TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXI, Issue 13343, 23 January 1904, Page 7

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Fully 150 men are in Ashburton, waiting Jor harvesting work. The first firing on the improved Ashburton saugc will take place on Monday evening. A' sum of £2 8s 4d has been received by the district nurses from the Sydenham School Cadets. , At the Arcade Horse Fair, Ashburton, yesterday, draught horses sold up to £sl jnd harness horses up to £l7. Four thousand acres of the Lagmhor Estate Ashburton, are being cut up into farms, and will bo offered by auction in April-

Yesterday the Rangiora Borough Council decided* that the statutory half-holiday should-'be observed in the borough on Thursday afternoon.

A quick way of effecting improvements needed at the Halswell School was adopted 4y the committee last week. The members ' V>et, and worked together till their sense jif the fitness of things was satisfied. The guessing competition in connection with the Sumner gala was won by bliss ■Eva Brooking, whose estimate of the number of people carried on the trams. on Thursday was 8516. The correct number was 8527.

1 At tbe Old Age Pension Court yesterday ilr Habelden, S.M., in refusing tbe renewal Vi a pension, stated that be did not think jhat persons who earned £1 per week on an average' for the greater part of the year Should apply for a pension.

. Meetings of householder.* in connection ■ ’tvith the ©lection of school committees in • ibe Mayfield, Anama, Ashburton, Hampstead, Newiands, Droraore and Fairton districts mill bo hold on Monday evening at tight o’clock. The time-table of the Christchurch techlical classes, which will commence the new jerm on Monday, 1 is published in another Column. ; Mr Garrard will be in attendance It his'office, Canterbury Hall, this evening, from sewn to nine o’clock, for the convenience of students.

A correspondent states that harvesting is In. fill! swing in the Cheviot district. While most crops are confirming appearances hy Jesuit' and will thresh out heavily, there >re not a few whict are utterly disappointing. ■ Fat lambs are coming forward ratherlater than usual, but are of -first-class quality.

The annual carnival in connection with the Opawa Swimming Club will beheld in the Opawa baths this afternoon. An attractive programme has been arranged, and large. entries have been received for all events. Afternoon tea will be dispensed by the lady members of the club. . A coach will le:ive Cathedral Square at 2 p.m. , ’ The Christchurch Poultry Club met on Monday, Mr A. Smith presiding. The report of the sub-committee which had been appointed to confer with other bodies in, ronnection with a laying competition was considered highly satisfactory. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr A. Clarkson for a relies of photographs,of silver TVyandottes. The Auckland Crown Lands Board yesterday recommended the granting of a sixtyjsis years lease to the Melbourne Iron and gte'el Metal Manufacturing Company of an area on the west coast, near Mannkau Heads, for the purpose 'of utilising saild;for )teel manufacture. The conditions suggested include a stipulation for the erection of «. plant not to cost less than £15,000, and to be in working order within two years. Mr Colin Cook, of Lyttelton, who is now ,in Europe, states in a letter received by the last mail that he was greatly struck by the Seed Department at the Eoyal Agrirultural Show, where he saw El -Dorado potatoes on sale for seed purposes. There were seven of theni, being sold 1 at £IOO each. Only one was unsold when. he was at the show. He states that from seven pounds of seed potatoes of another variety,the Northern Star, 7871 b of potatoes were gathered. ■

' A company has been formed in Auckland for the of running passenger and mail motor-cars 'between Rotorua and Taupb, and other parts of the district adjacent to Rotorua. Four cars are at present Running in the Rotoma-Taupo service, and there is a daily service to Waixnangu and ’Waiotapu. It is proposed to put on two jnore cars almost immediately, and by next vear it is expected to have a dozen or more In commission. The cars at present runping between Rotorua and Taupo are able ib cover the distance in about half the ordinary coaching time.

Mr H. G. Ell said at the Sumner function yesterday that the borougH was eminently adapted! far the; growth of native trees, and! that he hoped to see them' extensively planted. Mr G. Scott remarked that no one who Lad travelled in the Old ,World could have failed to notice the manner in which the streets were made attractive. He hoped to ,see the time when Sumner would have fine belts of trees in its streets; and. when people would be prohibited from erecting high fences which cut off the .gardens from the public view.

> The Bright Hours Children returned from iheir Coastal tour last night, having spent, a most enjoyable holiday. The children seem to have experienced in its fullest measure the proverbial hospitality of the W cst Coast, and as they were favoured with perfect weather,' their experience throughout the "tour was a 3 pleasurable as it was successful. Entertainments very given at Greymonth, Reefton and Hokitika, and at each place the business done was financially satisfactory; The children, _ however, scored quite as great a success with their personality as with their performance, and they 'left tho Coast/accompanied by a chorus of requests that* they should return at an early opportunity.

) The M’Cprmick Reaper and Binder raises the value of every acre of land on the farm, it diminishes labour, lessens worry and promotes content. X 3203

< A feature of Strange’s Great End-bf- ' Summer Sale (commencing Friday next, 1 £9th infit.) will be a huge clearance of plain household goods, such as calicoes, sheetings, linens', towellings, etc., and also manufactured cotton * goods. .There is something like a cotton famine just now, jndl prjees are likely to be much higher for all classes of* cotton goods soon. Also,, it may bo noted that tbe prices of wool are rising considerably, which will, of course, make blankets, etc., much dearer. At Strange’s Sal© both cotton and woollen, goods {including blankets) will be obtaiu- , able at ..substantially reduced sale prices—taicn prices as are not likely to rule again for some time. 7397 1 Herb Beer.—Eight gallons for 7d, made ifrom on© bottle of Fletcher’s • Extracts of Herbs. Corks Is per gross, by bale 9^d; Unbleached Ginger Is per lb; Hops 9d per l Jb; Brown Sugar 2£d; String 3d and 6d W ball. Fletcher Bros., Direct Importers. Lower High Street. X 3014

• If you have tie faintest suspicion that your eyes are not just right, if they bother vou in any wav, it’s best to have thorn Examined at 'once. Do not go to the 1 average optician or spectacle seller, for he \ unable to distinguish between optical • Meets and diseases, but consult John B. proctor, 180, High Street, Christchurch, - Who will give you a thorough examination ► free of charge. X 2681 We have eyery appliance and convenience ' for repairing all kinds of English and American Bicycles, at lowest prices. Boyd md Son, Gloucester Street, Christchurch. . Telephone 437. X 3196 ■ Black, Beattie and Co. are making a large ",'..display 1 of Real Panama Hats, and owing : ,Ao late arrival are clearing them at very low, reduced prices—meh’<| 15s i ladies 30s gM. each. Inspection invited. ~ X 3333

The Waitaki, Eakaia, Rangitata and Waimakariri Rivers are reported fishable. The Ashburton Brass Band gave a:n/openair concert in the Domnin on Thursday evening, when there was a large attendance of the public. ■ Yesterday was the third anniversary of King Edward’s accession to the throne. The only apparent notice of the day w%S the closing of the Supreme Court offices. Complaints have been made in regard to excessive charges by cabmen in the city. On Thursday, one of them was suspended for a fortnight for having offended in this direction.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of William Bailey, baker, of Ashbourne, Ferry Road, was to have been held at the office of tbe Official Assignee yesterday morning, but lapsed for want of a quorum. A poll was taken at Napier, yesterday, to decide the question of obtaining a loan of £IO,OOO to carry out various works in the borough. The proposal was carried, 301 votes being- recorded for it and 100 against. About seventy applications have been received for the position of auditor of the Bank of New Zealand in succession to Mr A. Macintosh, who is now the general manager, of the bank. The auditor’s salary will bo £1250 a year. Mr Haselden, S.M., presiding at tbe Old Ago Pension Court yesterday, explained that he was enabled to grant the renewals very expeditiously, owing to all the cases having been inquired into fully beforehand by the Pension Department. H.M.S. Pyladcs arrived at Timaru from . Dunedin yesterday aftern'oon. Commander Da Costa was formally welcomed b'y the chairman of the Harbour Board and the Mayor. The Pylades will remain at Timaru till Tuesday, and then go to , Akaroa.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Samaritan Home-, reference was made to the negligence shown by some of the members in not attending. Several members expressed surprise that gentlemen should seek seats on the Board and ignore the important duties of the, position.

The Government has received advice that a consignment of some fifty partridges is coming out to its order hy trie Turakina, which left London for the colony on N<jw Year’s Day. In the liberation, of these, every endeavour will be made to select suitable country where vermin and poison are least likely to diminish their, numbers. Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M., presided at the Old Ago pension Court yesterday morning. Seventy-nine renewals were granted for the full amount, two for £l7, one for £l6, two 'for £ls, two for £ls, one for £l2, one for £ll, ono for £lO, one for £9, and one for £B. One application for a renewal was

, “ Betty orchard thieving ” has become so rife in Wanganui that the ’’Herald” has been compelled to rebuke those who fail to respect other folk’s property. “It is quite scandalous,’’ says the journal,” that people who have gardens should be obliged to watch them night and day to prevent the fruit and flowers being stolen. One might as well live among Arabs.” The ranks of the Balaclava heroes were further reduced by on January 14, .near Sydney, of Mr Arthur Bercleman, one of the survivors of the “ Charge of the ■six hundred.” Mr Bercleman, who was seventy-four years of age at the time of his death, held two medals, one for having taken part in that charge, and one for distinguished services during the Crimean war.

Mr C. Hastings Bridge gave notice yesterday that at the next meeting of \he Board of,Trustees of the Samaritan- HoiVe he would move that the Minister of JusticV should be communicated with, with a view' to having the institution brought under the Inebriates Homes Act, wllich was passed last session. Under that Act the Government bad power to frame-regulations giving trustees the powers of detention. The Board, however, did not desire to he vested with those powers; what it wished was that the Stipendiary Magistrate should be empowered to commit parsons to the Home for stated periods.

At the meeting of the Trustees of the Samaritan Home yesterday, reference was made to the decrease in the number of maternity cases during tho past year.. Mr Board said, that lie thought that the Trustees’ position should be made clear. It must not. be ■ assumed that on account of the small number of maternity cases- admitted to the Home tbs number of illegitimate births was decreasing.. Qn the contrary, he considered that illegitimacy was increasing in Christchurch. He was of opinion, the Trustees should consider whether they should not work in conjunction with other institutions and reduce their hard and fast rules. ’

The “Otago Daily Times” says:—Owing to the somewhat high prices which, on account. of the large purchase for storage and export, have ruled for eggs during the last fqw weeks, poultry breeders have held- on to their Lens rather longer than usual this season, with the result that operations at the Government depot have only just commenced, instead of, as last year, ■ before Christmas. Notwithstanding the late start with birds, however, the indications are that extremely heavy business will be done at the depot in the ensuing season. For a considerable time past the grader has been busy sorting and preparing eggs for export. Some 4000 dozen have-' already passed through the department to tho cool stores at Port Chalmers.

Messrs Macdonahj, Wilson and Company,' of Wellington, announce the sale by public auction on- February 4, of valuable brick premises in the city of Wellington, being the property at present occupied as the Commercial Travellers’ and ' WarehousemenVclub. It is situated in Hunter Street extension, adjacent' to the Queen’s Wharf, and the land has a frontage of 40ffc by a depth-of 66ft. It is held 1 under perpetual lease from the Wellington Harbour Board, the ground rental for the next nine years being £6O per annum. The building on the land was specially erected for the 5 Warehousemen’s Club Company, Limited, and is finished in an elaborate style, well adapted for'a club house, warehouse or offices. The increase in -the membership of the club lias necessitated the company erecting larger premises, winch are now under construction, hence the sale. Full details appear in our auction -column. 7370 Christmas Gifts in pretty jewellery, best quality, best selection, best value, always a little cheaper at R.- Kennett, Jeweller, Lower High Street. At this season of the year there is no gift so welcome or so appropriate as tasteful jewellery. X 3369 Jewellery Sale.—All goods sold at great reduction. All tie newest and choicest assortment for presents. For one month only. K. Grieshaber, Jeweller, 155, Colombo Street. * X 3371 The careful and thrifty can spend their money to best advantage by visiting Beath’s Genuine Clearance Sale—ail'season’s stock to be sacrificed to make room for very extensive shipments of winter goods now hi transit. Blouse silks 5s lid for Is lid, wool delaines 2s 3d for Is, 100 dozen towels 2s 3d for Is 7-jd pair, floral Swisz muslins Is Ijd. for 8-id, pillow-cases Is for 91 d, Jute hearth rugs 2s lid for Is lid, mercerised merlawns is 9d for Hid, grey Donegal dress tweeds 25s 6d for 13s lid dress, pure Japanese silk in all colours Hid yard, ■ fancy straws 5s lid for 6d, trimmed sailors 6s lid for Is. See windows for wonderful bargains. Beath’s Great Sale, Cashel Street. 5825 Black, Beattie and Co. are now showing a very choice variety of Summer Sunshades in all tho latest styles. Floral designs, stripes, etc., being the balance of their summer stock, which they are clearing at special prices to suit everyone. 1988 For New Zealand and world-wide patents consult Henry Hughes, patent agents, 183, Hereford Street. P. M. Newton, manager (sixteen years’ experience). Free pamphlet, “Advice to Inventors,” on application, X 5368

Last evening a general meeting of the No. 5 Industrial Building Society, disposed of the 57th appropriation of iioOO by ballot. Share 403 was the lucky number. , A sixty-acre crop of oats in the Ssafield district, 'Ashburton, has threshed out 20 bushels to the acre. The land is light, plains soil, but tbe yield is fully 10 bushels short of last season’s.

The Lyttelton Pirates Amateur Athletic Club held a paper-chase on Thursday evening. The “ hares,” Messrs Wales and Sutton, started rom the corner of London and Canterbury Streets and returned over t!is hills to the starting point without being caught. They had five minutes’ start. Parents would seem to favour exemption from vaccination more in the Auckland district than in Christchurch, as 972 certificates of exemption were granted in-the former district during tbe past year, against 162 here ; on the other hand, considerably more vaccinations were registered in the Christchurch district than in Auckland, the figures being 668 against 281. There were 2375 births registered in the Auckland district, against 1904 in. the Christchurch district during the year 1903.

THE FATHER OF ELECTRICAL SCIENCE.

In this age: of electricity it is fitting that the tercentenary of Dr William Gilbert, the father of electrical science, should be made the occasion for doing honour to the great scientist’s memory. December 10 was tbe three hundredth anniversary of Dr Gilbert’s death and the Institution of Electrical Engineers celebrated the. event by presenting to the Corporation of Colchester a picture of Gilbert showing his electrical experiments to Queen Elizabeth and her Court. Dr Silvanus Thompson, speaking on behalf of the Gilbert Society, said that electricians Owed an enormous debt of gratitude to William Gilbert. Among all the famous men of the time of Queen Elizabeth, there ■were few whose names now stood out more pre-eminently. Experimenting with a little ball of loadstone—• a magnetic , model of the earth—Gilbert was able to lay down the then, unheard-of idea that the earth itself- was a great;., magnet, and that was * the text of his great book “De Magneto,” published in 1600. Gilbert also dealt with the science of astronomy, which owed him three things. He was the first advocate in England,of the views of Copernicus; he was the first to observe that the fixed stars could nob all be one distance away from the earth ; and he produced the first known map of the moon, even before the invention of the telescope. Gilbert’s house at Colchester was still standing. It was a very Mecca, to which all electricians should make a pilgrimage. His bones lay in the church of Holy Trinity, Colchester, where there was a line heraldic monument, recording his career land his virtues. LONDON CABS. Since the fatal accident to Mr Beach, father of the House of Commons, and the later pitching out of' Mr Chamberlain 1 into the roadway of Parliament Street, hansom cabs have distinctly suffered in the estimation of the public, writes Mr Lucy to the “ Sydney Morning Herald.” With a good horse and a well-hung cab there is no mode of locomotion- more pleasant and rapid than the hansom-cab. But it has been shown in a succession of prominent cases that its additional style, safety, is a grim mockery. In increasing numbers folk prefer the four-wheeler. This turn of fashion has had prompt and useful effect. The old London growler, with its smell of damp straw, its springless body, its ancient horse, and its antediluvian driver, are as extinct as the dodo. ' It has been succeeded by a class of vehicle more closely resembling, a substantial brougham. The breed of horses is correspondingly im- , proved, and many drivers make it a point 'of honour not to allow the frisky hansom iv> overtake and pass them. Yet another addition to locomotion in London is the coupe. This is actually a smart brougham, seated for two, with a servant .in quiet liverv. They may be had at reasonable rate by the hour, the day, the week, or the season. Many people who used to keep their own own carriage have put them down and hire the coupes, among other resources of civilisation, is lit by an electric light shining from the roof.

A TRAGEDY. According to a veracious-scribe in one of the London evening journals, a curious " tragedy ” occurred recently on a homewardVound ,R. and O. steamer. An old lady always sat on an air-pillow while on Seek. She, left it on her chair one day while she went below, and in her absence a sportive gentleman hit another sportive gentleman on the head with iQ and it burst. They both promised the old lady to buy her an jfnprovcd air-pillory at next port, but ejie wept bitterly, and feteed to bo comforted. Her late husband, appeared, had blown up the pillow before ho died, and now his breath had escaped, and no pillow blown up by a stranger would ever fill the place of tho exploded' relic.

THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS

Some of- the Rhodes scholars have taken up residence at Oxford, although the majority of them, do not go up until next term. Those at present at Oxford hail from South Africa ; they have been in residence since September, and appear well pleased with their prospect?-. The “ Daily Mail,” which ono need not take too seriously, writes as follows regarding the Rhodes scholars: “Perched high up in the ‘quad’ of his college, the rooms of one of the men from the veldt have nothing in the wav' of luxury. In the demeanour of the South Africans there is very little that betrays a colonial upbringing. The blue suit, upturned trousers and brown boots—almost the hall-mark of Oxford—have already been assumed, together with the suspicion of a condescending drawl. The whole tiling is, however, pronounced by one of tho men as ‘rippin’,’ in -spite of- ‘the labyrinth of formalities’ to be punctiliously observed. Their fellow-students they declare to be * splendid.’ On first taking up residence, they were given a few kindly hints on college etiquette, so that the enormity of leaving‘cards on a senior man was avoided. Oi proctors and ‘ bull-clogs ’ little have they eesn, though they entertain nothing but disrespect for the. rules and regulations which unduly restrict liberty. The greatest problem to face is that of paying fees and all expenses out of £SOO a year, saving ‘something for the “vac.”’ ‘A rather difficult thing,’ said one ; ‘ still there, is no doubt that the allowance is handsome enough, and enables us to live comfortably.’ On the whole, the verdict is, 'We wouldn’t have missed the experience for anything.’ The life is to them very happy, though at first rather difficult in its many counterattractions to study.” THE “STAR,” » For many years the Saturday issue of the “Star” has been yi welcome guest in' city and suburban homes. In its preparation the aim has always been to provide an abundance of bright, interesting, instructive and entertaining reading; for the weekend. This endeavour to give to the Saturday issue a magazine character in addition to its ordinary newspaper features has been remarkably successful, inasmuch as the paper on that day has an enormous circulation quite distinct from its daily issue. There are three editions on Saturday—at three o’clock, four o’clock and eight o’clock The first edition, to supply tho early afternoon trains, is an exceptionally heavy one, showing the popularity of the -Saturday issue among country readers; the second edition is also heavy, and is largely purchased in the city and suburbs ; while the

last edition, at eight o'clock, the specialty of which is the latest news, local, mterprovinojal by telegraph, and -uorld-wide by cable, as” well as the last reports from the recreation grounds, has a constituency wholly its own. THE COMMONWEALTH BIBLE. On Thursday Lord Northeotc was sworn in as Governor-General of the Australian Commonwealth with a Bible which has upured prominently in the federated btutes history. A few weeks ago {says the Sydney “Morning Herald”), when the personal effects of the late Mr Critchett Walker, Principal Under-Secretary, were about to be .submitted to public auction, it became known that included amongst the articles was what is known as the “ Commonwealth Bible.” It was the one on which Lord- Hopooun was’sworn in ns the first- GovernorGeneral of the Commonwealth, and on which his constitutional advisers? took the oath of allegiance to the King of England and to- the Commonwealth, beaa'cherg after historic mementoes were baulked in their desire to become possessed of the Bible, because the State Premier stepped in and claimed' it as tbe property of the State of New- South Wales. Lord Northootos secretary telegraphed for a loan of the Bibre for the swearing-in process, and Sir John See agreed to let the volume go over the NewSouth Whales border on condition that it was “returned directly after the ceremony.” This stipulation was readily agreed to,_ and the precious book wag temporarily surrendered to the Federal Chief Justice at Melbourne. ; A REFUTATION. The “British Australasian” says: —In a letter to Saturday’s “Times,” the AgentGeneral for New Zealand once more deals with the “Bitter Pill” proscribed for Australasia) by Captain Pearse. It will bo remembered that Captain Pears© wrote from Smith America with regard io the exodus from Australasia to Argentina, alleging h:s own personal experience. Mr Reeves took him to task, and showed that on board the Rimutaka, lay which Captain Pearsc travelled from New Zealand to South America, there was but ono steerage passenger from New Zealand. To this letter, after an interval of some months, Captain Pearse, writing now from South Africa, admits that “ only people with .'woney go to Argentina from Australia and New Zealand; the working men go elsewhere.” Mr-Reeves, therefore, took the trouble to examine the first and second-class passenger list -of the E®itaka, and found but six passengers booked from New Zealand to South ' America. Having thub disposed of the exodus of moneyed persons) to South America, Mr Reeves quotes statistics to prove that Now Zealand has for many years been a gainer by the movements of poulation, and so completely disposes of the “ Bitter Pill.” Tho Agent-General’s letter, it may be said, opens with :<u amusing gibe at tbe nimblenoss of bis antagonist, who- attacks Australasia, now from New Zealand, then from South America, and hater from South Africa, and shifts his ground of attack as readily as his local habitation. THE POULTRY TRADE. The “Otago Daily Times” says; —Some weeks ago exception was taken in these columns to a statement, originating in Christchurch, to the'effect that America was securing control of the South African poultry market, owing to their superior methods of packing and quality of birds. As further evidence that the, “ boot is on the other foot,” and that New Zealand lias nothing to fear from comparison with any exporting country, we have permission to make the following quotations from letters just received from South Africa by a, Dunedin exporting firm. One writer s a,ys : “ The .shipment per Essex arrived in perfect order. Not ono case was injured, and the birds were admirably packed,*and looked very nice indeed.” Another finnt writes: “New Zealand fowls, have found great favour in the market, principally owing to tho ■ careful grading, plucking and packing, and if the quality is maintained, Now Zealand goods will have the preference over Australia, which at the present time is unable to supply large quantities of suitable birds.”