with 700 Chinese. They would take charge and kill every one Of tJ}G Europeans,"

An experimental shipment of white pine is beirg-sent to London by the Industries Department, to be treated for pulping.

The Garrison Band intend giving a concert on Christmas night, when the two test selections and test march will be played.

The open-air concert given on Sunday afternoon by the Garrison Band resulted in over £10 being collected for tho Elinganiite Relief Fund.

A cart yesterday collided with the lamppost in the centre of the Avenue opposite Mr John Anderson's private residence. The concrete foundation was upset, and the metal pillar was snapped off in two places.

The Wanganui Count" Council yesterday morning fixed the dog tax at 7s 6d in place of 10s as formerly, and appointed Mr W. P. Wall .collector and the County offices, R'dgway Street, the office for registration.

We have reecived the first number of the Wanganui Property Register. The Register, vhich is to be published quarterly, gives a full list of the many properties to be offered for sale by Messrs- C. L. Duigan and Co.

Tickets are now available for the enter--tainment to be given at Castlecliff on Thursday. 11th instant, in aid of the erection of the Anglican Churchroom at Castlecliff. The price of admiission will be Is; children half-price. A special train will leave town at 7.30 p.m., returning after tho performance.

There are two million sheep in the Poverty Bay district, and yet (a contemporary states) there was not an ounce of mutton in any of the local shops one morning last week. Fat sheep are being secured in such large numbers for freezing for the Home and South African markets that the butchers find it difficult to obtain supplies.

All swimmers are asked to attend at the Baths to-night at 6 o'clock sharp for the (purpose of being photographed for an illustrated paper. The members of the Wanganui Amateur Swimming Club are reminded of the first race of the series— the 25 yards handicap. The race starts at 6.15 sharp.

The Wainganui Liedertafel will give their fourteenth grand concert in . the Opera House on Wednesday, December 10. Tho Society have been fortunate on this occasion in securing the services of Miss Amy Murphy, the well-known Duuedin soprano. Tickets for the concert m/av now be obtained from the members or the local booksellers.

. The settlers of the Madborough district are turning their attention to dairy farming in earnest. At the recent dinner given by the Agricultural and Pastoral Association in Blenheim, several of the speakers urged the application of this industry to the natural resources of the district, saying that poition of the colony is highly favourable for cattle-stocking.

We have received from Mr William Adams, hon. secretary of the Patea, Athletic Sports Association., the programme for the Boxing Day meeting. The bill of fare is as usual both lengthy and varied, and includes equestrian and pedestrian events, menagerie racts, tilting, leaping, lumping, flat and obstacle races. We '

notice that the services of Mr Purnell have been retained as handicappsr, and that Mr D. Malone is to fill the sfcarterVrole. Substantial prizes have been allotted to the principal events, while the minor contests pv& also liberally endowed. Nominations for all handicaps close at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, 10th inst.

A rather sensational affair occurred on the mail train on Saturday evening. At one of the stations down the line a sturdylooking young, fellow boarded the train with a young land prepossessing-looking woman and a child of three or four years of pge. A station or two further along the line a man suddenly boarded the train, cauglit hold of the child, and put it on the .station platform, and then seized-hold of the woman, whom he claimed as his wife, and tried to-take her off the train. She resisted, and but for the interference of the bystanders the two would have fallen, between the carriages. Just then tho train started, and the young fellow, coming to the assistance of the woman, quickly released her and put the husband, who was mi older and less robust man,, down on the flour on his back, holding him there till his wife hud escaped to another carriage. At the next station the husband left the train. it is supposed to recover^the child, and the young fellow and the woman ako left the train before reaching New Plymouth.— "News."

The Woodville "Exiiminer" says—An accident happened in, the Gorge on Saturday afternoon which, though attended with very serious consequences, fortunately resulted in no loss of life. Messrs Holdaway and Shute, of Ballance. were driving through tiie Gorge with two dray loads of furniture. They Avere proceeding to Colvtow. When they reached tba ferry they could not got a:ross. owing to there being a sand spit in the middle of tho river. They turned round intending to come back and rail the furniture. When about half way through.

the dray driven by Mr Shute, im crossing a piece "of wobdwoi'k put nil to protect the road, crashed through it and, capsizing, rolled over the bank. The whole thing rolled over and qyer and fell into the river, which is some 70 feet below the road. Mr Shute somehow managed to jump clear before the dray went -over (he was right on top of the furniture), and was miraculously saved from an awful fate. One horse was staked rather badly, and. the other was considerably cut and .bruised. The furniture was smashed to atoms.