LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXII, Issue 6698, 16 October 1905, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Weather Fouguast. — Captain Edw'n wiros h.3 follows : - Strong winds fco galo from between north and west aud southwest; glass rise ; rain probable.

■ Riybr Report.—Tho Post Office rivpr report ia as follows:—Tho .^elwyn is <iis-colrur-eri, tho Ka.kn.iais ci'dMr, tho Ashhurton (upper) is discoloureJ, the Ltangitata and tho Opihi are clear.

Wkeki.t Stock: Maickkt—Tho usual weekly stock market will be held at tho Tinwald yards to-morrow.

Dollars minus Duty.—Speaking yesterday morning at the Baling Square Church, Dr Torrgavo it as his opinion that the man who gives of his money to God, but withholds his time and service, is both a raenaoo and a hindrance to the Church.

Prospects at Rak«ua.—Aftor a spell of cold wet weather, slight frosts appaa'red, and there is every appearance of fine weather. Everything is in a backward state. In spite of the roup,h weather there will be a really good percentage of lambs, which are looking well. Feed is plentiful.

Methvbn. —The Methven correspondent of a Christchurch paper writes :—After a few days of drying north-westerly winds, it commenced to rain from the south-west early on Friday morning. By nine o'clock sleet was falling heavily. On the upland.*, near the foot of the hills, snow fell to a depth of three inches. It will be very Revere on tha yourjg lambs. Some farmers in this district h".ve already lost heavily ; one having lost 120 lambs out of a flock of 300 ewes, and another 90 out of a flock of 400 ewe?. Towards the afternoon the weather cleared a little, but iv the evening light showers Tfjre falling.

An Anti-Prohibition Lecture.—Mi.' 11. M. Stewart, of Dunedin, gave an address ia the Methven Schoolroom on Tuesday evening, to a large audience, on " The Fallacies and Failures of Prohibition," Mr W. Morgan, J.P., was in the chair. At the close of his address Mr Stewart was subjected to a great number of questions, and finally Mr H. Rands moved—" That Mr Stewart^should be thanked for his address, in wfhich he had done his best for a bad cause, but had utterly failed to show auy fallacies or failures." This was seconded by Mr Lock. No amendment being fortbcoiniDg, the vote of thanks was carried amidst laughter.

An Unrehearsed Item—The " Temuka "Leader" is responsible for the following :— The imposing and solemn spectacle was witnessed at a late hoar on Thursday night of a gentleman, presumably belonging to one of che bands, gracefully sitting in the middle of the road and embracing a large B fiat base, from which intermittently issued the strains of a tune, which somewhat distantly resembled the " Dead March." To what band he belonged could not be discerned, as he had removed his coat, probably on account of the heat. Tbe display was immense, though perhaps scarcely up to contest form.

Angmng—As a result of the Ashburton river being discoloured, together with the cold nature of the we-ither, vory few fish have been caught during the past week, either at tho mouth or up stream. Since our last report was published, Messrs Carney Bros, have landed several fish afc tli9 mouth, the average weights being from 31bs to Gibs. Mr H. Margetts succeeded in landing two fish weighing 81bs in all, while Mr J. V. da Beer and several other Ashburton anuler3 have grassed a few fish of smaller weights. No good fishing is expected till the Bnow on the ranges has disappeared and the weather has become milder.

Pekjj Forest.—A Feel Forest correspon dent writes;—Thu weather hero has bean very cold nnd rough lately, with one or two very heavy rainfalls. All drilling and farm work is stopped, the land being water logged. Notwithstanding the long spell of wintry weather the lambing ha 3 been exceedingly good. In a trip through the Geraldine, Hilton, Kakahu and Kaincliff districts I was pleased to see suoh a good show of sound, strong lambs, and I did not. sac more than ten dead lambs in the whole of thrtse districts. Stock are feeling the weather as there is not much grass, and what there is is 60ft. Wool, if the weather does not become warm, will be very light, but should be strong in staple, as it has had no check during the past winter. Bush matters are virtually dead.

WESTMIIfSTKR GLEE SlNGtEl^S.—Much interest is being taken in the concert to be given by the Westminster Glee and Concert Party in the Oddfellows' Hall to-night The highly favourable impression this accomplished pirty created by their admirable singing when ia these colonies two years ago, leads us to anticipate a repetition of tha great musical treat then afforded. Since the party were last here they have returned to London and have been reorganised by Mr Edward Branscombe, and bring with them for this town a new repertoire of madrigals, glees, and part songs. Amongst the boy sopranos,' (four in number) with the company are Masters Edgley, Ludlow and Marzicani, who are recognised as three of the fluent solo' boys ia England. Madame Marie Hooton (contralto), Mr Edward Branscombe (tenor), and Mr Percy Coward, whose marvellous alto voice will be remembered, are still members of the party, the humorous element being supplied by Mr Dudley Oauston. Mr T. D. Sterndale-Bennett, grandson of the fam »us Sir William, is also amongst the vocalists appearing Reserved seat and day sale at the Dresden.

Thk Thiest for Beeb.—Two local men who had imported a five-gallon keg of bear the other day unintentionally provided refreshment for others. The rightful owners took their beverage hotne, and placed it in a small safe outside the honse, securely locking Iho same. Oa their return home late at nif»ht they repaired to the locality of the s»fo, but in the words of the nursery rhyme " when they got, there " the gtife with cask therein had disappeared. Indignant and disappointed they placed the matter in the hands of the police. Late on the following evening a pair of marauders stole up to the premises, carrying the 3afe and an empty kog, and the robbed ones, who were on the watch, etnphatir.ally apprised them of their views of fheir act, and the cqnsecjuonees it was likely 'to entail. Subsequently, a compromise • was effected, and the despoilers have since replaced their ill-gotten gains by a kog of fcenrgitlloQ dimensions,