LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12551, 14 July 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The results of the local competition pens in the Blenheim Egg Laying Competition to Saturday, July Bth, are as follows:—H. E. L. Peat, 103; Townsend and Green, 102; G. J. Sileock, 60: T. Frethey, 45; T. Frethey, 22; and 29, 12, 20, 10, and 5 respectively for tiio week

At the (annual show of the Bawke's Bay Kennel and Poultry Club, which opened on Wednesday, the North Island Ghampi'onship for Golden Wyandottes was won by E. E. Freeniont, Hawera. Trophaes wore won as follows: Minoneas, J. Curnie, Wellington; Golden Wyandottes, A. Hickling^ Eketahuna: Silver Wyandottes,J. A. Burtenshaw, Napier: White Leghorns, C. J. Stevens, Pahiatua; Brown Leghorns, G. Leith, Eskdale; Langeihans, Mr E. H. Holland, Bunnythorpe'; Indian Runner Ducks, S. Orowt'hier, Napier. •In Robert Blatchford's fierce assault upon Christianity, perhaps the strongest chapter is that in which he denies absolutely tihaifc man is endowed, with a will free to choose. In his advocacy of the theory of determinism, he declares:— "You (have power to choose then, but you can only choose as your heredity and environment compel you to choose.'" A compelled choice is mo choice at all. Is Robert Blatchford right? Is man shut up to this Hobson's choice? This is the question the Rev, Arthur Dewdriey will deal with next Sunday evening at the Baptist Church. - - As the results of efforts by the local* Horticultural Society a visit to Wanganui of the well-known fruit canning ex. pert, Mr Jacques, bag been arranged, and he will deliver an address on matters affecting fruit culture from a commer- • oial point iof view on Wednesday evening next, at the Borough Council Chambers. His "Worship the Mayor has kindly consented to preside. It is hoped that not Wttly all members of the Horticultural Society, but the public generally will take advantage of the excellent opportunity thus afforded to increase their knowledge regarding this important matter. There will be no charge for ad-. mittance. iU In the opinion of the "Wairarapa IDaily Times," #he session record," so # far, reads very much like "a peniny 'or-* arable" descriptive of a pirate and ibjs'tin. ruly orew. We have the captain singing i ontdssimo: "I am a Plicate King"and a iblood-tliirsty member of the. crew marching up to him, looking 'himj&^ithil eye, iand .snapping his fingers in hisiaoe,. The pirate captain, instead of si^i^Eing the mutinous Tommy, weltering iailite gore, on the quarter-deck, merely^ cries ■-c-"'Belay. there!" .Then we hayeVnine Auckland pirates, wfio 'have held* meeting in the fok's'le and who threa]ten;to mairoon the pirate king unless h©>gives • them better victuals. As things rum } are, Pirate Kings air© at a consjacapie.discount, -and it is anything but avglorious thing ibo be one. ■.. .C ■:&>>■, A telegram from Chrisibcb.ii!roh.i; states that (he hiatus in the tram system still exists _by which the Mandhesterf Street section cannot be used though coimpl©^ ed and ready two months ago. Theirai's wei'o laid too high above tihe street level and too near one side of the street, leav. in? a dangerous drop. The' Government Insoeotor, considering thoi-line dangerous* refused to pass it. : .iNegotiat-'ons failed between the Tram vraiy Board and the CfEy CouneLr as io coveiring in the side channel and so reduce 4h© steepness of th-3 drop. In consequence the tramway ira)nc" has been taken along Colombo Street to the railway. Manchester street is the" main thoroughfare to tjhie railway station, and.the line cost several thousands. The City Council estimates that it will cos* £SOOO to raise the street level. The traffic returns .to all the sections running up-to-date air© satisfactory. * : From inqumes made, the "Otago Daily Times learns that *^he prospects of the woollen manufacturing industry in this colony show little (if amy) improvement. Although the wool market has remained buoyant, there has been a erteady increasing supply of, it is alleged, inferior goods, containing a large percentage of "shoddy," and to the fact that slackness in the woollen trade is largely attributed. In 1885 the amount of shoddy and mungo consumed in the United Kingdom was 105,000,0001b. In 1890 it had risen to 120;000,000lb, in 1900, 130.000,0001b, and in 1904, to 180,000,0001b. This increasing displacement of'all-wool miatteri'al by^the substitxitimi of sboddy mamufactureirs naturally proves detrimental to ithe prosperity of-the woollen ta-ade 'both at Home and abroad, and it is conoludeid that this .undesirable state of (affairs is almost solely owing to the public demand for a cheap aa'ticle. Until th© publio realises that it is icheapei" in the end to purchase all-wool materials in preference <bo shoddy goods .there 'is .reason to fear* that there will be no (revival in the woollen manufacturing industry. WHY IP THE ECONOMIC Clothing and Mercery department so popular among the men of Wanganui? First, because they know from experleno9 that Messrs George iand Korsley stock only the most reliable goods, and secondly, because they know that the prices are always the lowest. This is irtie secret of the Whole thing. Any wonder we are kept so -busy in our Men's Depaa*tment? These lare the bargains that draw the ctiowds: — :

Men's strong Tweed Trousers. Sal© price, 4s 6d, 4s 1 Id, and 5s lid per pair ■ * Men's strong Saddle Tweed Trousers. Sale price, 5s lid, Gs lid, 7s 6d, 8s 6d, and 9s Sd per pair. Men's strong Tweed Suits, colonial manufacture. Sale price, 17s 6d, 18s 6d, 21s, 23s 6d, 25s 6d, amd 27s 6d. Men's heavy ribbed Colonial Wool Sox, 3 pairs for 2s. Men's heavy ribbed Wool Underpants at 4s 6d and 4s lid per padr. Men's Flannel Tinders full size. Sale price, 2s 6d, 3s^6d, and 3s lid. Men's Pyjama Suits for cold nights. Worth 9s 6d; sale price 5s lid the suit. Men's plain and striped Tennis Shirts, worth 4s 6d. Now 2s lid.

Men's Strong Shirts. Sale price, 2s 6d, 2s lid. 3s lid, and 4s 6d. Men's Tweed and Serge Gaps. Sale prioe, 9d, Is, Is 3d, Is 6d and Is lid: Men's Warm Woolllen :Glcireiße >Sale price, 9d, Is, amd Is 6d per nair; . IX - n '■>:,. Mien's imshfinkabl©: CaahniiEire; Sox*t". Sale prioe 2 paira for Is 6d. :I . ;1 - % ; For dowm eight, genuine' bafr^iins in Men's wear, tasit the Eoonoimo oale today.—Getarge and Kersl«y.

"The "Pirate Secretary" at the Opera Houso this evening. ■-~..

Mr. Arthur Towsey, of .Wanganui, ha,s been appointed judge of the musical oompt-titioTis to bo held in "Dunedin during October.

At a meeting of the congregation of the local Baptist, Church on Wednesday evening, it was decided to build a mans© on the section adjoining tihe church.

Says the N.Z. Herald:.. The theory of fires being started by rate and matches was supported by fact in *a striking manner on Saturday, when an assistant at Mr Brown's tailoring establishment, Queen-street, discovered that the match-lining in one of the storerooms was badly scorched and blistered. The discovery was made when a packago of wadding was being taken from p, high shelf. The wadding was burned, and embedded in it was a mummified rat. There were also some wax matches about. The rat 'appeared to havo been suffocated by the smoke from tha fire, which did not seem to be of recent origin. It is unusual to find one of the "gentler" sex figuring in a cattle-steal-ing case, but since an incident occurred here recently. We are informed that a ycung woman took possession of eight head of cattle found straying on an outlying road, drove them into Pahiatua, and, assuming a cool, businesslike air of ownership, arranged with one of tho local firms and had the stock sold at auction, thereby netting £20. Quito aecidently the owner of the missing cattle found out a day or two ago that his herd had been "lifted." This he discovered during a conversation in which ho happened to mention his loss to the auctioneers, who until then had no suspicion in the matter. We understand that Court proceedings are pending.. .Pahiatun Herald. After b dozen years of strenuous service to the Premier, the member for Masterton appears to have "cut the painter" (says'the "Wairarapa Daily Times")- With Mr Hogg it is evidently 'Pickwick and principle," and not "tho loaves and fishes." In the pastMi' Hogg ha,s boen a tower of strength to Mr Sedion.. in the future he seems likely to be a deadly peril. Mr Hogg appears to have freed his soul by joining the Third Party—that Taylor*party, which expresses his own well-known principles with regard to the labour and land question. On these questions tho Premier has undoubtedly trimmed, but the member for Masterton will not trim, and has to go. We now, for the first time, believe that Mr Seddon's tenure of place and power is practically at an end. When a staunch adherent like Mr Hogg leaves him, the handwriting it tho wall. Thf London "Evening News" of June Ist*, in announcing Miss. Ada Crossley's return to London, iafter her marriage, said:—•*' Mdme. Ada Crossley—as I suppose we must call her now that she is maflried—fls to ariake her first appearance in London to-night after heir, return to this country. Everybody who has had the good fortune to foear her is in love w.ith 'her singing, >but not all know how grateful to chance they ought to be for ever [having heard her. The last th/ng likely was that she would become a great vocalist,-,, for she was born very many miles from anywhere, right in the ihoart of the' Australian bush, where there was not even a bird to inspire her •to song. Australians are al the more" proud of (her for Her Hariurnph an such unlikely cirieumstances, and when she returned (recently to iher, native land ;it was "■Greetings to ifche Golden-hearted 1 Hail to the Honey-voiced! Welcome our ■own Ada!" Her warm-hearted countrymen went wild over her. TJiey received her in triumphal oars, In carriages, almost built of flowers, some of which had to be serifcJKK) miles; while at .Horth Gdppsland, fieF home* they carried her in. triumph in a specially-built car, drawn by twenty yoke of oxen, escorted by .practically the whole .population." ._'• " The world's oldest inhabitant is said to be a giant tortoise, who spends his time near -a store in a naturalist's place at St. Louis. Toto is his name, and we arc told that he was grown when Columbus sailed. He was middle aged, and of family when, the Puritans .landed on Plymouth Rock. When Jaxnestown was founded he. had" a city of his own. Age bad begun to leaden his faculties: when Napoleon swept.j, Eurdpe, Toip may live to see Macauley's New Z£alender explore the ruins';of London.' .4 nark was put on ois shell early in tlie seventeenth century. He has carried tho naked children.of the Seychelles Islands; he has Carried the. midshipmen of the forgotten wooden frigates of Nelson's days. Perhaps Drake's hardy mariners rode him The children of the World's Fair were his last riders. For centuries Toto has lived and wooed. Tigers have broken their talons on his sharded "back. Elephants have vainly tried to crush him. Balls have glanced harmlessly from his shell. To-day he hudles by the fire, the one indestructible, undying animal of earth. Like tho Indian and Yogi he dreams and dreams, and only asks warmth and a bite to eat. The deep indentations on Toto's shell determine his age. It is certain that he was full-grown when Captain Cook sailed in the Pacific and gave his name to fame. Toto survived, and will survive, perhaps, when all the merry tota who nave lidden him die grey-haired men and Women. ' ■ Recent legal proceedings have brought to light the enormous profits being made by. a quack doctor, named Ausmeier, who abandoned the trade of a carpenter for the more lucrative occupation of trading on public credulity. Ausmeier, while working at his lawful tiade, was fascinated by a newspaper ieport of another quack doctor's profits. He abandoned his carpentry and announced to his fellow-villagers in L irehganderji, near Arenhauser, in South Germany, that an angel had appeared to him in a vision to tell him that the Divine power of working, miracles had been conferred on him. The peasants took him at his word, and camo for treatment. His regular income is now estimated at from £3000 to £4000 a year. Ausmeier has now been a quack for five years, and his practice has attained such dimensions that a special service of omnibuses has been established to convey his patients from the station. Three new inns have been built at Kirchgandern, and is supported, solely by Ausmeier's patients. The quack is busy from early morning till late at night, and generally contrives to treat from ten to fifteen patients an hour. His fee varies from 5s to 20s for each consultation, according to tho prosperous appearance of the patients. He treats both internal and external diseases. For the former, he dcses his patients with simple, harmless remedies, which, for appearance sake, ho keeps in labelled rows on a shelf. Nearly eveiy bottle contains the samo remedy, but it bears a different label- and cabalistic signs, which create a deep impression on credulous patients. For external complaints his remedy is a mild form of massage, which he performs with many rites.

: -Mr. W. M. Stanton, a very old set tie/ of Nelson, died last night.

The Wanganui Irish Rifles will hold a, social and dance in the Fire Brigade | Hall, on Tuesday evening. During the evening the prizes won lat the recen [• competition will be presented. ' According to tho "New Zealand ) Times," inquiries are now being made and data obtained by the Government as to the business done at Foxton and tho necessity for increasing the wharfago accommodation. As soon as the requisite information is to hand the Minister of Railways will look further into tho matter.. During the course of his sermon at tho Milton Presbyterian Church on a recent Sunday (says the "Bruce Herald"), tho Rev. Mr. Miller referred to the increase of drinking in connection with tho various sports. He specially mentioned travelling football teams, and remarked that very few teams travelled at present lvithout some of the members taking intoxicating liquor with them. The concert held at St. Paul's Hall last evening, in aid of St. Paul's Sunday School Library Fund, proved very successful. The hall was well-filled with an audience who gave evidence that they fully 'appreciated the programme submitted. Every item was loudly applauded, while in several instances the performers were obliged to respond to encores.'- The hall presented a pretty appearance, the stage being very nicely decorated, and Mr. Towsey acted as musical director. An amusing incident is related in connection with the recent Grey mouth floods. Some 60 or 70 sheep were pastured in Victoria Park, which became so deeply covered with flood water that when the owner of the sheep went to tho park he fully expected to find the corpses of his flock. To his great relic)' and amusement, however, he discovered all the sheep securely ensconced in the grandstand, where they had taken refuge, and were calmly surveying the scene below. A delightful specimen of the unconscious humorist was com© across the other day. An told geritteman was conversing wit!h the driver of a certain conveyance, and his conversation much entertained the otiher passengers. "Yes, 1" he said, "Bill is over in Durban. No I am wrong," he corrected himself, "-he's in South .Africa." The humour was lost on the diniver, whlo was as serious as the passenger. Later on he remarked that the education given one of his sons had been wasted. "Yes, he's a jockey, I (hear, '^ said the driver. "Oh, something of that sort," was tlie reply. "I know the young beggar's doing something with horses. By the way Mick got a letteir saying lie had fallen off a horse and broken his neck." "Well, he won't be nauoh good now," remarked the driver; "Oh, I don't remember if it was ihiis neck 'he broke"; it was his arm or something." And neither of the speakers amiied. But the listeners did. An amusing incident occurred at a recent by-election for tie Huna (Auckland) Road Board. A (number of candidates stood for the vacant seat on the Board, amongst them being a Mr. Stembridge and la Mr. Lock wood. These candidates headed%the poll with an equal ■number of rotes. The returning officer accordingly had to find itlhe successful candidate by lot, (He put the names of Mr 'Stembridge and Mr Lockwood in a ha*, shtiok them up, <tihen turned the hat on to the table, put his hand under the /rim, and drew out a name. The lucky one hiapened to be Ma. Stembridge. The ret-UTMMiig officer was un the act of putting his hat on (bis ihead again, when itihe piece of paper bearing the name of Mr. Lockwood fell out. As ttlhis paper bad apparently stuck in the lining of the hat, the returning officer decided that it would only be fair for the performance of drawing lots to be again gone, through. This time Mr. Lqckwood's T"j name was drawn, amd ihe was announced as tihe successful candidate. Mr. Stembridgej however, 'appealed against the returning officer's decision, and tihe case was heard 'last week at the Magistrate's ] Court, at Pakakura, (before Mr. North<sroft, S.M., with. tJhe (result (the "NewZealand Heir aid"- reports) that the magistrate upheld the contention of the petitioner that ithe returning officer had not been duly appointed, and accordingly quashed the election and ordered the returning officer to pay the costs of the J court. .., , . '