LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 264, 18 January 1888, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Renwick Presbyterian CnußCii. —Tho Wednesday night meeting formerly held in tho Ren wick Presbyterian Chu-ch, will be resumed to-night at seven o’clock. Re-OPENING OP THE BOROUGH SCHOOLS. Pupils are reminded that with this week their holidays terminate, sod that the schools will re-open on Monday next. Marlborough Racing Club.— The Club in this issue call for tenders for the various privileges in connection with the Februaiy meeting; also for erection of number posts. Giving Up Business. —W. T. Steer, the well-known cabinet maker, Marketstreet South, announces that he is relinquishing business, and that in consequence he offers his stock of furniture at a discount of 25 per cent. Bushranoing. —lt is reported from Birch Hill Station that the boundary rider has been stuck-up and fired at by a black man. Mounted Constable Dew proceeded to the station yesterday morning to make enquiries. Lawn Tennis Club.— We were in error in stating that Urn Lawn Tenuis Club’s meeting would be held last evening. Tuesday next, 24th inst., is this date fixed for the meeting. Rabbit Proof Fences— With regard to public money being wasted, in erecting rabbit proof fences on certain, kinds of country, a correspondent writes: —Too much money has already been spent in trying to get rid of an increasing pest increasing, it is regretted, in spite of all efforts to put it down. It is more than time now that tho Government exercise a prohibitory discretion in further outlay of money in putting up fences that in some places do not accomplish the much-do-sired purpose. From all accounts it is evident that the country around Canterbury is of such a nature that a rabbit proof fence would not be successful. It may, however, be useful knowledge to some of our local landowners to know that it is being used with great advantage by one of our farmers on the Plain. Mr Ward, whose farm is situated about two miles off the New' Road, was greviously annoyed by the rabbits coining from the closely surrounding hills on to his land, but since using the fence thero is a very marked improvement on grass and crops. In fact, to use his own statement, it has hcnabled itu to retain his homestead. Band of Hope,— The usual fortnightly meeting of the Band of Hopefn connection with the Wesleyan Church was held h? the Wesleyan school-room last evening. The attendance was fair ; and the Superintendent, Mr J. Brewer, presided. MrE. Penney acted as organist, and several hymns appropriate to the Temperance movement were sung. Readings were given by Mr Penney and Master Hainby, and a recitation by Mr Derbysbire. Rev. 11. Young delivered a sound and interesting address to bis youthful hearers, exhorting them to keep their pledges at all hazards and help their companions to do the same. In the course of a few remarks the Superintendent urged on the members the necessity of keeping up. the interest in the Band of Hope meetings, and of helping to make the movement a great success. The next meeting' will take place on the 30th of this month.

The Harvest.— From all quarters in the Wairau Mat good accounts come in to the harvest prospects. In a few cases the crops will suffer from the recent heavy nor’-westers, but making al’owance for that the average will be unusually largo and tlie grain in magnificent cond : tien. What may be termed the champion or-p of the season in this district—and fur that matters, the Colony—is that of Mr Charles Redwood, Riverlands, which competent authorities say will yield from 85 to 90 bushels red Tuscan wheat per acre, and as there is between 30 and 40 acres of the crop, the return should be a profitable one. The crop is grown on soil, and the straw stands nearly eight feet in height, the cutting of which is a severe test of the harvesters. Harvesting is in full swing throughout the district, and, provided favorable weather continues, the result will be highly satisfactory. The most extensive cropper on the plain is Mr Fail-hall, of Fairhall, and those persons who desire to see how systematic farming on a large scale can be carried on could not do better than pay a visit to that property at the present time. There are now hard at work five harvesters, in an area comprising between 900 and 1000 acres of as fine a crop of wheat, barley, oats and rye as ever gladdened the heart of man. The recent strong nor’ - wester somewhat prematurely ripened the crops, but they have not appreciably suffered thereby, and now the scene is one of busy activity in all departments of harvesting. Cutting, leading-in, threshing, and driving the grain to market are simultaneously being carried on, with all their attendant cares and anxieties, but the energetic proprietor is equal to the occasion, and the different processes, notwithstanding the drawbacks in the way of occasional breakdown to machinery, are being carried on like clock work.

Arothf.u Failure. —lt has been decided to wind up the Endeavor Inlet Antimony Company.

A Popular Trip. —The second West Coast Sounds trip from Dir.cdin has filled up. The Union Company contemplate running a third trip on the 31st instant if there are sufficient applications, A m nber have been already made.

The Cup Match. The Association Cup match, which was commenced last Saturday, w‘U be resumed next Satunlay, the Blenheim Cup match having been thrown forward a week. The Wellington Infanticide Case. — At the inquest on the body of the infant found at Evans Bay, medical evidence showed that death apparently resn'ted from strangulation. A verdict was returned of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.

The Victorian Exhibition. —Mr Cal IF’ Secretary for the New Zealand Commission, forwards copies of the programme of the Centennial Exhibition. The opening takes place on the Ist August next, closing on 31st January, 1889. The N.Z. Commissioners’ programme is in the hands of the Government printer.

These Be Our Legislators. The Aucklund Herald has the following significant paragraph : It is said that the Inspector of Industrial Schools is only waiting for the expiry of a month from the prorogation of Parliament, in order to take steps against a member of Parliament for the non-payment of maintenance money for his neglected offspring in one of the industrial schools. The case Is likely to produce some strange developments.

Stabbing Affray at Lyttelton. —On Monday night two Finm'sh sailors belonging to the barque E ,; zabeth Graham got into a quarrel at Lyttelton. One of them named Nilson, stabbed the other —Emile Erickson—in the back. The knife turned against a rib and the wound, though severe, is not believed to bo mortal. Nilson absconded immediately after the quarrel.

The Best on Record. —This very tall yarn is from a Patea paper :—“ A best on record lias been made by tlie local dancing club, The occasion was the last of a series of private dances held during the last winter, and being the last, it vyas declared that the dance should be played until everyone was tired out. The tiringout process proved longer than was anticipated, for at tlie end of 23 minutes three couples were still treading the mazy waltz. The pianist, however, who had played all the evening, at this stage cried content, and Mr R, W. Hammerton relieved him and continued the playing up to the close. At the end of one hour uud fifteen minutes one of tho three remaining couples gave it best, the dancers thus beiug reduced to two couples, and these dancers had become on such good terms with each other that there seemed to be no probable liir't to their dancing power, but unfortunately cramp seized one of the hands of the pianist, and compelled him to stop, thereby leaving the dancers master of the situation after an hour and thirty-five minutes’ dancing, without a rest or stop of any kind. How much longer they woidd have continued if the music had not stopped remains a mystery.”

The Twbsty-Four Hour System.— The “question of the hour” is advancing apace. The Japanese, who are evidently inahurry to be in tho van of civilisation, intend to employ tho twenty-four hour system of time, reckoning from the Ist of January last. The system is said to he giving satisfaction in Sweden, where it has been in operation for some time, and the Canadian-Pacific railway is now “run” on the same method. It will be remembered that OH January 1, 18SG, the meantime clocks of the Greenwich Observatory wero put forward twelve hours ip order that the commencement of the astronomical day might from that forth be identical with that of the civil day, which begins ut midnight. This was in accordance with the recommendation of the International Prime Meridian Conference, and in recognition of. the fact that Greenwich had been selected as the Initial meridian common to all nations. Yet Great T 1 ri tain will probably be amongst the last to adopt the new reckoning’, owing to the slight difference which exists between the longitude of any two places in the United Kingdom.

The Piano. —The piano, as is well known, is now the last relic of those instruments of torture that were so popular i n the dark ages. The original piano was use.d ip the To wer of London some time in the fifteenth century. ft was only used in estrcipe cases, although the modern instrument is used in both rosewood and walnut cases. The Tower piano was tried when the thumb-screws and the rack had failed, and Macaulay tells us that it always brought the tortured person to time. The warden of the 'power ; whose business it was to work both the ran \ and the piano, would sit down at the latter instrument, and whack away at ‘ Mv Grandfathers clock/ or the ‘See Saw ’Waltz,’ or something from ‘ Pinafore,’ while the physician stood over the victim and estimated the amount he potild stand. Since that time the deathdealipg qualities of the piano have been very much improve!]-, and the modem instrument is guaranteed to carry desolation over a much greater area than was thought possible in olden times. An ablebodied girl working the Wagner racket on a decrepit tin-pan of a piano has been known to depreciate real estate lporc tlian 50 per cent, for a couple of squares distance from the centre of disturbance-. Patriot Free Press.

Fires. —A fire broke out at Asvin’s store, VYairoa (Napier), at 1 a.m. on Tuesday and spread to Jenkin’s shoemaker’s shop, Allwoods dwelling house, Cathy’s bakehous, and Thorp’s butcher’s i shop, all of which were completely de- ! strnyed. Nothin.!? was saved. Ir.sur- j an ;es : B sliding 3500 in r.'.io U.iF'ii, stock I ,6300 in the Nos thorn, Jen Ha’s shop 610) j in the New Zealanil, Atwood’s house 1250 I in tho Union, Cathy’s a:ul Thorp’s .-.hops j (together) £2)O in tlie Union. The origin of the lire is not known. A large lire at | half-past two yesterda .• morning took place broke out at. Whitehead’s bakery, Palmerston North, and property to the value of £4OOO was destroyed. There was a high wind at the time, and in tho absence of a fire engine, and adequate water supply, the flames rapidly spread. Mr Whitehead’s residence and shop, Venn’s wood ware anil furniture factory, residence and store were all destroyed. The insurances are : Whitehead’s stock £735 in the Imperial, Venn’s store £125 in the National, dwelling £535 in the National, and Ftoclc £350 in the Equitable. N.Z. Frozen Meat. —Mr G. Gabitos, of Timaru, has just returned from a visit to England, and has given the result of his observations to a Timaru Herald representative. Asked “ How is New Zealand spoken of at Home ?” he said : “It is very highly thought of. People are very favorable to New Zealand as a field for emigration, and a great deal of interest is expressed in the progress of the Panama Canal, which people think would be of immense benefit to New Zealand, bringing her within 21 days of England. Now Zealand frozen mutton is very much thought of ; it is most highly esteemed, but unfortunately a good deal of inferior stuff from tho River Plate and elsewhere

is sold as New Zealand mutton. Now Zealand lamb is particularly in favor. This proves to me that the Now Zealand companies ought to have their own agencies and retail shops, and secure to the people at Home a certain supply of real New Zealand mutton.” Romance. A South African paper says:—“A true story, which sounds almost like a brilliant lilt of romancing by Mr H. Rider Haggard, also comes to mo from Damaraland. Many years ago a man named Stevens, while prospecting for copper, discovered gold in Damaraland. Ho told the secret to one of his sous, and the twain kept it dark. Subsequently, notwithstanding the discovery, tho old man and his family wont to the Charters Towers gold mines in Australia. Here lie and the sons did very well, and tho sons have also worked successfully at other gold mining centres in Australia. On his deathbed he called his sons together, related the secret to them, and strongly advised them to return to Damaraland. The advice was followed, and the sons have lately arrived in Damaraland, where, after obtaining full concessions from the Germans, they have proved beyond cavil the discovery made by their father as one of the richest gold mines on the African continent. Tho Barberton Sheba is a mild sort of infant in comparison with the Datnara mine, which is situated just 30 miles from Walwich Bay. at a place called Hycon - scliap, on the Zyakop river. This is the first time the story has been told in a public way, but it is known to a few leading men in Cape Town—including Mr Ohlsson, the brewer—who are eagerly straining hopeful eyes in the direction of Walwich Bay.” Death of a New Zealand Defender. —Tho death is announced on November 21, in his 05th year, of Lieutenantgeneral D. J, Gamble, C.B , Directorgeneral of Military Education, who never quite recovered from the shook sustained by the drowning of his son in the Rhine a few months ago. General Gamble, it may he remembered, served as head of tho Quartermaster-general’s Department in New Zealand from 1801 to 1867, and during the whole of the operations of the war from 1803 to 1806, including the actions at Katikara and Koheroa, the assault and capture of the fortified position of Rangiriri, for which ho was made a G. 8., the advance through and capture of the Waikato country, and the actions at Haerini and Orakau. At tho conclusion of the Waikato campaign, Sir Duncan Cameron, in his despatch to the Secretary for War, after thanking individually tho officers of the staff, including Colonel Gamble, begged more particularly to recommend Colonel Gamble to his lordship’s favorable notice for his zeal, ability, and unceasing attention to his important duties, and stated that ho was chiefly indebted to him for the successful result of the operations. Colonel Gamble was also present at subsequent operations, and in the campaign of 1805, in the Wanganui .country, including the action of Nukamaru and the affair of Kakaramca, and again in the campaign under Sir Trevor Chute at the assault and capture of Otapawa, at Waikato, and in the arduous forest march round Mount Egmont, for which he was repeatedly mentioned in despatches, was promoted to the rank of colonel, and received a modal.

Holloway’s Ointment and Pills.— Notcable Facts. —Intense heat augments the annoyances of skin disease and encourages'the development of febrile disorders ; therefore they should, as they can be, removed by theso detergent and purifying prepaiations. In stomach complaints, liver affections, and pains and spasms of the bowels Holloway’s ointment well rubbed over the affected part immediately gives tho greatest case, prevents congestion and inflammation, checks the threatening diarrhosa and averts incipient cholera. The poorer inhabitants of large cities will find these remedies to bo their best friend when any pestilence rages, or when from unknown causes eruptions, boils, abscesses, or ulcerations point out the presence of taints or impurities within the system, and call for instant and effective curative medicines.

We are no w clearing the balance of our Summer StoGk at greatly reduced prices, for cash. Special bargains will he offered in Men’s and Boys’ Clothing, Dress Materials, Prints, Cretonnes, Quilts, Hosiery, Gapes, Dolmans, Millinery and General Drapery. The Stock is fresh and well-assorted in fashionable Goods of genuine quality, marked in prices, to effect a ready clearance. Inspection solicited.— Smale and Hay.— [Advt], No More Hard Times.— If yog will stop spending so much on fine clothes, rioh food and stylo, buy good, healthy food cheaper, and better clothing; get more real and substantial things of life every way, and especially stop tho foolish habit of employing expensive quack doctors or using so much of the vile humbug medicine that does von only harm, but put your trust in that simple, pure remedy, Dr Soule’s American Hop Bitters ; that cures always at a trifling cost, and you will see good t jig os o-nd have good health. —Chronicle.”