LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 12213, 8 July 1907, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The latest addition to the Telephone Exchange is No. 492, Mr F. C. Fanthams residence, Victoria Avenue. "Not a single artisan idle in town, and no man who can do bushfelling need bfc idle in the country. There is no rush or boom, but a steady 'tap' all the time. — A remark made to us this morning by » gentleman with a large experience of la* bour conditions.

"No better winter sales for five ye^ars past" has been this winter's experience of a local auctioneering firm. Stock is coming forward well, it was added, and buyers were fairly plentiful. The except . tionally mild season was stated to be a . considerahle factor in this state of affairs. , The Sweated Industries Exhibit, which has been showing all over the colony recently to crowded attendances, will be m Wanganui next week, opening at the Council Chambers probably on Saturday, 13th inst., and closing on the 19th. His , Worship the. Mayor will open the exhibition, which will be in charge of Mr Casey, of the Labour Department. Mr Potts has just returned to town • from the Hawke's Bay district in his fine Daimler car. He and his touring party had an enjoyable run, and found the roads generally in excellent touring condition, the only bad part being the Pahiatua Hill, which is a heavy climb. He was compelled to take this road owing to the block on the Gorge route. Dr Starr Jordan addressed the College > boys ok Saturday morning for about an hour. He gave them a brief sketch of American football and the causes that had led up to its present dangerous state. After this he gave a thrilling account of his and six students', experiences on a climb up the Matterhorn. The professor left by the 2.25 express for Auckland. The local labour market is in a very' sound state just now. Great difficulty is being experienced in getting suitable men for bushfelling, the settlement now going on in the inland country having created a big demand for these. For bush up to two feet as much as 30s an acre is being offered, with stores delivered at the camps at bare cost, and even at these prices there is a shortage of men. At the monthly meeting of the Kaitoke Road Board on Wednesday there were present Messrs C. W. Poynter (in the chair), , Mclntosh, Blyth, A. Cameron, and Woolston. The matter of draining Holder's Flat was left over for future consideration. The chairman and Mr Cameron were empowered to seal documents. The audit inspector . wrote re the amount of outstanding* rates on 31st March last. It was mentioned that the majority of the defaulters had. since paid, and it wap decided to place the outstanding rates in the hands of the Board's solicitor forthwith. The foreman's report was read. The toad foreman was , granted half pay during his indisposition. - The chairman jjave notice of motion to strike a generaTrate of $d in the JB. (The chairman was deputed to interview "Mr - Groombridge re the dtain near tha creamry. The foreman was instructed to carry out the necessary repairs on Sutherland's Hill. Accounts amounting to .£l7 4s 2d were passed for payment.

Mr Remington has 1 brought up a proposal on the much-debated question of the terms upon which lease-in-perpetuity holders may acquire the freehold. Mr Remington intends bringing forward a proposal which would, if adopted, split the difference between the demand for the freehold at the original valuation and the other demand that the freehold should only be granted upon the basis of the present valuation. If the new Bill does not provide for this Mr Remington will move an amendment to the following effect: — "If a lease in perpetuity holder who surrenders his lease does not desire f o obtain a renewable lease, the foe simole the land comprised in the surrendered lease or license shall be offered to thft licensee at an advance of 50 per cent. o» +h« original value named in the lease or license, or, if requested by the licensee, put' up for sale' by public auction, burdened with the value of improvements ascertained by valuation." >

We understand that the reason the Wanganui Harbour Board Empowering Bill has not yet been introduced in the House is due to the delay in complying with certain necessary formula with respect to the deposit of a copy of the Bill and papers connected with it with the local S.M. This has now been done, and the Bill will be before Parliament in the course of a fortnight or so.

Messrs Thain and Co. have purchased from Messrs Shacklock and Co. (the makers of the well-known Orion ranges) their Christchurch Exhibition set of ranges. These ranges were the centre of very considerable interest at the Exhibition, as they were very fine productions and attractively set up. Messrs Thain and Co. have set up the exhibit on the premises just as it was* at the exhibition, find it should prove of interest to Wanganui people. An" accident which might easily have S roved very serious occttrred on Saturay evening. Mr John Brennan was driving in a. trap with his daughter towards home, he was met on the other side of Kai Iwi by a brake occupied by a team of hockey players coming into town from Maxwelltown. Both vehicles drew to their proper sides of the road, but one of the trap wheels collided with the brake, and the horse broke free. Mar Brennan was thrown to the ground, receiving a nasty shaking, Miss Brennan fortunately escaping without injury. Another trap bound for Maxwelltown came on the scene, and Mr Brennan and his daughter were driven home. , The members of the Upper Wangaehu Road Board, who, owing to the extent of this district, have to attend their monthly meetings from long distances, . are evidently in a Quandary as to which part of the district they should decide upon for the establishment of their permanent offices^ At the June meeting of the Board it was decided that the next meeting should be held at Wanganui, but at Friday's meeting the member who was mainly responsible for the above decision gave notice to move at the next meeting that the offices should be at Taihape, while we understand that he subsequently expressed the opinion that Hunterville would be preferable. On the whole the Board appears v to be in a predicament which will require careful consideration to come to th« most satisfactory agreement for the convenience of the ratepayers in the large district under its jurisdiction. The district extends from Mangamahu up to Waiouru, and at a recent meeting of settlers at the former place the following motion was carried: — That a petition, signed by the ratepayers of the district, be presented to the Wanganui County Council, showing — (1) Thai, owing to the configuration of the Road District, it is becoming increasingly difficult to administer its affairs with due economy and despatch. (2) That the residents of all parts of the district are yery generally of opinion that the time has arrived for its division into two Road Districts. (3) That' your petitioners therefore pray you to take the necessary steps to constitute a new Road District. The Rev. A. O. Williams, speaking at the Anglican Synod at Wellington on Wednesday to a proposal of Bishop HarSr's, "That the best interests of the aori Mission in the province and loyalty to the General Synod require that thfs diocese should continue to work with and do its utmost to assist the Maori Mission Board," said it was a great pity the report from the General Synod had not been circulated, so that members of Synod might see how assessments and grants were arranged. Three Maori clergymen in Auckland were being paid <£100 each, and there were three paid superintendents, and more highly paid Maori clergy than in this diocese. In view of these facts he did . not. think this diocese should be asked to be too generous. In the Auckland and Waiapu district there were 10,000 pure heathens. If there could ge a grant earmarked for the evangelisation of those 10,000 he would be glad, but to be asked to pay so that higher salaries than were being paid in this diocese might be paid elsewhere was a proposal he could not agree to. In Auckland they were going ( o «rdain four more Maori clergymen and at 'Waiapu two, he thought. The position in this diocese was that they had a man who had been in deacon's orders for three or four years. He was offered for the work on the Wanganui River, but the standing committee had had to adjourn the appointment till August because it could not provide the salary. It was hard that dioceses should be asked to contribute when they were so miserably understocked.. How could better results be expected from Maori missions under the circumstances? He was not opposed to continuing the connection with the Board, but the Wellington contribution should be given for straight-out Maori mission work. The question was conductive of a long discussion, and was eventually carried, the voting being: Ayes 51, and noes 12.

A most -distressing:* case of poverty has been brought under our notice, to which we need only call attention to enlist the { practical sympathy of the public. There is living at Eastown a woman and one child, . an invalid girl of eleven years of age, who have Wen existing on a pennyworth of oatmeal and a pennyworth of ' milk per day for the past three weeks. This, scanty bill of fare has had. to. suffice, incredible as it may seem, for the mother and her daughter. For a bed- 1 stead a couple of logs do duty, and tins is practically all the furniture (?) in the place— a tumble-down shanty. Added to this it may be mentioned that during the cold weather recently experienced these poor people had not a stick of wood or a bit of coal. Under the circumstances it is not to be wondered at that the mother— who used to go out washing — became completely run down, and is now too weak to work. The case was the other day brought under the notice of the men employed at the Eastown Workshops, and they at once took steps to render what assistance they could, collecting money to buy food and firing for the unfortunates. The matter was also mentioned to the Garrison Band and a couple of members of the latter were deputed to make innuiries, with a view to ascertaining if it was a deserving case Accordingly these members visited the Pa c ®» an <i what they saw simply astounded them— they could not have believed it possible that such a deplorable state of affairs could exist in a town like this had they not seen it with their own 'eyes. They were soon convinced that it was one of the most deserving cases. The mother declared that all she wanted was sufficient help to enable her to get proper food, so that she could recruit her strength and earn her own living. When the facts were placed before the other members of the Band they at once decided to do what they could to assist, and with that object intend giving an open air concert at ttie Kotunda, probably next Sunday week when the public will be appealed* to— and not in vain, we feel confident— for subscriptions to help those in such dire distress.

McGruer's great mid-winter sale now on. Special prices in ladies' black caracul coats. Russian shape black • caracul coats 12s 6d, usual price 27s 6d ; short sacque shapes 29s 6d, usual price 42s-three-quarter black caracul jackets 31« 6d, 88s 9d, 39s 6d, and 42s 6d, usual prices 455, 49s 6d, 555, and 635.

On dit that Ohakune is soon to. have a nuewspaper. The name of the proprietor is stated to be the veteran journalist, Mr J. Ivess.

Captain Edwin wired at 1.3 to-day as follows: — Westerly strong winds to gale, glass fall, tides high, sea heavy, rain probably heavy. A striking instance of energy and push is reported irom Ohakune. At the land sale held there last Thursday, a wellknown Wanganui settler bought several sections. He leased some of them the same day, and the next morning he had work proceeding on one of them preparatory to building operations. That man deserves to be successful. At the Bulls Magistrate's Court on Friday, before Mr Stanford, S.M., of Wanganui, T. F. Nolan was fined £5 and 32s co3ts for refusing to quit the premises of the Bulls Hotel when" lawfully requested to do so. The information was laid by Mr Tyrell. On a second charge of threatening behaviour Nolan was convicted and hound over to keep the peace for 12 months. The Magistrate described Nolan's conduct as disgraceful. At the Anglican Diocesan Synod, now sitting at Wellington, the following motion was put to the meeting by Captain Hewitt, and lost : That on two of the Sundays after Trinity special thanks be given to Almighty God for the knowledge He is giving to man of the forces through which He rules the Universe, and which He has incorporated with matter for the use of man; and that the clergy be requested to draw the attention of their congregations to the works and powers of God made known to us through Christians. Our native friends will do well to take heed of the remarks made by the S.M. at the Police Court this morning to one of their well-known chiefs, who was convicted and discharged on a charge of committing an indecent act in a public place. The S.M. said it was very desirable- that it should be known that such an act was wnolly improper and could not be allowed by the law. Maoris must control themselves. The offence was punishable by imprisonment, and as provision had been made to obviate such acts they should, when necessary, utilise the same. "Talk of 'spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar,'" remarked an old sailor to a representative of this journal yesterday, "why, look at the wooden railing on the t!bp of the iron protection work of the footpath on the Town Bridge. It is simply being ruined for the want of a coat of paint, and it will cost a good deal to put a new capping on there shortly." There is no doubt a new railing will shortly be wanted, unless 1 the authorities have the woodwork protected at once from the ravages of the weather by a little paint, which would not cost much. "A ninny trick" is how a Wanganui man this morning described the Government's action in changing the name of, Karioi township to Ninnia. "Karioi" it has been till now, and under that name the Murimotu settlement, whether as Maori pa ,or Pakeha township, has become familiar to people all over this part of the island. It certainly seems an absurdity that the well-known name should be changed, apparently without rhyme or reason, to one that has not even the merit of being euphonious. Cannot the member for the electorate in which it is situate induce the Government to revert to the. old name? The sale of Ohakune town sections and Ninia town and suburban rands which was held at Raetihi ,bn Thursday last drew a large attendance of land buyers. Mr H. Lundius, Crown Lands Ranger, of Wanganui, acted as auctioneer. A special train from Taihape to Rangitana brought a good number of buyers, while others arrived by coach from various directions. The fact that a good start had already been made with the present township of Ohakune did not deter speculators and, with few exceptions, all the upset prices were passed, in some cases more than doubled. In Ninia township, 29 town lots, of a quarter acre -or thereabout each, were offered, one being passed in, and the remainder selling at prices varying from <£9 to .£56 each. Suburban areas in the same locality, ranging from two to ten acres in area, sold at about <£5 an acre, three lots being passed out of nine offered. Fifty-five quarter-acre lots were offered in Ohakune township, of which only two failed to find buyers. The highest price paid for one of these was .£B3O, paid for a corner 'section on the junction of the Waiouru and Raetihi roads ,Mr C. Georgetti, of Wanganui, being the buyer. Several went at prices between i>loo and £110, figures for others being .£122, .£l3l, £135, £'137, .£'lso, £20 being the lowest price paid.