TOWN & COUNTRY

Captain Edwin advised at 12.55 p.ui. on Saturday as follows :—Strong northerly winds, glass fall, tides increase. The Lands Purchase Bpard has decided to recommend the Government to purchase Diedrich's Kokatahi estate, Westland, for close settlement.

The postmaster at Cheviot reports a verv heavy shock of earthquake at 5.55 on Saturday morning, with loud booming, and a slight one a minute later. Richard A. Bruckard, oyster saloon keeper, of Wellington, was fined £25 for sly-grog selling to men who had gone to the place under arrangement with the police.

To Heade of Families.—Now that the schools are taking up, parents will do well to buy their boots at Prosser's Arcade Boot shop. Every pair below cost. Balance by auction.—(Aavt.) , At the Magistrate's Court on Saturday, before Mr C. A. Wray, S.M., Donald Bell, an old offender, arrested by Constable Dalton for drunkenness, was remanded for seven days for .medical treatment. In the supplement containing a historical sketch and commercial review of Timaru, published in our issue of the 6th inst., a correction should be made in the date of foundation of Messrs Priest and Holdgate's business, which should read 1873, and not 1883.

Thomas Murcott and Kate Alexander, charged in connection with the alleged infanticide' case at Mastertbn, were committed for trial. Bail was allowed, Murcott himself in £2OO and two sureties of £l5O each; and the girl herself in £2OO, and two sureties of £IOO each.

A fire at Ashburton on Friday night destroyed a four-roomed cottage on the Wakanui road. It was occupied by Mr S. Finlay, who was away. An invalid daughter was the first to discover the fire. Nothing was saved. The house was insured for £l2O in the Alliance office. To-day! To-day! After-season sale now on! Stock to ba reduced by two thousand pounds. Sound seasonable drapery selling fegardless of cost. Quoting prices can . give little idea of the values. Early inspection invited.—Adams and Co. —(Advt.)

The Railway Department has notified the New Plymouth Band Contest Committee that holiday excursion fares will be granted on the' Auckland, Wellington, Napier, New Plymouth and Hurunui-Bluff sections of the railways in connection with the contest in March ; also on the Manawatu line.

Owing to the projection of the new mole the harbour now presents a very different appearance from what it used to do, when viewed from the south. Before the mole was commenced, a big steamer lying at the end of the main wharf was seen to be close to the outer side of the harbour. Now, the mole projects so far that a. boat in that position seems to be a long wav in from the sea.

Dougald Paterson, of Christchurch, sharebroker, and formerly a member of the firm of Magnus, Paterson and Co., was charged at the Magistrate's Court on. Saturday morning with obtaining a cheque for £l2 10s from Alfred Butcher bv representing that he was authorised "by the Leviathan Gold Dredging Company to collect deposits for. preference share's in the company, with intent to defraud. He was remanded for a week. Bail was allowed in one surety of £SO.

A good deal of amusement was occasioned to bathers and onlookers at Caroline Bay yesterday morning by an adventure of two men in a boat. Tliev appeared to have resumed the sleep that" tliev had broken too early, or else were so intent upon watching friends swimming that they disregarded the boat and its drifting, until a breaking wave came imon them, and filled it and their clothing. The boat had to be beached and emptied, and the careless boatmen to drain and wring out and run home wet through.

The Westland Trades and Labour Council have resolved to ask the Government to place a royalty on gold, the proceeds to be applied to the Sick and Accident Fund for miners; also to urge the appointment of a Legislative Councillor to represent the West Coast miners. Other resolutions were passed affirming the desirability of making rating on unimproved values compulsory and of reducing the age at which old age pensions begin to. sixty years in cases where persons worked for ten years underground. It was also recommended that persons incapacitated from earning their living should receive a pension equal to the old age pensions.

A conversazione to meet the Bishop of Cliristchureh will be held in St. Mary's schoolroom this afternoon, to be followed by a concert in the evening. An important alteration-is made this morning in the notice by Messrs Dalgety and Co. relating to the sale of the Awa Moa estate. The sale is to take place "at Oamaru on Friday, the 7th March," not "at Dunedin on 6tli March." A farewell social is to be tendered Mr and Mrs Connal in the Rangitata. schoolroom on Thursday afternoon. Mr Connal has been statioiimaster for about eleven years, and the send-off promises to be a most hearty and universal one. Saturdav afternoon was very hot-—too hot to last—and the change came in the evening, a. cool south breeze coming up. This continued yesterday, and towards evening the sky looked heavy enough, for rain. This came on shortly before 10 o'clock, light, Sfrom a northerly direction. Two special trains ronveyiny consigned to Mr John Campbell, Rangitata, lately arrived. Sir Campbell has now a,bout 6000 sheep on his- farm adjoining the railway station. His crop of rape is a marvellous one for this part of the country. It lias been decided that the Premier should drive the first pile of the railway bridge to cross the Hokitika river in connection with the extension line to Ross, on the morning of February 14tli. The first sod will be turned at Ross the day following.

We are informed on good authority that Mr T. Hawkey, senior member of the Borough Council, will be a candidate for the Mayoralty of Timaru at the next election. Mr Macintosh, the present Mayor, it will be remembered, has publicly stated that he does not intend to offer his services for a second term.

The Agricultural Department lms decided to station officers at Auckland and Lyttelton to grade flax for export. The Lyttelton grader will pay visits to Dunedin and Bluff when required, and Mr Fulton, the Wellington grader, will have an assistant who will be available for duty in Napier, Wanganui, Picton and New Plymouth.

It's the same everywhere, time tells the story, and 99 times out of every 100 the demand is for the Brinsmead piano, because they are built to last, not for 5 or 10 years, but for a lifetime. Their tone appeals to the ear, their durability and price to your pocket, their direct appeal is to you. Why reject it? Interview tnem at Begg's, nest Theatre.—(Advt.)

.The construction department of the railways have no consideration for the traffic department, or they would not have put fresh asphalt on the passenger platform on Saturday. In the hot afternoon, and with the extra • crowd to see the 9th Contingenters off, it was a disagreeable mess, and was not itself improved by the heavy traffic over it.

Ouv Waimate correspondent writes as follows :—Harvest work in Waimate district went ahead last week. The weather was grand, but rather on the warm side for hard work. Fully half the crops of wheat and oats are cut in good condition. Crops nearer the Hunter Hills are not quite mature, but a few days of the same kind of weather will fully ripen them. The crops are better in nearly "" r °vy than was expected. His Lordship Bishop Julius preached at St. Mary's yesterday to full congregations. There were a Jew spare seats in the morning, but every seat was occupied at the evening service. In the evening His Lordship discoursed on the conferences between Paul and Felix (Acts 24, 24-5), urging the need, in the present day, for consideration of " justice, self-control, and judgments to come," and the special appropriateness of consideration being given to these subjects during the coming season of Lent. The express for the south, on Saturday was a long and heavy one. consisting of five " reserved" long cars full of budding troopers, eight other long cars, a diner, and four vans, eighteen vehicles altogether. It was drawn by two big Baldwin. engines. The crowd at the station made signalling to the guard and drivers impossible, and the stationmaster had to travel from the station down the line (the leading engine was just at the Atlas mill) to say that all was ready to start. A syndicate lias been formed to work a lignite and shale mine near Timaru, and Messrs Guinness and LeCren have applied to the .Mines Department for an expert's opinion as to its value and the proper method of working it. They- have been informed that there is no Government officer available for advising private owners as to opening up and working coal-mines; but a: list of persons holding certificates as mine-managers under the Coal-mines Acts of 1886 and 1891 lias been forwarded for their information.

The final of the Rowing 'Club's pair-oar race was rowed in the harbour on Saturday evening, when T. McKenzie and Mundell met Healey and Knight. Both crews got away together, and on coming to the first turn Healey was leading by about half a length, but upon the buoy being turned, McKenzie gained two lengths on him. It was at once thought that McKenzie would have no trouble in winning, but Healey gradually moved up, and an excellent finish was seen, McKenzie and Mundell just winning by a couple of feet: Ha,d the distance been a little longer the positions might have been reversed.

Although hampered a little by a not I unwelcome rain during the middle of this i week, harvest operations are progressing favourably in the Rangitata district. Most of the oat crops are in stook, a few stacks appearing here and there, whilst another week should see all the wheat down. The ' crops on the whole are good, and compart favourably with those of previous years. A heavy nor'-wester about a week ago gave the maturer crops a good shaking* and put the river iri heavy flood, causing no little damage to low-lying lands along its banks. Another violent nor'-wester was blowing on Saturday. The employees of Mr S. Anderson's boot factory, with their families and a few invited friends, Mr Anderson also being of the party, drove out on Saturday to Gordon's Bush, in two drags aiid an express, and had a very pleasant outing. The weather was very suitable for a picnic, though rather hot in the afternoon, but the busk. afforded shade from the heat. Rambles and scrambles, games and fern gathering, with intervals for refreshments, filled up the day between the pleasant drives out and home very enjoyably, and the • general satisfaction with the outing was expressed in a wish that the factory picnic be made an annual one. A meeting of -the executive of the Thames Miners' Union declined to approve of the action of the president, Mr Michael O'Keefe, in asking for the removal of Mr Justice Cooper as president of the Arbitration Court. Before tha Minister of Mines O'Keefe stated that the miners liad no confidence in Mr Justice Cooper, and made aspersions on the Judge's fairness, alleging that he was under the influence of the employers. The executive declined to sanction a requisition from the Waihi branch for grants of £SO each to the leaders before the Court, as these men drew a guinea per day. At the conclusion O'Keefe resigned his position as president. The meeting lasted 12 hours.

The funeral of the late Sister Emmerson, of the Salvation Army, took place yesterday afternoon. The cortege, which was a very long one, headed by the Anny band, wended its way to the barracks in Stafford street, where a short service was held around the coffin containing the last remains of one who for over 18 years had been a good soldier of the TimaVu corps. At the graveside a large crowd had assembled, and a very impressive service was conducted b'y Ensign Dickens, assisted by' Captain Home. Last night at the barracks a memorial service was held, when the platform was draped for the occasion, and also contained a vacant chair. Special singing and addresses in reference to the deceased were given. The family have the deepest sympathy of all in then- verv sad bereavement.

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH. llie Sunday School anniversary of the Timaru Primitive Methodist Church was celebrated yesterday by special services which were conducted by the Rev A. b' Todd, of Geraldine. The church 'was nicely decorated for the occasion, a. temporary gallery erected for the children in iront of the choir gallery being quite pretty, being covered with bright red cloth and ornamented with flowers and foliage. Sunday school pictures adorned the walls and the forward aspect- of the church as a _ whole, with the bright-faced children in the gallery, was very pleasing indeed. Slips of selected hymns were printed and distributed, and the children, helped by the choir, sang well and distinctly the hymns they had prepared under the instruction of Mr Chiles. The afternoon service was specially devoted to the children, and was called a flower service, the boys wear-

ing button-holes, (lie girls holding bouquets. The mhii.'-ter gave an addiess on flowers, and the lesson of trust in God which Jesus drew from the lily, in his Sermon on the Mount. Some of the children gave l'C-citations of suitable little pieces, the reciters being—Beryl Leah, Stanley Williams, Fairy Mason, Alf. Bloimitield. Lionel Purdom, Annie Beswick, Gordon Mason, John Leggott and Rose Bloomfield. All of them spoke up well, and were well prepared. There was not so large an attendance of parents as might have been expected at the children's afternoon. TEACHER AND PUPIL. At the District Court, Hawcra, on Friday a libel action, Thomas v. Judd, was' heard. Defendant's son was caned by plaintiff, master of the State school at Eltliam, the lesult being bruises, which led the defendant to move for an enquiry by the School Committee. The committee decided that the punishment was not excessive for the offence of disobedience. A resolution was afterwards published in the' newspaper, but it did not state the nature' of the offence, and the defendant said that, he wiote to the paper in explanation, so that the public might not ba left, under an impression that' the boy had been guilty of something more serious. In the letter he made use of the word "brutality," and "this was the subject' of the action. The medical evidence was that the punishment was not brutal, alid the Judge held that the letter was not privileged. The jury found for defendant with costs. £4O, against the plaintiff. Mr Skerrett notified that he would move for a new trial on the ground that the verdict was against the weight of evidence.

SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISE. MENTS.

National Mortgage, and Agency (;,'o.— Extra entries for Geraldine sale on Wednesday. Dalgety and Co.—Sell Awa Moa Estate at Oamaru on the 7th March.

Fitrmers' Exchange Co.—Sell Mr l'rosser's 'stock in trade, etc., at early date. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile— Pelt* in Smallridge's estate on Wednesday next.

Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association—Sales for this week; stock at Geraldine on Wednesday. New Zealand Railways—Excursion fares to Christchurch for races.

F. H. Stocker, Washdyke—Has farm dray for sile.

House for sale—For particulars apply at Herald Office.

Lieut.-Col. Bailey—lmportant alteration of district order.

St. Mary's Guild—Conversazione this afternoon, concert this evening. Levels County Coiimcil—Notice of appointment of F. W. Battcoclc, as ranger. Government Insurance Commissioner— Particulars of last policy. T. and J. Thomson—Something for everyone; particulars: of all goods. Funeral notice—By R. B. Comer, .Temnka. Wanteds—Three notices.