TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11887, 10 May 1899, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The Mariposa, with the San Francisco mail, arrived at Auckland at eleven o’clock last night. The Rotoiti, with the southern portion of the mail, was to have left Onehunga at daylight this .morning. The matron of the Christchurch Hospital desires to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of old linen from Mesdames Garrick, Webb and M’Clarty, periodicals from Mrs Gurney, Miss Izard, Mr S. K. Garrick and friend, and scrap books for the children, madie by Miss Violet Hobday (aged ten). Six charges were heard at the Eangiora Magistrate’s Court yesterday against bookmakers for trespassing on the North Canterbury Jockey Club’s racecourse, and refusing to leave when ordered to do so. Fines amounting to <£l6, with costs about £7, were inflicted. Another six eases will be heard next Tuesday, and six the following week. .. .

Amongst the most prominent literary features of the excellent number of the “ Canterbury Times ”■ which is published to-day are one of the “ True Tales of the Buccaneers,” dealing with Captain Teach, the notorious " Blackteard, an account of a. sensational incident of the early goldmining days in Victoria, a sketch entitled “ The Wiping-out of Sulky Sam,” a narrative of an experience in a submarine torpedo boat, a description of the New Zealand King penguin, a full report of the burning of the Windsor Hotel at New York, notes on the new plays and new books which are being talked of in London, and other articles and notes, which combine in forming a most excellent magazine for the general reader, as well as for those whose interest is centred in special departments of the paper.

At the Malvern foal and produce show, the prize-takers for ryegrass were Mr H Williamson 1, Mr D. Craighead 2, and Mr J. Traver highly commended. The Timaru Borough Council have Voted £2O to their Foreman of Works to buy a bicycle, or a horse, to enable him to go about his ; duties -more rapidly. The Mayor suggested that the foreman should he relieved of some of his duties. He is also inspector of nuisances, inspector of dairies and building surveyor.

The attendances at football matches at Lancaster Park this season have'been much better than they were at the beginning of last season. Yesterday evening, at the meeting of the Rugby Union Committee, the Treasurer stated that the first three matches last season brought in only about £519, while the first three this season had produced over £36.

Hitherto permits to shoot on the Drainage Board’s Sewage Farm have been granted freely, but at yesterday’s meeting of the Board it was decided to withdrawal! permits for the present. The reason for this action is that the rabbits have now practically all been destroyed, and there'only remain the quail. One speaker suggested that the farm should bo reserved for the pleasure of members of the Board, but the majority did not desire to be selfish, at least publicly, and the suggestion was passed over. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society last evening the Chairman paid a. very high tribute to the work done by Dr Moorhouse, as Chairman of the Garden Committee. .What appeared to impress him most was the fact that the sale of fat sheep had brought in £l2 3s lid, and he remarked that if Dr Moorhouse could show such results from the piece of land occupied by the Society, there was no telling what he cou’d do with 100 good acres. One of the members, evidently thirsting for information, asked the Doctor if he fed the sheep on acorns. The Agricultural pages of the current number of the “ Canterbury Times ” contain articles on the wool market, cockle, in wheat, preservatives in butter, agriculture in Nelson, and other subjects affecting the farmer and pastoralist. There are also copious notes on farm, stock and dairy topics, correspondence on trotting at auction and agriculture in Southland, and full reports of London, local and other markets. Under the heading of Poultry there is a useful article upon the cross of the Muscovy and the Rouen, ducks, which has been found in France to be particularly valuable for table purposes. Avery large congregation was present at the Leeston Roman -Catholic Church on Sunday afternoon,- when the Very Rev Father Le Menant des Chesnais, S.M., V.G., established a branch of the Association of the Children of Mary. The Vicar-General was assisted by the Veffr Rev Father Chervier and the Rev Rather Aubrey. Fifteen candidates were admitted. The object of the Association is to foster and encourage habits of piety and good conduct among the girls of the parish. After the ceremony the members walked round the church in procession, singing appropriate hymns, the dresses, veils and wreaths adopted for the occasion giving a pretty effect. The Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament terminated the proceedings. In the case of a woman who appeared before the Magistrate yesterday, charged with drunkenness, Mr Small, an official of the Samaritan Home, said the accused had been for some time in the institution, when she had behaved herself remarkably well. He b4d interviewed the accused, and she had expressed her readiness to go back to the’ Home until another situation could be found for her. Mr Bishop: “ Are you willing to go back ? ” Accused : “ Yes, your Worship. I was in service before, but I came to town last night and got drunk.” MiBishop: “ Well,. you have a very bad record, but if you place yourself in the hands of the Samaritan Home authorities I will convict and discharge you. It is the last chance you will have, remember!” To provide accommodation for SubInspector O’Brien, Inspector Broham and his clerical staff have vacated their offices above the police watch-house, < and removed to the stone building at the other end of the police grounds facing Hereford Street, which was until lately occupied by the Inspector of Weights and Measures. This official now occupies the building which was originally erected on the police grounds as a morgue. The use of the stone building into which the exchange has been made has been the subject of much speculation among the public, and a short account of its history may be of interest. ■lt was erected at the same time as the police watch-house, and in the old Provincial Government days was occupied by Mr Broham, then Police Superintendent of Canterbury and Westland. Since the reduction of the police officers about 1883, when the offices of superintendent and sub-inspector were abolished, the building has been used as a barrack upstairs, and the inspector of Weights and Measures had his offices on the ground floor. Blankets, Flannels, Rugs, and Men’s Lambwool Shirts , and Pants. We are now showing a very special purchase of 500 pairs White Blankets, 1 commencing at 8s lid per pair; 48 pieces of Flannels, from B£d per yard ; 25 Rugs, from 10s 6d each; and 20 dozen Men’s Lambwool Pants and Shirts, from 3s lid. See our windows for special show of these goods.—Shaw, Robinson, and Co., 213, Cashel Street ' 92 Strongest where others are weakest. Zea T 1gr.843. Bicycles, price £2l, built with the new butted tubing, making frames, front forks and head unbreakable, also overhanging chain-wheel and twin roller chain. Write for catalogue. Oates, Lowry and Co., Christchurch and Ashburton. 62 Your wise investment in bicycle pleasure for 1899 demands that you read the beautiful Wavctley catalogue, now ready. You will-also find, on inspection, that these are th’e highest-grade wheels that money can obtain.° The latest stock of sundries kept on hand. Waverley Cycle Depot, 217, Colombo Street, Christchurch. 2396

A good opportunity to secure a useful mount for winter riding. The Anglo-New Zealand Cycle Company have several se-cond-hand machines for sale, good, useful bicycles, both ladies’ and gentlemen’s, from £4 10s.upwards. A special display of these is now being made at the D. 1.6. Depot. A full range of the latest model Angio Specials and Osmonds now being shown. Orders booked for the world-renowned Humber cycles. 278 Special Notice. —Crown Brand Tea prize competitions will be continued all this year round, and will close on the last days of April, June, August, October, and December in each year. Prizes of ladies’ silver and other watches, albums, workboxes, etc. Hubbard, Hall and Co. 2384 Evenden’s Patent Roofing and Fencing Nails, neatest and best; perfectly Watertight. Recommended by architects, and can be obtained from all ironmongers. X 2414 Cyclists who require their machines well and carefully repaired should send them to the “ Premiers ”of the cycling trade. Boyd and Son, Gloucester Street. Telephone 658. 2374 Go to Clarke, and Co.’s 148, Colombo Street, .for the best value in watches, clocks, jewellery, spectacles, etc.—(Advt.)

*Phe Timaru Borough Council commences the current year with an overdraft on the general account of £3026. The Finance Committee, in drawing up the estimates for the year, find themselves compelled to put down on the basis of a Is rate an overdraft at the end of the year of £2717. The loss of the rent of the Eaincliff Reserve has seriously disturbed their finance, and there is-a big bill of law costs to pay on account of the reserve.

A meeting of the committee of the Gust Institute was held on Monday evening; present—Messrs Cooper (chairman), J. Forbes, Wayland, Gardner, Wright, Early, C, Forbes, Hassall and Tipping. It was decided that the whole of the Government subsidy should be spent in the purchase of books. It was resolved that the concert should remain in abeyance for the present. The hall account was reported to be in credit to the amount of ,£6 17s lid and the library account £7 7s. Mr J. P. Firih, head-master of the Wellington College, arrived at Lyttelton by the steamer Eotomahana yesterday. Among the passengers for the south by the express yesterday morning were Messrs J. J. -Kinsey, J. M. Thompson, J. T. M. Hayhurst and the Eev F. W. Isitt. The Eev Gordon Webster, with Mrs and Miss Webster, left for the north by the steamer Eotomahana last evening. They will join the Euahine at Wellington for England. The Eevs C. H. Garland and W. Morley were passengers for Wellingtoh by the Eotomahana last evening. ASHBURTON ILLUSTRATED. The illustrated pages in this week’s “Canterbury Times” are devoted to views at and around the town of Ashburton — “the hub of the plains.” They include a number of views of the beauty spots of the town, whose existence, long unsuspected, is beginning to become widely known through the many visitors who daring the last summer or two have strolled or picnicked in the picturesque domain. The position of the town'as the centre of the largest wheat-growing district in New Zealand is recognised by the presentation of some harvest scenes, which indicate the bountiful yields which are given by the fertile soil. Portraits of some of the leading business men are a tribute to the commercial importance of the town, as are those of present and past members of the Borough and County Councils to the manner in which local government has been conducted, Ashburton borough and county in this respect occupying an enviable position amongst the local bodies of the colony. The various churches and their pastors, and a number of other pictures illustrate the chief features of this important town. An historical description of the town and district, from the pen of - Mr J. MacLeau Dunn, “an old identity,” is little less interesting than the illustrations. The number will be prized not only by residents, but also by the many in all parts of the World who have associations with Ashburton, or to whom it is interesting to kno w something of the characteristics’of a thriving. colonial town and its people. CHAEITABLE AID. The following is a stattSaeut of the expenditure of the Charitable Aid Board for the month of April: —lnstitution relief — Ashburton Home £219 I6s 6d, 67 persons relieved y- Female Refuge £54 7s 4d, 29 persoiia relieved; Memorial Home £193 13s 2d>. 66 persons relieved; Orphanage _maintenance £44 11s lid, boarded ont £44 12s 3d, 25 persons relieved; Samaritan Home £53 17s lid; Armagh Street Depot £36 16s, 16 persons relieved. Outdoor relief- —Money allowances £456 7s, rations £542 17s 6d, clothing, boots and blankets £1 8s 3d„ fuel £9 14s Id, drugs and medical attendance £53 11s 9d, funerals £lO 9s ; number of cases relieved 360. Maintenance of 40 destitute children boarded out £B2 11s 9d, maintenance of 4 invalid persons boarded ont £l4 4s 3d, maintenance of 36 children at Industrial Schools £96 9s. General expenses— Office £174 5s lid, legal costs and members’ travelling expenses £33 ss, misceDaneSps £9 5s 6d. Total amount of expenditure £2134 4s. The total number of persons relieved, in April was 1356 as against 1443 in March., MASTER AND APPRENTICE. Before Major Keddell, S.M., at Oamarn, on Saturday, a cabinetmaker proceeded against his apprentice for being absent without leave from his master’s service before the term of apprenticeship had expired. It appeared from the evidence that some words'passed between master and apprentice, when the master ordered his servant to knock off the work he was doing. Defendant alleged that he _ was ordered to leave the shop, but admitted* that in going away he was only doing what he had previously, resolved upon, having rebeived an offer of higher wages. Mr Creagh quoted Section 9 of the Master and Apprentice Act of 1865, which says that the apprenticeship of a boy shall expire at the age of nineteen, and the case was dismissed. This means that no matter when a lad enters his apprenticeship be cannot be held longer to his indentures than the period when he.reaches the age of nineteen. A DANGEROUS TOY. The “Otago Daily Times” draws the attention of parents to the danger to children by allowing them to become possessed of the small tin whistle that is usually concealed in the packets of confectionery that children are wont to purchase. The whistle is similar to that which a little boy swallowed the other day, and which necessitated medical treatment at the hospital. It is made of two circular pieces of tin, •with a hole pierced in the centre. The object, which is a little larger than a shilling, is placed inside the mouth, and the whistling sound is produced by blowing through the hole. It will thus be seen that from the very nature of the toy it is a risky thing for children to _ play with, for when placed in the mouth it is no small feat to hold it in position without swallowing it. BEATING THE MAIL STEAMER. The Auckland correspondent of the “ Otago Daily Times ” says : —lt is worthy of record that a “ tramp ” cargo steamer trading to New Zealand has performed the London-Auckland passage in faster time than the London mail via Suez and Australia has taken to reach here. A passenger who arrived here from London yesterday came ont to Australia by the mail steamer Orotava, which left London a day before the Waimato. Ho was surprised on his arrival here by the Mararoa from Sydney to see the New Zealand Shipping Comnany’s cargo steamer Waimate lying at Queen Street wharf. The Waimate did the voyage in forty-six days. The liner Orotava left Tilbury docks for Australia on March 17, at noon. The Waimate left Gravesend for Auckland on March 18, at 6.30 a.m., 20 i hours after the mad, and she arrived here via the Southern Ocean three days before the Orotava’s passengers landed here from Sydney. The fact is very creditable to the New Zealand Shipping -Company’s vessel.