LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXII, Issue 6700, 18 October 1905, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Eiveb KEPORT.—The Post Office river report is as follows:—-The Kelwyn is clear, the Rakaia slightly discoloured, the Ashburton (upper), Rangitata, and the Opibi are eleapj

Lambing PEKCENTAaEs. — Despite the heavy mortality among flocks, several farmers in the Lauriston and Lyndhurst districts have a lambing percentaga of about 130. The average lambing, however, is about 100 per cent.

Shearing Operations.—A. number of farmers throughout the County have already shorn tbeir forward conditioned shi>ep. Operations at fcha Cfegrteey Co operative shearing shed commenced yesterday.

The Crops.—Throughout the Winchmore and Lauriston districts the cereal crops are looking much more advanced than thosti in the district adjacent to the saa beach The grass grub, however, has made itself noticoabie in more than one padlock of crop, while ol.dgrasE pasture in many cases has beenattapked bythegrubj ,

Pigeon F^yinc* Eaoes.—Two pigeon flying races; will ba flown to-morrow in connection with the Ashburton Homing Club. Birds will be liberated at Clinton, Otaso, (195. miles air line); and at-Cul-verden, North Canterbury (95 miles »ir line). Cver a dozen birds have bfion entered for each race.

Sinoung at Work—At the works of a Warringfcon firm oil aoap makers the fyiri employees tare encouraged to sing parb songs * while at york. The objeot is to relieve the monotony. In the department* that number more than thirty girls and have not noisy machinery, they are encouraged to sing during the last hour of work in the morning and in phe afternoon.

E?a?l?i8S8 Deputed.—TJie second express from the sQt^t^'was pjrer $n hour 'late in reaching Ashhurtop, and foftyn^iuutao late in reaching Christchurch last nigh'ij, owing to the derailment of a trpek o? an intermediate train between Dunedin and Timaru. It took two hoars to get; th» truck on again, causing the express to ba aa hour and a half late on leaving Tiuuru. Fifty minutes were gained on the journey to Christchurch, where the express arrived in time for all the passengers to Lyttelton to catoh the last train for the port.

Weather Forecast. — Captain Edwin wires as follows : —Strong winds to gale from between north and west and south west; glass fall soon; rain probable.

Bank of New Zio a land.—Tenders for 13,783 forfeited shares in the Bank of Now Zealand wc^re openod at Wellington yesterday. Tendor.s for 60,o;O shares wore received at price 3 ranging from «£t Is to £fi 10s per share. Al2 tenderers at Mls fid or over will recoive allotments in full. Those at £6 Is will receive allotment pro rata, prohablj about oae-third of tho number of fliaros applied for. Those tendering, at less than £(5 Is will receive no allotment.

AunrriNa Local Bodies Books.—A largely attoudod meeting of ratepayers at Marten on Momlhy pnss«d h resolution calling the attention of tho Government to tho very incomplete ujannnr in which tho Audit D^pirtment carries out its duties in auditing the bb-)ks of loi-al bo lie?,'and pointing out that while no notice is takon of outstanding rates, etc, an open door is left for embezzlement, which could easily be closed by the Department sending out notices of such outstanding accounts fruin Wellington, with an iul.iumtion that if anything is wrong with the claim, communication must ba held direct with the Audit Department, and not with the local body conoernod; the cost to be borne by the local body. v

Miss jESRirtMACt.iCHLAN.—An unusually demonstrative audionoe bade farewell to Miss Jessie Maolachlan on the occasion of her last appearance at tha Wellington Town Hall. All her numbers were encored, and her singing of "The March o' the Cameron Men " aroused intense enthusiasm. Nine time she was compelled to bow her acknowledgments. Mr Fred Shipman, agent for. the '• Qunen ot Scottish Song," was in Ashburton yesterday, and arranged for one concert to be given in the Oddfellows' Hall on Monday, Oct. 23. This will be the Scottish prima donna's only appearance in Ashburton.

Railway Timetable Alterations—The following alterations in the railway timetable will come into force on November 1 : — The morning train to Timaru will leave Asbburlon at 6.40 a.m., Tinwald 6.41>, Winalow 7.4, Hinds 7.26, Rangitatft 8.9, Orari 8.35, Winchester 8 50, Temuka 9.5, Washdyke 9.33, arriving Timaru 9.50. a.m. The afternoon train to Timaru will laava Ashbuvton at 4 p.m., Tinwald 4.10, Winslow 4.26, Hinds 4 50, and thence to Timaru as at present. The morning train to Ashburton will leave Timaru at 7.15. a.m. Washdyke 7.28, Temuka 8.1, Winchester 8.18, and thence to Ashburton as at present. The afternoon train to Ashburton will leave Timaru at 3.55 p.m., Washdyke 4.8, Temuka 4.40, Winchestar 4 56, Orari 5.12, Kangitata 5.36, Hinds 6.24, Winslow 6.46, Tinwald 7.1, arriving Ashburton 7.10 p.m.

Ministers' Association — The monthly meeting of this Association was held on Monday afternoon at the residence of the secretary, Moore Street. In addition to the members, there were present Dr Torr, who is conducting a mission in the We3leyan Church, and Mr P. Valpy, of the Poona Mission in India, also the Rev. W. Harris, locum tenens for Rev. R. T. Hall. Arrangements were completed for Citizens' Sunday, to be celebrated on the 29th inst. It was also deoided to hold a citizens' public meeting iv the Presbyterian Church on Monday evening, the 30th inst., addresses to be given by several Ministers, the several town ohoirs to be asked to sing. The Revs. Inglis and Salter were appointed a deputation to convey fraternal greetings to the Wesleyan Synod which meets here in November. Dr Torr delivered a very thoughtful address on "Present Day Phases of Theological Thought," and Mr Percy Valpy addressed the meeting on " Mission Work and Idol Worship in India." Both gentlemen were heartily thanked for their' interesting addresses.