LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7679, 1 February 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The present high price of land in New Zealand will collapse and then there will be trouble —thus Sir Robert Stout.

The ordinary meeting of the Masterton Oddfellows, will be held this evening at 8 o'clock.

A Berlin paper learns that the health of the Czar gives rise to anxiety. His Majesty's nerves are entirely disordered. He is worried, thin, and overworked.

A Home correspondent says that a New Zealander, Mr H. D. Gillies, stands a good chance of obtaining a seat in the Cambridge eight in the 'Varsity race this year.

A private syndicate is prepared to lay a gas plant in Eltham, supply the gas at a reasonable price and commence business with the utmost promptitude, giving the Borough the right of purchase at valuation in a certain term of years.

The Masterton rainfall for the month of January has been exceptionally light, viz.—VQQ inches; and of this I*6o inches fell during the firsttendays of the month. In January, 1900, the fall was 3.91, in 1901, 3-27, in 1902, 407, and in 1903, 4*41. The average February fall has been of late years, a little more than an inch.

Mr J. Hipkins, who recently purchased the Star tobacconist business, is receiving encouraging support, and in another column returns thanks to the inhabitants of the district. By close attention to business and to the requirements of customers, he trusts to maintain the goodwill of tho public generally.

A pleasant evening's entertainment was given to the Te Ore Ore school children and parents last Friday evening (writes a correspondent), when Mr Barltrop gave a limelight exhibition with some very interesting pictures on the sheet, with Mr Evernden as lecturer. Songs were also given by Messrs Evernden and Barltrop, also songs by some Maori boys, and a recitation by Master Evernden. All were sent home with smiling faces.

Miss Duprk, who has a few vacancies for pupils on the piano, resumes teaching on Wednesday, February 3rd.

The registered rainfall in Masterton, at 9 o'clock, this morning, for the previous twenty-four hours, was ten points. The condition of Judge Butler, of the Native Land Court, ia causing his friends' considerable anxiety. Mr E. H. Waddington, who. has greatly benefited by his stay in Wellington, returns to Masterton to-day. Sixteen bands are to take part in the Band Contest at Palmerston North. Excursion fares have been arranged for on the railways. One of the oldest buildings in Otaki, which for years was used as telegraph office, was burned dopn recently. Mr John Compton, Manaia, notifies that a cream gelding and a bay mare are running on his property, which, if not claimed and expenses paid, will be driven to the Masterton pound. Fitzgerald Bros', circus gave two performances in Masterton on Saturday last, the attendance being large. The performance deservss all the good things that have been said about it. The friends of Mr Tom Dwyer will regret to hear that he is confined to his room, suffering from the effects of a severe blow from a cricket ball, received on Thursday last. Tbe Palmerston North Band Contest is announced to be held from tho 29th of February to March 4th. Further reference will be made to it in to-mor-row's issue. The election ot a new Captain of the Mastercon Rifle Volunteers will take place on Friday next, Mr A. D. Blythe having resigned that position owing to his appointment as Adjutant of the Ruahine Battalion. " After a successful sale, comes the remnants," and at Mr C. Smith's Masterton establishment some really genuine bargains in remnants are to be cleared. Ladies' straw hats, prints, collarettes, dress serges, and numerous other lines are going at half price. A large mob of cattle have been driven through from Palmerston and placed on the Makerua Company's estate. A year ago the land was a swampy wilderness, but the effect of the recent reclamations have been wonderful. The Secretary (Mr J. B. Emmett) wa3 kept fully employed till twelve o'clock on Saturday evening receiving entries for the forthcoming Masterton Show. A number of trophies are also to hand, some of them valuable and beautiful pieces of workmanship. Messrs Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd., in another column publish some bargains in ladies' dress skirts at their great summer sale. On Wednesday they will announce bargains in calicoes, sheeting, etc. Meanwhile the firm invite everyone to write for their Summer Sale Bargain Review.

Dr. Earle, who has been medical officer fo the Loyal Wanganui Lodge of OddfelLws for upwards of 36 years, contemplates a visit to the Old Country. He was recently the recipient of a presentation from the members of the Lodge he has so faithfully and loyally served.

The arrangement of the fire-pails in a Dunedin factory is distinctly good. They are hung on spring hooks, each hook powerful enough to lift the pail when nearly empty, while it is depressed by a full pail. If the water in the bucket becomes evaporated (as water in buckets of the kind has a habit of repeatedly doing), or if any one of the pails be removed, the hook rises, close a circuit, and rings a bell in the foreman's office.

Some time ago Mr G. S. W. Dalrymple, J.P. had a nasty fall on the rough gravel whilst coming out of the Masterton Courthouse. Mr Dalrymple communicated with the Minister of Justice pointing out the bad state of the doorstep, and the rough state of the path and a reply has been received by him stating that the necessary improvements will be effected.

The ranks of the Balaclava heroes were further reduced by the death, on January 14th, near Sydney, of Mr Arthur Bercleman, one of the survivors of the "Charge of the Six Hundred." Mr Bercleman, who was seventy-four years of age at the time of his death, held two medals, one for having taken part in that charge, and one for distinguished service during the Crimean war.

Mr lan Simson, district valuer at Gisborne,' has resigned in consequence of friction with the departmental head. During his six years' term in the service Mr Simson has raised values in the three local counties by over .£2,000,000, and notwithstanding that fact eight leading settlers, representing ;6700,000 worth of property, spontaneously wrote to the member for the district urging that his resignation should not be accepted.

During the work of excavating at the Marton mam drain contract an employe discovered embedded in some solid ground, about four feet in depth, a nest of small fish ail of which were alive. The biggest fish was about seven inches in length, aud as soon as they were placed in some water they all succumbed but one of the smallest. The discovery was made some distance from the old course of the drain.

In a rural town of the United States, there was a simple-hearted clergyman, and there also lived there a family nameBeaver, whose stubborn impenitence and naughty acts greatly harassed his righteous soul. Finally, one of the boys was bitten by a rattlesnake, and the minister was sent for. He hurried to answer the call, and found the youth greatly frightened and very pehient. Being asked to pray, he " poured out his soul" in the following suplication. " O Lord, we thank thee for rattlesnakes. We thank that a rattlesnake has bit Jim. Send another to bite Tom, and another ,to bite Joe; and, O Lord, do send the biggest kind of a rattlesnake to bite the old man ; for, O Lord, nothing less than rattlesnakes will ever bring the Beaver family to repentance."

MORE GREAT CURES OF TORTURING, disfiguring skin, scalp, and blood humours are daily made by Cuticura remedies than by all other skin and blood remedies combined. Warm baths with Cuticura Soap, to cleanse the skin, gentle anointings with Cuticura Ointment, to instantly allay itching, inflammation, and heal, aad mild doses of Cuticura Resolvent Pills, to cool the blood, is often sufficient to cure the. severest cases when all else fails.

The warship Clio has sailed from London for Australia. The outward 'Frisco mail will close at Masterton on Wednesday afternoon at 4.45 o'clock. The Premier sent a telegram of sympathy to the Mayor of Palmerston North on the occasion of the recent disastrous fire in that town. A London cablegram announces the illness of the Duke of Cambridge, first cousin of the late Queen Victoria. The Duke is in his eighty-fit th year. Lieutenant Herd, conductor of the Wellington Garrison Band, has been Mrinted Judge for tho Band Contest to eld at the Rotorua Carnival towards [the end of February. In connection with the poisoning in the cooking class at the Alice Institute, Darmstadt, three more deaths have occurred, while nine other victims are considered in a hopeless condition. By a misprint in tbe Carterton papers, " Masterton " was printed for •• Palmerston," in reference to Show dates. Masterton is not affected in any way. The proposed conference is to be between Palmerston, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa Associations. The Premier and Postmaster-General are to open the bridge and post office at Woodville on the 9th February. They will be entertained by the residents, and will then proceed to Pahiatua to take part in a " social" and presentation to the member for tbe district, Mr O'Meara. Mr G. H. Goodall is the successful tenderer for the lease of the Gladstone Hotel and farm attached. The South Wairarapa County Council have granted him a 14 years' lease of this well-known hostelry. Mr Goodall will relinquish the auctioneering business, and intends entering his new sphere within the next three months. A Masterton resident and the proprietor of Fitzgerald's Circus had a slight 44 misunderstandiug " on Saturday last. Blows were being exchanged, when another member of the circus came to the proprietor's assistance, and possibly the resident would have fared badly had it not been for the interference of tbe police, who were near at hand when the altercation arose. Asked whether he could give any hint as to who the next Governor would be, Mr Seddon told an interviewer he did not know. "The present Governor, Lord Banfurly, does not leave till next May, and I have received no advice as to wbo will succeed him. And, of course, lam not going to take the initiative." Mr Justice Edwards, in opening the criminal sittings of the Auckland Supreme Court, to-day, congratulated the Grand Jury on the comparatively light calendar, there being only one-fifth the number of cases at the previous session. The only serious charges are alleged murder, and attempted criminal assault. The contractors for the drainage connections in Hope-street, Masterton, are meeting with considerable difficulty owing to the shingly formation of the road. Since the work was commenced, clips have been numerous, and several narrow escapes from serious accidents have occurred. In order to facilitate the work of laying the pipes, the road has been closed to traffic. Mr J. Spence Nicol, formerly of Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co., Nelson, and brother of Mr A. Nicol, of Masterton, has been appointed to the position of auctioneer to the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Distributing Coinany, Wellington. Mr NicoJ, while in Nelson, was an active member of the Harmonic Society under Herr Lemer, and took the bass solos in the Society's production of the " Messiah," at Christmas. A smart lad for the shop is required by Messrs Erahagen and Chapman. Mr W. Candy, grocer, opposite the Post Office, offers a reward for the return of an aluminum key. An advertiser desires to lease a 4 or sroomed house, with 10 to 25 acres of land near Masterton. Mr 2*. P. Welch requires coach painters improver, hairdressers improver, woman cook for station, p&rlour maid, eto. Mr W. B Chennells advertises several first-clasß houses to let. He also has a cheap sheep farm near Masterton for sale. Our readers attention is directed to an advertisement of Mr Alex. Donald, Mason's building, under the heading of*. "Good fit and Good Value," in which be specifies a special lino of Indigo Vicuna which should be seen by intending patrons. a monopolt. A good Patent, if properly registered and protected, is a great monopoly. It is the absolute property of the patentee, who should run it for all it's worth. Some handsome fortunes have been made out of Patents. Probably you have an idea of making improvements in some mechanical device, or you have struck upon something quite new, and stand in doubt about its practicability and value. This is just the time when you should enlist the services of Baldwin and Ratwabd. Patent Agents and Consulting Engineers, Wellington. Write for their pamphlet •' Hints to Inventors," or call upon them.—Advt.