TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12242, 30 June 1900, Page 7

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

At eight o’clock, this evening a special edition of the *' Star ” will be published. It will contain the latest cablegrams respecting the war and events in China, and reports of events occurring in the colony during the afternoon. Messrs L. de C. Malet and J. Burnett were among the passengers who went south by the express yesterday. The ordinary meeting of the Canterbury Laud Board did not take place on Thursday, as there was not a quorum of members present. The friends of Lieutenant Lindsay, who went to South Africa, with the First Contingent and afterwards joined the 7th Dragoon Guard's, have received a eabie message statin,r that he will probably return to the coIcuv in a fortnight or three weeks’ time. At Oxford on Thursday, Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., renewed two old age pensions, granted tno new ones for the full amount, adjourned two applications for proof of age; and struck out an application made by a man who had only been naturalised,.vix months. The Acting-Superintendent of the. Christchurch Fire Brigade desires to thank Mrs Hornbrook, of Opawa, for her books and periodicals for the men. Further contributions of books and papers for the read-ing-room at Lichfield Station will be thankfully received and acknowledged An exceptional demand for the “ New Zealand Cyclist’’ has re-ulted in this wick’s issue being already sold out. Immediately that copies were available they were rushed, and hundreds were sold in the streets within a.n hour of publication, the remainder being dUpocd of yesterday m-orn-ictt. The action of the proprietors in opening the columns of the paper tp all cias-es <4'sport. 3hd ill including ip. its -pages firstclass illustrations, has evidently beep’-afr predated public,.

He Secretary to the Charitable Aid Board acknowledges the receipt of magazines, etc., from the Public Library for the old people's homes.

Owing to the prevalence of whooping cough and scarlatina, the South Rakaia school has been closed, and will not be reopened again till July 16. Nominations for the extraordinary vacancy on the Avon Road Board, caused by .the resignation of Mr C. Burgess, representative of the Richmond Ward, will close on Monday. At Timaru, yesterday, Ellis Mills and W. Millington were committed for trial on a charge of stealing sixty-five fat sheep from J. Fitzgerald. The hearing lasted all day. Another case will be beard to-day. The deputation appointed by the Christchurch Beautifying Association to' interview the City Council, waited upon the Mayor yesterday, and lai’d before him the plan proposed by Mr Bowen for planting the South Belt. Mr Reece promised to do all in his power to further the project. The following statement shows the amount of Customs duties collected at the port of Lyttelton during the week that ended yesterday ; r—Spirits £1568 15s 6d; cigars, etc., £165 5s 4d; tobacco, £869 4s 6d; wine, £129 Os lOd; beer, £6; tea, £l2B 16s; coffee, etc., £36 2s; sugar, etc., £132 6s; weight, £397 Os 3d; ad valorem, £2138 9s 6d; other duties,' £233 11s 4d; total for the week, £5804 10s 3d. On Thursday afternoon a smoker, while waiting along Chapel Street, St Albans, lit ids pipe and carelessly threw the lighted match into a live fence, which immediately caught fire. The fence was within twelve feet of some dwelling-houses, and serious consequences might have resulted but for the energetic action of a postman, who, with the assistance of some ladies, was successful in extinguishing the blaze.

A wit®css in a case in which a parent was charged with a breach of the School Attendance Act, in having failed to send a child to school, stated at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning that it was a common practice amongst teachers, instead of calling the roll, to count the children in a class and. then a#, who was absent. This practice is giving ground for a good deal of dispute in truancy case®, aud it is statedthat the teachers would save themselves, the parents, the Magistrate and truant inspector much trouble if the slightly longer, but safer, method of registering each name was adopted. Arrangements have been made for Mr and Mrs Hannibal A. Williams, of New Yorkl to give a series of private Shaksperian recitals in Christchurch. Mr and Mrs Williams, who are mating a tour round the world, have met with a very good reception, in New Zealand. At both Auckland and Wellington they received letters, signed by ' leading citizens, asking them to give additional recitals at these places, the requisition at the latter place being headed 1 by the names of Bishop Wallis and Sir .James Hector. Mri and Mrs Williams, after visiting Nelson, will return to Wellingtsfir, to give additional recitals there,and will be in about July 5. New claims for Old Age Pensions still keep coming in steadily to the Christchurch office. Tim average for the fourteen months 'ending May 30 was slightly in excess’ of 27, whilst during tbft month 26 were received. Tho &st Haims for pension were received op. Hen- 28, 1898, and' by the end of that month ' 109 were' awaiting inveriagation. the‘Dfipntyrregistrar, no fewer than 647 claims coming' to hand. February and March in that ygar were responsible for 181 and'dl Since then the average has been as above stated. It may be poled that the deaths of pensioners on the register since the first pensions were granted' (Jan. 13, 1889) have amounted to exactlylOG. The Executive Committee of the Cfhterbury HortmultuniJ" Society met bp ThuKafey . evening, when Mr A. E- Lowe was elected chairman for the season. Reports were received as to the progress of negotiations with the Jubilee Erilibition Committee as to holding a show aV the Exhibition. It was resolved! that) Messrs El Biggs and H< C. Damn should be appointed delegates to \ meet tiro Rose Society with regard "to the question, and that the' whole of the Horticultural Societies in Canterbury should bo approached with a view of making the show: one that will he worthy of the province, It was also resolved that an energetic canvass should he made to secure new members and to collect special priz.es. The secretary reported that Mr A- W- Buxton and Mr J. G. Davis had given special prizes. Four new members were elected. Everyone delighted with the genuineness of the bargains at the sale of M’Gibbon’s assigned stock. (Shop crowded all day long; many cannot get attended to. Everything wonderfully cheap. Shaw, Robinson and Co., 213, Cashel Street, Christchurch. X2IBO Acetylene lamps in immense variety, from 10s; twin roller chains from 12s 6d; bells, toe-clips, locks, and all the latest accessories, at lowest priori. Repairs executed promptly. Waverley Cycle Depot, 217, Colombo Street, Christchurch. X 2396 Old and new bicycles re-enamelled the new “ Kharki ” colour for £l, Oates, Lowry- and 00., largest makers of cycles in 2few Zealand, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Ashburton and Tima.ru. ° 6 Let PA man say he is destined to be usqle.ss in the world. In some way or other all cap benefit society, but he performs the noblest, task who commends Black Swan Butter to his friends. 6 If yog are looking for a good and,' cheap bicycle it will pay you to. caß at the Anglo, 296, High Street, and. inspect the large stuck of Tady ? s and gents’ second-hand cycles. Serviceable machines with Dunlops 'fre-m £3. Easy payments arranged.' Call and see the bargains at the’Anglo-New Zealand Cycle .Qo., 226, High Stret. ’ Xl9lß Boyd and Son aro well, upholding their high reputation for first-class and satisfactory repairs to bicycles, at moderate prices. 191, Gloucester Street, Christchurch. X 2588 Baxter’s Lung Preserver positively cures coughs, colds, hoarseness, loss of voice, bronchitis, asthma, and the hacking cough in consumption. All chemists and storekeepers. X 2660 Hanging lamps from 5s 9d to 55a. Wo guaranty o to. give better value in hanging and table lamps, chimneys, shades, wicks, etc., than any lamp seller in New Zealand. Fletcher Eros., direct importers of lamps, chimneys, etc., High Street, Christchurch. ’ ’ 1897 SCHOOL TEACHERS IN SOUTHLAND. The women teachers -of Southland met yesterday, and signed a petition to the Minister of Education, praying for equal pay for equal work as compared with men teachers, and eligibleness for all positions in the education service. Among the anomalies referred to, was the fact that a woman teacher of a country school gets 10 per cent less than a man, although she teaches &ewin,g,'while the' Board pays*, a sewing mistress where a man is in charge, j: qlso, that the mis ties? of a large school, while ranking next to the head-master, gets the pay of a fifth assistant only. j RAILWAY RATES. In reply to a deputation, from the Agricultural Conference, who laid before him the resolutions paused on Tuesday, the Minister of Railways said that several of the matters referred to had already been met by his recently announced reforms. As to the request for* a reduction in freight, that

might come next year, as the Government by redudug passenger rates had gone as far a-s it could this year. He would, however, ■give some attention to the request for a reduction of the, rates for carrying draintales. The request to construct weighbridges at country stations for the purpose of weighing grain trucks would involve a cost of about £70,000, and that outlay could hardly be thought of at present, but Mr War'd) undertook to give some attention to the subject. He could not entertain the proposal that the Department should cany show stock free, nor could he see his way to grant free passes to judges doing duty at agricultural and pastoral shows. the forth island trunk railWAY. , . The Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce is asking the co-operation of the Auckland Chamber in, urging upon the Government the rapid completion of the nJortn Island Trunk Railway. islaniTscenery. The Premier’s Island trip seems to be fuh of possibilities for the future, including an extension of the New Zealand boundaries and a great development of trade. In connection with the descriptive articles appearing in the “ Canterbury Times, the illustrations in the pictorial pages are not merely of interest, but of great value. A s has been previously stated, they were taken by the special artist of the weekly journal who accompanied Mr Seddon. To secure photographs under a sub-tropical sky is by no means an easy matter, owing to the intensity of the light; but that the results are very satisfactory has been freely admitted. The series of island photographs, is to be continued 1 in the next issue of the “ Canterbury Times,” and will be keenly looked for.

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. Included in the order-paper for the Municipal Conference which will open at Weiliagton on July 16, are the Mowing notices -of motion ;^ (£ That all vendors of meat in ■the district of a local authority that has established an abattoir, be compelled to kill in such-abattoir; that power be given to corporations that have established abattoirs to undertake' killing themselves charging . therefor, or -to let- the same by contract, and to enable the corporation to deal with the offal as it thinks fit; that all kind® of meat offered for sale within any borough should he previously inspected and passed by a duly appointed inspector being slaughtered; that the Slaughtering Bill ' of 1899 be passed into law; that for carrying out efficiently the Adulteration Prevention Act, 1880, Government analysts shall visit all towns in the colony periodically; that subdivision- of quarter-acre sections in towns be prohibited; that school teachers’ residences should be rated ; that all Government property in boroughs be rated; that railway stations and wharves in boroughs be rated; that the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Acts be amended so as to give equal representation on Boards to Counties and Boroughs; that legislation should provide for the Government and Fire Insurance Companies contributing to the cost of maintaining of fire brigades ; that Borough Councils should control the expenses incurred in the election and management of Licensing Committees; that persons renting premises 'for a few days and selling therein by licensed auction or otherwise lots of drapery, fancy goods and other wares, should be taxed.