LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXX, Issue 8452, 17 May 1906, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Notice to make returns of Income is given by the Commissioner of Taxes in another column.

The census returns show the population of the Borough of Mosgiel to be 1508, an increase of 45 over last census. The estate of the late Mr Robert Whitehead, inventor of the Whitehead torpedo, has been valued for probate at £900,000. A Spanish paper, in an account of the launch of the Dreadnought, translates the ship's name as meaning " nothing terrible." The potato blight has destroyed more than three-quarters of the potato crops in the Gisborne district, causing much distress among a certain portion of the Natives The trustees of the New York Life Insurance Company, it is stated, will refund the £29,600 which the company contributed to the Republican campaign fund. Mrs James, wife of the Rev T. A. James, is still a resident of Perth. It was on her information that inquiries were instituted respecting her husband, who it is alleged has gone to Canada.

A young man named Charles McGuinness of West Milton, Canterbury, was badly ripped by a pig at the Addington sale yards, Christchurch, yesterday, the animal rushing at him and inflicting a gash in his thigh three or four inches in length. Karl Brunke, a nineteen-year-old bank clerk, of Brunswick, in Holstein, Prussia, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for murdering two sisters at their own request. Both expressed their undying affection for himself, and asked him to put an end to their existence Mr J. T. Hogan, M.H.R., telegraphing to the Wanganui Herald regarding the terrible state of the back blocks roads, and the sufferings of settlers in consequence, says:—-" The roads are seas of mud, and the settlers are having an awful time. The Ohakune mails have to be taken in by packhorse for the first time in ten years." A farmer in South Riverton has for the past three months been losing a number of his sheep in a mysterious way. As they were running in bush country he at first t'iought that they had become lost. A diligent search, however, has failed to discover their whereabouts, and he has come to the conclusion that they have been stolen.

' Dr W. Todd, (late of Southland), has comi menced the practice of his profession as physician and surgeon in Masterton. He may be consulted daily, in the meantime, at the Club Hotel. After ten years practice in Southland the doctor received an illuminated address, from the 1.0.0.F.M.U. Lumsden, and a similar token from the Public of Lumsden District. Since then he has visited London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and San Francisco Hospitals. The Court of Appeal gave their decision yesterday on an important question concerning the liability of foreign companies doing business in the colony for the payment of Income Tax. The case was the Commissioner of Taxes versus Lovell and Christmas, and the question was whether or not the defendant company was liable to be assessed for Income Tax under the Act of 1900 in respect to profits derived by it. The Court held that the defendant company was liable to be assessed for the payment of Income Tax in respect of the profits derived by it from the transactions stated in the case, and gave judgment for plaintiff for £1,500, each side to pay its own costs. Leave to appeal to the Privy Council was given. At the presentation in Wellington, yesterday, to Mr J. W. Marchant who is retiring from position of Surveyor-General, the Minister for Lands, in the course of a speech, said that the booming of land had proved very injurious during the last few years. Wages had gone up, the people were no better off for land booming. Syndicates were taking the money. He wished they would stop. It would be a good thing for colony if they could be checked, for wherever these syndicates got there hands on a place each boom that took place was worse than the preceding one. Land in Taranaki had been boomed up to £30 an acre. The landboomers in Wellington had boomed up land in the country as well, and the Government had to be very careful in regard to acquiring land for settlement. In the Wellington Supreme Court before his Honour the Chief Justice, Samuel M'Shane was found guilty of having re-, ceived a quantity of jewellery, the property of Maurice' Fruhanf, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Mr Herdman urged on his behalf that apparently until quite recently he bore an excellent character and had conducted himself well. On behalf of his wife and children he asked for leniency for the prisoner. His Honour said he would take that matter into consideration, but he remarked that whether he was the robber or not, he believed he knew all about it, He should pass what was really a lenient sentence, considering the amount . involved. He would be sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour. The jewellery, found on him would be restored to the owner.

The census of the Eltham borough shows a population of 1328. The date of the Imperial Conference is definitely fixed for 15th April. The revised figures for Dannevirke census give the population at 3510, not 3434, as , previously stated, showing an actual increase of 1195. A woman was seriously injured in Wellington, last night, through being knocked down by an electric tram-car. Her condition is critical, her skull being fractured. A man named Singleton, who was found guilty-of perjury at Pahiatua, yesterday, was to-day sentenced by District Judge Haselden to four months' imprisonment with hard labour. Miss Lilian Irvine, of Wellington, has intimated her-willingness to sing at the St. Patrick's Day Association's concert, and has chosen, as her numbers, " Hush my Little One " and " Good Bye." The native manuka or " tea-tree," found also in Australia, is well-known 'as a fragrant plant. An Australian herbalist $Mbl. that a perfume resembling ottar of may be distilled from its flowers. Mr D. Elliot, who has been appointed Government Inspector and Manager of the Masterton abattoirs, has arrived to take up his duties. He went out to the abattoir this morning accompanied by the Borough Engineer. The memorial to the late Bishop Hadfield is proposed to take the form of a college or hostel, in Wellington, in connection with the University for theological and other students, and will bear the name of Bishop Hadfield. On page 6 will be found an exhaustive memorandum by the Borough Council Engineer concerning the Borough loan. An article on " Napier and its Environments," by a visitor, appears on pages 2 and 3, and Commercial items on page 7. The colonial mails which left Melbourne on the 14th April, via Naples, per R.M.S. Oruba, arrived in London on the morning of the 14th inst.—one day early. The colonial mails which left Auckland per R.M.S. Ventura on 13th April, via San Francisco, arrived in London on the 14th inst. The Masterton Orchestral giving their first concert of the third saßfa in the Town Hall, on Thursday next, 24th inst. The programme, which will appear in a few days, is attractive, including overtures by Rossini Schubert and characteristic pieces by Elenberg, Yon Blon and others. The vocalists will be Mrs Mathieson (Miss Laura Fiiher) and Miss Nilsson, of Eketahuna. The Borough grader was taken out from its resting place yesterday and used on several streets in cleaning oil' the grass along the water-tables. Effective work was accomplished. The Borough Engineer states the grader is capable of performing its work satisfactorily, but the difficulty is experienced in getting sufficient horses and carts to have the spoil carried away when loosened. Although the weather was unprjpritious, there was a good attendance o! the general public at the dance held at the Drill Hall, last evening, in connection with the Masterton Band Volunteers and Fire Brigade bazaar and exhibition. The floor had been well prepared, and good music was supplied by Mr F. McKenzie. Messrs W. Douglas and N. McEwen made efficient Ms.C. Refreshments were provided by a committee of ladies. Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd., the Masterton agents of the Liverpool and Globe Insurance Company, have vised that the insurance held by the Company on the damaged portion of San Francisco amounts to £870,000. It is impossible to state the actual loss, but all claims can be met without touching the Reserve Fund or affecting the dividends. The Fire. Reserve Fund of the Company amounts to £2,300,000. The ordinary meeting of members of the Masterton Fire Police was held last night, Captain Dixon being in the chair. Routine business was transacted. Mr McLean, an ex-member of the Invercargill Brigade, was elected a member. A meeting of the social committee was held subsequently. Complete arrangements were made for the annual social to be held on the 24th inst. Captain Dixon, Secretary Lewis and Constables Attwood and Campbell were appointed to act as M.'sC. Mr F. McKenzie was engaged to supply the music. The Secretary reported that good progress was being made with the canvassing, and the indications for a successful function were encouraging. A housemaid advertises for a situation in town. Two first-class dairy cows are advertised for sale. An advertiser wishes to rent a tage within two miles of Masterton. A reward is offered for the return of a black retriever dog, lost from Masterton. The Taikiri patent cookers can now be obtained, in any size, from Messrs Donald and Sons, Perry-street. Mr T. H. Rutherfurd, Manaia, intimates that he is a purchaser of young ducks and cockerels, for the table. Mackay and Sons, bakers, intimate that they have removed to premisos lately occupied by Mr C. E. Ivess. Mr C. E. Ivess, tea merchant, intimates that he is making big reductions in the price of tea. Samples will be forwarded on application. Applications for butchers' paddocks at the Masterton abattoirs, will be received by the Town Clerk up to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22nd. A reward is offered for the return of a parcel containing a silver teapot. The parcel was taken from Mr J. Wickens 1 shop by mistake on Saturday evening. The owner requests that the parcel be returned to this office. The public are warned, in our advertising colums, against the various imitations of the famous O. T. Punch, which is now being placed upon the market. O. T. Punch is the original, and only genuine, and hyjggistered throughout Australasia. V "JHT Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Wellington, announce that they have received instructions to sell by private treaty a first-class grazing farm in one of the best parts of the North Island. This desirable property is situated within 15 miles of the Railway and is reached by good metalled roads. Further particulars appear in our advertising columns. Good wine is an excellent tonic for aged people and invalids. Wines from Tararua Vineyard stocked by W.F.C.A* A powerful machine for heavy cutting is the McCormick Daisy Reaper. Morrow Bassett and Co., Christchurch.* The selecting and the blending of the best tobacco leaf by experts makes the finest medium-strength smoke known— Golden Eagle. Try it in 2-oz. tins* For genuine value and quality our Fenders and Kerbs cannot be approached. We have them in all brass, copper mounted, etc. —Furnishing Department, W.F.C.A. 0 Those desiring a good Hot Water Bottle for the coming cold weather, opportunity of inspecting the varietppist landed by Herbert T. Wood, Pharmacist. 0 The best cultivator extant, and one which is of use in the cultivation of the soil, ': Duncan's patent spring tire cultivator. Masterton Farmers' Implement Co., Agents.*

People appear to have very varied views as to what constitutes " other poultry " for census purposes, parrots, magpies, pigeons, doves, canaries and even dogs and cats, having being included under that head in the schedules. There were about fifty operations for appendicitis at the Wellington Public Hospital during last year, with two deaths, and these occurred (says a local doctor) because tho malady had been left too long before the patients were brought' to the institution. They were not the result of the operations. Mr. Bud S. Coler, borough president of Brooklyn, New York, stated in a public address that no man ever made millions by labour and honest investment. He added ■" It is easier to rob the public than to rob the individual, and these builders of fortunes base all their calculations upon that fact.' The famous Chedder Gorge has been permanently disfigured by a fall of rocks from its face estimated at 70,000 tons at the at the lowest, and placed by some at half a million tons. This disaster to one of the grandest spots in England is attributed to quarrying operations. Some of the boulders which have fallen weigh about fifty tons. At the Masterton S.M. Court, this morning, before Mr W. P. James, S.M., Joseph Letham was fined 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment, on a charge of drunkenness, it being his second offence within six months. William Woods, who was represented by Mr C. A. Pownall, admitted a double charge of driving a vehicle without a light, and with driving on the wrong side of the road, contrary to the Police Offences Act. Mr Pownall stated the occurrence, which resulted in the death of a horse, was to be made the subject of a civil action against both the accused and his employer. A fine of 20s, with costs, was inflicted, on both charges. A case was heard yesterday afternoon, in which John Smith was fined £2 and costs for exposing for sale at Alfredton sheep infected with lice. Stock Inspector Jenkinson prosecuted.