LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Postponed.— Mr E. P. Hodgson, agent for Dr Sinclair, th« celebrated Molbourne Dentist, telegraphs that ia consequencß of the enormous business the doctor is doing on the West Coast, he cannot arrive m Blenheim until about the Ist of Angust. He will probably remain hero till the 6th»

Havelock. School Committee.— This Committee met on Monday last. Present : Messrs Dive (chairman), Guinness, Smi.thj Clarke, Jones, and Rev. E; Shears. The minutes of previous meeting read and confirmed. Tho following accounts were passed for payment :— Hopper 9s, Price 30a, Mrs Kreig £3. The following report re attendance was read for the quarter ending June 30 :— Roll : Girls 56, Boys 51 ; working average : Girls 4065, Boys 43 09. It was resolved that » holiday be given on Tuesday, July 22nd, 1884, The Committee then adjourned until August 18, 1884. • ; . Ball-— We understand that the Spring Cteek Rifles give a ball to-morrow night m the Martboroughtown.Hall. ' "•■•'■■ ! Bobough Council. —An adjourned meeting of the Borough Counoil will be held to-morrow night for the purpose of considering the report of the' Sub-Com-mittee and the Inspector of Works upon the Beaver- street bridge,. . , | HuNt Club.— 'We would remind thoße , persons interested m the Bubject, that a meeting to establish a paper hunt will be I held at the Club Hotel at 8 o'clock to? j night, r: /. '•? V.' ,0 ;;" !

Committeb Meeting.— Mr Dodson'a town and .dbuntry: :conimitteeß are requested to meet at 8 o'clock to-night, at the uanal place. j

Football,— lt appears, that all hopes '6f -a 'match' between Mar'lborongh and Hawera are not yet at an end. Mr Clark, Hon. Secretary, of .the local clnb, has received a letter' from Mr C. E. Major of the Hawera club, stating that ho will irrite m about » month aa to hill inqn. paying us a visit and. playing. & friendly game. 1 will : be' ; ms'de heartily welcome if they come. ,

Poor Pilliet!— Mr W. H. Pilliet, who was at one ■time talked <about— or, rather, talked about' himself— as a candidate for Pioton, met with a warm reception from the. Stanmore last week. They pelt^pm 'svsS eggSiof-sufhtjan'oddf^us fra'ture that, "•'according' to" Mark Twain, thayi must, ha va : bean. laid : bj a/ yeij unhealthy hen. .' i y JThe 'BAB-^-Owingmho'squthJeasterly windtbe baip iriu'.alo'sed.frdni'^SAtarday. last until ' this '' afternoon, when the Mohaka, which had been waiting fire dayjs at- tha Heads, managed, toi get oht'."' Thjs Waihi, irhioh left Wellington on Tuesday afternoon, will probably come up the rirer this eveuing at 6 o'olook. She has been on a fishing exoursion to Port Under- : Tfood.in the meantime. .■ \ :

Dbolibation of thb Poll.— -Mr John White, Returning Officer, will deolare the poll for the Wairau election on Saturday afternoon at. i o'clock. The Picton declaration will take place at noon tomorrow. '"■ ' "

A Goldest Wedding.— lt does not come within the functions of a newspaper to touch upon private matters, bnt there are now and then oooaßions when the boundary line between public and private affairs may.ba oversteppsd, and.it.ia sach an one 'when two of our oldest and 1 most respected citizens c lebrate their golden wedding. We are informed that to-day Mr and Mm J. R. Dodson complete their." fiftieth year of married life, and we feel sure that \ra shall bo only echoing the wishes of a host of friends if we express the hope that they may be srjared. to spend, together many more anniversaries of the auspicious day. — Nelson Mail.

The Late Mb 'Adams. — Tha late Mr Wm. Adams, whose death at the ripe old age of 74 we announced yesterday, was a verj old settler m Nelson and Marlborough, and will be much missed from sooial circles. He was a member of the legal profession at Home, : praotising m the' West of England, and came out to New, Zealand about" 35 years ago. He purchased a run at Waihopai (now Mr Tosohemaker'a), wbioh he named the Bedwood Ban,. »nd the.Langley Dal? estate,, and-liveS on the former for a considerable 1 number of years* -Subsequently he removed to Nelson- and practised as a barrister and idliaitor, Mr EirigSon Joining him m partnership after a little while. Ten years ago Mr Adams retired from active . praotice, and came to reside at Langloy Oak, wliiah he made his home till the day of his death. In the early days of . Marlborongh he toolran active part m looal and general politias, wag tha first Superintendent of the province, and a member of the Provincial Council for the firßt two or thre? year's of its exist-' enoe. He was also a member of trie General Assembly m the ' early days. In later years he took no aotive part m gublio afiaira, bat he retained a keen interest m them to the last. On the very day before hid death he sent a mosienger to] enquire how the eleotion fight between Mr Dodßon and Mr Ward was progressing. For ttye last eight or ten days of his life he suffered from" bronchitis, bnt yesterday morning he felt .well enough ta get up «nd dreßß.' About noon," 'however, his youngest son foand him lying on the bed, with his olqthes on, and nearly expiring. Mr Adams leaves behind him" four sonsMr W. Bj Acton Adams, a solicitor m partnership with Mr Joyot, at Christohurch ; Mr Percy. Adams^a.solioitor Nelson ; Mr L»ag!«y Adams, a settler qn these. plains.; and a, fourth, son 'who resided 'with his father at L&ngley Dale. Mrs Adams also survive) her husband.. -It is not probable that ■ tho deceased gentleman will be buried until after Sunday, and a leaden coffin, mada -by Mr John Smith, of Blenheim, was sent up to Laogley Dale to-Oaj. >As : a genial and' hospitable man, and a good specimen of the high-spirited English gentleman, Mr 'Wm. Adams will: ba pleuantly remembered. He was a wealthy man, and leaves behind him a large estate. The Van. Archdeacon Butt, an old friend of the deoeaied, left for Langley Dale last night, and bis consolations will doubtless be much appreciated by the family.

Spoiling the Philistines.— A Nelson merchant (says the Colonist) whilst on a visit to Blenheim the other day, was dragged into tha vortez of the political (squabbles which are now going on there, and to eaoape being looked upon as a psrtiian of either Bide, he offered to wager that the speeoh of Mr J. Kerr, one of tho candidates for the Motueka seat, was a better one than either that of Mr Dodeon or that of Mr Waid. The bait took, and several Beaverites were speedily booked for some pounds. Thereupon a committee of three dentlomen. was 'appointed to read the respective speookes and judge as, to their merit*. Their roportwasin due time 'handed m, and their judgment being tbat Mr Eerr's speech was tUo most able, the 'Kelson merchant avowed being dragged down by the rival faotiona, and at tho aamo time pocketed somonotia from each,. [This is one of Mr T. Harjey's little plajlul stories,] ' "'" t

="■'• Famous Water.— We notice that I>ro. fesspr West, the celebrated barber of Bridge Street, is advertising m the Nelson papers that he has for sale bottles of the eye-water from the Havelock spring. It would seem that eye-water, like the Scriptural prophet, is never without honor save m its own country.

The Laxd Monopoly, -^TUe following figures are instructive :— Two people In Southland County own 250,000 acres ; one man m Piako, 51.06S ; one m Cook, 3S,000; ouein Waikato, 90,000; one m VVairarapa Kast, 52,000 ) fives m Hawke's Bay, 139,000) one m Marlborough, 78.000; one m Cheviot, 100,000 ; one in ' Ashley, 79,000; one m Geraldine, 73,864; one m Tuapeka, 78,240 ; and another m Southland, 50,447 acres. In Wallace Connty five own 67,322; four m Southland, 103,594; one m. Ta&peka, 22,730; four m Clutha, 133,457 ; two m Bruce, 42,192 ; one m Taieri, 21,000 ; . one m Waikonaiti, 23,394; one m Waitaki, 33,000; six m "Waimate, 212,821; two m Ashley, 50,000 ; three. in Cheviot, 95,201; eight m Amuri, 251,435 ; one m Kaikoura 20,381; tea m Marlborough, 308,622; six at Wairarapa, 138,764 ; one m Manawatu, 26,661 ; one m Rangitikei, 25,757 ; one m Waipa, 21.8C0. This doe 3 not : include the immense areas of native lands; held as leaseholds. An.Auoklapd land ring holds 300,030 acres at Murimotu, m the- centre of the North island ; and a ITawke's Bay firm of land jobbers hold 200,000 acres on the East Coast. .... :

Blue Ribbonism.— Mr William Noble,; founder of the Blue' Ribbon movement m England, contemplates a tour round the. world, and will probably visit. Australia.'

The fate op a .Borrower.—A gentleman of Chicago, a Mr .M'Farland, borrowed »' ladder from a frleod who lived m his neighborhood m order to fasten^ np a creeper. But' unfortunately the ladder: broke, and Mi t M'F»rland found himself oa/the ground with a brpkeji leg; .He is now engaged- in. suing his" neighbor" for lending him " in' unreliable artiole.

Baks to.Matrimony^How would the ladies of the present day like this edict, whic|i m 1770 was solemnly pssaed and duly registered m France' under LouU XV,. to be adopted In England ? " Whoaoerer, by means of red or white paint,perfumes,' ensencles, artificial' teeth, false hair, cotton wool, iron eonets, .hoopsj shoes' with' high heel*/ or'faise Hipß, shall seek to entice into the bands of marriae? any. male subjeot 1 it ELiß'Majeatyi- shall bßproseont^d f or witohoraf t, andldeclared incapable of matrimony." „ , WHpjj^Kusps^itHE^ii Difs I— How maoh- depends da the life of the Emperor 'Vyilljamfof; Germany, is shown : by..-th4 anxious tone of the. German Preis m its comments on his health. As for the 'French Press, gtimejot itß.organsiseflnr .to think thatEnrope is on. the threshold of i new era. For example, the National asks a series of questions on the subjeot, which it does not attempt to'-aDswerV ! '" When the Prince Imperial of Germany beciitdei Effipmorj-TriH he" rid- himself -of- Prince Bisniftrdk? "' Willis, .'like Kis father',' be the devoted friend • of-the Holatein Gottorb family? like ibis' ipredecesior, wage war ;against the Catholio Churoh^ Will he lean for -support : on itholiGertnan Liberals or on German,. OqnserTatives J What will be the' relations 'of the ne^ Emperor towards. the native land of the Empress?- And:fjhalfy,"will fhenewEmiperor seek new military laurels m 'a- wai with France?" ■•■ ;

A Fond Sbif r — The patriarchal ayatecji whioh prevails m Chinese family life, erf which Colonel Tcheng-ki-Tcrog -speak i highly. '.in th# J£evae,.des, Dear Mondes , has; -lik6 L 6Ver3fthiDg'-elße, its tw* Bides, Maybe that it 4s, oondijpti^ to the juifr rivslled/peaco and luppioiis .of QlTines i families, but at the same time it is.Bopie ■ times the pause of grief aoddistarbanci which would net otherwise be felt. 1. Chinese boy^- 40, yew^flfiajie, who ever/ | day received a flogging" from his lovin ; j mother,. said-onaday, .witlLiaats. iaJii i eyes, to a friend, " Alas ! my friendL tfiftfg^do.noe look pheer.fnl <-fitti:*ny ol<[ mother ; her beatings grow 'weaker da' ' .? ftar l^ a^ .^v; ••; ; : .<w<>)~ - ' Poe3smbk- oh -Joties,— Following ot upholding the ' : . prepedenfc Lu j ,dow.a -by judge' Smitt xa, NatsS; Mr •Jiia{ioe''ShfeßTierd hay, aooording to Oolonieff md In&id, ezansed a member of the; Press :at Qraail Beinet, vrho had been aummoned. far that dut^, from sitting as a jafymah. Jndga Smith 1 went so far' as to say tHat %q thdaght a!l ; r«porte(3 shonld- faeisxoaaod ! from serving on a jacy. beoausa, ihioagti tbßir presenca at preliminary, pzaminations ,juad. enquiries ; fpr the purpose, o{ puoiiil)ing the game' as news, .they migllti bai n, posiiession of faota vrhiah might oome bdt m eyidenoe, and probably they would have pre-jadged;theoa^e.;, ; , ,!];•, i-^i^-^vi

• Bak'bb PiBHA.^-Says * Home paper of May 24th.>^-Baker EMnaMo.is staying m Doveri»tee(6t, London,, wont under an operation on Thursday' which may confine him to his. room for. some. time. It is understood that the petition to Her Majesty jfti*Torof JiyfjiestoritioDjto ttie British army has already beeiisigned by over ■ 12,000 persons,- inoluding several Peers and members of the House of Gommons. Tho petition will b« presented to the Quern through the Secretary of State for War. ' ' ;

Tecb Wheat Supply.— Saya tbe Pall '.Mall Gazotte of May,3Sth :— An estimate is circulated m the corn tralq, and it reoeiTes attention from the cate with whioh it ia obviously made" up, that foraiga' And home supplies [of wheat .will be so inaafficisat duriui? tho uoit two months. *s to leave our stock's' less by 710,000 qra at•the eddf of July than ht proaant. Never-tholosa-stooks. aro stiHifaic, though not very largo m amount, and tho weather, promises not ouly a good but *n early harvest, Whore there any chance of dearer; wheaT liter ou, jth^ (fontiuental quotations for-futuroa'^ would b« higher, tha? at present', the July I 'delivery being actually on 1? per qUsTtor/abdvi spot price, and barely tb^t,, which, is not snfficient'differenoe to pay rot 'storage. :

"Aw Ascisnt True.— At a recent meeting of th,e Berlin Madioal Society photo-, graphs' were shown by Professor Virohow o( ib« gigantic plane '{jree m! the island of Cos, under ths sh»de.of w.hioh Hippocrates is said ,by : tradition to have held jhedioal ddnaulta|;ibns. . The 'tree- gtania 1 m tho market-place of the town 'of Cob, on the | east aide.of the island, and the branches, :whioh'6p'r^d-6mue*T#thO:Waote:<Jf the i market-pUae, arq supported by marble j pillars. ' I Apropos, — A howe.^hose every 4*> cpfild.be counts frotrCaf»r > .and.^ho was not able to travel faster than a. wilt, one day met a fat ox, who asked of ' bitn-r- --•• Whioh way, my friend !"—" I »tn dn' ray way to attend a great politiaal dikouasion." — " Indeed, wliat is tho subject to be dißousaed I"— " It is, n'hether ttyo owners of Id an horses like myself shall raise their own hay, or' buy it abroadi"-f- --" Exaotly— but. as you aonnj to get node of the, hay, no matter : whiuh, theory of tljo case prevails, I'd advise you to jpoad yonr time • grazing on- the cbmrhbnS."-*-Moral : The ; workman' '.who rang after political patties will starve between them. —American fable. ... , t . ; . \ BBAPBR3 Of. the I£ABLBOROU9H ; ExPRE 33 oan aave their money by purohasii^g Drapery, Olbttiitig, . «<J<I Houbo ;'Furpißliings at Loidou'-Hoiisd. ' Subplus ' 'sal i, aUigood&redaoed ih price. Remembir Colored Velveteens 1b 9d, TwiUqd ,Wit - coys at 6d, Tapostry Oarpeta from la 0( , Mon'a Overooata from 1 18g 6d. Gres t bargaina m Millinery, Cqsfamos^ Jaak^ti , and tylsters. Tho salo i« for one mont i only, and will positively olose at tho on 1 : of tho prtsoot mofith.T-SjrALK and Hat — ADTO. y

Cash Vbrso3 Cebdit.— T. Smale, having purchased a quantity, of Drapery, Boys" Suits, Shirty Ties, Colkrs, Ladiei Costumts, ' Co»ets,' Hits, Gloves, Hosiery, Ac, at greatly reduced prices, will offer the same for cash, at prices whioh will defy competition i Open on Friday, June afth. Next th« Misoaie, Hotel,— (Aovl.) ;

Wanted.— Ll.OOO within SO days. In consequence of our town being overrun with adventurers, who come here trying to gull the public of M»rlborougll with their cheap sales and suchlike nonsenlji, we are now determined., to put a stop to this, id this way; namely, I&vlngthem no business to do, as we intend to realise thii amount m 30 day*, and to do' io, we *ill offer. the whole of our new stock at cost price (for oash only), and we 1 , may also state that our is hot a stock twenty years old, and brought here to find • resting place, buf'the whofe of our iiook is new, just from the manufacturera} suah as is not tb bt found In any otlier house m the Province. So we Inbind to start thli great clearing sale on SatqrdiT next, 'lor 30 days only; so bomb early aSa seenre the: best talue for moneji . • Biakin and.Aokroyd, Marlborough floiue, Mar ket-stre'et Aorth.— Advt. ■ '"■.•.•.