TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume C, Issue 11665, 23 August 1898, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Already speculation is rife as to the title of the next sensational and interesting story to he published in the “Canterbury Times.” Readers of that enterprising journal-, are invited to discover the title by means of a problem competition, details of which will appear in its next four issues. The proprietors have generously given puzzlers this hint, that the story is an exciting tale of the sea from the pen cl the king of seawriters, W. Clark At the same time there will be a second problem, and valuable prizes are offered for solutions of the two. The paper containing the problems will be issued to-morrow. The Hongkong-Manila cable has been restored. The following have been appointed trustees for the Wainui* Public Cemetery: (Messrs J. Reid, jun., M. Wright and A. Wachsmann.

The Linwood Borough Council has decided to have the river hanks between the East Belt and Cowlishaw’s Comer .planted with shrubs and. flowering plants, j

Yesterday two Burnham boys, out at employment at Rangiora, absconded, but were captured during the day by Constable Roche, on the sea beach near Amberley. On Saturday evening the Kaiapoi Brass Band played a number of selections mi the vacant site near the bridge, which were listened to by a very large concourse of people.

By an Order-in-Council the following persons have been constituted the South Malvern Domain Board : —Messrs E. M’Milian, sen., P. Doyle, P. King, A. P. Woodcock, S. H. M. Jones and S. HaJL The first meeting is to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Mr J. C. Blackmore, Government Pomologist, returned from Wellington on Saturday, He will remain in Christchurch for a few days, and will then, at the request of the fruit-growers of Marlborough and Nelson, pay a visit of some weeks’ duration to those districts. f

The Wellington “Post” says:—Miss Gladys Leigh, the well-known actress, has just received news of the death of her husband, Mr J. A. M’M. Stewart-Anderson, which, has occurred in Western Australia, The deceased was a nephew of the late Charles Stewart Parnell, the famous Home Euler. A benefit is to be tendered to Miss Leigh shortly, to enable her to return to London.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, a Chinaman who was called on to give evidence for the plaintiff in the Students of Truth case, proved to be very accommodating. His Worship asked whether he wished to be sworn on the Bible or by the blowing out .of a match. The Chinaman looked round;, and as he noticed several of the Court officials busily engaged in unsuccessful endeavours to find a match in their pockets, he replied, “ Alice same.” The Patent Office announces the acceptance of complete specifications in the case of Messrs E. Smethurst and R. W. Chapman, Christchurch, an improved dropper for wire fencing. Provisional specifications:—Mr F. W. Painter, Christchurch, improved apparatus for use in learning to ride a bicycle. Mr C. Williams, mining expert, Christchurch, an improved machine for peeling and washing potatoes, turnips, etc. Mr J. Harrow, brass-worker, Sydenham, improvements in water-taps or valves. Mr S. Weld, Christchurch, an improved medicinal compound for external application. Messrs D. E. and F. W. Smith, bootmakers, Christchurch, an improved elastic damp-resisting slip-sole. Mr W. C. Greig, Christchurch, %n improved, hanger for wire fencing.

Mr C. Lewis, M.H.R., and Dr Guthrie were passengers for Wellington by the Penguin last evening. The Anglo-American Company announces that all the restrictions upon cable messages for all places .in the West Indies, and by all the routes, have been removed. Mr J. Petherick, advance agent for the Dante Company, passed' through Christchurch yesterday, -on his way to Wellington. The company, which is at present doing business in the south, will pass through Christchurch on Saturday evening, on its way to Wellington, where it will open on Monday, in the Opera House.

On Friday evening the Kaiapoi Druids gave a concert in the Oddfellows’ Hall, in aid of a’ brother who has been ill for a considerable time. There was a large attendance. A dance was subsequently held, at which many were present Previous to the concert there was a torchlight procession. . The proceeds were over £2O after all expenses had been paid, and this sum will be handed over to the sick brother’s family. •

The eighteenth half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Christchurch Working Men’s Co-operative Society, Limited, was held in the Trinity Hall, Manchester Street, last evening. There was a fair attendance, and Mr J. Efiord (President) occupied the' chair. The report, balance-sheet and auditors’ report were adopted, and the election of officers resulted as follows :—Vice-presi-dent, Mr Doig; committee, Messrs Milne, M’Kellow, Elvines, Barclay, and Wylie; auditor, Mr A. Marshall. I fie meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

At a meeting of the choir of St Mary s Catholic Church, held in the schoolroom last evening, a presentation was made to JVLr A. O’Brien, who is leaving New Zealand for London, to study for his medical degree. In making the presentation of a*set of solid gold sleeve links, on which was engraved the monogram of the recipient, Mr H. R-ossiter, choir-master, referred to the fact that air O’Brien had been secretary to the choir for some considerable time, and had always been untiring in his efforts to further the interests of the choir. The members hoped that he would be successful in the path of life which he had chosen.

Mr Henry Thomson having sufficiently recovered from his late illness to take his seat again as a member of the Court of Arbitration, the industrial dispute in the bootmaking trade, which was occupying the Court at Dunedin when the illness of Mi Justice Edwards caused an adjournment of the proceedings, will be continued in Wellington during the present week. Mr Williams, one c.f the representatives of the Union left for that city on Saturday night, and Messrs J. A. Frostick, J. A. Bridger and J. Kingsland (Invercargill), with Mr R Slater, a member of the Court, left for Wellington last night. Mr Thomson will go north to-day. Messrs F. Wilding, F. Sisson and S. B. Wilson, delegates from . the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association, on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week to give evidence before a Parliamentary Committee at Wellington in reference to the Orchard and Garden Pests Bill, now before Parliament. Exhaustive evidence was taken on the subject, and it is understood that the southern delegates were unanimous in their approval of the Bill, subject to certain amendments approved by the Canterbury committee. All the delegates spoke strongly upon the necessity for high.cultitivation, close pruning, liberal manuring and systematic spraying with the wellknown remedies, which had been tested not only in New Zealand but throughout the world. By adopting these measures the delegates were of opinion that pests of all kinds would effectually be kept under, -and they urged that all orchardists should be compelled to adopt proper remedial measures.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, in a civil action in which Mr A. B. Worthington was plaintiff, several persons who had been members of the body known as Students of Truth before their teacher left for Tasmania, were called as witnesses for the defence; and in his cross-examination the plaintiff endeavoured to discount their evidence by trying to get them to admit that they were hostile to him generally, but he did not get much the best of it. He asked one witness- if he had not been a persistent gossiper against lum, to which he received the reply. “I could not say much good for you.” Of a lady witness he asked: “You have been very active in your opposition to me?” To which she replied, “ Not without a cause. He then asked her, “ Did you not make a personal assault on me? Did you not scratch my face?” and the reply came: “I did not. I’ll tell you what happened. You had been making statements about me from the platform which were untruthful, and I stood on a chair and you stood on the platform, and I said, ‘How can you say that, you white-headed old scoundrel?”’

At the Sydenham Borough Council meeting last evening, the verdict and rider of the jury who sat at the inquest touching the death of W. E. Harper, was read and laid on the table. Speaking on the subject, Councillor Large said he had noticed that someone with more ink than brains had rushed into print and blamed the Council for the accident, when as a fact that body had done its duty in providing by its by-laws and also by a clause in the contract, for the carrying of lights on night-carts. It was for the police to see that this was carried out. Councillor Lafferty endorsed what the previous speaker had said, and added that it appeared as if the newspapers were very antagonistic to Sydenham, judging by the tone of the correspondence which appeared in their columns. Councillor (Taylor said he could, not agree with this. As far as his observation went, Sydenham did not come in for any more unfavourable comment than other boroughs, and in any case, newspapers could not be held responsible for the opinions of their correspondents. If it had been “ a case of touch-and-go,” as ha had heard had happened often before, nothing more would have been heard of the matter.

The ruses adopted by non-paying customers to procure an outfit of clothes on “ tick ■’ from some confiding tailor are wellknown to be many and varied, and it more often than not happens that they are successful. A young man, however, overstepped the mark lately, with the result that he found himself in the dock at the Police Court yesterday, charged with having obtained a suit of clothes under false pretences. He had represented to the tailor that he was in good employment, and on the strength of that representation obtained credit for the clothes. Immediately upon delivery being obtained, he left for Napier, leaving no address behind. The tailor, finding that his customer had flown without settling up, instituted inquiries, and discovered that the absent one had not been employed at the time of the purchase, as he had repreof the police, and a warrant charging the yonng man with obtaining the clothes by means of false pretences was made out, with the result that he was arrested in Napier, and brought back to Christchurch. He appeared before the Bench yesterday, and was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.

“Huntadi Janos.” This favourite Natural Water, in habitual use throughout the world, has established itself as a customary aperient in all climates. Remarkably and exceptionally uniform in composition ; free from defects incidental to others. — Brit. Med. Journal. Annual sale six million bottles. — [Advt.] Sib HeNby Thompson describes natural aperient waters as vastly superiorto artificial solutions, however skilfully prepared ; and “Hunyadi Janos ” as “ the most concentrated op the saline grouf.” Annual sale six million bottles. Signature, Andreas Saxlehneb, on label secures genuineness.— [Advt.]

An advertisement on the front page conveys the pleasing announcement to cycle buyers that Oates, Lowry and Co. have extended the sale period of Atalanta bicycles to Wednesday evening, at 6 * Ok p.m.

Dnnlop tyres and Dunlop Welch rims are the fastest and most reliable combination in the world; guaranteed for twelve months. —(Advt.)

iMcCliiiton and Thomson’s Barilla Soap is what Prof. Kirk recommends. (See advt. front page.) 2224

Messrs H. Muirhead, G. E. Goldsmith and W. T. Chapman have been appointed trustees for the Alford Forest cemetery. The members of the South Rakaia Road Board have been appointed trustees for the Kyle cemetery. The funeral of the late Mr Thomas Hancock took place at the Papanui churchyard yesterday afternoon, and was attended by a number of leading citizens, prominent amongst whom were several of the earlier Settlers in Canterbury. The Rev H. T. Purchas officiated at the grave, and a number of handsome wreaths were placed on the coffin. ■ ,

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. The Public Works Department has received instnictions to proceed at once with the construction of the railway between Blenheim and the Awatere, a distance of abont fifteen miles The work is to be earned out on the co-operatiye principle, under the supervision of Mr S. J. Harding, at present assistant engineer for the Public Works Department at Hunterville. The terminus will be abont the centre of the Starborough Estate, which was recently purchased by the Government for close settlement.

AN ASSAULT CASE. A peculiar case was heard in the Hastings Court on Thursday, when four men were charged with having assaulted a boy by holding him down on the floor of a tailor s shop in which lie was employed, and cutting his hair. The Magistrate exonerated two of the defendants, and held that the others had been guilty only of skylarking. All the informations were dismissed. THE HAWKE’S BAY FLOODS. The late heavy rains are responsible for heavy mortality amongst sheep in the Hawke's fflay district. Over 1000 sheep have been lost from Mr S. H. Lowry’s Okawa flocks, and 500 from Mr W. Broughton’s. THE BAKING TRADE IN WELLINGTON. The Official Assignee, at a meeting of creditors at Wellington cn Friday, said he could not understand how some of the bakers in that city were paying their way, as he felt sure they could hot be malting sufficient profit at the present price of flour. This caused a discussion of a general nature, in which those present agreed that competition was exceedingly keen in the baking trade, and that it was only by having an extensive business and large turnover that a baker could mako any profit. Therefore, suggested cue speaker, “ some of the smaller men should get out.” It would be better for them to do so, said the Official Assignee, than go on and be unable to pay their creditors. AN APPOINTMENT. The Department of Agriculture has appointed Mr John Johnston an assistant grader of dairy produce. Mr Johnston, who will probably be stationed in Taranaki, was for some years manager of Messrs Cuddy Bros.’ butter factory at Mosgiel, and latterly he has been managing a similar establishment at Waverley. AN INTERESTING DISCOVERY, Mr Henry, a. Government resident among the southern sounds, reports that on one of his trips ho saw many old totara trees that had been barked in their young days, and sometimes he could see the marks of the blunt stone axo that had been used by the Maoris to strip them. Some were stunted, old, slow-grown trees, that may have been barked five hundred years ago. The tubes of hark may have been used for eel-pots or for roofing. WEATHER WARNING. Captain (Edwin says that, according to present indications, northerly gales are to be expected in most parts of the country between noon on Wednesday and midnight on Thursday. LOSS OF CATTLE. During last week the whole of a herd of eighteen cattle belonging to Mr George Thompson, of Para, Marlborough, died mysteriously. A local veterinary surgeon pronounced the cause of death to be pleuropneumonia. Similar mysterious deaths of stock have occurred in the same district. Mr Gil ruth went to Blenheim to investigate the matter. He is satisfied that pleuropneumonia is not the cause of the deaths, and that the cattle died from eating poisonous herbage. DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST. The “ Southland Times ” records the death of Mr James Wilson, of Waianiwa, fami’liarly known as “Speaker Wilson,” from his having held the office of Speaker of the Southland Provincial Council for the greater portion of the existence of that short-lived body. Deceased was one of the veiy earliest settlers of Southland, having been one of the pioneers—four or five in number—who took up land on the banks of the Oreti at the spot now known as Waianiwa, in 1856. Mr Wilson took a very prominent part in politics, both local and general, but for some fourteen years has been a martyr to rheumatism.. He was eighty-five years of age when he died. AN INTERESTING CASE. The case Foster v. Phillips, which has been freely discussed in town for some weeks, and which promises some startling ■ disclosures affecting a third party, was called on in the Supreme Court, before Mr Justice Denniston, yesterday, when the defendant’s solicitor obtained an adjournment until Sept. 12. The statements of claim and defence are published elsewhere, and it may be well to explain, for the benefit of those who are unacquainted with judicial procedure and legal phraseology, that the allegations they contain have not yet been supported by evidence. THE NOTORNIS MANTELLL A telegram from Dunedin says : —The specimen of the notornis, recently secured by Mr Ross, Lake Te Anau, has now been preserved and set up, and, being on view in the museum, has attracted considerable attention. Dr Denham says that this fourth specimen is a female, and that it agrees in size and colouration with the specimen in the Dresden Museum. What the ultimate destination of the bird will be is at present unknown. The owner has allowed it to be exhibited here, but it will he sent to him after a few days. Dr Benham was able to examine all the internal organs. He found the stomach and intestines filled with a kind of grass, cut into lengths of a quarter to a third of an inch. Although thoroughly healthy, there was no fat in the body, and he thinks it was driven from high ground by stress of weather. The beak, .he thinks, is needlessly powerful for merely cutting up grass. A BUSHRANGING RAID.

A regular bushranging exploit has been carried out in New South Wales, the mail coach running between the mining township of Captain’s Flat and Bungendore being the object of attack. The outrage was planned with a view to capturing the large cheques and remitances which it was known were to be paid over by the mining companies at Captain’s Flat on Monday, and afterwards to bo sent by the mail coach to Bungendore, to he lodged in the bank there. The coach left Captain’s Flat at half-past four in the afternoon, with six passengers (of whom two were ladies) and the driver, and when within six miles of Bungendore two men suddenly rushed in front of the horses and peremptorily ordered the driver to “ bail up.” The command came with such, suddenness that, in the semi-darkness of the evening, the mailman did not realise that a deliberate attempt was being made to stick up the coach. He therefore continued to urge his horses up the hill which they were ascending. One of the robbers then presented a revolver at the driver, and the other stood close by with a gun levelled at the (passengers. The foremost bushranger (so the driver alleges) snapped his revolver at the horses, evidently with the intention of shooting them, whereupon the

team was pulled up. The men took the mail bags, and specially a sited for the registered mail bag, so that they had evidently been on the look out for it. The registered mail is supposed ttv have contained cheques, drawn principally by the Lake George Mines Company, of the value of over £ISOO. One business firm sent away by the same mail a cheque for £550, and other lesser amounts ranging up to £250. The mail hags were found burnt, and portions of the cheques- amongst them ; so that it is difficult to know what the robbers expected to gain. A young: woman on the coach displayed great:- bravery, and it is alleged that she upbraided the mailman for giving up the bags without demur. She also took charge of large sums of money from the male passengers, which sbe secreted about her clothes. A man named King was airested on suspicion, and some of the money found on him has been identified as a portion of the contents*of the mail bags. The pistol found on the accused was a tiny one of the kind used by children in firing flat percussion pellets. It is also reported that what the other man presented .was not a gun, but a stick.