LOCAL AND GENERAL

Western Star, 8 May 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mr J. C. Thomson, ALP., will address meetings at the'four centres, commencing npsfc Monday the Orep.uki* .o** Tuesday,, tfce 12th, he will speak at O.tautau, on Wednesday the 13th at Nightcaps* and oa Friday, the 15th, at Rivertoai, The meeting advertised for Orawia on the I3th has been cancelled, as a local function is being held on thftfc ;<3venjitog.

Theme is every probability that the Orepuki shale works will recommence operations. During the past fortnight boring has been carried out under the direction of Mr Muir, with a viiOvv of finding out whether there is suilicienit} shale to warrant opening the mine. The results have been entirely satisfactory, and large deposits: of shale have been tapped. Should the works be re-opened it will give Orepuki a much needod stim ulus. as a largo number of men will find employment.

The Mortgages and Agency Company report having sold on account Mr Robert Cupples his last purchase of land, which was recently owned by Mr John Beck, Gumsnles Bush, at a satisfactory figure. The purchaser was Mr J. 0. ■Robertson, Tihornbury.

Stoats and weasels are yearly increasing, and the Longwood ranges are now infested with this vermin. As a result native birds are becoming scarce, more especially the New Zealand robin, tomtit, and fantail. Quite recently one of the race men in the Longwood witnessed an unequal contest between a stoat and a pigeon. The latter was sunning itself on one of the branches of a large (tree, when the stoat fell from a higher branch on to. its back. The pigeon attempted to fly away, •the stoat fastened its teeth into the neck of its victim, and both came to the ground, where the pigeon was finally despatched.

Last session of Parliament a clause was inserted in the Reserves Empowering Act enabling the Riverton Borough Council to open a nightsoil depot on a section in the'Kaikk the site to be subject to the approval of the Chief Health Officer and the Chief Commissioner. The former has agreed to the site set apart by the Act, but the latter has not made any recommendation, simply saying that he could not recommend it because it was reached by a private road. This road has been tin existence for years, is shown on the earliest maps,, and public money has been expended on it. The opinion has been ftxprlossM that the Commissioner should give his opinion on the depot site, and leave 'the matter of the road to the council, as the Act does mot ask for any report or opinion on that matter. When the site was chosen Dr Mason expressed the hope {hat there would be no further hitch» in the matter, but this hope has not been,, realised.

Mr Bissett, of Canterbury, who is now in occupation of Avondale, juaar Nightcaps, 'has, after some months residence, expressed himself a s being charmed with Southland. He hasl had the old homestead made thoroughly up-to-date, and has evidently come to stay. There are now quite a large number ofi northerners in South "land, and all are agreeably surprised at the fine bracing climate, go different to what they had been lead to expect.

Mr ,J). C. Thomson, M.P., has been informed that, the Aparima/ platform wiLl too lengthened by building up the; gravel embankment, this being considered all that is necessary as the traffic at the station is not very large.

Theiie was a hand touch of frost on Tuesday, and on Wednesday wet weather again set in.

I Farming operations are well forward or, the Waimatuku Flat, where ploughing- has made good progress. Settlement in that portion of the district is close, and all the farms and steadings have the appearance of being well kept. The advantage of drill sown over broad-cast turnips .is to be seen at Mr W. Ford's. With two hundred sheep on a break of three acres, the turnips were clean, and it was evident that they would bo eaten right down without any waste such as must occur where they are sown broadcast.

■The sale conducted by J. R. Mills and Son at Waikoura on Wednesday when ATo-urs IKrri t,<t:n Bros sub-

mitted a lot of timber and dt aught horses, was very largely attended, and a satisfactory sale resulted.

The mining, centre of Nightcaps shows many gratifying signs of improvement. Several new houses haie been erected, most of the buildings have been recently re-pain tod, and the gardens are kept in nice order. For the time of the year the country in 4he vicinity is looking well, and farm operations are well forward. The company have been kept very busy of late. A record load of coal left the township one morning, when forty trucks* with seven hundred tons were despatched.

E. G. Staveley, manager of the Xew 'Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, giving evidence Ibefore the Conciliation Board at Christ; church, said the farmer's outlook was not too promising, but there was no reason to fear a great depreciation dn the value of staple products. It was an inopportune time to alter the conditfrns of expenditure now pro vailing in farm work* The small farmer was not doing so well as he had been for some year's, owing to the lower, value of some farm products. Wool was considerably tower ; sheep were down in price, and fat' lambs were jvtery much lower. Certain classes of wool had declined in [London 3d •to 4d per IK during the lastfltwentyfour months. Any further tax .would bo detrimental to the small farmers, many of whom were bearing avs much as they could already. An award imposing further burdens would cause his firm to advance money Iqss freely-

Dr Trotter put up rather a record in travelling this week. Being called ! to Dunedin urgently, he left Kiverton ! on Tuesday morning by motor, caugilt sfr& early express, transacted his business, returning by the laic ex- | press and thence 'by motor to River- I ton, reaching homo at midnight <>f same day. ;

K man named Thomas Rink, arr,esit ed fior drunkenness! on Friday night, was placed in the cells at Auckland Police Station, apparently asleep. •Attempts, to wake him failed -tijl Sun day, when he complained of foaling queer. H© was removed to the hospital, where he died- An inquest was opened amd adjourned.

The Catholics of the Riverton district are nomitxfcd that the demotion of the Forty Hours will begin in St. Colutmiba's at 9 a.m on Fniiday, May loth, and end with solemn High Mass on Sunday May 17th at II a. m.

The installation of Dr Trotter as Mayor took place on -Wednesday last. In 'the unavoidable absence of Mr W. It.. Pankhurst .(the retiring Mayor), C'r Ls-le occupied the chair, and briefly welcomed the incoming Mayor. Dr Trotter returned thanks fen" the honor. Owing to the fact that he was suffering from that übiquitous germ, agiainst which 'doctors were always fighting, viz. influenza, he could not make a long speech. He would, howover, carry out the duties of Mayor to the best of his skill and judgment. As to the general policy of the, Council it ought to bo a progressjivei one so far jos the funds of the. Borough would permit, as, metaphorically speaking, they would have to cut their cloth according (to the measure meat. The revenue of the Council was not large, but he would do what he could for the Borc-ugh. In conclusion ho thanked councillors and ratepayers for their presence. —Or Carroll offered his congratulations, and stated that he! would support the Mayor in carrying out the duties. It had not been a misplaced confidence in electing Dr Trotter as their chief.

A gianbleanan who is at present a resident of t tthe thriving, town • of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, has written to Sir .Joseph Ward with the view of ascertaining whether there is amy chance of his obtaining employment under the New Zealand Govern nieot. Apparently neither the climate conditions nor the conditions of sociifal life on the American continent are in accordance with his ideas of a comfortable existence. He says -. "I am wishful to, get away to that Utopian isle beyond the sea which, thanks to, your illustrious predecessor, Mr Richard Seddon, and yourself, stands to-day as a model world to copy, as a country where the true science of living a life under proper conditions is practised." If that is not good enough for a billet, what is ■?

Presence of mind saved Mrs A. Dunn, of Wahi, from very serious injuries last week. Tho-'Waihi Daily Telegraph' reports that Mrs Dunn was melting! bees-wax on a stove when by some means it caught fire and blazed up. 3<earing that the flames might set fire to the house, sne attempted to extinguish them, with -the result that her, hands were seriously burned. Hjer apftra also caught on fiie, and with great presence of mind ©he rolled on the (k'or, and thus saved herself from serious injury. Drs Robertson' and Heck vteta later in attendance, and the ir-iurod lady was conveyed to the Jiospita.'. Her face was only slightly touched, but her hands are severely burned.

"We are going to continue our present policy," said the Hon. Jam's M/Gowan, on being questioned regarding the intention of the Government. "Those who object to our pelicy," he said, ''evidently are not aware of the kind of people that are coming to New Zealaud under cur present scheme. It can hardly he called immigration. It may rather be called a scheme for enabling residents of the Dominion to bring out their frifends from Home at a jittl© cheaper rate than that which would otherwise have been paid. These new arrivals arc adding to the capital of tie covn try, and the amounts which stme of them bring with them ars very con siderafole."

It is a striking illustration of the divibity that doth hedge about a king writes M;r H.W. Lucy) that I<ord Tweedmouth in his statement in the House of Lorde with respect to the letter addressed to him by th* German Emperor, withheld a circumstance that would greatly have stren gthened'his present position. He mentioned (that on receipt of the missive he had shown it to the Secretary of State for, Fox-eign Affairs, but he did not add that he had also submitted it to His Majesty, who saw nothing sinister in the incident, or any reason why the First Lord of the Admiralty, having i n his private capacity received a personal communication from a foreign Sovereign,, should not reply in the ordinary course of post. This s<:if-sacrificinr reticence is in accordance with the wholesome constitutional rule that forbids" the introduction of the name of the Sovereign into parliamentary debate qf political controversy.

The death is announced of M. Sukhorovsky, the Russian artist, whose painting 'Nana/ was exhibited all over the world, making a fortune for himself and others. After receiving; some sixty thousand pounds from the various exhibitions of 'Nana,' M. Sukhorovsky sold the picture for £4,200 to a dealer, who subsequently resold it for £B,OOO to an American. The latter is said to have made £200,000 by the enterprise. M. Sukhorovsky, after being in affluent circumstances, lost all liis money in unfortunate speculations, and was reduced almost to beggary when he painted 'Nana's Daughter.' He did not even haye the wherewithal to purchase the canvas for the picture, and it was not until a subscription was raised for him by the ladies- of Hungerburg, on the Gulf of Finland that he was able to set to work. ' I

Twenty-six years ago, writes the Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, Mr Thomas, who was then gum digging a t Okahu, dn the north of Auckland, lost a little toy, about two years of age. Nothing could be discovered to throw any light on the mysterious disappearance, though it was conjectured by some that the Maoris; had taken the I oy. Mr Thomas has now received word fnem ITokianga that his long lost son is there, and the father has gone to see him.

A Conference of Sand*7 school teachers and Christian workers will be held in/ the Presbyterian churcn Rivcrtoh, on Tuesday, 12th at seven' o'clock, when Sunday school problems and matters affecting the utility of Bible teaching generally will be discussed. The speakers will i- e Miss Hamilton, Revs. P. W. Dunlop. A. Kirk land, J. Burrows, C. A. 3ray A.ll Sunday school teachers an 1 Bible Class teachers and Workers are cordially imvii<ted. There win be a colh?'iAi<m M *toftrag tramenses. >

The Union Jack' Club for Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, in Waterloo road, London, was honored by aj visit from the Queen, Empress Mard|e, anU Princess Victoria on St Patrick's • Day. The Queen took with her for distribution amongst the members of tho club in her name a number of boxes of shamrock. The 'distinguished visitors went through the entire establishment, during a stay of forty fiwa minutes. Many nun seated in the lounge sprang to attention when the Royal visitors entered, but her Majesty motioned them to be seated and chatted with a few pleasantly. in the general stores department the Queen was shown the small sealed ''noggins" l in which the men's whisky is served, and the fact that they) were appropriately sealed for the day with emerald green paper induced her to 'exclaim : ''Oh, what a pretty idea. 1 '.must buy one of these." This she [did, and insisted upon paying her twopence. The Empress and Princess laughingly proclaiming their preference for "Scotch," ; were supplier] with a noggin each. Their Majesties and the Princess took automaticallydelivered receipts for their twop.ences and after being supplied with a variety of ether information, thanked their conductors, and returned to Buckingham Talaoe.

The Rev. Ganger, of Masterton, inberviioYwed by the Wairarapa Times, had a few words to say concerning the lack of journalistic enterprise England. London is probably the most up-to-date of any centre Of journalism, and most of the provinces feave the news-catering to the metropolis. London papers can be had in almost any part of England by 8 each morning. In New Zealand every small town has its own newspaper. In the Isle of 'Wight, whose boundaries measure 22 miles by 15 miles, and which has; a, population of ninety thousand souls, there is not a daily newspaper ; two weeklies are published. In England there is not a pictorial of the particular kind equal to New Zealand's 'weeklies. Be had shown a number of people the produc lions of this ccimtry, and they were astonished. One man asked if the per iodicals were printed in England and sent to the Dominion.

! President Roosevelt on gambling— There is no moral difference between gambling at cards, in lotteries, and on the race track, and gambling on the stock market. In kind and degree •the evil worked by stock gambling; is far greater. A business which is hurt by the movement for honesty is the kind of business which in the long run it pays . tin© country to have hurt.

Writing to the 'Times,' £he -Bev* fj k J. Pulvertai't, describes the late Carlos as one of the moafc ed friends of religious libeofcy in Europe.. Same years ago he assured itihe members of the Evangelical Alliance that it was hi& distinct wish, ithati •«$-. ligious liberty should bg granted io all Protestant christians tteoughout the Pronvinions. "Seven years"- oddfe Mr PuLvertaf't, '.'have passed since the King made fchjis promise, and he has observed it in spifrtite Aanong ittoa countless onournera foK Don iGarlos none grieve more toidy tjhan the ijjusitaniaiQ! Eeformal Church and the oth er Protestant bodies, .who owe much to his sympathy and always relied oh his aid against injustice^'-'.

A peculiar accident happened to a horse ait Mionavale, Waikato, recently. A large quantity of earth fell on the back of the dray to which the horse, was hairnessed, causing the belly-band to snap and the shafts of the cart <to tip up. The horse was also Jilted into the air, and the tug chain hook sewed the jugular vein of the animal, the hook having to be cut out to let the animal down again The idriyer kept some hapd substance against the wound until the arrival of a veterinary surgeon, who tied the viefo and stopped .the (bleeding. The pniimal is now recovering from the (accident.

A, w(ell-known gentleman in Glasr gow has fought a duel with a shooting burglar, and has won (-writes a London correspondent). Mr J. B. M. Fleming, tihe occupant of a beautiful mansion at Kelvinside, was reading about midnight on Monday, and heard a noise an the garden. He looked (through the window, and saw a man climbing up the wall by means of the ivy. Mr Fleming went to his 'telephone, talked for immediate assistance from the Mayhill police office, puccureld a revolved, and went into the rnioming room. Suddenly turning; up .the electric light, he saw a man in a crape mask standing in the middle of .the floor. Mr Fleming pointed his revolver at the intruder, a-rad asked him to come quietly stair© to await the police. The burglar immediately whipped o*t a revol- . vftr, and fined point-blank at Mr ; Fleming. The bullet grazed Mel lam- ! wag's head. Ms Flenrlng then discharged three shots from his own weapon, and, at the third shot, ihc burglar dropped dead on the carpet. •As he fell he fired a second time at Mr Fleming, hut the bullet went wide The detectives arrived on the .scone immediately afterwards.. H*ew recognised the burglar at a iwsNknown ex-coavlct. In i,j s pockets were found a formMaWte knife, an electric lamp, several cartridges, keys, screw drivers, and pliers.

A final warning is given to travellers by vehicles in the borough who aite .in the habit of travelling after dark without lights. The police arc determined to take action, therefore we would aid visa cyolistg and- motorists to procure lights at once or put Up with the consequences.

Messrs J„ R. Mills and Son offer for sale at their mart,' Riverto», on Saturday, 16th May, the desirable and commodious property of Mr F. Nash; at South Riverton, and also his section next the Bank of NewZealand. The residence is beautifully Situated w :th a good gravel mad leading' to it.

Acottage on the Kaik, occupied by Mr Jas. Connor, was destroyed bv fire at half-past nine (o'clock last evening occupier was up attending to his, horses at the Carrier'* Airans stables at the time. He W two watches and a sum,of money and Mis effects, which , W ere not A conference of Sabbath school •teachers and Bible «,J \ will be hel,d in the oSSS,"SSS torian Church o n the afternoon S evenmgof Wednesday, May 13th. An interestmg programme has been arranged and a sample of Sabbath school lessons will be given. All i n - I •terested to this work are cordiallv invited to be present «

Mi- Quinlan, .of Wilby, Victoria, set out for a stroll the other evening. To heighten the pleasure of the trip, h«J (filled his pipe from some loose tobacco in hie coat pocket. The moment foe applied a match to it on ex plosion before his face sent him reeling with the pipe stem half way down his throat. Recovering from 4.he weird experience, Mr Quinla.n remembered that he had carried a B'B cartridge in the-pocket holding the