The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, Jan. 29, 1903.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 351, 29 January 1903, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, Jan. 29, 1903.

The Court sits at Ophir to-day. Mr J. Smith, tailor, inserts a change of advertisement in this issue. The Alexandra School will re-open on Monday next, 2nd February,' Miss Burke, teacher of the IdaValles School, has resigned her position. Mr Coombs; dentist, May be consulted At Ophir, on Friday next (to-morrow). The Cromwell Caledonian Society have decidedto hold sports on the 11th April. The Court sits at Clyde on Saturday, and at Alexandra on Tuesday and Wednesday. A meeting of the Central Otago Branch of the Farmer's Union will be held at Ophir to-day. Madame Melba sings at Launceston on February 12fch, and then comes to New Zealand. Mb Jas. J. O'Kane, surgeon dentist, notifies in our advertising columns that he may be consulted at Clyde to-morrow. A picnic will be given to the children of the Roman Catholic Sunday School to-day. The picnic will be held in Mr Paget's paddock. The grass harvest will soon be ready and farmers should see to it that they have their machines ready also. The M'Cormick is always ready. 1 Messrs Hallenstein Bros, have decided to close the Alexandra Branch of the N.Z. Factory, and a cash clearing sale of the stock commences to-morrow. On Sunday next, the Alexandra Brass Band will (weather permitting) play a number of selections in the Recreation Ground, commencing at 3 p.m. sharp. 'Tis not his wealth that makes him great, Nor his enormous e size; The men you know the most about Are those who advertise. i Mr Hi. Sxmes will sell by suction on ■ Thursday next, on behalf of Mr F. Johnson, Poverty Beach, a four-roomed cottage, residence area, furniture, &c. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Two district earth tremors were felt in Alexandra at about 1.45 p.m. on Monday. The direction of the tremors appeared to be north and south, and the shocks were severe enough to alarm the inmates of many dwellings. Mr Robert Gilkison was entertained at a farewell banquet at Clyde last evening, when there was a large attendance, representatives, from all parts of the district being present. A report will appear in next issue.

Because her husband kept beetles, centipedes, and tarantulas alive in their bedroom, Mrs Welch, of Baltimore has been granted a divorce, She declared that the insects used to escape at night and she was compelled to catch them. An excellent programme has been prepared by the St. Patrick's Athletic Club, Ophir, for their annual sports on March 17th. The programme will be out of the printer's hands this week, and copies will be distributed throughout the district. The committee of the Presbyterian Church are much annoyed at the continued breaking of the chnrch windows. As the glass of these windows is somewhat expensive, it is a serious matter, but may prove more serious if the stone throwers are caught in the act. A correspondent writes:—'• A white blackbird sitting on a wooden milestone eating green blackberries," is a paradoxical phrase that often puzzled me when I was a boy; but thatmost wonderful bird,theprohibi« tion-voting inveterate-boozer, is a paradox that knocks the white blackbird silly. At last meeting of the Education Board it was resolved:—That a circular letter be sent to all school committees asking them to state the nature of drinking water supply from the school and inform the board at what dates within a period of two or more years, the tanks orfilters have been cleansed. The " Waikato Argus " says: On one of. the hot days last week Mrs Nicholls, of Pukekura. was astonished to see a sparrow's nest at the top of a gum tree on her place in a blaze. The übiquitous proprietor of the nest must have commandeered a match amongst their building material, and the heal ignited it. Mb G. H. Keid has opened bis Freetrade campaign at Freemantle He announced his determination to pull down the big fence of Protection which had been erected round the jagged coast of Australia. He was going to shape a liberal policy for the development ot the primary industries of the Commonwealth. - : >

There are fewer English tourists in New Zealand this month than, has been the rule in previous years at a corresponding period, remarks the Wellington " Times " It is surmised that the decrease in numbers is in a great measure attributable to the durbar at Delhi having attracked an utmsal number of sightseers and travellers to India. Following on the extremely warm weather la* t week heavy rains fell throughout the district. Since Sunday the weather has been cold and stormy, and on Tuesday a heavy hailstorm passed over Alexandra. Yesterday morning the Old Man and Dunstan Ranges were clothed in mantles of snow from the summits to the foothills. Britain's Army keeps on growing A great deal stronger every day, . The Colonies as well sure showing That they have a little say. Mankind indeed might all be stronger, If they'd take what's good and pure; The very Cough ae te»g®i>~

Thb Tourist Department has been advised, that a party of wealthy Americans will make a tour of the colony in October, mainly with the object of seeing the natural beauties of the colony. It is probable that a number of Canadians, including representatives of the Canadian Department of Agriculture, will also visit the colony about the end of the year. . I Ok Friday evening last, the Alexandra Orchestral Society gave a very, enjoyable open-air concert from the balcony of the Bendigo Hotel. The evening was fine and a large crow,d gathered in the street, the ex-cellently-rendered selections by the Orchestra being heard to much advantage. During the evening, Mr Murphy sang "Motherland'.' and** Fiona." with orchestral accompaniament, the singer's efforts being warmly and loudly applaued. » The "Masterton Times" records that in emptying a tea-pot the other day a peculiar shape was observed amongst the leaves, which upon examination proved to be a small snake about four inches in length. How this baby reptile became to be packed in tea on " Indian's coral strand," how it died in its prison house and its remains scalded in a Masterton tea-pot, belong to a chapter of accidents which may happen to the best regulated family.^

We would direct the attention of the Acclimatisation Society's rangers to the fact that yome person or persons Have on several occasions, lately, turned the water out of the Barnscleugh Go's race, with the object, apparently, of securing the trout that comes down into the race from the Fraser River. Apart from the illegality of this method of furnishing the larder with fresh fish, the action of the poachers has -caused a good deal of inconvenience to the Barnscleugh Company, and if it is repeated someone will likely get into trouble. At the Canterbury A. and P. Society' 3 show, held at Christchurch lecently, Messrs Morrow Bassett and Co.. who represent the well-known M'Cormick implement and machinery manufacturers, have been awarded, for the second time in succession, the gold medal for two complete imported machines (reapers and binders), which, in the opinion of the judges, show the greatest expenditure q£ thought and workmanship calculated to provide the farmer with new and improve;! machinery, such improvements to have been effected within the previous year. The same firm have been awarded a silver medal for the "Excelsior" cultivator.

The Post and Telegraph Department has accepted a design for a new penny letter card which is to replace that at present in nse. The design is by Mr G. N. Sturtevant, of the Government printing office. On the address side are the royal arms and the words '?New Zealand letter card." The stamp at the right hand top corner is of plain design. On the bottom and left-hand is a typical stretch of New Zealand beach, with Maoris and a canoe, a clump of nikau palms, and cabbage trees appear at the side. On the back of the cards are vignette pictures of New Zealand scenery and genre. The card will appear some time in February.

Judging by recent Australian exchanges to hand, an execution in Queensland partakes very much of atheatrical performance. At the recent hanging of Patrick Kenniff, at Brisbane, for one of the most brutal bush murders of recent times, we are told, that in addition to the officials, "Mr Lesina, M.L.A., Press representatives and members of the general public were present." The police, foot and mounted, were present " in force" outside the gaol gates, to prevent any demonstration. After being allowed to hang for eight minutes the body was lowered into " a cedar coffin, beautifully polished, and silver mounted, and conveyed to South Brisbane Cemetery, attended by 400 sympathetic mourners." A RATHER good story is told about Dr Pomare, the Native Health Offices, who, though a full blooded Maori, is no mean scholar, and has travelled to nearly every nook and corner of the Continent and America. The doctor (says an exchange) was travelling in the North by the Whangarei steamer—a run where they frequently carry natives. He was poking round the saloon looking for his berth, when a steward, spying a.member of the Maori race fossicking round, caught him by the arm, and asked with some indignation " Why you makey the ask for what you want you to makey you find." The M-jdico looked him up and down, and in his most faultless accent and with a chilling look, said—"My dear sir, if you cannot make yourself understAd in English, try French or German, or if you do not feel at home in either of these languages, try some of the dead ones— Greek or Roman—.and I will endeaver to converse with you. The steward callapsed amid profuse apologies, and the joke was much enjoyed by a number of people who happened to be in the saloon at the time.