TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12399, 12 January 1901, Page 7

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Over an inch of rain fell at Rangiora between 6 a.m. on Thursday and noon yesterday.

A woman named Julia Steenson was committed for trial at Waihi, on a charge of concealment of the birth of a child. The Glass Works still continue to attract the attention of country visitors, and numbers of school children have been instructed and entertained by visits to the [works. ... '

The Public Works Department has accepted the tender of Messrs P. and D. Duncan for the supply of ironwork for the WaiparaCheviot section of the Main Trunk Line of railway. A largo whale was seen in Lyttelton Harbour, near the reclamation breastwork, about six o’clock on Thursday morning. 1 Few people noticed it; and no attempt was made to interfere with it.

A number of Otago bowlers arrived from

Dunedin by the Waihora yesterday mornv ing, to take part in the tournament, which . opens on Monday, while a further detachment arrived by the express last night. Mr Bishop granted two old age pensions yesterday, one at. £l2 and the other at £B, renewed twenty-three in full, increased one from £ls tc. £l6, and reduced two, one from £lB to £l7 and the other from £lB to £l3. 'Bha Public Works' Department recently advertised for tenders for the supply of iron-bark timber for railways in course of construction. Tenders closed on Thursday, but only one was received at the Christchurch office.

The new railway regulation gazetted on Thursday, providing for admission by ticket only (except as regards travellers) to railway stations a quarter of an. hour before and after the arrival or departure of trains is only to be put in force when occasion requires.

According to the Wellington “Post,” a

New Zealander now in Sydney noted as an odd feature of the Commonwealth illuminations that a large semi-circle of lights blazed out the word “ Welcome ” over the

portals of Darlinghurst Gaol during the week.

The Conference* of Chambers of Commerce was brought to a conclusion yesterday at twelve o’clock. The delegates were entertained by the 'Canterbury Chamber at a banquet last evening, and to-day most of the delegates from other parts will leave for their homes. The police officer who is on his way to the colony for the purpose of identifying the man Charles Lilly-white, charged, in ithe name of Arthur Blatdh, with the murder at Colchester, England, of one Alfred Welch, Is expected to arrive within a few .days. In the meantime Lillywhite has been further remanded to Jan. 17. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Export Company, Limited, was held yesterday, Mr W. ChrystaJl, chairman of directors, in the chair. The resolution passed at the meeting held on Dec. 20, by which the capital of the company is to be increased from £75,000 to .£IOO,OOO, by the issue of 2500 chares of £lO each, was duly confirmed. The report published yesterday morning on the paper on “ Coxmneroial (Reciprocity with Australia,” read at the Chambers of Commerce Conference by Mr E. W. Roper, might make it appear that Mr N. Reid, of Wellington, voted against the motion moved by Mr Roper, whereas he voted for it, as he strongly supports Mr Roper’s views with regard to non-federation with the Australian Commonwealth.

Crown Brand Tea, Prize Competition. See result on Page 2 of this, issue. , ■ X 2747 • Built to order bicycles fit tie rider, cost 'no more, give- complete satisfaction, are rapidly • superseding tie “ stock-built ” bicycles. Oates, Lowry and Co., Christchurch, largest cycle works in New Zealand. X 1571 Wedding and Birthday Presents.—We have just received a special shipment of beautiful and useful goods. We axe making a splendid show in. our windows; everything marked in plain figures. We defy competition. Fletcher Bros., Direct Importers, High Street, Christchurch. X 2565 Ideal Tyres-ire popular throughout Australasia, because they are honestly constructed from Moseley’s celebrated rubber and fabric, are resilient, durable, and carry a liberal twelve months’ guarantee. New Zealand Depot, A. G. Healing and • Co., 222, Cashel 'Street, Christchurch. X 2721 Dunlop Tyre Covers from 15s. Enamelr ling from 12s 6d. General repairs unapproaohed for quality and fair prices. Boyd’s* Cycle Works, 191, Gloucester Street, Christ- ■ ‘ 1 church. 44 The Anglo “ Cob ” bicycle is desigr-sd. for the use of elderly and nervous rider’s, who wish to mount without using the step. A number of these machines have been supplied to the order of prominent Christchurch citizens, who speak very highly of the la- . test Anglo production. Inspection invited. The Anglo-N.Z. Cycle Company, D.1.G., ~ and 226, High Street. Xl9lß Probably the most reliable sale of any is M’Clea and of which will be found in circular enclosed in “ Times ” this morning. This firm has a - well-earned reputation for the genuine nature of the bargains offered, and to-day you will save 25 to 50 per cent, on aft purchases made. It is really well worth while carefully studying all the very cheap lines mentioned in this circular. W. M’Clea and Co. 1988 Don’t forget to visit Beath and Co.’s sale tq-day! Genuine reduction in drapery, ; dresses, mantles,, millinery, corsets, underclothing, ’ boys’ and men’s clothing—amazing bargains. 7012 Special Notice to Anglers and the Public generally.—That J. Trist’s, 230, Cashel Street, opposite Zetland Arms "Hotel, is the best house in town for. all anglers’ requisites. The largest stock of reds in New Zealand to ' select from. Just landed, ex Tokomaru, new flies, minnows, casts, etc. Note address ■ *-J. Trist, Cashel Street.,Christchurch: late

A meeting of the Fire Brigade Demonstration Committee will be held at the City Council Chambers at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. ■The “Lyttelton Times” office was brilliantly illuminated last evening by electric incandescent lights, tastefully arrang d, on the occasion of the Jubilee of newspaper, which was established m Lyttelton on Jan. 11, 1851.

Three men were arrested for drunkenness last night. A man was arrested on a charge of having deserted Mildura at Sydney on Jan. 3, 1900, and a boy was taken in charge for having commandeered some cake from a dwellinghouse.

Mr R A'. Underwood, advance agent for the Stanford Dramatic Company, arrived in Christchurch last evening. The company finished a very successful season at Dunedin last night, and after playing at Camara and Timaru, will open in Christohm'ch on Monday, Jan. 21, in the drama, Ine Power and the Glory.”

Finding that the present general post office buildings at Wellington ore now too restricted, the Government has decided to purchase the whole of the remaining property on the* block now partly occupied by the post office, with a view to making considerable extensions.

The City Council, which has not met for nearly a month, will have a pretty full list to deal with on Monday evening. Amongst the more important questions to be dealt with are the purchase of a section on which to erect public abattoirs, and providing for cases of infectious diseases under the Public Health Act. The Timaru Pigeon Club flew a race from Invercargill on Thursday, twentytwo birds competing. The winner, Mr J. Thompson’s Despair, covered the distance (203 miles 1138yds, air-line) in 5h 3Tmin, or an average of 1111yds per minute, and five others exceeded 1000yds. The birds had the advantage of a strong wind in their favour.

Mr A; J. W. Bunz, organist and choirmaster of St Luke’s Church, has been entertaining the boys of his choir at an encampment at New Brighton during the week. The boys had a very good time with cricket, etc., but as the weather was rather unpropitious on Thursday the camp was broken up, and the youngsters returned to town well pleased with their outing. The Acting-Premier has sent a cable, through the Deputy-Governor, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, asking that a reply should be sent to the request that the Imperial troops now in Australia should be allowed to visit New Zealand. Mr Ward points out that there is a 'great desire on the part of the people of the colony that the British troops should come here. He has received messages from all parts of the colony urging him to press the matter upon the authorities in London. About a month ago the election of five borough councillors at Waimate was upset through a legal informality. A fresh election took place yesterday, and all the unseated councillors were re-elected by large majorities as followsColtman 231, Jones -218, Cameron 215, Inkster 210, Mann 205. The other figures polled-were : —Scott 190, Freeman 169, Milsom 166, Colville 161 and Dash 125. A poll on the unimproved value resulted as follows: For 235, against 61, informal 14. The proposal thus was carried. At the Magistrate’s Court at Timaru yesterday, J. Goulding, licensee of the Queen’s Hotel, was fined £5, and the conviction was ordered to be endorsed on the license, for supplying liquor to an intoxicated person. The case was defended. Several witnesses swore that the licensee’s wife, who was in the bar, point blank refused to supply the man, but their evidence did not cover the whole of the time the mam was in the bar, and on the evidence of police witnesses, the Stipendiary Magistrate concluded that Mrs Goulding changed her mind and did supply the mam.

The following will be the order of sale for the third of the present series of wool sales, which opens at the Chamber of Commerce Hall on Thursday next:—The New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency! Company, Messrs H. Matson and Co., Messrs Pyne and Co., Messrs G. King and l Co., Mr F. C. Tabart, Messrs Dalgety and Co., Messrs Friediander Bros., and Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. Wool is, coming forward very freely in spite of the broken weather, which has retarded shearing operations, and the sale will be a pretty large one. The chief health officer for the colony. Dr Mason, will visit the Hanmer Plains Sanatorium, as soon as ho has completed his business in Christchurch, and afterwards he will proceed to the Bluff, where he will inspect the hospital recently erected there by the Public Health Department. He will afterwards endeavour to arrange for the establishment of a fumigating chamber for the mails there on the lines of the one already established at Wellington. One of the same kind is now being erected at Auckland, and it is the intention of the Government to place one in each centre. The system of fumigation by sulphur is now obsolete, and for the future the chambers for fumigating will, be fitted with steam appliances, where the mails will be treated under pressure. From experiments 8 which have hen tried in Wellington it has been discovered that the disinfecting of mails under steam pressure does not damage the matter contained in the bags or the envelopes in which the mail matter is contained, and at the same time all danger of contagion is removed. It is the intention of the Department to supply all the principal centres with the necessary plant to fumigate the foreign mails.

BAGPIPES MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

The “ Wairarapa Daily Times ” has been shown a handsome set of bagpipes, which were manufactured by Mr J. Robb, blacksmith, of Masterton, well known in the Ashburton and Ellesmere districts. The instrument was cut out of black make wood, and is beautifully mounted with ivory and silver! . Those who are familiar with this wood are perfectly aware that the work of rendering it suitable for its intended purpose would entail tedious labour. Mr Robb can be fairly congratulated on his handicraft, which would do credit, to an expert. Several good musicians who. have tested the instrument pronounce it to be of excellent tune. MIDLAND RAILWAY COMMISSION. As Mr Napier Bell cannot come to New Zealand to take his seat on the Midland ’ Railway Commission till next month, the Acting-Premier has decided that the work shall be done entirely by Messrs A. Morrison, R. M’Kenzie, Hudson and Buck. He has sugggested that the Commission should begin its sittings on Jan. 25, in Wellington. PERSISTENCY UNREWARDED. The story of a, “ persistent beggar ” is told in connection with the Otago and Canterbury detachment (says the Wellington “Post”). They marched on board the Rotomahana at Lyttelton 168 strong. On arrival at Wellington they were 169. Now this was singular. They were paraded, and counted —169. The roll was called—l 69 ; the corps was counted—l 69. Here was a mystery. They marched to the camp still 169, But here the mystery was solved : the men were paraded under the eyes of a couple of officers. As the roll was called each man was ordered to take two paces to the front. Two stepped forward to the name of Mae , and a few seconds later one disconsolate individual was without the lines on his way to town. He had paid his own passage up, and doubled a name with another man, in the hop© of passing in the crowd. But it didn’t work.