BLENHRIM.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9941, 21 January 1898, Page 7

BLENHRIM.

JaiMevy 11. The four young ladies, Miss MoCsllnm, Miss Linton, aad the Misses Tina and Jessie Fulton, who walked to Nelson, have returned home without needing to have recourse to vehicular aid. As they followed the ooacb road, they thought that if the walk was beyond their powers they could ooaeh part of the distance, bnt help was unnecessary, and they walked the whole diatance, there and back. It waa fortunate that they started when they did, as now bash fires are destroying much of the charming scenery of the Raj and Wangamoa Valleys, and smoke not only is enveloping the adjacent hills* but also invading those of the Wairau Plain, many miles away. Fires in the Pelorus aad Quaes Charlotte's Sounds also contribute their quota of smoke, through which the | sun assumes a lurid and threatening aspect, especially as sunset approaches. ' Many of tbe days this month have bean oppressively hot, and wa long for rain to [ cool the air, aad wasb the accumulations of [ dust off hedges and shrubs, which now look grey instead of green. A sad acaadh—t ocoarred oa a farm here j i about a week ago, when a man in charge of a reaper aad hinder was knocked down, through tbe Jhorasa Mtaohad bolting, and dragged about a chain before he was reeeaad, when it waa found that one leg waa cut off above the knee, besides his sustainiog otter injuriaa. Though immediate steps were taken to atop Ike hemorrhage, he died a day or two after his admission to the !»**•- shockin? occurrence, which baa had a terrible effect wyoo h*r. Symp-hy far bar ia widespread. '. "'''•.-.: * A -oem at Koromiko waa reo—itly burnt, down whilst tbe owner was absent in Picton,; and he, who ii a widower and had left three little boys at home alone, was ao horrified At tba news that 1» est t* end fb_ east t-» wboU diatanos, be—g unaWe, in hta an—ety, to wait for the train wArteh waa mat abort to start. When heajrrifedheffMaa— the bouse mute d*_o*_had, bnt neighbours had reecued the children and portion of the fumitare. The djat*aoe between Picton and Korowriko is about MX wake, up and down the Elevation. ; Mr A. J. Fisher's little girl met with a serious auu—ttut whilst staying with Mrs W. Pickering, in Havelock. She waa swinging on tbe branches of a tree, which broke, and she fell down a steep bank, fraofcunng her thiA-ideallar-baoe. She waa to by%: ff. Hadcans— attd then brought to} the Blenheim Hospital by Mr Pickeriag, and was aoewmpamed by Mrs Pickering and Mr. -Biott. Mrs F-her, who ieabaant in Christahsrnh, haa been sent for, though the poor child is progressing aa weU as can be _rw*__M—_l_! ' "? kraX_o4t is at-viai* with Jto Mailer at Aaaatafboii. M_a Trimnell, of Wellington, is the gueet of Mrs Renwick at Dumgree. Mrs Ferguson, who has bean vieiting in GhrfetelnuW aad WaUiMtaai, £*»»•■_, i ia. In wmk. All MissMi-ue -toO-Us'sl

friends are pleased to hear of her appointment as head mistress of the Blenheim Girls' School. A tennis party from Wellington played a series of matches against some of the members of the Marlborough Tennis Club last week, and were successful in winning six of the nine matches. The visitors were Messrs Gavin, Payton, Smythe, Didsbury (2), and H. Reid. On tbe day of the tournament the ladies of the club provided luncheon in the pavilion, and in the evening the gentlemen of the club were entertained at dinner by the visitors at the Criterion Hotel. Mr and Mrs Black have returned from their trip to the West Coast, from which Mr Black appears to have derived creat benefit. The Misses Croker, of Auckland, are staying with Mrs J. Croker. I hear that Mr Monro, of Bank House, has taken Awarua, formerly occupied by the lata Mr F, N. Robinson, which will be used by the family when in town. Miss Browning arrived last night and is staying with her sister, Mrs Cleghorn. Mrs J. Duncan, of the Grove, is not very well, and ia staying with her sister, Mrs Howard. . On Saturday last Mrs F. 0. Litchfield provided afternoon tea at the Wairau Tennis Courts, and was assisted in dispensing it by her sister. Miss Garrard, of Nelson,. and other young ladies. There was a tempting variety of dainty cakes, and most lascio*— raspberries and cream. Amongst those present were Mesdames F. Dodson, Shaw, Carey, the Misses Ball.Ewart (2), Mills (3), Browne, J. Browne (Napier), Powell, F. and M. Nosworthy, Neville (2), Pomer (2), and Me—rs Claude Mills, F. Bull, Jeffries, W. Ewart, &c. At the Marlborough Tennis Courts Mrs B. Clouston, with several young lady assistants, gave the tea, which was delicious and refreshing. Some present were Mesdames Carey, Orr, H. Thompson, Black, Griffiths,' the Miases Broad bent (Carterton) (2), E. . Carey, Chaytor, Rees, Waddy, Johnston (2), Moore, Bull, Ida Green, Hortou, Farmer (2), and Messrs Harris, D. Chaytor, Orr, Wilson (Greymouth), L. Griffith, Dr. Barnard, <_c. Eliob.