TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CII, Issue 11963, 7 August 1899, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The Burnham School Committee will visit the Industrial School to-morrow.

. Mr W. Bryans, Longbeadh, has been appointed clerk and overseer to the Rangitata Road Board. ,

: The Wakanui flour-mills have changed hands, Air Thomas Rollitt, late of the Canterbury Flour-mills, Ashburton, being the purchaser.

The takings at the gate at Lancaster Park on Saturday, on the occasion of the interprovincial football match between Wellington and Canterbury, amounted to £157 7» Ad-

Many sheep have been worried lately in the Ashburton district by stray dogs. The Fairton Freezing Works Lave lost a lot of stock in this way, and the authorities are stringent measures to suppress the nuisance.

The Commissioner of Police is bringing under the notice of the New Zealand Humane Society the bravery of Constable Ryan in rescuing a man who fell off the Queen s Wharf, Wellington, a few nights ago. This is tie second time that Constable Ryan has distinguished himself in a similar way. The Secretary of the Lyttelton Harbour Board received ' the .following telegram on Saturday morning from fie Secretary of tie Marine Department: Agent-General cables that dredge will be detained at Gibraltar another fortnight. Correspondence from AgentGeneral about detention there posted you from here to-day.”

A few weeks ago complaints were, made id the Lyttelton Harbour Board and the Acclimatisation Society that the seagulls on the estuary were being shot, -and at was decided to recommend the Colonial Secretary to protect these useful birds. In last week’s “ Gazette ” a proclamation was published protecting seagulls of any species, so “cockney” sportsmen would do well to take warning.

A visitor from too country says ithalfc the Cheviot Road between Domett and Mackenzie is in a very bad condition, even light traps frequently sinking to the axle. The funeral of Mrs Alfred Cox, who was a very early settler in Canterbury, took place |'nn Friday afternoon at Papanui, where the burial service of the Church of England was road by the Rev H. Airey Watson. Many relatives of the deceased lady were present.

The Superintendent of the Christchurch Fire Brigades, acting on a resolution carried at the Queenstown Conference in March last with regard to sending a team of New*Zealancl firemen to the Paris Exhibition of ISCO, has received a letter from the General Delegate oyEports, Paris, stating that as soon as thefnecessaiy arrangements have been made he will communicate further with Mr Smith.,

Arrangements for the accommodation of 1900 .firemen, at the Paris Exhibition next year have been already made. The number of men in a team has been fixed at eight, and it is calculated that the total cost of a New Zealand team would be about £BOO. It is only of late years that these competitions have come into vogue, even in London, and experts are of opinion that a good New Zealand team would worthily uphold the reputation of the colony.

At 9.55 last night an alarm of fire was given from the hospital box. The whole plant turned out, and found the alarm a false one. When the brigade reached the spot, a young man who was present stated that he had seen two young men break the glass and run away. As an alarm from the hospital involves emergency, extra fast time was made; and it has been, suggested that in' future the box should be placed inside the hospital grounds, so that the lodge porter, who is always in attendance, may ring up the brigade himself.

A meeting of the committee of the Christchurch Sheep Dog Trial Club was held at Messrs H. Maitson and Co.’s rooms oh Saturday afternoon, Mr F. A. Archer (president) in the chair. The hono’.ary Treasurer (Mr W. W. Morten) submitted a statement of, accounts in connection, with the late trials, which showed receipts £285 8s 6d,.and expenditure £238 18s Bd, leaving a credit balance on the meeting of £46 9s lOd. A donation of £5 was voted to the Waikari Collie Dog Club for supplying sheep for the trials at cost price, ana for having/them grazed until they weri required. '

The stores. of the Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Association at Geraldine were broken into on .Saturday when a daring attempt was made' to blow open the office safe by dynamite. The explosion took place about 3 a-m-, and aroused a number of residents, who, however, thought it was thunder or the noise of a tree falling in the bush. No one living close at hand thought of turning out to gee the cause of the noise, and the constable, who heard the explosion, and proceeded through the town, found everything quiet. He concluded that his horse had caused the noise by kicking in tbe stable. At daylight it was discovered that the windows of the Co-operative office were blown oult; and that the place had been broken into. The charge Of dynamite failed to force the door of the safe, and the burglars must have decamped without anything for their trouble. Even if .they had opened the safe they would not have benefited much, as there was little money in it at the time. There is no clue at present, beyond the fact that two suspicious looking men were seen about the town on Friday afternoon, who were not to be found on Saturday morning. ,

Good News.—Bicycles by auction, great sale at Matson’s on Saturday, August 12; ninety-three bicycles for unreserved sale, on easy terms of payment. Twelve months’ guarantee with each machine, fitted with Dunlop tyres. on view next Thursday and Friday; inspection invited. Read the circular issued with this morning’s papers. 29

Elsewhere,, Tonks, Norton and Co. announce a sale, on Wednesday, of fifty highest grade bicycles, on ■ behalf of a number of leading Christchurch Cycle firms. .883

The unbounded success of Beath and Co.’s great sale is accounted for by the genuine reductions in every department; Undeniable- b ar S a “' ns everywhere. Satisfaction assured if you visit this great sale. . 2463

Butter. —Fresh Factory (Crown Brand) lOd, Fern Leaf lid. Black Swan, fresh factory, Is; prime fresh Dairy Bd, 9d and lOd. Pastry Butter 7cl. Mild Cured Hams Bd. Tea.. —Crown Brand, in 11b billies, 2s each. Hubbard, Hall and Co. 2384 Latest Acetylene Cycle Lamps. Just arrived, ex Tekoa, 500 1899 “Phenomenon” gas iamps, rhe king of all acetylene cycle lamps. Price £l. Spot cash. Adams Star Cycle Company, 70, Manchester Street, and Colombo Street Depot, 198, Hobbs’s Buildings, Christchurch. 29 Most perfect and up-to-date bicycle for 1899, which has just arrived per s.s. Pvibston, is the Waverley Bicycle; also latest stock of accessories in New Zealand. Repairs a speciality. Inspection invited at Waverley Cycle Depot, 217, Colombo Street, Christchurch. ' 2396 Evendcn’s Patent Roofing and Fencing Nails, neatest and best; perfectly watertight. Recommended by architects, and iaa he obtained from all ironmongers. X24l*

At the Lyceum last night, Mr W. W. Collins-reviewed the life and work of Dr Ludwig Buchner, the great German scientist.

Bishop Grimes; will arrive from the south by this evening’s express, > He has been collecting funds for the proposed Catholic Cathedral, and to-morrow evening he will preside at a meeting of the Cathedral Fund Committee.

Mr J. Pooley has set to music a new opera written by a Christchurch gentleman. It has been given the title of “ Lynetbe,” and is now being rehearsed by the Imperial Opera Company, who will!* stage it at an early date. A meeting of colonists who arrived aJfc Lyttelton by the ship Oanteibury, on Sept. 1, 1874, was held on Saturday^night, when it was decided to hold a “s-oicdai” to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of their landing. A committee was formed and officers’ were appointed to make necessary arrangements.

Classes for physical culture have for some time been conducted at the Riccarbon public school by Mr Tankard. On Friday afternoon the children gave a display j of exercises with dumb-bells, Indian elute and wands before Iheir parents and friends, keeping good time and performing the different movements very creditably.

Judge Ward, the Hons W. M. Bolt, fe. E. Shrimski and J. ,M. Twomey arrived from Wellington by the Mararoa on Saturday and went south by the express train. •Messrs T. B. Taylor a nd G. J. 'Smith, M.H.R.’s, and Captain Willis were passengers by the same steamer. The Hon 0. 0. Bowen arrived from Wellington by the Rotorua yesterday. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association having acquired a lease of three acres of the Twigger estate alongside the present show grounds, is taking steps to include it in the one enclosure, and tenders are being called to shift the necessary fencing. This will give the Association a good deal more frontage on the Lincoln Road than it previously possessed, and will enable great improvements to be made in the entrances.

THE CLUTHA LIQUOR QUESTION. Constable Matheson is annoyed (says a Tapanui paper) at the publicity given in Parliament to the manner in which he has his whisky conveyed to him. It seems the whisky was packed! in an ordinary 'case, and not in a kerosene box. Further, that this was not done for the purpose of concealment, but merely to prevent the liquor being tampered with en route. The constable courts the fullest inquiry, and in all probability more will be beard of the matter.

THE WINTER IN CENTRAL OTAGO. A letter received in Oamaru from Alexandra (Central Otago) gives a woful picture of the condition of the place during the spell of arctic weather experienced there recently. The writer says: —“ We have had something that can be put down in the history of New Zealand as regards weather during the past week; We had lldeg below zero at night, and 22deg below freezing point during the day. I could not work. The cold made one’s hands helpless, and the ink had to be kept near the fire to secure its remaining in a liquid state. Fancy seeing icicles on the horses’ legs and tails, especially those that had just come through water. One waggon that came along had all the spokes of the wheels Joined together with a plate of ice. One could not be outside a minute without his breath freezing on his moustache or beard. We had four nights and four days of solid suffering.” The writer refers to the death of a young man who was suffering from lung trouble. He was found dead in bed, with what was described as one lung nearly frozen.

THE PROFITS OF FRUIT-GROWING. The opinion of the “experts” called in a case before the Nelson Magistrate’s Court differed widely as to the possible profits of fruit-growing. One witness said that an acre m full bearing should produce a gross yield of £SO a year, another said £6O, whilst . Mr G. M. Rout said that fifty-five apricot trees planted on about one-third of an acre in the Wood, hai| yielded £35, £37 ? and £43 respectively in three seasons. Mr G. Ma.rpba.il said that his three acres, when thoroughly cultivated, yielded £3OO a.year, but now that he allowed the trees to take their chance, and kept the orchard on for merely “ amusement,” he got an annual return of £IOO. Mr John Hale said that £5 an acre would represent the net return of an, acre of the best land. THE BULLION BOBBERY ON THE ALAMEDA. ' A despatch, dated Honolulu, June 18, contained in files brought by the Mariposa, refers in the following terms to the gold robbery from the mail steamer Alameda; It is almost certain that the chest containing 25,000 dollars in, gold, lost from the steamship Alameda, left the ship at Honolulu. The man who it is believed robbed the ship is also known, but'he is now believed to be in Japan. He may be caught, for the Oceanic Company has a powerful detective agency on his tracks. The man is supposed to be an Australian. 'He has been suspected of other such robberies between Sydney and Auckland. When the Alameda sailed from Australia this man was a passenger for San Francisco. He left the boat at Honolulu on May 15. On June 1 he sailed by the Gaelic for the Orient. It is believed that the thief had accomplices, and that they brought the money off during a number of visits which they paid to the ship in Honolulu. The coin would weigh about 1001 b. The supposition here is that the man will double back, ahcl in a few weeks will be ranching or doing, something else in an out-of-the-way Australian district.” i , , A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE. Some apparently mysterious disease which is decimating the sheep and cattle in Tokomairiro, especially the southern portion of the plain, came under discussion at last meeting of the Farmers' Club. The “ Bruce Herald ” learns that fully 200 sheep and a few head of cattle, which were in good condition, have been quickly carried off by the disease. It was suggested that steps should he taken to have examinations made by one of the Government veterinary surgeons, but no resolution was passed on the subject. THE SEASONS. A correspondent having asked the “ Post ” to state the exact date of the seasons of the Southern Hemisphere, Mr T. W. Rowe, M.A., supplied the following note on the subject: —“ The seasons are regarded by astronomers as beginning on tbe dates of the equinoxes or solstices. Spring, therefore (in New Zealand) begins on Sept. 23, summer on Dec. 21 or 22, autumn on March 21, and winter on June 21 or 22. There' is a variation of a day in the beginning of some of the seasons, as-the time varies a few hour’s in different years. Whitaker s Almanac shows the hour at which (Greenwich mean time) each season begins in the Northern Henrisplrerfi. The opposite seasons begin at the same time in the Southern Hemisphere, and an addition of llhr 30nrin to Greenwich time’ gives our own local time of such beginning. Of course, places in west longitude show an earlier hour than Greenwich, so it would be correct to allow a variation of a full day for the beginning of each season over the world at large. In ordinary language, however, the winter months are considered to be the three coldest. These

are, m the South Temperate Zone, June, July, and August, and the winter might very fairly be considered as beginning on June 1. The othet seasons in order would then begin on Sept. 1, Dec. 1, and March 1.”

MILITARY CADETSHIPS. The system which has been in vogue of giving a military cadetship to a student from each of the colonies, the cadet to be nominated by the senate of the universities, has been discontinued, and the Registrar of the New Zealand University has given notice to the heads of colleges and schools, and officers in command of volunteer districts, to that effect.,

NEW MILITARY WORKS. The British Government, says the London correspondent of the “ Argus,” have introduced a proposal to spend a further sum of four millions upon military works. This is mainly required for defences of the new guns which are being set up at the naval stations, under which head £1,000,000 will be required. During the last three years the army has teen increased by 25,000 men, and barrack accommodation will absorb, for the present, £2,770,000; £1,600,000 is wanted for new barracks on Salisbury Plain, for seven battalions of infantry and six batteries of field artillery; £160,000 will be spent upon depots, £230,000 on largo camps, £130,000 on Wei-hai-wei, and there is te be expenditure at Gibraltar, Halifax, Malta, Bermuda, Jamaica. Mauritius, and St Helena. For the assistance of volunteers £40,000 is asked. In the brief discussion upon this proposal three or four things were noted. First, the absence of any general unwillingness to agree to the vote, though Mr Davitt carried sixty-six into the lobby against it, being defeated by 241. Next-, a warning from more than one speaker that money for defensive purposes ought , not to be provided at the cost of diminishing the resources of the navy. Mr E. Robertson and Mr Arnold-Forster alluded to the great cost of maintaining the defence of outlying parts of the Empire, and expressed a hope that the self-governing colonies would not leave the Mother Country to bear all the burden. There were several objectors to the expenditure of £130,000 on Wei-hai-wei. Those gentlemen were probably influenced by what is becoming a prevalent idea, that Lord Salisbury has done so little to maintain British influence and interests in Northern China that it will be better to concentrate his energies in future upon the Yangtse Valley, f STEALING A POST OFFICE. The citizens of Mountain View, Oklahoma, who some time ago built this town in three days, and subsequently bought out the rival town of Oak Dale, have added to their exploits by stealing the post office from a neighbouring village. The Mountain View post office has been in a grocery store, and the local paper of a town not far distant, which had a separate post office building of its own, had been twitting Mountain View that it had no post office building because of its unimportance. On a recent Sunday some of the more impetuous spirits of Mountain View secretly resolved to turn the tables on their tormentors by stealing their post office. They hitched three teams of strong horses to a low waggon, and started for the rival village late at night. Arriving at their destination, they lifted the post office bodily on to the waggon, the operation being made easy, as the post office was but a small, box-like building. Then, without arousing any of the townspeople, they started back for Mountain View. They were met by practically the entire population, who had been informed of the proceedings after the men had set out on their errand. The post office was placed in the centre of the town, gaily decorated with flags, while the jubilant victors -were overwhelmed with congratulations. The people of the village bereft of its post office, adds the New York correspondent of the “ Morning Post,” were in a terrible rage over the trick, and they threatened to have everybody in Mountain View arrested lor interfering with the mails.