Christchurch Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1031, 27 April 1894, Page 6

Christchurch Notes.

; * [From Our Own Correspondent.] Edward Parkerson, accountant, was committed for trial on six charges of embezzling the monies of the firm of Harper and Co., amounting in all to LIOSO. An old man aged 74 was sent to gaol last week by the S.M, for vagrancy. The poor old chap was an inmate of one of the homes, but was discharged for not complying with some of the rules. Six weeks hard labour was doled out, as a cure no doubt, and yet we are supposed to be Christians. Suveral fgrain- stack fires have taken place in the Ashbnrton district this season. One farmer lost all his season's crop, with no insurance. Potato growers are complaining of a faulty crop. The extreme wet experienced about two months ago rotted a large quantity of the tubers in the ground, and the result will be a rather reduced yield and increased prices. A farmer named Bolton was committed for trial at Rangiora last Tuesday for the theft of 32 sacks of wheat the pi-operty of neighbouring farmers in the Oust district. Bolton went to the various paddocks where the grain was stacked after threshing, and helped himself. Most of the wheat was found in his barn. Great dissatisfaction exists regarding the manner dairy cattle are treated .at the Addington market. At present the dairy cows are not sold till late in the afternoon, which precludes those in the trade from being presant at the sale on account of having their milk rounds to attend to. Representatives were made to the saleyards company to have the sale earlier in the day, and last week a notice was issued to the effect that dairy cows would be sold at 9 30 a.m., which is the other extreme, as milkmen cannot possibly fluish their rounds in time. A meeting of those interested ;vas held last week, when it was decided to again approach the company on the subject, and if satisfactory arrangements could not be come* to, an effort was to be made to hold a weekly sale of dairy cows alone away from Addington altogether. A yard was offered for the purpose, and an auctioneer had volunteered his services for three months gratis. An answer from the company will probably be received this week, and should it not bo satisfactoi'y we may exiject a new feature in the market line — a dairy stock market — which would be a decided hnp-'ovement. Cows with young calves and in calf have no right to be hustled about amongst mobs of rushing cattle, and it must detract considerably from the value of a good cow to be sj treated, and yarded in a state of extreme excitement. It, seems to the interest of breeders and buyers as- well that something should be done. Some new implements have just been imported from America by a Christchurch firm, and were on exhibiton at Papanui hisi week when they gave every satisfaction. The Ajax pony cultivator is, as its name implies, of very light draught, and is intended to be used amongst all. kinds of crops on small farms. It has five prongs, which can be fitted with shares, mould-boards or hoes, according to the nature of the work to be done, and by means of a simple lever contrivance the implement can be made to work through rows of various widths. All the tools are reversible, so that either ploughing or moulding-up can be done. Another imr plement is the Everett man-weight oultii vator, which is a handy little contrivance suitable for use in large gardens. It is fitted with either one or two main wheels, from which a handle leads, ending in a breast-bar for propelling the implement. This contrivance leaves the operator's hands free to grasp a pair of handles by which the hoes or ploughs can be moved in any manner desired. These arms are hinged so that the implement can work up the ground between the plants, and when the root is reached the plant car, by drawing the handles together, be moulded up. The implements are suitable for hoeing onions or moulding up potatoes, and the ease with which they can be worked on stiff soil is astonishing. A meeting was held at Addington recently to take v into consideration nuisances which were said to exist in connection with the Addington Saleyards, and resolutions were passed upon the subject and are to be forwarded to the directors of the Saleyards Company, the Inspector of Police, the Sydenham Borough Council and the Riccarton Road Board. In referring to the danger to foot-passengers from cattle being driven from the yards, one speaker remarked that he had seen a case of one bullock which was" so wild that it v had to be killed before it could be driven to the slaughter-yard." Another person said that he had seen cattle " run after people and narrowly escape injury." One gentleman called attention to the liability of typhoid fever being contracted from the filthy state in- which ' the yards were kept, and another com-

plained of the. injury caused by the smoke from the Aldington Workshops, when a gentleman interposed the remark that the residents ought to be thankful for the smoke, as by it the residents in the vicinity were fumigated,, and were thus rendered less liable to come to any harm from the smell arising from the yards. — How's this for Irish 1 '