LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9627, 16 March 1910, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Grass in the Bush district is stated tc be plentiful, aud the dairy farmers are doing fairly well, indications generally pointing to a good winter.

Wellington's new theatre, the King's, is to he opened to-night. It will be devoted to cinematograph displays, uuder the management of the Royal Pictures Syndicate (for two years at His Majesty's, Wellington) aud West's.

The Very Rev. Dean McKenua wrote to the Masterton Borough Council last evening applying for tne exclusive right to the use of the Dixoustreet bath ou Friday, 18th inst., from 8 a.in. till uoou, for the school swimming sports. The request was granted.

Loudou Wool Sales (from our special correspondent), on page 2; South Wairarapa News, ou page !1; Cri-ket, Halley's Comet, Turf Notes (by "Nimrod") aud Patents, ou page (i; Sporting—Wellington nominations, and Mastertou Dredging Co., ou page

The Oaiholic Social Oommitttee held their final meeting iv St. Patrick's schoolroom iast evening. Arrangements for to-morrow night's grand uatioual concert and dance wero reported to ue well in hand. A very excellent programme of songs, dances and musical items has beeu arranged aud everything points to a very successful gathering. A rehearsal of those taking part iv the concert is to lie field this evening. Messrs J. O. McKillop, T. McCraeken aud H. Richards wore appointed Ms.C. for tho dauco.

Final arrangements have vow been made iv connection with the Knox Church Garden Party. For the convenience of lady workers a brake wili leave the railway gates at lU.O a.in., calling at Knox Church at D.45. 'For the public who wish to drive out a, brake, will leave Rankin's corner at 2.150 aud op. m., ami the fare will be (hi. The concert programme is in the bauds of Mr Young, who is sure to provide au enjoyable evening. A good programme of games aud competition's is beiug provided, which, combined with tbe lovely grounds, should eusure an enjoyable afteruoon ou Thursday.

The treasurer reported to the Borough Council last night that the overdraft ou tha general accouut is £5872 16s lid. There were balauces on loau accounts iv the hands of the treasurer amounting to £3025 0s Bd, reducing the overdraft at date to £2S-1T l(ss 3d. The geueral accouuts in credit were— Library £43 5s lOd. deposits £3(16 10s, tarmac £27 2s, waterworks £409 19s Btß, abattoir £368 3s 7d, special drainage £38 17s 4d, Bauuister-street £40 15s Bd. Accouuts dr are—Gasworks £884 2s 2d. Hoskiug Bath £35 5s Id, loan (£25,000) £141 Kis Bd. Rates collected amounted to £7tiol 14s 7d, arrears £1767 14s (id.

A young resident of Addiugton, an employe of the Railway Department, and at present acting as a fireman on the Raugiora line, who has beeu experimenting with flying machines, has constructed a model of an aeroplane. It has two rows of small plaues, with fourteen in each row, and when looked at from above or below it resembles a diamond shape, from which the top and bottom points have been cut off, leaving six sides. The young experimenter has selected tin's model out of six that he tried, and he reckons to get considerably more lifting power out of it thau can be obtained from biplanes of the same dimensions now iv use. aud that it will be lighter aud stronger than those now built. It will not be so wide, aud will take up less space in working. The machines would be driven by a fifty horse-power engine, and would have two propeliors.

Bro. L. Richards presided over the ordinary meeting of St. Michael's branch of the H.A.0.8.5., in the Foresters' Hall, last evening. Oue member was admitted, aud two friends were proposed for membership. A donation of « gold medal has been made by Bro. _ O'Leary, one of the founders of the uodgo in Mastertou, for the brother 'introducing the largest number of now members duriug the ensuing year. The annual smoke concert was held at the conclusion of the business, tho P.P. presiding. Songs and recitations were rendered by Bros. Fiaviu. Alleu, O'Regau, O'Dowd, Counor, B. Chapmau aud Mr O. J. Mackellar. The following toasts were honoured:— "The Day We Celebrate," Bro. B. Chapman—Bro. O'Regan; "H.A.C.B. S," Mr C. J. Mackellar—Bro. W. Redmond; "Kindred Societies," Bro. Treader—Bro. O'Dowd; " The Ladies," Bro. Cunningham—Bro. J. Cummins; "The Press."

A municipal theatre, with seating accommodation for one thousand, was formally opeued at Waipawa by tho Mayor yesterday.—Association.

Blight is said to have made its appearance in many of the potato crops iv the district since the recent warm rain.

Mr G. Coker • has arrangements almost complete for the opouing of the skating rink iv Dixou-street. The rink will probably be opened within the next week.

A recent visitor to the Lower Valley states that the grass in that district is looking particularly well, although rust has made-its appearance there as iv other parts of the district.

The Mariposa, which left San Francisco ou the 10th instant for Papeete, is bringing 173 bags of mail matter for the Dominion. The mails are due on April C>th.

A Press Association telegram from Hastings states that the Leatherubber Company have accepted a tender of £98.) ror the erection of a factory, to be completed by the end of May.

A letter was received by the Trustees of the Masterton Hospital, to-day. from Ueu Gen, stating that he would be unable to continue his annual subscriptiou of two guiuoas to the Hospital.

A handsome gold-mouuted whip has been-presented by Mrs C. Vallauce to the successful goutlemau rider in the Ladies' Bracelet Haudicap event at the forthcoming race meeting at Opaki.

Charles Frederick Cambridge, a married farmer, aged 32, was drowned at Greymonth ou Monday through the capsizing of a boat used as a punt, with a wire rope, which broke, causing tho accident. Cambridge's father resides at Belfast, near Ohristcliurch.

An application from the secretary of the Methodist Sunday School to light h'ros in the Park on Easter Monday, whereby to boil tho kettle, was granted by the Borough Council last evening, subject to tho custodian being consulted.

The cummitfeo of the Garden Party to be hold iv Mr McLaren's grounds to-morrow have beeu fortunate in securing the services of a well-known Wellington singer, in the person of Mr Pargetter, to assist in the promenade concert in the evening.

Messrs Briscoe and Co. have issued a writ against the Aucklaud Harbour Board for £1150, aud Wiuand Co. oue for £570, being the value of gunpowder aud explosives lost when tbe powder hulk blew up in the harbour in November last.

Tho settlers who are constructing tho embankment along the shores of the Wairarapa Lake apprehended that some damage may have been caused by the recent rain owiug to the fact of the work not having had time to set aud the probable percolation of the water in consequence.

A scheme of manuring and rotatiou of seeding, covering a period of three years,has been instituted by Mr A. B. Wood ou some ot the poor laud iv a new settlement in tne Bush district. Hitherto crops on this laud have beeu to a very great extent a failure, but this season—the first uuder the new scheme —some splendid turnip crops have been grown, whicli have escaped the ravages of the blight.

Tbe sturdy farmer in the Bush district is not easily deterred by obstacles, while he is apparently also up-to-date in his methods. Notwithstanding the fact that much of the land there is covered with stumps and logs, aud that the use of agricultural implements is practically out of the question, mauy of the farmers there, realising the benefit to be derived from top-dressing with suitable manures, are doiug so by hand under tho supervision of Mr A. B. Wood, agricultural chemist.

Mr J. Wingate, ot Manaia, has received a testimonial from Mr A. Robinson, gardener, with regard to the value of nitro-bacterine, which he states inter alia that he has used ou peas, beans; tomatoes, pumpnius. etc., with the result that the crops have just been doubled, while more vigour has been infused into the plauts. Mr Wingate states that Mr Robinson was at first sceptical as to the merits of the culture, but the experiments have convinced Inin of its ei-icucv.

The Registrar-General's report of the vital statistics for the year 1000 shows that in Auckland there were 717 deaths, in Wellington 084, iv Dunedin 010, aud iv Uhnstchurch SSO. Dunedin has the highest death rate with i).l>s to the 1000 of population, the other centres coming in tbe following order :—Christchurch 0.33. Aucklaud 0.30. and Wellington 0.11. The total number of deaths registered for tho four centres in 100!) was 2603—viz . 2123 iv tho cities, aud 4SO in the suburbs. By including the suburbs the death-rati for last year is lowered at all of the four centres.

Miss Tittell Bruue is evidently doiug well iv Loudou. Newspapers received by this week's English mail contain particulars of the first production by Mr H. B. Irving (a son of the late Sir Henry Irving) of the powerful play, "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," founded upon Stevenson's well-known story. Ouo leading critic write?:—"Miss Tittell Bruue made Lady Danvers a passiouate, determined woman. This actress has big possibilities, I think; but the part of Lady Dauvers is really only a sketch." To be associated with an actor of Mr Irving's standing, and to be referred to as "an actress with big possibilities," shows that Miss Bruue has already gone far in the world's metropolis. Her many Masterton admirers will be pleased to hear of her success.

The London Era thus refers to two musical comedy artists not unknown in Mastertou:—Miss May Beatty, who is appearing in the "Dick Whittington" at the Britannia, is a comely and sweetvoiced principal boy, aud plays the part with abundant spirit and excellent humour, and her success is never in doubt. That immensely popular song, "Somewhere" (the preseut rage of the Londou pantomimes) finds iv her an interpreter of considerable culture, and the melodious phrases ring throughout the big auditorium, not only as a solo, but as one big chorus, in which man, woman, aud child join. The comic scenes are plentiful, aud Mr Edward Lauri (husband of Miss Beatty) is very prominent in the fooling. A capital actor, au excellent dancer, and a resourceful comedian, Mr Lauri does immeuse service in the interests of the fun.

A Royal Commissiou has been appointed, consisting of Professor Scott, of Christchurch, aud Mr A. L. Beattie (chief mechauical engineer of New Zealand Ra'ihvays), to inquire into the braking equipment of the Auckland tramways. This matter has been receiving the attention of the Public Works Department for more than a year, a previous inquiry having indicated the necessity of providing a more efficient system than that of handbrakes. The Aucklaud Electric Tramway Company has been experimenting with air brakes, aud it is to advise the Government as to the safest aud most suitable system for use in Auckland that the Commission has been appoiuted. Professor Scott, oue of the Commission, was one of the experts who inquired last year into the equipment and administrative methods of Addington railway workshops.

The banks throughout the Dominion of New Zealand will close' to-morrow (St. Patrick's Day).

At Welliugtou, yesterday, judgment was given for defendant in the case brought by Mr aud Mrs Lecbie against Dr E. Rawson, for £7Sifc damages, through Mrs Leckie beiufr struck by a golf club.

Patrick O'Sullivan, who was charged with setting fire to the Rowing Club shed at Gisborne, was acquitted at the Supremo Court yesterday afternoon. Another indictment against O'Sullivan will be tried later.

The total number of births registered as occurnug in the four centres and suburbs in 11)00, was 7463, as against 727(5 for r,Ue previous year, au iucrease of 187. Aucklaud City bad the highest birth-rate, namely, 20.73 to 1000 of population, while Christchurch had 28.55, Dunedin 28.34, and Wellington 2G.G2. The birth-rates for two of the central boroughs last year show a fall when compared with 1908. Iv Auckland tho 'rate fell from 30.56 tc 20.73; In Welliugtou from 27.(i0 to 2(5 (!2; but rose iv Christchurch from 28.43 to 28.55, aud in Dunedin from 25.48 to 28.34.

Negotiations are now in progress for another wrestling match between I^^ J. Scott, the well-known New Zeaßr

lander aud Alec Bain, the Scottish exponent. It is generally admitted that Scotc was greatly handicapped in connection with the recent contest at Stratford iv that Bain was only required to act strictly on the defensive throughout. Scott proposes that in the next match victory should rest with the winner of the first two out of three falls, aud it is probable, that Bain will accede to bis wish iv that regard. According to the Sydney Referee, Bain has expressed his willingness to meet Clarence Weber, who defeated Jas. M'Murdo, of Scotland, for the heavyweight championship of Australia.

To-day's share market quotations appear on page 8.

An advertiser requires a situation as gardener.

Mrs Joseph Caselberg, Sussex-street, requires a nurse for two children. Mrs R. J. Foss, Upper Plaiu, requires a lady help.

__n experienced garduer requires a permausut situation or work by the day. An advertiser iias vacancies for tvvW gentlemen boarders.

A reward is offered for the return of a Petone woollen buggy rug. lost betweeu Kuripuni aud Masterton.

Messrs Nicol aud Edv/ards advertise particulars of a property of 300 acres which is for sale on very easy terms.

Mr H. Babiugtou, sculptor, of River-road, Mastertou, is prepared to undertake cemetery work of any description at reasonable prices.

We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of tbe Daily Mail Year Book froniM essrs McLeod and Young. The publication is one that is well known in all parts of tne British Empire for its general usefulness.

Tenders are invited by Mr B. W. Paytou for the erection of about five miles of rabbit-proof netting at Mt. Bruce. Specifications may be seen at the Daily Times office, or at Mr Payton's residence, Mt. Bruce. Tenders will close on Wednesday, 23rd inst.

The classes in connection with the Mastertou Technical School will open for tbe current year on Monday evening next, 21st inst. Studeuts desirous of taking up free places at these classes must bring their certificates of proficiency with them. Tho tirae-tabljfc of classes "will be published later. ™

The Aucklaud Produce aud Cousumers' Auctioneering Co., Ltd., are open to accept agencies for produce and other fines. The firm are carrying ou business in premises opposite the Town Hall, Auckland, as graiu aud produce merchants, aud are also auctioneers aud laud antl commission agents.