LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 271, 13 October 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A reward is offered for a lost horse.. The German Government have invited the Powers interested to send delegates to a conference to be held m Berlin m November next, to consider the best means to. secure freedom of commerce on the Congo and Niger Rivers, on the •West Coast of Africa. The English and German Governments are now discussing the question of tl^) appointment of a mixed commission to adjudicate on the conflicting claims of the English and German subjects of An gra Pequena on the West Coast of Africa. The Transvaal Government has decided to withdraw its protection from Montsiva, the native chief who, for some time past, has been prosecuting hostilities against the Boers m Beohuana Land. By cable we learn that an arrangement between the New South Wales Legislative Council and the Assembly has been arrived at regffrding the amendments to the Land Bill, and it is now expected that the measure will become law next week. An important conference, attended by numerous British and colonial representatives, sat m London on Thursday, to consider th% situation of affairs m South Africa. Among the principal speakers were Sii William Macarthur and the Eight Hon. W. E. Forster,both of whom strongly urged that the Imperial Government should take steps to enforce tlh3 provisions of the convention concluded with the Transvaal Republic m 1881. Several new advertisements are unavoidably held over till to-morrow's issue. Another death has occurred m Melbourne from smallpox. ~ The Borough Council will meet on Wednesday at the usual hour. We (Post) learn that articles have been signedjfor a glove fight for £50 a side between the well-known boxer Perry and Pettengill. It is to come off within six weeks from Monday last on a day and at a place to be duly announced beforehand. The estates of 20 deceased persons were placed under charge of the Public Trustee during the month of September, The largest (individual estate was under £.500. There were two under £1. Amost simultaneously with the arrival of the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro at Home, with her meat m splendid condition, it is announced by cable that New Zealand frozen mutton' has advanced another halfpenny. It is now quoted at 6fd per 1b for prime — a price that, if sustained, will place the trade above the fears of pessimists. Mr Hobson, the well-known stock dealer, passed through Woodville on Thursday with 530 head of young cattle purchased on the West Coast. j We (Examiner) regret to learn that complaints are ; being made as to thn doubtful secrecy of the. local Telegraph office. The secrecy of the department is of the utmost importance to business men, and when the needful confidence can be no longer placed m it, its . utility m a great measure ceases. We understand representations on the matter are to be made to head quarters. Roast rats are the latest delicacy we (Herald) have heard of m Wangnnui. Yesterday morning a pakeha m his tour of inspection among the natives, noticed two of thetn enjoying a roasted rat. The animal was a large sized one, and had been caught by one of their dogs. When asked what it was like, the natives replied that it was splendid, and said they would pay n price for more fat -rats as they liked the rodents. Thf»y fthonld have ho difficulty m having their wants supplied, free gratis and for nothing,

From, the Star we loam that some considerable alterations mid improvements are about to bo made by Mr llastie to the Feilding Hotil. The building ia to have a taised appearance by the erection of parapets, and balconies arc to bo built to tli« frontages to the Suq.irc andKinibolton road. Messrs Pope and Pearson have bfen entrusted with the work, for which they are now proparaing plans. Extensive internal improvements are already being carried out by Messrs Gosling and Son, and when th<-. whole work is I completed, the establishment will bimuch advanced m value and appearance. In answer -to Sir George Grey, the Premier said the Government would consider the establishment of an Agricultural School m the North of New Zealand. They were not at present prepared to establish such a school,bnt they wfti'ld at any rate give every encouragement to proposals m this direction. N<l ! ' A screw is evidently loose somewhere m the management of the Industrial School (observes the Napier Telegraph). Today it was stated that a lad who was supposed to be an inmate of the school at Nelson had been farmed out to a man m the bush, who had left him, some four miles from anywhere, for a whole week by himself. The red-tapeism of Wellington was also exhibited m the case, by a ieturn which was sent m, showing that the lad's parents were both dead, , while as a matter of fact both are alive, ! and xWell -known m Napier. The poor fellow Grinrod who had his arm injured by a gun bursting has been sent to the Wanganui Hospital for treatment. Referring to tbc A. and P. Show the Napier Telegrayh says : — B>»t the change is simply marvellous since the time when the first horse that was brought to Hawke's Bay had its hoofs rotted off for the want of dry land to stand upon, and the two first imported cows were killed and eaten by wild pigs. It is now generally thought that the Parliamentary session will not terminate before the end of the first week m November. j The Post informs as that the annual subscriptions of those gentlemen, who I have joined the Society for the Preven- ', tion of Cruelty to Animals are coming [ freely. Several persons residing outside the city have become members, and as each of them has intimated his intention | to do what he can to increase the number ! on the roll, it is expected that m a short time the society will be a very large one, and will thus be m a position to carry on its operations more successfully than . otherwise. Mr Mack Alexander, who was here with Wilhnott's Comedy Company, is dangerously ill at Auckland. Subscriptions are being raised to enable the sufferer to be sent to Brisbane, as it is I believed a warmer climate will enable him to regain his lost health. Among the cases to be heard at the civil sitting of the Wellington Supreme Court is that of Armstrong v. Welling-ton-Manawatu Railway Company. The new Cunard liner Uinbria, which is said to have attained the wonderful speed of 24 knots an hour, was built by Messrs Juo. Elder and Co., at Govan. She is of steel, and her dimensions are as follow : — Length over all, 520 ft.; beam, 57ft ; depth, 40ft ; gross tonnage, 8000. The engines for this vessel have been constructed by the builders, and will indicate at sea 12 500 h.D. The rules of. the Wellington and Wairarapa District Acclimatisation Society having been deposited with the Colonial Secretary, it is now a duly registered acclimatisation society under the Animals Protection Act, 1880. The great success which has attended the New South Wales loan should'induce the. other colonies to follow suit m reducing the rate of interest. It will be remembered that at tbe beginning of this year Canada floated a loan at 3£ per cent at 91, so that the colony of New j South Wales has done very much better. A Marlborough paper says :— " Messrs Foster and Gosling have extended their preserving operations to the savory and nutritious eels which infest every creek and stream m the neighborhood of Blenheim. Tinned eels, put up as well as Messrs Foster and Gosling know how to treat them, should- find a ready market m London, where these animals have always been a favorite food." We (Examiner) hear that the Ministry of the Mimic Parliament has been formed, and the policy is under preparation and will be announced m the Governor's Speech. The first meeting of the Parliament will be held on Monday night, when it is hoped there will be a large attendance of members to inaugurate the new movement, which should be a very popular one. The Opposition will doubtless be ready for the fray, and there should be a good debate over the general proposals of the Government. The Star makes a suggestion worthy of consideration m reference to in/alids forwarded by train for the Wanganui Hospital who are suffering from broken limbs or are .prostrated from sickness and who are conveyed m the guard's van, placed upon a mattrass which rests on te floor of the van. Ip cases of fracture the vibration of the train is the cause of dreadful agony to the unfortunates. This could be m a great measure prevented by having a swinging cot, suitable for hanging either m the guard's van or m an ordinary goods van;