LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12436, 8 April 1908, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is stated in grain circles in Christchurch that there is a probability that Australian flour will be imported in view of the fact that local flour is up to £11 10s. The depredations of the fruit fly caused 150 cages of oranges, which arrived at Wellington from Fiji by the Talune last week, to be condemned by the Agricultural Department. Included in the cases condemned was the whole of one line, consisting of 75 cases. By a process of judicious culling and purchase, the milk yield per cow at the Weraroa State farm has been increased in a very marked manner. In December, 1904, Ihe monthly milk yield per cow was 606.8 Us., the gross yield of 117 cows being 71,0051bs per-month. In December, 1907, 67 cows yielded 72,9071b5., or an average of 10881 bs per cow. For the month of March at the Kakaramea Co-operative Dairy Factory 567 suppliers contributed 1,232,371 lbs milk which contained 514..54S lbs. butter fat, from which was made 59,000 lbs. commercial butter, showing an over-run of 14.64 per cent. It took 20.721b5. of milk to make lib butter, the average test being 4.17. Nine tens less butter was manufactured than in March, 1907. During the year ended 31st March the excess in the number of persons who arrived in Wellington direct' from oversea ports over those who have left Wellington . direct for oversea ports was 4877. Tl&*w number of arrivals for that period v^as "1 17,177, while the departures were 13,300. ' During the year _the heaviest month for arrivals was January last, when 2656 persons landed. Last month 1650 persons left the Dominion at Wellington, this being the highest number for the year in any one month. At a meeting of the Masterton branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants the following, resolution was carried:—That in connection with the "Railwa- Review" this meeting of the Masterton branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants expresses its entire confiderce in the Executive Coxincil at at present constituted, and considers that Mr Hornsby was fairly treated by being able to tender for our paper, and it would have been an injustice to other publishers had the conference allowed Mr Hornsby to take over the same without tendering for it. A firm carrying on business %a very considerable distance from New Plymouth recently advertised in the local Herald for assistants. They write: —"We a-re very pleased with the result of advertising in your paper. Have got two young English fellows who are a great improvement upon the colonial youths. The Shops Act of New Zealand is ruining our boys for working. The Act is only driving the youth into billiard saloons and pubs '-f an evening instead of taking an interest in his work. Not that business people want a youtu to work every night, but there are busy times when_^ an hour's work of an evening gives a laa an insight into office work and that he would not gain in a wnole week. The English lads we have.now are worth double the colonial ones." A Mataroa correspondent sends particulars to the Faihape Times of an amusing erisode which occurred on tha station platform thera some little time ago. It appears that a, lady resident of a certain town not more than one thousand and one miles from Waiouru, boarded the Public Works Department train at Mataroa, placing a trunk ar-d a sack in the van. The Public Works guard challenged the-con-tent*, whereupon the lady in question invited the official to search the effects. This being done, no small quantity of bottled whisky was revtaled, which the stationmaster had taken off the train. After considerable argraent the lady was allowed to proceed with the goods, and our correspondent avers that so delighted was she at getting the better of the officials that . she distribute a few bottles of whisky amoncfst the onlookers, who were hugely enjoying the situation. The Palmerston Winter Show Society has received 173 entries, a large increase as compared with the previous year, for the various dairy factory produce classes at the National Dairy Show. In the butter division 45 factories will compete, and out of 96 entries in four classes, 69 are for the butter for export classes. Twenty-two factories are represented in the cheese section. The factories exhibiting are:---Dairy Produce Classes. —Butter. —Alpha, Awahuri, Bunnythorpe, Ballance, Pahiatua (Ballance Dair-" Company), Bell Block, Cambridge, Canterbury Central, Cheltenham, Palmerston North,' and Eketahuna (New Zealand Dairy Union), Glen Oroua, Okitu, <3olden Bay, Hillsborouah, Huiakama, Mangatainoica, and Dannevirke(Hawke's Bay Dairy Company), Kairangp, Levin, Mells, Mauriceville, Makahu, Midhirst, Mongorei, Norsewood, Mohaka, Okato, Oakura, Pihama, Riverdale, Rewa, Raia, Rangitikei, Rangiwahia, Stratford, South Canterbury, Taihape, Tarata, Thames Valley, U.I. Butter Factory, Warea, Whenuakura, Waitara. Cheese.. — Awatuna, Ahiaruhe. Cardiff, Dalefield, Defiance, Edendale, Featherston, Greytown, H&wera, Kapuni, Linton, Norsewood. Ngaire, Nathan and Co., Northern Wairoa, Omimi, Rangohokako, Riverlea, Tariki, Taratahi, Tawhiti, Waihi. A most absurd series of mean jokes have been practised during this week on a widow in North Carlton (says the Sydney ' Daily Telegraph). On Monday last a hansom cab drove up to the door and the driver said, "I have called to take the bride to the Wesley Church, Lonsdale Street." "What bride?" asked the widow. "Mrs Pratt her name is," was the reply. "That is my name, but I am not going to be married," the lady replied. No fewer than 15 more hansoms drove up afterwards in succession. On Tuesday the game was resumed. An ambulance waggon arrived, and the driver demanded the body of some person who was said to be very sick in the house. Notwithstanding that by this time it had been thought well to report the matter to the police, and official-enquiries were in consequence being ma6*e, on Wedday Mrs Pratt was simply besieged with callers, who became an object of entertainment to all the neighbours. Foury motor cars and two drags arrived, and their drivers all said they had been sent to take the widow out pleasuring. Two nurses in uniform also called separately to see her through the serious illness she was sapposed to be suffering from. A coal firm sent around a ponderous dray with two tons of coal that Mrs Pratt had not ordered. _____^____. Straight belts in various widths and styles predominate this season. Among the most favoured are those with raised tinsel embroidery on a tinsel ground of a contrasting colour. Another stylish, belt is oiiental gatoon bordered with gold tinsel braid. Embroiered leather belts are a new idea and can be had in all the new shades, the patterns being principally geometrical designs. Block squares in tinsel effect make a most stylish belt, and can also be had in all colours. In all cases the buckles are good and in keeping with tho rest of the belt. We nave a most complete stock of all the new belts and prices range at la 6d, Is 9d, Is lid, 2s 6d, 2s 9d, to 5s 11 eftcti, McGruer and ~ Co,

It is 91 years ago to-day since the Bank of New South- Wales was established.

During Mar?h last 115 patients received treatment at the Wanganui Hospital. Of these 60 were new patients. Fifty-five persons were discharged during the month and three died. Eight of tho. patients admitted were suffering from the effects of accidents. One new inmate suffered from scarlet fever. No fewer than 26 patients received treatment during the month while tinder anaesthetics.

Mr Walter Miller, Chief Inspector of Stock, who is at , present in W ellington, states that the successful applicants for sections in the Te Arai Estate, in Poverty Bay, recently acquired from Mr J. Randell Johnson, are likely to make first-class settlers. He thinks the Government is to be congratulated on the stamp of men who have entered in to possession of the land, and he predicts a great future for the district as the result of the cutting up of the block for closer settlement.

At the Police Court this morning two drunks were fined 5s each, in default 24 hours' imprisonment, while a past offender was mulcted in 10s, in default 48 hours'. For being an idle and disorderly person, with insufficient lawful means of support, an old man named Rhodes, who had been for the past month knocking about the town, wad remanded, pending an endeavour to get him into the Jubilee Home. The Bulls resident whom we recently referred to as being found drunk on the roadside, with a little convalescent child from the Hospital beside him, was fined £2 for procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order. A young man was fined 5s and costs 7s for driving a horse round a' corner faster than at a walking pace.

The Gonville Town District is the scene of great activity in road construction at the- present time, and a large number of thoroughfares are at present being made, which will, when completed, considerably improve the topography of this important suburb. The new road through the Dempsey Estate now being formed will provide the public with a much needed thoroughfare from Gonville and Matipo out to Mosstown, and will be a great convenience to users of the new golf links. The roads to be shortly constructed in the old golf links will be a great convenience and improvement and will no doubt be important and populous highways in years to come. The solid progress of Gonville is very gratifying, and persons visiting that locality at present will be astonished at the constant stream of carts, laden with timber and building or road making materials which he would meet, in addition to a bustling and businesslike motor waggon hauling road metal.

At the Charitable Aid Board meeting this morning a letter rrom Messrs Marshall and Hutton was read, notifying that under the will of the late Mr Chas. Smith, the Board had been granted a sum of ,£IOO to be expended in providing additional comforts for the inmates of the Jubilee Home. The gift will carry with it the Gowernment subsidy of 24s to the £1. The eecretarv explained that for" many yesirs passed the deceased gentleman had never failed at Christmas time to give £1 each to the Hospital and Jubilee Home towards providing extra Christmas comforts for the inmates'. Deceased had arrived from a trip to the Old Country just a few days prior to Christmas and almost immediately wended his way to the office of the Board, ani remarked that he was pleased he had arrived in time "to give his usual mite." A donation of .£IOO was also made for the Hospital, the conditions being "that it be expended by the Board at their discretion to the benefit and improvement of the Wanganui Hospital." — This bequest carries with it a Government subsidy of 10s in the £1. The members of the Board expressed their appreciation of the deceased' 3 kindness, and received the bequests with thanks.