Page 288 - Reading Mercury

ENTERTAINMENT
This week Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Morris have given two performances comprising of
Music and Magic, in the Town Hall. Mrs. Morris’ sleight of hand is very
extraordinary, the various tricks being performed with much dexterity, whilst Mr.
Morris’s performance on the Orphonic Crystal, or Musical Glasses forms a very
pleasing accompaniment. We regret that they were not more largely patronised. At the
conclusion a novel feature was introduced in the distribution amongst the audience, by
lottery, of some handsome presents of elegant and useful articles, which created much
amusement, and appeared to send the audience home in good spirits.

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Sat 19 June
EARLY CLOSING
The arrangement proposed for closing the shops at five o’clock on Wednesday
afternoon was resumed for the present summer on Wednesday and we are glad to
notice that the movement was gainfully adopted.

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Sat 24 July
GAS COMPANY
At the anniversary meeting of the shareholders of this carefully managed company,
the directors reported such a favourable state of affairs that a dividend of 6% was
declared and a further reduction of sixpence per thousand in the price of gas was also
resolved on. This is very satisfactory both to the shareholders and consumers of gas in
the town. The retiring directors were re-elected unanimously.

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Sat 21 Aug
FREE LIBRARY
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On the evening of the 12 inst., a preliminary meeting was held in the Town Hall,
presided over by the Alderman, to take into consideration the subject of establishing a
“Free Library” in Wokingham, in consequence of the very liberal offer of the Hon.
Auberon Herbert, in aid of the object. A discussion ensued, in which all heartily
joined in the opinion that the hon. Gentleman’s offer was most handsome, and that an
effort ought to be made to enable our town to participate in the benefits which the
foundation of a Free Library, on a large scale was likely to confer on the future
education and improvement of the inhabitants, as no doubt the access to a carefully
selected library might enable many a future student to follow the pursuit of literature,
without which his progress would be almost impossible. We trust the project will
commend itself to the support of the residents in the neighbourhood as its benefits
would not be entirely local. We observe that the project has been taken up with much
spirit at Windsor.

Sat 4 Sept
CATTLE DISEASE
We regret to state that the prevalent complaint called the Foot and Mouth disease,
has broken out with considerable virulence in Wokingham and the neighbourhood.
The complaint, we understand, is not dangerous to the life of the animals attacked,
although it leaves them in a low and weak condition, but it is very infectious, much
more so than rinderpest. The inspector under the new Contagious Diseases Act, Mr. J.
Darling, vetinary surgeon, of Bracknell, has visited the various cases, and we trust that
if the owners of the cattle attacked will but scrupulously isolate them from all others,
the disease may soon be extinguished.

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