LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19897, 15 September 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At a conference of renxesentatives of commercial travellers and warehousemen's clubs in Christchurch, it was practically decided to form a New Zealasd Federation of Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Clubs.

Mr Kerr, S.M., convicted and discliarged a first-offending inebriate yesterday morning. A young native named Buller, who had two previous convictions recorded against him, was fined £1 with an alternative of four days, and a prohibition order was issued against him. Onions promise to be scarce. The Maheno only brought 22 cases of Japanese onions across to Auckland, and stocks are therefore fairly light, and well held. There is every reason to believe (writes our Auckland correspondent) that importations of onions will be light for the next few weeks. Recent cable news from America states that under the new tariff wool is on the free list; this will have a beneficial effect upon sheep-farmers in NewZealand ,as it should open up a large market, and may mean American buyers coming to the Dominion instead of going to London.

In connection with the local which appeared in these columns on Saturday, relative to the cost of the Napier tramway system, we have been asked to explain tliat the total amount involved, £60,000, included the cost of the tramway plant, electrical sewage pumps, and electric .lighting throughout the borough.

The nolice yesterday recovered the remains of Margaret 'O'Connor, who disappeared from her homo near Spartow Cliff, on August 26th. The body was first seen by Mr John Atkinson, for whom the deceased kept house, the body being found near the spot where she "was supposed to have entered the river.

An unrehearsed incident —at least, as far as the lady was concerned—occurred on the Manuwai yesterday afternoon during the trip up the river. The boat was crowded with visiting lady hockey players and local men and women and some hooligans. The affair started as a comedy, but ended as a tragedy—for the male. Watching his opportunity, an amorous youth selected a hockey girl to bis liking and threw both his arms around her waist to give her a fond embrace. The young lady knew her position as well as his 3 even if he didn't, "and he got such a stinging smack on tho nose that next time he desires to force his attention on a lady be will probably be cowardly enough to choose a less active-looking lady than the one be ran foul of on the Manuwai. The only pity was that the oifended lady did not have her stick in her grasp.

Two sawmiliing firmY~aVTaumarunui were each fined 40s for a|lo^ing>*awdust to get into a trout stream;""'

Thirteen workers' dwellings were erected during the past year, six in. Wanganui East and seven at Gonville. The dwellings have been completed and taken over by the buyers.

There were 3302 factories registered last year in the Wanganui district, employing 1807 operatives, 1388 males, and 419 females, an increase of seven factories and 80 workers over the previous year.

St. Martin's Ladies' Guild, Mangaweba, is to be congratulated upon the success of the euchre tournament and dance. Everything passed off without a hitch. The ladies' trophy was won by Mrs Heerdegen and the gentlemen's by Mr Heerdegen. The Dominion Analyst has reported on the samples of water taken from the dam from which Waverley intends to draw its water supply. The results of the analysis show that the water is of fair to good quality for potable purposes.

A cemetery may be a good grazing ground in some places, but it is not always allowable. It appears that there is a tempting bite* in the Mangaweka cemetery" and tombstones have no terrors for prowling stock. The result is that the sacred precincts have been invaded, and it is about time the authorities prevented a recurenee.

The heavy downpour of rain on Thursday last had a most disastrous effect on" the Kawahatau road, ebout a quarter'of a mile from the Mangaweka, electric power house. The face of ia hill came* away for a length of about two and a half chains, and it will take a. gang of about half a dozen men, approximately two weeks before a clearance is made sufficiently to permit the resumption "of vehicular traffic.

The championship hockey tournament has attracted, a great numbe rof visitors to Wanganui, and this v#*s very evident on Saturday evening, when the main thoroughfare of the town was thronged with people. The tradespeople reoort having done great business. The various entertainments in the town during the past week have nightly attracted big numbers, while every house of acommodation is full.

An alarm of fire was raised on Saturday evening, the oubreak having taken place in the wash-house of a residence in Harrison St. belonging to Messrs Walsh and Quarterman. Tt appears that a child of the house had been warming a cushion in front of the fire, and held it so close that the cushion became too hot to hold. The child therefore got rid of the article in the most expeditious manner possible and its ejection was the cause of the conflagration. The Fire Brigade had little difficulty in extinguishing the blaze. An inquest was held by Mr W. Kerr, S.M., on Saturday, ■concerning_the death of an old man. named William Osborne, who disappeared from Taylorville on Aug. 21st, and who was found drowned in the river on Friday; Evidence was given by Grace Chandler, at whose home the old man had lived since Christmas. She said that on the day of his disappearance Osborne said that

he was going to collect wood on the river bank. She did not see him again. Deceased had not been in want of money. About three weeks before he disappeared, he remarked to witness that the river was the best place for him. Harold B. Chandler identified the body as that of Osborne. and Constable Wilson gave evidence as to the finding of the remains. The Coroner returned a verdict of "Found drowned, after being missing from August 21st, there being no positive evidence to show whether drownir^ was accidental or premeditated."