TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13815, 31 July 1905, Page 7

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Th©' rainfall registered at Rangiora between 5 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday was just over 1-i-in. The imports and exports of the port of Timaru for the half-year ended dune 30 totalled 82,745 tons, or about 1400 tons more than the corresponding period of 1904.

At a special meeting of the Lyttelton District High School Committee, held on Friday evening, Miss M. ®. Osborne was recommended for appointment as assistant mistress.

At Temuka on Thursday evening tho Timaru Chess Club defeated the ..Temuka Club (twelve men a side) by fourteen and a half games to seven and a half games, one game being reserved for adjudication.

. The Rangiora Borough Council’s Lighting and Finance Committee further considered the gasworks proposal on Saturday afternoon, and unanimously decided to. recommend the Council to proceed with the erection of muni-cipal-owned works. Mrs Harrison Leo addressed a wellattended meeting in tho Temuka Volunteer Hall on Tuesday evening, tho Mayor (Mr Thomas Buxton) presiding. At the close of the address, on the motion of Mr Tilbrook, seconded by Mr W. Jeffries, Mrs Lee was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. On Wednesday Mrs Harrison Lee spoke at Pleasant Point.

At a public meeting in Winchester on Thursday evening, the trustees of the Victoria'Public Hall laid a statement of tli© finances before the meeting, showing assets £290 and liabilities £l3O. A committee of six was elected to manage the hall with a view to reducing the debt. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Harrison; on© of the trustees, for services daring the past thirteen years. At a public meeting presided over by the Mayor in Temuka on Thursday evening, the question of oast v. west site for th© new railway station was discussed at groat length. The Railway Department intends to erect the station on the present (east) site, but many iof the business people wish tho station to ho on the west hide. A motion was ultimately carried by 18 to 8 that the proposed eastern site was satisfactory. At the annual meeting of th® Temuka Building Society on Friday evening Mr H. Miles presided. The bal-ance-sheet showed a credit of £506 16s 3d, an increase of £127 7s since last year. £2250 had been the amount appropriated by sale or ballot, tho sales realising £lB7 10s. No losses had been made by tho Society. At present a sum of £B2OO, less £2OBI 10s repayments, was on loan. Messrs S. J. Hitchins, MTunes and J. Stewart were reelected directors, and Mr W. H. Brown shareholders’ auditor.

The committee sot up to inquire into the ways and means of erecting a liveweight scale in the Ellesmere district held a meeting at Leeston on Friday. Mr T. B. Howson (president of the Ellesmere ,branch of, the Farmers’ Union) occupied the chair, and there were also present Messrs John Ronnie, Job Osborne, James Henderson, Dudley Hampton and R. M’llraith. The information gathered by members was discussed. Mr James M’Cormack, the proprietor of the Leeston Hotel, was interviewed, and he offered to erect a scale at the saleyards provided the cost did not exceed £SO. After erection ho would conduct the scale in connection with the yards. Mr M’Oormack was heartily thanked, tho committee decided to gather further information regarding reasonable cost and tho beet description 5f scale to bo procured. ’ Strange’s were tremendously busy again on Saturday, tho attendance of the public at their great Annual Stock-taking Sale being very large indeed. The extraordinarily attractive character of the goods, and the absurdly low prices at which a great many lines are being offered, fully accounts for the* interest excited by this big clearance. It will be resumed at nine o’clock this morning. 437

Household Requisites. Fletcher Bros, have a good assortment of baths, buckets, saucepans, kettles, fry-pans, brooms and brushes. W. and G. cups and saucers from 5s lOd, plates from 2s, moat dishes from Is, big dishes 2s 9d, toilet sets from 8s 9d, lamps, cutlery, glassware, etc. See windows. Fletcher Bros., Crockery and Glassware Merchants* Lower High Street. 1988

During a hare drive at Barford and CioanvoH, Ashburton, on Thursday, 108 hares fdl to fourteen guns in four hours. At Baling on the same day twenty guns bagged about 100 hares and a low rabbits.

At Friday's meeting of the Timarn Harbour Board a resolution was passed! thanking the secretary of the Lyttelton Harbour Board lor giving evidence before the Local Bills Committee of the House of Representatives in favour of 'the Board regarding the Timaru Drainage Bill.

About an inch and a half of rain fell in the vicinity of Timaru in tho latter half of last week, and field and garden were rendered unwr \blo. At first the rain was warm, bu- the temperature fell later, and on Saturday the light showers that fell were not much above tho temperature of snow. At the Magistrate’s Court at Timarn on Frinay a lad of iourteen was convicted and discharged on a charge of having stolen a bicycle, the justices who heard the case making it a condition that tho boy’s father should give him a thrashing. The lad hired a bicycle from a dealer in Timarn, rode it to Waimate, and being stranded, sold it there to a second-hand dealer for 80s. Professor Soofct, magician, ventrilouist and society entertainer, will make his first appearance in Christchurch tomorrow evening in conjunction with Macdarmott’s Electric Biograph Company, which will commence a short season in tho Theatre Royal. Although now to this colony, tho Professor lias gained a reputation in tiro Commonwealth and during his short stay in Now Zealand.

Tho annual dinner of the Ashburton Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Society was hold on Thursday evening, when there was a good attendance ot members. Tho Mayor, who is tho patron of the society, presided, and tho usual toast list was gone through. During the evening a pen of Dorking fowls was presented to Mr F. B. Turner, chairman of the committee, for tho large amount of work he had done for Hiio society. ' , ' '

At Timaru on Friday a youth of eighteen was charged with a double offence, stealing a bicycle belonging to one dealer, and obtaining another from a second dealer by a false pretence, this being that the first bicycle, handed over in part payment for tho second, was his own property, whereas it had been obtained n the hire-purchase system, and as it nad not been completely paid for .it remained the property of tho seller. Mr Raymond, who defended the accused, elicited that the hire-purchase greoment was never signed by the minor himself nor by his father, though the latter agreed to sign it. Counsel therefore submitted that the sale was an ordinary sale on credit, and the buyer had legally a right to deal with the bicycle as his own property. Tho Bench, took this view and dismissed both cases, though expressing the opinion that the lad knew ho was doing wrong.

Preaching at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church last night, the Rev T. Tait spoke strongly against the evil of gambling. There was another evil, however, he said, that was as pathetic, inhuman and full of diabolical gr&qd. Hot was not there to dictate to any man what he should do at the coming election, but he believed that all that was wanted to combat the evils of the liquor traffic w;is to become acquainted with facts. There was not another thing of sin or misery or shame that had come under his observation in Glasgow, Australia or New Zealand that had so worried him and driven him to despair about the saving of men as the liquor traffic. The evil was not only rampant among those low down in the social scale, but also among those well up in society. If people could become acquainted with the actual facts showing the results of the, liquor traffic they would make short work of the nonsense talked by men who would support the evil in Christchurch. Tho committee appointed to arrange for the planting of trees by school children on Cashmere Hills met at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, at the foot of ,thol hills, and proceeded to that part of the road where operations are to commence. The starting point is just beyond the last house of tiro settlement, and at the' other side of tho sectionjwhero the now school (for which tenders are now called) will bo built, and covers the stretch of road from there to Victoria Park. This distance has been divided roughly into eleven parts, which have been allotted to the various schools. Each school will take charge of the planting and cultivation of the trees on tho part of tho road allotted to it. During this week the holes will he opened out, the ground being in good condition for this work to ho done. One special feature is that I n the highest section there is a part of the road where flax is at present growing, which can bo made into a little native corner, and which will look charming in its surroundings. The secretary will be pleased to receive offers of contributions of trees, particularly of macrooarpa (eighteen months old), fii-s of various kinds, also gum trees in their varieties, and of native trees. On Saturday next a further meeting; of the committee will be held on the hills, members leaving town by tho 2 p.m. tram. The Timaru Harbour Board on Friday siient some time in discussing the tenders received lor supplying' a multiple bucket dredge. Some members expressed regret that the offer of the Lyttelton Harbour Board to lend the dredge Manchester was not accepted. Tue terms were payment of actual working expenses, cost of insurance for the trip, and of any damage done. The mombc.s of tho Board who declined the offer thought the expense too great (the insurance premium would bo between £3OO and £400); others thought tho test whether a bucket dredge can work the., hard bottom at Tiraaru would have been cheaply made on the terms stated. Some half-dozen English and Continental firms offer to supply dredges of 500 or 1000-ton hopper capacity. The ’larger capacity is preferred, and the most advantageous offer is that of Fleming and'Ferguson, of Paisley, who offer a 1000-tou dredge, a larger vessel but of less engine power than Lyttelton’s “ Manchester,” at £26,000. Mr Baynes, the Harbour Board’s engineer, submitted a plan showing dredging requirements, involving the removal of about a million tons of spoil. He estimates that with the present, dredges it would take thirty-six years and cost £178,000 to remove this : while a multiple-bucket dredge would do it in about_ three years at a cost of £50,000, including the cost of •the dredge. Consideration of the tenders received was postponed to a special meeting on August 14. Jewellery sale, for one month only. Ladies’ Gold Watches from 355, Ladies’ Silver Watches from £l. Ladies’ Rings from 10s upwards. All goods sold at greatly reduced prices. — lx. Grioshaber, Jeweller, 155, Colombo Street. X33/1

Having had a very successful millinery season Graham, Wilson and Smellie are clearing tho balance of their Stylish Trimmed Hats at 8s lid, to make room for now seasons goods, arriving early in August. ISSB Hundreds of people have already visited our great salvage sale of footwear this week, and carried out thousands of pairs of boote, shoes, slippers, etc. Yet wo have an enormous quantity still on hand, which are being cleared out at prices almost equal to giving them away. Some of tho linos are only slightly damaged by water, and every purchaser is highly delighted with tho bargains they are now getting. Owing to a number of patrons not being able to get served last Saturday wo. are engaging more staff for tide coming Saturday to avoid a repetition. Come early and'avoid tho rush. Maine Bros., 132, High Street, one shop, one address. 1988

A very interesting collection of rare orchid blooms is being exhibited by Mr J. G. Davis, Colombo Street. Several of them are newly-introduced. . IRI f eir flowers shown for tho first time in Now Zealand. Tho criminal scSnons of the Supreme Court will bo opened by Mr_ Justice Denniston at eleven o’clock this morning. Tho calendar io die largest that has been prepared for some considerable time, comprising nineteen c. ges against seven teen persons. An “ At Home ” for the members of the Lyttelton Naval Artillery Bports Chub and their lady friends took place in tho orderly-room of tho company on Friday. The companding officer of tho company, Captain Foster, and Airs Foster wore present. . Light refreshments were served, and a programme of games and music was concluded with a dance. To ail interested in tho condition of tho working claoses, t-hia week’s issue of the “ Canterbury Times” will be particularly interesting. It will contain four pages of illustrations depicting tho working of the World’s Model Factory, together with a special descriptive article. 'The photographs aro exceptionally good, aim the subjects dealt with ire of a striking nature.

Friday afternoon three young men, named Richard Fiatman, M .nn FJatman and - Richard Truman, were arrested by Constable M’Lennan on a charge of stealing eight goats, the property of Air G. D. Greenwood, Teriotdalo, Amborley. The accused were brought before Mr W. H. Rhodes, J.R., and remanded till Thursday next, bail to tho amount of £25 bc-ing allowed.

The Wellington correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times” telegraphsln tho eax'ly hours of Saturday morning the Senior member for Christthurch and Captain Seddon came into personal conflict in the precincts „f the House. Ttyo cliffoi ,o was not a very serious one, but it is understood it Mr Taylor intends to bring the matter under tho notice of Mr Speaker.

A meeting of the State Schools Defence League was held in the Metaphysical Rooms, ‘ Gloucester Street, on Thursday evening, Mr-W. Ensorn in tho chair. A discussion took place regarding tho proposed public meeting, and it was decided to adjourn it for two or throe, weeks to suit the convenience of the speakers coming from Wellington. Several new members joined the League.

Tho members of tho Gust Presbyterian Church choir paid a surprise visit on Wednesday evening to the residence of Mr and Airs C. B. Forces, who have been recently married. An enjoyable evening was spent, and, on behalf of tho choir, Mr A. Searell presented the newly-wedded couple with a handsome egg cruet. The Rev W. Spence suitably conveyed the good wishes of the visitors. Mr Forbes acknowledged the gift from his fellow-members. Mr Y. G. Day, S.M., held a sitting of the Juvenile Court on Satu.day, when three boys, named Edward Cook, John Quinn and William Cowio, were charged ; with - having stolen tramway tickets valued at £5. Tho police withdrew the charge against Cook. Cowie pleaded guilty to tho theft of one packet of tickets, and Quinn pleaded not guilty. Ho admitted having received tickets from Cowie,-and a plea of guilty was taken out against him. Both boys were committed to the Burnham Industrial School. \

Tho proposal of the Consumptive Sanitorium Committee “to stamp out the disease” was mentioned at the S&lwyn County Council meeting on Saturday, and drew a suggestion from a inember. “1 think they’ll have to kill about half tho cats and dogs in the country before they stamp it out,” ho said. “ I’ve shot cats and dogs that have boon wotted away with a disease like consumption, and I knew of one case in which a child that had been playing with a diseased dog was taken ill and died very quickly.”

A forcible object lesson to growers of fruit for the market is afforded by tho Tasmanian apples which are being marketed here just now. , The cases in which they are packed are strong and sound, and the contents aro of full weight.. The apples are of remarkably uniform size and free from blemish by pests, in both respects differing very much from tho ordinary local fruitsupplies. Retailors buy the Tasmanian fruit with confidence, but local c,.isignments, a very few brands excepted, aro treated with the caution—caveat emptor.

About a dozen owners of traction engines attended a meeting at Timaru on Saturday afternoon, and determined to form a Traction Engine Owners’ ami Users’ Association, to cover .all Now Zealand. A committee was appointed to arrange some details, and th© annual subscription was fixed at 20s for tho first and 10s for each additional engine belonging to the member. A sec of rules of an English Association, with necessary amendments, was' provisionally adopted. Mr Wiglcy presided at tiro meeting, and Air Chaffey acted as secretary. The benefit derived from the British Shipping Act by British sailors was instanced on Thursday (says the “ New Zealand Times”), when a young seaman belonging to Oamaru,. suffering from a knee injury, was sent by the British Consul all the way from Tacoma, Washington, United States of America, back to Wellington, where he disembarked from the Monowai. Tho voyage, under the conditions provided by the Act fen sick seamen, cost the Now Zealander only £4 7s, that is, tho rate of 3s per day paid for his faro by the Aorangi and the Monowai. The sum of £2O odd wages due to him from tho steamer Eleric was forwarded to - Captain G. G. Smith, port shipping master at Wellington, who paid it over to the seaman, minus tho £4 7s passage money.

Tho members of the Young Alon’s Bible Classes in Christchurch have decided to do something to help on the no-licon.se moueraent, and in connection with this a mooting was •■’held in St Paul’s classroom on Tuesday evening. Delegates wore present from Methodist, Baptist, Congregational and Presbyterian classes, and tho following resolution was carried unanimously—“ That we, the Young Men’s Bible Classes of Christchurch and surrounding districts, will do all in our power to forward the no-license movement by (1) Tho enrolment of voters; (2) the sotting up of a Correspondence and Newspaper Committee; (3) the holding of meetings in outside districts; (4) the holding of a mass meeting in Canterbury Hall just prior to the election. Sub-committees aro being appointed to carry on tho work.

Start right. Buy a Benicia Disc Plough if you want a clean farm- Morrow, Bassett and Co. NS2OB Wo have decided to continue the sale of those boaiitilnl £2O Camilla bicycles during July and August af £ls 15s. Also that proved reliable bicycle, “ Titania,” with best Dunlop, at the sale price of £ll. Boyd and Son, 191, Gloucester Street, Christchurch. Repairs as usual. 3469

Alechanics, Labourers, and Farmhands should see the great job purchase of 51 dozen of the famous tiger brand, best quality Kaiapoi denim overalls, in all Maes. These are a little soiled on edge of the folds, but as good as ever for" wear. The usual retail price is 4s 6d par pair; wo intend to clear the whole 51 dozen before stocktaking at 2s lid r>er pair.' Don’t want thorn taken into stock; Fence the low sale price. Remember;, they aro all of tho best quality, ar.l must bo cleared. .Death and ' Co., .[ltd., Cashel Street Great sale now on,; ’ 1988

■ Two men were arrested on Saturday, one char" 1 with the theft of boots and the other with theft from the person.

ho is alleged to have stolon a pound note.

i The Canterbury College Board of Governors will meet this afternoon, and will receive the deputation appointed by the recent conference in regard to technical education. The conference resolved that the College should be asked to undertake the charge of the teehj nioai classes. j , Messrs Bedford, Fisher, Lanrens-'-n ■ and Taylor, the leading members of j ■ ’ New Liberal Party, will deliver political 1 addresses at the Canterbury Hall on Friday evening. The four members will meet the fiiencls and supporters of the New Liberal Party in the Metaphysical Club Rooms this evening, at eighto’clock.

A speaker at the men’s meeting last evening raised an objection to churches on the ground that they would accept as members, only those who subscribed to -ertain ' doctrines. The next speaker c< Used the meeting by his paivo re-

nn.nr, “I’ve been asked to join two churches, and no one asked me to subscribe anything.”

• A farmer at Fairfax informs the “ Bruce Herald ” that, although ho managed to hatch about 150 chickens last season, ho had only been able to rear about twenty-one, owing to weasels

having carried off the others. He also has great difficulty in securing any eggs, as the weasels steal them almost a® soon as they are laid. Tho no-liconse party in Christchurch has decided-not to allow the statements made by the .’ey, W. Thomson, at his mooting the oilier night, to go unchallenged, .and the Rev It. S. Gray has been invited to state the.other side of the question. A public meeting will therefore bo held in the Canterbury Hall to-morrow night. The return crib bags and euchre match between a/ns representing the telegraph operators and “ Lyttelton Times” and ‘‘'Press” offices was played at the Gladstone Hotel on Saturday night, and resulted in a win for the telegraphists, by eight games, the scores being twenty-six to eighteen. At the conclusion of tho card-playing, a pleasant hour was spent musically, several members of each team contributing songs. Apropos of sanctuaries for ducks (telegraphs tho Wellington correspondent of this paper), at the Acclimatisation Conference, Mr Bruce, of Canterbury, quoted a case of a man who had agreed -to bo a ranger for the Society. Information subsequently reached- the Canterbury Society that the whole of Scotland Yard would bo needed to pro.porly watch its ranger. The Society sent its own rangers up, and they succeeded in catching the man red-handed, but they did not get possession of his gun till ho was on his own land. As -a result of this the Society’s rangers wore lined £2 for assault, and the poacher got off with a fine of £l. Such

a fine was inadequate, and the Society Liwagiit that the minimum fine should be raised to £5. The behaviour of a young cow which had escaped from a pen at the abattoirs gave residents in the Waikiwi district a very exciting, time on Wednesday (says the “Southland News”)- Early iii the afternoon it chased persons on the Bay Road and in the viointy of the Waihopai Bridge. The infuriated f east was, later, driven along up to the junction of tlio Abattoir and North Roads, where it became unmanageable, and charged the big gates of Messrs Lonnie and Sons’ nursery, breaking them off their hinges. Several of the men working in the nursery had to take refuge in trees and sheds, and work was at a standstill for over an hour. The owner

of 'the animal attempted on horseback to control it, hut was unsuccessful, and it was finally decided to shoot it. Those whose calling compels them to face all weathers will be pleased to learn that they can have made to order a thoroughly waterproof coat, from Guest skins, specially prepared, at same price as low-grade imported article. Tribe and Co., High Street. 1988 One of the numerous lines which we are clearing out at our annual sale. Three sets of sample underclothing which are attracting great attention. Ladies’ and gentlemen’s fine, ail wool, English manufactured underwear, at less than landed prices. The advantage in this lot is that two or three garments of u set may bo secured at Black, Beattie and Co.’s great annual sale, now on. 1988 FIJI SUGAR. At Navua (says the ‘Fiji Times”), the Indians, who own some 8000 acres of caile, have for a long time been dissatisfied with the prices they have been receiving for their cane, and unless they can be persuaded to cut, the mill will com© to a standstill, as it is understood the company can only control some 200 acres of its own cane for' this season. Strenuous efforts are being made to induce the Indians to cut. It will be remembered that serious disturbances were threatened last year wl en the Indians refused to cut, and were only eventually persuaded to do so. by Mr Humphrey Berkeley, at the request .of the Government. It is understood that there are no contracts between the Indians and the company. It is sincerely to be hoped, in the interests of tue colony, that satisfactory arrangements will he made by the new company which has taken over tho Fiji Sugar Company.. ♦ ■ ROUGH PLAY AT FOOTBALL. A short discussion concerning rough play on football fields took place at the conference of New Zealand erees on Saturday'morning. Mr C. W. Garrard, of Christchurch, lamented that the outcry against rough play had resulted in “ hard ” play being discouraged. In this result the agitation had defeated its own object. In Canterbury the forwards of the present day did not know how to play “ hard,” and tho result of this was that they had learned to play foul, which was "a great difference and a regrettable one. Mr R. D. Jones, of Manawatu, said tho real trouble before referees was how rough play whs to be defined. No finality had yet been arrived at, though days of argument had been spent in various places. Tho conference decided that the matter was one that must bo left to the discretion of referees. It was also resolved to ask tho manager of tho New Zealand Rugby Union team for Great Britain to ascertain, during his tour, what are the opinions of English referees as to what constitutes rough play. CANTERBURY LAnlB. Mr W. F. Jaino, a Longhsach fanner, who recently left on a visit to the Old Country, writes to his friends stating (says tho Ashburton “ Mail ”): —New Zealand is very well represented by way of produce and other things in the Crystal Palace, the Christchurch Meat Company having a vory good display of wool and tinned meats. It is alee creci:i: : a freezing chamber, where it null di-play tho frozen mutton and lamb. People in England seem vory ignorant of New Zealand; they mostly all think New Zealand is part of Australia. While in London and Croydon I visited several butchers’ shops, and asked if they had any 'Now Zealand meat. “ Oh, yea, prime Canterbury lamb.” Asked them to' lot mo sec it. and in not one single instance did I see Canterbury lamb. It was all North Island and Victorian, part of it having the Victorian Government stamp cn. I .visited several of tho butchers’ shops in Hereford, and it’s tho same cry. You hear the butchers

singing out “ Prime Canterbury lamb.” While there I visited a colonial frozen meat shop, and asked for some Canterbury lamb, and was shown Argentine and Victorian. In not a single instance there did I see Canterbury. They are all selling it as prime Canterbury lamb at from od to 6d per lb. In one instance they wore selling Argentine chilled meat as Canterbury lamb. I have explained to several that there are only two companies that freeze meat in Canterbury, and unlees it is branded with their brand it is not genuine. A REMARKABLE SUICIDE. An extraordinary case of suicide of a woman named Florence FerVed is reported in a telegram of July 21 from ' Bingara, Now South Wales. Some days earlier a travelling showman left his camp near the town, with his eldest child, to search for some stray_ horses, leaving his wife and three children—■ the eldest a girl of eight, the youngest a four-months-old baby—in the tent. The little girl ran with the other children to a neighbouring house, and said that her mother -as drinking matches and digging a big hole in the tent. Some people got round the tent, and sent for the police. The woman, who had barricaded herself in, kept digging with an adze, now and again taking a drink from a pint-mng, and sharpening a knife on a steel. She tried to prevent people from looking through the tent, and kept on working. The police, on arrival, burst into the’ tent, and secured the mug, which was found to contain about four boxes of matches, which had been mixed with some tety. The woman /had dug out a grave the size of her body and about a foot deep. A knife and steel were lying on the loose earth alongside. The police brought the woman to the gaol doctor, who administered emetics. She was charged with having attempted to commit suicide, and pleading guilty, was sentenced to firty-six- hours’ imprisonment. She was taken to the hos-, pital, where she died on July 21 from the effects of phosphorus poisoning.