LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 31 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A fruit famine is prevailing in Sydney. It is 20 years since fruit was so .scarce.

The latest additions to tho Telephone Exchange aro .No. 899, Mr. S. Gilby, grocer, etc., Keys Avenue, Gonvillo, and No. 912, Messrs. Tauri and Co., fish dealers, corner of Bell and Glasgow Streets.

For some time two New Plymouth inventors named Davy and Williams have been trying to place a patent non-refill-able bottle on the Sydney market. Word has now been received that it had proved" a brilliant success.

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Veterans' Association, it was decided to petition tho Government to •allow tho N.Z. Veterans' Association badge to bo worn on the left breast. In the telegraphed report of tho meeting it was mado to appear that the petition had reference to the Victoria Cross.

Mr D. N. MacDiarmid, organising secretary of the Sudan United Mission (Dr Karl Kumm, director), is due to arrive .in town on Friday next. He will meet the local committee on Saturday, and probably give one or two short ■addresses. On Sunday he <is to preach at St. Paul's and Trinity Church. The general meeting will be as advertised on Monday. It is hoped that all interested in the work will be .able to come, as there is important business needing attention.

The Garden Fete is fixed for New Year's Day. The residents of the various districts are making every effort to undertake';, a fair share in the good work. At Wanganui East this evening at 8 o'clock Mrs. Suisted, tho ladies' secretary of tho Feto Committee, will meet tho ladies and gentlenAen in the Town Hall r and outline what is proposed to bo done. Tt is hoped that especially the Indies at Wanganui East will attend tho meeting in large force .and give Mrs. Suisted and the Feto Committee the help they well deserve.

Four charges of drunkenness were down for hearing at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. One man, arrested while n a helpless state, was still too bad to appear. He was remanded for n week for medical treatment. Another, a first offender, was convicted and discharged. P. McCarthy, who admitted a previous conviction against him, was fined 10s, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. William Wood, who also had a previous conviction against him, was fined tho same amount. On a further charge of procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order, Wood was fined £1 or 48 hours.

A pathetic message attached to a will, was discovered in tho 700 ft. level at Mount Lyell after last week's disaster. Tli was that of an Italian, Valentine Hinnehi. Ho was an elderly man, and v. as found dead in tho 700 ft. level, near •Too M'Carthy, who also left a pathetic iV.roivcl! note. It appears, tho searchers ;-ay, :i.s if. when the smoke was coming toward; tho two mon, tlu\y descended into a. depression, which gavo them air enough to writo in. Valentino Bianchi's will in ns follows:—" 12-10-12. Please <rivr> -£150 to Fratella Bianchi. (An jiddress in tho Tyrol follows.) (Signed) Valrntinc! Bianchi. Witness: Joe M'f'nrthy." In tho corner aro these Ttal(iin words: "Cnrissimn. parenti, pregato for me; addio, addio" ; which has been interpreted, "Do-nr parents, pray for me; £oort-bvp. good-bye." Tho writing \.': ; very shaky.

According to a return furnished to Parliament on Tuesday, the Largest individual amounts received by way of n.'wnue from racing clubs for the 12 months ended October 3, 1912, were:'s follows: Auckland Racing Club, £9502: Auckland Trotting Club, £1492; Canterbury .Tockev Club, £8046; Canterbury Park Trotting Club, £1281; Dundin Jockey Club, £2964; Egmont Racing Club, £1192] Feildhig Jockey Club. £1670; For bury Park Trotting Club. £1993; Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. £2007; Man.av.atu Racing Club, £2125; Napier Park Racing Club, £1,----47 4; New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, £5039; Otaki Maori Racing Club. £1535; Takapuna Jockey Club, £1755; Taranaki Jockey Club, £h,.r>; Wanganui Jockey Club, £3599; Wellington Racing Club, £5280; WairaTapa Racing Club, £1122. Theso represent the amounts over £1000. The total rowipts from all clubs for the year waa £75,611 15s lOd.

Mr. Richard Old has been elected unopposed to fill the vacancy on the Kau- , katea Road Board. As will be seen by our special reporter's account of the Manawatu Show, a good many prizes were won by residents in this district. Tho Palmerston Show was formally opened by the President, Mr. Hodder, yesterday, but Lord Islington is not expected until Friday, "People's Day^' The British Government is considerin" the question of including writer's cramp among industrial diseases under : the Workmen's Compensation Act, and . i?j seeking advice on the subject. j A final reminder is given of the Bale ' of work to be held at Mrs. W. J. Tread- ; well's residenco (St. John's Hill) this afternoon. Refreshments and sweets will also be procurable. I Tho King has approved of the ban- i I ners of the Order of the Bath being ' installed in the Henry VII. chapel at ; Westminster Abbey. The ceremony will vako place next year, and members of the various grades of the order will be invited to be present. Mr. J. F. Scott,- an officer of s.s. \ '. Breeze, states that fears of the death of Pelorus Jack may bo set aside, for ; !on the 24th inst. Jack played about the i bows of the Breeze a couple of hours j wlien on tho run from Picton to Wan- : i ganui. I "Though many are now going in for tho manufacture of cheese, I think those who aro keeping to butter will , como out on top in tho long run," declared a speaker at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Central Co-operativo : Dairy Company on Saturday. j Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd.'s head New Zealand office has received cable advice from London, authorising the payment of a bonus of 5 per cent, to the staff, calculated on the salaries paid for the financial year to the end of June last. Palmerston Show has nearly 100 more exhibits thia year than last, in art and fancy needlework. The exhibits, which wero judged by Mrs. E. M. Tesswell, of Hastings, were splendidly arranged in tho new Agricultural Hall, "and formed a most interesting part of the show yesterday (writes our special reporter). Tho Timaru Borough Council last night, at the close of a long enauiry into complaints regarding the Borougk , Engineer's department, resolved to ask tho Engineer to resign. Mr. Leed, in reply to charges, said these only' referred to small details which, under pres- . sure of important constructing work, no had been unable to attend to properly. Yesterday afternoon Messrs. Duigan lind Co. put up for auction the plant, ieasehold and chattels in tho estate of vhe Co-operativo Bakery, now bankrupt. > "here was a large attendance, the high- . =*t bidder being Mr. T. G. Lovo (£700) ton behalf of tho guarantors. The bank has to get £800 odd, so when everything lis cleared up there will bo little for tho remaining creditors. At a meeting held in Cutelli's rooms last evening, and largely attended, it was unanimously decided to resuscitate the Wanganui Dramatic and Musical Society. Officers were elected and preliminary business in connection with the Society was put through. A further ' meeting is to bs held in about a fortnight's time to discuss rules and other : matters. The meeting was a very enthusiastic one, and everything augurs [ most favourably for a successful year. It i« hoped to stasre the first production, probably a musical comedy, in a short time. Mr. G. H. Elliott, wTio judged the t public school drawings at Pal.merston ■ Show, considers that the schedule, in regard to that portion of the exhibition ■in which ho was principally concerned, required re-casting. In many classes! the particulars were so indefinite thai , tho children evidently did not know , what was really required of them, and the consequence was that several kinds of work were entered in the. wrong class. He suggests that tho Association should ; solicit the aid of tho art instructors of Wanganui. Wellington and Christchurch. in re-modelling tho schedule. "Tho parson is a parasite," cried ,i "soap-box orator" in Karangahape Road, Auckland, on Saturday night. Afr ter several repetitions of this cry, aman in tho crowd plucked un sufficient courage to ask : " How can the parson bo_ a parasite, when he's voluntarily paid by a voluntary society,?" "He doesn't produce anything/ answered tho "orator," gesticulating wildly. "No." ventured tho man in the crowd, "neither does tho shio's captain, nor the policeman, nor the firemen." The "orator" saw tho philosophy of this retort, and wandered on into further statements which no one but himself understood. To soo what could be done towards helping in the Garden Feto on Now Year's Day. in aid of the Beautifying Society's funds, an enthusiastic gathering of ladies and gentlemen met at Gonyillo last nisrht. Mr. Benefield. sen., presided, and was ably assisted by tho Gonvillo branch's soeretary. Mr. Bow- - ater much preliminary work being arranged. Mrs. Sm.stod'. tho ban. secretary of tho Ladies' -CommitVee, \vp& Jircspiit. pnd explained details necessary in tho ladder.' work for a successful feto. Thoro will be another meeting at the Onnvillo Bowline; Pavilion on Tuesday afternoon next at 3-15 to fully completetho arrangements, and it is' honed all ladies will interest themselves in helpme: tho great work of tho Beautifvine: Society. " b Tons of good food are going to waste at tho Chatham Island in tho form of swans' eggs. So apprehensive for the luturo health of these game birds are scmo of tho residents in the Chatham Group that they fear tho Hocks are likely to suffer through their density and through tho inadequacy of the food supply. Swan extra are to bo had for th<i picking up. They lio about in piles, but, ' apparently, according to law, must not bo sold. Offers of 3s 9d per dozen for , them have been made, said Mr. Samp- ' son, manager of tho Chatham Islands1 Pishing Company, but cannot bo enter- ; tinned. They are described as having ! fully four times the meat weight of hen egg.*, and ono of them fried (for ihev ! aro exceedingly hard to boil) is said to | bo a sufficient meal for a hungry man. j They keep quite fresh for a month or six weeks. Cricketers generally in Wanganui j havo a grievanco against the Defence Donartmcnt. This grievanco is in con- j nection with the daylight parades, and ■ cricketers, particularly those who come j under tho Defence Act, complain that I over since the cricketing season open- j <?d some time ago, thero has scarcely ! been a Thursday or Saturday without , •either tho Territorials or Senior Cadets I being called out to parade. This has interfered considerably wtih tho competitions, and in somo cases junior teams have been compelled to take tho field with less than half a team. Tins not only penalises those who aro compelled to servo in their country's defence, but it also handicaps the other players and the teams. The direct effect of this is already being felt, and an a result one dub is considering the advisability of withdrawing one of its teams from tho competitions. T!>« "injustice" also h;*d some weight with the committee of the Association, which last evening refused to grant the n«e of Cook's Gardens for the Cadet display ; nexfc Saturday. * (

I Workmen are at present engaged in i laying water mains to the oval in Cook's Gardens in preparation for the United Fire Brigades' demonstration in February next. Among the accounts passed for payment at the last meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was one for a lad named Stern, of Shannon, who claimed £2 4s 6d for birds' eggs gathered. The total number of eggs was 2820. Tho Palmerston Show is receiving great publicity, no fewer than eighteen ; papers being represented, and aJtogethI er close on thirty reporters and photo- ' graphers are on the scene. The press . gallery includes representatives of the : "Wanganui Chronicle,," "Herald" ~v (Wanganui), "Dominion," "Times," and "Post" (Wellington), "Advocate" (Marton'J '-Hawko's Bay Herald," "Canter--1 bury Times," "Otago Witness," "N.Z. [ Graphic," "Weekly Press" (Christ- ; church), "N.Z. Farmer," "WairarapaAge," "Dannevirke News," "Waikato Times," "Auckland Weakly News," and "FeiUino; Star." A Vancouver paper states that during his recent visit to Vancouver, Dr. W. A. Chappie, M.P. for Stirling (former- ■ 1^ of New Zealand), brought city property to tho value of 600,000 dollars. It is also stated that Dr. Chapplo said : he was not buying tho property for I speculative purposes, but intended to improve every piece he purchased by erecting some costly modern buildings in tho near future. Dr. Chapplo told ; several friends that he had a firm con- ■ vietion Vancouver was destined to becomo the largest city in Canada and the S greatest port on the Pacific Coast, and ! that ho had no hesitancy whatever in investing enormous sums in city pro- ' perty. r __ Thero was & "piggie" smell in the vicinity of the railway lines leading into > Palmerston yesterday (writes our travelling reporter). Quite a large number of trucks were gathered up on the way '■ and attached to the main trains, immediately behind the engine. As the wind { was blowing directly towards the carriages the atmosphere was anything but j pleasant for passengers, and savoured 1 decidedly of porkers; in fact lady pas- : sengers had frequently to use scented ■ handkerchiefs in order to counteract the - evil smells wafted through the carriages ■by an unfriendly breeze. Why pigs, l above all stock, should bo run in front : of a passenger train can only be cxi plained by railway officials. By tho Vancouver mail on Friday, Mr. " J. B. Merrett, of Christchureh, received 5 tho returns to September 20th for tho • eleventh month of the egg-laying com- , petition at Vancouver. The test ended i on October 20th, and it is certain that. E Mr. J. Stewart, of Now South Wales . has won the, test. On September 20th . ho was leading by S2 eggs, with onlr ) tho month, to go. The score will be c about 1000 eggs, much below Austra- ; lasian competitions. The test has been 3 a trying one, as during th© winter tho ; weather was very severe. The "position t of tho other competitors will be- J t Fill 8 (§7 d£? y) 6th ' E" H°Pk'ns (Otaki) I* 11th, W. Nixon (Christchureh) 14th The - competition for heavy breeds was won by Rhode Island Reds—a class of fowls ~ that is little known in New Zealand. r ln connection with the case of Lars _ Hansen, the decrepit old man who inr formed the Court on Tuesday that ho _ had been refused admission to tho JubiB lee Home, the Charitable Aid authorities give another version. Tho Charitable Aid Board would bo-acting within ' t its rights in refusing admission to the Home, because Larsen does not belon" to tho district. He hails from Pahia" i wV»- "*• fl<l man Mr. 1 VV. Ritchie, tJie chairman of the Board, who, in a ben;g i moment, gave author 1 ity for tho JuMee Homo to take Lar- . sen in, the oder being; issued from th* , secretary's oft.cc. Tho kind <-ffer was t not availed of. and Larsen 'began to r disport himsrjif ,'„pp aces anc] in . i which ho should not. Th* chairman ? warned him. and then cancelled the ad- • mission order. The consequence was 1 that when Larson actually did r>re^nt f himself at the institution" tho finperini teiHlent had perforce to refure him ad- , mittance. i It was with reluctance that the Man--3 agement Committee of the Wanganui - Cricket Association List night declined t to .accede to the request of the New 6 Zealand Cadets En.tertadnme.nt Com i mittee to grant the use of Cook's Gar--7 dens for the spectacular display by the 3 ™tors on Saturday afternoon next. 3 Lhe Association has lost many, and will lose more, playing days through , various circumstances this season and r for this and other reasons the oommits tee could not see its way clear to con- - cur with tho Entertainment Comm.it>t tee's request. This being go 3 the Re- - creation Ground will be requisitioned tor the exhibition to be given by the i cadets. The Rce. has been granted for r the occasion by tho Wanganui Rugby ; Union. Should the weather be unfav- - curable, the display will be given m the i . Opera House. The complete arrange- , i ments for the reception and e-ntortain- ) ment of the New Zealanders are now being drawn up. At the annual meeting of tho Taihano • Swimming Club, held ©n Tues- ! day night (writes our travel- ' ling correspondent), [Mr. J. •P. Aid ridge presiding, the balance sheet ' showed that the club had made a profit of £2 3s. 6d. on its last sports meeting > making a credit of £40"175. 6d. Mr.' H. D. Ash wood, who had proved a most ■ efficient secretary, wns persuaded to ; again act as secretary, with Mr. Leej combo assistant secretary, 'Mr. C. L. > ; Dyimock treasurer, and Mr. F. K. Turn- : : bull, of Wanganui, delegate. A strong ■ committeo was appointed with Mr. J? i F. Studholmo at the head as Presidentj ; whilst Messrs. J. P. Aldridge, T. A. ■ Garritt, and W. P. Garner were elected ♦_ . ; judges; Mr. W. Nichoi, timekeeper; • \ Mr. S. Boban, starter; Mr. A. T. Vicki crs. call steward; and Messrs. S. Peyi ton and Todd handicanpers. Tho offi- , cial opening of the baths was fixed for I Thursday, iNovembor 7th. Mr. J. Swan- • j son's o/F«r to give an exhibition of , ; fanov swimming was aceept«l with ; thanks. . i