LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7899, 14 November 1904, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tha mail steamer Sierra, with the British mail, left San Francisco on Thursday at 2 p.m.

It 13 said that the great maat strike in New York has had the effect of making a large number of vegetarians.

The Palmerston branch of the Salvation Army raised £220 during "self denial week," —.£42 more than last year's total.

An estatoin fee simple in Finland has, says a cable to an Amercian paper, been willed to Sitan by its deceased owner. Repeated attempts to break the will have failed.

A large shipment of butter was sent to London, from Wellington, by the direct steamer Athenic, the total being 32,501 boxes and 297 kegs, weighing in all 826 tons.

Mr James Kowin, representative of Messrs Lovell and Christmas, of London, was a passenger by the direct steamer, Athenic, for London. This is his twentyeighth trip between England and the colony in a period of fourteen years.

Wanganui has had another sensation, which is thus recorded in the morning journal:—" Three bullock teams passed up the Avenue yesterday, drawing a variety of farm implements and produce. The unusual sight of 26 bullocks aroused much curiosity."

The Hon. John Itigg will become disliked by the Premier, if he is not careful. Speaking on the High Commissioner Bill, he said he would like to point out that Mr Seddon had been head of a democratic party ncre for years, and to accept a high title at Home would detract from his whoje past political life.

Ono more veteran of the past New Zealand wars has gone to his rest (writes a London correspondent) Major-General Richard Crundcl Brook, late colonel commanding the 40th (South Lancashire) Rcgiuient, having passed away at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire. He entered the army in 1852, and retired in January, 1597, having served with the 40th Regiment in the New Zealand war of 1868----1864.

The Southland Sawmill Workers' Union is urging the Government to take measures to prevent the importation of Oregon timber. It is pointed out that it is impossible for the colony to compete against Canada and it is stated that Oregon pine has been landed in Southland at one shilling per hundred feet cheaper than red pine.

There are evidently plenty of milkers waiting engagement. Three Manaia farmers, in response to advertisements in the Hawera paper got respectively 23, 26, and 20 applications. To this the Eltham paper remarks :— " Our experience in Eltham this season is quite the opposite, and good milkers are eagerly suapped up by the farmers as soon as they appear in the district."

Mr F. B. Fiattnan, the senior Government whip, has, it is said, much to the regret of the Premier and the members of the party generally, decided to give up the position, finding the responsibilities too incessant and trying. At the Premier's urgent request, Mr Flatrnan may possibility reconsider his decision so far as to retain the position till the end of next session, when the life of the present Parliament will expire by eilluxion ot time.

A Hawera resident on his way home on a recent night found that the top wire of a fence had been wrenched oft for adistance of about thirty yards, and was stretched across the road and made fast to an electric light pole on the other side of the street. Just after the discovery was made three people on horseback cantered down the street, but fortunately WCA'Q stopped in time to prevent a serious accident. It was a dastardly trick (says the local paper), and it is to bs hoprd that if discovered the perpetrators will receive a lesson that w>ll prevent a repetitou. :

Judgment was delivered in Pttitners'on North on Friday in which plaintiff claimed from defendant .£3O, tbe value of a marc lost from the defendant's paddock. The Magistrate (Mr A. P. Thompson) decided that the defendant was not liable either as an "innkeepsr " or as an ordinary "bailee for reward." He said he was satisfied the fences of the paddock was reasonably safe and that the defendant exercised reasonable care and diligence, required of him. Defendant was allowed counsel's fee, 423, and costs of action. Plaintiffs counsel intimated be was likely to appeal on the law points involved.

. ,—„_ _ , Tomorrow is the last day upon which discount will be allowed on gas accounts.

By latest accounts the condition of Mr C. H. Aldridge is slightly improving.

The registered rainfall in Masterton at 9 o'clock this morning, for the previous 24 hours, was forty-five points, v:-:.7

Me G. W. Oobb, the new Clerkof' the Featherston County, will take up his residence at Martinborough.

Messrs J. D. Heagerty and A. Murray are spoken of as rival candidates for the next Greytown Mayoral election.

At Westport on one day recently a ton weight of whitebait was canned at one of the preserving factories.

The weather set in wet again this morning, and people are beginning to wonder if there is to be any continuous fine weather before Christmas.

Two very distinct rainbows appeared in the sky at an early hour this morning, and vanished and re-appeared intermittently just prior to the rain setting in. jfe.

A few enthusiastic votaries of tennis turned up at the courts on Saturday last foe the opening of the ssason, but the rain completely spoiled the event for the large majority of members.

Parties can now reach the Mountain House, at Mount Egmont by conveyances, and experience little or no difficulty in getting up, although the track is rather soft.

Discussing Parliament at the Farmers' Union Conference at Christchurch, on Wednesday, Mr J. Lambie maintained that there was an axiom that the country was represented as well as it deserved to be. "If you elect windbags," he added, " you must expect wind."

The Triad, for November, is again an attractive Dumber, the illustrations being a strong feature, the letterpress also being of considerable merit. Since its enlargement, the Triad has been improved in various respects, and is now a journal which should be popular in every home.

Human remains,, which are believed to be those of a man named Charles Clark, have been found on Coogy station, Innamincka (S.A.). Clark was lost on Februaty 7tb, 1902, and was never dis- xer covered. A search party, which was sent out at the time, found his horse with its throat cut, and close by was his quart pot, with blood in it.

A scheme is now under consideration for attaching the now almost defunct I\if3e Cadets to the Masterton liifie Volunteer Corps, to be controlled and financed by them. The scheme, which has been approved by Captain Hunn, will be fully discussed at a meeting to bo held in the Drill Hall this evening.

The tiger of the Bengal jungles is not, as we have always been taught to believe (says a contemporary), the largest and the fiercest of its kind. The Siberian is much larger and fiercer. The tiger's original home is among the snow of the north. As it gets nearer the equator, ifc decreases in size. The smallest species arc to be found in Sumatra and Java.

A lad named Eichard Barrett, an employe of the Wairarapa Daily Times, yesterday had the misfortune to have the index finger of his right hand severed at the first joint. The boy was cleaning the chain of his bicycle, his brother turning the pedals, when the cloth he was using caught, JP[ and dragged his finger between the sprocket wheel and chain, with the result already stated.

All imported medicines, imported into or sold or offered for sale in the colony after the 80th June next, must have the contents with their exact proportions legibly set out in English upon a label affixed on the bottle, box, or container. In addition to such information, where medicines contain one or more of the poisons scheduled under "The Sale of Poisons Act, 1871," and its amendments, the words : " This contains poison" must he marked in clear medium-sized block type upon the label,-

Under the heading of " Babies of the Week"'the following paragraph appears in M.A.P. :— (> Lady Alice Fergussonhas had a little boy. She was Lady Alice Boye, second daughter of Lord and Lady Glasgow, and her marriage took place in 1901. She is pretty, pleasantlooking woman, and has the happy knack of making friends wherever she goes. She is popular in London and Scotland. Her husband, Colonel Charles Fergusson, is eldest son and heir of Sir James Fergusson. He is an officer m -£fet the Grenadier Guards, and has seen .I^ , much service in Egypt and the Soudan."

A fatal motor cycle collision, which involved the death of both riders, is reported from Bruges, Belgium. A joiner at Brakenberghe, named Neyrink, travelled to Bruges on Sunday on his machine in order to call on various customers, and as he did not return home on Monday morning, his wife sent their eldest son, a iad of twenty, in search of him. Young Neyrink set oufc at full speed on his motor cycle, and when half-way to Bruges collided violently with his father while turning a sharp corner. Neyrink senior was killed on the spot, and his son received mortal injuries.

According to the Mangaweka paper when the Baltic Fleet ran amok a gang of Taihapeites surrounded a fisherman on the mam street of Taihape and poured forth abuse and maledictions. The man is a naturalised Britisher, married to an English woman, a prominent member of the Oddfellows' Lodgp, and an exemplary citizen. He asked his tormentors why he should be held responsible for the misdeeds of the Bus- fH£ sian Government, but the intelligent """* men (sic) were not in a position to explain. They, probably, had not brains enough to think out such a complex question. New Zealand has had more than its share of this sort of unreasoning fanaticism.

Hr The revised railway time-table, showing the recent alterations, is published on page lof this issue. ,

A gold piece, two pieces of silver, and three coppers were found in the stomach of, a bullock killed at Langport, near Plymouth.

Several London streets do not contain a single voter, all the British ratepayers having vacated the houses for the accommodation of aliens.

Mrs Walker, daughter of the late Mr Weigbtuian, the Philadelphia million•aire, has given each of the 6000 employes of the firm a £4 bank note. A new amalgamation of metals has teen discovered which will, it is said, knock copper out of the running in the matter of electric wires. Since August Ist New York has had twenty-two murders, and ks3 than half a dozen arre->ts; seventy-two felonious

assaults, with no arrests; and iif f .y-four jl burglaries, with no arrests. 1 Mr J. B. Keith has taken out a license as a sharebroker. Masterton has reached a stage whan a local sharebroker is an almost, indispensable factor in commercial interests.

During the signing of the Thibetan Treaty at Lhassa some consternation was caused among the mouks by the taking of a flashlight photograph. They were reassured by the laughter of the Ncpalese and Bhutanese.

Oα and after to-day single tickets on the railways for distances up to and including twenty miles will be available foe day of issue only, and single tickets for distances of over twenty miles will bo available for oue month from date of issue.

There is some probability of a polo club being formed in Masterton. The movement has already been set on foot and Dr A. Hosking has been appointed Secretary pro ton, Application was made for the use of the Showgrouuds for practice, but these have since been found unsuitable for the game, and some other field will be chosen. Recently before the Registrar in one of the London courts a person who claimed jMki to be on the roll in respect of a house in "fflpEd ward-street, gave her name as Jemima Hazelelponi Carpenter. " Where did she get that second name ?" the town clerk inquired. "It is quite right." the rate collector replied. " I looked it up in the Bible. It appears in tho First Book of Chronicles, fourth chapter, third vorse." An elderly man named August Brown, formerly a resident of Masterton, but latterly of Mauriceville, died in the Masterton Hospital on Saturday, and was buried in tne local cemetery yesterday. He had been a f jllower of the Salvation Army for sem: months. The funeral procession was headed by the Army Band, and the service at the graveside was conducted by Adjutant Melksham. The deceased leaves a widow and one stepson to mourn their loss. The net result of the Self-denial appeal, at Masterton, was £162 10*, the highe3t amount yet raised in this district. In announcing the result, yesterday, Adjutant Melksham said, that during his long term of officership, he had never before met with such genuine

and universal sympathy and hearty response to the appeal. He thanked, only those who had contributed, but ■phose whose labours had helped to bring about such a gratifying result. At Crewe, on September 15th, Frank Maconochie, charged with travelling from London to Crewe without a ticket, told the magistrates a pitiful story. A son of a well-known Scotch family, he went to New Zealand, and arrived back in Plymouth the previous Wednesday, After*he disembarked he was robbed of his bag, containing a , ! his saving?, and was left penniless. He was remanded. The Court officials assisted him to telegraph home for money. Pen nibs are made by machines which seem almost to think. The steel is cut iato-ribbons as wide as the length of a nib, and these are fed to machines which cut out the blanks, then fashioD, stamp them, slit the points, and place the name of the maker on the backs. The pens are now complete, save the annealing, and this a separate operation. After being annealed, they are counted and placed in boxes. A machine performs both of these operatious. In the settled parts of this district (says

Ihs North Otago piper) weasels are a

: greiter pest than the rabbits they are to destroy. The thirty mallard sent out to Mr W. Macauley, of Wiadermere, by the Acclimatisation

.Society, were safely hatched, but unfortunately all but four ducklings fell victims in one night to the depredations of weasels, which also took at the same time orty chicken 3. It was found necessary to pull up the floor of one of the out■houses to get at the weasels. The value of charcoal is manifold. It is one of the greatest purifiers of water .that we have. "Water or any substance .allowed to percolate through it will be Ireed of all animal organisms or foreign particles. It is one of the best sweeteners ■of the breath. Add a little ginger to it, and it becomes a splendid thing for the stomach after a hearty meal. Cleanse the teeth with it, for it takes away fungus growth that many tooth powders fail to touch. It is also a great reliever of pain caused by a burn. In a commercial way ■charcoal has a thousand and one uses, ■but thess are a few of the more important household U3es it can be put to successfully.

What appears to have been a very "i-oss case of cruelty to an animal has jjfecn reported from the Prebbleton tlis(Canterbury). An old cow collapsed on the public road, and lay there about a day unab'e to get. up. Its owner then brought a horse and dragged the unfortunate animal along the road for about two hundred yards to a paddock, where he left it without any further attention. It was quite unable to reach food or water, and lay there nearly thirty hours before it was mercifully shot by a neighbour. The police, assisted by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, propose to prosecute in the case.

At the Masterton Police Court, this morning, before Mr W. P. James, S.M., a second offender named Charles Stewart, was charged with drunkenness aim with using obscene language in a public place. Accused elected to be dealt with summarily. He pleaded guilty to the charge of drunkenness, but could not remember using the obscene language. Constable Egan gave evidence to arrest-

ing accused, when the language mentioned in the charge was made use of, Queen street. For. drunkenness ißbtised was lined 10s, in default 48 Tiours' imprisonment, and for using obscene language he was sentenced to three week's imprisonment with hard labour.

The three patients at the Fever Hospital, Hope-street, arc all progressing as favourably as can b9 expected.

Applications are invited for the posi tion of secretary to the Masterton Agri cultural and Pastoral Association.

Rev. Father F. De Lach, Maori Missionary, conducted the services at St. Patrick's Church, Masterton, yesterday.

Shareholders in the Masterton Dredge will be pleased to learn that a first dividend of 23 per share has been declared. JS4OO has been carried to the reserve fund.

The opening ieie in connection with the Masterton Park beautifying and improvement movemeat is announced to take place on Friday evening next, tha torchlight procession leaving the Council Chambers at 7.30 o'clock.

The services at the Presbyterian Church. Masterton, yesterday, were conducted by Rev. Oit,'M.A., ofOtago. The very eloquent sermons of the preacher were very much appreciated by the congregations.

The evidence of a veterinary surgeon as to the advisability of destroying certain horses was required at the Mastorton Police Court, this morning, but it was stated that the services of a qualified expert were not obtainable in the district.

The Masterton Gymnasium have started a summer class, open to allcomers. A nominal fee is to be charged, but one of the conditions of membership will be a guarantee to attend the winter classes. The class will meet for the first time this evening.

The remains of the late Mrs RosaWilton were interred in the Masterton Cemetery, yesterday. Included in the funeral procession, were a fairly large number of old settlers. The burial service was conducted by Rev. .1). -T. Murray.

There was a considerable gathering to hear the concert given by tho Masterton Band on tho Eotunda in the Park Oval, yesterday afternoon. The following pieces were played : —March, " Challenger": selection, " Alpha"; "Flitting Twilight " ; selection, " Cornelius " ; selection, "Verdi's Works"; march, '•Homeward"; march, " University." The selections played appeared to give general satisfaction, especially the number, " Verdi's Works."

The Concert Committee of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society held a meeting on Saturday afternoon, there being present —Messrs J. B. McKcnzie (chairman), G. McHattie, T. P. Lots and E. H. Waddington. Arrangements were made for holding a grand Scotch concert on New Year's Night. The names of several prominent local vocalists were suggested, and it was decided to write to them requesting their co-operation in making the concert a success, and also to communicate with some well-known singers in Wellington and Napier.

The decision of the Arbitration Court, in the claim for compensation, heard at Masterton on Tuesday last, will not be delivered till early in January, owing to the business of the Court being congested at the present time. The points of law reserved for decision are : (1) Were Messrs Price, Gonlder and Thomas subcontractors within the meaning of the Act, and thus ultimately liable. (It was argued that as they were simply contractors for labour, doing a portion of it themselves, they could not be held to be independent sub • contractors). (2) Whether bush-felling is an employment to which the Act of 1900 applies. It was pointed out at the hearing that the term

"forestry " included in the Amendment Ac; 1902, did not apply to bush-felling, but to the planting of forest trees.